But if it returns to
the attempt in the eighth month and be born, it cannot live, because the
day of its birth is either past or is to come. For in the eighth month
Avicunus says, it is weak and infirm, and therefore on being brought
into the cold air, its vitality must be destroyed.
CURE.
Untimely births may be caused by cold, for as it causes the fruit of the
tree to wither and fall before it is ripe, so it nips the fruit of the
womb before it comes to perfection, or makes it abortive;--sometimes by
humidity, which weakens its power, so that the fruit cannot be retained
until the proper time. It may be caused by dryness or emptiness, which
rob the child of its nourishment, or by an alvine discharge, by bleeding
or some other evacuation, by inflammation of the womb, and other severe
disease. Sometimes it is caused by joy, anger, laughter and especially
by fear, for then the heat forsakes the womb, and goes to the heart, and
so the cold sinks into the womb, whereby the ligaments are relaxed, and
so abortion follows. On this account, Plato recommended that the woman
should avoid all temptations to excessive joy and pleasure, as well as
all occasions for fear and grief. Abortion may also be caused by the
pollution of the air by filthy odours, and especially by the smell of
the smouldering wick of a candle, and also by falls, blows, violent
exercise, jumping, dancing, etc.
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