SECTION I.--_The Signs of the true Time of a Woman's Labour._
When women with child, especially of their first, perceive any
extraordinary pains in the belly, they immediately send for their
midwife, as taking it for their labour; and then if the midwife be not a
skilful and experienced woman, to know the time of labour, but takes it
for granted without further inquiry (for some such there are), and so
goes about to put her into labour before nature is prepared for it, she
may endanger the life of both mother and child, by breaking the amnios
and chorion. These pains, which are often mistaken for labour, are
removed by warm clothes laid to the belly, and the application of a
clyster or two, by which those pains which precede a true labour, are
rather furthered than hindered. There are also other pains incident to a
woman in that condition from the flux of the belly, which are easily
known by the frequent stools that follow them.
The signs, therefore, of labour, some few days before, are that the
woman's belly, which before lay high, sinks down, and hinders her from
walking so easily as she used to do; also there flow from the womb slimy
humours, which nature has appointed to moisten and smooth the passage
that its inward orifice may be the more easily dilated when there is
occasion; which beginning to open at this time, suffers that slime to
flow away, which proceeds from the Glandules called _prostata_.
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