Outlines of the theory and practice of midwifery / by Alexander Hamilton, M.D. F.R.S. Edin. professor of midwifery in the University, and member of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh.

  • Hamilton, Alexander, 1739-1802.
Date:
1784
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Outlines of the theory and practice of midwifery / by Alexander Hamilton, M.D. F.R.S. Edin. professor of midwifery in the University, and member of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

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    conception, at firfl form a large proportion of the ovum in comparifon of the embryo or foetus, in advanced geftation the pro- portions are reverfed. An ovum betv^een the eighth and ninth week after concep- tion, is nearly about the fize of a hen's egg, w^hile the embryo fcarcely exceeds the weight of a fcruple : at three months, the former increafes beyond the magnitude of a goofe's egg, the weight above eight oun- ces ; but the foetus does not then amount to three ounces: at fix months, the foetus weighs twelve or thirteen ounces, and the placenta and membranes only feven or eight: at eight months, the foetus generally weighs fomewhat more than five pounds, the fecundines little more than one pound: at birth, the foetus weighs from fix or fe- ven to nine pounds, which it rarely ex- ceeds *; but the placenta feldom increafes much in bulk from between the feventli and eighth month. Having defcribed the ovum in early geftation, we ftiall next take a view of the germ; * Natura fibi femper conflans manet, confuetum maturorum foetuum pondus efle inter 6 et 7 libras civiles medium; rariusp libras excedere.—Henr. Aug. Wriibergii Obf. Anatomicas, &c. Goettingse, 1779.