按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
s in length and weighed about 8 ounces。 The head was sufficiently developed and the cranial bones considerably advanced in ossification。 He tied the cord and placed the fetus in warm water。 It drew up its feet and arms and turned its head from one side to the other； opening its mouth and trying to breathe。 It continued in this wise for an hour； the action of the heart being visible ten minutes after the movements ceased。 From its imperfectly developed genitals it was supposed to have been a female。 Professor J。 Muller； to whom it was shown； said that it was not more than four months old； and this coincided with the mother's calculation。
Villemin before the Societe Obstetricale et Gynecologique reported the case of a two…year…old child； born in the sixth month of pregnancy。 That the child had not had six months of intrauterine life he could vouch； the statement being borne out by the last menstrual period of the mother； the date of the first fetal movements； the child's weight； which was 30 1/2 ounces； and its appearance。 Budin had had this infant under observation from the beginning and corroborated Villemin's statements。 He had examined infants of six or seven months that had cried and lived a few days； and had found the alveolar cavities filled with epithelial cells； the lung sinking when placed in a vessel of water。 Charpentier reported a case of premature birth in his practice； the child being not more than six and a half months and weighing 33 1/2 ounces。 So sure was he that it would not live that he placed it in a basin while he attended to the mother。 After this had been done； the child being still alive； he wrapped it in cotton and was surprised next day to find it alive。 It was then placed in a small； well…heated room and fed with a spoon on human milk； on the twelfth day it could take the breast； since which time it thrived and grew。
There is a case on record of a child viable at six months and twenty days。 The mother had a miscarriage at the beginning of 1877； after which menstruation became regular； appearing last from July 3 to 9； 1877。 On January 28； 1878； she gave birth to a male infant； which was wrapped in wadding and kept at an artificial temperature。 Being unable to suckle； it was fed first on diluted cow's milk。 It was so small at birth that the father passed his ring over the foot almost to the knee。 On the thirteenth day it weighed 1250 grams； and at the end of a week it was taking the breast。 In December； 1879； it had 16 teeth； weighed 10 kilograms； walked with agility； could pronounce some words； and was especially intelligent。 Capuron relates an instance of a child born after a pregnancy of six and a half months and in excellent health at two years； and another living at ten years of the same age at birth。 Tait speaks of a living female child； born on the one hundred and seventy…ninth day； with no nails on its fingers or toes； no hair； the extremities imperfectly developed； and the skin florid and thin。 It was too feeble to grasp its mother's nipple； and was fed for three weeks by milk from the breast through a quill。 At forty days it weighed 3 pounds and measured 13 inches。 Before the expiration of three months it died of measles。 Dodd describes a case in which the catamenia were on the 24th of June； 1838； and continued a week； the woman bore twins on January 11； 1839； one of which survived； the other dying a few minutes after birth。 She was never irregular； prompt to the hour； and this fact； coupled with the diminutive size of the children； seemed to verify the duration of the pregnancy。 In 1825； Baber of Buxur； India； spoke of a child born at six and a half months； who at the age of fifty days weighed 1 pound and 13 ounces and was 14 inches long。 The longest circumference of the head was 10 inches and the shortest 9。1 inches。 The child suckled freely and readily。 In Spaeth's clinic there was a viable infant at six and a half months weighing 900 grams。 Spaeth says that he has known a child of six months to surpass in eventual development its brothers born at full term。
In some cases there seems to be a peculiarity in women which manifests itself by regular premature births。 La Motte； van Swieten； and Fordere mention females who always brought forth their conceptions at the seventh month。
The incubator seems destined to be the future means of preserving these premature births。 Several successful cases have been noticed； and by means of an incubator Tarnier succeeded in raising infants which at the age of six months were above the average。 A full description of the incubator may be found。 The modified Auvard incubator is easily made； the accompanying illustrations （Figs。 5； 6； and 7） explain its mechanism。 Several improved incubators have been described in recent years； but the Auvard appears to be the most satisfactory。
The question of retardation of labor； like that of premature birth； is open to much discussion； and authorities differ as to the limit of protraction with viability。 Aulus Gellius says that； after a long conversation with the physicians and wise men； the Emperor Adrian decided in a case before him； that of a woman of chaste manners and irreproachable character； the child born eleven months after her husband's death was legitimate。 Under the Roman law the Decenviri established that a woman may bear a viable child at the tenth month of pregnancy。 Paulus Zacchias； physician to Pope Innocent X； declared that birth may be retarded to the tenth month； and sometimes to a longer period。 A case was decided in the Supreme Court of Friesland； a province in the northern part of the Netherlands； October； 1634； in which a child born three hundred and thirty…three days after the death of the husband was pronounced legitimate。 The Parliament of Paris was gallant enough to come to the rescue of a widow and save her reputation by declaring that a child born after a fourteen months' gestation was legitimate。 Bartholinus speaks of an unmarried woman of Leipzig who was delivered after a pregnancy of sixteen months。 The civil code of France provides that three hundred days shall constitute the longest period of the legitimacy of an infant； the Scottish law； three hundred days； and the Prussian law； three hundred and one days。
There are numerous cases recorded by the older writers。 Amman has one of twelve months' duration； Enguin； one of twelve months'； Buchner； a case of twelve months'； Benedictus； one of fourteen months'； de Blegny； one of nineteen months'； Marteau； Osiander； and others of forty…two and forty…four weeks'； and Stark's Archives； one of forty…five weeks'； living； and also another case of forty…four weeks'。 An incredible case is recorded of an infant which lived after a three years' gestation。 Instances of twelve months' duration are also recorded。 Jonston quotes Paschal in relating an instance of birth after pregnancy of twenty…three months； Aventium； one after two years； and Mercurialis； a birth after a four years' gestationwhich is； of course； beyond belief。
Thormeau writes from Tours； 1580； of a case of gestation prolonged to the twenty…third month； and Santorini； at Venice； in 1721； describes a similar case； the child reaching adult life。 Elvert records a case of late pre