Statistics of one thousand cases in obstetrics / by I. Harrinson.

  • Harrinson, Isaac, 1810-1888.
Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Statistics of one thousand cases in obstetrics / by I. Harrinson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Hours in the Day and Night. Classifying the labours ac- cording to the hours in which they occurred, we have the following result. No. of No. of Hours. labours. Hours. labours. 12 p.m. to 6 a.m . . 270 I 12 a m. to 6 p.m. . . 214 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. . 268 I 0 p.m. to 12 p.m. . 248 It is pretty well known that most labours occur in the night; but I was not prepared to find that the next greater number was from 6 to 12 in the morning. State of the Moon. The following is an arrangement of the labours according to the state of the moon. Labours. New Moon. First Quarter. Full Moon. Last Quarter. Day of change . . 43 Remaining period . 193 Day of first quarter . . 37 Remaining period . 215 Day of full moon . 35 Remaining period . 218 Day of last quarter . . 20 Remaining period . 239 236 252 253 259 Has the moon anything to do with labours ? “ It is a pre- valent opinion,” says Dr. Lardner, “ that births occur more frequently in the decline of the moon than in her increase. This opinion has been tested by comparing the number of births with the periods of the lunar phases ; but the attention directed to statistics, as well in this country as abroad, will soon lead to the decision of this question.” The circumstance that gave rise in my mind to such an inquiry was, that our esteemed associate Mr. Workman, when in an extensive country practice, discovered that he was not only deprived of his rest, but also of the light of the luminary in question. The table confirms Mr. Workman’s experience. I do not mean to decide whether, in my cases, the moon was a mistress or an agent, nor whether the conclusion is legiti- mate or the coincidences fortuitous. I do not mean to go in with the Greenlanders, “ who imagine that the moon visits their wives now and then; that staring long at the full moon will make a maid pregnant.” (Dr. Laycock.) Perhaps there is sufficient in the subject to merit further inquiry; present results it would be equally unwise to build upon, and unjust to doubt. Theory of Periods: Duration of Pregnancy. With regard