An epitome of juridical or forensic medicine ; for the use of medical men, coroners, and barristers / By George Edward Male.

  • Male, George Edward.
Date:
1816
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An epitome of juridical or forensic medicine ; for the use of medical men, coroners, and barristers / By George Edward Male. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    probable that the foetus is animated at the mo- ment of conception, and the crime committed then, is morally as great as at any other period of pregnancy. The law of Scotland considers the foetus in utero not quick, as merely pars visceruni matris : this, however, is a manifest absurdity. Abortion, or, more properly speaking, prema- ture labour, is sometimes, in cases of malforma- tion of the pelvis, produced by skilful midwives, whereby the life of the mother is saved, and sometimes thatof the child. There have been, and still are, different opinions as to the propriety of performing this operation; but it is surely both legally and morally .right, rather to save a cer- tain and valuable life, than risk it for an uncer- tain one: its propriety is sanctioned by huma- nity, policy, and justice. A foetus, born before the seventh month, seldom lives; but Brouzet, quoted by Mahon, says, a child born at the fifth month, and yery small, with its eyes shut, could scarcely breathe; warmth and slight mo- tion only indicated that it lived : it had no eva- cuations, nor did it cry; for four months it continued in nearly the same state, and then be-