d of the child-bearing period, and it takes
place more frequently between the ninth and sixteenth week, when the
after- birth is in process of formation; and it is more liable to occur at
the time of the month when the normal menstruation would be due. It should
be borne in mind also that abortion occurring at this period is quite
dangerous to the mother's future health, and also dangerous to life; so
that at the first indication of abortion a physician should be called for
this trouble, because it needs care, both to prevent it and to assist the
woman to a successful ending when it is impossible to prevent it. This is
more dangerous to life than confinement at full term, and is apt to leave
behind a tendency to recurrence at the same time in the future
pregnancies, and also makes the woman liable to inflammatory conditions of
the womb.

Causes.--Abortion may be induced by many causes due to the mother, father,
and child. Among maternal causes may be mentioned any serious disease,
especially fevers, when accompanied by a rash on the skin, such as
smallpox, measles, scarlet fever. It is hard for a pregnant woman to go
through one of these diseases, without having an abortion. Syphilis,
tuberculosis, malaria, organic heart and kidney disease, diabetes, anemia,
and systemic poisoning also are causes; nervous disturbances as shock,
fright, sorrow, convulsions, chorea; mechanical causes, violent exercise,
lifting, blows, falls, coughing, vomiting; local causes, as wrong position
of the womb, inflammation of the womb, etc.; all are causes.

Causes. Due to the Father. Paternal.--Syphilis, alcoholism, lead
poisoning, excessive venery, extremes of youth or old age.

Foetal Causes.--Disease of the after-birth, other parts, of cord, death of
the foetus, placenta pravia, and yet many women are subjected to falls,
blows, etc., who carry their child to full term.

[526 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Symptoms.--These vary with the period of pregnancy where they occur. In
the earlier months the symptoms are those of profuse menstruation,
sometimes accompanied by more pain perhaps than usual. The ovum is then so
small that it escapes notice. In the profuse flow there may be
unaccustomed clots of blood; when this trouble occurs later in pregnancy
there are two constant symptoms which, together with the history of the
case, render the diagnosis easy. These prominent and constant symptoms are
pain and bleeding. The symptoms may be preceded by a b