patulous, and its edges are torn. The
uterus may be felt for two or three hours above the pubis as a hard
round ball, regaining its normal size in about eight weeks after
delivery. Most of these signs disappear about the tenth day, after which
it becomes impossible to fix the date of delivery.

In the dead the external parts have the same appearance as given above.
The uterus will vary in appearance according to the time elapsed since
delivery. If death occurred immediately after delivery, the uterus will
be wide open, about 9 or 10 inches long, with clots of blood inside, and
the inner surface lined by decidua.

The signs of a previous delivery consist in silvery streaks in the skin
of the abdomen, which, however, may be due to distension from other
causes; similar marks on the breast; circular and jagged condition of
the os uteri (the virgin os being oval and smooth); marks of rupture of
the perineum or fourchette; absence of the vaginal rugae; dark-coloured
areola round the nipples, etc. The difference between the virgin _corpus
luteum_ and that of recent pregnancy is not so marked as to justify a
confident use of it for medico-legal purposes.

XXV.--FOETICIDE, OR CRIMINAL ABORTION

This consists in giving to any woman, or causing to be taken by her,
with intent to procure her miscarriage, any poison or other noxious
thing, or using for the same purpose any instruments or other means
whatsoever. It is a felony to procure or attempt to procure the
miscarriage of a woman, whether she be pregnant or not, and it is a
felony for the woman, if pregnant, to attempt to procure her own
miscarriage. It is a misdemeanour for any person or persons to procure
drugs or instruments for a like purpose. It is not necessary that the
woman be _quick_ with child. The offence is the intent to procure the
miscarriage of any woman, _whether she be or be not with child_. When
from any causes it is necessary to procure abortion, a medical man
should do so only after consultation with a brother practitioner. Even
in these cases there is no exemption legally. Any medical man who gives
even the most harmless medicine where he suspects the possibility of
pregnancy may render himself liable to grave suspicion should the woman
abort.

In medicine, an _abortion_ is said to occur when the foetus is expelled
before the sixth month; after that it is _premature birth_. In law,
however, any expulsion of the contents of the uterus before th