let her know, in language not to be
misunderstood, that she is responsible to her Creator for the life of
the being within her." (Wharton and Stille's Med. Jur., Parturition,
p. 92.)

Dr. Walter Channing, of Massachusetts, refers to the difficulty of
obtaining a conviction for abortion, and adds: "I believe there has
never been one in this State, this moral State by eminence, and perhaps
in none is this crime more rife." ("Boston Med. and Surg. Journal,"
April, 1859, p. 135).

V. We have, then, proved, gentlemen, two important and pregnant
principles: 1. That we can never directly procure abortion, and 2, that
we can procure it indirectly in extreme cases; or rather that we can
take such extreme measures in pressing danger as may likely result in
abortion against our will.

While these principles are clear and undoubted, there are cases in which
the right application of them is beset with great difficulties. These
often occur in connection with what is called _ectopic_ or
_extra-uterine gestation_, namely, when the nascent human form lodges in
some recess not intended by nature for its abode. Of late years,
Dr. Velpeau, of Paris; Dr. Tait, of Birmingham, and many other eminent
physicians have shown that cases of ectopic gestation are more numerous
than had been supposed; one practitioner reports that he had attended
fifty cases, another eighty-five.

1. We will first suppose the case of an interior growth occurring, the
nature of which cannot be determined. It may be only a tumor, yet it may
be the growth of a living foetus. If no immediate crisis is feared, you
will wait, of course, for further developments. If it proves to be a
child, you will attempt no operation till it becomes viable at least.
But suppose that fatal consequences are apprehended before the presence
of a human being can be ascertained by the beating of the heart; suppose
that delay would endanger the mother's life; and yet if you undertake to
cut out the tumor, you may find it to contain foetal life. In such urgent
danger, can you lawfully perform the operation? Let us apply our
principles. You mean to operate on a tumor affecting one of the mother's
organs. The consequences this may have for the child are not directly
willed, but permitted. The four conditions mentioned before are hereby
verified, under which the evil result, the death of the possible foetus,
may be lawfully permitted; namely: (_a_) You do not wish its death;
(_b_) What you int