Aristotle's History of Animals: In Ten BooksAristotle
PhilosophyPhilosophy
Aristotle's History of Animals: In Ten Books
Aristotle
Zoology -- Pre-Linnaean works
2. Frequently the child, if weak, has appeared as if born dead, until
the umbilical cord was tied, for the blood flowed from the child to
the navel and the surrounding parts; but some skilful midwife being
present, by pressure on the navel from within has revived the child,
just as if it had been filled with blood from the first. It has been
already observed, that all animals are naturally born with the head
forwards. Children also have their hands pressed down against their
sides. As soon as they are born they begin to cry and bring their
hands to their mouth. They emit excrements, some immediately, others
very soon, but all in the course of a day. This excrementitious matter
is very abundant, considering the size of the child. Women call it
the meconium. Its colour is like that of blood, and it is black and
pitch-like. Afterwards it becomes milky, for the child immediately
draws the breast. The child never cries before it is entirely in the
world, not even though its head is protruded in difficult cases, while
the body is within the uterus.
3. Those women in whom a flooding has preceded the period of delivery
are delivered with more difficulty, and if the purifications are
small after parturition, and only as much as they are at first, and
do not continue for more than forty days, such women are stronger,
and more ready for conception. After children are born, for forty
days they neither laugh nor weep when awake, but sometimes do both
in their sleep; nor do they usually feel when they are tickled, but
they sleep the greater part of their time. As they grow, the period of
wakefulness continually increases; and it is evident that they dream,
but it is some time before they remember their imaginations. There is
no difference in the bones of other animals, but they are all born
perfect. In children the bone called bregma is soft, and does not
become strong for some time. Some animals are born with teeth, but
children begin to cut their teeth in the seventh month. The front teeth
naturally appear first, sometimes the upper teeth and sometimes the
under. Children cut their teeth more easily if their nurses have warmer
milk.
CHAPTER X.
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