A tendency to abortion also results from a contrary cause, from organs yielding too readily, allowing the uterus to act too easily. In this state it is as liable to go wrong, as the general system is when it is at the highest degree of action, compatible with health, the most trifling cause deranges it. Thus, sometimes, the intestines yield too readily, and become almost torpid, so that a stool can with difficulty be procured. Here costiveness is not a cause of abortion, though it may be blamed. In like manner, the muscular system may yield and become enfeebled; and in this instance debility is accused as the cause of abortion, although it be, indeed, only an effect of too much energy being destined for the uterus. In this case, the woman is always weaker during menstruation and gestation than at other times. Now this is not a piece of idle speculation, but is of much practical importance, especially in considering the means of correcting habitual abortion; and much attention should be paid to the state of the principal organs in the body; for, if we confine our attention merely to the uterus, we shall often fail when otherwise we might succeed; and it will be necessary to remember, that the chain of sympathies in gestation is often extensive and complicated. The state of the stomach, for example, may give rise to head-ach, tooth-ach, &c. and often it is dangerous suddenly to remove these remote effects. It throws too much energy to the uterus; its action is too much exerted; contraction and abortion take place: but in the unimpregnated state, the removal of these effects may, on the contrary, be useful: thus the pulling of a pained tooth sometimes speedily produces the return of the menses in cases of obstruction. If the neighbouring parts do not accommodate themselves to the changes in the direction of energy, and act in concert with the uterus, their action becomes irregular, and consequently painful. In this case the uterus may have its just degree of power and action; but other parts may not be able to act so well under the change of circumstances. This is chiefly the case in early gestation, for, by time, the parts come to act better. It often gives rise to unnecessary alarm, being mistaken for a tendency to abortion; but the symptoms are different. The pain is felt chiefly at night, a time at which weakened parts always suffer most; it returns pretty regularly for several weeks, but the uterus continues to enlarge, the breasts to distend, and all things are as they ought to be, if we except the presence of the pain. This may be alleviated sometimes by anodynes, but can only be cured by time, and avoiding, by means of rest and care, any additional injury to parts already irregular and ticklish in the performance of their actions. If this be neglected, they will re-act on the uterus at last, and impede its function.