IN short, having thus discuss’d the several _SYMPTOMS_ of the Nine _Months_, and such as are most common and familiar to the _Woman_ during her FOETURA, or the whole Time of her _CHILD-BEARING_; I shall proceed now in the next Place with all due _Method_ and peculiar _Regard_ for her GOOD. [Illustration] CHAP. XXVIII. _Of Acute DISEASES incident to the CHILD-BEARING WOMAN._ IT sometimes, and more than too often, happens, that besides the common _SYMPTOMS_ of the _Months_, the _conceiv’d Woman_ is also suddenly taken with some _acute DISEASE_ or other; upon which I shall offer my sincere _Opinion_, and according to the best of my Judgment, give a brief _Account_ of _Those_ several _Maladies_, with their _Definition_ and _Cause_, _Nature_ and _Quality_, _Danger_ and CURE. FIRST then, the great _Galen_ defines _acute DISEASES_ to be such, whose _Motion is swift_, attended with sudden and immediate _Danger_. THE learned _Brassavole_ calls such _DISEASES Acute_, as come _suddenly_, continue a _short Time_, and have very severe or violent _SYMPTOMS_. THE ingenious _Blancard_ calls those _DISEASES Acute_, which are _over in a little Time_, but not without _imminent Danger_. Now _Those_ are deem’d either _very Acute_, or _most Acute_; the _latter_ is meant when the _Distemper_ is over the 4th _Day_; but the _former_ is that which continues till the 7th _Day_: For the more _acute_ the _DISEASE_ is, the sooner follows its _Determination_, either for Life or Death. Again, a Disease is call’d _simply acute_, when it lasts 14 or 21 _Days_; or lastly, it is term’d _Acute ex decidentiâ_, which lasts 42 Days at least. AND according to the diligent Dr. _Sydenham_[82], the _Despumation_ of _Acute DISEASES_ happens in 336 _Hours_; which he also justly applies to _intermitting FEVERS_, reckoning 5 Hours and a half for a _Paroxysm_: Because what we call DAYS in _Acute Fevers_, are so many PERIODS in _intermitting Fevers_: The only difference of _Those_ consisting in that the _one_ perfects its _Fermentation_ at _once_, which the _other_ accomplishes at reiterated _Times_, and divers _Turns_, by the same Duct of _Nature_. He farther still, observes that _Autumnal Quartan Fevers_ continue six Months; in which Time, if the Number of the recurrent _Paroxysms_ be summed up, they will exactly amount to the aforesaid 336 Hours, or 14 Days, which is the _Term_ or _End_ of the regular and _continual Fevers_ of that Season.