Miscarriage also arises in many females from a rigid state of the muscular fibres of the womb, which not relaxing sufficiently to allow that organ to expand become irritated by the pressure they experience, and begin to contract. This contraction of the womb of course soon leads to the expulsion of its contents, the same as in real labor. Women with their first children are more liable to miscarriage than others on this account, the womb not having become habituated as it were to the necessary relaxation. And this is the reason also why some females, after suffering from this accident many times in succession at last escape it. In general they miscarry early the first time, from the womb not relaxing sufficiently, but go a little longer the next time, and longer still the next, and so on till they reach the full period. The fibres of the womb have gradually become accustomed to relax, and have borne the irritation longer and longer each pregnancy, till at last they have forborne to contract till the proper time. I knew one female who miscarried _twenty-one times_ in succession, getting gradually nearer to the full period each time, till at last she reached _nine months_, and was rewarded with a living child. Sometimes the accident may be produced by a uterine tumor, by a great quantity of water in the womb, or even by there being more than one child, because in either of these cases there is required more room than ordinary; and of course from the greater expansion required, the liability is increased. Various womb diseases may also be mentioned as causes, or adhesions of its walls or ligaments to the walls of the abdomen, and also a diseased state of the placenta. The pressure of corsets and tight dresses also not unfrequently lead to the same result. Some general diseases undoubtedly often cause miscarriage, such as measles, jaundice, scarlet fever, consumption, and probably many others, particularly those in which the quality of the blood is much altered, or the nervous power much exalted or depressed. Convulsions have already been mentioned as being frequent causes of miscarriage, and all strong mental or moral impressions. Indeed these last causes operate more than is suspected, and make it necessary for a pregnant female to be kept as calm in her mind as it is possible for her to be. I have even known one to miscarry from a fright _in a dream_. It is also a fact, though not generally known, that there are certain diseases _of the father_ that may produce miscarriage, and unfortunately they are of that kind that often remain for a long time in the system without much external manifestation, so that many persons think they are perfectly free from them even while they are working such mischief.