The Works of Aristotle the Famous Philosopher: Containing his Complete Masterpiece and Family Physician; his Experienced Midwife, his Book of Problems and his Remarks on Physiognomy
Aristotle · en
Weakness is an accident that many children bring into the world along
with them, and is often occasioned by the labour of the mother; by the
violence and length whereof they suffer so much, that they are born with
great weakness, and many times it is difficult to know whether they are
alive or dead, their body appearing so senseless, and their face so blue
and livid, that they seem to be quite choked; and even after some hours,
then-showing any signs of life is attended with weakness, that it looks
like a return from death, and that they are still in a dying condition.
_Cure_. Lay the infant speedily in a warm blanket, and carry it to the
fire, and then let the midwife take a little wine in her mouth and spout
it into its mouth, repeating it often, if there be occasion. Let her
apply linen dipped in urine to the breast and belly, and let the face be
uncovered, that it may breathe the more freely; also, let the midwife
keep its mouth a little open, cleanse the nostrils with small linen
tents[11] dipt in white wine, that so it may receive the smell of it;
and let her chafe every part of its body well with warm cloths, to bring
back its blood and spirits, which being retired inwards through
weakness, often puts him in danger of being choked. By the application
of these means, the infant will gradually recover strength, and begin to
stir its limbs by degrees, and at length to cry; and though it be but
weakly at first, yet afterwards, as it breathes more freely, its cry
will become more strong.
SECT. III.--_Of the Fundament being closed up in a newly-born Infant._
Another defect that new-born infants are liable to is, to have their
fundaments closed up, by which they can neither evacuate the new
excrements engendered by the milk they suck, nor that which was amassed
in their intestines before birth, which is certainly mortal without a
speedy remedy. There have been some female children who have their
fundaments quite closed, and yet have voided the excrements of the guts
by an orifice which nature, to supply the defect, had made within the
neck of the womb.