The Female Physician / Containing all the diseases incident to that sex, in virgins, wives, and widows; together with their causes and symptoms, their degrees of danger, and respective methods of prevention and cure: to which is added, the whole art of new improv'd midwifery; comprehending the necessary qualifications of a midwife, and particular directions for laying women, in all cases of difficult and preternatural births; together with the diet and regimen of both the mother and child.

CHAP. I.
Of Præternatural Conceptions.

HAVING particularly defin’d the Natural Conception, in Chap. I. Sect. III. and hitherto treated of its various different Consequences, both in Gestation, Birth and Child-Bed; I come in the next place (conformable to my promise before-mentioned) to treat of the opposite and reverse Case, commonly call’d (by the Authors) a vitious or depravated Conception: Which however, I shall distinguish by the general Title of præternatural, as I have one Set of Births under the same Denomination, contained in Sect. V. But——

NOW, because I judge all such Conceptions as well as Births, to be præternatural, which, tho’ not according to the ordinary Institution of Nature, are yet however not repugnant to Nature: And because such Conceptions, as well as the Præternatural Births already defin’d, happen after many different ways and manners; I shall also reduce and divide them into two Classes, viz.——

FIRST, Præternatural Conceptions in respect of the Number; to which belong all Superfætations, and other Numerous Conceptions; And Secondly, Præternatural Conceptions in respect to the Form or Substance; to which belong all false Conceptions, Moles, Monsters, &c. Of all which particularly and briefly in their due Order, and First——