On the Eighth Month's Foetus

Hippocrates. Oeuvres complètes d'Hippocrate, Vol. 7. Littré, Émile, editor. Paris: Baillière, 1851

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This treatise addresses the medical and physiological mystery of human gestation, specifically why foetuses born in the eighth month rarely survive while those born in the tenth month (approximately 280 days) are fully formed and viable. The author argues that an eight-month foetus cannot endure the double trauma of both uterine distress and the birth process, contrasting this with the completion of a ten-month pregnancy. The text details the physical dangers of childbirth, including the rotation of the foetus, umbilical cord entanglement, and postpartum dropsy (edema). It then transitions to discussing the hazards of environmental changes for the newborn, such as breathing, nutrition, and clothing, alongside functional changes in the umbilical cord. Finally, the work provides a mathematical explanation of why a 280-day gestation period may appear to extend into the eleventh month, taking into account menstrual cycles and delayed conception, thereby demonstrating the intricate mechanics of human birth.