4.  EVIDENCE OF CONCEPTION.—­Very many medical authorities, distinguished in this line, have stated their belief that women never pass more than two or three days at the most beyond the forty weeks conceded to pregnancy—­that is two hundred and eighty days or ten lunar months, or nine calendar months and a week.  About two hundred and eighty days will represent the average duration of pregnancy, counting from the last day of the last period.  Now it must be borne in mind, that there are many disturbing elements which might cause the young married woman to miss a time.  During the first month of pregnancy there is no sign by which the condition may be positively known.  The missing of a period, especially in a person who has, been regular for some time, may lead one to suspect it; but there are many attendant causes in married life, the little annoyances of household duties, embarrassments, and the enforced gayety which naturally surrounds the bride, and these should all be taken into consideration in the discussion as to whether or not she is pregnant.  But then, again, there are some rare cases who have menstruated throughout their pregnancy, and also cases where menstruation was never established and pregnancy occurred.  Nevertheless, the non-appearance of the period, with other signs, may be taken as presumptive evidence.

5.  “ARTIFICIAL IMPREGNATION".—­It may not be generally known that union is not essential to impregnation; it is possible for conception to occur without congress.  All that is necessary is that seminal animalcules enter the womb and unite there with the egg or ovum.  It is not essential that the semen be introduced through the medium of the male organ, as it has been demonstrated repeatedly that by means of a syringe and freshly obtained and healthy semen, impregnation can be made to follow by its careful introduction.  There are physicians in France who make a specialty of “Artificial Impregnation,” as it is called, and produce children to otherwise childless couples, being successful in many instances in supplying them as they are desired.

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SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF PREGNANCY.

1.  THE FIRST SIGN.—­The first sign that leads a lady to suspect that she is pregnant is her ceasing-to-be-unwell.  This, provided she has just before been in good health, is a strong symptom of pregnancy; but still there must be others to corroborate it.

2.  ABNORMAL CONDITION.—­Occasionally, women menstruate during the entire time of gestation.  This, without doubt, is an abnormal condition, and should be remedied, as disastrous consequences may result.  Also, women have been known to bear children who have never menstruated.  The cases are rare of pregnancy taking place where menstruation has never occurred, yet it frequently happens that women never menstruate from one pregnancy to another.  In these cases this symptom is ruled out for diagnotic purposes.