abortion

[Lat. abortio = premature delivery, miscarriage from abortus, pa. par. of aborior to disappear.] I. The state of miscarriage, failure to reach independent existence. Phys.: (1) A miscarrying, miscarriage. If the fœtus is brought forth before the end of the sixth month, the term used by medical men is abortion or miscarriage ; but if after the sixth month, that employed is premature birth. The law does not recognise this distinction, but applies the term abortion to the throwing off of the fœtus at any period of the pregnancy. To take means to procure abortion-the crime now generally termed fæticide -is felony. "The symptoms which precede abortion will be generally modified by their exciting cause."-Dr. R. Lee: Cycl. of Pract. Med. 2. The non-development of an organ or a portion of an organ required to constitute an deal type. the development and abortion of the oilgland-Darwin: Origin of Species, ch. i., p. 22. 3. Hortic.: The premature development of the fruit, or any defect in it. II. The fruit of the miscarriage. 1. The fœtus brought forth before it has been sufficiently developed to permit of its maintaining an independent existence. the abortion proved only a female fœtus." -Martin us Scriblerus. 2. Fig .: Any fruit, produce, or project, which fails instead of coming to maturity; as in the sentence, "His scheme proved a mere abortion ."