ANIMATION signifies the informing an animal
body with a soul.—The different hypotheses of physi-
cians and philosophers, concerning the time of anima-
tion, have had their influence on the penal laws made
against artificial abortions: it having been made capital
to procure miscarriage in the one state, while in the
other it was only deemed a venial crime. The emperor
Charles V. by a constitution published in 1532, put the
matter on another footing; instead of the distinction of
an animated and unanimated foetus, he introduced that
of a vital and non-vital foetus, as a thing of more
obvious and easy decision, and not depending on any
system either of creation, tradition, or infusion. Ac-
cordingly a foetus is said, in a legal sense, to be ani-
mated, when it is perceived to stir in the womb; which
usually happens about the middle of the term of gesta-
tion.