A writ to inspect the body, where a woman feigns to be pregnant, to see whether she is with child. It lies for the heir presumptive to examine a widow suspected to be feigning pregnancy in order to enable a supposititious heir to obtain the estate. 1 Bl. Comm. 456; 2 Steph. Comm. 2S7. It lay also where a woman sentenced to death pleaded pregnancy. 4 Bl. Comm. 495. This writ has been recognized in America. 2 Chand. Crim. Tr. 381.
Black’s Law Online Dictionary
