by the Nose For the blood being thin hot cholerick and sharp opens the mouths of the vessels and causeth a flux Diaeresis is from much blood when there is great motion as when there is long copulation with a strong man that hath a great tool or a hard travel or abortion a fall or stroke also when sharp humors corrode or sharp pessaries The Signs Diapedesis is from the thinness of the vessels and loosness and the thinness of the blood or from much moisture or use of Baths Much blood is a sign the vessels are open you shall know the causes that open them thus In Anastomosis the blood drops and is thin and there are signs of much blood or sharp and thin If there be a Diaeresis the blood flows more and there are clodders and there were causes that broke the Vessels as sharp Suppositories Diapedesis is known when the woman is of a thin and loose habit of body the blood thin or she hath used much bathing If the Vessels open from much blood in a sound body there is less dagger The Prognostick and it is easier cured then in a Cacochymy In an Anastomisis give things that thicken without slime as Roses Mirtles Medlars Services The Cure Pomegranate-peels and flowers Sanders Coral Harts-horn Cypress-nuts In Diaeresis give things that thicken with slime Comfry Plantane Gum-traganth whites of Eggs troches of Amber Bole Starch Rice Quinces sanguis Draconis Sarcocol and Izing-glass But because there are divers causes and these diseases are not cured but by taking them away we shall speak of them in the Chapter of immoderate terms Chap. 9. Of a double Womb the wanting of a Womb and evil shape of the Womb and strange things found in it Julius Obsequens saith that one woman had two wombs and Bauhinus saith that a Maid had her womb in two parts as in Bitches Columbus saith that one wanted a womb Lib. 15. anato but her privities were as in other women and part of the neck of it hung out Worms in the Womb. Lib. de morb mul. Hippocrates writes that worms are found in the womb And Gynaecea writes it is a sign that Nature is wanton c. And Joen de Tornamira writes that he saw a Woman that had an intolerable itching in her womb from the Ascarides he gave a Womb-clyster of the Decoction of Wormwood and Hiera and she voided many small worms and was cured An Addition * Wheresoever foul humors stop in any parts it is no wonder if it breed worms if other things agree which are required for the breeding of them Fat and Hair found in a Womb. Cent. obser 5. obser 49. William Fabricius mentions that in a dead woman the womb was taken out and it weighed eighty seven pounds and was full of divers humors in the middle there were hairs like yellow Wooll An Addition * This was by Magick or a humor lay there fit to breed this strange matter by preternatural heat Stones bred in the Womb. Lib. 4. de morb mulier c. 11. Lib. 5. epid Mercurialis doubts of stones being bred in it but thinks it is clotted blood like stones But it cannot be denied which many worthy Authors write First Hippocrates writes that a Woman of sixty after noon alwaies was pained as one in travel After she had eaten many Leeks she had one fit worse then the rest and she arose and found something rough in the Orifice of her womb and she fainted and another woman thrust in her hand and took out a great stone and the woman recovered Aetius also saith Tetrab 4. serm 4. c. 98. Hard stones are bred in the Womb sometimes c. Nicholas Florentine and Marcellus Donatus say the same Chap. 10. Of the Magnitude of the Womb increased and first of the Inflation of the Womb. INflation is a stretching of the Womb with wind it is called by some a windy Mole Math. de grad in 9. Rhasis See Matthew de gradibus and Thadeus Dun lib. miscel c. 8. This wind is from a cold matter The Causes either thick or thin contained in the Veins of the Womb which overcomes the weak heat of the womb It is gathered there by cold meats and drinks or flows from other parts Cold Air may be the cause also if women that lie in expose themselves to it This wind is contained either in the Cavity of the Vessels of the Womb or between the Tunicles There is a swelling in the region of the womb The Signs sometimes reaching to the Navel Loins and Diaphragma and as wind increaseth or decreaseth it ariseth or abateth It is different from a Dropsie because it is never swollen so high And lest a Physitian be deceived and take it for a Conception observe the signs of women with child for if one sign be wanting you may suspect an Inflation Also in Inflation the tumor increaseth and decreaseth but in Conception it still increaseth Moreover if you strike upon the Belly there is a noise but not in Conception It differs from a Dropsie in the Womb for there is no such heaviness they move more easily and the Belly is not so swelled there were causes that bred wind and things against wind do good It differs from a Mole for there is in that a weight and hardness in the Belly and when they move from one side to another they feel a weight that moveth which is not in this of which Hippocrates 2. De morb mulier The feet and the face swell in the hollow parts the colour is bad the terms are stopt there is wind c. If the wind is without the cavity of the womb there is more pain and larger nor is there a noise because the wind is in a straighter place The Prognostick It is neither a lasting nor a deadly disease if well look'd after If it be in the Cavity of the womb it is easier discussed The Cure Give Hiera Diaphoenicon with a little Castor sharp Clysters that also expel wind If it be in travel purge not till she be delivered Bleed not because it is from a cold matter if it come after Child-bearing and the terms were not sufficient after and there is fulness of blood open the Saphaena After these give things mentioned in Tympany that respect the womb As Take Conserve of Bettony Rosemary each an ounce and half candied Eryngus Citron-peels candied each half an ounce Diacymium Diagalangal each a dram Oyl of Aniseeds six drops with Syrup of Citrons make an Electuary Or Take Conserve of Rosemary Balm each three ounces candied Citrons and Oranges each an ounce Diacymium a dram with syrup of Citrons make an Electuary Or give the Woman Aqua vitae or this Take Angelica roots two ounces Masterwort Elicampane Orange peels each six drams Calamints Penny-royal Rue Sage Rosemary each a handful Cummin Fennel Aniseed each half an ounce Juniper-berries a handful Zedoary Galangal Cubeb each
and add Fennel-seed Calamus Cinnamon Cassia lignea Cardamoms each half an ounce distil them again Or give Syrup of Calamints Mugwort Or Take water of Penny-royal Savin Calamints each four ounces Syrup of Mugwort four ounces Cinnamon-water an ounce give it at four times Rouls Take Extract of Savin a scruple of Angelica half a scruple of Elicampane six grains Oyl of Cinnamon five drops of Cloves two drops with Sugar dissolved in Balm-water Or make an Electuary of Steel six ounces Cassia lignea Cinnamon each two drams Cloves a dram Raisins two ounces with Sugar dissolved in Mugwort-water Or Take Troches of Mirrh a dram Extract of Gentian and Savin each a scruple Castor half a scruple make Pills give two scruples or give every third day Pills of Hiera Use outward Medicines but provoke not sweat by them Take Althaea and Lilly-roots each two ounces Birthwort an ounce Mallows Mercury Mugwort Savin Motherwort Calamint Penny-royal Marjoram Bayes each two handfuls flowers of Chamomil Lavender Cheir each a handful Foenugreek-seed an ounce Juniper and Bayberries each half a handful boil them in Water foment with Spunges And then anoint with this Take Oyl of Lillies an ounce of Lavender-seeds stilled half a dram Calamints and Gith-powder each a dram Storax Calamite a scruple To Virgins that must take no Pessaries give Fumes with the head defended they will open the mouths of the vessels and cut thick humors As Take Mirrh Bdellium Storax each a dram Benzoin two scruples Gallia moschata Ivet each half a scruple with liquid Storax make Troches Then use Clysters and Injections into the Womb with Purgers As Take Calamints Penny-royal each a handful Gith-seed Turbith each a dram Coloquintida half a dram boyl it in Wine inject it into the Womb. If it be hot after it inject the Decoction of Mallows with Milk or Barley-water And because the neck of the womb lies upon the strait gut give Clysters Take Lilly-roots an ounce Orris Valerian each half an ounce Mercury two handfuls Mugwort Savin each a handful Chamomil Lavender-flowers each a pugil Caraway Gith-seed each a dram boyl add Hiera and Benedicta laxativa each half an ounce Oyl of Cheir two drams Electuary of Bayberries half an ounce If she be no Virgin put Mercury bruised in a Bag for a Pessary with Centuary-flowers Or Garlick beaten with Oyl of Spike Begin still with the mildest as Mugwort Mercury Penny-royal Marjoram Rue and then add Mucilages and Juyces to loosen the womb let not Pessaries lie long lest they cause a Feaver If it be from a tumor provoke not the Terms but look to the tumor Let diet be hot and attenuating of good juyce with Parsley Savory Rosemary Cloves Cinnamon Little sleep and much exercise Question 1. Whether are the other Causes of stoppage of the Terms Some say the blood going to other parts is a cause but it is rather contrary and the suppression of terms is cause of that For the Veins of the Womb are large enough to evacuate blood Others say The strength of the womb is a cause which thickens the Vessels that they receive blood But the Womb is made to receive it when it abounds Others accuse the strength which is to be denied but when it is so strong that it is too hot or too dry and will not receive the blood and that is a sign of weakness But there must be strength in the whole body to cast out superfluous blood or there will be other mischiefs Question 2. What Veins must be opened when the Terms are stopt Authors disagree in this as Aetius and Galen Lib. de sang miss cap. 11 18 19. who alwaies speaks of the Ankle-veins and most are of his mind being it is rational For a Vein opened in the Arm doth rather revel from the Womb then draw the blood to it But in the Ankle brings it to its place and opens Obstructions and doth both lessen and bring blood to the womb and move that which is in the womb fixed Open the Ankle therefore twice or thrice Lib. de sang miss adver craesis rather then the Arm once Therefore Galen commends Hippocrates that he opened a Vein in the Ankle in the Servant of Schimarg though she had a Plethory But in other diseases of the womb as Inflammation dropping or too many terms it is good to open a vein in the Arm. The Saphaena is opened by putting the foot in warm water before and after Question 3. At what time must a Vein be opened against the stoppage of the Terms Galen saith It must be when Nature may be helped be the blood moved that is three or four daies before the usual time of their coming as if she had been always in the full of the Moon and they have been stopt some months Bleed three or four daies before the full to put Nature in mind of her duty and to make the blood run again Chap. 4. Of Fewness of the Terms IT is when they flow less then they use or ought to flow The Causes It is either from the blood or in the expulsive Faculty in the passages As if blood be little the terms are few and slow If the retentive Faculty is weak and the expulsive strong they come at due time but in small quantity If the terms are slow the fault is in the quality of the blood being too thick Also straitness of the passages may be a cause for if they be not wide enough the blood cannot flow freely The Signs The patient will tell the disease but the cause of it is to be found in the Chapter aforegoing Few Terms from little blood is not dangerous if they be stopt from thick blood The Prognostick there follow Diseases as Erysipelas Scirrhus or Cancer See the Chapter aforegoing for the Cure The Causes and if it be from thickness of blood it is often cured by a general purge for the whole Body Chap. 5. Of Dropping of the Terms THis is a Flux and lasts long and there is pain The blood flows not conveniently at the due time and manner and the privities are alwaies wet as when the urin drops Are from the blood and the passages of it The Causes and the retentive faculty as when the blood is too thick and sharp which stir up Nature to let it out and because it stretcheth the Membranes there is pain Also the weakness of the retentive faculty is a cause The women declare it The Signs but if it be from thick blood and sharp and straight passages there is a stretching pain about the womb If it be from crudity of blood and weakness of the retentive faculty the blood flows without pain and is not much felt It is troublesom to women and if it last long The Prognostick The Cure causeth Ulcers and Inflammations It is all in mending of the thick and sharp blood and in opening the passages which are the two chief causes of it of which
we spake at large If blood be superfluous loose it not nor open the ankle-Ankle-vein lest you draw it more to the Womb but take away the Cacochymy If it be from weakness of the retentive Faculty strengthen the womb with Dryers and Astringents Chap. 6. Of the overflowing of the Terms IT is when it is too much or too long and hurts any Woman and brings diseases but a certain proportion of bleeding is not to be defined but too much is lost when the actions are hurt The Causes Gal. 3. de symp Causis c. 2. 5. aph com 57. The immediate Cause is the opening of the Vessels and the immediate Cause is the blood in quantity or quality offending or by its force or disorderly motion Vessels are opened by Anastomisis Diapedesis Diaeresis or ruption or by Diaurosis or corrosion Anastomosis is from a moist distemper of the Vessels which loosneth the Orifices or from external causes as Baths hot and moist or use of Aloes The flux is seldom too great from a Diapedesis for it is but a sweating through Ruption is from Plethory when the terms have long been stopped and then break out and when the blood is hot by Air Baths c. The outward causes are falls strokes hard travel great burthens lifted Erosion is from sharp blood or humor or from Medicines that corode as Pessaries long kept For this great Flux is chiefly from the Veins in the bottom of the Womb. The Signs The Flux of Blood is too great when the strength abateth and Cachexy follows with paleness swollen feet and the blood that comes from the bottome of the Womb is blacker and clotted That from the neck redder and thinner The signs of the causes If it be from much blood there are signs of plethory and it easily clotted together If the blood be sharp and cholerick it is putrified in the womb you shall know waterish blood by its colour and the signs of that humour abounding and if you dip a clout in it and dry it in the shade you may see it If the womb be too moist such causes went before If it be from breaking of Veins they will tell you of violence If it be from corrosion it is little and slow sometimes pure sometimes serous It weakneth the whole Body The Prognostick the Liver and Bowels there is Swounding the Whites and paleness and Dropsie sometimes That which hath been long is hard to be cured and causeth death and in an old woman it is deadly If there be fulness abate the blood Indications and keep it from flowing to the womb revel it repel cool and astringe it that it may not flow so fast and then amend the blood If it is from plenty of blood The Cure open the Liver-veins in the right Arm bleed little and often because it makes better revulsion and weakens not open the Salvetella if there be weakness Gal. 5. aph com 50. and cup the Back and Breast against the Liver beneath the Paps where are Veins from the womb cup not beneath but in the Shoulders or Back and Arm with Scarification but scarifie not under the Breasts Bind and rub the arms and shoulders and temper and thicken the sharp thin humors with Decoctions and water of Plantane Purslane Sorrel Knot-grass Shepheards-purse Pomegranate-Syrup and of dried Roses Sorrel Purslane Coral Conserve of Roses Bole sealed Earth If it be urgent use Narcoticks Syrup of Poppies Treacle Philonium Laudanum If it still continue it is fed with Choler therefore purge it with Syrup of Roses Manna Rhubarb Senna If it be fed with serous blood help the Reins that do not their duty and the Liver and sweat with China You must not provoke urin but use astringents As Take the juyce of Ass-dung Syrup of Mirtles each half an ounce Plantane-water an ounce Give it her and let her not know what it is Decoctions Take Comfrey-roots Tormentil each two drams Purslane Plantane each a handful boil them add to six ounces Syrup of Currans Quinces Mirtles each six drams give it at twice Or Take Syrup of Purslane juyce of Nettles each two ounces Purslane-water four ounces Troches of Amber of sealed Earth each a dram Blood-stone half a dram give two spoonfuls every day A Water Take eight pints of water with Starch Barley-meal and Rice dried Roses a handful juyce of Yarrow Plantane each half a pint Comfrey-roots and all three ounces Horstail Blood-wort each half a handful Pears and Quinces Pomegranate-flowers all Sanders each half an ounce Mastich an ounce Distil them and give two ounces with half an ounce of Syrup of Roses or Purslane Electuaries Conserve of Roses two ounces Quinces an ounce and half Troches of burnt Ivory and sealed Earth each a dram Crocus Martis Bole red coral prepared Mastich each half a dram with Syrup of Mirtles make an Electuary Powders Take Mastich red Coral prepared each a dram Pearl Smaragds prepared each a scruple Blood-stone half a scruple Bole half a dram make a powder Michael Paschal cured many with this Powder Lib. de curat morb cap. 55. Take two Egg-shells burnt Frankincense Mastich each half an ounce Pearl red Coral and Amber each two drams Blood-stone Smaragds prepared each half a scruple Barley-flour two pugils whites of four Eggs with steeled water make Cakes Give from half a dram to a dram in powder with Trotter-broath in the morning Or give every day a dram of the powder of Mulberry-tree roots Or Ex petrafores to Take plump Turtle drawn and pluckt wash it in Rose-water and red Wine put an ounce of Mastich in the belly of it stick it on and roast it and bast it with Vinegar of Roses Then put it into a glass close luted to be dried in an Oven then beat all of it to powder Give a spoonful with Plantane-water or an astringent Decoction Anoint the bottome of the Belly Reins and Groyns with the dropping of it Or make Rouls thus Take Bole half a dram Magistery of Coral a dram Pearl prepared a scruple Sorrel and Plantane-seed each half a dram Aromatiacum rosatum Traganth each half a dram with Sugar dissolved in Plantane-water make Rouls In the use of cold Astringents take heed you stop not the Veins and the heat be cooled If these help not use Narcoticks as Troches of sealed Earths and Amber with Opium these astringe also Use no Pessaries except the Veins in the neck of the Womb be open As Take Snakeweed Tormentil each half an ounce Pomegranate-flowers Plantane-seed each two drams Comfry-roots half an ounce Frankincense Mastich each a dram Acacia Sanguis Draconis each two scruples Blood-stone Starch each a dram and half with the white of an Egg and Gum traganth dissolved in Rose-water make Pessaries with red Silk Womb-Clysters Take juyce of Yarrow Solomons-seal each two ounces Mucilage of Gum Arabick made in Plantane-water two ounces make a Clyster A Fume Take Frankincense Mastich each two drams Mirtles Labdanum each a
make a Pessary The stronger are of the Decoction of wild Cowcumber Coloquintida Staphisacre Hellebore Honey and gall of an Ox. Fumes are made of Cassia lignea Nard Mugwort Savin Penny-royal Dittany Or Take Myrrh Castor Galbanum each half a dram Opopanax Cinnamon each a dram with Honey make Troches for to be burnt Then foment the Belly with the Decoction of those Plants Or Take Lupine-meal an ounce powder of Wormwood half an ounce Mirrh Rue each three drams with Ox-gall and Honey make a Cataplasm If it come not forth give a Womb-clyster of the Decoction of Sage Mugwort Mercury Calamints Penny-royal If all fail inject things to suppurate into the womb and let it be turned to matter and come out by degrees and inject strengtheners into the womb Of the Mole left after Child-bearing You may know it by the signs of a Mole mentioned she hath no ease after travel there is pain in the navel back and groyns and much clotted blood comes away and yet she hath no ease the Cure is mentioned before in the Mole Chap. 3. Of the Purgation after Child-bearing diminished or detained THis is not alike in all women for in some women the blood is fresh in others it is waterish cholerick or melancholick And some bleed more then others according to the constitution and Countrey It is either not at all or too much or too little The Causes When they are stopt or lessened the vessels are too strait or the blood flows another way or it is too thick or the vessels of the womb are pressed from its position the blood is drawn away by passions fears or goes hastily to the breasts The Signs The just quantity is not to be defined when it is stopt the belly swells the pain is in the bottom of the belly and groyns there is chilness and a Feaver after it fainting weak swift unequal pulse there is soot in the urin Sometimes the belly inflamed or she voids blew or black clodds or blood The Prognostick Gal. 1. epid com 3. t. 21. The Cure It is bad of it self to have any thing left after Child-bearing and worse if it staies long and grows melancholick therefore it is a cause of many diseases First endeavor to evacuate the blood from the womb by Frictions Ligatures and Cupping if they will not do open a vein in the foot Then open the passages with external and internal meats anoint the Belly with loosning Oyls or foment thus Take Lilly-roots Birthwort Briony Angelica each half an ounce Mercury Mugwort Penny-royal Savin Calamints each a handful Tansey Chamomil and Elder-flowers each half a handful Faenugreek and Linseed each two drams bruise them grosly and put them in a bag and boyl them in Water and Wine lay it to the Privities and bottom of the Belly Give emollient Clysters and if some dayes are past purge with Agarick Rhubarb Senna Or Take Lilly-roots Althaea each half an ounce Birthworts two drams Pellitory Mercury Althaea each a handful Calamints Chamomil Elder-flowers each two pugils Foenugreek and Linseed each two drams boyl them to ten ounces strained add Oyl of Dill Lillies each an ounce Hiera simple half an ounce Oyntment of Sowbread three drams make a Clyster Or give Pessaries that provoke the Terms Give things to melt and attenuate the blood As Take opening Roots three drams Bettony Maiden-hair Endive Schoenanth each two pugils Anise Fennel-seed each a scruple red Pease a spoonful boyl them to a pint and half add Cinnamon-water two drams syrup of the five Roots three ounces give four ounces Chap. 4. Of too great a flux of blood after Child-bearing THat is too much which makes weak It is blood abounding which hath been gathered nine months in the womb The Causes It is thick or spends the Spirits and weakens The Signs There is loathing of meat pain the Hypochondria belly-ach weak and often pulse dark sight noise in the ears fainting and Convulsion It is dangerous when long The Prognostick Hippoc. 9. aphor 55. The Cure and with fainting and Convulsion Therefore observe the Pulse lest she dye suddenly See what strength she hath and stop it not suddenly If it be not very great order a dyet of roasted Hens basted with red Wine or Pomegranate of Starch Almonds Rice Quinces Conserve of Roses steeled Water and make Revulsions use gentle things and strengthen the loose passages Anoint the belly with Oyl of Roses Mirtles cup under the breasts and sides without scarrification Apply a Cataplasm of red Roses Bole and Rose-water to the Liver Then use stronger and give a higher diet often in small quantity and give Syrups to stop blood As Take old Conserve of Roses two ounces of Tormentil an ounce of Quinces without species half an ounce Bole red Coral each half a dram with syrup of Currans and Coral make an Electuary Anoint the belly with the Oyntment of the Countess and other Astringents or use Astringent Fomentations or let her take into the womb a Fume of Mastich Frankincense red Roses c. Then open a vein in the arm and let blood by degrees See Sect. 2. Chap. 6. Of Overflowing of the Terms Chap. 5. Of the pains after Travel and torments in the Belly THese are not in the body and bottom of the womb but in the vessels and membranes by which the womb hangs and that goes to the sides and belly The Causes They are from a constant labour in travel when the bottom of the womb is pricked to send forth from cold air let into it or clotted blood detained or sharp blood sticking to the womb and pricking it The Signs They are in the womb it self you may know if they came from cold by what hath been done and clotted blood will manifest it self The Prognostick The Cure They weaken much and are very troublesome therefore they must be abated First take away the cause or abate the pain and make that which hurts the womb fit to be evacuated by these Pills Take Cinnamon a dram Saffron a scruple Diacymini Diagalangal Zedoary each half a dram make a Powder give a dram in Penny-royal or Cinnamon-water Or Take of Cummin-seed steept in Spirit of Wine and dried again a dram Ameos-seed and Ginger each half a dram Cinnamon a scruple Castor half a scruple make a Powder If she faint add Cordial Waters As Take Diacyminum a dram Diamargariton frigid Citron-peels Zedoary each half a dram make a Powder If she be cholerick or the humor thin and sharp cure it as a Cholick from Choler As Take Syrup of Violets Borage each an ounce Mucilage of Quince-seeds made with Violet-water half an ounce water of Borage Scorzonera each two ounces give it at twice Extenuate the humors and loosen the passages outwardly Take Bean-flour Faenugreek and Linseed each an ounce Chamomil-flowers and Cummin-seeds each half an ounce boyl them in Oyl of Lillies for a Cataplasm You may fume the womb with Decoctions of Herbs Chap.
6. Of the tearing of the Vulva to the Arse and coming forth of the Womb Inflammation Ulcer Suffocation and falling out of the Fundament THe tearing is in hard travel Par. Sectiâ— 1. Cap. 1. when the mother is tender and the child great of which before The womb comes forth from the violent extraction of the child or after-birth which the ligaments are stretched Part 1. Sect. 2. Cap. 15. The Cure is mentioned but you must not hinder the after-flux by astringents let her therefore rest and lie on her back with her feet drawn up with sweets to her nose and stinks to the womb so the womb will be retained and the flux continued after this is past you may use Astringents If there be Inflamation from hard Travel hinder not the after-flux of blood by Coolers If it turn to an ulcer let the after-flux flow and then cure it Suffocation after Child-bearing is from the stinking after-blood which sends up stinking vapors which kill many It is cured by Friction of the leggs Ligatures and Cupping with Scarification applying stinks to the nose as Castor Partridge-feathers burnt Rue And applying Sweets to the Privities You must cure the falling out of the Fundament from straining in Delivery as formerly shewed Chap. 7. Of Watching Doting and Epilepsie of Women in Child-bed THese are from the motion of the blood and humors when the after-blood flows not kindly and there is a Feaver of which in the first Book And from vapors sent from the womb there is an Epilepsie which is cured by Revulsion of vapors and humors downwards and perfect Evacuation of the After-blood which done all these Symptoms cease Chap. 8. Of the Swelling of the Womb Belly and Feet after Child-bearing IT is commonly from cold gotten into the womb and the belly sometimes swells as if there were another child It is cured by hysterical or mother Fomentations or with the skin of a new slain sheep and hard wine if in Travel they keep a bad dyet or drink too much the humors go into wind and if they fall into the Legs they swell then take heed of much drink and after the flux is is past make Evacuation with things that expel wind As Take Coleworts and Chamomil each as you please boyl them in Wine and foment the parts Or Take Wormwood Southernwood Bettony Calamints Organ Chamomil-flowers Aniseeds Rue Caraway as much as will serve for a Fomentation for the Feet Chap. 9. Of Vomiting Loosness Belly bound and not holding of Urine in Women in Child-bed THey cast up crude and indigested meat sometimes Hip. 1. de nat mulier from weakness of the stomach by consent from the womb or from the humors that came to the stomach from the parts near the womb when the after-flux doth not flow they sometimes vomit blood or when it is disordered For the blood not getting out goes to the great Veins and Liver and in its hollow part by plenty and sharp it opens the Veins and it gets into the Stomach Sometimes a Vein is broken from hard Travel Hip. 1. de morb mul. It is bad of what cause soever it comes for the strength will fail and there will be no matter to make milk of if the food be vomited If other humors they may cause a Feaver by their motion If blood be vomited from a Vein of the Liver broken or opened a Dropsie is to be feared therefore stop it whatsoever it be in this case If it be of the meat give that which will be easily digested that oppress not the stomach which must be strengthened If bad humors are vomited up stop it not so soon but cleanse with gentle Medicines and open the way by stool In vomiting blood make Revulsion to the lower parts by rubbing cupping them or bleeding in the ham or ankle and provoke the After-flux The Flux of the Belly is dangerous if it be great for it weakneth and threatneth to bring a Dysentery or Tenasmus or Neesing Nor is it safe to stop it presently lest you stop the After-flux with it If it be from food nor well concocted let her keep a better dyet and let the stomach be strengthened outwardly If this will not do give internal remedies so that they help the stomach and hurt not the womb as the Decoction of Barley Syrup and Honey of Roses Give Clysters also to temper the sharp humors and cleanse Or give Syrup of Roses Pulp of Tamarinds or Rhubarb And Astringents of Roses Plantane Tormentil Quinces Coral and the like If they be wholly stopt the belly must not be bound But first give Rhubarb and Astringents outwardly and provokers of the Terms Also the belly is bound in women in Child-bed then give a Suppository of Soap or Honey and after four or five dayes give emollient Clysters and Manna or Cassia If they cannot hold their Urin after hard Travel use a Bath of Bettony Sage Bayes Rosemary Penny-royal Organ Stoechas and presently after anoint with this Take fat Puppy-dogs boyled in Oyl of Worms Lillies and Foxes till the flesh fall from the bones then take the Fatt and add Frankincense Storax calamite Benzoin Opopanax Mace each a dram Oyl of Nutmegs by expression half a dram with Goose-grease and Wax make an Oyntment Chap. 10. Of the Wrinkles of the Belly after Child-bearing and mending of the largeness of the Privities AFter the fourth month Women prevent wrinkles by carrying a clout upon the belly dipt in Oyl of sweet Almonds Jesamine Oyl of Lillies to loosen the skin that it may stretch better without clefts If the Belly be already wrinkled Tetrabi 4. Serm. 4. 112. Take Sheeps-suet Goats-suet Oyl of sweet Almonds each an ounce Sperma Ceti two drams with Wax make an Oyntment After the flux is past add Oyl of Mastich or Roses or make Aetius his Cataplasm Chap. 11. Of Feavers and acute Diseases in Women in Child-bed THey have often continual Feavers The first is the Feaver of Milk about the fourth or third day from the motion of the blood from the womb to the breasts it is not of many dayes continuance and is not dangerous But take heed you mistake not a putrid Feaver for a Milk-feaver for labour and pain sometimes inflame the humors and cause putrefaction and though the Symptomes appear not the next day after delivery yet there may be the beginning of putrefaction from the heat of the humors in Travel especially if the after-flux be stopt from which time you must count the beginning of the diseases For a Feaver cannot be long concealed nor the motion from Travel last long therefore it is probable the motion is ceased and the Feaver comes of another cause which I shall declare presently The Causes They are the stoppage of the After-flux or the diminishing of it or the foul humors that were gathered in the time of being with child and stirred in Travel Too great purging of the After-blood or Lochia signifies Cacochymy or
The Cure first see if there be Inflammation and then abate pain As Take Oyl of Linseed and Roses each an ounce Oyl of Eggs half an ounce mix them in a Leaden Mortar Or Take Pellitory Mallows Althaea each half a handful Chamomil-flowers two pugils Linseed and Foenugreek each half an ounce Boil them to a pint add Oyl of Roses three ounces inject it with a Syringe If there be no Inflamation use Driers and Repellers as Vervain Ivy Acacia Pomegranate-peels and flowers for Baths and Fomentations and after add Discussers as Chamomil and Thyme If it be old and hard first soften it with the same and after thrice using them use Digesters and Driers that are strong as a Powder Take round Birthwort a dram Savin Hermodactils burnt each two drams burnt Allum two drams red Lead a dram Calcitis half a dram sprinkle it upon the loofe flesh Or Take Aloes Frankincense Mirrh each a dram Ammoniacum dissolved in Vinegar a dram and half Allum two drams red Lead two drams Galls half a dram Turpentine Oyl of Tartar each a dram with Oyl of Roses and Wax make an Oyntment This is very strong Take Turpentine an ounce Oyl of Nutmegs two ounces read Lead two drams Allum Vitriol each a dram Verdegreece half a dram Sublimate a scruple with Wax make an Oyntment or of Balsom of Mercury Tetrab 4. serm l. c. 3. If Medicines will not do the Ancients advise Burning of which see Aetius Chap. 7. Of Warts in the Neck of the Privities of the Womb. THey are from a gross feculent and malignant humor sent to the skin turned to a Node The Signs They are known by their shape the malignant are known by their hardness and heat and blewness filth and pain The Prognostick They are often hard to be cured because the pox is with them and they are in a place to which Medicines are hard to be applied and to continue The Myrmeciae are not cut off but they leave a great ulcer the Thymi and Clavi grow again Acrochordones once cut leave no root After Universals and order of diet The Cure either use Medicines or cut or burn them to discuss then use Sage dried with Figs Organ Rue burnt dry Savin Frankincense with Wine and Vinegar or Snakes skins with Figs these also dry These corrode eat and burn as juyce of wild Cowcumbers with Salt Milk of Figgs Sheeps-dung Goats-gall with Niter Aqua fortis Spirit of Vitriol Sulphur Butter of Antimony Take heed that you hurt not the parts adjacent but defend them with Bole sealed Earth Rose-water and Vinegar if you put the Corrosives into Nut-shells change them twice or thrice in a day and wash the part with a cleansing Decoction and then cut or burn Chap. 7. Of the Haemorrhoids of the Womb. THe veins that end in the neck of the womb often swell like the Haemorrhoids it is from gross blood that comes to these veins out of the time of the terms Inordinate flux of terms may occasion it The Causes when they flow out of the usual time they grow thick and cannot get out of the veins but swell them They are to be touched The Signs and with a Speculum matricis to be seen There is pain and bleeding without order she is pale and lazy The Cure Correct the blood purge and bleed in the arm to derive and revel of which in the diseases of the womb If pain be abate it by sitting in a Decoction of Mallows Althaea Chamomel Melilot flowers Moulin Linseed Foenugreek of which also make Fomentations and Oyntments with Butter Populeon and Opium if there be pain Take Populeon Oyl of Roses and sweet Almonds fresh Butter each half an ounce Saffron a scruple with the yelk of an Egg make an Oyntment Or Take Mucilage of Quinces Althaea each half an ounce Oyl of Roses and Hens-grease each a dram the yelk of an Egg and Saffron half a dram mix them in a Leaden Mortar If pain be gone or abated and they bleed not use Dryers of Bole Earth of Lemnos Acacia Ceruss froath of Silver Lead burnt and washed long Birthwort Allum Verdigreece If they swell with blood evaporate it or foment with the Decoction of Mallows Althaea Pellitory Chamomil-flowers Moulin Melilot seeds of Line and Foenugreek If they do not good open them by Fig-leaves rub'd upon them or by Horsleeches of which Chap. 2. If there be proud flesh take it off as is shewed If they bleed gently let Nature alone to the work for it is good and frees from other diseases If the flux be great and abate the strength open a vein in the arm divers times and do as in overflowing of the Terms Question How do the Haemorrhoids differ from the Terms flowing or stopt Mercurialis saith That though a flux of Terms be immoderate yet it hath its periods and is without pain and makes not the body lean but it is contrary in the Haemorrhoids But this is not true for the body is not made lean alwaies by the Haemorrhoids nor do the Courses keep their periods alwaies Besides the pain which is almost alwaies in the Haemorrhoids they differ in that the terms flow from the veins of the womb and its neck but the Haemorrhoids are when the blood flows too much to the veins that nourish the privities and sticks or is evacuated Chap. 8. Of Ulcers in the Neck of the Womb. THey are seldome cured in the body of the womb and they are simple and clean or sordid and malignant Are a flux of sharp humors that lasts long in the Pox and Gonorrhaea Corrupt after-births The Causes and courses after child-bearing detained inflammations turned to imposthumes these are the internal The external are sharp Medicines hard travel a great child taken out by force violent lechery wounds falls strokes Are pain and constant biting that increaseth The Signs especially in copulation or when Wine or Hydromel is injected You may also see it with a Speculum also there is matter gentle or filthy if the ulcer go towards the bladder they piss hot and often there is pain in the roots of the eyes to the hands and fingers fainting and a little Feaver sometimes The external Causes are to be related by the Patient If it be from the Pox or Gonorrhoea the signs of them will appear of which Hippocrates They are hard to be cured because they are in a part fit to receive humors soft and moist and that hath consent with many parts Hence are divers Symptoms the great old and foul are worst when they corrode and are hollow they are seldome cured they that may easily have Medicines applied to them are easiest cured The Cure First stop the flux of humors to the part if it be either from the whole body or any part And amend the distemper of the womb that it may neither breed nor receive bad humors If the French Pox be with it resist that first If there
to Lust have few Courses yellow or black or burnt or sharp they have hairs betimes upon their privities they are subject to the Headach and there are signs of much Choler their Lips are dry When this distemper is strong The Prognostick they have few terms and out of order they are bad and hard to flow and in time they are Hypochondriacks and for the most part barren and there is sometimes a Frenzy of the Womb. Use Coolers The Cure so that they offend not the Vessels that must be open for the Flux of the terms therefore Use inwardly Succory Endive Violets Waterlillies Sorrel Lettice Sanders and Syrups and Conserves made thereof As Take Conserve of Succory Violets Waterlillies Borage each an ounce Conserve of Roses half an ounce Dâ—amargariton frigid Diâ—trio santalon each half a dram with Syrup of Violets or Juyce of Citrons make an Electuary Outwardly use Oyntment of Galens Cooler Oyntment of Roses Cerot of Sanders Oyl of Roses Violets Waterlillies Gourds Venus-navel to the Back and Loins or make Cataplasms of Barley meal Roses powdered Violets Waterlillies Sanders with Juyce or water of Plantane Waterlillies Succory Lettice Oyl of Roses Violets Waterlillies Baths are good to sit in and cooling Fomentations and after let her take some of the Coolers mentioned In great heat use this cooling Pessary Take Opium a scruple Goose grease two scruples Eras de pass mulic cap. 7. Wax and Honey each four scruples Oyl at ounce whites of two Eggs. This was from an opinion the Ancients had that Opium was cold but take heed of the using it too much lest the narcotick quality hurt Let the Air be cool her Garments thin let her meat be with Lettice Endive Succory Barley give no hot meats nor strong Wine except it be waterish and thin Rest is good both in body and mind She must not copulate but she may sleep much Chap. 3. Of the cold Distemper of the womb THis causeth many Evils and Barrennesse They are contrary to those of a hot Distemper The Causes cold Air Rest and Idlenesse and cooling Medicines The Signs It is known by their not desire of Lechery not receiving pleasure in the time of Copulation when they spend their Seed The terms are flegmatick thick and slimy and flow not rightly there is wind in the womb the Seed is crude waterish with a Gonorrhoea The Prognostick The Cure It is the cause of Obstructions and Barrenness and is hard to be cured Use things proper to heal the womb as this Water Take Galangal Cinnamon Nutmeg Mace Cloves each two drams Ginger Cubebs Zedoary Cardamoms each an ounce grains of Paradice long Pepper each half an ounce beat them and put them in six quarts of Wine for eight dayes then add Sage Mints Balm Motherwort each three handfuls let them stand eight dayes more then pour off the Wine and beat the Herbs and the Spices and then pour on the Wine and distil them Ano her Take Cinnamon Nutmegs Cloves Mace Ginger Cubebs Cardamom grains of Pa adice each an ounce and half Galangal six drams long Pepper half an ounce Zedoary five drams bruise them and add six quarts of Wine put them in a Cellar nine dayes daily stirring them then add Mints two handfuls then let them stand fourteen dayes pour off the Wine and bruise them and then pour on the Wine again and distil them Quercetan hath an Hysterick Extract In phar doc restit cap. 25. a greater and a less use outwardly Fomentations Baths Baggs of hot Roots as Birthwort Lovage Valerian Angelica Burnet Masterwort Calamus Madder Elicampane Orris and Herbs as Mugwort Balm Motherwort Savin Penny-royal Calamints Organ Dittany Marjoram Rue Bettony Rosemary Lavender Sage Stoechas flowers Seeds of Smallage Parsley Rue Carrots Anise Fennel Cummin Lovage Parsley Anoint with Oyl of Lillies Rue Angelica Bays Cinnamon Cloves Mace Nutmeg Or Take Labdanum two ounces Frankincense Mastick liquid Storax each half an ounce Oyl of Cloves Nutmegs each half a scruple Oyl of Lillies Rue each an ounce with Wax make a Plaister A Fume Take Frankincense Mirrh Mastich each a dram Bayberries a dram and half Labdanum two drams Storax Cloves each a dram Gum Arabick and Wine make Troches or Pessaries of the same Let the diet be warming and the air the meat of easie concoction seasoned with Anise Fennel Thyme Avoid Milk-meats and raw Fruits Chap. 4. Of the moist Distemper of the Womb. THis is commonly joyned with a cold Distemper and causeth Barrenness and is from the same causes as a cold distemper for commonly cold things do moisten It is commonly in women that are idle The Signs They that have moist wombs abound in Courses but they are waterish and thin the privities are wet they have the VVhites and desire not Copulation much and delight not in it they retain not the seed and if they conceive when the child is big they abort or miscarry The Prognostick The Cure If it last long it is hard to be cured If it be much they conceive not It is by Driers and things that cure the cold distemper are good against the moist because all Healers have a drying power Use Sulphur Baths and Injections Beware of Astringents lest the evil humors be stopt and the disease increased Chap. 5. Of the dry Distemper of the Womb. IN this the womb is hardned of it self it is fleshy and soft and moistned by blood for Conception It is sometimes from the birth or old age when they are past child-bearing If it be from drying causes they are barren before they are old The Causes Diseases and Medicines dry the womb as Inflammations Feavers and when blood flows not to it nor goes to the bottom of it by reason of the straitness of the Veins or Obstructions as in Viragoe's and such as never conceived and if they void any blood it is from the neck of the womb and not from the bottom The Signs They void little seed and are slow in Venery the terms are few the mouth of the womb is dry and they are slender of a dry Constitution their lower Lip is alwayes chapt and blackish red This distemper is hard to be cured in any part especially if it be old The Prognostick The Cure Use Moistners as Borage Bugloss Mercury Mallows Althaea Violets sweet Almonds Pistachaes Pine-nuts Jujubes Dates Figs Raisins Of which are made Syrups Conserves Emulsions Candies c. Outward Remedies are made of the same adding Time Fenugreek-Seeds Lillies Brank-ursine Pellitory c. Fomentations are made with Milk and after bathing anoint the region of the womb and the belly to the privities with oyl of sweet Almonds Lillies Lin-seed Jesamin fresh Butter Hens and Goose grease Let the Diet be moistning the Air moist the meat fatning of much nourishment and small excrement Leet sleep be a little longer than usual Great labour anger sadness fasting do hurt Chap. 6. Of Compound Distempers and first of
Cold and Moist THere is seldom a simple Distemper in the part and commonly there is matter which feeds it It is usually cold and moist which gathers excrements of that sort either in the whole body or in the womb after the terms The Causes Are all things that breed cold and flegmatick humors in the whole body or the womb The Cure They conceive not and are of an ill habit of body the terms seldom flow right and they have sometimes the whites The Prognostick The Cure It is harder to cure than a simple distemper The cold humor is in fault therefore prepare it with Syrup of Mugwort Mints Bettony Hysop with a Decoction proper As Take Fennel roots an ounce Valerian Elicampane Masterwort each half an ounce Penny-royal Mugwort Motherwort Nep Marjoram each a handful Rosemary and Sage-flowers each two pugils Siler Montane Fennel Anniseed Parsnep-seed each a dram boil them to ten ounces strained add Sugar syrup of Mugwort two or three ounces Cinnamon-water half an ounce make a Portion for three doses Then purge it with Agarick Mechoacan Turbith and if other humors be mixed with Flegm add Senna and the like or use Pills de tribus Aloephanginae Mastich of Hiera with Agarick Sine quibus Or Take Agarick a dram and half Senna two drams infuse them in Mugwort-water to three ounces strained add Diaphoenicon or Diacarthaemum two drams strain and add syrup of Mugwort half an ounce Cinnamon-water half a dram After universal Evacuation use Pessaries As Take Mercury bruise it and put it in a bag of white Silk anoint it with Butter or Honey of Roses Or Take Benedicta laxativa three drams Agarick two drams Gith seed a dram Pease meal six drams with juyce of Mercury make Pessaries in a Sarsnet Bag. Or Take Hiera a dram Agarick half a dram Bdellium a dram with Honey make a Pessary or make it with powder of Agarick and Troches of Coloquintida or five sweats of Guajacum China and Sarsa As Take Guajacum a pound and eighteen ounces infuse them in twelve pints of water twenty four hours then boyl them to the consumption of the third part give six or eight ounces hot in the morning and let her sweat Pour water to the reliques and boyl them to the consumption of the third part for an ordinary drink You may use China and Sarsa the same way and because in a decoction some strength is lost and so great a quantity is tedious for women you may distil them and give a less quantity with things proper for the womb As Take Guajacum a pound or Sarsa eight ounces Angelica Elicampane each an ounce Mugwort two handfuls Dittany half a handful add six pints of water or wine steep them two dayes then distil them and give two ounces of the water Let her meat be roasted Birds Hens Capons Partridges Mutton sweet Almonds Raisins Let her abstain from salt and sharp things If these sweats are unpleasant give them in the third and fourth Chapter internal and external As Take Conserve of Marjoram Rosemary Bettony each two ounces of Balm an ounce Diamoschu dulcis Diamargariton calid each a dram â—â—ndied Eryngus and Citrons each half an ounce with furup of Mugwort make an Electuary and use Baths to sit in mentioned Drying Spaw-waters are good to drink or to sit in Let the diet be as in Chap. 3. and 4. give the flesh of wild Mountain fowl Pidgeons Hens Capons Mutton roasted and spiced and old wine and let her exercise Of the hot and dry Distemper of the Womb with Choler Do as in Chap. 5. purge the Choler whether it be from the whole body or from the Liver with Syrup of Roses Manna Tamarinds Rhubarbs Senna c. Chap. 7. Of the ill shape of the Womb and first of the straitness of it and its vessels THis is a Disease of evil conformation from Nature when it can be stretched out no further this makes an abortion in the fourth or fifth month But it is wonderful in its natural shape when it will stretch according to the proportion of the child and after child-bearing be as small as at first Of straitness of the vessels of the Womb. This is usual and hinders the flux of the terms and conception it is in the vessels of the womb and of the neck thereof The Causes Are thick tough humors that stop the mouths of the veins and arteries these are bred of gross or much nourishment when the heat of the womb is so weak that it cannot attenuate the humors these either flow from the whole body or are gathered in the womb Sometimes vessels are closer by inflammation or Schirrhus or other tumor 3. They are stopt by astringent Medicines 4. By compression 5. From a Scar or Flesh or a Membrane that grows after a wound Stoppage of the terms shews straitness The Signs which hinders conception and this stoppage is known by crudities abounding in the body which are known by their signs Sometimes thick flegm comes from the womb if there was a wound before or the Secundine was pulled out by force Stoppage of terms from an old obstruction by humors is hard to be cured The Prognostick if it be from disorderly use of astringents it is more curable if it be from a Schirrhus or other tumor that compresseth or closeth the vessels that cannot be cured the disease is incurable Obstructions are taken away by the means mentioned in the cold and moist Distemper of the Womb flegm must be purged The Cure and she must be let blood as in stoppage of the terms After Universals come to the obstruction with Medicines that move the terms these take away the cause as in the Chapter of the cold distemper of the Womb. Or Take Asparagus roots Parsly roots each an ounce Madder roots half an ounce red Pease half a handful Penny-royal Calamints each a handful Wall-flowers Dill-flowers each two pugils boil strain and add syrup of Mugwort an ounce and half Or Take Birthwort and white Dittany roots each an ounce Costus Cinnamon Galangal each half an ounce Rosemary Penny-royal Calamints Bettony-flowers each a handful Anise and Fennel seeds each a dram Saffron half a dram with Wine Or use Topicks as Take Mugwort Marjoram Calamints Mercury Penny-royal each two handfuls Sage Rosemary Bays Chamomil-flowers each a handful boyl them in water foment the groins and the bottom of the belly or let her fit in a Bath up to the Navel and then anoint about the groins with Oyl of Rue Lillies Dill c. Or use Pessaries and Fumes mentioned If straitness be from other diseases cure them first Chap. 8. Of the opening of the Vessels of the Womb besides Nature THis when there is great bleeding The Causes The vessels are opened preternaturally three wayes by Anastomosis Diaeresis and by Diapedesis as in the Lungs Anastomosis is from much blood which the Liver doth produce and send out by the womb as in some
day in it and not sweat To take away the sharpness of the Seed use Lettice Violets Water-lillies and things that quench seed by a secret quality as Agnus castus Seed Leaves and Flowers of Camphire hereafter As Take leaves of Water-lillies Agnus Castus Willow each three handfuls Ltetice Purslane Venus-navel each a handful Lettice Poppy-seed the four great cold seeds each half an ounce Dill-seed two drams Water-lillies a hundful Violets half a handful beat them with juyce of Lemons distil them after twenty four hours add to every pint a dram of Camphire give an ounce Or Take Agnus castus leaves Rue Willow each two handfuls Mints tops of Dill each a handful and half Water-lillies half a handful Agnus castus seeds Hemp Coriander Lettice-seed each half an ounce beat them and distil them with water add a pint of juyce of Lemons rectifie it to half An Emulsion Take Lettice and white Poppy-seed and the four great cold Seeds each half an ounce water of Lettice Water-lillies Willow each four ounces Syrup of Violets two ounces Magistery of Coral a dram An Electuary Take Conserve of Water-lillies Violets of Agnus castus tops each an ounce of Roses half an ounce red Coral Smaragds each a dram Coleworts and Lettice candied each an ounce with syrup of Violets and Water-lillies make an Electuary Or make Baths of the same As Take tops of Agnus castus Lettice Rue Water-lillies Dill-tops boil them anoint with Oyl of Lillies Unguent of Roses with Camphire after that Or lay a Plaister of Mercury and Marsh-lentils to the Breast and Loins Lay a Plate of Lead to the Back and give a Pessary of Juyce of Plantane Purslane Gourds These that work by an occult quality are fittest for Nuns that must not marry but they that will marry must forbear them because they cause Barrenness Let diet be thin and of little nourishment no Eggs Beef is good and fresh Fish Also Lettice Purslane Succory Sleep little think not of Venery labour and avoid idleness Question Whether is Camphire cold or hot or doth it quench Venery It is hot because it burns flames is thin pierceth is sharp and bitter But it hath cold effects as curing of Burns and Inflammations and hot Head-aches but this is from the likeness of the substance because it draws hot vapors to it and discusseth as Linseed-Oyl that cures burns Nor hath it a double substance cold and hot that may be separated Exercit. 104. sect 8. Scaliger denies it by Experience to quench Venery but if it be taken often it doth He tried it but once Chap. 6. Of the Melancholy of Virgins and Widows IT is a Delirium with sadness trouble and weeping sometimes laughing without a Feaver It differs from others by the efficacy only of the efficient cause for it hath divers pains besides sadness especially on the left side near the Heart in the Pap this is by occasion at a distance The Cause is a melancholick Vapor from a melancholick blood in the vessels near the Heart The Causes that infects the animal Spirits hurts the Fancy and so the reason For melancholick blood abounding in the vessels of the womb comes back to the great Arteries about the Heart by the Arteries of the womb and infects both vital and animal Spirits and causeth trouble of Heart and Delirium while this blood is quiet in the Arteries there is no vapor that riseth but when it is heated or stirred up by any cause the Arteries about the Back and Spleen beat more then ordinary and the vapors arise and trouble the Heart They are sad and full of thoughts The Signs and trouble at the Heart and cannot express their grief all things are tedious to them they weep and laugh without a cause they sleep little and with trouble and fear they have a pain on the left side and sometimes the left Breast their Jaws are dry All which are the effects of a melancholick vapor and when that is discussed all cease If it be old it turns to Madness and then they are first silent then pratlers and think they see Ghosts At first it is easier cured but if it last long The Prognostick and she resist not imagination and will not rejoyce with her Gossips it is dangerous They often despair and desire death or hang themselves or drown themselves If the manners are changed it turns to madness Observe what progress the disease hath made The Cure At first if blood be hot open a Vein often in the Arm if the terms be not stopt If they be bleed in the Ankles some daies before they use to flow Let her be merry and prepare and purge Melancholy thus Take Borage and Balm-water each three ounces Syrup of the Juyce of Borage and Bugloss each an ounce an half Mix them for two Doses repeat them sometimes Then purge Melancholy As Take Senna six drams Agarick a dram and half Borage-flowers and Violets each a pugil Citron-peels two drams infuse them in Rhenish wine for six hours strain them add Syrup of Violets an ounce Or Take Scorzonera-roots two ounces Borage an ounce Balm a handful Senna four ounces Agarick half an ounce Citron-peels 6 drams Zedoary two drams Cordial-flowers a handful add half a pint of the juyce of sweet-scented Apples and of Borage and Bugloss steep them two daies then strain them add Sugar and half an ounce of Cinnamon make a Syrup give two or three ounces Also give Cordials Confection of Hyacinths Species Exhilerants and Confection Alkermes to such as can bear it Cure it as Melancholy only the matter comes from the womb therefore still regard that it dry not the body too much The Prognostick but use a moistning Diet. Chap. 7. Of an Epilepsie from the Womb. THis Falling-sickness is worse then from other causes because there are greater Symptoms for that malignant vapor doth not only fall into the Nerves but the Veins and Arteries The same malignant vapor that causeth suffocation causeth this for when it ascends by the Veins and Arteries it begets other diseases but when it gets to the Nerves or to the fountain of them it causeth the Epilepsie In some the whole body hath a Convulsion in others some part only as the Eyes Head Tongue Hand or Leg and the outward Senses are diversly taken Some see not some hear not some see and cannot speak some dote and think they see strange things some cry out and know not why All lose the sense of Feeling If the vapor be not very malignant they return to their work after the fit as if they had not been ill It is known by what hath been said for here is not only a Convulsion as in other Epilepsies but divers Symptoms as in Suffocation of the Womb. They seldom foam at the mouth because the Brain is not so shaken as to cause foaming nor is the vapor so fixed in the roots of the nerves but they often do hear It is grievous and hath grievous
eggs when chickens pip in them And if the child have a rough artery lungs and breasts which are the organs of breathing sound and the child is strong there is no hinderance but it may utter a voice But something whatsoever it is must stir it to make this noise THE FOURTH BOOK THE THIRD PART THE SIXTH SECTION Of Symptoms that happen in Child-bearing Chap. 1. Of Child-bearing in general WHen the Child can no longer be contained in so small a place being grown and requiring more nourishment it kicks and breaks the Membranes and Ligaments that held it and the Womb by an expelling faculty sends it forth with great straining and this is called Travel It is either natural or not natural legitimate or illegitimate The natural is when the child comes with the head forward and heels upwards with his hands and arms to his thighs and so the other parts easily follow then the Amnios is broken and the water that was laid up in time of being with child flows forth and moistens the passages then the child with more force breaks the Acetabula from which the Secundine is separated and the other membranes are broken and the blood flows into the cavity of the womb and the child gets out by the expulsive faculty with such force that it seems to fall rather then be expelled and the bones of the Privities must needs be divided That which follows the birth is above humane capacity namely The transmiration of the Navel-vessels and Lungs and Heart in the Infant and why Nature ordered it of which Galen elegantly in the 15th Book Of the Use of Parts and 6th Chapter There is also a legitimate Birth when it is according to the Law of Nature and an illegitimate when it is before or after the time Hippocrates saith Lib. de septim paren That a Birth in the seventh month is vital and legitimate And it is sooner from the strength of the faculty and matter fit for formation yet it is commonly weak except the seventh month be compleat Of the eighth month Hippocrates saith thus None lives that is born in the eighth month because it cannot bear the two afflictions to follow but the reason of the Arithmaticians is better that say an even month is imperfect The ninth or tenth months are the best Lib. de natura pueri Lib. Sapient as Hippocrates saith A Child is born in ten months at the farthest and so says the wisest Solomon Some say that a child may be born in the 11th month and Peter Apponensis was so born and some say they have been born in the fourteenth and fifteenth month but rare things are not to be counted the Law of Nature Generally Physitians agree with Hippocrates though some dissent Chap. 2. Of Abortion IT is the exclusion of a child nor perfect nor living before ligitimate time This time is defined by Hippocrates Lib. de carnib Whosoever Conceiveth doth it within seven days but they are properly Abortions that come before the seventh day and though some are in the fifth and sixth month that have lived yet that must not derogate from the common Law of Nature Some differences of Abortion are from the time and bigness of the child For that which is cast out is little and round without distinction of members at first like a Grape Sometimes as long as a finger and members may be distinguished And sometimes the child is almost perfect The Causes The immediate Cause is the expulsive faculty stirred up and that is done by three means from Galen 3. De natur fac cap. 12. from the weight bigness and pain There are more causes which we shall place in two Ranks The first is of the manner of the causes that provoke the expulsive faculty The other is that which findeth out these wayes by all the causes The expulsive faculty is first provoked by the child being weak either from evil seed or being dead The child is weak for want of food and from the mothers diseases either in her whole body or in the womb or parts adjacent that consent as Feavers Inflammations Fainting Convulsions Pain Vomiting Neesing Cough that move the spirits and humors and shake the child and stir up Nature to expel it Also straitness of the womb causeth Abortion by which means it cannot contain a great child Also shortness of the Navel-vessels which Frabricius first observed The outward causes are cold air after hot and moist which gets into the womb and provokes it and hurts the child Cent. 2. obs 50. The Astrologers add the malignant aspect of the Stars also too much or too little meat Great watchings purging and flux of blood by the Womb and Haemorrhoids Also violent motion as leaping carrying of burdens strokes on the belly or back Also passions as anger fear sorrow Also bleeding purging fasting smell of brimstone or ashes hoofs burnt or stink of the snuff of a candle If the breasts be less The Signs or much milk flow from them or she feel much and often pain about the belly or loyns that go to the Pubes and Os sacrum with a desire of thrusting forth in the womb If the child change its place and if it fall lower when it was in the middle of the belly there is fear of miscarrying It is dangerous alwayes The Prognostick because it is with violence there are also great Symptomes they are in less danger that have already brought forth a child therefore the first is most dangerous and the mouths of the Vessels are torn and they commonly become barren Abortion is most dangerous in the sixth seventh and eighth month because the Infant being greater causeth greater pain and breaks the Ligaments worse To preserve from Abortion Consider the constitution before she is with child and prevent every cause If it be like to come from Plethory before Conception open a Vein and after Conception in the fourth or fifth month in the Arm. If it be from Cacochymy purge the whole body and purge the womb with Pessaries and strengthen it of which in the cold and moist distemper of the womb If she have conceived open a vein before the time be used to abort if there be a Cacochymy purge gently at times If there be a cold distemper of body by flegm that hurts the womb give the decoction of China or Sarsa with strengtheners of the child Avoid the external causes of abortion and if they have done hurt help it presently Let not the belly be bound if the child be weak remove the causes of weakness and strengthen it Use things that strengthen the womb and child as Coral as Kermes-berries Or Take Magistery of Coral a dram Pearl prepared half a dram Ivory shaved a dram Mastick half a dram grains of Kermes a dram Manus Christi with Pearl two drams make a Powder If the Abortion be at hand and the pains increase give this Powder with a rear Egg. Or Take
often handling of the Breasts by which the blood and the heat is drawn to the Breasts The Cure It is easier to keep them from growing great then to abate them when too big with good dyet and Topicks that repel by cooling and binding and drying As Take Mirtle-leaves Horstail Plantane Mints red Roses each a handful Pomegranate-flowers two pugils boyl them in red Wine and Vinegar and with a Spunge apply it to the Breasts and let it dry or apply Hemlock bruised with Vinegar Or Take Powder of Comfrey-roots two drams Pomegranate-flowers red Roses Frankincense Mastich each half an ounce Barley-flour red Oaker each an ounce and half with Rose-water the white of an Egg and a little Vinegar make a Cataplasm These may be laid to the Breasts and under the Arm-pits to astringe the Vessels and hinder the blood from flowing to them Hemlock Henbane and other Narcoticks are forbidden because they weaken the natural heat and hinder the breeding of milk Dryers and Discussers are good in women that have great Breasts after weaning to consume the moisture As Take Bean and Orobus-meal each two ounces and half Comfrey-roots in powder half an ounce Mints three drams Wormwood Chammomil-flowers and Roses each two drams boyl and add two ounces of Oyl of Mastich make a Cataplasm The Breasts are too little when the Flux of blood to the Breasts is hindred diminished intercepted revelled or turned another way or when the blood is not drawn by the Breasts as in a dry Liver-famine much Labour or in Watchings Feavers and other diseases that consume the body The same is when the radical moisture of the Breasts is consumed You must remove the cause that breeds it and often friction will attract blood and foment with warm water in which Emollients have been boyled with white Wine and then anoint with Oyl of sweet Almonds or of Indian-nuts Loosness of the Breasts is cured by Astringents Chap. 2. Of Sweelling of the Breasts with Milk WHen the milk-carrying veins are too full the Breasts swell all over or in part and are pained by stretching and red Sometimes the milk congealed and is a hard Tumor The cause is abundance of milk or blood that makes it or the weakness of the child that cannot suck or because he is weaned It often ceaseth without Remedies Sometimes it is an inflammation or the milk hardens to a tumor The Cure You must hinder the breeding of much milk of which hereafter and consume that which is bred in women that give suck the child will draw them or a Puppy Or use a Glass to suck with they which will not give suck may use this Take Barley-meal of Lentils Althaea-roots Chamomil-flowers and Mints each half an ounce Agnus-castus-seeds two scruples boyl them in Wine add a little Vinegar Oyl of Dill two ounces make a Cataplasm Chap. 3. Of Inflammation and Erysipelas of the Breasts SOmetimes the tumor in the breast is inflamed from blood for though plenty of milk cause an inflammation blood is the immediate cause for milk as it corrupts and grows hot increaseth pain and so the blood staying in the small capillar veins being out of the vessels is hot putrid and inflamed There are other causes as strokes falls straitness of cloaths and other hurts of the Breasts The Signs A hard and red swelling shews inflammation with beating pain and a Feaver The Prognostick These inflammations are commonly without danger but because the Breasts are so loose and have many kernels and little heat they turn to Cancers and Scirrhus The Cure If you fear a great flux of blood that will increase the inflammation let blood in a Plethorick body But if it come from stopping of the terms or after-flux first open the vein in the ankle and scarifie the leggs then if need be open the arm If bad humors coming to the Breasts nourish the Inflammation give a gentle Purge of Manna Senna and the like If the blood be too hot or mixt with hot humors that help the motion of the blood Use Alterers as Lettice Endive Purslane Plantane Water-lillies and the like Use Repellers after these To be a skilful Physitian study my Sennertus Platerus Riverius Bartholinus and Riolanus of the last Editions but such as are weak and not too cold as a clout dipt in Water and Honey with Oyl of Roses applied to the Breasts Or Take Lettice Purslane each a handful red Roses half a handful boyl them in Water add Vinegar two ounces make an Epithem Or Take Nightshade Lettice each a handful boyl them stamp them and add Barley-meal two ounces powder of Chamomil-flowers half an ounce Oxymel Oyl of Roses each a dram make a Cataplasm When the beginning of the Inflammation is past add Discussers with your Repellers As Take white Bread crums Barley-flour each an ounce and half Bean and Foenugreek-flower each half an ounce powder of red Roses and Chamomil-flowers each two drams boyl them add Rose-winegar an ounce Oyl of Roses and of Chamomil each an ounce make a Cataplasm At length use only Discussers As Take Bean-flower and of Lupines and of Foenugreek and Linseed and powder of Chamomil-flowers each an ounce make a Cataplasm If the matter grow hard use Emollients and Attenuates As Take Mallows a handful boyl them till they are soft add powder of Linseed Althoea and Chamomil-flowers each an ounce boyl them again add Oyl of Jesamine an ounce make a Cataplasm If it tend to suppuration lay a Plaister of Diachylon Or Take Mallows and Althoea each half a handful boyl them till they are soft stamp them and add powder of Althaea-roots two ounces powder of Line and Foenugreek-seeds each an ounce Leaven half an ounce add Oyntment of Althaea two ounces make a Cataplasm When there is matter and the Imposthume breaks of its own accord it is well otherwise open it with a Lancet or some sharp Medicine and let out the matter and then cleanse it thus Take Turpentine Honey of Roses each an ounce Mirrh a scruple The ulcer will be hard to be cured except you dry up the milk in the other Breast by reason of much blood that will flow thither to breed milk Question Whether the Inflammation of the Breasts be from blood alone or from milk also The inflammation and swelling in women in Child-bed upon their Breasts is from the afflux of too much milk and it is with redness and pain and beating or pulsation and it is not only from blood for tumors as in other parts are seldom pure or unmixed but there are other humors with it Therefore it is certain that when blood is drawn by heat or pain or comes of it self to the Breasts and begins to corrupt the milk also may be corrupted Of the Erysipelas of the Breasts This Erysipelas is from fright or anger and it turns presently to a Phlegmon and is cured as the Inflammation of the Breast Lay no cold astringent Repellers or fat things but things
add Camphire a scruple Saffron half a dram with Oyl of Chamomil make a Pultis Snuff this Water often Take Nutmegs Cloves Cubebs each a scruple Calamus Frankincense-bark each half a dram Marjoram-water three ounces drop hot Oyls into the Ears If in twenty dayes the water be not gone open the skull and let out the water by degrees and take heed of cold The tumor of wind in the skin of the head or membranes of the brain is seldom without water which breeds wind Use Discussers that make thin as Chamomil Rue Organ c. Chap. 7. Of Syriasis IT is from Aetius a disease with a Feaver Tetra 1. serm 4. c. 13. or an inflammation of the membranes and the brain so that there is a hollowness of the eyes and forehead It is from flegmatick blood that grows hot by putrefaction and so becomes like choler The Causes The remote causes are hot weather and milk full of wind from the evil dyet of the Nurse Such milk will make the child drunk and cause the inflammation Heat of the fore-head and hollowness there The Signs redness of face a Feaver driness no appetite watching The hollowness in the fore-part of the head is where the Sagital and Coronal sutures meet for there the bones are membranous and grow at last hard It is dangerous The Prognostick and counted deadly among women and as often as this bone or membrane falls there is a pit and the brain falls down they commonly dye in three days The Cure First give a Clyster of Syrup of Roses or Violets then Coolers of the juyce and water of Lettice Guords Melons or apply a Pumpion split in two But cool not the brain too much anoint with Oyl of Roses Or Take Oyl of Roses half an ounce Populeon an ounce the white of an Egg and of the Emulsion of cold Seeds drawn with Rose-water two drams After the flux is stopt and the Inflammation abated use Discussers As Take Oyl of Chamomil an ounce and half of Dill half an ounce with the yolk of an Egg. Let the Nurses dyet be cooling or the milk be changed let it not be vexed Chap. 8. Of Frights in the Sleep 3. Aphor. 24. HIppocrates saith this is often the cause is unclean vapors mixed with the animal spirits that disturb them and present horrible objects to the fancy They arise from the depraved concoction of the stomach in full feeding children that eat more then they can digest These vapors ascend not only by the weasand but by the veins to the head It comes often from worms also or corrupt humors that gnaw the mouth of the stomach The Signs They grown in their sleep and twitch and being frighted out of sleep they cry their breath is hot and often stinking The Prognostick Cure it presently for it is the fore-runner of an Epilepsie Give good Milk and less The Cure that the stomach be not over-charged Let it not sleep presently after food but carry it about till it is in the bottom of the stomach Use Oyl of sweet Almonds or Honey of Roses two spoonfuls to cleanse the stomach Then strengthen it with Magistery of Coral or Confection of Hyacinths with Milk Or Take Magistery of Coral a dram Diaplerers a scruple with Sugar dissolved in Rose-water an ounce make Rouls Anoint the stomach with Oyl of Nard Wormwood Mints Mastich Nutmegs If it be from a Feaver look to that If from Worms I shall after speak of it Some hang Coral and Wolves-teeth about the childs neck Chap. 9. Of great Watching A Child new born sleeps more then he wakes because his brain is very moist and he used to sleep in the womb If you cannot make him sleep by singing or rocking nor the like it is a Disease Are divers in men and children The Causes in these it is from milk corrupt in the stomach from which sharp humors arise and disturb the animal Spirits and infect them and if there be sad fancies frights follow of which before If it cries alwayes The Signs and cannot by any art be made to sleep it is a sign of a disease of watching which is dangerous because children use to sleep much And hence come Catarrhs Convulsions Driness and Feavers The bad milk must be amended The Cure and the corrupt meat prevented If it be from a Feaver or Pain remove them 1. De tuen c. 8. Galen adviseth you often to change the bed and place Sleeping Medicines are not safe but hurt but are rather to be given the Nurse moderately as sweet Almonds Lettice Poppy-seeds Wash the Feet with Decoction of Dill-tops Chamomil-flowers Sage Osiers Vine-leaves Poppy heads Cool not the head too much nor use Narcoticks These are safe Oyl of Dill to the Temples Oyl of Roses with Oyl of Nutmegs with Poppy-seed Breast-milk Rose or Nightshade-water with Saffron In great driness of the Brain let the covering of the Cradles head be wet Chap. 10. Of Epilepsie and Convulsion IT is either by consent from parts below when the milk corrupts in the stomach or from an ill quality in it from the Nurses bad diet or from worms in the guts or from vapors from bad humors that twitch the membranes of the brain as in the Meazles and small Pox. It is sometimes from the brain first as when the humors are bred in the brain that cause it either from the parents or from distemper or bad dyet It may come from Tooth-ach also when the brain consents and from a sudden fright The Signs It is manifest You shall know by the signs of the diseases whether it comes from bad milk worms or teeth If from a fright the people will tell you If these all are absent it is certain that the brain is first affected The Prognostick It is a great disease and kills for the most part young children But when in older Hippo. 58. Aph. 7. and it comes at a distance it vanisheth by age If it come with Pox or Meazles it ceaseth when they come forth if Nature be strong enough Give this Powder to prevent it The Cure to a child as soon as it is born Take male Piony-roots gathered in the decrease of the Moon a scruple Magistery of Coal half a scruple with Leaf-gold make a Powder Or Take Piony-roots a dram Piony-seeds Misleto of the Oak Elkes-hoof Mans-skull Amber each a scruple Musk two grains make a Powder The Florentines burn behind in the head to dry the brain and Celsas saith It is the last Remedy Lib. 3. c. 25. Lib. 3. c. 13. Aeginta saith That children cannot endure such cruelty for the pain and watching would kill them See Sylvaticus The best part of the cure in the Nurses diet Sylvatic contro 87. which must not be disordered If it be from corrupt milk provoke vomit thus hold down the tongue and put a quill dipt in sweet Almonds down the throat If it
Agarick a dram Coloquintida half a dram Guidium ten grains with Honey and Wool make a Pessary Make Fomentations and Baths of Danewort Mercury Elder Penny-royal Organ Chamomil-flowers Bayberries wild Cowcumbers Broom Carrot Rue-seeds And anoint after with Oyl of Elder Danewort Orris with drops of Oyl of Angelica Anise Caraway Sulphur Baths are good and those of Niter or the Plaister of Bayberries or Snails to the bottom of the Belly Vomiting and Neesing break the bladders Give Clysters at the Fundament as in Dropsies Take Mercury leaves Danewort Soldanella Mugwort Motherwort each a handful Chamomil Elder Broom-flowers each a dram boil and to ten ounces strained and juyce of Beets Mercury Danewort each six drams Boys urin an ounce and half Hiera six drams Hony half an ounce make a Clyster Let the Dyet be drying as in Chap. 5. Chap. 12. Of a Tumor in the Womb from Blood in the Veins THis Disease makes women think they are with chiid also For blood long detained in the Veins about the womb stretcheth them outwardly and twisteth them and the Veins in the substance of the womb are full and stretched and make it larger But when the terms flow it falleth again except there be a Cachexy or Dropsie This is only from stoppage of Terms and is cured by provoking them Chap. 13. Of Inflammation of the Womb. IF the blood that comes to the womb get out of the Vessels into its substance and grow hot and putrifie it causeth Inflammation either all over or in part before or behind above or below on the right or left side The Causes Blood is the immediate Cause which is pure or mixed therefore the Inflammation is either an Erysipelas Oedema or Scirrhus as Flegm Melancholy or Blood abound Blood is either sent to or drawn by the womb By heat or pain it is sent to it when it aboundeth or it is hot or thin and when the blood is moved by hot Air Exercise Passions anger or hot diet The Signs There is a tumor with heat and pain in the region of the womb with stretching and heaviness in the Privities and if you put in your finger you 'l feel the heat and she more pain there is a Feaver sometimes called Lipyra when there is cold without and heat within The tongue is dry and black with watching doting tossing to and fro the brests are pufft up and pained There is head-ach to the roots of the eyes and a pain in the groyns hips midrif pleura and shoulders short wind and like a Pleurisie with loathing vomiting hickets The belly is bound the pulse is small and often and weak but at first darting and quick And Hippocrates saith If the Womb be inflamed the terms are stopt 2. De morb mulier and the neck of it is like a Spiders web with many small veins c. If it be inflamed before the pain is about the pubes and the urin is stopt If behind it is in the loyns and the belly is bound If it be inflamed in the bottom the pain is towards the navel If it be from pure blood the Symptoms are less if from choler stronger the thirst is more the watching greater if from melancholy all are worse If it be all over the womb it is dangerous The Prognostick and few escape it An Erysipelas in a woman with child is deadly because there is an abortion and the Mother dies the worse the Symptoms the greater is the danger And it is safer to discuss an inflamation then to ripen it if it turn to a Schirrus it is lasting and makes a Dropsie If it be not after abortion or a flux of blood The Cure open a vein in the Arm or cup and sacrifice the shoulders Bleed not in the foot least you draw blood more to the womb but afterwards to derive if it be from terms stopt you may Gal. 2. ad glau c. 2. Galen saith You may divert the blood by bleeding in the arm or cupping the breasts and you may derive it by opening the ankle-vein and cupping upon the hips If there be choler purge it with Syrup of Roses Manna Rhubarb Diacatholicon and use not strong movers of the Terms Use Alterers and Coolers as Juleps and Emulsions and provoke sleep and if there be dotage give Narcoticks After the Universals use Repellers and Anodines As Take Housleek Purslane Lettice Venus-navel Vine leaves each half a handful boyl them in wine add Barly meal two ounces Pomegranate-flowers two drams boyl a dram with Oyl of Roses make a Pultis Or Take Diachylon simple two ounces juyce of Venus-navel and Plantane each half an ounce Oyl of Roses an ounce Sugar of Lead a dram make an Oyntment in a leaden Mortar Make Injections of the same Herbs or of Milk and Rose-water Or Take Plantane Venus-navel Lettice each a handful red Roses two pugils boyl and add Oyl of Mirtles an ounce Rose-vinegar half an ounce make an Injection Make Clysters of the same Plants in a small quantity least they oppress the Womb. Take Althaea roots and ounce Mallows Violets Lettice each a handful Nightshade half a handful Violets Roses each a pugil sweet Prunes ten Linseed half a dram boil them in Barly water to six ounces add Oyl of Roses three ounces make a Clyster An anodine Fomentation Take roots of Althaea Mallows and Violets each a handful red Roses Melilot Chamomil-flowers each a pugil boil them for a Fomentation Or use a Cataplasm of white Bread and Milk In the progress dicuss As Take powder of Althaea roots an ounce Chamomil and Melilot flowers each two drams Mugwort half an ounce Barly and Bean flour each an ounce boyl them in sharp wine add Hogs-grease Oyl of Chamomil and Lillies each an ounce make a Cataplasm If the inflammation turn to matter ripen it As Take powder of Althaea roots Chamomil-flowers Melilot Linseed Foenugreek each an ounce Figgs eight boyl them add yelks of four Eggs and half a scruple of Saffron make a Pultis After it is ripe break it by motion of the body coughing neesing cupping or by Pessaries As Take Figgs an ounce Rue half a handful boyl them soft add Honey and Leaven each half an ounce Pidgeons dung Orris roots each half a dram with wool make a Pessary After it is broken the pain abates then clense and heal the ulcer as in Sect. 1. c. 8. of an ulcer of the womb If it break about the bladder give an Emulsion of cold Seeds Whey and Syrup of Violets Let the diet be cool with Barley-water warm Abstain from Wine to the declination of the disease let the belly still be kept loose Chap. 14. Of a Scirrhus and Cancer in the Womb. AN earthy matter left after an inflammation makes a hard tumor called a Scirrhus and sometimes it is without an inflammation It is a proper Scirrhus when there is neither sense nor pain it is improper when there is a little sense It is sometimes as big as
a mans head Paraeus l. 23. c. 36. sometimes the whole womb is a Scirrhus sometimes only part of it The immediate Cause The Causes is a thick earthy humor as natural melancholy when a thick humor is gathered in the womb there is a Scirrhus without inflamation aforegoing this is usual in melancholy women and such as are not clensed by their terms or have the Pica or green-sickness and are fifty years old Other humors somtimes breed a Scirrhus after inflamation when cold astringents have been used disorderly for when the humor is fixed to the part and hardned The same may be from hot discussers which send forth the thin matter in an inflamation and fasten the thick The Signs The tumor is to be felt it yields not and is without pain the terms flow not at first or very little afterwards there is a great flux of blood If an inflamation went before and the part is heavy and burthened it is a Sign of a Scirrhus She is unweeldy sloathful and you may know from what humor it is by the signs of the humors predominating in the body and the part pained will shew you in what place it is The Prognostick A Scirrhus easily turns to a Cancer And when the terms are stopt there is a Dropsie of the womb or belly It is easier cured in the neck then in the womb it self The Cure Moisten and heat the cold and dry humor with Borage Bugloss Fumitory Succory Epithymum Polypody Then purge with Polypody Senna black Hellebore and the like As Take roots of Althaea Lillies each two ounces Mallows Violets Althaea Brank-ursine each a handful Mugwort Calamints Chamomil-flowers each half a handful Foenugreek and Linseed each half an ounce boyl them for a Fomentation or Bath or to a Cataplasm with Linseed Foenugreek each an ounce Figs six Orris powder two drams Saffron half a dram Hens-grease and Oyl of sweet Almonds as much as is fit Or Take Bdellium Ammoniacum Galbanum each as much as you please beat them in a Mortar with Oyl de Been and Lillies add Mucilage of Foenugreek Linseed Figs make a Liniment or with Wax a Plaister Or Take Oyl of Capers Lillies sweet Almonds Jesamine each an ounce fresh Butter Hens-grease Goose-grease each half an ounce Mucilage of Foenugreek Althaea and Oyntment of Althaea each six drams Ammoniacum dissolved in Wine an ounce with Wax make an Oyntment Make Injections thus Take Bdellium dissolved in Wine Oyl of sweet Almonds Lillies Chamomil each two ounces marrow of a Veal bone Hens-grease each an ounce with the Yelk of an Egg. In a bastard Scirrhus you may use Healers and Digesters better and Ammoniacum and hotter Fat 's Internal Medicines are Steel c. of which in Obstruction of the Womb and Scirrhus of the Spleen As for Diet abstain from breeders of gross and slimy humors and from hot dryers Cancer of the Womb. What may be said of this is said before only a Cancer may seize upon the substance of the womb but it is more usually in the neck of it Chap. 15. Of the displacing of the Womb and first of the Ascent of it WHen the womb falls out of the Privities it is called Procidentia uteri this is ordinary But the ascent or going up of the womb is more unknown Eustach rud lib. 2. pract c. 5. Many grave Anatomists hold That the womb doth ascend if sweet things are applied to the Nose If to the Privities that it descends If stinking Scents come the womb flies from them and it is to be seen by breathing altered and by some meats that the womb greedily desires and catcheth up 6. De lo. off c. 5. Galen overthrows this Opinion and saith that the womb doth move after a sort and ascend but it is very little and not to be demonstrated Nor can it arise to the Stomach it is tied with such strong Ligaments to its place and when it falls out the Ligaments are extended by moisture and falling of it down And there is no reason why the Ligaments though loose or wet it should go up so speedily and come down again For falling down is by degrees and it is not soon brought up again And though it be enlarged in Conception it is by degrees and equally not suddenly in one side Nor as the Ligaments made very loose in Conception and the bottom of the womb is not tied the Ligaments being only on the sides But this cannot be denied which women affirm that they feel a body or ball moving about the Navel and a Physitian or Midwife may feel it Therefore let us inquire what it is if it be not a womb That Body which you may feel stir is the Stones and that blind Vessel which Fallopius found out which he compared to the great end of a Trumpet called Fallopius his Trumpet For the Stones hang and the body of the Trumpet is like a Pipe loose and moving and when they are full and swell with corrupt Seed and Vapors they move to and fro and ascend as high as the navel And the stones with the Trumpet make this round tumor of the Womb Antropogo lib. 2. c. 34. The Causes which is felt in women as Riolanus observes Whatsoever makes corrupt seed in the stones of a woman and fills them with evil vapors or wind is the cause of which in suffocation of the womb For the cause is like in both only in suffocation the Symptoms are worse because the evil vapors are then more freely carried by the veins arteries and nerves afflict the principal part The woman and others may feel a round body and she findeth a pain at her heart The Signs and short breath without sleeping or doting or other Symptoms and there were causes that disturbed the womb It is not dangerous yet not to be slighted The Prognostick for it may turn to the strangling of the womb when these evil vapors move to the noble parts Let the aim be at the corrupt seed The Cure and vapors which must be discussed and evacuated as in suffocation of the womb Chap. 16. Of falling out of the Womb. SOmetimes it falls to the middle of the thighs The Causes or to the knees almost or hangs a little out The Womb changeth its place when the ligaments by which it is bound to the other parts are not in order There are four two above broad and membranous that come from the Peritonaeum and two below that are nervous round and hollow Besides it is bound to the great vessels by veins and arteries and to the back by nerves Now the place is changed when it is down another way or when the ligaments are loose and it falls down by its own weight It is drawn on one side when the terms are stopt the veins and arteries are full those namely which go to the womb if it be a mole on the one side the liver and spleen cause it by
cutting out of the Child of which Hollerius inter rara no. 8. He speaks of a woman with child in Paris that her childs hand put forth at the Navel and was so in travel 15 dayes and both child and mother were safe The Prognostick It is evident if it be made by the Chirurgion in cutting out of a Child and you may know it by the place if it come otherwise There is blood and matter that flow out at the neck of the womb There is more pain when it is in the neck of the womb then when it is in the bottom These wounds are cured as appears by the Caesarean Birth or cutting but they are dangerous by reason of the strange Symptoms and the consent of the parts The Cure Use Consolidates or Healers and if there be pain Anodines or Pessaries made of Wax-candles dipt in Wound-Oyntments Or Take Wax Turpentine Goose-grease Butter each a Dram Honey Deers-marrow Oyl of Roses Bulls-grease each two drams Or Take Frankincense Mastich Ceruss Galbanum each half an ounce mix them all with white Wine then add Pompholix an ounce and with Wax and Oyl of Roses make an Oyntment Make Injections or Clysters for the Womb of the Decoction of round Birthwort Cypress boiled in steeled Water and sharp Wine with a little Hydromel Agrimony Mugwort Plantane Roses Schaenanth Horehound Chap. 19. Of Ulcers and Rottenness of the Womb. THough the neck of the womb be only subject to Ulcers as we shewed yet the substance of the womb hath been ulcerated and it hath been observed to rot when it hath fallen out and to fall away As we said of a Woman at Avinion that after lived some time And the Examples of Rousset shew that it may be safely cut off Also a child dead in the womb Lib. de part Caesar chir c. 76. may cause an Ulcer and divers Histories witness in Abucasis and Alexander Benedictus Mauritius Cordaeus and many others How these ulcers and rottenness of the womb are cured is said in sect 1. cap. 8. where we spake of Ulcers of the neck of the Womb and cap. 10. of Fistulaes of the Womb. Chap. 20. Of the Diseases of the Stones and Vessels of Procreation in VVomen IT is apparent by Histories written by grave and learned Men that the Stones of Women and their Seed-vessels are many times grievously distempered when the womb joyned to them is not Sometimes water is gathered about the stones In apprend ad Roussetum 2. de partu Caesar as Gasper Bauhinus John Schenkins write and he hath another History Lib. Obser 3. from John Heintz of a Maid that desired a little before she died that her body might be opened to testifie her innocency In which besides other things remarkable the stones were found swollen as big as a head of a young child blewish and spungy much water came out of them and that made her Belly swell and she taken to be with child but the truth appeared and her Chastity testified THE FOURTH BOOK THE SECOND PART Of the Symptoms in the Womb and from the Womb. Chap. 1. Of Weakness in the Womb. THere are many Symptoms from the Womb. Of those in the Womb the first is weakness so that it cannot perform its actions The action of the womb is twofold private and publick By its private action it makes its nourishment of blood that comes to it By its publick action it serves for generation If the private faculty be hurt and the nourishment not well made there is a superfluous moisture and then weakness without other faults of the Organ or unity divided The Causes The first Cause is distemper when the manifest qualities are changed or when the natural heat is suffocated or dispersed or when the occult qualities are changed Heat in the womb makes a distemper if it be too much by which the womb sucks more then it can concoct this is not properly weakness but that distemper is weakness when the action is either not done or weakly done But cold rather makes weakness in the womb by which it cannot make the sufficient quantity of nourishment hence excrements are heaped up and it cannot perform its actions Also a moist distemper makes weakness by which it can neither keep seed nor child It is also weak from loosness The Signs Little desire of Venery and no pleasure therein argue weakness of the womb flux of Seed often abortion Part 1. sect cap. 2. 3. pain in the Loins and Pubes when the Terms are coming farts from the Womb Head-ach and the like The signs of a cold and moist distemper with or without matter are already declared The Prognostick It is a great disease by reason of the divers Symptoms in women that have conception hurt It is worst when it comes from dispersing and extinguishing of the natural heat The Cure We have shewed how distempers of the womb are cured but the dispersing of the Spirits and natural heat is cured by things that hinder the loss of Spirits and strengthen the womb as Spices Cinnamon Cloves Nutmeg Mace Diacalaminth Aromaticum rosatum Diaxilaloes rosata Novella Treacle Mithridate Outwardly by Oyl of Lillies Nard Lavender and Astringents when the womb is loose Things that help the womb in the whole substance are in the Chapter of the cold and moist Distemper as Aqua vitae for Women Or thus Take Castor three ounces Saffron two ounces extract them singular add to both Extract of Mugwort two ounces of Angelica a dram Magistery of the mother of Pearl a dram Oyl of Cloves a scruple of Angelica and of Amber and of Nutmegs each half a scruple Let her eat meat of much nourishment and drink good Wine Chap. 2. Of the Itch of the Womb. THis is more in old then young women and must be distinguished from the Frenzy of the womb for here is only a desire to scratch the Privities so that they cannot sleep Nor is it with desire of Copulation as in the Fury of the Womb. It is a salt humor that is serous and adust that causeth it that is sent to the neck of the womb The Causes and the privities How it comes there I shewed in Ulcers of the Privities It is known by her Relation and often putting her hand to the Privities The Prognostick The Cure It is more troublesome then dangerous because it hinders sleep First purge the whole Body and if there are signs of Plethory and strength permits bleed in the Arm. Then qualifie the sharp salt humors with cold and moist means and remove them from the Privities Foment with a Decoction of Lettice Plantane Willow Dock-roots and then anoint with Galen's Cooler Or dip a Pessary in this Oyntment and put it in Or Take Allum Niter Sulphur each six drams Staphisacre an ounce with Rose-vinegar and fresh Butter make a Liniment If these will not Cure use stronger as the Oyntment of Elicampane with Quick-silver Or Take black
Sope Stavisacre each a dram quick Brimstone half an ounce Quick-silver 2 drams with Rose-vinegar and Hens-grease make an Oyntment Let the meat be of good juyce cooling and moistning Take heed of Spices sharp and salt meats Chap. 3. Of pain in the Womb. THere is pain in the body of the womb with other diseases sometimes as the Colick-pains woven in the bottom of the Belly and in the Loins and Hips and is called the pain of the Womb. It is often in women with child as the inflammation of the womb It is burning and beating it binds the Belly and stops the Urin. The Causes Solution of unity is the cause of all pains and this is from the stretching of the Womb and its Vessels or corrosion Stretching is from wind or clotted blood in the cavity of it and when Nature cannot expel it by reason of the straitness of the part there is pain Also pain is from stretching of the vessels before the terms flow when they are close and the blood thick and this pain is increased by external cold especially after heat Sometimes there is a gathering of humors about the womb when the terms flow and are foul and they get into the membranes and stretch them The same may be from corrupt Seed that stretcheth the vessels Or from sharpness and corrosion in the neck of the womb The Signs when sharp humors flow through it and twitch it The pain is manifest but let us look at the signs of the causes If it be from clotted blood there was a flux of the same and the pain is fixed about the orifice of the womb If there were external causes the patient will relate If it be from Seed there is suffocation of the Womb. The greater the cause is The Prognostick The Cure and the more vehement it works the more is the danger If there be pain and fear of fainting look to that before the cause with Anodynes and Narcoticks if need be If it be from wind see inflation of the Womb. If it be from clotted blood dissolve and evacuate it with hot and attenuating Medicines made into Fomentations Baths and Oyntments It is good to apply Treacle to the region of the Womb or put it in with Rue and Honey Or give a Clyster to the Womb of Rue Foenugreek-seed and Oyl of Rue and Orris Or give Treacle and Cinnamon-water If the vessels of the womb are not open enough for the terms See in the stoppage of the terms If there be wind make a Clyster thus Take Mercury Mugwort Calamints Penny-royal each a handful Chamomil and Melilot-flowers each half a handful Faenugreek and Linseed each an ounce boyl them in a pint strained dissolve Hiera Benedicta laxativa each half an ounce make a Clyster Give Mugwort Zedoary-water Essence of Castor Treacle or Womans Aqua vitae of which before Make a Clyster for the Womb thus Take Mugwort Calamints Bettony each half a handful Gith Cummin Carrot Aniseeds each a dram Spike Schoenanth Nutmeg Cinnamon each a dram boyl them in Wine Then fill an Ox bladder half full with Oyl of Lillies and Dill and apply it to the belly Or Take Oyl of Lillies Orris each an ounce distilled Oyl of Angelica a dram Goose and Hens grease each half an ounce Mucilage of Line and Faenugreek-seed made with Mugwort-water each three drams seeds of Cummin Carrots Caraway each a dram with Wax make a soft Oyntment Or Take Pellitory two handfuls Mercury a handful beat them add Chamomil-flowers Cummin Anise Carrots-seeds each a dram two yelks of Eggs and Oyl of Lillies make a Cataplasm for the Belly Apply Plaisters to the Navel and Cupping-glasses with great flame to the Region of the womb or dry Fomentations of Oats Milium Anise Cummin Carrot-seed in a Bag. And use Pessaries as Take Harts Marrow Turpentine Wax Goose-grease each three drams Saffron a dram yelks of Eggs seven with Oyl of Lillies make Pessaries If the humors and wind is malignant mix Scorronera Bezear seeds and roots of Angelica water of Zedoary Treacle Mithridate and the like in Suffocation of the womb Chap. 4. Of the Diseases of the Womb that come from sweet scents and stinks THere is a particular Symptom in the womb which breeds great admiration that it delights in sweet scents and is offended with stinks And it is certain for if Musk Civit or the like be but put to the Nose of the woman that is subject to fits of the Mother they grow sick and if the same be put to their privities and stinks to the Nose the fit of the Mother ceaseth It is hard to give the reason of this many wise Men have given their opinion but they disagree among themselves and satisfie me not neither do I promise to satisfie others But it is probable to me that the womb is not delighted with scents as scents for the privities have no smelling and the sense of smelling doth not reach so far but the quality by which it is well or ill is occult and not to be explained and to be separated from the odours If any ask what the quality is I answer There are many qualities in Nature that are hid from our senses and yet we cannot deny them because we see their effects as the quality in a Dogs Nose we cannot apprehend but the Dog perceives it But how these qualities come to the womb Quomodo uterus bene olentia recipiat is by no other way but by the open way by the privities by which Spirits get into the womb and in the suffocation of the womb sweet things profit because they strengthen it by a peculiar quality to disperse the venemous air and draw down the spirits and humors But if they be put to the Nose Quomodo bene olentia hystericis noceant the womb consents by the Sympathy of the organ of smelling and the brain with it This is by the Nerves and Arteries for the heart is presently refreshed with a sweet scent because it presently pierceth into it being spiritual and there is a great consent of the womb with the brain and the smelling as is seen by the tryal of Barrenness by a Fume from Hippocrates 5. Aphor. But we must observe that sweet scents are acceptable to all Wombs and stinks are not but the same Symptomes are not in all Women from them for they who have a Womb of a good constitution with no evil humors in it endure sweet things well and delight in them but they who are unclean hate sweet things and osten fall into fits by them because while the womb is delighted with that sweet and hidden quality with which it hath a peculiar Sympathy the evil humors that lie in the Womb especially if there be any corruption from Seed and the Seed also are stirred and when the Spirits flie up they take the bad humors with them and send bad vapors to the heart which cause suffocation and others Symptoms But when the
same scents are put to the privities the womb is refreshed with them and the Spirits are quiet or move to the scents And so the humors if there be any are still or else move downward But stinks on the contrary by reason of their Antipathy with the Womb voided by the Spirits and so the humors move downwards and often there is an abortion thereby What is spoken of sweet Scents may be understood of all sweet things and this is our Judgement in a matter so difficult THE FOURTH BOOK THE SECOND SECTION Of the Symptoms in the Terms and other Fluxes of the Womb. Chap 1. Of the Flux of the Terms BY Divine providence the blood which is voided every month is kept in when there is a Child For if it be its Nature it is not ill but only superfluous till they conceive nor is it more an Excrement then Seed and Milk The terms commonly begin at fourteen and then the hair appears on the privities the breasts swell and women begin to be lecherous and the blood can no longer stay in the Veins but breaks out at the Veins of the Womb. In some they begin at twelve and they are very lustful commonly and of shorter lives they continue till fifty and some till sixty and then stop In some they begin at seventeen or eighteen And in some they stop before fifty according to the variety of Nature and Diet. Nature doth not send forth every day what is gathered but staies till the plenty offends and doth only once in a month otherwise it would be filthy and unpleasant and hinder Conception Nor do they flow at one time in all exactly but there are twenty two daies or at most thirty between the purgings In some they last three daies which was usual in the time of Hippocrates In some four or five or more as their Liver is greater or their diet is higher or lower Hippocrates saith they should bleed but a pint and half or two pints this is is not alike in all but differs in respect of age and diet As for the quality it must not be too thick nor too thin but of a middle substance without scent of a red colour yellower in cholerick persons in melancholick black in flegmatick whiter and it must flow without any great Symptom The passages are the veins of the womb being double from the double branch on both sides it the Spermatick and Hypogastrick that they may evacuate superfluities from all parts And from this Description of a natural Flux you may gather what is preternatural Question Whether can a Woman conceive that never had Terms They are called by some Flowers because they go before Conception as flowers do before fruit but many have conceived that never had their flowers being hotter by Nature as the Indians that never had any Flowers and Viragoes that use more exercise but if these have no more blood then will nourish their body they are barren If any thing abound that is not required for nourishment of the parts and is so much that Nature cannot endure it in the body the Womb draws it to it when it hath conceived to make up the child of which hereafter Question 2. Whether Menstruous blood is only superfluous in quantity or bad in respect of quality Writers disagree about this Some say it is bad in quantity and quality and venomous by the effects as making Ivory obscure and infecting Looking-glasses corrupting Wine by a Vapor from the Body of a Woman that hath her Flowers Others say they offend only in plenty for if it were venomous it would not be a whole month in the body and it could not from the child nor would Nature make Milk of it Therefore menstruous blood only offends in quantity and not in any manifest or hidden quality But it hath strange qualities when it is mixed with bad humors or is kept too long in the Body to be corrupted and cause great Symptoms but this is when it is mixed with bad humors or is out of its Vessels and so corrupt Question 3. Of the Text of Aristotle 7. de hist. Animalium cap. 2. and how it is to be understood Aristotle writes thus 7. De histo ani c. 2. Constantly every month some have their Terms but most in the third as if he should say Few women have their courses every month but many have them every third month This is against Galen and against experience For it is certain that among six hundred women scarce one hath them every third month Therefore this is either an errour in the Greek Text or in the Translation or great Men do often lie which is probable and so did Aristotle in this of Physick therefore it is in vain to defend their Errour Chap. 2. Of the Terms flowing too soon ORdinarily they begin at fourteen but many have had them sooner A child of eleven daies old had a bloody humor flowing Her saxonia vidit venetiis ser 6. part 5. c. 16. from the Privities Another of five years old had every month a moderate flux Fernel reports that a Girl of eight years old had the terms but are rare and for the most part very lecherous and short lived Chap. 3. Of want and stopping of the Terms SOme Women have them not till eighteen or twenty Some before and then they stop for a time without either giving suck or being with child Some have been without them three five or seven months and then they came again This is an evil constitution or suppression of that which it ought to flow from the fault of the blood and stoppage of the passages The Causes When Terms are wanting either blood is wanting or stopt It is wanting either because it is not made or dispersed or turned to other uses for nature being more sollicitous to preserve the individual person then to propagate the species spends it in preserving of the person Blood is not made from divers causes as age cold constitution of Liver Heart or a disease which distempers the bowels Or often bleeding from great Vessels or from having many issues which take from the blood It is spent other waies as before ripe age and when women are with child or give suck or in hot Natures and fat women in whom it is turned to fat It is in vain to provoke Terms in these They are either external evident causes of stopping of the Terms as too great labour troubles sadness fear but these last do not only waste the blood but cool and corrupt it and cause obstructions 2. Epid. sec 8. in fine as Hippocrates speaks of Phatusa the wife of Pytheus The proper causes are the straitness of the passage or evil conformation of the parts through which it should flow Or the closing of the womb of which we spake but I speak here of the vessels The usual cause of obstructions is thick slimy humors from the blood too thick or mixed with melancholy which comes
dram red Roses Pomegranate-flowers each half a dram with Gum traganth make Troches to be burnt Oyntments Take Oyl of Mirtles Quinces each two ounces juyce of Plantane Solomons-seal Horse-tail each an ounce boil the juyces away add Bole Plantane-seed Mirtle-berries Ceruss each half an ounce with Wax make an Oyntment Or use the Countesses Oyntment to the Loins and Pecten Cataplasms Take Quinces Pearls boiled in red Wine add Bole Mastich Sanguis Draconis Acacia make a Cataplasm or a Cerot Or Take Sorrel and Plantane-seed Purslane-seed Bole Sanguis Draconis each two drams Frankincense Mastich Mirrh each three drams Turpentine an ounce with juyce of Plantane and Yarrow and Wax make a Cerot after the Juyces are boiled away Fomentations are better than Baths for they make the humors flow more Let them be astringent and cool Or wash the Legs and Hips in cold water Lay Epithems to the Liver Oyntments Cerots or Plaisters If Choler offend give Rhubarb and Conserve of Roses to evacuate the Cacochymy If blood flow from a vein broken use Coral Bole Mirtles Comphry Acacia Hypocistis or apply a Pultis of whites of Eggs and astringent Powders If it come from a vessel corroded use stoppers and glutinaters that are slimy as Dropwort-roots a dram with a rear Egg. Let the diet be as the Physick is In a flux from plethory eat little and that of little nourishment and in other cases give things to close the vessels Sleep long and use little Venery little or no exercise Anger hurts and other passions Question Whether Frictions or Ligatures in the Legs may be made for Revulsion Hippocrates and Galen are misconstrued in his 8. Book of Blood-letting and they are not to be used in the flux of the Terms Chap. 7. Of the Terms-flowing with pain and Symptoms THe Symptoms are pain in the Loyns or Thighs Head-ach biting at the mouth of the Stomach pain in the Belly and Loyns fainting They are as in suppression of Terms The Causes but less vehement and are in them that have not conceived There is obstruction thick and gross blood that stretcheth the vessels and the blood flows not orderly A little before the Terms there is head-ach The Signs biting at the stomach pain in the loyns and bottom of the stomach with beating at the heart and fainting When the pain is from thick blood it comes forth in clodds and the pain is worse than before If it be from wind it is sudden and staies not in a place and there is rumbling in the belly The Prognostick Take heed it turn not to the stoppage of terms if it be neglected It is greater in barren women and Virgins then in those who have had children The Cure Take away the cause if they be thick humors evacuate them after they are prepared If sharp temper them These attenuate blood water of Grass-roots Maidenhair Decoctions of the opening Roots Syrup of Maidenhair of the five Roots Treacle and the like in the stoppage of the Terms Against pain use the Fomentations and Oyntments in the Chapter of pain of the Womb. Chap. 8. Of evil discoloured Terms THis is called the Terms depraved by bad humors and so they are voided The Causes Blood is foul either from evil diet or evil humors or stoppage of it The humors are flegm choler or melancholy mixed with it and then the Terms are either pale blew green or black and stinking or white and flegmatick They are so from a fault in the stomach The pale and yellow are from too great heat in the Liver The black are from the spleen disordered The Signs That blood which is natural is different from the bad in colour and substance it is like that of a new slain sheep nor thicker nor thinner and the bad Terms come not seasonably but sooner or later of which Hippocrates Lib. de morb mulier You may know by the colour what humor predominates and by the substance The flegmatick and melancholy are long in coming and the cholerick waterish Terms come quicker The more they differ from the natural state The Prognostick the worse they are black and stinking are worst The mattery are worst of all If these flow seven eight or nine daies she is cured if they ulcerate the womb she is barren Hippocrates saith The Cure 5. Aphor. 36. they must be purged and prepared with proper things as we shewed in the distempers of the womb But take heed that you move not the Terms when you attenuate for that will melt the serous humors and fix them more in the vessels use neither Vinegar nor sharp things After purging consume the reliques by sweat if choler be in fault that must not be sweated out discuss it with warm Baths and do so in melancholy Use Pessaries Fomentations and Fumes to the womb Give Treacle Mithridate or the Decoction of Angelica-roots if cold humors are the cause Chap. 9. Of Terms coming before their time THese shew an ill constitution And it is a depraved excretion of the Terms that comes for the time often for sometimes they flow sooner or twice in a month The immediate Cause is hurt of the retentive and expulsive faculty The Causes so that the blood flows not or sooner or later or oftner the cause why they come sooner is in the blood that stirs up the expulsive faculty in the whole body or in the womb sometimes all causes meet the blood is too much or too sharp and hot and if the retentive faculty in the womb be weak and the expulsive strong and of quick sense it is sooner A fall stroke or passion are the evident Causes The Signs They will relate it and the signs of the causes are these If it be from much blood there are the signs of plethory heat thinness and sharp humors are known by the distemper of the whole The weakness of the retentive faculty and loosness of the vessels is known from a loose and moist habit of body The Prognostick The Cure It is not dangerous but troublesome and hinders conception If they come too soon from hurt in the faculty provoked by too much plethory Let blood use a spare diet and much exercise If it be from sharp blood temper it by good diet and Medicines as in the cholerick distemper of the womb Use Baths of Iron-water that corrects the distempers of the bowels then evacuate If it come from the retentive faculty and loosness of the vessels correct the cold and moist distemper with gentle astringents If it be from a stroke or fall cure it as the vessels opened are cured of which before Chap. 10. Of the Terms that come after their usual time WHen they stay longer then ordinary and return without order at no set time the causes are little and thick blood straitness of the passages weakness of the expulsive faculty and dulness Either of these causes may stop the Terms but if all meet the disease is
worse For if blood be not bred in such a quantity that may prick Nature forward to expel it the purging of it is differed till there be enough to stir up Nature to expel it If thick humors are in the blood the passage stopt and the faculty weak the Terms must needs be disordered and the purging of them differed longer If it be from want of blood The Signs she hath either lived poor in diet or exercised too much and she finds no inconvenience by the want of her Terms If it be from gross slimy blood there are signs of Cachochymy The weakness of the faculty is known by the cold distemper of the womb It is not so dangerous as stoppage of the terms The Prognostick but it is bad enough in a plethorick or cacochymical body If little blood be use a fuller diet The Cure and exercise not If blood be gross and foul make it thin and cut it and after Preparatives let the humors mixed therewith be evacuated It is good to purge presently after the Terms and to use Calamints and to purge often Also four or five dayes before the Terms scarifie the ankles and hold the feet in warm water rub the legs apply Cupping-glasses without Scarification to the inside of the thighs and use Fumes and Pessaries Anoint the bottom of the belly with things to provoke the Terms If there be a numness use things against the Palsie Chap. 11. Of the Terms voided another way SOmetimes they come out at the Nose or are vomited up or flow out by the Haemorrhoid veins 1. De morb mul. 5. apho 32. obser medit c. 15. Lib. 1. de affect mul. c. 7. The Causes Hence Hippocrates saith that a woman that vomits blood is cured by having her Terms or by a Bloody-flux Sometimes they are pissed forth Dodonaeus saies That they come out at the eyes like tears sometimes Amatus Lusitanus saith they will come forth at the Teats of the breasts and at the navel at the little finger or ring finger every month as Mercatas observed thrice Are stoppage of the Terms from straitness of the vessels in the womb or evil conformation of the womb The Prognostick It is more troublesome then dangerous and hinders conception It is best when they come out at the Nose for it is a part that Nature useth to disburden her self by The Cure First Bring the blood to the womb again and abate it Open the ankle-vein three daies before she begins to bleed Or cup the thighs or rub them Or use Baths Fomentations Oyntments Womb-Clysters Pessaries and the like mentioned in Suppression of the Terms Chap. 12. Of the Whites IT is a foul excretion from the womb white and sometimes blew or green or reddish nor at a set time nor every month but disorderly longer or shorter Before or after the Terms and when they are stopt Virgins seldom have this disease and women with child have it sometimes It differs from the running of the reins for it is in less quantity whiter and thicker and at a greater distance It differs from night pollution which is only in sleep with the imagination of Venery The immediate Cause is an excrementitious humor flegm choler or melancholy The Causes Sometimes it is like waterish blood It is gathered in the whole body or in the stomach liver or spleen For they who have crudities in the stomach are subject to this disease Sometimes the womb alone is distempered after often mischances or when the womb is very cold and moist This matter flows through the veins of the womb or of the neck of it which use to carry blood and Nature abuseth them to carry excrements especially if they are bred in the womb The remote causes are whatsoever doth breed bad humors some have it after strong purges or long bathing Sometimes they are pale sometimes blew red The Differences waterish and green sometimes slimy or cold or sharp or stinking In young people it is reddish The face is discoloured the urin thick The Signs there is loathing and heart-ach If the humor be sharp and corrupt there is a Feaver If it be flegmatick and much the ligaments of the Womb are loose and it falls out thus Hippocrates Lib. de natur mulierum and there are saith he swelled eyes evil colour and short breathing If it be not bred in the womb the humor is from a Cacochymy If it be from a fault in another part the signs of that will appear If it come only from the Womb there will be but little If from the whole body there will be more The Prognostick It is often long with little inconvenience but it must be looked to lest it be worse for it often breaks ulcers Cachexy falling out of the womb Consumption Fainting Convulsions when the matter is sent to the brain or nerves And the worse the humor is the greater is the disease The Cure It must not be suddenly stopt lest it go to the noble parts First see whether it be from the whole body or any part or from the Womb it self If from the whole body which is often make general evacuation and turn the humors from the womb and keep a good diet lest they come again I allow not bleeding in the arm if the terms be stopt for they cause a Cacochymy which admits no bleeding Moreover the mass of blood may be made foul by them therefore find out whether it comes from Cacochymy or Plethory And when it is most like to come from Cacochymy bleed not Therefore if flegm abound which is most usual after general purging consume the reliques with Guajacum and Sarsa and a drying diet and by provoking Urin of which hereafter If sharp and cholerick humors abound temper them with gentle astringents as Succory Endive Sorrel to prepare purge with Rhubarb Triphera Persica aggregative Pills and Pills of Rhubarb If it be melancholy do as in melancholy If it be water cure it as Galen did the Wife of Boethus c. 8. lib. de prognost ad Posth If it be in the stomach liver or the like prevent it from increase and because it is most about the stomach give a Vomit but not too strong Then strengthen the stomach with hot and dry Medicines If Choler abound the Distemper is hot and then cool it If it come from the Womb do as I shewed from what cause soever it is Baths are good to evacuate and divert and strengthen and take away a moist distemper provided they are proper for the Constitution Use Dryers and Astringents As Take Conserve of red Roses four ounces of Succory two ounces red Coral Snakeweed Tormentil-roots Ivory each two drams with Syrup of Mirtles make an Electuary Or Take red Coral Bole sealed Earth each an ounce Pearl prepared a scruple Mastich half a dram Cypress-roots two scruples Mace half a scruple with Sugar of Roses as much as all make a powder Or Take
we shewed concerning a Wench that was married and to appear a Virgin she used a Bath of Comfrey-roots Question 4. Whether is Milk in the Breasts a sign of Virginity lost Some say That there can be no Milk in the Breasts till a woman hath conceived and Virgins have neither the cause nor the end why milk is made And the terms stopt do rather corrupt then turn to milk And though there be alwayes in the Breasts a faculty to make milk yet doth it not shew its power but upon an object and for some end Some say That Virgins may have Milk 5. Aph. 39. Gal. in com Lib. 3. anat c. 4. com in aphoris lib. 5.39 and urge this saying of Hippocrates If any have Milk when she is neither with Child nor Breeding their terms are stopt Galen is of the same opinion and thought it be seldom yet he saith it is possible And Alexander Benedictus and Christopher de Vega saw it We shall not contradict Hippocrates and Experience but there is a twofold milk The one of Virgins the other of those that have brought forth or conceived The first is made of blood that cannot get out at the womb but goes to the Breasts and this is nothing but a superfluous nourishment of the Breasts that turns milk by the faculty of the Breasts without the company of a man or conception The other is only when there is a child of this Milk it is true what Hippocrates writes It is a certain sign of a Mole Cit. loc de morb mulierum when great bellied women have no milk in their Breasts And true milk in the Breasts is a sign of a live child in the Womb. These Milks differ in respect of the blood and diversity of the veins that bring it to the Breasts and though both are white yet that of Virgins is thinnest nor is it so much nor so sweet this may breed in the Veins according to Aristotle from the superfluous nourishment of the Breasts and if Virgins have it 1. De hist. ani c. 12. they are not to be termed unchast Chap. 2. Of the Green-sickness or white Feaver THis is in Virgins fit for a man it is called the Virgins Disease and the white Feaver not that there is alwayes a Feaver but because their Face is like people in a Feaver It is thus defined The Virgins Disease is the changing of the natural colour into a pale and green with faintness heaviness of body loathing of meat palpitation of Heart difficult breathing sadness swelling of the Feet Eye-lids and Face from depraved nourishment The â—auses The first Cause is stoppage of Terms the next is the gathering of bad humors For when the way to the womb is stopt the blood returns to the great Vessels and Bowels and choaks their heat and stops the vessels and spoils the making of blood and then there are crudities which being brought to the habit of the body cannot be united perfectly to the parts and cause a Cachexy which is the way to a Dropsie and Leucophlegmacy and divers Symptoms The causes of the obstructions of the Vessels of the Womb are crude humors and flegmatick slimy blood from evil diet and drinking of Vinegar or eating raw Corn Chalk Ashes Lime Earth Clay and the like There is a pale and green colour The Signs the Face is swollen and the Eye-brows in the morning after sleep especially the Ankles swell and the whole Body is loose and moist from much water the Legs are lazy the Pulse is little and often in the Neck Temples and Back The heart beats the breath is short when they go up stairs they loath meat Some have the Pica or desire to eat absurd things The terms are stopt the Hypochondria are swollen Sometimes they vomit If vapors fly to the Head there is thirst and head-ach and if Melancholy be mixed the animal actions are hurt These are not all in all people but most are in most and in some all It it often turned to a Dropsie The Prognostick Some after death have had a Scirrhus hard Liver Some die suddenly the Heart being oppressed If the stomach be much afflicted it is dangerous and they loath meat much If it come from the womb alone it is easier cured It is best to begin in the Spring or Summer The Cure after a Clyster open a Vein in the Ankle Then heat the thick cold humor and make it thin and because it is too much to be purged at once prepare and purge often and mix attenuaters and cutters with your purges When the humors are above the stomach and Mesentery it is good to vomit those that can easily vomit and to give Liver-Physick or Spleen or Womb-Physick even as in Leâ—cophlegmacy see the Chapter of Terms stopt But in this Disease alwayes consider the Liver Spleen and Mesentery the obstructions of which are cured with things mentioned At first open the obstructions of these parts with some few things that provoke terms and after give more Thus Take opening Roots an ounce Madder Eryngus Orris Elicampane Citron-peels dried Sarsa each half an ounce Mugwort Agrimony Germander each a handful Savin two pugils Carthamus-seeds an ounce Senna two ounces Mechoacan Agarick each half an ounce Stoechas-flower two pugils Fennel Aniseed Galangal each two drams boil them to a pint and half sweeten it and add Cinnamon-water three drams Or infuse them all with Sea-wormwood half a handful common Wormwood two pugils Or Take Agarick Pills of Rhubarb each a dram Quercetan 's Pills of Tartar and of Ammoniacum each half a dram Spike a scruple Oyl of Cinnamon three drops Extract of Wormwood half a scruple make Pills give a scruple an hour before meat Or Take juyce of Mercury clarified Honey or Sugar each an ounce add Gith-seed Senna each two drams Mechoacan a dram make a Mass or give Conserve of Marigold-flowers Steel is an excellent Remedy after Preparatives with proper Drinks or Ingredients And if the Vessels of the stomach are stopt give a Vomit and then gross powder of Steel Hoc laudat Mercatus If the Mesentery be stopt Take Diarrhodon Diacurcuma Agarick each a dram Carthamus seeds two drams red Dock-roots Carrot-seed each a dram and half Cloves a dram Steel prepared two ounces with clarified Honey make an Electuary give two or four drams If she vomit stop it not If the Liver be chiefly stopt let the Steel be finely powdered And take of it half a pound add eight ounces of Wine in a glass set it in the embers stir it and let it boil twelve simmers till you see it froath and grow a little thick then pour the froath and all into another Vessel Do thus four times and then let it be gently boiled till it be thick as Honey Then Take Parsley Carrot-seed Diacurcuma Diarrhodon each a dram and half Cinnamon a dram Steel prepared six drams with Honey make an Electuary give three drams or five after excercise If
it by one Sometimes there is only short breath sometimes the animal actions are hurt the whole Body is cold from a malignant vapor sent up from the Womb. The Causes The immediate Cause is a vapour malignant and venomous sent up by the Arteries Veins and Nerves that hurt the actions of the parts it goes to This vapor is like air or wind thin and little but very strong to get presently through the whole Body It chiefly ascends to the Gullet and causeth choaking as eating of Mushrooms Hellebore and other poysons There is often short difficult breathing with Heart-ach Vomiting and Loathing If the vapor go first to the heart the motion of it ceaseth and there is swounding and she falls down If it go to the Brain the animal actions are hurt When seed and terms corrupt in the Womb with other bad humors they breed this evil vapor because they are the best substance and the beginning of generation they are worst when corrupted especially seed to hurt the whole Body Gal. cit 1. Sometimes it is in Women with child when they have not their after-purging but evil humors are left and corrupt in the Womb. The chief cause of this humor is in the trumpet of the womb and stones the body of which is hollow and loose the stones being in Bladders and have hollowness full of water which in hysterical women is yellow and thicker then ordinary Vesal de corp human Fabr. lib. 5. c. 15. This trumpet and the stones are often taken from the womb it self when they are swollen with corrupt seed and humors and wind and reach to the Navel of which in the Chapter of Ascent of the Womb. This disease is breeding sooner or longer as the matter is more or less sometimes corrupt humors lie still and if they be stirred they send a venom or vapor to the whole body Now in women subject to this disease sweet scents to the Nose or taken in or anger will move these humors and vapors They are according to the variety of the Symptoms and efficient cause or venomous humors The Differences for corrupt blood especially seed puts on another Nature That Suffocation is at hand The Signs it appears by laziness weakness of the Legs paleness sad countenance and the motion of something like a Ball in the Belly with noise like Frogs Snakes or Crows so that some think it is devillish There is also Belching Yawning Yexing short Wind Heart-beating Loathing Dulness Laughter at the coming of the fit from the vapor getting into the Membrane of the Breast that tickle them some cry some both laugh and cry These Symptoms increase when the fit comes and the Jaws are closed that she seems to be choaked and sense and motion is gone or depraved Some have Convulsions some hear what is done about them but cannot speak the pulse is less the whole body is cold and the Eyes shut as if they were dead When the fit declines humors flow from the Privities the Guts rumble the Eyes open the Cheeks grow red and the body warm the animal actions return and the Patient sighs and comes to her self It is known to be from corrupt seed if the terms are in order and short breath and low voice Suffocation and Convulsions and all Symptoms are then more vehement and at the end of the fit there flows a humour like seed out of the privities It is from the terms if they be stopt or flow not orderly and if there be a disease in the womb it is neither from the seed nor the terms The Prognostick 1. If there come Swounding or a great Convulsion or quenching of natural heat it is deadly 2. Suffocation from corrupt seed is more dangerous then that which is from the terms mixt with melancholick humors 3. The longer it lasts and the worse the Symptoms the more is the danger It ceaseth in young Women when they begin to bear children 4. The oftner the fit comes the more you may fear the quenching of the natural heat by weakning of the Heart often and if she foam at the mouth she dies The Cure of the Fit In the fit you must discuss the malignant vapors that rise from the womb and turn it from the principal parts and you must evacuate the matter that breeds it and prevent its return Call upon her loud pluck the hairs of her privities and Ears make strong Ligatures and Frictions cup the Legs and Thighs and Groyns hold stinks to the Nose as Partridge-feathers burnt hairs Leather Horn Castor Assa-foetida Galbanum Oyl of Amber Rue the warts on Horses legs dried and the powder upon coals burnt makes a Fume which if taken in the nose suddenly raised them Apply sweet Scents to the Privities as Civet Musk Gallia and Alipta moschata or powder of Cloves Or Take Storax calamita Benzoin each a dram Gallia moschata half a scruple make Troches with Gum traganth and let the Fume be taken into the VVomb by a Fennel A Liniment Take Storax Benzoin each a dram Gallia moschata half a scruple Civet four grains liquid Storax half a scruple with Cotton put it into the Womb. Clysters to discuss wind draw down the matter Take the Carminative Decoction a pint Electuary of Hiera six drams Benedicta laxativa an ounce Oyl of Rue and Bayberries each a dram Use VVomb-clysters and Pessaries to women that have known man Take Electuary of Hiera and Diaphaenicon each two drams Turpentine half an ounce Honey of Mercury an ounce Castor half a dram with Wooll make a Pessary Oyl of Tin applied to the Navel doth remove the fit Or Rue Castor and sneesing Powders As Take white Hellebore half a scruple long Pepper and Ginger each half a dram or put Oyl of Amber into the Nose and Ears Apply to the VVomb this Take Oyl of Rue Bayes each two ounces Cummin-seed Castor dissolved in Vinegar each two drams with Wax make a Liniment Or use a Plaister of Galbanum Castor and Assa-foetida A Compound distilled VVater Take Zedoary Parsnep-seeds Lovage-roots each two ounces Mirrh Castor each half an ounce Piony-roots four ounces Misleto of the Oak gathered in the wain of the Moon three ounces and water of Motherwort four ounces and half Spirit of Wine a pint and half steep them eight daies distil and give a spoonful with Tile-flower or Mugwort-water or Oyl of Amber some drops Or Take Castor Assa-foetida each a scruple Pepper half a scruple with syrup of Mugwort make Pills give three The Cure out of the Fit First prevent the seed from corrupting in the womb and if it be corrupt evacuate it presently with Womb-Clysters and Pessaries then disperse the reliques and strengthen the womb But first give a general Purge that is gentle often and use things that prevent the breeding of Seed Strengthen with Plaisters and Oyntments to the Region of the Womb. As Take liquid Storax two drams Avens Agnus castus seeds Angelica each half a dram
Alipta moschata a scruple Oyl of Nard Lillies and white Wax make an Oyntment Or Take seeds of Agnus castus a dram all Sanders each half a dram white Rose-powder a dram Tacamahacca a scruple Amber two scruples Alipta moschata half an ounce with Turpentine Labdanum and Wax make a Plaister If she be a Virgin let her be married If it be from Terms stopt see in the Chapter of that This disease is neither from seed nor blood nor humors if they be not corrupted after a peculiar manner If it be from the womb distempered give the Infusion of an ounce of Briony root in white Wine once in a week for a year at bed time or this Hysterical Water Take Lovage-roots Piony Angelica Zedoary each an ounce Misleto of the Oak gathered in the wane of the Moon two ounces Mints Balm Calamints Bettony each a handful Carrot Parsnep-seed Castor each half an ounce distil them in white Wine and water of Motherwort after eight daies infusion Or Take Briony Valerian Spignel Angelica-roots each half an ounce Balm Calamints Penny-royal Bettony each half a handful boyl them in Wine add Syrup of Mugwort an ounce give it at thrice Vitriol of Iron one grain with two grains of Sugar given in Wine some weeks is excellent Or Take Cummin-seed wild Parsnep-seeds each a dram give a dram in powder Or Take Faecula Brionae two drams Cummin-seed Parsnep-seed each a dram Amber half a dram Cloves two scruples Cinnamon a scruple make a powder Pills Take Castor a scruple Assa-foetida half a scruple Mirrh Galbanum Sagapenum each a scruple with Honey of Mercury make Pills take half a scruple or a scruple often Or Take Treacle or Mithridate Apply Plaisters or Liniments to the region of the Womb thus Take old Treacle half an ounce Agnus castus seeds a dram Oyl of Angelica and Cummin-seeds each two drams with Plaister of Bayberries Or make Oyntments of the same Question 1. What preternatural disease is the Suffocation of the Womb properly Some say it is a cold distemper in quality changed they say right but coldness is not the chief Symptom Others say it is respiration hurt by Syneope or Convulsion But it cannot be defined by one Symptom For sometimes the animal actions are hurt and there is a Megrim Delirium Convulsion and sense and motion are gone Nor is it strange that so small a vapor should bring such Symptoms for it hath an occult venom in it which is strong Gal. 6. de lo. off c. 5. for it goes many ways and to many parts Question 2. What is the true Cause of the fits of the Mother I say it is the malignant vapors that flie up from the womb for it doth not work by a manifest quality 4. De lo. aff c. 5. but by a venom which Galen saith is like that of a Torpedo or Phalanx or Scorpion which are little in bulk but do great mischief being enemies to the vital spirits and heart by which there is a coldness all over and short breath from the actions of the heart hurt For when the heart is hurt or the vital Spirits either suffocated or corrupted there are no good animal Spirits bred and they not flowing to the nerves and muscles hinder the motion of the breast Also this malignant vapor is an enemy to the animal Spirits and makes doting and Convulsions when it gets to the brain The Cause of these vapors are corrupt seed and terms for while they are in their proper vessels they change not their nature And the seed is not alwaies pure but mixed with evil humors and the seed vessels are sometimes swollen and distempered Moreover the corruption is from the womb in a peculiar manner for as Fernelius saith The place from whence comes life is also the breeder of the most deadly poison Question 3. It is good to give Wine in a fit of the Mother Hippocrates and Avicen quarrel about this 1. De nat mulierum The first allows Wine because they are weak and nothing sooner refresheth But Avicen is for water and forbids flesh for they increase Seed and Blood But in the time of the fit Wine is proper and Avicen doth not speak of the fit but of the diet out of the fit when it comes from plenty of seed and blood nor will a little Wine in the time of the fit get presently to the Womb. Chap. 5. Of the Frenzie of the Womb. IT is a great and foul Symptom of the Womb both in Virgins and Widdows and such as have known man These are mad for Lust and invite men and lie down to them and it differs from salacity because in that there is no Delirium It is an immoderate desire of Venery that makes women almost mad or a Delirium from an immoderate desire of Venery it is without a Feaver and with heat and tends to madness There are degrees in it for modest women have it but will not for shame declare it and die of Consumptions Others will not conceal it but speak their thoughts bawdily and follow men and sollicite them shamelesly as Hippocrates writes in his Book of Virgins Diseases The immediate Cause is plenty of hot and The Causes sharp Seed against Nature but next unto that which is natural it is a little biting swelling and forcing Nature to let it out by lechery The brain is only hurt by consent and the animal actions by an external error or too vehement object The part first affected is the womb in the Nymphae which grows hot and swells but the Nymphae are not properly the seat of Venery but the Clitoris which was called by the same name anciently The heat and sharpness of Seed is from the heat of the womb that breeds it from hot humors in the womb and hot blood The outward Causes are hot meats spiced strong wine and the like that heat the privities idleness pleasure and dancing and reading of bawdy Histories The Signs They find their lust to boyl at first and for shame will not declare it they are sad and silent and their eyes turn to and fro with lust and if any speak of Venery they blush and the pulse changeth when the brain consenteth reason is perverted and modesty is overcome then they prate are lustful and angry sometimes they cry or laugh without a cause they follow men and sollicite them for copulation Some will lie with any one they meet The Prognostick The Cure It is a sordid disease curable at first but if neglected it turns to madness Let Virgins that have it before reason is subverted be in company with chast Maidens or be married And be let blood to abate heat of blood and sharpness of Seed very often there is no better remedy Then temper and evacuate the humors if they be adust and there be madness use stronger Then have a Bath of Lettice Willow Water-lillies Vine-leaves Purslane Venus-navel red Roses Violets Water-lillies Let her sit twice a
Symptoms but it is not so bad as a true Epilepsie And if you give proper Medicines it never returns The Cure of the Fit Use things as in Suffocation of the Womb or Mother-fits as Rue and Castor are good against both Also out of the fit you must cure it as the Mother using things that respect the womb and the Head As Take Piony-roots Scorzonera Misleto of the Oak each half an ounce Polipody of the Oak an ounce Rue Penny-royal Calaminths each a handful Seseli Piony Agnus castus seeds each three drams Carthamus-seeds bruised half an ounce flowers of Rosemary Sage Stoechas Borage each two pugils boil them to a pint and half strain and add juyce of Bettony Yarrow Mercury Mugwort Senna five ounces Agarick Epithimum each half an ounce Rhubarb Cloves each two drams Anise Fennel-seed each three drams boil strain with Sugar and half an ounce of Cinnamon make a Syrup give two ounces And these Pills twice in a week a scruple or a dram an hour afore Supper Take Piony-roots Senna each half an ounce Mugwort Bettony Rue Yarrow each half a handful boil them clarifie the Decoction and juyce of Mercury an ounce Aloes an ounce and half Let it settle pour off the clear add Rhubarb sprinkled with Cinnamon-water two drams Agarick half an ounce Mastich Epileptick-powder each half a dram with syrup of Mugwort make Pills To strengthen the Head and the Womb and to mend its Distemper Take Fecula of Piony a dram of Briony Amber Misleto of the Oak each half a dram Bezoar-stone Mans-skull each a scruple make a powder give half a dram with Scorzonera or Tile-flower-water or with Sugar make Rouls An Electuary Take Conserve of Balm Tile-flowers Rosemary Lilly-convals Scorzonera-roots candied each an ounce Diamoschu dulce a dram powder of Agnus castus seeds and Piony-roots each two drams with syrup of Scoechas Chap. 8. Of pain of the Head from the Womb. MAny pains come from the Womb but the chiefest and greatest are in the Head all over or on one side or in the Eyes Matter ascends to the Membranes of the Head by the Veins and Arteries from the Womb. The Causes It is a vapor or humor from blood and humors sometimes bad blood that is thin goes from the womb-vessels to the great Vessels and gets to the Head and to the Membranes there and causeth a stretching ulcerated or pricking or beating pain when it is carried through the Arteries being full of blood They think their Head will be torn The Signs and the Membranes and it is behind in the Head or when the terms flow or are disordered from consent with the womb If it be from a vapor there is no heaviness and it ceaseth presently If from a humor there is heaviness These pains are great and cause watching The Prognostick The Cure We have spoken of the Head-ach but here it is from the Womb therefore consider what humors offend in the womb and let them be purged and the distemper of the womb amended as we shewed in the Distemper of the Womb. There is also a pain in the Loins because bad humors go from the veins of the womb and Arteries to the great Vessels and so are sent by the Capillar-veins into the Membranes and stretch them and cause pain 〈…〉 must have prâ—â—â—â— Purges Question In what part of the Head is the pain that comes by consent from the Womb It is in the Crown before and behind but chiefly behind by reason of the joyning of the back with the womb for the womb is nervous and consents with the Membranes of the brain by the Membranes of the Marrow of the back and so Nerves suffer with Nerves either by communication of matter or pain and because the original of the Nerves is in the hinder part of the Head women are more pained there then men because of the Womb. Chap. 9. Of the Diseases of the Heart and beating of the Arteries in the Back and Sides from the Womb. THe Heart beats and the Arteries also as we shewed in the Green-sickness and it is by evil vapors sent by the Arteries to the Heart from the womb that arise from the terms and evil humors gathered in the womb and this is known by other Signs and Symptoms of a distempered Womb. The Cure To discuss the malignant Vapors from the Heart give Cordials as in Chap. 3. Of Palpitation of the Heart as Aqua vitae Cinnamon-water and Epithems Bags and Liniments The Arteries also beat with the Heart as in Widows on the left Hypochondrion and Back where there is a great Artery and the Artery that beats in the back is part of the great Artery they which beat in the Hypochondrion are the lesser splenitick and mesenterick branches therefore the beating is more in the back then in the Hypochondrion but both pulsations come from the same cause The Causes The Inflammation of the Arteries is the cause of this beating when evil humors are sent from the womb into the great branches of the Artery and there beat the Heart being over hot Sometimes the motion of this Artery is all the body over and from a hot humor the hot humors go to the heart and cause a feaver but because there is little putrefaction it vanisheth presently If the heat of the humors go to the brain by the arteries there is madness Some seek the cause in the veins and say that the arteries suffer from the blood too hot in them You may feel it with your hand laid upon the Hypochondrion The Signs and there are signs of a distempered womb and melancholy from the womb if heat continue in the arteries and go to the whole body it consumeth it It is seemingly a small disease The Prognostick but it is not without danger because it comes from a bad cause that weakens the bowels It is cured as melancholy from the womb The Cure and stopping of the terms and as Hypochondriack melancholy from the womb which follows Chap. 10. Of the Diseases of the Spleen and the Hypochondriack Disease from the Womb. SOmetimes the Spleen and the Hypochondria suffer from the womb so that you may doubt what disease it is It is from the womb by the arteries The Causes the womb hath two one from the preparing arteries another from the Hypogastrick artery That from the Hypogastrick goes almost to all parts of the Abdomen and most branches of the spleen therefore when bad blood is bred in the womb and gets out of the arteries upward to the Hypogastrick artery it gets easily from thence to the coeliack artery to the spleen and the parts adjacent in the abdomen and the sooner because Nature useth to send bad humors to ignoble parts These humors are gathered by suppression of Terms which though they seem to be only in the veins yet they get to the arteries by their Anastomosis Therefore those women that have hot blood and their
gone as in old Folk expect no Conception If they flow not by reason of labour and too much exercise the conception is not hindered if there be but blood enough to form the child Hence it is that women that are brought in bed conceive again before they have their terms If all these be right there is conception otherwise she is barren which is an impotency of the womb that keeps it from sucking in of the seed or from retaining or from nourishing it and bringing it into act The Causes The first is impotency in copulation from the closing of the womb of which before or other evil conformation of the privities or an ulcer or tumor in the neck of the womb The second is the breeding of unfruitful seed from distemper of the vessels and stones or too tender and delicate a constitution In men at eighteen in women at fourteen and men seldom get children after sixty and women seldom bear them after sixty As for evil conformation to breed seed Faelix Plat. lib. 1. obser tit de vitalis motus defectu some have wanted Seed-vessels or they were not in their places Some women are barren by the first Husband and have children by the second because there must be a certain proportion between both seeds and if they be wanting they are barren which proportion is hard to be explained and almost impossible for we must not stay in the first qualities for there are occult qualities in seed by which they agree or disagree The third cause is when the womb sucks not in the seed nor receives it in a right manner as when the attractate faculty is hurt or hindered by divers distempers of the Womb or when a woman hates her husband Attraction is hindered by tumors or ulcers in the Womb or by its being displaced 5. Aph. 46. as Hippocrates They who being too fat and conceive not the mouth of their Womb is stopt up with the Cawl and they conceive not till they are lean But the more probable reason of not conceiving is the matter of the seed turning into fat The fourth cause is the retension of the seed hurt by a moist distemper then the Womb is weak and the fibres are loose so that it cannot contract it self to retain and the seed by reason of its sliminess cannot stick there Also if the Womb be too thick not fleshy and soft and be not sprinkled with blood as it is in some by birth which makes them barren and in some after they cease to conceive If the orifice of the womb gape after hard travel and abortion by which the fibres are loosned and weakned and the retention of the seed hurt And if a woman after Copulation cough neese cry out dance or be angry or frighted the same may be The fifth cause of Barrenness is the hurt of the altering faculty which brings in the form and act into seed for if there be not a due proportion between the womb and the seed there is Barrenness as Seeds are choaked in Marshy-ground or die or are burnt in dry and sandy ground so mans Seed is suffocated in a moist womb 5. Aph. 52. and dryed up in a hot Hippocrates speaks of the true proportion of the womb as it is fit to cherish this or that seed thus Women that have thick and cold wombs conceive not and they whose womb is too moist for they quench the seed Nor do they conceive that have dry and burning wombs for the seed is corrupted in them for want of nourishment They who are of a mean temper between these are fruitful The last cause of Barrenness is want of Menstrual-blood which is necessary for the first formation of the child Therefore Nurses that have much milk conceive because the blood is carried to the Breasts Therefore all these causes are reduced either to impotency in Copulation or distemper of the Stones and Seed-vessels or evil conformation or a cold and moist distemper of the Womb which cannot attract detain and alter the seed sometimes a hot and dry distemper that cannot nourish the seed or from the enlarging of the Orifice after Child-bearing or from Humors or being displaced or the straitness of the Vessels or want of Terms or too many Hence we may gather that barrenness is oftner from a fault in the women than the men for in men there is nothing required but fruitful seed spent into a fruitful womb But women besides the meeting of their own seed must receive retain and nourish the mans and afford matter for the forming of the child in which divers accidents happen and any of these will cause Barrenness Mark also in these kinds of causes that some do not properly cause barrenness but only hinder Conception for a time as the closing of the womb smalness of the privities these do not simply cause barrenness Some bring other external causes Ioa. Anglicus cap. de steril as eating the heart of a Deer or if she wear Jet about her or if Harts-tongue be hanged about her bed if she walk over the Terms of another or tread upon them unawares or anoint with them or put the juyce of Mints into her womb Some are born so from a fault in the womb The Differences others are not simply barren but in respect of the man and when they have another Husband are fruitful Some are barren till the constitution of the womb be changed Some bring forth at first and then by some fault grow barren How shall we know that a Women is Barre First see if the fault be in the man or woman The Signs Lib. 3. Of Sterility in Men. For women see if they are apt to Venery or not or receive the Yard fitly 2. Search if she hath good seed answerable to the man or whether she hath used quenchers of seed You may know that she spendeth little or no Seed if she hath little or no pleasure in the act Unfruitful Seed is known by a disease in the womb a cold and moist distemper the signs whereof are mentioned a foul body shews the same for good seed cannot be made of bad blood It is hard to find whether the two seeds have the right proportion or the womb agree with the mans seed Yet temperate with temperate are very fruitful because they are both of a good constitution But intemperate couples are barren but if one temper be good it may mend the other and she may conceive If it come from a Medicine that destroys the seed she will tell If Inchantment be the cause though they love yet they cannot copulate Or whereas they loved each other now they fall out without a cause Ask the woman how her womb doth attract retain and cherish the seed If it have a tumor or have matter or not Whether there be a natural hereditary imperfection Enquire concerning her Family if many were barren whether she hath had hard travel or abortion Whether the
or shape of what she desired of which there are many Examples But I doubt whether all errors in Formation depend together upon the imagination for the spirits and humors are troubled by the passions of the mind and so slow forceable immediately to the womb or other part and this disturbs the forming faculty in its work Authoris sententias Also the forming faculty being overcome with plenty of humors or wanting spirits that are gone another way may by chance make an ill shape therefore the passions of the mind are the first causes of errour in Formation and imagination helps by stirring up the appetite These are the common errors of Formation Others are determinate errors not simply from the imagination by the passions which have no determination to such a thing but no other cause can be besides the imagination but how she directs the forming faculty for the producing of such effects it is hard to be understood but there must be some imagination and the forming faculty that it may impart the species sent from the external senses to the forming faculty And this is the cause of the consent of the upper and lower faculties for the soul is the same in the whole body and every where fitted with the same faculties but it doth not exercise all in all parts but by the proper determinate Organs or Instruments And though the child hath its soul yet while it is in the womb it depends upon the soul of the mother as the fruits partake of the life of the tree while they are upon it therefore it is probable that whatsoever moves the faculties of the soul in the mother may move the same in the child Hence it is that while the forming operateth in the seed and womb of the mother if any species be sent to the imagination of the mother which she strongly receives it may make an impression upon the child yet every imagination cannot make this impression but that which makes a great admiration or terror in the mother when the forming faculty is at work as when she beholds one with six fingers she brings forth the like or when she produceth hair where it should not be or the likeness of a beast in any limb or when she seeth any thing cut or divided with a cleaver she brings forth a divided part or a Hare-lip Chap. 8. Of a Child turned into Stone JOhn Albosius Doctor at Senon and Simeon Provarcher of Lingo Physitian of Senon writ of this in French and Latin I shall give my opinion with others Two things are to be observed in this wonderful History First Why the Child in the time of travail being dead in the womb did not stink as is usual or kill the mother suddenly or was not cast out by degrees being rotten Secondly By what force the child was turned into Stone For the first The mother lived twenty eight years after she had this Child therefore it is not credible that the womb was so cold that it might hinder putrefaction as some think It seems more probable to be that these questions explanation depend upon one principle for the cause that made the stones hardness kept the child from putrefaction but what that is it is obscure Many fly to the efficiency of the first qualities others to driness others to coldness others to both I acknowledge heat cold and driness to he helping causes for breeding of Stones in mans body but the chief cause is a Stone breeding juyce or spirit of which I have spoken at large The principles of Generation were weak in this child and impure and this stone breeding juyce was mixed with the blood in the humors hence it is that it was not born alive as in a mole bred in the womb which women have till they are old and die with it and yet it stinks not no more then stones bred in most parts But there is but this History of such a Birth Chap. 9. Of a Mole IT is flesh and mass without bones or bowels gotten of an imperfect conception instead of a child The Latins call it a Mole from the weight because it is troublesome to women as a Milstone in Latin called Lapis Moralis The Differences Sometimes it is unshapen flesh without bones only full of veins with a skin over it and nothing within but like the Parenchyma of the bowels Sometimes it is membranous and fibrous Pet. Salis diu in annot in altimarum without shape Sometimes it is long round or like a quarry of glass or like a brute beast Some have brought forth three Moles like mens yards Some are like congealed blood or the Placenta of the womb into which the navel-vessels are inserted some grow and are nourished and some have an obscure sense Sometimes they are sent out alone sometimes with or before the child of which there are many Histories Some bring forth Monsters for Moles In is from the error of the forming faculty but the Cause of that is obscure The Causes I suppose it is from both seeds when the forming faculty is weak and the seed little and not good and overcome by much blood and can make only veins and membranes and not a whole child Sometimes it is in Widows only from their own seed and blood A Mole is sooner bred when the blood is impute and unfit to nourish and is made when they copulate in the flowing of the terms that are unclean It is neither from heat nor cold principally but from the error of the forming faculty They are hard to be known before the fourth month The Signs then they are known by such as can distinguish between the motion of wind and a child 2. If a woman turn from side to side it falls like a stone to that side she lies on and is heavy If it have any motion it is trembling and beating with construction and dilation like a Spunge If after the time that the child should move there be no motion and the belly swells and there is no sign of a Dropsie it is a sign of a Mole Thirdly In women with child there is Milk about the fourth month but in a Mole the breasts swell but there is no true milk 4. They are more pained and faint and have more pain in their back and groyns If it be with a quick child it is hard to be known but it is known by its weight in the womb which she perceives when she gets up to walk or moves from side to side some are then strong and well coloured It hurts the womb and whole body The Prognostick if it be divided it is less dangerous when it is soft it is cast out the third or fourth month Sometimes it ulcerates or tears the womb and causeth great bleeding Some have been cast out or drawn out without danger some grow old with them in Fabr. cont 2. obs 55. The Cure and find no inconvenience but the weight To
month especially if they have no Feaver and are strong As Celsus saith A strong Child and a lusty old Man and a healthy Woman with Child Lib. 2. c. 10. may be safely let blood And Hippocrates forbids bleeding only lest the child should want nourishment Question 3. Whether may a Woman with Child be purged You must not give strong Purges lest their force which moveth the humors should reach to the womb and cast out the child Therefore you must not purge women with child in all diseases nor at all times but only in the fourth month till the seventh and that sparingly And if the matter swell and abound 4. Aph. 1. as Hippocrates shews For the danger from the turgent matter is easily avoided thereby for it will be purged with more ease then when it is fixed and quiet 1. Therefore only purge in an acute disease 2. From the beginning of the fourth only to the end of the sixth 3. Use no vehement Medicine nor very bitter as Aloes which is an enemy to the child and opens the mouths of the vessels nor Coloquintida nor Scammony nor Turbith but use Caffia Manna Rhubarb Agarick and Senna but Diacydonium purgans is best with a little of the Electuary of the juyce of Roses If there be a chronick disease she may also be purged safely especially if she be used to it and strengthners be applyed to the navel Question 4. Whether Purging or Bleeding is most dangerous for a Woman with Child We shewed in the last Question the necessity of purging and its danger by the great motion of humors which if it reach to the womb causeth abortion because it causeth pain in the belly and provokes the terms But bleeding disturbs the humors less nor doth hurt any way but by taking nourishment from the child And this you need not fear if there be too much blood Therefore purging is more dangerous then bleeding Question 5. Whether it is lawful to cause an Abortion to preserve the Mother A Christian may not cause an Abortion for any cause for it is wicked and the Gentiles in Hippocrates his time never allowed it they would not hinder Conception much less would they destroy it when made Nor must the mother be preserved by the loss of the child For we must not do evil that good may come thereby But if to preserve the mother the Physitian purge or bleed and the abortion follow the fault is not in the Physitian that intended it not but in the weakness of Nature and of the Child and is better to preserve the Mother then by neglecting the lawful means let both die Also the dead child must presently be thrown out Question 6. Whether are Clysters Diureticks and Sweats proper for a Woman with Child Though women deny Clysters to them yet if they have been used to them they may be given in a small quantity such as only mollifie and supple nor do they more hurt then Lenitives Diureticks or things that provoke Urine are not safe because they provoke the Terms You may not give gentle Sweats for Nature will receive strength by the casting off of her enemies You must use Alterers that are proper as this Syrup Take the juyce of unripe Grapes about the beginning of September three galons add Pomecitrons or Lemons bruised half a pound boil them till they are soft and strain them and with half a pound of Sugar make a Syrup Chap. 4. Of the Symptoms that befal Women with Child in the first Months THey are loathing meat Pica or evil appetite pewking vomiting belly-ach flux of the belly tooth and head-ach giddiness These all come from the stoppage of the terms especially in a Cacochymy or evil juyce for it goes to the stomach and so to the head First They loath meat 5. Apho. 45. which Hippocrates saith is a sign of Conception And this is when the child takes the purest blood and leaves the impure which gets into the mouth of the stomach and infects it and hence comes the loathing of some sorts of meats Sometimes this ceaseth of it self but if there be danger of a Consumption in the mother lest the child should be in danger for want of food give a gentle Vomit or Stomach-Pills with things that strengthen the Stomach As Take Conserâ—â— of red Roses half an ounce of Bettony an ounce preserved Quinces three drams Aromaticum Rosatum half a dram Pearl prepared half a scruple with Syrup of green Ginger and Quinces make an Electuary Anoint the stomach with oyl of Mastich Mints Quinces Wormwood Mirtles c. Give astringents and powerful things with meat and let it be roasted rather then boyled Pica is when they desire strange and absurd things as Coals Ashes c. As she that longed for her husbands flesh and though she loved him very well she killed him eat part and powdered up the rest Of this disease we spake in the third Book Juyce of young Vine-leaves with Syrup of Quinces is good against this or the water that drops in May from the Vines This keeps the child from suffering by the mothers appetite Or this Spirit Take Citron-peels Oranges Piony-roots as much as you please and Malmsey digest them some dayes then beat the roots and peels add more Malmsey and distil them The third is loathing and vomiting from an evil vapour or humour in the stomach from blood retained If vomiting give her ease stop it not but leave it to nature it will cease after a month or two If it be with trouble give a gentle Vomit or strengthen the stomach or give a little Rhubarb The fourth is pain of the belly from wind and humors about the womb that go to the guts discuss them as in Chap. 3. Of the Cholick Avoid moist Fomentations give Cinnamon-water or spiced wine The fifth is a loosness which must be suddenly stopt lest it cause an abortion First Hippocr 5. Aphor. 34. give a gentle cleanser and strengthener as Rhubarb with syrup of Roses solutive then Quinces at the first course at meals and Rice Starch Almonds Conserve of Roses Quinces Apply to the navel a Pultis of Quinces Mastich Nutmegs Mace Cloves The sixth is the Tooth-ach from a sharp humor from retention of the terms that goes to the root of some tooth and hurts the membranes It ceaseth commonly of it self yet if it be great use a Plaister of Mastich and Tacamahacca to the temples and hold in the mouth the decoction of Fern-roots Cinquefoyl Snakeweed Sage Mulberry-barks c. The seventh is Head-ach when the vapors from the terms stopt ascend and twitch the membranes of the brain it must be repelled and abated with Lenitives of which in Lib. 1. Part 3. Sect. 1. Cap. 3. Of Head-ach The eighth of the Megrim from the vapors disturbing the Spirits that go to the head by the veins and arteries or by the gullet If it cease not discuss vapors and strengthen the brain inwardly and outwardly as in Vertigo
Chap. 5. Of the Symptoms in Women with Child in the middle Months THey are cough heart-beating fainting watching pains in the loyns and hips and bleeding 1. The cough is from a sharp vapor that comes to the jaws and rough artery from the terms or from a thin part of that blood gotten into the veins of the breast or falling from the head to the breast This endangers abortion and strength fails from watching therefore purge the humors that fall from the head to the breast with Rhubarb Agarick and strengthen the head as in a Catarrh and give sweet Lenitives as in a Cough 2. Palpitation of heart and fainting is from vapors that go to it by the arteries or from blood that aboundeth and cannot get out at the womb but ascends and oppresseth the heart Use Cordials as in Syncope inwardly and outwardly If it be from too much blood as in Plethory open a vein 3. Watching is from dry sharp vapors that trouble the animal Spirits Then use Frictions and wash the feet at bed time and give Syrup of Poppies dryed Roses Emulsions of sweet Almonds and white Poppy-seeds 4. There is pain in the loyns and hips from the weight of the child or from the terms stopt or growth of the child that stretcheth the ligaments of the womb and parts adjacent if there be Plethory bleed If it be from weight of the child hold it up with swathing Bands about the neck 5. There is flux of bood at the womb nose or Hoemorrhoids from plenty or from the weakness of the child that takes it not in or from evil humors in the blood that stir up nature to send it forth Also the vessels of the Womb may be broken or torn by motion fall cough or trouble of mind This is dangerous 5. Aphor. 60. of which Hippocrates saith The child cannot be well if it be from blood only there is less danger so it flows by the veins of the neck of the womb for it takes away Plethory or take not nourishment from the child If it be from the weakness of the child that draws it not abortion often follows or hard travel or she goes beyond her time If it flow by the inward veins of the womb there is more danger by the openness of the womb If it come from evil blood the danger is alike from Cacochymy which is like to fall upon both If there be Plethory open a vein warily and use astringents As Take Pearls prepared a scruple red Coral two scruples Mace Nutmegs each a dram Cinnamon half a dram make a powder or with Sugar Rouls or give this powder in Broth. Take red Coral a dram Pearl half a dram pretious Stones each half a scruple red Sanders half a dram Bole a dram sealed Earth Tormentil-roots each two scruples with Sugar of Roses and Manus Christi with Pearl six drams make a powder You may strengthen the child at the navel If there be Cacochymy alter the humors and if you may evacuate You may use Amulets in the hands and about the neck In flux of Haemorrhoids beware of the pain Let her drink hot Wine with a roasted Nutmeg Chap. 6. Of the Symptomes that are in the last Months 1. THe Urin is stopt from suppression of the neck of the bladder Let her then lye down and let the bladder be fomented with a Bag of Pellitory Parsly-roots Mallows Linseed and the like or use the Catheter 2. The belly is bound from a hot and dry Liver when the child draws all the moisture to it or presseth the guts Let her then use Moistners as Butter Mallows Borage in Broaths or that Clysters in a small quantity 3. The veins appear in the hips and legs as varicous only then keep them from walking and let their feet be laid upon a stool 4. The legs swell from serous blood but this goes away with the After-birth and is the signs of a female child but if she cannot walk foment with Lye made of Vine branches and Wine or with a Decoction or Organ Penny-royal Chamomile Calamints Or Take Bean and Lupine-flour each two ounces Tartar an ounce Pidgeons-dung half an ounce with steeled-water and juyce of Coleworts make a Pultis Rub and wash the feet with salt water in which Chamomil Organ and Dill were boyled 5. The skin of the belly is cleft with stretching after the fourth month therefore use loosning Liniments to keep off deformity as marrow of Veal and Sheeps-legs Oyl of sweet Almonds Hens-grease 6. The water gathered in time of being with Child between the membranes that hold the Child comes forth too soon because the membranes are broken by leaping or a contusion This makes difficult birth for that water was to moisten the parts Therefore let her keep a good diet and strengthen the child inwardly and outwardly Chap. 7. Of Weakness of the Child THis is either from weak seed or little nourishment or bad and causeth many diseases in the child To hinder abortion and death of the child know rightly the weakness as Hippocrates saith 5. Aph. 53. They that will abort have first breasts that fall away which is from want of nourishment in the common veins of the womb and breasts 5. Aph. 52. Hippocrates hath a second sign which is this If a Woman with child hath much milk flowing from her breast her child is weak 3. Hippocr 5. aph 56. If the terms flow often the nourishment is taken from the child 4. A mother often and long being sick shews that her child is weak because her blood is not good and the bad humors with the blood go to nourish the child which makes him sick 5. When the mother hath a flux of the belly the child is weak 6. When it begins to move and is scarce felt it is weak If it be from these causes take them away and strengthen the child first seed the mother high with meats of good juyce and sweet Almonds steept in Honey Raisins Quinces outwardly thus Take Malmsey three pints dissolve it in Oyl of Nutmegs by expression half an ounce add powder of Cloves Rue each half an ounce Rose Sage Marjoram Penny-royal-water each a pint Aqua-vitae three ounces Dip Spunges in it and apply them under the left breast to the arm-pits hams pulses soles of the feet and when they dry wet them again Chap. 8. Of Crying in the Womb. CHildren have sometimes cryed in the womb as Fabricius saith in his Epistle to his Brother James Fincel and Weinridick of Monsters writes thus In this City of Bressa a Child was heard to cry in the Womb three daies before the Travel when he was a man he was miserable with poverty and diseases till he died Andreas Libavius writes the same and others Some say It portends evil to the Mother or Child or Countrey It is a voice by the expulsion of the air through the rough artery The Causes and some air may in the cavities from vapors or spirits as in
a Feaver that will come long after Travel If the Lochia flow not in due time or be stopt then the blood and foul humors go back to the great Veins and Liver Hippocr 1. epid tex 21. The Signs and make a putrid Feaver or inflame those parts A Feaver from milk comes the fourth day and there is heaviness of back and shoulders and the Lochia flow well it not there is the sign of a Feaver If the humors putrifie in the womb there is foul stinking matter voided the belly is swollen and is pained when toucht If the Feaver be not from milk and the Lochia flow it comes from bad humors especially if when she was big with child she kept not a good diet A Feaver from milk is without danger The Prognostick and ceaseth the eighth or tenth day that which comes from suppression of the Lochia or After-flux is dangerous and often deadly except there follow a flux of the belly If black stinking matter flow from the womb they escape If the Feaver come from a Cacochymy before Delivery it is worse because it argues much humors which Nature cannot discharge by the after-flux and the strength is dejected by hard travel A Feaver from milk requires only good diet The Cure and sweating must not be hindred for it cures That which is from stoppage or diminishing of the Lochia must be cured by provoking the after-flux or by another evacuation instead of it as purging bleeding in the foot to provoke the flux or by scarifying the thighs and legs after cupping while the time is that the after-flux should be not afterwards For if that time be past if strength permit open a vein in the arm and bleed plentifully For purging some purge them in a Pleurisie after the seventh day Valer. lib. 5. obs 10. merc 4. de morb mul. c. 11. but beware by reason of the weakness after travel and because Purges may hinder the after-flux which is dangerous it is good to evacuate only by the womb but if the flux of blood cease and Nature would purge something from the womb you may give a gentle Purge of Rhubarb Cassia Manna Syrup of Roses Senna Alterers are thus to be ordered Avoid too cold and sharp things lest the evacuation by the womb should be disturbed by cold things The Diet. Let it be thin the first daies of lying in then thicker and so increasing take heed of too much drink especially of cold drink Question What Veins are to be opened in Women that lie in and have a Pleurisie They have Symptomatical Feavers also from inflammation of the Pleura Jaws or Liver because some of the foul humors are sent to some private part and make an inflammation to which the Feaver is joyned and the causes are as before mentioned If there be a Pleurisie she is in great danger The Question is Whether she must bleed above or below I say thus First This Feaver is not properly Symptomatical but primary and hath the inflammation its associate while nature sends part of the matter to the Pleura or other part Secondly Note That Nature is in an error while she sends the vitious humors which she should expel by the womb to the Pleura Thirdly Note That the vitious motion of Nature is not to be helped therefore which should be done if you should presently open a vein in the arm but the blood is to be voided by the womb which is Natures way Fourthly If the Pleurisie be not abated by opening a vein in the ankle for revulsion but the Symptoms continue or increase you must not continue to open the veins beneath because they evacuate not from the part affected which is necessary in such a dangerous disease It is a sign that the matter is fastned to the part that it cannot again be brought to the womb by revulsion Therefore then you may open a vein in the arm on the same side to evacuate and drive the blood from the part or there about or she will be in danger of death And fear not that Nature will be taken from her ordinary motion towards the womb thereby for the vein that was opened in the foot prevented that and if you fear any danger you may prevent it by Frictions and cupping of the leggs while you let blood in the arm And you may give Clysters that may cause the humors moving upwards to come down and loosen the passages of the womb that blood may flow out the better As Take Pellitory of the Wall Mallows Althaea red Coleworts each a handful Chammomil-flowers half a handful Foenugreek and Linseed each half an ounce boyl them in Water to a pint strained add lenitive Electuary an ounce Diacatholicon or Cassia half an ounce Oyl of Violets two ounces make a Clyster If the Feaver abate and the time of the flux of the Lochia be past give a gentle Purge Cure the rest as an ordinary Pleurisie onely take heed that while the After flux lasts you give no binding Medicine Also she may have a Quinzy while she lies in while the vicious matter flows to the jaws The Cure of which bleeding is to be done as in the Pleurisie but the rest is to be done as in the Quinzy And if the Liver be inflamed by the motion of the humors to it you must bleed as in the Pleurisie and Quinzy Yet it is not so needful in the Arm as in the Pleurisie by reason of the greater distance of the Liver from the Arm for the Pleura and the Breast are nearer and consent more with the Arms but the Vein in the Legg is near to the hollow Vein as the distribution of the upper Veins to the Arms. The rest of the Cure of the Inflammation of the Liver is in Lib. 3. onely observe that you must not use too great Coolers or Binders in women in Child-bed but things that are of thin parts lest the flux called Lochia or After-blood should be stopped THE FOURTH BOOK THE THIRD PART Of the Diseases of Womens Breasts THE FIRST SECTION Of Diseases of the Breasts Chap. 1. Of the increased number of Breasts and greatness extraordinary THough Nature hath ordained two in all Women Card. l. 8. c. 43. de rerum varice Cabrol obs 7. yet some have Breasts like Men others have had two on each side that had Milk The figure of the Breasts is round pointed at the nipple a little it ought not to be soft nor hard and of an indifferent bigness and it is better they be indifferent though they hold not so much milk lest they be subject to Cancers and Inflammations and when they are too big they have not a temperate heat The Causes of over-great Breasts is much blood and the strength of heat attracting and concocting it these are remote causes but the immediate cause is the largeness of the passages and loosness which is in the first conformation and furthered by idleness much sleep and few terms and
rot or provoke the part but things that by experience take away pain as Nightshade-water Snails boyled and Frogs in Oyl and with ashes of Frogs made into an Oyntment or Medicines of Lead As Take Oyl of Roses two ounces juyce of Nightshade-berries an ounce and half Ceruss washed Sugar of Lead each a dram Pompholygos half an ounce mix them in a Leaden Mortar till they are thick Or use Cray-fish-ashes and the ashes of the inward rind of an Ash-tree or Herb Robert Lib. 2. De cur vulner C. 3. Cent. 3. Obs 87. Arcaeus teacheth how to cut them out and then burn the part if they be deep and ulcerated But Fabricius shews that you must burn after to consume the reliques and stop the blood after it is cleansed Take Herb Robert Verbascum or Moulin Scabious Caprifolium or Honey-suckles Dill Mans-grease each equal parts burn them take three ounces and with six ounces of Nightshade-water in a Leaden-Mortar mix them After cutting out the root purge melancholy often and provoke Terms or Haemorrhoids lest it return Give Treacle Mithridate with juyce of Borage Sorrel Cray-fish-broath and Asses-milk Ant. Chalmiteus This Water is good against all Cancers Take Moulin-roots Clowns all-heal each two ounces Dropwort Ceterach Herb Robert Agrimony Tormentil Scabious Avens Flaxweed each a handful Nettle-seed three drams Elder and Rosemary-flowers each a pugil boil and sweeten it with Sugar Foment and wash the Cancer with one part of it and let the dreggs be applied as a Pultis Fuchsius his blessed Powder Take white Arsenick that shineth not like glass an ounce powder it pour Aqua vitae upon it and pour it off add fresh Aqua vitae every third day for fifteen dayes Then Take roots of great Dragons gathered in July or August sliced and dried in the wind two ounces Thirdly Take bright clear Soote of the Chimney three drams make a powder Keep it close stopt in a glass the older the better use it not till after a year For a pallative Cure keep it from increasing and take away pain with this Water Take Scrophularia-roots and Herb Roberts each a handful Lambs-tongue Night-shade Bugloss Borage Purslane Eye-bright Bettony each half a handful a Frog and two whites of Eggs with Quince-seeds and Foenugreek each an ounce Rose and Eye-bright-water each a pint distil them in a Leaden Still Use not Cancers as other Ulcers for Emollients Lib. 6. c. 30. Healers and Drawers exasperate and kill with great pain Chap. 8. Of Ulcers and Fistulaes of the Breasts AFter Universals dry up the Milk and if the Breasts hang down bind them up that the humors flow not down and move not the Arm on that side Then cleanse it with the Decoction of Rhapontick Zedoary and Agrimony Heal thus Take strong Wine five quarts Rhois Obsoniorum Cypress-nuts each four ounces green Galls two ounces boyl them to the Consistence of Honey If you fear a Fistula enlarge the Orifice and take away the Callus and heal it as an ordinary Ulcer Chap. 9. Of straitness of the Passages of the Breasts WHen the Veins and Arteries are not wide enough to contain Blood to be turned there is no Milk They are stopt by thick humors The Causes as the vessels of the womb are the cause is the stoppage of the terms or hard tumors in the Breasts that stop or press When the nipple hath no hole for the Child to suck it is from the birth or a wound or scar after an Ulcer The Signs There is little milk and the Breasts pine If the Breasts swell and milk cannot be suckt out the fault is in the paps or the veins of milk The Prognostick An obstruction from gross humors may be cured If it be from a Scirrhus or Scar after an Ulcer it is incurable and so the Nipple born without a hole The Cure If it be from thick humors or blood attenuate it with proper things as Fennel Dill Parsley Anniseeds Pease Rocket-seed or Earth-worms made into Caraplasms or Fomentations Often rubbing of the Breasts opens the Milk-veins Chap. 10. Of strange things bred in the Breasts HAirs Stones and Worms have been found in the Breasts A Worm breeds from putrid blood Bald. Ronsaeus miscel epist 10. Lib. de occult na mira c. 12. and is like a hair the same may be in the back and navel as I shewed And a good Author writes That a woman pained in her breasts could not be eased till Imposthumes broke and worms came forth Levinus Lemnius saw Stones that grew in the Breast Chap. 11. Of the Diseases of Nipples THey are either wanting or lie hid one or both which hinders giving suck If it be from the birth it is scarce cured as also when the Nipple is eaten off by an Ulcer When they come forth first Amatus Lusit cur med cent 5. cur 31. use a sucking Instrument and then apply Puppy-dogs to suck If there be no hole from birth or ulcer healed it is incurable if it be a little often sucking will enlarge it The clefts in the Nipples is an usual evil and causeth great pain in Nurses and if it continue long it turns to foul ulcers that they cannot give suck To prevent this evil in the two last months of being with child wear two cups of Wax over the Nipples with a little Rosin They are cured thus with Oyl of Wax Mirtles Oyntment of Lead Tutty Or Take Tutty prepared a scruple Allum half a dram Camphire six grains with Capons-grease and Oyntment of Roses make an Oyntment Or. Take Pomatum an ounce and half Mastich a scruple Powder of Gum Traganth and red Roses each half a scruple Or Take Oyntment of Lead Pomatum each half an ounce Frankincense Bole each half a scruple mix them When the Infant is to suck wash the Breasts first with white Wine and Rose-water That the Child may suck without pain to the woman let her have a Tin or Silver Nipple and cover it with the Pap of a new killed Cow and let the child suck that THE FOURTH BOOK THE THIRD PART THE SECOND SECTION Of the Symptomes of the Breasts Chap. 1. Of want of Milk and not giving Suck THere are many Causes of want of Milk either there is little Blood to breed it or the milk-making Faculty in the Breast that makes Milk is not right or the Instruments for blood-making are distempered Sometimes the matter is consumed by a Feaver or fasting when they loath meat or from care or labour evacuations sweats or loose belly Or from weakness of the Infant that cannot draw hard Also sadness fear and the like may hinder blood from flowing to the Breasts Milk is wanting when the Breasts are flaggy The Signs and swell not and little milk is sucked out The signs of the Causes thus If it be from the Liver there will be signs of its distemper if from great evacuation that is known the fault is known to be in the breasts
a dram Tutty a dram and half Butter washed with Rose-water an ounce Or Take juyce of Beets Celandine each an ounce Hogs-grease two ounces Sulphur a dram Or Take Ceruss Litharge each two drams Pomegranate-flowers and Agarick each a dram with Oyl of Roses and Vinegar make an Oyntment or wash with Soap and then with the Decoction When the skull is bare use Honey of Roses and Spirit of Wine and after round Birthwort and Balsom of Peru and Turpentine with Tobacco-water Chap. 4. Of a Scald Head IF Achores or Favi last long or are ill cured they turn to a Scald which is a scabby Ulcer that corrodes the skin and stinks it is called Tinea or Moth which eats Garments as this doth the flesh Achores are moist ulcers in the head and body Tinea is a dry ulcer in the head only The immediate cause is a salt and sharp humor melancholick from the mothers blood The Causes or bad milk it infecteth others by the clouts or caps Some are like a bran or scurfe with scales The Differences some are slimy and when the scab is off there appears red quick knobs of flesh like the insides of figs some are malignant some not some new some old There are dry scabs in the head The Signs yellow or ash coloured that run little and that which is voided stinketh It is hard to be cured If it be new The Prognostick or the matter yellow or the like it is easier An old Scald ash-coloured and black is stubborn after cure the hair will scarce grow there again because the skin is so hard if it will not grow red after rubbing there is no hopes of hair coming again First The Cure Take off the Scab with cleansers a little sharp and because the humors make the skin dry and thick moisten with Hogs-grease upon Beet or Colewort-leaves Or Take juyce of Fumitory Coleworts Docks Elicampane each an ounce and half Litharge half an ounce with Hoggs-grease Oyl of Rue and Wax make a soft Oyntment When the Child is of age and strong make first universal evacuation with Senna Rhubarb Agarick then take off the Scab with Sulphur two drams Mustard half a dram Stavisacre Briony-roots each a dram Vinegar an ounce Turpentine half an ounce and Bears-grease Or beat Water-cresses with Hogs-grease and apply it the scab will fall off in twenty four hours continue it After the scab is off pull the hair out by the roots with instruments or medicines commonly they use a pitched cap and pull it off violently which bring away the hair Or Take Starch or Wheat-flour two ounces Rosin half an ounce boyl it in water for a Pultis lay it upon the several Scalds and let it stick some days then pluck it off suddenly Then use Emollients that correct the dry distemper Also use things to take the Excrements out that lye deep in the skin As Take Roots of Althaea Docks Lillies each an ounce Mallows Fumitory Sage each two handfuls boyl them in Lye add Vinegar wash the head with it every day Then Take Ostratium Sulphur each half an ounce Oyl of Eggs an ounce with Hogs-grease After that Take Briony and Dock-roots and Elicampane-roots each an ounce Fumitory Celandine Scabious each two handfuls Chamomil and Balm each a handful boyl them in Lye and wash the Head twice a day therewith or foment it then rub the head wiph a course cloth or with Oyl of Staves-acre or of Radish till it grow red to draw out the bad humors that lye deep Then use Tarr and Wax for a Cerot Or Take Salt-peter an ounce Oxymel an ounce and half Or Take quick Brimstone an ounce white Hellebore Staves-acre each two drams with Hogs-grease It is not safe to use Arsenick or Orpiment or Mercury or other poysons that corrode because it is so near the brain Chap. 5. Of Ptiriasis or breeding of Lice LIce are Creatures which breed in cloths that are constantly worn but they are chiefly in children from the excrements of the head All say That filth and nastiness alone is the cause of Lice but I think not for filth alone cannot do it without heat for besides the first qualities there is a hidden force in the matter by which it is disposed to produce a particular species for Fleas and Worms will not breed of that matter which breeds Lice so it is in Plants Heat is the helping cause which raiseth the seminal force and brings it into act and though the matter be putrid it doth not work upon it but as it is somewhat natural Excrements are not presently putrid but there is in them a heat that can raise forming force and though there is some putrefaction yet is it not so great as to hinder the action hence it is that children and women that are hot and moist have many excrements that are fit to breed Lice Gal. oriba Ausc Some meats breed Lice as Figs by their fat juyce which doth naturally tend to the skin and varieties of meats and not cleansing nor combeing The place where Lice breed in children is the skin of the head where they stick fast with the hair especialy if there be scabs The Signs are needless they are manifest The Signs The Prognostick It is a filthy troublesome disease many have them breed all over the Body and some have died by them Sometimes the Lice leave them when they are about to die To prevent breeding Lice let children eat no food of evil juyce especially Figgs let the head be often combed and washed and the matter purged that breeds them with hot dry thin medicines that draw the matter out and consume superfluous moisture The Cure Take heed of Mercury and Arsnick in children but make this Lotion Take round Birthwort Lupines Pine and Cypress-leaves each equal parts boyl them Or Take Elicampane-roots two ounces Briony half an ounce Beets Mercury Soap-wort each a handful Lupines a dram Niter half an ounce boyl them for a Lotion then use this Oyntment Take Powder of Staphisacre three drams of Lupines half an ounce Agarick two drams quick Sulphur a dram and half Ox-gall half an ounce with Oyl of Wormwood there are stronger as white Hellebore and Mercury which are not safe Chap. 6. Hydrocephalus or Swelling of the Head WE spake of this in the water without the Skull Hydrocephalus is from water gathered within the Skull or in the Ventricles of the Brain as when the Childs head in the Womb hangs down or when the Brain is very moist The Signs A tumor from water contained in the brain is less and harder then when it is out of the skull The Prognostick The Cure It is harder to be cured then when it is gathered without the skull and is often deadly They are many medicines mentioned that are good here to be used outwardly and to the nose and ears As Take Snails in their shells thirty Marjoram Mugwort each a handful stampt
and Althaea or anoint with Oyl of Lillies then keep it in with astringents As Take red Roses Pomegranate-peels and flowers Cypress-nuts each half an ounce Sumach Frankincense Mastich each two drams boyl them in red Wine foment with a Spunge then sprinkle on this Powder Take red Roses and Pomegranate-flowers each half a dram Frankincense Mastich each a dram allay it upon a clout and lay it to the Fundament See Lib. 3. Part 2. Sect. 1. Cap. 6. Chap. 28. Of the Stone in the Bladder Lib. 3. par 3. sec 1. c. 6. par 8. sec 1. c. 1. THe stone in the bladder is usual in Infants as that of the kidnies is in elder people How it is cured we shewed before In Infants it is from gross unclean milk made of tough meats this too much taken in causeth crudities fit to breed the stone or pap of Barley-meal and milk may cause it There is also a weakness in the Liver and Stomach when they do not separate unprofitable food but much earthy juyce remains in the chyle that breeds stones Also a hot distemper in the reins by which the chyle is drawn to the bladder and if there be a native hereditary disposition to breed the stone an earthy part is in the humor which makes the urine thick this is in bigger Boyes more then in Infants They piss by drops with itching and pain the urine is stopt often and that which is pissed is like clear water white or like milk or whey sometimes blood is pissed and the yard often stands It increaseth daily if it be not opposed The Prognostick and cannot be cured without cutting which is dangerous for young or old Prevent the breeding of it when you see the least disposition to it The Cure Let the belly be alwaies kept loose and the Nurse eat no gross slimy food make a bath of the decoction of Althaea Mallows Pellitory Parsley Dill Foenugreek Lineseed then anoint the bladder with Althaea Oyl of Lillies and Scorpions and apply a Cataplasm of Pellitory boyled with Oyl of Lillies A Powder Take Magistery of Crabs-eyes Lib. 3. pra decal ves white Amber goats-Goats-blood prepared each a scruple with Parsley-water give it often Or give two drops of spirit of Vitriol with half a dram of Cypress Turpentine Chap. 29. Of Difficulty and Stoppage of Urine THere are many causes in ripe age that are mentioned but in Infants they are chiefly two causes the thick humor that breeds the Stone that makes a Strangury and Dysury and the Stone that stops the bladder It is voided by drops and the child cries The Signs and the Urine is thick you may try with the Catheter if there be a Stone If it be not presently cured The Prognostick it turns to the Stone and all natural evacuation in Children being stopt is dangerous The Cure It is as in the Stone you must evacuate humors from the first passages with Honey of Roses Cassia Turpentine foment and anoint as before with Grass-water Rest-harrow Dropwort-water and decoction of red Pease Or Take the blood of an Hare an ounce Saxifrage-roots six drams calcine them give from a scruple to half a dram with white Wine or Saxifrage-water Chap. 30. Of not holding the Urine SOme piss not only in their sleep but alwayes because the muscle that should close the orifice of the bladder is weak and when much water pricks it it suffers it to come forth sometimes a stone in the Bladder hurts the Sphincter so that it cannot do its duty The cause of weakness is a cold humor and moist from gross tough meats from gluttony and the like The Signs It cannot be known in Infants but it may in elder children that know they ought not piss a bed The Prognostick If it come by custome it turns to an habit or a disease and is hard to be cured in ripe years if it be from distemper is easie to be cured The Cure Alter the cold and moist distemper dry and consume the flegm let the Nurse have a hot drying diet with Sage Hysop Marjoram let not the child drink much keep the Belly Outwardly anoint the Region of the Bladder with Oyl of Castus Orris and other driers make a Bath of Sulphur Allum and Oak-leaves or use Sulphur or Allum-baths give this Powder Take Hogs-bladders burnt roasted stones of a Hare Cocks throats roasted each half a dram Acrons two scruples Nip Mace each a scruple give half a dram with Oak-leaves-water See Lib. 3. Part 8. Sect. 2. Cap. 6. Chap. 31. Of chafing in the Hips called Intertrigo IT is the separation of the Scarf-skin from the true in the Hips that causeth pain and unquietness It is from sharp Piss The Causes when the clouts are not changed often in such as are fat to whom filth sticks easily The skin is off and it looks red The Signs The Prognostick It is troublesome by reason of the pain and causeth want of sleep and ulcerateth if it be not cured Change the clouts often The Cure wash and cleanse the child often sprinkle on this fine Powder Of Litharge of Silver seeds and leaves of Roses burnt Allum and Frankincense or anoint with white Oyntment and Diapompholigos Chap. 32. Of Leanness and Fascination SOmetimes children and men grow lean the elder from Feavers Consumptions and other diseases but children pine away and the cause is not known and though they eat and perform other actions they are not nourished nor grow The Causes The causes of Consumption in Infants are little or bad milk by which no blood is bred fit to nourish the body so that they thrive not till they change the Nurse The second is worms that sucks away the nourishment The third is worms about the body without as in the Back Arms or Legs and all parts these are very small and breed in musculous parts and stick in the skin and never come wholly out but after rubbing in baths they put forth their heads like black hairs and run in when they feel the cold air they breed of slimy matter shut up in the capillar veins which turns to worms from transpiration hindred The fourth cause in the opinion of people is fascination or witchcraft either from the eyes of Witches or by vapors or by touch or by words from a Witch these are alledged by many Authors I neither allow nor plainly deny all these waies of fascination though it is not credible that a child should suffer by words or looks only I deny not but diseases may be sent from sick bodies to others as the Leprosie the French Pox Consumption and the like and many infect Infants And I believe that they may be hurt by Witches and malitious persons by the help of the Devil and Gods permission Bas in hode invidia as Basil the Great writeth for wicked people make a league with the Devil that they may hurt such as they look enviously
with it to the veins of the womb and stops them This thick blood comes from a cold distemper of the stomach liver and spleen from thick and gross food and drinking cold water when the Terms flow Lib. de venae sec adversus Erasistrat So thought Galen in his time of the Roman women that drank Snow-water and had few or no courses Straightness is when the body of the womb is made thicker either by Nature or other causes as a cold and dry or hot and dry distemper Thirdly Straitness is from compression of the vessels by a Scirrhus or hardness of the parts adjacent as the straight gut or by the stone in the bladder and the womb displaced Fourthly The flesh may grow together by a membrane that grows to the vessels or a scar after a wound Or after a mischance when the veins annexed to the Secundine grow so together that they cannot be opened of which in the first Question They are not the same in women and Virgins The Signs for blood stopt in Virgins goes to and fro changeth the colour and brings Feavers especially the white Feaver or Green-sickness But in women it goes more to the womb and brings Symptomes loathing vomiting and Pica Galen hath other signs as heaviness 8. De lo. aff c. 5. a lazy pain in the loyns neck and behind in the head that reacheth to the roots of the eyes from the spreading of the blood stopt through the whole body This laziness is chiefly in the thighs and leggs by reason of the veins there consenting with the womb And are of a green complexion and hairy with a beard and shrill voice You may know women with child from such as want their Terms only by proper signs First the women with child keep their colour but the other are pale and ill-coloured they are merry the other sad 2. Their Symptoms daily grow milder but in the other they daily grow worse 3. You may feel the child move 4. It is perceived in a month You shall know from what causes the terms are stopt thus If the Liver be cold there is no blood made that is superfluous and there are signs of a cold Liver and you may know that blood is not sent to the Womb when there is no heaviness pain or tumor about the Womb the Liver or Spleen are stopt The Prognostick If it be from Flegm or Melancholy which is often there are signs of their abounding as laziness paleness seldom pulse crude urin Hippoc. de morb mulier Gal. 6. de loc aff c. 5. Hippoc. 5. aphor 23. Hippocrates saith That if the Terms stop there are diseases in the Womb Tumors Imposthumes Ulcers and Barrenness and diseases in the whole Body Green-sickness Leucophlegmacy Dropsie Vomiting of blood Heart-ach Cough And the longer they have been stopt the harder they are to be opened If the blood stopt go out at the Nose it is good If it have great Symptoms there is fear of death You must not give Medicines to move the terms to extenuate lean persons nor to such as want blood and have a weak Liver but they must be fed high Com. in 6. epid 3. c. 29. First see if blood abound and then after a Lenitive open a Vein and let that blood which is in the Veins be drawn to the Womb. Galen took three pints of blood at three times from a lean Woman and cured her of an old stopping of the Terms You must open the Ankle-veins the first day the right the next the left four or five daies before the time Or you may cup and scarrifie the Legs And bind the parts below and rub them after general Evacuation opening of the Haemorrhoids doth hurt and so do Issues because they draw from the Womb. Hiera picra half an ounce or Pills de Tribus or Hiera simple are good first Then prepare As Take water of Mugwort Calamints Maiden-hair each three ounces Syrup of the five Roots and of Mugwort each two ounces make it for two Doses Or Take opening Roots half an ounce Madder Burnet each three ounces Mugwort Bettony Germander Calamints each a handful red Pease half a handful flowers of Bugloss Dill each a pugil boil and sweeten it with Sugar For flegmatick Bodies take the Decoction of Guajacum Sassaphras Dittany for fifteen daies without sweating Then evacuate with Agarick Mechoacan Turbith Scammony Coloquintida black Hellebore As Take Agarick two drams infuse it in Mugwort-water two ounces Oxymel an ounce strain and the Extract of Mechoacan a scruple Or Take opening Roots half an ounce Mugwort Bettony each two pugils Senna half an ounce Agarick two drams Fennel and Aniseed each a scruple Galangal half a dram Rosemary-flowers a pugil infuse them to three ounces and half add syrup of Senna an ounce and half Cinnamon-water half a dram Or if they drink Wine Take Turbith Mechoacan Agarick each two drams Senna an ounce and half Maiden-hair Balm Rosemary each two pugils Cinnamon Galangal each a dram hang them in Wine give six ounces with half an ounce of Manna Or Take Diaturbith with Rhubarb half an ounce Mechoacan two drams Agarick a dram Diarrhodon Cinnamon each half a dram Steel prepared a dram with Raisons make an Electuary give as much as a Walnut Or give Pills of Agarick foetida and so continue purging and preparing if the matter be stubborn Or Take Agarick two drams Madder a dram with Syrup of Mugwort make Pills Or Take Aloes three drams de Tribus one dram with juyce of Savin make Pills If the stomach is foul give a Vomit lest it get into the veins Par. 1. sec 2. ca. 2. Then give provokers of the Terms which are hot and thin about the time they used to flow they are three degrees in strength and many sorts of Medicines are made of them A Powder Take Cinnamon a dram Amber a scruple Saffron half a scruple Or Take Troches of Mirrh of Wall-flowers each a scruple Saffron five grains Or Take Castor Penny-royal each a scruple with Wine or proper Waters Physical Wine Take Madder-roots an ounce Orris half an ounce Balm Penny-royal Mugwort Rosemary each a handful Wall-flowers half a pugil Cinnamon an ounce Galangal half an ounce with Wine give four ounces Or Take the Decoction of red Pease Or Take Smallage Fennel-roots each half an ounce Mugwort Bettony Penny-royal Balm each a handful red Pease half an handful Juniper-berries half an ounce Wall-flowers a pugil boil and sweeten it Or Take ten ounces of it with three ounces of Mugwort for three doses Quercetan commends this Take Gromwel-seeds Anise Misleto of the Oak each three drams Dittany a dram Saffron a scruple bruise and keep them twenty four hours in Wine then boyl them give four ounces for three daies together Or make the Womans Aqua vitae Or Take Balm Bettony Penny-royal Mugwort Nep Motherwort Dittany each four handfuls Wine thirty pints distil them add three handfuls of each herbs and distil them again
come from worms give things that kill worms with Piony-roots and the like If there be a Feaver respect that also Give Coral Smaradgs and Elkes-hoof In the fit give Epileptick-water as Lavender-water and rub with the Oyl of Amber or hang a Piony-root Elkes-hoof or Smaradg about the neck Of a Convulsion This is when the brain labors to cast out what troubles it The matter is in the marrow of the back and fountain of the nerves It is a stubborn disease and often kills In the fit wash the body especially the back-bone with decoction of Althaea Lilly-roots Piony Chamomil-flowers And anoint with Mans and Goose-grease Oyl of Worms Orris Lillies Foxes Ex Paulo Aegineta Turpentine Mastich Storax calamite The Sun flower is good boiled in water for to wash the Child Chap. 11. Of Strabismus or Squint-eyes THis is when they lie in the Cradle with their head from the light or on one side and they still look towards the light which causeth distortion of the eyes or it may come from the Epilepsie or by Birth The Prognostick If by birth it is not curable nor if it come from an Epilepsie If it come from custome and be new it is curable The Cure Lib. 1. par 3. c. 43. You must put a Candle on the contrary side or a Picture so long till the Eyes come to be right Chap. 12. Of Pain in the Ears Inflammation Moisture Ulcers and Worms OF these in the first Book But here we shall speak of Infants The Brain in them is very moist and hath many excrements which Nature cannot send out at its proper passages these get often to the ears and cause pain and flux of blood with inflammation and matter with pain The Signs In children pain and inflammation are hard to be known they canot relate it only it is known by constant crying and feeling their ears and will not let others touch them sometimes the parts about the Ears are red It is dangerous because it brings watching The Prognostick Hipp. 1. prog c. 16. The Cure and Epilepsie the moisture breeds worms there and fouls the spungy bones and at length deafness incurable Presently allay the pain but children must not have strong remedies Only use warm milk about the ears Oyl of Violets or the Decoction of Poppy tops To take away moisture use Honey of Roses and Aqua Mellis to be dropt into the Ears Or Take Virgins Honey half an ounce red Wine two ounces Allum Saffron Salt-peter each a dram mix them at the fire Or drop in Hemp-seed-Oyl with a little Wine Chap. 13. Of the Thrush Bladders in the Gums and Inflammation of the Tonsils THese are from bad milk or from foul humors in the stomach for the mouth is tender and cannot endure the sharp milk nor the vapors from the stomach because the coat is the same as in Lib. 2. Par. 1. Cap. 18. The bladders in the gums are thus cured Take Lentils husked powder them lay it upon the gums Or Take Melium in flour half an ounce with Oyl of Roses make a Liniment The inflammation of the Tonsils is more from eleven to thirteen for then the parts are harder and hold the humours longer and they cannot sweat out For Cure keep the belly loose by Clysters Hipp. 3. aph 26. or the like use Repellers at first then Resolvers with Repellers and at last Resolvers alone but not too hot in age Gargles are best in Infants anoint with Honey of Roses Mirtles Pomegranates Diamoron inwardly Outwardly use Oyl of sweet Almonds Lib. 2. Par. 1. cap. 22. Chamomil St. Johns-wort c. Chap. 14. Of Breeding of Teeth THis is a necessary evil in all children and very great by reason of the variety of symptoms joyned with it It is about the seventh month first the fore-teeth then the eye-teeth and last of all the grinders First they feel an itching in their gums then they are pierced as with a needle and pricked by the sharp bones whence is great pain watching and inflamation of gums Feaver loosness and convulsions especially when they breed their eye-teeth The Signs First It is known by the usual time as the beginning of the seventh month Also they put their fingers in their mouths to allay pain 3. They hold the nipple faster then before 4. The gum is white where the tooth begins to come and there are divers Symptomes mentioned before The Feaver that follows breeding of teeth comes from cholerick humors inflamed by watching pain and heat The Prognostick The longer teeth are breeding the greater the danger so that many dye of Feavers or Convulsions They are best that have their belly loose These have no Convulsion Hipp. lib. de dentitio and a Feaver consumes the humors Hard breeding of teeth is from thickness of the gums therefore mollifie and loosen them The Cure rub them with the finger dipt in Butter and Honey or a Virgin Wax Candle is to be chewed upon Or anoint with Mucilage of Quinces made with Mallow-water or with the brains of a Hare Foment the cheek with the decoction of Althaea and Chamomil-flowers and Dill or with juyce of Mallows and fresh Butter If the gums are inflamed add juyce of Nightshade and Lettice Let the Nurse keep a temperate dyet inclining to cold as Barley-broaths or Water-grewel rear Eggs Prunes Lettice Endive Avoid salt sharp biting and peppered meats and Wine Chap. 15. Of Loosing of the Tongue and of the Frog WHen the Tongue is tyed they cannot freely suck This must be done by skilful Artists or use this Liniment Take clarified Honey and boyl it up gently till it may be powdered Then take yolks of hard Eggs dryed in a glass in an Oven till they may be powdered a dram Frankincense and Mastich each a scruple burnt Allum fix grains with Honey of Roses make a Liniment The Frog is when the veins under the tongue are filled with bad blood and if flegm sweat out and stick in the passages there is a tumor like Mushrooms which causeth stammering It is cured thus Take Cuttle-bone Sal-gem Pepper each a dram burnt Spunge three drams make a Powder or with Honey a Liniment rub under the tongue Lay under the chin a Plaister of Goose-dung and Honey boyled in Wine till the Wine be consumed Chap. 16. Of Catarrh Cough and difficult Breathing Lib. 1. Par. 2. c. 34. WE have spoken of these before but because Hippocrates reckons them in childrens diseases I shall touch upon them The Causes The general Cause of a Catarrh in a child is a moist brain and much milk that burdens the stomach from whence many vapors fill the brain and if the brain be full of excrements it is easily dissolved or melted either by heat or cold and goes to the nose jaws or lungs which cause a Cough or Asthma Moreover much food makes crudities in the first passages and flegmatick blood is bred of crudity and thick chyle
in the Liver This is sent by the arterial vein into the lungs and pressing the Bronchia or pipes of the lungs causeth difficult breathing and Asthma The Signs It is known to be from a hot humor if it be thin they often sneese the face is red and the jaws the breath is short and the Nurse finds it in her nipples If difficulty of breathing come from the head there will be cough and snorting in breathing and a noise in the lungs when the air passeth not freely through them If it come from the parts below there is neither Catarrh nor Cough but hardness about the Liver and a tumor The Prognostick In Children a great Catarrh with short breath is hard to be cured because they cannot take Physick First let it and the Nurse keep a good diet The Cure fill not the stomach with milk nor other diet but let the Nurse forbear sharp salt peppered sour things and things that fill the head with vapors And give her a Pectoral Decoction Take Figs Jujubes each ten Sebestens thirty Raisens stoned ten drams Liquorish two drams Maidenhair Hysop Violets each half an ounce boyl them in three pints of Water to the consumption of the third part Let her take six ounces every morning Keep the belly open with Syrup of Roses or Cassia or a Clyster with Oyl of sweet Almonds with Sugar-candy or juyce of Fennel with Milk or hold down the Tongue and provoke Vomiting Give Syrup of Jujubes Maiden-hair If the matter be thick give Syrup of Hysop or Horehound or an Emulsion of Oyl of sweet Almonds Pine-nuts Scabious-water Or give a Lohoch of Diaireoes Diatragacanth frigid Penides with Sprup of Jujubes If it be hot give Emulsions of the four great cold Seeds with Mallows Pellitory with Diatragacanth frigid To dry up the matter lay outwardly a stuph of Hemp hot and sprinkled with powder of red Roses and Frankincense Apply Basil and Marjoram to the Nose to make it sneese Chap. 17. Of the Hickets IT comes from corruption of the food in the stomach or from milk filling it or from cold air these hurt the expulsive faculty and it is stirred up to expel what is hurtful If it come from repletion of milk The Signs the belly swells and there is vomiting after If from corruption of milk the Nurse hath bad milk the child cries and is pained and the excrements smell of stinking milk The Prognostick Hickets is commonly not dangerous in children and cease when the cause is taken away If it be from a vehement cause and goes to the nerves there follows a Convulsion or Epilepsie and death That from corruption of nourishment is cured by Vomit with a feather dipt in Oyl to tickle the throat then strengthen the stomach with hot things As Syrup of Mints Bettony and fomet it with decoction of Mints Organ Wormwood then anoint with Oyl of Mints Mastich Dill. Or Take Mastich an ounce Frankincense Dill-seed each two drams Cummin-seed a dram with juyce of Mints and Flax apply them to the stomach There is a disease like the Hickets in children from anger or grief when the Spirits are much stirred and run from the heart to the Diaphragma forceably and hinder or stop the breath Sometimes they have a shril voice the Spirits suddenly breaking forth but when the passion ceaseth this Symptom ceaseth Chap. 18. Of Vomiting IT is from too much milk or bad milk or from flegm that falls from the head to the stomach but this is seldom in children It is often from a moist loose stomach for as driness retains so loosness le ts go If it be from much milk they are better after vomiting The Cure If it be from corruption of milk that which is vomited is yellow green or otherwise ill coloured and stinking worms are known by their signs It is for the most part without danger in children and they that vomit from their birth The Prognostick are the lustiest for the stomach being not used to meat and milk being taken too much oftentimes crudities are easily bred or the milk is corrupted and it is better to vomit these up then keep them in If Vomiting last long it causeth Atrophy When it is from too much milk give it less The Cure if it be from corrupt milk amend it as I shewed Cleanse the Child with Honey of Roses and strengthen the Stomach with Syrup of Mints Quinces Or Take Wood-Aloes Coral Mastich each half a dram Galangal half a scruple with Syrup of Quinces make a Linctus If the humor be sharp and hot give Syrup of Pomegranates Currans Coral Apply to the Belly the Plaister of Bread the Stomach-Cerot or Bread dipt in Wine hot Or Take Oyl of Mastich Quinces Mints Wormwood each half an ounce of Nutmegs by expression half a dram Chymical Oyl of Mints three drops Coral half an occult propriety therefore it is hung about their necks Chap. 19. Of the Torments or Pains of the Belly IT is often with the flux of the belly and from milk alone that breeds wind and sharp humors When it is corrupted it gets to the guts and causeth a gnawing pain worms staying in the guts do the same The Signs They cry continually hate the breast and toss to and fro If it be from wind it ceaseth sometimes the belly swells and they break wind If it be from humors it is constant if it be tough flegm the belly is bound and the dung is slimy If it be sharp there is a flux yellow and green If from worms there are signs of them and of crudities and wind The Prognostick If this pain lasts long they are weak or have Convulsions or Epilepsie it is worse then from corrupt milk and worms and is dangerous The Cure If it be from crude humors and wind give a Clyster Take Pellitory Chamomil-flowers each a handful boyl them in Chicken broath two three or four ounces add Honey of Roses an ounce with the yolk of an Egg make a Clyster This may be given safely to a child of two months old Or give Oyl of sweet Almonds with Sugar-candy and a scruple of Aniseeds Heur meth ad prax l. 2. c. 26. it purgeth new born Babes from green choler and stinking flegm If it be given with Sugar Pap it allays the crying pains of the belly Anoint the belly with Oyl of Dill or lay Pellitory stampt with Oyl of Chamomil to the belly Or Take Chamomil-flowers Dill-tops each a handful Faenugreek and Lineseed each half an ounce boyl them in Wine foment the belly twice a day before meat If pain be from corrupt milk that is sharp give Syrup of Roses or Honey of Roses or Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb or a Clyster of the Decoction of Bran Pellitory with Syrup of Roses And use outwardly Oyl of Roses Dill and Chamomil Chap. 20. Of puffing up of the Belly and Hypochondria WHen they suck too much the belly is