things prove ineffectuall infuse a whole night six graines of Antimony in wine and let her drinke it if her body be strong enough to abide the conflict of the medicine for besides that it draws back the humours from the Matrix by provoking to Vomit it likewise purgeth away by stool that tenacious phlegmatick and thick humour which is the cause of the Disease Wormewood beere is not unwholsome for her or instead thereof prescribe to her beer wherein China roots have been infused for this disperseth the humour to the skin and dries up the superfluous moisture for the same purpose we advise with Galen that a Bath of hot sand be prepared that after the use thereof the body be well rubbed and anointed with honey heated by the fire then as we prescribed above make an Issue in her knee CHAP. V. Of the Complication of the Menstrunm with other Diseases THe Complication of the Menstruum with other Diseases is hard to be known and not easie to be cured for if any woman be sick of any Disease and if her Courses be supprest or appeare not the Physitians are at a stand what is most fit during this Judication to be done for if we follow the motions of Nature who worketh rightly and open a vein in the ankle this will not cure the Disease which is rooted in the upper parts And if you draw bloud from the arme you pervert the course and order of Nature to the great disadvantage of the sick woman But you will say in such a case as this what is to be done I shall tell you in few words The Disease is either vehement or moderate and of long continuance if the Courses appeare or come down in a disease of long continuance you may defer the opening of a vein till a more convenient season be it either a vein in the arme or in the ankle which you intended to cut for you can doe no hurt by omitting or at least suspending this remedy But if the Disease be acute and require a speedy evacuation you must observe whither the Menstruum be answerable to the plentie of bloud which abounds in the body if her Courses come down according to the prescription of Hippocrates you must not be busie but leave the whole matter to Nature of the same opinion is Galen also for saith he if at that time when you are letting bloud it should so fall out that her Courses come down or that she should on a sudden have the Piles you must desist from phlebotomy and commit the whole businesse to Nature if you are satisfied that the Menstruum commeth away in a sufficient quantity but otherwise take from her so much bloud as may make good the deficiency of her Courses But if a burning Fever be upon her if she have not her Courses according to custome and to the satisfaction of her own desires then this defect must be supplied with medicines by opening a veine in her ankle applying Cuppinglasses with scarification to the calfes of her legs or Leeches to the Hemorrhoids to take away the superfluity of the bloud One thing must be considered namely if a woman after her delivery have a burning Fever upon her her Courses actually flowing whither it be lawfull in regard of the vehemence of the Fever to open the upper veines Fernelius Valeriola Amatus Lusitanus and divers others of good account assent the lawfulnesse and expediency thereof for although some have imagined that if the upper veines be opened the bloud will ascend to the upper parts yet if it be true which they imagine more profit and advantage will accrew thereby to the sick woman then hurt or danger for when a veine in the ankle is cut although it bring down the Courses and supply the defective motion of Nature in respect of the part particularly affected yet is it not equally prevalent against a most vehement inflâ—mmation nor altogether so profitable in a most acute disease because the bloud must be drawn out from some vessell that is nearer to the part affected that the conjunctive cause may be taken away and although by cutting a vein in the ankle we can draw the whole masse of bloud out of the body yet the bloud is not so fitly taken from one part as from another for in a Quinsey or a Pleurisey 't is more commodious to open the Basilick veine to temper the heat then any other veine in the whole body CHAP. VI. Of hard swellings in the Breasts THe Breasts are naturally thin spongy or fungous and loose for this reason they are apt to entertaine any crude and melancholy humours flowing to them either from the Matrix or from any other parts these if they are not rightly and duly expelled they breed painefull yea malignant and cankerd Vlcers wherefore you must addresse your selfe to the Cure without any truce or delay and this consists in three things in prescribing a Diet in the manuall operations of Surgery and in outward and inward Medicines Let her therefore make choise of a pure ayre let her drink be small beer boiled with annise and snakeweed let her meat be of good concoction and easie distribution as Mutton broth Cock broth and rosted Chickens let her avoid meats that thicken the bloud as milke cheese bacon fish and the like open a veine if she have not her Courses in her ankle or cut the Basilicâ— veine twice or thrice to ease the Liver the Spleen and the Kidneys as the multitude oâ— bloud shall require it Note that the humour must be prepared and attempted with this Apozem Take the roots of Succhory Polipody of each an ounce The barke of the root of the Caper anâ— Tamarisk tree of each halfe an ounce The leaves of Buglos Fumitary Balme of each a handfull Two drams of Fennill seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantitie oâ— barley water to two pints and to the strained liquor add Syrupe of Borage Syrupe of â—umitary of each an ounce and a halfe Ten graines of Spirit of Vitriol Mingle them and make an Apozem Because the humour is thick and dreggish you must purge her body severall times till it be perfectly cleansed this may be done with this decoction following Take an ounce of Polypody of the oake The leaves Fumitary Hops Borage Endive of each a handfull Epithymum Century the less of each halfe a handfull Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Barley water to two pints and in the strained liquor infuse a whole night An ounce of Sena Foure drams of Rubarb Agarick Troch Creame of Tartar of each two drams Epithymum and The flowers of borage buglos and rosemary of each as many as you can grasp between your thumb and two fingers at twice Two drams of annise seeds In the morning give it one or two bublings straine and presse it and to the liquor add Syrupe of violets Syrupe of fumitary of each an ounce Make an Apozem or Take the leaves of buglos Fumitary of each a
much moisture in that part whereby the Matrix becomes soft and loose 't is needlesse to set down any signes whereby to know this disease for of it selfe it is conspicuous Yet in the meane time you must not let passe any opportunity of help because it is accompanied with a diuturnall Fever many times with Convulsion Fits and a trembling of the parts Wherefore if the disease proceed from an excesse of moisture prescribe a drying dietâ— and open the basalick veine for Revulsion sake A purge must by no meanes be granted her for 't is exceeding hurtfull because it precipitates the humours to the part affected and there breeds an inflammation but a Vomit is very proper in this case because by drawing the humours to some other part it doth derive them from the Matrix When you have done these things labour to settle the Matrix in its former place and to this purpose the woman must be laid upon her bed with her legs stretched out then the Matrix must be gently bathed with mollifying fomentations afterwards to the end it may not fall down againe rub the parts well tye ligatures upon her armes yea apply stinking things to her Matrix as assa faetida galbanum Castor and stinking pisse but to the nose hold sweet things as musk civet and amber When you have thus done dry up the moisture digest the slimy humour and expell the winde with this Fomentation Take half an ounce of tormentill The leaves of wormewood Mint Sage Penniroyall of each two handfulls The flowers of Camomile Red roses of each a handfull Burnt alum Live Sulphur of each three drams Boile them in sowre red wine to three pints and with the strained liquor bath her secret parts After the fomentation lay on this plaister Take two ounces of Emplastrum pro matrice Pitch Gummi laranne of each a dram Two drams of the Trochischs de Gallia Moschata The powder of red roses Red Corall Acornes of each a dram and a halfe With a sufficient quantity of wax make a Masse and spread it upon a piece of leather cut into a convenient forme If it cannot be reduced to its naturall site and position by the dexterity of the hand but begins to mortifie by the inclemency of the ayre cut it off and afterwards fasten it by actuall Cauterizing onely be carefull of some ligaments and feare not the incision because it is none of those principall parts without which we can live no longer but it is a part intended by Nature for Conception onely and generation Avicen reports of some women who lived eighteen yeares without a Matrix and the possibility hereof we affirme to be true upon our owne experience CHAP. VIII Of an Itch Clefts Chaps and an Inflammation in the Matrix AN Inflammation in the Matrix is a preternaturall swelling arising from a hot bloud or from the suppression of the Menstruum in the hollow parts thereof The Causes of this swelling are either inward or outward the inward Causes are a great plenitude or fulnesse of the whole body begot by a hot distemper of the Liver and the veines By the vehemence of this distemper the bloud it selfe is compelled in a large proportion to the Matrix and thus the retained bloud being no wayes able to get out either putrifies or else without putrifying produceth an inflammation sometimes also an Vlcer in the Matrix or clefts or chaps or the Piles doe most speedily draw the bloud unto them by reason of the paine and heat The outward Causes are a fall a blow a stroke a hard labour immoderate coition and the like which weakning the Matrix the bloud flowes unto it and settles there without resistance after this inflammation in the Matrix there followes an acute Fever bred of the putrifaction of the bloud which Fever Galen saith must be numbred among the continuall Fevers She complaines of a great paine in her head by reason of vapours ascending from her Matrix also her eyes ake and her neck is drawn to one side her stomack is affected by consent with nauseating vomiting and a griping paine and from hence many times proceeds a paine in her back and idle talking the excrements are suppressed by the compression of the straight gut and from hence comes a difficulty to make water or a pissing by drops Every one knoweth how dangerous and mortall this disease is by reason of the consent which it hath with the parts aforesaid wherefore you must presently addresse your selfe to the Cure first prescribing a thin and cold Diet which Hippocrates enjoynes to be observed in all Fevers and inflammations and afterwards opening a veine Many Physitians have been puzled to finde out Galens meaning who first commands the Basilick veine to be cut Secondly the Saphena or veine in the ankle but the reason is obvious for whereas in the beginning of the disease the body is full he prescribed the opening of the basilick veine to expedite the Revulsion otherwise he had drawn the humours by a precipitate motion to the part affected and so superinduced an inflammation When this is done he proceeds to lessen the predominancy of the bloud by cutting a veine in the ankle and not without sound reason for by the proximity or nearnesse of that part the labouring parts are soonest disburthened A Purge is in this case inconvenient by reason of the inflammation of the part and the drawing faculty of the purging simples Glysters may be profitable both to bring away the antecedent cause and also to free the afflicted part from the peccant matter Make them by this example Take the leaves of Violets Mallowes Beet of each a handfull The flowers of dwarfelder Violets of each a handfull Roses Prunes ten in number The seeds of Melons Cucumbers Citrons Gourds of each two drams Boile them in a sufficient quantity of whole barley water to nine ounces to the strained liquor add Two ounces of Electuarium lenitivum Oyle of Roses Oyle of Violets of each an ounce Mingle them and make a glyster To appease the paine you may mingle Topicall remedies with the Anodynall and apply them Take the leaves of Mallowes Violets of each a handfull Boile them to softnesse then set them into an oven and dry them beat them to powder sift them and to the sifted matter add The whites of two eggs beaten together The meale of marish mallowes Unsalted butter Oyle of Violets of each an ounce Two drams of Opium dissolved in wine vinegar Mingle them and make a Poultis or Take foure ounces of the crums of whitâ— bread The whites of two egs Oyntment of Roses Oyntment of Poplars of each an ounce Two scruples of Saffron Mingle them and make a Poultis This Inflammation will either be dissolved or hasten to suppuration you may guesse by the vehemence of the fever when it will dissolve for seeing that the greatnesse of the fever doth accompany the greatnesse of the inflammation if the fever remit which depends upon the
seeds Boile them to nine ounces in a sufficient quantity of a decoction of an old hen and to the strained liquor add Two ounces of honey of roses strained An ounce of new butter Make a Glyster This being given you must strengthen the stomack with the stomachicall Plaister already prescribed and with these Lozenges Take a dram of aromaticum rosatum in the species Red corall and pearl prepared of each half a dram With two ounces and a halfe of white Sugar dissolved in a sufficient quantity of rose water make little Lozenges according to Art or Take old Conserve of red roses Roman wormewood The Conserve of Quinces of each an ounce Halfe an ounce of the Conserve of Acacia A dram and a halfe of aromaticum rosatum in the species A dram of the Trochichs de carabe Two scruples of red corall prepared With a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Pomegranets make a mixture Sometimes the Vomiting is accompanied with yexing and they both proceed from the same causes and therefore may both be cured with the same remedies but if it be of long continuance the most rationall and best grounded proceeding is to apply a Cuppinglasse to the mouth of the stomack with a mighty flame After all these follow two more namely spitting of Bloud and a Cough the former whereof is cured by cutting a veine in the Ankle which kinde of remedy is approved by Hippocrates in the thirty two Aphorisme of his fifth book saying a woman is freed from spitting or vomiting bloud if the menstruum breake forth and frequent experience justifies this truth for divers women by the omission hereof as Galen hath observed in his booke of Letting Bloud fell into the Tissick and other most lamentable diseases But the Cough is twofold either dry or moist the cause of the former is a certaine contagious vapour communicated to the spiritous parts provoking the Midriffe the Lungs and the other instruments of breathing to expell whatsoever is faultie and offensive the cause of the latter is a crude and raw humour ascending up from the Matrix to the Chest and sticking fast unto it This is cured by rubbing the parts and tying straight Ligatures about them by Pessaries Glysters Cuppinglasses opening a veine in her ankle by Electuaries Ptisans expectorating Potions to cleanse away the bad humour by laying on Emplâ—strum Resumptivum Pectorale or Vnguentum de Althaea among which you must mingle Cummin seeds and Saffron After the same manner Women in Child-bed are troubled to fetch their breath because by a mutuall and frequent stretching and compression of the Chest the vapours are transmitted to the Lungs and they who feele themselves molested with such vapours do seldome escape that Cough we last mentioned Moreover to this Catalogue belongeth the Pleurisie which is a most acute and therefore a most dangerous disease this you may discerne by these signes following an acute and burning Fever a Cough difficultie to fetch breath a pricking paine and a hard pulse Open a veine and you overcome this without any further remedy but the question will be in what part of the body I answer if it be a most violent Pleurisie that torments the sick if her Courses come down after a right manner and yet the evill abates not then cut a veine in her ankle but if this availe not so as the Patients life is now in danger then open a veine in her arme especially if she be full of bloud that the vitious humour may be drawn away from the inflamed place and seasonably evacuated this advice of mine is justified by the approbation of Mercurialis Mercatus Alphonsus a Castro Meschius Valeriola and the leared Zacutus Lusitanus neither will it be incovenient if you interchange this administration of phlebotomy namely first to draw bloud from the ankle then from the arme then from the ankle againe and so keeping turnes as need shall require for thus you will give ease both to the part inflamed and likewise to the Matrix which is the part mandant or that from whence the evill is communicated and distributed to the other regions This being carefully performed your next designe must be to mitigate and take away the paine with fomentations liniments Electuaries and Ptisans Take an ounce of the roots of marish mallowes The leaves of mallowes marish mallows and white Maidenhaire of each a handfull Halfe a hundfull of the flowers of dwarf-elder Annise and Line seeds of each halfe an ounce Boyle them in water to a quart and give her the strained liquor to drinke at severall times then Take a dram of unguentum de Althaea The Axungia of a hen and new butter of each halfe an ounce Two ounces of oyle of sweet Almonds Mingle them and make an oyntment then Take Syrup of Violets compound and Syrup of Maidenhaire of each an ounce and a halfe Mingle them and make a mixture to be licked from the point of a knife Afterwards Take two ounces of cleansed barley An ounce of raisins pickt stoned and washt Two drams of the best Licoras Boile them in raine water to a quart and give her the strained liquor to drinke Note that in all diseases of the Membranes the upper part of the throate and the Jawes yea and in the Falling-Sicknesse the Apoplexy the Palsie and the Convulsions you must begin the Cure by letting bloud if plentie of bloud give occasion to the Disease The swelling of the feet is the last of all those Symptomes which invade a woman after her Delivery and this proceeds from a disorderly and negligent Diet during the time of her being with Childe for by that meanes raw humours are bread in her body which after her Delivery settle in her legs as being cold parts full of nerves and far distant from the Liver which is the fountaine of bloud in which places you shall perceive soft kinde of swellings which being crusht down retaine the print of your fingers This must be cured with strengthning administrations and such medicines as are good to expell the raw humours and likewise with such as will moderately binde for should you give her strong binders you would thereby allure the humours towards the upper parts therefore to avoide that errour prepare this Bath following Take two ounces of marish mallow roots The leaves of mallowes Mint Wormewood Sage Rosemary of each two handfulls The leaves of red roses and camomile Of each a handfull An ounce of Laurell Berries Saltpeter Sulphur of each half an ounce Boile them to eight pints in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been often quenched and let her put her feet into the strained liquor Then take the dreggish substance which remaines after the straining of the said liquor and add to it The meale of Orobus And Lupines of each three ounces Foure ounces of Oxymel With a sufficient quantity of brine made with the juice of Lemmons reduce them into the forme of a Poultis and lay it to the swelled feet But
The Compleat DOCTORESS OR A Choice Treatise of all Diseases insident to Women WITH Experimentall Remedies against the same Being Safe in the Composition Pleasant in the Use Effectuall in the Operation Faithfully translated out of Latine into English for a common good LONDON Printed for Edward Farnham and are to sold at his Shop at the entrance into Popes-head-alley out of Cornhill 1656. THE FIRST BOOK OF Womens Diseases The Proem by the Author IT is acknowledged by the most able Physitians that it requires great diligeuce and Judgement to contrive an exact Partition or Explanation of Womens Diseases and to oblige the World with a right Method and Meanes to cure them because sometimes a part is diseased by consent and sometimes primarily by it selfe or without any communication of distemper either with or without matter from any other part The Ancients whose studious endeavours conspired the subduing of these Diseases have left behinde them most honourable testimonies of their labours in favour of that Sex Modern men also have been stirred up to their defence as Mercurialis and Mercatus the former indeed with sufficient elegance but the latter with somuch tediousness and confusion that you may sooner finde your Patient dead then a remedy in his writings for her recovery to correct this inconvenience Rodericus a Castro engaged his pen in their quarrell but with no great successe for if my Judgement be any thing considerable his writings are more learned then usefull When I had noted these deficiencies I thought with my selfe that if I culled out the choicest Medicines omitting the superfluous and digested them into a little worke by themselves it might prove an undertaking worthy of a generall acceptation This was the birth and growth of my designe warrantable enough as I conceive if not praise worthy and if I flatter not my selfe in an opinion of my own paines I have proceeded with so much perspicuity and tender circumspection as will make the event answerable AN INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS The first Chapter OF the consent of the Diseases of the Matrix with the other Parts The second Chapter Of the suppression or staying of the Courses The third Chapter Of the immoderate running of the Courses The fourth Chapter Of the coming away of the Courses by Drops the vehement Symptomes thereof and of the Whites The fifth Chapter Of the Complication of the Courses with other Diseases The sixth Chapter Of hard swellings in the Breasts The second Book The first Chapter OF the Mother The second Chapter Of the Epilepsy in the Matrix And the severall kindes thereof The third Chapter Of Melancholy proceeding from the Matrix The fourth Chapter Of a cold Distemper and windy humours in the Matrix The fifth Chapter Of a hard swelling in the Matrix The sixth Chapter Of the Dropsey in the Matrix The seventh Chapter Of the falling down of the Matrix The eighth Chapter Of an Itch Chaps and an Inflammation in the Matrix The ninth Chapter Of a Cancer and an Vlcer in the Matrix The tenth Chapter Of Wormes and the Stone in the Matrix and of the Piles The third Book The first Chapter OF Barrennesse both Absolute and Respective The second Chapter Of a Mola or shapeless lump of Flesh The third Chapter Of Womens longings The fourth Chapter Of a bad stomach proceeding from vomiting The fifth Chapter Of a Pain in the belly the Passion of the Heart and of sounding Fits The sixth Chapter Of a Cough in great bellied Women The seventh Chapter Of the swelling of womens legs when they are with Childe The eighth Chapter Of Costiveness in Women with Childe The ninth Chapter Of the bloud which commeth away from the Matrix of a woman with Childe The tenth Chapter Of the water which cometh away from the Matrix of a woman with Childe The eleventh Chapter Of acute Diseases which happen to women with Childe The fourth Book The first Chapter OF a Naturall â—irth and of Abortivenesse The second Chapter Of a hard Labour The third Chapter Of the After-Birth The fourth Chapter Of the Dead Childe The fifth Chapter Of the Paines and the suppression of the Courses after the woman is delivered The sixth Chapter Of the immoderate flowing of the Courses after the woman is delivered The seventh Chapter Of the Diseases which commonly befall a woman after her delivery The eighth Chapter Of an inflammation in the Matrix after her delivery The ninth Chapter Of too little and too much milke The tenth Chapter Of sore Breasts The eleventh Chapter Of wrinckles remaining in the Matrix after a womans delivery and of the meanes to contract the Matrix FINIS VVomens DISEASES The first Chapter Of the consent between the Diseases of the Matrix and those of the other parts WOMEN were made to stay at home and to looke after Houshold employments and because such business is accompanied with much ease without any vehement stirrings of the body therefore hath provident Nature assigned them their monethly Courses that by the benefit of those evacuations the feculent and corrupt bloud might be purified which otherwise as being the purest part of the bloud would turne to ranke poyson should it remaine in the body and putrifie like the seed ejaculated out of its proper vessells Hippocrates had a perfect understanding of these things as may appeare by those words in his booke de locis in homine where he saith that the Matrix is the cause of all those diseases which happen to women and it is no strange thing which he speaketh for the Matrix hath a Sympathie with all the parts of the body as with the Braine by the Nerves and Membranes of the parts about the spine from whence sometimes ariseth the paines in the fore part and the hinder part of the head with Heart also both by the Spermatick and the Epigastrick arteries or those that lie about the Abdomen at the bottome of the bellie from hence cometh the paine of the heart fainting and swounding fits the passion of the Heart anxietie of minde dissolution of the spirits insomuch as you cannot discerne whither a woman breaths or not or that she hath any pulse it hath likewise a consent with the breasts and from hence proceed those swellings that hardness and those terrible Cancers that afflict those tender parts that a humour doth flow upwards from the Matrix to the Breasts and downwards again from the Breasts to the Matrix is the unanimous assertion of Galen Hippocrates Laurentius Duretus and others moreover it hath a sympathie with the Liver and thus the sanguification is perverted and the body inclines to a Dropsie and with the stomach and the Kidneys also as those paines which great bellied women doe feele and the torments which some Virgins undergoe when they have their Courses sufficiently witnesse And lastly Hippocrates hath taught us that this consent holdeth with the bladder and the straight 〈◊〉 for saith he when that part is inflamed then the urine commeth
and such Virgins as are of a hot constitution have verâ— littlâ— or no evacuation this way because the Mâ—nstruum is wasted and vanisheth by their continuall exercise and paines taking Secondly when the moisture is consumed away the vessels are so much the more narrow and bound up so that there is almost no passage left for the exclusion of the Courses A cold Distemper stayeth the Courses because it weakneth and colleth the parts breeds bad humors and obstructions straightens the passages obstructs the conduits infirmes and overcooleth the Matrix and so retaines suppresseth and stoppeth the Courses Swellings Imposthnmes scars and the like are all reducible to the inward causes but the most uâ—uall inward cause is a slow tough and slimy humour which glewing up as it were the vessells of the Matrix and thickning the bloud retaineth the Menstruum according to the opinion of Galen delivered in severall places of his works The outward Causes are all those things which any way increase a cold juice in the body as a cold and moist Ayre gluttony crudities cold â—aths and an unseasonable use of them meats that yield a grosse nourishment and are hard to digest and such as constipate the humours and thicken the bloud in which number are thick and sweet wines pulse of all sorts white meats made with milke hard fish and salt flesh pothearbs Vineger Olives Rice and the like also an unseasonable use of Venery a disorderly motion of the body presently after meates cold drink ale and other Pourtents or liquors which breed slow and thick juices You may know when the Menstruum is or will soon be suppressed by the relation of the sick woman who commonly will make these discoveries that she hath no stomack to her meat that for a long time together she hath felt a heavinesse over all her body with a paine in her back her privities and her Matrix besides you your self may discern agreenish paleness in her face Sometimes she is troubled with loud belchings and cruell paines in her belly but frequently with the head-ach especially in the forepart of her head and when the bloud is stopped putrifies in her body presently there ariseth a Fever by reason of that Sympathy Communion or consent between the Matrix the other parts Many and irreparable are the inconveniences and evills which happen by this stoppage of the Courses if we may beleeve the great Hippocrates who in one of his Aphorismes saith if the Menstruum comes away without moderation diseases follow but if it comes not away at all yet then diseases happen also from the Matrix but if it comes away in a due and naturall manner it preserves the woman from all gowtie torments from paines in her joints from the Pleurisie and all other inflammations in her sides from the Apoplexy from the difficulty to fetch her breath and from loosing her voyce Women that have not their Courses must seeke for remedies with speâ—d and prudence let them betake themselves to a temperate and movst Ayre for if the Ayre be too hot it wasteâ—h the bloud and drawes it upwards from the Matrix it likewise exhausts the Spirits and is thought to be a weakner of the body on the contrary when the Ayre is too cold it compels the bloud to retire it weakens the Matrix breeds grosse and thick humours and locks up the passages so that the Menstruum cannot descend the most convenient drinke in this case is small Rhenish wine if there be a Fever or which will be lesse dangerous small beere boiled with a little Cinamon Anise Maydenhaire or Birthwort Her diet should be such as will bee soon concocted and easily distributed to all the parts boiled meats are more wholesome for her then rosâ—ed because these dry up the bloud but they soften the body and keep it moist let her also choose to feed upon tame creatures rather then wilde because these are more hot and dry but those are more moist and temperate boyle them with red fitches for the broth that is thus made doth most powerfully bring down the Courses What meats must be avoided hath been said above but above all things let her refraine the use of sowre things because as Hippocrates hath warned us they bring paine to the Matrix it will be good to rub the lower parts of her legs very often and to tie straight ligatures about them till they make her complaine of much paine Having thus prescribed her Diet the next designe must be to evacuate the Cause this may be done severall wayes but especially by letting bloud and sometimes by purging her body the Physitians have long contended but very foolishly which vein should be cut but we omitting the frivoulous alterations on both sides conclude with Galen that when the Courses are stop't if the strength of the woman will beare it and the nature of the Disease require it the vein in the Ankle must alwayes be opened not in the Arme as Aetius commands who also is backt in that opinion by Gradus Mercurialis and Amatus Lusitanus who was taught by Ruffus to open a vein in a womans arme to advance the cure but I cannot approve of that course because rectitude must ever be observed Galen in his book de Curandi ratione per sang miss chapt 11. instead of opening a vein useth Scarification to the domesticall part as having the greatest resemblance with Phlebotomy and if these things doe not overcome the Disease apply Leeches to the Hemorrhoids to take away the accumulation of melancholy bloud for they suck out the feculent and dreggish humours impacted in the Matrix by reason that those parts are so neere the one to the other Zacutus Lusitanus applieth them to the inner part of the Matrix and boasteth himselfe the Author of this kinde of remedy but whether it be consonant to reason I leave to considering persons to judge There is no doubt but the application of Leeches may be usefull because the humour is slow thick and earthy but in regard that no part is evacuated till the whole body be first purged therefore I shall advise you to give her this Purge following which will worke very gently Take three drams of Sena Three scruples of Agarick A dram of Annise-seeds Macerate them together in a sufficient quantity of Penniroyall water for the space of a night to three ounces in the morning allow them one or two bublings and to the liquor which you presse out add Foure drams of Diaphenicon Mingle them and give it her to drinke Or of the Electuary make a Bolus When the body is purged and a vein hath been opened let your Judgement keep company with Galens directions and prepare the thick humour with this Decoction following Take Smallage Fennell and Sparagus roots of each halfe an ounce the leaves of Hysope Pennyroyall and Birthwort of each a handfull Two drams of Carrotts seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Barley water to a quart
distribution potentially cold and moist that is cold and moist in their qualities and operation though they be actually hot when she eats them it would be superfluous to name them having already sufficiently spoken of them in the precedent chapters of a hot dihemper in the Matrix and an inflammation in the Matrix It will be convenient to draw bloud from the basilick vein in the right arme and if the hot dishemper be the cause that the Patient hath not her Courses cut a veine in her ankle Moreover you may prepare cooling and moistning Juleps after this manner Take Syrup of Violets and water lillies of each two ounces Twelve ounces of Endine water Six drops of Spirit of 〈◊〉 mingle them or Take Syrup of horage and Syrupe of purselane of each an ounce and a halsâ—â— A decoction of letâ—uce wash â—â—cumber citrull gourd and melon feeds of 〈◊〉 a diam and a halfe take a pint and alhalfe of the decoction mingled with the Syrups and 〈◊〉 her drink it at three doses Prescribe a Purge also to evacuate â—holer Take three drams of the best rubarb A scuple and a halfe of citron seeds Macerate them a night in a sufficient quantity of a decoction of tamaâ—inds to two ounces and a halfe in the morning straine and presse them and to the liquor add three drams of the Electuary Diaprun laxative Halfe an ounce of Syrupe of Violets by infusion mingle them and give it in the morning Whey of it selfe is exceeding wholsome or else you may thus compound it for your Patient Take an ounce of borage roots Two handfulls of sorrell leaves with the roots Endive and borage leaves of each a handfull Six drams of tamarinds Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of whey to a quart and in the strained liquor infuse for a whole night Halfe an ounce of choise rubarb Two scruples of Cinamon In the morning let them bubble a little over a gentle fire and when you have prest them hard add Three ounces of Syrupe of roses laxative Mingle them together for an Apozem Which is of most excellent vertue to correct the heat and distemper of all the veynes and principall parts this Bath also will be very effectuall to coole the body Take foure handfulls of vine leaves The leaves of mallowes violets and endive of each two handfulls A handfull and a halfe of bran A handfull of salt Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of water to eight quarts let her hold her feet in the strained water two or three houres together You may likewise prepare fomentations of the hearbe aforesaid and bath the privities the Liver and the Reynes of the back and afterwards you may make use of this oyntment Take two ounces of unguent infrigidantis Galeni An ounce of Cerat Sautalin Oyle of roses and oyle of violets of each halfe an ounce Two drams of the powder of red corall Halfe an ounce of vinegar of roses With a sufficient quantity of white wax make an oyntment according to Art Take the liquor which is distilled out of Cockles Snailes or Frogs mingle it with Saccharum perlatum and give it her to drink as a most effectuall remedy against this Disease A decoction of young Chickens boiled with prunes and borage leaves and taken every morning upon an empty stomack doth refresh the body strengthen the spirits moisten the Matrix cleanseth away the foulnesse that groweth in those parts and very powerfully resists the causes of barrennesse When unfruitfulnesse proceedoth from a cold distemper you must observe a contrary method of cure as for example The ayre must incline to hot and dry the meat must be also potentially hot and dry and because this cold distemper in perpetually consociated with moistuâ—â— whereby cloudy and grosse vâ—pours get into the Matrix which is cold and neâ—vous therefore it will be requisite to correct this coldnesse to take away the moisture and to consume and dissipate those windy vapours from hence you may gather that this is a very frequent cause of barrennesse and abortivenesse and so likewise are flatulent and windy humours for they extreamely swell the Matrix so that the seed cannot be perfectly retained neither can the child be held fast by the Cotyledous When you attempt the Cure abstaine from Phlebotomy unlesse it be preparative onely to disburthen the oppressed vessells when the Patient is in the spring of her yeares and at the Spring of the yeare least by taking away the bloud the spirits should be wasted the humours should become more cold and indigested which otherwise were not the bloud prodigally let out might be seasonably concocted and this you may observe with the learned Fernelius to prescribe a Purge before you open a veine in crude bodies that the first region may be cleansed if any man shall rashly proceed to a contrary course doubtlesse with great disadvantange to the Patient he shall pervert the right order of Nature for when as he hath emptied the veines by Phlebotomy he will fill them again with that filthy accumulation of corrupt humours which they suck in with greedinesse from the first places and so he shall not lessen but double the disease the Purge may be made as followeth Take a dram and a halfe of the whitest agarick Two drams of bastard Saffron seeds A scruple of Ginger Halfe a dram of Anniseeds Macerate them a whole night in a sufficient quantity of marjoram water to three ounces in the morning presse them hard and add Diaphenicon and Diacuicum of each halfe an ounce Mingle them and let her drink it in the morning If her body be not sufficiently open give the same potion every third day or else prescribe this Glyster following Take nine ounces of a mollifying decoction made with marjoram and groundpine or germander of each a handfull Diacarthamum and Diaphenicon of each an ounce An ounce and a halfe of honey of roses strained Mingle them and make a Glyster When you have thoroughly purged the body and taken away the cause the parts must be strengthned and the distemper must be corrected with these pills Take a dram of right lign aloes beaten to powder Two scruples of aloes ro sat Musk and amber of each a scruple With a sufficient quantity of alkermes make thirty five pills Let her swallow five of them or fewer every morning they are exceedingly provocative and withall they strengthen the braine the heart the liver and the Matrix when the man and the woman intend conjunction let him anoint his yard with oyle of mastick and wormewood mingled with a few graines of musk and civet and let the woman also anoynt her privie parts therewith as well within as without for by this meanes there is raised a mutuall inclination to Venery and the seed is received with a greater pleasure and is more duely retained and elaborated reason it selfe will convince us that sweating remedies made of ebony and Salsapaâ—illa will mightily help and prepare the Matrix for they expell
which there is or may be a feare of miscarrying then may you properly and securely adadminister those things which we even now prescribed If you demand from whence that abundance of waterish humours doth come which floweth before she is in Labour I answer from the Membrane or skin called Ammion which is fastned to the Childe and from the other called Chorion in which two skins the urine of the Childe is so long reserved till the fulnesse of time be accomplished in which it should be borne at which time seeking by instinct of nature for a greater proportion of nourishment it kicks and teares these membranes out of which when a large plenty of waters have run it comes forth into the world CHAP. XI Of Acute Diseases befalling Women with Childe WOmen are preserved both from the threatnings and also from the Invasions of those Diseases whereunto they are subject by a threefold kinde of Remedies by Diet by Phlebotomy and by Purging or to speake more properly by being purged But the two latter are the more difficult according to the opinion of Galen who in this hath the concurrence of Avicens judgement also you must know saith he that â—very disease of repletion or the malice of a complexion is not cured by his contraâ—y but sometimes by a good regiment of â—ealth wherefore if it be a slight disease â—t will be cured of its own accord for â—heâ—e is no kinde of disease so fierce saith Galen in his book of Diet which is not taâ—ed by it but yet a moderation must be observed for they who are neere their â—ime and looke every day to be in labour â—ant a larger proportion of nourishment because the childe is big and should they be defrauded of this mediocrity they would perish by the cruelty of an acute disease wherefore here lies all the difficulty to prescribe a convenient and fit Diet for such women for should you allow them meat and drinke suitable to the condition of women who are not with childe you should destroy the childe and should you out of a regard to the preservation of the childe be more liberall and indulgent to their appetites this condescension would espouse you to another errour for hereby you might cherish the cause of the disease let her therefore be fed with meats that are of easie concoction and distribution and prohibit her the use of thick sharp sowre bitter and windy meats that are hard to digest Having prescribed a good Diet you must consider whether it be expedient she should be let bloud Valesius sets down the reasons on both sides and for the Negative he alleadgeth an Aphorisme in Hippocrates running to this sense if a woman with childe be let bloud she miscarries and the rather if the childe in her wombe be big because the childe is thereby defrauded of its aliment Secondly Galen saith Physitians ought not to be busie in offering helps or strong remedies to women with childe nor any exquisite manner of Diet here you must understand Phlebotomy say they therefore it must from Galens words be concluded inexpedient Thirdly if any evacuation be a cause of abortivenesse as a flux of the belly or a loosenesse as Hippocrates in another Aphorisme affirmeth how much more will the opening of a veine be a cause by meanes whereof the aliment is taken away from the childe Fourthly a Fever kills the childe by wasting the spirits and drying up the bloud with the vehement heat thereof therefore so also will phlebotomy kill the childe by exhausting the spirits and consuming the bloud But all these reasons to my understanding are of no weight no moment no validity seeing that it is most certaine that the very impregnation or being with child doth forbid phlebotomy in respect of it self yet not as one of those principall scopes which withstand it but of those which indicate and advise to a sober and due celebration of it wherefore when a woman sick of an acute disease must be let bloud yet must she bleed lesse then the affect and the plenitude require because of that indication which is taken from the childe in her wombe for her gravidation or being with childe ought to be reputed as a Symptome which wasts the spirits because her bringing forth the childe is a kinde of evacuation To the second I answer that Galen in that place meanes nothing else but that Physitians should counsell their Patients to avoid intemperance because women with childe admit not of the least degree beyond a medioicity To the third I answer that it is not alwayes true that abortivenesse followeth upon any large evacuation and therefore it should not onely have beene said but proved by the Interpreters of Hippocrates for wee see that it followes not upon hunger or emptinesse unlesse it be diuturnall nor from a loosenesse unlesse it be immoderate nor lastly from phlebotomy if a veine be opened in the arme wherefore that I may conclude I conceive Hippocrates did intend only to prohibit the cutting of a veine in the ankle but not in the arme for I confesse if a veine in the ankle be cut the bloud is drawn in abundance to the Matrix and so may strangle or choake the childe and cause abortivenesse the like also doth any vehement and exorbitant Purge Wherefore if an inflammation be present we affirme that a woman with childe may be let bloud without any danger of abortion yet with this condition that she be first well nourished with meats of good concoction and quick distribution and that a small quantity onely be taken away least the spirits should be empaired either for the present or the future Moreover I like not the cutting of the Basilick veine because it much exhausts the bloud and may cheat the childe of his nourishment Lastly I counsell you to apply strengthning and nourishing things to the navell before you cut the veine as unguentum Comitissae or Emplastrum stomachichum or fomentations made of wormewood roses mastick lignum aloes quince seeds and Claret wine and whilest she is bleeding let her hold cold water in her mouth or cold beer that if perhaps she begin to faint she may swallow it and preserve her selfe from swounding But what shall be said concerning Purges which consist of hot ingredients and as Galen and Averroes contend disturb and hurt the childe I answer all purging medicines are not of that quality wherefore we may safely prescribe manna sena tamarinds rubarb and cassia omitting such simples as have any participation of vehemence and we confidently aver that Hippocrates must be understood in this sense where he saith women with childe must be physickt or purged if the matter be turgid in the fourth moneth unto the seventh because the childe in the wombe is likened to the fruit upon a tree which as at first they fall down by any slight motion and afterwards stick faster to the tree but when they are full ripe fall of their own accord so the childe
of assa faetida Trochishs of myrrhe of each a scruple Troch Alhandal Borace of each ten graines Nutmog Saffron of each five graines Two ounces of a decoction of Savine Two ounces of muscadine Mingle them for a Draught or Take the powder of Euphorbium Dittany of Creet of each a scruple Ten graines of borace Five graines of Cantharides prepared Three ounces of a decoction of Savine Mingle them for a Draught Glystars and Suppositaries are of great concernment and thus make you them Take a dram of rest-harrow roots The leaves of Savine Pennyroyall Birthwort Motherwort of each a handfull Origanum Sage Dittany of Creet of each halfe a handfull Fennill seeds Nettle seeds The pulp of Coloquintida of each two drams Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to nine ounces to the strained liquor add Two ounces of benedict a laxativa Halfe an ounce of hiera picra Mingle them and make a Glyster or Take Troch Allhandall Scammony of each a scruple A dram of common salt With a sufficient quantity of white honey boiled according to Art make your Suppository Outwardly you may apply oyntments made of oyle of Castor oyle of Foxes oyle of Euphorbium with unguentum Agrippe unâ—o which may be added a little coloquintida powder of dittany scammony the gall of an One. Take two ounces of Vnguentum Agrippâ— Oyle of Castor Foxes Euphorbium of each halfe an ounce The pulp of coloquintida Dittany of Creet Scammony of each two drams The gall of an Oxe Euphorbium of each a dram Mingle them and make an oyntment Suffumigations may be prepared by this forme following Take halfe an ounce of live Sulphur Opoponax Galbanum Assa faetida of each two drams The powder of rue Savine of each a dram and a halfe The gall of an Oxe The juice of an onyon of each a sufficient quantity Make them into Trochischs for your use Pessaries must not be forgotten therefore Take three drams of Hiera piera in the species A dram and a halfe of myrrhe A sufficient quantity of unguentum Agrippâ— With a piece of cotton according to Art make a Pessary Or Take Ammoniack Assa faetida Black hellebore of each two drams Troch Alhandall Scammony of each a dram The juice of rue Soldanella The gall of an Oxe of each halfe a dram Two dramâ— of Turpentine With wooll and cotton according to Art make a long Pessary If these things will not bring away the childe and if the Mother be sadly fallen into an agony the safest method will be to draw out the childe with instruments if no contraindications appeare as a bad pulse and a difficulty of breathing with anxiety and unchearfulnesse of disposition in the woman CHAP. V. Of the Torments and the suppression of the Courses after the Birth WOmen in labour must be gently handled and carefully lookt unto both in respect of the roome where she is laid and also in regard of the Diet which is most proper for her in that condition As for the place it must be darke far and free from noise or any other disturbance that way least she should be offended by any accidents of feare or sadnesse or by any sudden surprizalls of anger or griefe The Diet consists in meats of good juice and easie concoction and such as are not slow in their distribution to the severall parts because they thicken the bloud and obstruct the passages Let her drinke be small beer cleare and well setled from dregs Barley water in which birthwort and borage leaves have been boiled is incomparably the best drinke you can device for her and next to it we prefer Rhenish wine conditionally that the presence of a Fever doth not forbid it The whole hope of preserving the Woman yea of curing the Diseases which happen after the birth is placed in the evacuation of the feculent menstruous bloud and therefore 't is the duty of our skill to provoke and urge down that bloud least that evill be fall her which Physitians call Torment This is a paine in the whole lower region of the belly felt upon the privie parts neere the small guts the inward cause thereof is a multitude of thick menstruous bloud retained in the body The outward cause is the inclemency of the outward ayre in regard of the coldnesse and the passions of the minde thick meats as creame custards and the like coarse bread salt flesh hard fish and many other things which are hard to digest and not kindely distributed to all the regions of the body You may most easily discover this affect by the signes for the Courses are retained at least they come downe not so freely nor in such plenty as at other times they were wont a wandring and unquiet paine is perceived beneath the navell with gurgulations and rumbling in the guts the woman breaks winde both upwards and downwards and this winde is bread of a thick and feculent bloud This affect must not be despised by neglect for the matter making way by degrees to the affected part augmenteth the paine yea and introduceth inflammations with a Fever wherefore when you have duely considered the age of the woman the Climate in which she liveth the time of the yeare and the menstruum you must without delay open a veine in the ankle and not once onely but twice or thrice as it shall seeme expedient for by this administration the thick and feculent bloud is drawn out rub her legs till by her complaints you know she feeles paine and apply Cuppinglasses to the inward part neither may you forget to lay Leeches to the Fundament by reason of its neernesse to the Matrix and the spleen A Purge be it strong or be it gentle must be exhibited the first dayes because the belly is not sufficiently open and inclined to evacuate the menstruum for should you afterwards purge her body it would take off Nature and interrupt her in her duty as Avicen sheweth in his fourth Fen. and and first chapter Therefore let the bloud be made fluid and the passages kept open and then mitigate the paines with mollifying fomentations mixt with Anodynalls Take the Caul of a weather newly killed and clap it upon the part for by the actuall and asswaging heat thereof it takes away the paine and the same vertue hath the bladder of an Oxe if it be filled halfe full of this decoction following Take the leaves of mallowes Vialets Pellitory of the wall Pennyroyall of each a handfull and a half The flowers of Camomile The flowers of melilot of each a handfull Line feeds Fennill seeds of each halfe an ounce Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to three pints unto which add Three ounces of oyle of sweet almonds Oyle of Dill Oyle of poppies of each an ounce and a halfe use it as was said above Anoynt her belly with this oyntment following Take unguentum de Althâ—a Vnguentum Agrippe of each an ounce Oyle of Lillies Oyle of camomile of each two drams A
away by drops and the Patient hath frequent desires and solicitations to goe to stoole but but without any performance Womens diseases are divided into foure Classes whereof the first containeth the diseases that are common to all women the second comprehendeth such as are peculiar to Widowes and Virgins The third specifieth those Affects that concern barren women and such as are fruitfull And the fourth treateth of such diseases as befall Women with Childe and Nurses of all which we shall now speak one after another in their order Those diseases that are common both to widowes and wives both to barren women and women that are fruitfull as also to young Maids and Virgins proceed from the retention or stoppage of their Courses as the most universall and most usuall cause when these come from them in a duc and regular manner their bodies are preserved from most terrible diseases but otherwise they are immediately subject to the falling Sickness the Palfie the Consumption the Whites the Mother Melancholy Burning Fevers the Dropsey inward inflammations of all the principall parts the suppression of the urine nâ—e eating vomiting loathing of meat yexing and a continuall paine in the Head arising from ill vapours communicated from the Matrix to the Braine Wives are more healthfull then Widowes or Virgins because they are refreshed with the mans seed and ejaculate their own which being excluded the cause of the evill is taken away This is evident from the words of Hippocrates who adviseth young Maids to marrie when they are thus troubled that women have stones and seed no true Anatomist will denie the womans seed I confess in regard of the small quantity of heat is more imperfect then the seed of the mans yet is it most absolute in it selfe and sit for Generation Another cause also may be added besides that which is alledged from Hippocrates namely that married women by lying with their husbands doc loosen the passages of the seed and so the Courses come down more easily thorow them Now in Virgins it falls out otherwise because the bloud is stopped by the constipation and obstruction of the veines and being stopped putrifies from which putrifaction grosse vapours doe arise and from thence heâ—vinesse of minde and dulnesse of spirit a benummednesse of the parts tim orousnesse and an aptness to be frighted with a sudden propensitie to fall into fits of the Mother by reason of much bloud oppressing and burthening the heart also continuall anxiety sadness and want of sleep with idle talking and an alienation of the minde but that which most commonly afflicts them is a difficulty and paine to fetch their breath for the chest by a continuall dialatation and compression draweth the bloud from the Matrix to it selfe in a large proportion and sometimes produceth asthmaticall effects But what shall we say concerning Widowes who lye fallow and live sequestred from these Venereous Conjunctions we must conclude that if they be young of a black complexion and hairie and are likewise somewhat discoloured in their cheeks that they have a spirit of salacity and feele within themselves a frequent titillation their seed being hot and prurient doth irritate and inflame them to Venery neither is this concupiscence allaid and qualified but by provoking the ejaculation of the seed as Galen propounds the advice in the example of a widow who was afflicted with intolerable symptomes till the abundance of the spermatick humour was â—iminished by the hand of a skilfull Midwife and a convenient oyntment which passage will also furnish us with this argument that the use of Venery is exceeding whol some if the woman will confine her self to the Lawes of moderation so that shâ— feele no wearisomnesse nor weaknesse iâ— her body after those pleasing conflicts Most certaine it is that barren womeâ— are more tormented with sicknesse theâ— those that are fruitfull because they whâ— have children live in a more healthfulâ— condition by reason of the opening of thâ— veines and the comming away of the superfluous bloud which being of an earthy and feculent substance must needs introduce prodigious symptomâ—s in the bodies of other women who have no seasonable meanes to vent and purge it out and daily experience doth witnesse it to the private consideration of such women that very many obstructions breed in their Liver Mesenteries and Matrices That women in Child-bed also and such as nurse their owne children are subject to most bitter and vehement affects Galen doth daily teach us by an undeniable reason for whereas the childe in the wombe is nourished by the sweetest fattest and most elaborate part of the menstruous Bloud in its own nature filthy and dreggish when the woman is delivered that bloud is forcibly evacuated by a criticall kinde of motion and violent ebullition whereupon the spirits are exhausted and the feeble creature is precipitated into mortall infirmities as fainting fits incredible torments and frequent soundings Many times also besides that perticular fulnesse of the womb through the swelling and strutting of the veines such women all the time that they be great with childe are oppressed with an abundance of ill humours contracted and heaped up together by a bad diet after which the upper parts of their bodies are many times most wofully inflamed After the same manner also Nurses are tormented with sore breasts painfull swellings Ulcers and Cancers and the like crueii diseases by reason that the Menstruum floweth in an unmeasurable quantitie to the breasts and there settles But now by the permission of Heaven we shall set down a particular Explanation of these Diseases CHAP. II. The suppression of the Courses THe suppression of the Courses is an interception or stoppage of that usuall evacuation of bloud which is wont to flow from the Matrix every month There is a twofold cause hereof one inward the other outwardâ— the inward cause is also manifold for sometimes it is one kinde of distemper sometimes another and sometimes againe a humour is the cause thereof the distemper is either hot or cold and concerning the former this is controverted among the Doctors how a hot distemper can stay the Courses for if we will credit the bâ—st Authors or submit our judgements to the generall Vote of Philosophy it is the property of heat to open to rarifie to make thin and to dilate as on the contrary it is the property of cold to obstruct to thicken to binde and to condensate the answer is easie and obvious wherefore we say that heat properly doth not stay the Courses but onely by accident as namely by attenuation dissipating and consuming the thinner parts of the Menstruum for any humour is reasonably conceived to become more drie and thick when the thinner part thereof is wasted away and againe the thicker and dryer it is it must needs be so much the more unapt to be expelled and this is the reason that sturdie women in the Country who are accustomed to labour and take much paines
and brings down the urine if it attenuates cuts into the humours and open the obstructions why doe Physitians unanimously command the staying of a loosenesse or an Issue of bloud in what part of the body soever it happen and to that intent prescribe water or wine or beer wherein steele hath been quenched thereby to make it more binding and more apt to stay any flux I answer that steele is indued with those qualities I readily grant but the Method which is observed in the use of steele doth cleerely demonstrate a diversity of faculties to be in it wherefore if your aime and intention be to open the obstructions drinke the wine when the steele hath been once twice or thrice quenched in it but if you desire it should binde then prescribe it to be taken after the sixth or seventh quenching for the first water or wine openeth because in that lieth the fiery quality but the other bindeth because in that consists the earthy part neither shall you need to wonder that severall and contrary qualities should lie concealed in one and the same minerall mettall or simple seeing that by daily experience we have a demonstrative certainty of the truth thereof for thus Aloeâ— hath an Emplastick and an opening quality thus Rubarb both binds and purgeth Now you must note that these Simples are called hot and cold as they have hot or cold parts predominant in them thus we conclude endive to be cold because the parts thereof are more moist then bitter and we say Rubarb is hot because it hath a nitrous fiery purging quality predominant in it above the earthy binding and cold parts Christopherus a Vega a man otherwise very learned seemes to my understanding to forsake the offers of reason in saying that steele is unprofitable because he never saw any woman who had not her Courses or who was troubled with obstructions cured by the meanes of this Remedy but truly if it doth not sometimes totally ' subdue the evill yet the fault must not therefore consequently be charged upon the Medicine because the Matrix is sometimes vitiated by an habituall distemper or else the obstructions thereof are so many or so stubborne that sometimes they dâ—stroy the sick woman and if it doe not fall out so yet is it an undeniable truth which the Poet tells us Non est in Medico semper relevetur ut Aeger Interdum docta plus valet arte malum That is The Doctour cannot still successefull be Sometimes the evill gets the victory CHAP. III. The immoderate flowing of the Courses THis disease is contrary to the former for as in that the Menstruum is too long retained so in this they run too long There is also this difference between them the one proceedeth from a hot distemper the other from a cold one This we now treat on is produced by twofold cause the one inward and thâ— other outward The inward Cause is a hot distemper oâ— the Liver whereby the bloud growes hot thin boyling in the vessells and opening them so that the Menstruum is purged out before the usuall and due time The outward Cause is that which heateth and inflames the bloud and withal makes it thin as vehement and sturdy exercises pensivenesse and immoderate care of the minde excessive anger and thought busied upon revenge a custome of eatinâ— meats that are hot in their quality namely such as are full of pepper and salt bibing of wine and strong drinks too much bathing of the body long watchings fiting in the Sun overmuch or by the fire side c. You may easily make your selfe acquainted with the signes by conversing with and questioning the sick woman besides you may of your selfe observe that the Patient is much weakned in regard that the parts are deprived of the purest portion and the most laudable substance of the bloud by which the life of a Creature is prolonged women thus affected are very sad and melancholy by reason that the bloud faileth which otherwise containes a spirit in it that makes them cheerefull and lively they grow leane and feeble scarceable to stand upon their legs they are apt to Nauseate and forsake their meat they are bound in their bodies and grow puft and swel'd up they are troubled with weaknesse in their stomacks they cannot digest their meat their eye-lids sink inwards the calfes of their legs swell and their outward parts look pale and discoloured yea by degrees the whole radicall moisture and inborne preservative decayeth and the Patient perisheth Wherefore make no delay but immediately oppose all your helps of Art to the subduing of the Disease let her be lodged in an ayre that is cold and dry and let her not be exposed to any ayre by night strew coole hearbs about her chamber and let her avoid the ayre which is hot because it rarifies the bloud makes it thin and waterish and also inflames and over-heats it She must forbear the use of hot meats as Leeks Onyons Watercresses Origanum and the like let her likewise refraine from feeding upon spiced meats and such as breed a thin juyce Rice boyled with sheeps-feet is good for her and so are rosted Quinces Medlars and Services Three houres after Supper let her take fine flower or pure Bisket dissolved in Plantane or Rosewater and sweetned with Sugar Give her no wine unlesse it be sowre and binding red wine but it will be more profitable to give her water wherein gun tragacanth hath been boiled and perfumeâ— with Mastick beere in which steele hath been infused will be profitable for her about the third or fourth day for this drinâ— hath a binding faculty without heating But the opening of a vein twice or thrice in a day obtaines the preheminence from all other remedies according to the judgment of Galen because it drawes back the humour more forcibly to the upper parts when it is often repeated then when it is done all at once heare him in his own words Quantò majorem in numerum particulares auxeris detractiones tantò efficaciorem revulsionem efficies that is the oftner you open a vein taking away a small quantity of bloud at a time so much more effectuall will the Revulsion be for when the bloud is allured to the contrary part by these frequent iterations Nature is accustomed to summon the bloud to the upper parts and thus that ordinary saying among the Doctors may properly be understood that one flux cureth another Hippocrates commendeth a large Cuppin-glass applied to the breasts and very deservedly because there is a great consent and Simpathy between the veins of the Matrix and those of the Breasts Moreover you must prescribe such things as are of tried and known vertue to thicken the bloud syrup of Poppy Quinces dried Roses Myrtles and the like We usually prescribe this Draught following for the sick and we must add this to its commendation that it seldome faileth in its operation Two scruples of boiled Rubarb A scruple of Citron myrobalans
as Hippocrates affiâ—meth concerning the Son of Erotelaus lying sick of a bloudy Flux for when he had drunk whey in which red hot flints were quenched his evacuations were more moderate although they were bloudy and in a short time they ended here is to be noted that whey although upon a slight consideration it may seeme to be Diureticall and â—o to provoke rather then to stay the flux yet if steele be frequently quenched in it till the thin and fiery parts thereof be wasted away it stayeth the Flux If these Remedies prevaile not to perfect the Cure I shall counsell you to make an Issue upon the knee for this being kept open the corrupt humours are evacuated without any decay of the spirits which otherwise doe many times produce grievous and vehement Symptomes we have spoken of the coming away of the Menstruum by Drops with the terrible Symptome which accompanies it namely a vehement and insupportable paine but because this paine proceeds from divers causes the Cure must be also diversified Women therefore which are of a cold Constitution especially if they be young prone to Venery Black and Hairy must be purged that the Cause may be taken away and therefore their bodies must be first prepared before you can hope to appease the paine You may evacuate the humour with Diaphenicon Benedicta laxativa or with Pills of Hiera and you may prepare the humour with smallage and fennill roots with agrimony and Motherwort leaves boiled in water wherein steele hath been quenched with Rhodomel The paine must be appeased with unguent Populeum unto which you may add a few graines of opium or else you may apply fomentations to the head A vein also must be opened as we have shewed you above If a woman or Virgin have the whites which come away of a thick and fattish substance you must proceede as in the former Cure but you must be exceeding cautious how you let bloud for such bodies are full of raw humours by reason whereof the spirits are much exhausted and her body is weake and infirme according to the Judgement of Galen in his book de Sanguin missione chap. 11. wherefore in such cases I counsell the Patient to goe to the Spaw waters or some other of the like Nature for they purge away the thick humour both by siege and by urine but especially the melancholy juice which is the cause of this disease A Decoction of China and Saâ—zapavilla cannot be improper nor Leeches applied to the Hemorrhoids Note that the Caul of a Ram or Weather newly killed must be laid to the affected part being first anointed with oyle of Castor for as the skull of a man is good against the Falling Sicknesse and the Lungs of a Fox against the stoppage of the pipes by a specificall vertue or hidden similitude so is this good for the stomack and the Loynes The Whites are defined to be a lasting distillation from the Matrix however it be affected for Nature indevoureth to expell that superfluous moist and excrementiâ—ious bloud thorough the Matrix and even at the same time disburtheneth the body from this unprofitable and offensive humour This evill is reckoned among the Symptomes of those things which are immoderately expelled out of the body the Causes whereof are divers for sometimes a predominancy of choler sometimes a phlegmatick juice many times melancholy and very often bloud is evacuated this is easily known because a snottie kinde of humour drops and distills continually from the Matrix which if it be red it proceeds from bloud if white from phlegme if yellow it takes beginning from choler The sick woman complaines of a general weaknesse over all the parts of the body her legs and eyelids are swelled she cannot digest her meat her stomack failes her she is lazie and loves no exercise and cares not to stir up and down so that at length her strength decayeth and her spirits faile through the abundance of bloud which hath come from her wherefore this disease calls for early help least it degenerate as not seldome it doth into a Dropsey or a Consumption or the like terrible Diseases If the body therefore abound with much bloud let a veine be opened in the arme to draw back the course of the humour which is hastening from all parts of the body to the Matrix Thus we read that Galen cured the wife of Boetius unto whomâ— other Physitians had preposterously prescribed Medicines without opening aâ— veine Afterwards you must prepare the phlegmatick humour with a decoction of wormewood unto which add Syr. of Roses or Syr. de artemisia the cholerick humour must be prepared with a decoction of endive sorrell unto which may be added Oxysaccarum or Syrup de succo Cichorii if it be a Melancholy humour prepare it with a decoction of Fumitary Buglos unto which add Syr. of Fumitary and Syr. Lupuli Then expell the humour with some gentle purge if it be phlegmatick Take three scruples of white agarick Trochischt Two scruples of the root of Mechoacha A dram of Annise seeds Macerate them the space of a night in a sufficient quantitie of fennill water in the morning to two ounces and a halfe of the liquor which you presse out add Three drams of Diacarthamum Halfe an ounce of Diacnicum Mingle them together for a Potion If Cholerick humours abound in the body Take two drams and a halfe of the best Rubarb Citron myrobalans Cinamon of each a scruple Macerate them a whole night in a sufficient quantity of endive water presse them with all your might and add An ounce and a halfe of Syrupe of roses laxative Mingle them and give it her to drinke in the morning If Melancholy humours be predominant Take two drams and a halfe of Sena A dram of Annise seeds Macerate them over night in a sufficient quantity of fumitary water in the morning presse out the liquor and add To two ounces and a halfe of the liquor strained and prest Two drams of Confectio Hamech Halse an ounce of Syrup of fumitary Mingle them for a Potion If the Disease yield not to these Medicines expell the humour by an Epicrasis that is by some Decoction that by degrees will digest open and evaâ—uate the humour and also mightily provoke urine this Apozem following hath all these vertues Take the roots of Parsly Fennell Buglos Polypody of the Oake of each halfe an ounce The leaves of Maidenhaire Agrimony Motherwort of each a handfull Six drams of Sena Two drams of rubarb One dram of agarick As much Epithymum as you can graspe between your thumb and two fingers Two drams of Annise seed Macerate them together a whole night in two pints of barley water upon hot embers in the morning allow them one or two gentle bublings and when you have strained them add Syrupe of fumitary Syrupe of roses laxative of each an ounce Mingle them for an Apozem Every other morning let her have foure ounces of it fasting If all these
windie humours and rumblings in her belly doe presage it her stomack swells her mind is confused her eyes are dim and when she is ready to fall into a fit of the Epilepsie or Falling Sicknesse she may perceive a tingling noyse in her eares a giddinesse circumagitation or turning round in her head she is sad in her minde disquieted in her body troubled with the passion of the heart and not seldome with sounding fits 't is a sad spectacle to behold her in this condition from which if she be not seasonably delivered she is very likely to fall into an Apoplexy this we have learn't from Galen who in his third book de Locis and 5. chapt saith Epilepticks doe often degenerate into a melancholy madnesse and so on the contrary for this melancholy mood turnes to the Falling Sicknesse when the humour invades either the body or the minde or if that darke vapour becloud the minde inducing a dimnesse or gloominesse in the thoughts with sadnesse despaire and deep melancholy if the spirits which are bright and cleare in their own nature be obscured with the foggy commerce of black vapours the very presence of them dismayeth terrifies and discomposeth the minde or if a confluence of those vapours assault the body that is the braine and the nerves they produce the Falling Sicknesse This requires a twofold cure one in the Fit the other after the Fit In the Fit you must quicken and excite the animall faculty and force back those poisonous vapours that are stealing from the Matrix to invade the upper parts then the winde must be expelled the wayes kept open and the thick humour must be got out of the body by rubbing the parts by tying straight ligatures about her legs by fomentations and baths made with the leaves of penniroyall motherwort thyme nip camomile salt vinegar and water softning Glysters are so usefull that you must not forget to inject them you may make them thus Take the leaves of motherwort Penniroyall Birthwort of each a handfull Rosemary Mint of each a handfull Two drams of fennill seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to nine ounces straine and presse out the liquor and then add Hiera picra Galeni Diaphenicon of each an ounce A dram of sal gemme Mingle them and make a glyster or Take the roots of Elecampane Restharrow of each foure drams The leaves of Marjoram Motherwort Birthwort of each a handfull The tops of Dill Camomile Flowers of each halfe a handfull Two drams of Annise seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity oâ— Barley water to nine ounces to the liquoâ— which you presse out add An ounce and a halfe of Diaphenicon Mass pill fetidar De hiera cum Agarico of each two scruples Oyle of Dill Camamile Butter of each halfe an ounce Mingle them and make a glyster If necessitie urge you and the strength oâ— the Patient will beare it you may prescribâ— a sharper glyster to draw the humours from the farthest distant parts and to imitate thâ— nature and effects of a Purge be this for aâ— example to you Take half an ounce of Polypody roots Two drams of Mechoaca The leaves of Sage Rosemary Betony of each a handfull Halfe an ounce of bastard Saffron seeds Two drams of Agarick As much Epithymum as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers Boile them in a sufficient quantity of honied water to ten ounces straine and presse out the liquor and add An ounce of Hiera Logodii A dram of the Masse of Pills of Cochia Ten graines of Troch Alhandal Half a dram of sal gemme Mingle them and make a glyster For this being a most acute Disease requires the utmost tryalls of art that it may not degenerate as it is very prone to doe into a true Apoplexy To the Matrix to make a sudden dispatch of the Cure apply Carminitive fomentations and â—ath the privie parts to break and expell the winde After the use of the Fomentation apply oyle of Castor oyle of wormewood and inject odoriferous Pessaries of musk amber Civet made up with gallia Moschat and a piece of Cotton according to the secret rules of Art to the nose you must hold stinking things as sagapenum galbanum assa fetida Castor rue and the like When the Fit is approaching Hippocrates adviseth to open a veine in the Ankle and this advice is magnified and applauded by Galen in his book de Rigore Chapt. 8. neither may you forget to apply Leeches to the Hemorrhoids or the calfes of her legs for they will suck out the feculent and dreggish humour that is impacted in the Matrix Cordialls must be administred as Treacle Mithridate Alkermes Confection de Hyacyntha and the like or if you please compound them after this manner Take the hoofe of an Elk. The wood of Misletoe of the Oake of each two drams The skull of a man newly dead of some violent death Hartshorne of each two drams Pearle prepared Burnt Ivory Mastick of each a dram and a half The powder of Rosemary Stechas Sage of each a scruple The species Diacastor Diaccumin of each a scruple With a sufficient quantitie of honey of roses and Syrupe of Stechas make a mixture If the Disease become againe indigested and crude prescribe another Purge of Aloes Hiera Picra Benedicta Laxativa or Turbith but that the ignorant may not be rashly precipitated into some erroneous composition we shall limit him to this prescription Take two scruples of the masse of Pills de Hiera cum agarico Ten graines of pill faetidae Troch Alhandal Diagrydium of each five graines With a sufficient quantity of Syrupe of Stechas make nine Pills Sometimes the retention of the Seed is the Cause of these Symptomes which if they be so vehement that the former remedies cannot tame them proceed as followeth Take Storax in powder Aloes in powder White agarick of each two drams The juice of the hearb Mercury The juice of the wild Cucumber of each three drams A sufficient quantity of Turpentine With a piece of Cotton make a pessary according to art put it up and move it up and down till the superfluous seed be ejaculated If the sick woman have many Fits in a day certaine it is that the disease is fixt and rooted in the Head wherefore in such cases I have known no better remedy then an actuall cauterizing in the hinder part of the head from whence as from an Issue that virulent and luxuriant humour which is the cause of this most dangerouâ— disease may at last have a vent In the intermission of the Fits you muâ—â— open a vein in her Ankle this is not my counsell onely but Galen enjoynes the samâ— remedy for in his book de Cur. ration peâ— sang missionem he saith if you will prevent the Falling Sicknesse â—ut the Scyrhenaâ— that is the veine in the Ankle afterwardâ— he commands the preparation of that coldâ— and thick humour which may be effected by this
is also lessened and the crude humours become so much the more crude this was Avicens feare as is manifest by these words of his beware least you precipitate your Patient into one of these extreams either into an ebullition of chollerick or an indigested abundance of cold humours this we confesse to be true yet not so but that sometimes all other administrations being rightly and duely premised with Galen we may take away bloud by fits then exhibit Mellicratum Then againe open a vein either the same day or the day following as the disposition of the matter shall dictate to your reason we leave much also to nature her selfe who many times concocts the thick humours the veine in the ankle must be opened if women are thus affected but wheâ— men are troubled with these windy humours the Basilick vein is the most propeâ— to be opened CHAP. V. A Schirrhus in the Matrix A Schirrhus in the Matrix is a hard and stony swelling bread of earthie humours and of a thick and melancholy bloud retained in the body This is either produced by a cold distemper in the Matrix or else it proceeds from a weaknesse in the upper parts from whence thick humours doe arise This disease is very easie to be known because in those who languish under it the Matrix appeareth hard in the circumference like unto some great bowle or a round Spheare It differs from a swelling which is caused by winde because in this winde is heard within which yieldeth to the touch and is moved from place to place but a Schirrus is a hard unmoveable swelling of a black colour and sometimes of a palish wan colour if any phlegmatick humour be mixed with it It differs from an inflammation in the Matrix because in this there is a burning Fever conjoyned and other signes which manifest an inward fiery Disposition This is a Chronicall Disease continuing many times beyond the space of a yeare for the Matrix not being numbred among the more noble parts doth better endure these molestations it is also a contumacious affect despising ordinarie remedies and if you oppose such as are vehement it degenerates into a Cancer After this sometimes followes a Dropsey in the Matrix which when it is much hardned becomes void of sense incurable drawing the neighbouring parts into consent with it and so weakning them that many times the Creature perisheth for lack of wamrth and cherishing heat She must forbeare all those things that yield a thick juice and what these things be we have already in good part told you for her drink allow her a mixture of wine and water in which tamarisk roots or the barke of the Caper tree have been boiled The first regions of the body must be gently cleansed and then that humour which nourisheth the swelling must be rooted out with some peculiar and elective medicine if it proceed from a suppression of the Courses or Hemorrhoids open a veine in her ankle or open the hemorrhoidall veines with leeches but if it arise from some fault in the Liver or the Spleen cut the basalick veine Having thus shewed your selfe carefull of the whole body you must in the next place be solicitous of the affected part first by applying such things as will gently mollifie it as the fat of a hen the marrow of a deare or of a calfe with ammoniack Storax or bdellium or with discutient fomentations after this manner Take an ounce of the roots of Polypody of the Oake The barke of the root of the Caper tree The barke of the tamarisk tree of each halfe an ounce The leaves of wormewood Sage Savine Penniroyall of each two handfulls Balme Motherwort Hops of each a handfull The seeds of broome Fennill of each halfe an ounce Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been quenched to six pints and bath the affected part with the strained liquor This oyntment following hath a like efficacy Take unguent Agrippe Vnguent Martiatum of each an ounce Halfe an ounce of unguent de althea Oyle of wormewood Capers Dill of each three drams Mingle them and make an Oyntment Plaisters also are very profitable Take Diachylon cum gummis Emplastrum de meliloto of each an ounce Mingle them for the use aforesaid or You may make ready this plaister following Take ammoniack Sagapenum of each an ounce Opoponex Bdellium of each halfe an ounce Dissolve them in strong wine vinegar thicken them to the forme of a hard oyntment and then add The powder of ireos Ceterach Auripiguentum of each a dram With oyle of Capers make a masse of plaistering stuffe and spread it upon a piece of leather cut into a convenient forme If these medicines availe not prescribe sweating drinks for her made with Guaiacum China and Salsa parilla for as Fallopius an Author of good account saith Salsa parilla hath a soveraine faculty to dissolve a skirrhus or any hard knotty swelling Sulphureous Baths are also most excellent in their operations Some commend a poultis made of Goats duâ—â— for this draweth away the winde strengthens and mollifies the part afflicted and consumes the thick matter whereof the schirrus is bred I usully made it after this manner Take three ounces of Goats dung Meale of Lupines Fitches or Vetches of each two ounces An ounce of Bran. Half an ounce of Sulphur in powder With the sharpest and strongest vinegar wherein steele hath been ten times infused make a Poultis Steele is commended by all Authors it mollifies and opens the Matrix quickens the naturall heat of the upper parts and brings down the Courses the stoppage whereof is the undoubted cause of this disease this as hath already been declared at large is taken many wayes either in water or in the forme of a Bolus or in Lozenges or in powder or in some conserve as it shall seeme good to the Physitian and most acceptable to the sick womans palate Issues will be profitable for whatsoever slimy or clammy humour doth daily fall downe more and more from the upper parts into the Matrix findes a passage out of the body againe so long as these are kept open CHAP. VI. Of the Dropsey in the Matrix VVE affirme with Galen that an universall Drosey can by no meanes be generated without the fault of the Liver seeing that the first instrument of sanguification is the author of the bloud which if it faile in its action 't is no wonder if water and winde be generated in the body instead of laudable and pure bloud But we confesse with Hippocrates that a particular Dropsey may be produced without any fault in the Livâ—r thus there is a Dropsey of the Chest in the Foot the Finger the Arme the Matrix which we our selves have often seen the Cause thereof is a waterish swelling rising in the hollow parts of the Matrix partly by reason of the suppressed Menstruum and partly by some violent labour or some vehement Abortivenesse or by
the windy humours strengthen the Matrix and dissipate the fuliginous and grosse vapours naturall Baths are excellent for the same purposes and so are Treacle Mithridate Alkermes Aromaticum rosatum Diarrhodon Abbatis Diamargarit calidum and Diacinnamomum and lastly if you desire any satisfaction from our opinion concerning Issues we answer that they evacuate those cold and thick juyces which daily flow unto and settle in the Matrix and therefore as we said almost every where we affirme the use of them to be very expedient and conducible CHAP. II. Of the shapeless lump of Flesh called Mola A Mola is an unprofitable and shapeâ—â—â—â— lump of flesh bred in the Matrix of the menstruous bloud as the Materiall cause thereof according to the opinion of Galen in sundry places of his works He saith of the menstruous bloud that it such as is very thick and much hardned in the Matrix but note that he doth not here exclude the seed of the man for every Physitian knowes that a Mola proceeds from a mixture of the menstruum and â— corrupted seed which indeed doth somewhat indeavour Conception but cannot perfect it neither is there any cause of wonder that such a lump of deformity should be fashioned in the wombe seeing that severall kindes of monsters are bred there according to the variety of thâ— humour which floweth into the Matrix hâ— that would acquaint himselfe with thâ— knowledge of these things may reaâ— Skenkius his Observations and the wonderfull stories related by Marcellus Donatus if also he would search into and examine the true cause of these things let him read Laurentius his book of Anatomy But why doth this breed in the Matrix onely of a woman and not in some other part I answer because although the bloud may congeale and become clotted in the other parts of the body yet it happens so more frequently in the Matrix of a woman then in any other part of her body because the Matrix is as the common shoore of the body where most of the excrements are exonerated But why doth a Mola breed in women onely I answer because women onely have an abundance of this menstruum more then other Creatures and that their bodies are full of grosse thick and tenacious humours by reason that for the most part they use a moist diet and abandon themselves to a reproveable and disorderly course of life This Mola is of severall kindes for sometimes it is waterish sometimes windy and humorall and sometimes againe 't is skinnie and bloudy this last is the most ordinary and all Physitians have granted it this is that which is most usually presented to our observation and lastly this is that which so often hath deceived women who boasted themselves to be with childe and were not and their Physitians also who told them they were with child when they were not Wherefore to avoid these common couzenages let us be circumspect in the knowledge and right understanding of the signes which are a swelling with a drawing back of the Hypochondriacall parts the women grow leane are full of paine and very apt to long the belly is burthened her back aketh her breasts swell and her Courses are stopped and that at the beginning of her conception but afterwards in processe of time she seemes to have the Dropsey her belly is so immoderately swelled but you may know this from a Dropsey for in that the belly sounds like a Drum the woman feeles within a kinde of fluctuation or waving motion and if a finger be laid hard upon her belly the print of it remaines A Mola is distinguished from a perfect conception by three most certain signes that is by the motion by the milk and by the time that a woman beareth her childe in the motion because there is a great difference between the motion of a childe and the motion or stirring of a Mola because the childe kicks and turneth about to all the parts of the bottome of the belly but a Mola moveth like a Globe now on the right side and anon on the left this also if you presse down the womans belly with a gentle hand removeth from the place and returnes not suddenly into it againe and from the milke you may gather a never-failing signe because the breasts swell all the time a woman is with childe but in the other it happeneth otherwise the time likewise affords a never-failing signe for if the swelling of the belly continue beyond the eleventh moneth which is the most constant and certaine period of a womans Reckoning and no signes of a Dropsie at that time appeare you may warrant your owne confidence that she hath a Mola but no childe in her belly This is a most dangerous disease for many times a woman carries it in her wombe the space of two or three yeares and sometimes longer insomuch that the naturall heat is suffocated therewith moreover in the expulsion of it there is no small danger for many times it groweth to such a bignesse that it comes not away without extreame hazard of the womans life for a great Issue of bloud ensueth whereby the spirits being spent and exhausted she waxeth feeble wan and pale and many times perisheth in the very act of expelling it This evill hath a twofold manner of Cure one Preservative to prevent the Generation or breeding of the Mola and the other curative to destroy and bring it away when it is bred and this last is also twofold for the first designe must be to exclude it and the second to save the woman in the very act of excluding it The Preservation consists in a due observation of these things following the ayre she lives in must be hot and dry and the place healthfull being scituate towards the East let her keep a good diet feeding upon meats that yield a wholsome nourishment to the body and such as are soone concocted and distributed to all the parts let her choice also be rather of hot then cold meats avoiding such as are fat salt and hardned with smoak fish which breed thick windy and viscous juyces are unwholsome for her she cannot desire a more wholesome drink then Wormewood wine or excellent generous French wine her belly must be kept open and soluble exercise must be used and sleep refrained angry chidings and cares of the minde must be moderated and all such things for borne as dry the bloud and diminish the naturall heat In the next place prepare the thick and grosse humours with Rhodomel Syrupe of wormewood Syrupe of mint and the like mingled with some convenient water afterwards prescribe this Purge Take three drams of Sena A scruple of Agarick Trochischt A dram of the root Mechoaca A dram and a halfe of anniseeds Boile them a short space in a sufficient quantity of pure water to three ounces then straine and presse them and to the remaining liquor add three drams of Diaphenicon Mingle them and let her drink it in
settle in them You may securely speedily and gently accomplish the cure by strengthning and dissolving remedies In the first place therefore provide a bath with chalybeated water Saltpeter Sulphur Wormewood Stechaz Rosemary and Camomile in this liquor let her wash her lips her thighes her legs and her feet and when she washeth them let her also rub them soundly If her flesh grow very soft and lank so that you feare a mortification apply this Poultis following which will exceedingly comfort her Take two handfulls of Wormewood Meale of Vetches Meale of beanes Meale of barley of each an ounce and a halfe An ounce of Bran. With a sufficient quantity of oxymel and a brine made with lemon pills according to art make your Poultis If the coldnesse of the part be such that you feare a gangreen there is nothing will more certainly prevent it then Scarification for by this meanes the part is ventilated and preserved from putrifaction Strengthning remedies must sometimes be exhibited to expell the winde yet you must administer them with a good diet consisting of drying and corroborating things as Treacle Mithridate and other drying confections and powders Diacinnaâ—omâ—m aromâ—ticâ—m rosâ—tum Diarrhodon Abba t is unto which we may well adjoyne a decoction of China and Salsaparilla with a little stick of cinamon and a few annise seeds Note that these remedies may properly be accommodated to the cure of the disease called the Vterine Flux which happens sometimes to women when they are ready to lye down by reason that there is an excessive abundance of humour in their bodies or else because the childe in their bellies is very large and great CHAP. VIII Of Costiveness in Women with Childe THe inner part of the humour being spent upon the nourishment of the childe in the womans belly the dregs grow hard and when Nature striveth to cast them out by a strong and vehement indeavour the Matrix suffers a compression by which compression the childe is offended the Câ—tyledons are loosened and many times the woman miscarrieth and the child proves abortive The belly must be sollicited but not with glysters because they hurt the childe especially if it be grown to some bignesse but with Suppositaries made with hogsgrease and five or sixgraines of Diagrydium for these will irritate Her meat should be of a moistening and mollifying quality as mallow and borage â—eaves eaten with butter and Sugar fat pottâ—ge also is good for her in which if she complaine of no torments you may boyle polypoda sena and prâ—nes Manna above all other things is in present case to be preferred and next to it we commend Syrup of roses laxative and Syrupe of Violets made with a frequently iterated infusion Sometimes you may prescribe this Julep Take the waters of borage Fumitary of each eight ounces Three ounces of Syrup of Violets Mingle them and make a Julep Forberare the use of sharp medicines for they worke with an unnecessary vehemence and not seldome cause Abortivenesse Unto this disease we adjoyne a loosenes which hapneth when women are of a cold constitution and full of crudities or when they have a weake belly Sometimes also it happens by their inordinate Longings when they wish for a greater variety of dishes then they are able to concoct for then many times what they have so greedily devoured passeth down into the guts without digestion and causeth a loosnesse through the weaknesse of the retentive facultie We have learnt from Hippocrates to accouâ—t this among the dangerous diseases for in the fifth brok of his Aphorismes he hath these words If a woman with childe be troubled with a great loosnesse 't is to be feared that she will miscarry and note well the reason hereof for when she is thus afflicted the good and the bad goe away together the childe is defrauded of its due nourishment and so perisheth You must presently strive to stay the loosnesse with binding and thickning meats as quinces rubarb beer wherein steele hath been often infused or else you may prescribe this Potion following Take a handfull of plantane leaves The seeds of flux wort The seeds of Sumach of each a dram Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of red wine to a pint and a halfe to the strained liquor add Srrupe of Comphrey Syrupe of Quinces of each an ounce Make a Potion Boile or steep annise seeds in her drinkeâ— and apply the same fomentations oyntments and plaisters as we have already commended unto against Vomiting But if the excrements be slimy putrified and stinke you must not neglect the use of Rubarb gently rosted and of myrobalans slightly rosted for these doe not onely purge but they binde withall and strengthen the parts Sometimes you may exhibit Philonium Persicum Requiem Nicholai or Pill de Cynoglossa but with a sober caution the quantity is a scruple or at the most but two scruples and that when the other things have proved unsuccessefull and also when the strength of the Patient will aâ—low the taking of them CHAP. IX Of the flowing away of Bloud from the Matrices of women with Childe ALthough we made mention of this disease in the first booke where we treated of the immoderate flowing of the Courses yet we conceive it may be worth our labour and the Readers thanks to add a few things which in the Chapter aforesaid were purposely omitted by us Bloud then floweth immoderately from the Matrix either when the lips thereof an unlockt or when the vessells are open or lastly by transcolation The inward cause of these symptomes is an extreame heat or thinnesse in the bloud which either eats asunder the vessells or rarefies the tunicles thereof the outward causes are all those things which have a power to make thin to heat to open to rarefie and to subtilize the bloud as immoderate cares of the minde long watchings a continuall use of hot meats as dishes pepperd and spiced also drinking too much wine yet you may exhibit a glasse of Claret wine in a moderate quantity to refresh her spirits provided that no Fever be suspected and that her Matrix be not inflamed The signes of this evill are manifest for the spirits are deficient the heat is diminished the face groweth pale the feet swell the strength decayes the meat is forsaken and no sleep can be obtained The danger of this Flux is unknown I suppose to few women for seeing that our naturall heat hath its chiefe and sole perseverance in the bloud the losse of that bloud in an immoderate quantity must needs exhaust the spirits weaken the body and at length when the naturall heat is almost extinguisht and the sanguification is depraved there will undoubtedly supervene either a Dropsey or a Consumption When you begin the Cure keep the Patient in a darke roome and let the ayre be cold and dry or if naturally it be not so make it so by art her meat should be potentially cold thick and binding as the
Althaea Vnguentum Resumptivum of each an ounce Oyle of white lillies Oyle of Dill Hensgrease of each halfe an ounce Saffron Dittany beaten to powder of each two drams With a sufficient quanty of wax make an oyntment But if nature be culpable in both namely in the weaknesse of the Mother and the expulsive faculty and also in the strength of the retentive then against one you must administer corroborating medicines as hath already been said and to rectifie the other fault you must adhibit loosening remedies such namely as are recited above CHAP. III. Of the Retained Secundine GAlen in his book de usu partium hath rekoned up three membranes which enwrap the childe in the wombe the first whereof is called Ammios this on every side is spread over the whole childe and receiveth the childs sweat that it may swim in it The second is named Allantoeides or Intestinalis or as others name it better Vrinaculum whose use is to receive the urine the third is called Chorion our Midwives call it the Secundine which is nothing else but a multitude and connexion of vessells and membranes thorough which as by little springs or rivolets the child draweth bloud and ayre these membranes are burst when the childe begins to â—â—ick his way out into the world from whence that liquor distilleth as we have noted above which makes the passages slippery after the nativity of the childe these membranes are excerned but if they chance to be retained they introduce most outragious Symptomes and a disease of number in the excesse The Causes of the retention are diverse for many times the Matrix is confirmed after the childe is borne many times the immoderate passions of the minde make nature forget her selfe in his duty sometimes odoriferous things draw the Matrix upwards and so nature is disturbed in her purposes of exclusion an unseasonable drinking of cold water is a very frequent cause of it and so are grosse meats that stuffe the body and thicken the bloud You may know by the Midwives relation that the Secundine is retained unto whom if she be skillfull you ought at the command of Hippocrates yield up your beliefe or you may conjecture it if the woman be sad in minde subject to faint and swound full of tossing and unquietnesse if she feele a heavinesse in her wombe or a round substance like unto a fixt and immoveable ball This is a most lamentable disease for if he Secundine be retained for any consideraâ—le time it putrifies and communicates poiâ—sonous exhalations to the principall parts as the heart the brain the liver from whence arise swounding fits anxiety of minde giddinesse in the head and direfull torments Wherefore let it be the Midwives care with all speed to attempt the cure bringing down the Secundine with her fingers besmeared with oyle and let her hold fast the umbilicall vessells till the Secundine follow but what if it remaine behinde then according to the Oracle of Hippocrates delivered in the fortieth Aphorisme of his fifth book you may exhibit sneezing medicines to the nostrills for these by that motion compresse the upper parts and the expulsive faculty being irritated out comes the Secundine Take black pepper Mustard seed Sagapenum of each a dram and a halfe Tobacco Castor White hellebore of each a dram A scruple of Euphorbium Make a fine powder of them and upon the point of a knife or thorow a quill let her sniffe up a little of it at a time or you may prescribe this Potion for two Doses it hath often done the Cure Take eight ounces of penniroyall water An ounce and a halfe of aqua Hysterica Two scruples of Castor in powder Mingle them for a Potion to be taken at twice or Take two scruples of the Trochischs de Carabre A scruple of Borace Halfe an ounce of the Syrup of juice of betony Three ounces of a decoction of Savine Mingle them for a Draught Suffumigations are also very profitable to bring away the Secundine Take Storax Benjamin Lign aloes of each two ounces Musk Civet of each a scruple Make a pessarie of them adding Vnguentum Agrippe and the juice of Mercuty Liniments must not be omitted made with unguentum de Althaea de Agrippa oyle of Almonds and oyle of Dill fomentations and halfe tubs are equally necessary made of a decoction of camomile pellitory of the wall Motherwort Birthwort Origanum Sage Savine annise fennill and Line seeds unto all which may be added oyle of Almonds and oyle of Dill Glysters must also be injected and with good successe you may continually rub her hips and her thighes tye ligatures about her legs apply Cuppinglasses and cut a veine in her ankle When the Secundine is ejected or drawn out give the woman Cordialls as Bezoar stone Treacle Confect de hyacintha or Alkermes all which things are of undoubted vertue to restraine the malignity of the vapours sometimes a Mole remaineth in the Matrix after the birth which by reason of the congealed bloud and the fleshie substance whereof it is compounded is as difficult to cure as the recention of the Secundine wherefore you must indeavour to expell that by the help of those remedies which we have prescribed above in the chapter of a Mola and here also a little above Note the difference betweene the Secundine and a Mole this is fixt and unmoveable but that is moveable from one place to another in a Mole or when a woman is troubled with that halfe conception so called a black and clotted bloud drops from the Matrix which upon the retention of the Secundine appeares not CHAP. IV. Of the Dead Childe CErtaine it is that the Childe dyes in the Mothers wombe for many causes the first of these is an inward cause as a defect of aliment or the corruption of it the second is a most vehement burning Fever which by the excessive heat thereof wastes the spirits and destroyes the naturall heat The third cause is an unseasonable evacuation of bloud at the nose the mouth the Matrix or by phlebotomy The fourth is an exuperance or an immoderate predominancy of humours in the body The fifth is a great quantity of moysture loosening the vessells The sixth is some vehement medicine The first outward cause is some blow the second a Cough the third vociferations or loud and clamorous yawlings the fourth sneezing the fifth sad tydings the sixth some horrible and dreadfull sights The Childe may be known to be dead by a coldnesse about the Mothers navell and by a kinde of sixt and immoveable weight in her belly by a bad taste in her mouth and by her stinking breath Use your utmost activity and cunning to bring away the dead childe both by inward administrations and by outward applications inwardly let her take this Potion Take a a dram of the Trochishs of myrrhe Castor Storax Borace of each ten graines Foure ounces of a decoction of Savine Mingle them for a draught or Take the powder