for the sick and of no lesse efficacie is this Julep following Take Endive and Borage water of each fix ounces Syrup of Betony and Pomegranets of each an ounce Mingle them together for a Julep or Take twenty graines of Mithridate Ten graines of Alkermes without Musk or Amber Three ounces of Buglos water Mingle them and let her drinke it at one draught If the Disease yield not to these remedies wee judge it expedient to let her bloud againe but in the Ankle if you suspect that Obstructions occasion the disease as commonly indeed they are to be suspected you may observe the same way of Cure as is approved in a Fever arising from Obstructions and Take halfe an ounce of parsley roots The leaves of betony and carduus Benedictus of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of white Maidenhaire The flowers of Borage Buglos Violets or Roses of each as many as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers at twice Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Barley water to a pint and a halfe in the strained liquor infuse foure drams of the choicest Rubarb the space of a night setting the vessell upon hot ashes with foure scruples of agarick Trochiscated and a scruple of cinamon all put in together In the morning boile them a little and when you have strongly prest out the liquor add three ounces of Syrup of roses laxative and make an Apozem or a Decoction Let her drinke three ounces of this Decoction every other morning Hereupon ensueth a Lask or Loosenesse in the belly but without any paine acrimony or griping and so long as it continueth free from any of those had qualities you may by no meanes stay it but if it last longer with the Fever the most prudent course will be to open a veine in her Ankle having alwayes a diligent regard to the strength of her body for this evacuation is Symptomaticall as Physitians speake and according to the Prognostications of Galen it is either mortall or very difficult to be judged his words are these when any disease beginneth if any thing be evacuated it is not evacuated by any help or curtesie of Nature but all such things happen by chance in regard of those dispositions which are in the body besides nature for it is impossible that any thing should be well purged out when Nature is oppressed as then she is with the crudenesse of the humours with those causes which did produce the disease for that the Crisis and Judgement upon this disease may be sound and good it is requisite that those crudities must first be concocted and afterwards duly purged out wherefore if the Loosenesse happen at the beginning you must neglect that and be intentive to cure the Fever yet with an eye to the loosenesse by letting her bloud but very sparingly least the spirits should be wasted if the loosenesse continue so long as to weaken the body and bring the sick creature very low then stay it but with caution and tender warinesse but above all things avoid the use of such things as will thicken the humours for thus indeed you might stop the Loosenesse but then withall you should stay the menstruum which inconvenience you ought chiefly to feare Your safest way therefore will be to apply strengthning Fomentations and Plaisters that will moderately binde and with such you may furnish your selves above It would not be unprofitable to purge away the cause of the Loosenesse that so one Flux might be cured by another therefore Take halfe a dram of tosted Rubarb Ten graines of that sort of Myrobalans called Chebule Halfe an ounce of Syrupe of dried roses Three ounces of plantane water Mingle them and make a Potion Many times this Loosenesse turnes to the Bloudy-Flux with cruell paines want of sleep a continuall Fever and frequent going to stoole This must be helped with Glysters of a binding qualifying and cleansing faculty as for example Take the roots of Comphrey and marsh-mallowes of each three drams A handfull of plantane leaves Halfe a handfull of red roses Boile them in a sufficient quantity oâ— barley water to nine ounces and to the strained liquor put in Two ounces of honey of roses strained An ounce of red Sugar The yolke of an egg Mingle them and make a Glyster Or Take violet leaves plantane and pellitory of the wall of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of red roses Halfe an ounce of whole barley Boile them in a sufficient quantity of broth made with sheeps feet to nine ounces to the strained liquor add Two ounces of honey of roses strained The yolke of an egg Mingle them and make a Glyster You must not neglect to open the Basilick veine and the Salvatella a veine which brancheth out of the Cephalick veine on the outside of the elbow for these administrations will be wonderfully helpfull to cure a flux of bloud arising from a distemper in the Liver those astringent fomentations also with the oyntments and Epithems whereof we have spoken at large in the precedent chapters will be of singular use The next Disease unto which women are subject after their delivery is a Lientery so called because the meat passeth thorough the body as it was ohewed in the mouth without any change or alteration this is a most dangerous disease and therefore all diligence imaginable must conspire to stop it no lesse terrible and perillous is that other named by the Doctors Iliaca Passio when the guts are so bound up or inflamed or enwrapped one about another that whatsoever is swallowed down is presently cast up againe by vomit this also requires a seasonable and prudent use of remedies least the Patient should pine away and perish for want of sustenance besides it is so much the more dangerous because by those frequent Vomitings Nature is interrupted and distracted and that menstruous matter is driven upwards which should have been purged out from beneath But note that these Vomitings proceed from severall causes First from a certaine contagious vapour ascending from the Matrix and with the noysome odour thereof irritating and pricking the stomack so that it suddenly parts with all the aliment that was contained in it You must be exceeding industrious with all convenient speed to free the woman from this infirmity the vapours must be opposed and forced downwards that so by the discreet helps of art Nature may be assisted to expell those faulty and offensive humours by the Mâ—trix This may be accomplish't by tying Ligatures about the lower parts and by rubbing of them till she complaines you hurt her by putting Pessaries up into the Matrix and applying Cuppinglasses to her thighes also by holding things of a strong and unpleasâ—nt odour to her nose and by opening a vein in her Ankle When her body is duely nourished and well refresh't give her this Glyster Take the leaves of violets pellitory of the wall and beares-breech of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of red rose leaves Two
The Womans DOCTOUR OR An exact and distinct Explanation of all such Diseases as are peculiar to that Sex With Choise and Experimentall Remedies against the same Being Safe in the Composition Pleasant in the Vse Effectuall in the Operation Cheap in the Price Faithfully Translated out of the Works of that learned Philosopher And Eminent Physitian NICHOLAS FONTANUS LONDON Printed for John Blague and Samuel Howes and are to be sold at their shop in Popes Head-Alley 1652. 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 so much 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 Womens 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
â—rovoke urine yet when steele is quenched 〈◊〉 it it is wonderfull wholsome for her â—s Hippocrates affirmeth concerning the Son â—f Erotelaus lying sick of a bloudy Flux for â—hen he had drunk whey in which red hot â—nts were quenched his evacuations were â—ore moderate although they were bloudy â—nd in a short time they ended here is to â—e noted that whey although upon a slight â—onsideration it may seeme to be Diuretiâ—â—ll and so to provoke rather then to stay â—he flux yet if steele be frequently quenched 〈◊〉 it till the thin and fiery parts thereof â—e wasted away it stayeth the Flux If these Remedies prevaile not to perâ—â—ct the Cure I shall counsell you to make â—n Issue upon the knee for this being kept â—pen the corrupt humours are evacuated â—ithout any decay of the spirits which â—therwise doe many times produce grieâ—â—ous and vehement Symptomes we have â—poken of the coming away of the Menstruâ—m by Drops with the terrible Symptome which accompanies it namely a vehement â—nd insupportable paine but because this â—aine proceeds from divers causes the Cure â—ust 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 Salzapavilla 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 excrementitious 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 whom other Physitians had preposterously prescribed Medicines without opening a veine Afterwards you must prepare the phlegmatick humour with a decoction of wormewood unto which add Syr. of Roses or Syr. â—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 Troâ—chischt 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 Halfe 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 evacuate 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 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 Menstruum 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 it 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 suddeu 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 inflammation 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 puâ—e 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 Basilick veine twice or thrice to ease the Liver the Spleen and the Kidneys as the multitude of 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 and 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 of barley water to two pints and to the strained liquor add Syrupe of Borage Syrupe of fumitary 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
to it but married women that injoy the company of their husbands and such as are with childe are seldome invaded by it You must apply your Remedies in the fit and after the fit in the fit the humour must be drawn back with rubbing the parts tying painfull Ligatures about them and â—upplying Cuppinglasses with scariffication to the calfes of her legs have such Glysters in readinesse as will take away the paine dissolve draw back and purge out the thick humours you may compound them by these formes following Take halfe an ounce of Elecampane roots The leaves of rue penniroyall Motherwort and pellitory of the wall of each a handâ—ull Three drams of sena Bran Camomile flowers and the tops of Dill of each halfe a handfull Bastard Saffron and Annise seeds of each â—wo drams Boile them in a sufficient quantitie of birthwort water to nine ounces to the strained liquor being squeezed and prest very hard add Diaphenicon and benedicta laxativa of each an ounce Oyle of dill and oyle of rue of each sâ—â— drams Halfe an ounce of butter A dram and a halfe of salt Mingle them and make a Glyster Carminative medicines must be laid upoâ— the whole inward region as fomentationâ— made of the leaves of Rue Motherwort Penniroyall the flowers of Melilot and Camâ—mile or unguent de Althea with the oyle of Camomile Dill and Rue for this looseneth the passages by opening the pores anâ— expelling the winde pessaries may be puâ— up made with Civet Musk and Amber but you must affront her nose with stinâ—ing odours as the steame of brimstone tâ—â— smoke ascending from old shoes burnâ—â— Partridge feathers sagapenum galbanum assâ—fetida and the like cast into the fire because the Matrix doth as it were abhor retreat and flie from these things whereaâ— sweet things doe allure to them But some curious braine may here demand why sweet things held to the nosâ— doe breed the fits of the Mother and on the contrary stinking things appease those fits I answer sweet things applyed to the Matrix in regard that they are hot doe expell the winde cut into the slow and tenacious phlegm and afterwards purge it out but stinking things applied to the Nose consume the ascending vapours with their heat but you may still demand if hot stinking things be good to break the winde why may they not be laid to the Matrix as well as sweet things I answer the Matrix embraceth and meeteth sweet odours and perfumes but unsavory and stinking sents it abhors and flies from for 't is â— most certaine truth that every creature even by naturall instinct shunneth inconveniences and affecteth things convenient If the evill still increase and if the Virgin be of a good habit fleshie and for a long time hath not had her Courses or for too long a time hath had them the safest course although upon the approach of the Fit will be to open a veine in the ankle without delay especially if any excretion of bloud appear either at the nose or at the mouth for as Hippocrates hath excellently taught us as the coming down of the Courses is a present Remedie for those who vomit bloud so in a body that is plethorick by reason that the Menstruum hath been long suppressed you may help a woman who vomits bloud if you cut one of her lower veines the same opinion is favoured by Galen in his Commentry saying in this case we ought to endeavour an evacuation namely such an one as is correspondent to nature when she is obedient to her own lawes After the Phlebotomy if her body â—e strong and the Disease continue apply Cuppinglasses with scarification to her thighes Leeches to the Hemorrhoids and with iterated Glysters and medicines given again and again into the body purge out the Melancholy juices Many who are more rash then learned more bold then skilfull because of the cold and the winde which are the causes of this Disease at the beginning will unadvisedly be offering wine to the sick which being odoriferous is apt to allure the Matrix to the upper parts therefore I counsell all those that value the health of their friends to forbeare this temerity yet if she faint and her spirits be so far spent that she swounds or is ready to swound in such an exigence you may allow her wine yet in a small quantity When the Fit is over let her live soberly and feed upon hot meats that yield a thin and subtle nourishment and be very carefull to preserve her self least she fall into a Relaps hearbs and roots and such thinge as thicken the bloud or are hard to digest must be no part of her diet Wormewood beer may be allowed her or in her beer mingle Cinamon water or boile Annise seeds or China roots in it The humour must be prepared with cutting Syrups as Rhodomell Syrupe of Wormewood Syrupe of Mint or Syrupe of the five roots You may prescribe the Purge of Mechoâ—aca Hiera Picra pills of agarick of Hiera with Confectio Hamech or Sena You must open a veine in the anklâ— again and because this thick and stubborne humour will not obey a single evacution you must also purge her body againe with agarick hellebore Pills of Mastick or of Rubarb Steele taken in powder or mingled among the other medicines will much advance the Cure so will an Issue and an artificiall Bath made with Sulphur or a decoction of Salsa parilla Guaiacum and China Lastly if the Disease take beginning from the seed because in Physick no peculiar or elective purging medicine is consecrated to it you must lessen her diet enjoyne her an abstinence from hot wine and let her continually weare plates of lead upon her back for it is most certaine that these doe diminish the seed if the Patient for twelve mornings together upon an empty stomack drink three ounces of a decoction of agnus castus seeds boiled with six graines of Camphire CHAP. II. Of the Epilepsy in the Matrix And the severall kindes thereof PHysitians reckon up a twofold Epilepsy in the Matrix one by Consent the other by Propriety the Cause of this is a thick viscous and slow humour obstructing the hollow parts of the Nerves the cause of that is a cold distemper of the Matrix and a contagious vapour assaulting and shaking the Braine and the nervouâ— parts for when the animall faculty strives to expell that humour or vapour from it selfe the hollow parts of the Nerves are crusht together and the passages are stopt and thus there happens a constipation or an obstruction the insides of the Nerves being as it were straightned bound and closed up together That there is such a Disease as an Epilâ—psy by Consent we are warranted by Galen to beleeve who in his book deâ— Locis propounds the example of a boy who being lame in his legs fell afterwards into an Epilepsy and after the same manner Virgins who are troubled with obstructions winde or a malignant vapour
the like where there is a deficiencie of naturall heat no man will adventure to let bloud seeing that when the bloud is diminished the heat 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 otherâ— 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 samâ— 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 when men are troubled with these windy humours the Basilick vein is the most proper to be opened CHAP. V. A Schirrhus in the Matrix ASchirrhus 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 waâ— 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 periâ—heth for lack of warmth 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 warmewood 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—g 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 Liver 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
be rough and full of haire it is a signe that they are fruitfull the wiser sort of Physitians know that much haire is an undeniable argument of much heat and of the strength of that heat which driveth out those fuliginous humours whereof those haires are generated Those women that have black haire are more apt for Venery then any other complexion because they are hotter and have their Courses in a more plentifull manner which Courses how conducible they are to make her fruitfull is manifest to any ordinary capacity because the menstruous blood is one of the Principles of our generation Other sorts of barren women must be referred to this Catalogue as those that are luxuriant and the whorish crew the former because by frequent coition their bodies become empty of seed and if any at that time be ejaculated it is not fit for generation because Nature is not allowed time enough to elaborate and concoct it and the latter sort conceive not partly by reason that many and various seeds are mingled together and partly also by reason of their frequent cohabitation with men whereby the neck of the Matrix is made so slippery that it cannot retaine the mans seed It will not be impertinent to enquire at what time women begin to have their Courses I answer that for the most part they begin when the Virgin is twelve years of age and end when she hath attained to forty five and in all that intercourse of time women are held capable of children but if any Auhors will affirme that women may conceive before and after those forenamed periods of time we also affirme that this is not ordinary but very rare and 〈◊〉 de menstruâ— sanguine in the chapter de ita 〈◊〉 Conceptione admiranda and he will straight demand whither a woman can conceive without the Menstruum I answer negatively for when either Principle of Generation is defective there can be no conception if you still obtrude upon me that many women have conceived without the Menstruum I grant it to be true if you speak of the outward Menstruum namely that which we call their monethly Courses but if you meane it of the inward that is of that which runneth out of the vessells into the Matrix for conception sake you are deceived for no woman can conceive without this inward menstruum you will ask againe peradventure can a woman conceive without pleasure and whither it be absolutely necessary that the seeds should be intermingled and that the man and the woman should both spend at one and the same point of time to the first I answer that they enjoy an unspeakable pleasure although that conduceth little or nothing to conception and to the second I affirme that it is not necessary that they both spend at one time although I confesse that may facilitate and much help conception but that it is sufficient if the seed be received into the Matrix and rightly concocted for there is in the womans seed such an earnest covetous and greedie desire to embrace and be united with the seed of the man that although the man spend after the woman yet she sucks it in and the conception is nevertâ—â—lessâ— perfect Thus we have declared unto you with all possible observation of modest expressions the Causes of barrennesse in generarall and the signes of such men and womâ—â— that are unâ—ruitfull by which 〈◊〉 you may discerne the particular constitution of either sex It would be needlesse to set down any prognostick signes because from a true consideration of the precedent notes you may raise an unerring determination whither the fault be in the man or the woman Let us now advance to the cure we have said that there is a threefold kinde of barrennesse Naturall Respeâ—tive and that which is contracted by force disease that which comes from the Nativity of the Patient is incurable but that which is comparative in relation to the woman or the man may have help from artificiall administrations for if the man or the woman be unfruitfull through an excesse of the first qualities that intemperance must be corrected how to bring this to passe now heare and understand if any man thoroughly knoweth how to cure that barrennesse which comes by sicknesse the same man will be able to particularize every cause that introduceth unfruitfulnesse Now this barrennesse that happens by reason of some disease must be cured by a distinct observation of the cause whereupon it hath dependance if it proceed from an Vlcer that Vlcer must be cured if it arise from frequent coition the incontinent person must curb her or his appetite if the Ayre be a suspected cause remove to another place if any poyson hath got into the body by the power and malignity whereof the spirit which is in the seed is weakned and dulled you must prescribe remedies of Bezar stone and apply such medicines to the privities as have a faculty to resist poyson If the party be bewitched as it often comes to passe even by the malicious art of the Devill or his instruments besides the ordinary helpâ— you must indeavour to subdue the evill with other meanes as the learned Fernelius hath taught us in his booke de abditis rerum causis for some diseases and remedies exceed the limits and boundaries of Nature If slendernesse be the cause of unfruitfullnesse you must nourish and fatten the body with meats that yeild good juyce and with moistning baths and you must be carefull to avoid evacuations and all other things which weaken the strength and exhaust the spirits If fatnesse hinder fruitfulnesse the body must be extenuated made lean dried and rub'd and all other meanes must be used to dissolve and evacuate the thick juycâ—s the Patient must accustome her selfe to much exercise refraine from anger and all passions of the minde and content her selfe with little spleen for these things introduce leannesse bring down the body and take away all grossenesse and corpulency for the same purpose also you may frequent the Bath and hot houses for sweating doth much extenuate a fat body If the Affect be produced by an excesse of the first foure qualities as we have already intimated that hot distemper must be corrected by a various administration of remedies in contrariety to that excesse first with a cold and moist ayre for in such cases a hot ayre weakens our strength and drawes 〈◊〉 the naturall heat to the circumference inflames dissolves and enervates the faculties of the Matrix and because a hot distemper cannot long continue sâ—mple and uncompounded but in a short space associâ—â—â—s to it selfe a dry distemper therefore the aliments must be moyst to resist the increase of that drought which is not cured without much trouble and difficulty if it be once introduced into the Matrix which by Nature iâ— a dry and nervous part wherefore let her drinke be potentially moist as small beer or a decoction of burley but enjoyn her an abstinence
and the straight gut for saith he when that part is inflamed then the urine commeth 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 your 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 due and regular manner their bodies are preserved from most terrible diseases but otherwise they are immediately subject to the falling Sickness the Palsie the Consumption the Whites the Mother Melancholy Burning Fevers the Dropsey inward inflammations of all the principall parts the suppression of the urine nauseating 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 fit for Generation Another cause also may be added besides that which is alledged from Hippocrates namely that married women by lying with their husbands doe 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 heavinesse of minde and dulnesse of spirit a benummednesse of the parts timorousnesse 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 aud 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 diminished 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 wholsome if the woman will confine her selfe to the â—awes of moderation so that she feele no wearisomnesse nor weaknesse in her body after those pleasing conflicts Most certaine it is that barren women are more tormented with sicknesse then those that are fruitfull because they who have children live in a more healthfull condition by reason of the opening of the veines and the comming away of the superfluous bloud which being of an earthy and feculent substance must needs introduce prodigious symptomes 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 Livers 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 cruell 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 outward 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
seldome faileth in its operation Two scruples of boiled Rubarb A scruple of Citron myrobalans Halfe an ounce of syrup of Quinces Two ounces and a halfe of Plantane water Mingle them and let her drink it Divers Authors as Rondeletius Hollerius Amatus Lusitanus and others condemn the boiling of Rubarb and the reason is this as things say they become more milde and weake in their operations when they have past the fire so those things which are gentle become more vehement having acquired a new kinde of faculty by the force of the fire this I grant most willingly but in the meane time they purge lesse and binde more which we desire and as for any corrupt quality which the power of the fire may have contributed to it that is easily washt away by the help of Plantane water or the juice of Quinces if you demand whither this humour should be prepared I answer evacuate it without any delay for you must not expect or wait the concoction thereof Binding Glysters will be very usefull you may make them after this manner Take foure drams of the roots of Consolida major The leaves of plantane and horsetayle of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of red Roses Two drams of shaled Pease Boile them in a sufficient quantity of plantane water to nine ounces to the strained liquor add a dram of the Trochischs de Carabe two ounces of syrup of Roses made with dried Roses The whites of two Eggs. Mingle them and make a glyster Or Take foure drams of the greater Comphrey roots The leaves of knotgrasss and plantane of each a handfull As many red Roses as your thumb and two fingers can take up Sumach and Quince seeds of each two drams Three drams of barley parched and beaten to a grosse powder Boile them in a sufficient quantity of plantane water to nine ounces To the strained liquor add two ounces of syrup of Myrtles A dram of terra sigillata Mingle them and make a glyster After these glysters are injected anoint the Matrix with astringent oyntments Take as many plantane leaves as you can grasp between your thumb and two fingers at twice Red Roses Mulberry leaves Oake leaves of each halfe the quantity aforesaid A dram of Sumach seeds Boile them gently in foure pints of oyle of Quinces Straine and presse the liquor hard and then put in True Bolearmanick Trochischs de Carabe of each a dram With a sufficient quantity of white wax make a soft oyntment according to art or Take two ounces of unguentum Comitisse Oyle of myrtles and oyle of quinces of each two drams Mingle them and make a liniment You must likewise bath the Matrix with fomentations made after this manner Take the leaves of plantane Knotgrasse Oake leaves Red Roses of each a handfull The seeds of plantane Sumach Quinces of each three drams Boile them in a sufficient quantity of red wine or water wherein steele hath been quenched to three pints use the strained liquor as was said above That which remaines after the straining may be kept for a Poultis unto which you may add oyle of quinces and unguentum Comitisse of each two ounces and mingling them together you have an excellent Poultis But if the disease yield not to these Remedies you may exhibit half a dram of new Treacle or Philonium Persicum or a scruple of the masse of Pils de Cynoglossa if the Patient incline to a Consumption give her Cowes milk prepared rightly with steele to drink in a morning fasting if the evill still persevere and you suspect the heat of the Liver to be the Cause of the disease make an issue in her leg that the Liver may exhale at that vent and the other bowells may evaporate or else let her goe into a Bath the waters whereof run from an iron Mine for these naturally binde and thicken CHAP. IV. Of the coming away of the Courses by Drops of the vehement Symptomes thereof and of the Whites AS the urine irritates the expulsive faculty so many times doth the Menstruum for as that when it is too hot doth prick burn and is frequently pist out so the Menstruum being vehemently hot doth cause an itch and an irritation and produceth a Disease which the Doctours call Stillicidium Vterinum which we may english to be a coming away of the Courses by drops The Disease proceeds from the same Causes as doth the immoderate flowing of the Courses therefore the same Remedies will be also proper to overcome them yet in this present cure you need not prescribe so many Remedies nor so often When any notable Symptomes accompanie this Disease as a vehement burning torments in the Matrix a paine about the secret parts it is called the Stillicide or Dropping of the Matrix from a sharp humour arising through the hot distemper of the Liver and the Kidneys and whereas it takes beginning from a hot distemper from whence sharpe hot and fiery humours are generated your Method must be first to root out the Cause and then to cure the distemper wherefore her body must be cooled her bloud must be thickned and the Flux must be drawn back to the upper parts this is done by a coole Ayre by giving her whey to drinke wherein steele hath been often quenched and lastly you may prescribe for her the cold thickning Dyet which we have set down above You may let her bloud in both armes and appoint the opening of the veine called Salvatella Leeches must be applied to the Hemorrhoids that the adust and melancholly bloud may be drawn out Purge her often with Rubarb and Cassia Syrupe of Violets Citron Myrobalaus Manna Tamarinds Diaprun simpl and the like Simples which gently bring away choler Cooling and thickning Juleps will be very necessary which you may make after this manner Take twelve ounces of plantane water Foure ounces of Rose water Two ounces of Syrupe of the juice of Quinces Mingle them and make a Julep or Take the waters of Plantane Purselane of each eight ounces Syrup of Poppy Syrupe of râ—stharrow of each an ounce and a half Mingle them and make a Julep If the chiefest fault lie in the Kidneys Take ten ounces of Bean water distilled The waters of Plantane Mallowes of each two ounces Syrupe of Myrtles Syrupe of Poppy of each an ounce A scruple and a halfe of Lapis Prunelle Mingle them and make a Julep But note if the Patient have a hot Liver and a cold stomack it will be convenient to lessen the quantity of the distilled mallow water or to prescribe an equall part of Rose water the vertue whereof strengthens the inward parts Baths made with binding Simples are highly profitable in this Disease for they doe not onely attemper the sharpnesse of the humours but they drive the humours to the outward parts and so defend and fortifie the Matrix from that annoyance which they threatned unto it and in a while the Flux is stayed Whey although it be Diureticall and
an ounce Make an Apozem or Take the leaves of buglos Fumitary of each a handfull Balme Germander of each halfe a handfull As much Epithymum as you can containe between your thumb and two fingers Boile them in a sufficient quantitie of whey to a pint and a halfe infuse for a night in the strained liquor Six drams of Sena Two drams of white Agarick A dram and a half of annise seeds In the morning presse out the liquor hard and add Syrupe of Violets Syrupe of fumitary of each an ounce and a halfe Mingle them for an Apozem Confectio Hamech and Diacricu will be highly profitable so also are Pils de Lapid Lazuli Sometimes you may prescribe glysters to temper the melancholy humour as for example Take the leaves of Mallowes Marishmallowes Violets of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of bran Two drams of fennill seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantitie of barley water to nine ounces in the strained liquor put in Confectio Hamech Diacatholicon of each an ounce An ounce and a halfe of oyle of violets Mingle them and make a glyster or Take half an ounce of Polypody roots The leaves of buglos Fumitary Violets of each a handfull Foure ounces of sena As much Epithymum as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers Two drams of fennill seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantitie of Cock broth to nine ounces to the strained liquor add Diaprun Laxativum Confectio Hamech of each an ounce Half an ounce of Syrup of Violets A dram of Sal gemme Mingle them and make a glyster Leeches applied to the Fundament may much promote the Cure The event may likewise gratifie your triall if you prescribe Cordials Treacle Mithridate Lozenges of Pearle Alkermes and the like which with their coldnesse drynesse and cordiall vertue retaine the spirits correct the bloud even when it is putrifying and preserve the bowells in their due Symmetry and naturall constitution Note that you may not forget to wash her legs with a decoction of Hops Violets Fumitary Roses Mallowes and Vine leaves If by the advantage of time it prove a cankerd and a creeping Vlcer you must not vex and discompose the Patient with many or strong Medicines but you must institute a palliative Cure for Galen boasteth that he thus cured a woman who had a Cancer in her breast for when the thinner part was brought away it became thicker more full of putrefaction and subject to exulcerate for it is undenyable as the same Author affirmeth that the vehemence of the remedies inflame the humor and set it on fire by that acrimonius quality which is naturally in them Almost all Authors agree that Issues are convenient for they supply the stead of Purges and Phlebotomy as Guido a good writer witnesseth in his book de Cauteriis The end of the first Book of Womens Diseases THE SECOND BOOK Written by NICHOLAS FONTANUS OF Womens Diseases The first Chapter OF the Mother THat Disease which we commonly call the Mother the Physitians terme the Strangulation or Suffocation of the Matrix and sometimes the Ascent of the Matrix Gaâ—â—n took it to be a drawing back of the Maâ—â—ix to the upper parts Hereupon some of the Ancients conceived the Matrix to be some stragling Creature wandring too and fro thorough severall parts to which phantasticall conceit Fernelius Eugenius and Laurentius contributed a credulous Assent for though a woman be dead yet can you not with an ordinary strength remove the Matrix from the naturall place neither is that reason which Fernelius alledgeth of any moment who saith that in these diseases he hath toucht it upwards seeing that this is not the true Matrix but a grosse windie swelling of a roundish figure and somewhat resembling the Matrix you will say the Matrix doth remove and slip from its proper place I grant it for by reason of the moisture wherewith those parts abound the Matrix is loosened and exceedingly stretched and this is the truth of the whole matter The Cause of this Disease is twofold the Retention of the Seed and the Menstruum which are the materiall cause and a cold and moist distemper of the Matrix breeding phlegmatick and thick juices which is the efficient cause for when the Seed is retained and the Menstruum hath not the customary and usuall vent they burthen the Matrix and choak and extinguish the heat thereof then upon the diminishing of the naturall heat windy humours are bred especially in the Matrix which by nature is a cold nervous and bloudlesse part after the same manner if the seed be kept too long it disturbeth the Function of the spiritous parts and the Midriffe it oppresseth the heart causeth fainting and sounding fits bindeth as it were and girteth about the parts and seemes in such a manner to stop the breath that the sick woman is in danger to be strangled her puls is sometimes weake various and obscure she hath inward discontents and anxieties and is most commonly invaded by at least very subject unto Convulsion fits she lies as if she were astonished and void of sense and from her belly you may heare rumbling and murmuring noises she breatheth so weakly that it is scarce discernable and indeed she is so sad an object that the by-standers may easily mistake her to be dead The drowsie and sleepy disease called Carus differs from this because they who are affected with it have the use of their breath free without any molestation and it differs from a Catalepsy another drowsie disease casting the sick into a profound and dead sleep because they who are taken with that lie without any motion but they who have the mother are tormented with Convulsion fits their legs and their hands are stretched and wrythed into unusuall figures and strange postures and by this it is distinguished from an Apoplexy unto which it is exceeding like Galen wondreth how these women can live who are troubled with these cruell fits of the Mother without any puls or breathing in as much as it is impossible for one that liveth not to breath or for one that breatheth not to live for so long as we live so long we breath To this I answer that although these women live without respiration yet doe they not live without transpiration for this being performed thorough the pores of the skin by the motion of the arteries conserves the symmetry of the vitall heat for then that small heat retiring to the heart as to a Castle may bepreserved by this benefit of transpiration alone Now to procure an assurance whither the woman be living or dead hold a feather or a looking-glasseâ—to her mouth if the former stir or the latter be spotted it is an undoubted signe that she liveth This is a most acute Disease and soone dispatcheth the sick woman especially if it took beginning from some very contagious and poisonous vapours lecherous women and lusty widowes that are prone and apt to Venery are most subject
in their Matrices doe frequently fall into the Falling Sicknesse This is easily known for imminent 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 â—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 thyâ—ne 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 seedâ— Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to nine ounces straine and presse out the liquor and then add Hiera picra Galeni Diapâ—enicon 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 of Barley water to nine ounces to the liquor which you presse out add An ounce and a halfe of Diaphenicon Mass pill fetidaâ— De heira 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 of the Patient will beare it you may prescribe a sharper glyster to draw the humours from the farthest distant parts and to imitate the nature and effects of a Purge be this for an 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 preâ—â—e 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 bath the privie parts to break and expell the winde After the use of the Fomentation apply oyle of Castor oyle of wormewood and inâ—ect 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 Hippoâ—rates adviseth to open a veine in the Ankle and this advice is magnified and aplauded 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 Hartsâ—orne 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 â—ick 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 dangerous disease may at last have a vent In the intermission of the Fits you musâ— open a vein in her Ankle this is not my counsell onely but Galen enjoynes the same remedy for in his book de Cur. ration peâ— sang missionem he saith if you will prevent the Falling Sicknesse cut the Scyrhenâ— that is the veine in the Ankle afterward
he commands the preparation of that cold and thick humour which may be effected by this Apozem following Take the roots of fennill Small Aristolochy Elecampane of each foure drams The roots of Dittany Piony of each two drams The leaves of Nip Penniroyall Calamint Sage of each a handfull The flowers of Stechas Rosemary of each as much as you caâ— graspe between your thumb and two fingers at twice A dram of annise seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been inâ—used to two pints To the strained liquor add An ounce and a half of Syrupe of Stechas An ounce of oxymell Scilliticum Mingle them and make an Apozem After you have prepared the humour purge the body with this composition following Take two drams and a halfe of Sena Three scruples of white agarick A dram of annise seeds A scruple of Ginger Macerate them for a night in a sufficient quantity of parsley water in the morning give them one or two bublings and to the liquor which you presse out I meane three ounces of it Add two scruples of Mass Pill Feâ—id Mingle them for a Potion or You may prescribe some other mixture to purge phlegm and more valiantly to break and expell winde or make ready this plaister following to be applied to her Navell and her secret parts Take three ounces of bistort roâ—ts Lign Aloes Sautali moschatelin Nâ—tmegs Barbarâ—es Dill of each two drams Cinamon Cloves Scevanth Caâ—amile flowers of each a dram Male frankincense or Olibanum Mastick Trochischs de Gallia Moschata Storax calimata Red â—torax or each a scruple Seven graines and a halfe of musk Three ounces and a halfe of yellow wax An ounce and an halfe of â—urpentine A pound of pure ladanum Nine ounces of ship Pitch Mingle them and according to Art make a Plaister If the contumacity of the â—vill be such as not to yield to all these remedies make Issues in the legs and if those also prove ineffectuall my last recourse is to a decoction of Guaâ—acum wood wherewith the learned Jachinus as he avâ—rreth in his Commentaries upon Almansor hath cured many of this Disease CHAP. III. Of Melancholy proceeding from the Matrix THis hath one and the same Cause with the Epilepsy namely the retention of the Seed and the suppression of the Menstruum which being earthy and not obtaining a vent they putrifie beget vapours which doe not onely assault the braine but they oppresse the heart also and the Midriffe for when a gloomy and black vapour ascends to the braine the principall parts and their instruments are depraved and the animall spirit which is the chiefest instument of the soule and in its own nature cleare and perspicuous is rendred darke and obscure The true signes of this disease are sadnesse fearfulnesse anxiety of minde and severall figures or postures of unquietnesse appearing in the body They despaire they doate they talke idely especially at that time when they expect their Courses in these you may observe a depraved motion of the principall Members because the temperament of the braine is perverted by that cold and dry humour moreover they are unwilling to dye they cannot sleep they have no stomack to their meat and being taken with a strange loathing of aliment their bodies waste and consume sometimes they imagine that they undergoe the torments of damned soules in Hell they weep without any cause they groan they lament anon againe they laugh desire to goe into some by coâ—neâ—s and according to the inward discompoâ—ure of their miâ—des they turne vary and alter their gestures and countenances into severall figures sometimes they have a conceit that they are talking with Angels sometimes they murmur sometimes they sing certainly there is not a more strange and wonderfull disease for in severall persons it bewrayeth a thousand severall ridiculous and antick behaviours He sees the difficulty of this Cure both in regard of the Symptomes and the stubbornesse of the disease who understands it to be a cold and dry affect for there is no doubt but the braine labours under a cold and dry distemper and how much drienesse resisteth the best medicines is not unknown to Philosophers for as it is of a dull and sluggish action so are there many resistances and from thence comes the danger because it easily degenerates into â—â—veing and raging madnesse or into the Falling Sicknesse or into an Apoplexy and it is held incurâ—ble if the braine be primarily affected because in continuance of time it takes so deep a root that no Magazine of Remedies no stratagems of Art can remove it Wherefore you must be very carefull when you undertake the Cure as for her Diet let it incline to hot and moist assigne her a gently breathing ayre boile her drink with the rooâ—s of buglos angelica and snakeweed with the leaves of hops buglos balme and fumiâ—ary allow her white Wine that is small and well sented let her be indulgent to her sleeps avoiding cares pensivenesse and troublesome thoughts if her body be costive make it and keep it soluble Venery is wholsome for melancholy persons provided that it be acted seasonably and with moderation Hippocrates placed the whole hope of the Cure in the evacuation of that excrement commanding as we have said above such Virgins to marry To facilitate the Revulsion and the evacuation of the humour loosen the belly with moistning Suppositories and Glysters observe their composition Take two scruples of the species Hiera piâ—ra Ten graines of Troch Alhandal Halfe a dram of common Salt With a sufficient quantity of honey boiled to a due thicknesse make a Suppository or Take a scruple and a halfe of Hiera Picra in the species Trochishs of agarick Troch Alhandall of each a scruple Halfe a dram of Sal gemme With a sufficient quantity of honey according to art make a Suppository Take the roots of Elecampane Polypody of each foure drams The leaves of mallowes Violets Balme Pellitory on the wall Mercury of each a handfull Ten good prunes Five drams of Sena As much Epithymum as your thumb and two fingers can grasp Two drams of annise seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of fuâ—â—tary water to nine ounces when you have strained and prest out the liquor add Diaprun Laxat Diaphenicon of each an ounce An ounce and a halfe of oyle of Violets A dâ—am of Sal gemme Mingle them and make a glyster Or Take the leaves of Buglos Borage Balme of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of Violets Foure drams of Sena Halfe an ounce of the roots of black Hellebore As much Epithymum as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers A dram of fennill seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of broth made of a sheepshead and guts soundly wash't before you put them into the pot and to ten ounces of the liquor which you press out add An ounce of Diaprun Laxat Halfe an ounce of Confectio Hamech An ounce and a halfe of
parts of the Matrix partly by reason of the suppressed Menstruum and partly by some violent labour or some vehement Abortivenesse or by some cold distemper and winde in the Matrix The swelling is discernable by the touch and if you lay your fingers upon her Matrix the print of them remaines if the Patient turne her selfe from one side to anoâ—her the waterish humour immediately â—alls down on that â—ide within you may â—erceive a rumbling noise of waters her Courses are stopped she falsly surmiseth â—hat she is with Childe the breasts grow â—ank and there is no appearance of milke She feeles some difficulty to fetch her â—reath she is troubled with passions of the minde she is tormented with thirst complaines of heat in all the parts of the body is apt to nauseate subject to a paine in her heart and all other things molest her that usually accompany a true Dropsey and that in regard of a salt and waterish phlegme â—etained in the hollow parts of the Matrix and communicated thorough the common wayes to the upper provinces of the body It differs from an inflammation in the Matrix because this is consociated with a Fever continually burning all the parts of the body but in a Dropsey of the Matrix the heat is more gentle and temperate all things are lockt up in the Matrix that is nothing worth the mentioning comes from thence in an inflammation but in a Dropsey a waterish slimy and stinking excrement floweth away This is a Chronicall Disease and doth not quickly either destroy or take leave of the Patient It differs also from the windinesse which swells the Matrix for in that the swelling is not so great the flesh is not so pale and shining neither is there so much winde and it is easily differenced from a Schirrus for in this you may feele a great hardnesse but in the Dropsey the flesh is soft and lanke The Dropsey in the Matrix is a direfull disease whereby the upper parts being vitiated sometimes the whole body is drawn into consent and then the naturall heat of the Matrix is diminished and indeed the oeconomy of this part onely is not disturbed but the universall strength of the influent heat is by degrees extinguisht Wherefore you must begin the Cure without any procrastination or carelesse delayes by a heating and drying diet the forme quantity quality and manner whereof we have set down already at large in the Chapter of a swelling in the Matrix Allow her pure wine for her drinke that is sincere wine or else wormewood wine or if it seeme pleasant to her boile china roots with Annise seeds Cinamon and Agrimony in water for her to drink or alter her beer with China or wormewood or Century All moist things must be avoided and the ayre must be artificially heated unlesse you can settle her in an ayre which is naturally hot Among the universall remedies you must omit Phlebotomy for this exhausts the hot substance and weakens the naturall heat cooleth the body extinguisheth the inborne preservative yet this rule is not so strict or so generall but that sometimes it may be lawfull yea necessary to cut a veine when her Courses are supprest or when the Piles are stopt yea if she be young and in the flower of her youth it may be requisite to let her bloud in the spring of the yeare especially if the constitution of the weather be agreeable and the constitution of her body temperate and sanguine but otherwise never or at least very sparingly and that in the Ankle Purge the first regions of her body with Diasenua Mechoaca or Diaphenicon the thick viscous and waterish humours neverthelesse being first prepared specially with such remedies as we have commended unto you above and although the waterish humours may be purged out without staying for their concoction because water neither concocts nor waxeth thick according to Galen in his book de purgand Med. Facult yet to expell the winde and to open the obstructions wherewith the upper parts are infested I praise those things which are good to break winde to unlock the passages and to purge out the humours this is commodiously performed with wormewood agrimony fennill Maidenhaire the juice of the Florentine Flowerdeluce Sena the roots of Parsly Feâ—nill Sparagus Butchersbroom and Alexander boiled after this manner Take the last named five roots of each half anounce Three drams of danewort roots The leaves of wormewood Water agrimony Maidenhaire of each a handfull Six drams of Sena An onnce of the juice of Ireos roots Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Barley water to two pints unto the strained liquor clarified with the white of an Egg add Two ounces of Syrupe Byzant simpl An ounce of Syrupe of wormewood Mingle them and make an Apozem When the humor is prepared exhibit pills de Hiera cum agarico to the quantity of a dram Antimony warily administred is a divine medicine and so are the Trochischs Alhandal for these irresistably bring away those thick and clammy humours which stick so fast to the Matrix afterwards the Matrix must be strengthned and the windy humours must be expelled with Lozenges made according to this manner Take the Electuary Diacinnamomum Diagalanga Dialacea of each halfe a dram Two ounces of sugar dissolved in Cinamon-water According to Art make them into Lozenges or Take an ounce of old Treacle Two drams of aromaticum rosatum With a sufficient quantity of Syrup of wormewood make a mixture The Oyntments Plaisters and Poultisses which are mentioned above must be applyed to the secret parts issues also and scarifications will be convenient as we have already taught Pessaries likewise may bee made after this forme following Take Troch Alhandal Troch de agarico The best Aloes of each two drams A dram of Elaterium which is the juice of the wilde Cucumber inspissated The yolke of an Egg Unsalted Butter The juice of Mercury of each three drams With a sufficient quantity of wax a piece of Cotton and a piece of taffata make a pessary This being administred apply the Fomentation following to her privie parts Take danewort roots newly gathered The roots of the Florentine Flowerdeluce The roots Cucumer asicrin of each six drams The flowers of Camomile Melilot of each two handfulls A handfull of the tops of Dill Juniper berries Laurell berries of each halfe an ounce Boile them in a suffâ—icient quantity of wormewood water distilled to foure pints to the strained liquor add Oyle of Lillies Laurell berries of each three ounces Use it as was said above CHAP. VII Of the falling down of the Matrix THe Matrix sometimes falleth down upon the lower parts and this disease the Physitians call the Descent of the Matrix this is resembled to a pare or a gooseegg as it is small or great as there are many Causes of this disease namely a hard labour and a frequent bringing forth of children miscarrying a bringing away of the dead child
not easily curable because of the humour which insinuating it selfe corrodes and exulcerates the part The signes of an Vlcer in the Matrix are a pricking paine about the privie parts fluxes of a virulent and corrupt humour a gentle Fever idle talking and sometimes sounding Fits These Vlcers are very hard to cure partly because of the distance of the place the virulency and malignity of them and partly also because it is so full of Nerves that they hinder the coalescence and healing of it The most proper and convenient diet which in this case you can prescribe is that which is moderate and temperate let her surrender her whole desires to sleepe not fearing any excesse hot meats must be avoided and exercise must be forborne but above all things let her refuse her husband in his loving offers of Benevolence for by heat and motion the humours melt and falling down upon the Matrix they exasperate the Vlcers When you let bloud open the black vein a Vomit may be given with security and safety but the event of a Purge is doubtfull yet if you prescribe one let it be very gentle for the reasons aforesaid Locall remedies are very proper and profitable so are Baths and the Injections which we have already commended to you provided that you add a dram and a half of the Trochisch alb Rhasis with two ounces of Hydromel and the whey of Goats milke If you can gather from the confession of the sick woman that these Vlcers owe their beginning to the French Pox having first made triall of all these remedies aforesaid as well universall as particular prescribe compositions which receive Mercury the severall formes whereof if God permit when we describe the Cure of the French Pox we shall set down at large CHAP. X. Of Wormes the Stone in the Matrix and the Hemorrhoids THat wormes breed in all the parts of our bodies is a truth not to be denyed The Cause of these wormes is a viscous phlegmatick raw and cold humour sticking by its clamminesse to the very Matrix or to the neck thereof and by degrees putrifying The signes of them are a dew or moisture upon the lips of the Matrix slendernesse troublesome sleeps an itching in the belly and a slow Fever This is a disease full of molestation iâ— regard of the Fever and the want of sleep which waste and consume the sick Creature To facilitate the Cure a dry regiment is necessary meaâ—â— that yield a thick cold â—nd moist juice must be avoided her been â—hould be boiled with râ—barbe pur selane or sorrell and you may purge her body with â—ills of mastick or de Hiera cum 〈◊〉 or Take an ounce of grasse roots The leaves of plantane Tansie of each a handfull Two drams of citron seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of balme water to a pint in the strained liquor infuse for the space of a night Three drams of the choisest Rubarb A dram and a halfe of agarick Troch Coralline Hartshorne prepared of each a dram In the moring set them upon a gentle fire allow them one or two bublings straine them and presse out the liquor and then add Foure ounces of Diâ—â—niâ—u Mingle them for an Apozem Every other day let her drinke three ounces of it You may make your injections after this manner Take halfe an ounce of Diâ—tany roots The leaves of Tansie Calamint of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of Century the lesse Two drams of citron seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of honied water to nine ounces add An ounce and a halfe of Syrup of Wormewood Two drams of aloes in powder Meale of Lupines Rubarb in powder of each a dram Mingle them and make an Injection to serve three times or Take the roots of Costmary Aristolochy the long of each two drams Coloquintida Aloes The gall of an Ox of each three drams Two drams of hartshorne prepared Boil them in a sufficient quantity of wormwood water to nine ounces every morning inject three ounces of the strained liquor Or make a plaister of the things aforesaid according to art and lay it to the privie parts The same administrations will serve against the stone in the Matrix provided that you are sure that that is the Materiall and efficient Cause that is a thick slow and viscous humour the other namely the efficient is an immoderate heat Stones many times also are generated of a corruption or matter congealed in the Matrix and grown dry the Cause is twofold one inward the other outward the inward hath already been declared the outward is a thick cold and waterish meat suppeditating matter to the Concretion of the stone as milke fish pulse and other grosse aliments as cheese and muddy ale The Stone in the Matrix is known by the paine in the part and if you presse down the Matrix the paine is exasperated The woman conceives not her Courses come down immoderately and if she put her finger up her fundament she may feele the Stone Use your utmost speed and diligence to cure it for whereas the Matrix is as the sinke or common shore into which Nature empties out all the grosse and superfluous bloud it may be feared that that corrupt matter will turne to a Stone which in continuance of time growes sometimes to such a bignesse as we of our own knowledge can testifie that it fills the whole capacity of the Matrix and totally suppresseth the Courses breeding Vlcers full of corruption and purulency The Cure consists in a good regiment in the preparation of the humours and in the evacuation and expurgation of them to prepare the humours give her this Apozem following Take the roots of parsly Eryngos Fennill Alexander of each halfe an ounce The leaves of Germander Violets of each a handfull White Maidenhaire Century the lesse of each halfe a handfull The seeds of grummell Nettles of each two drams Six drams of raisins pickt and stoned Foure drams of licoras Boile them in a sufficient quantity of barley water to two pints to the strained liquor add Syrupe of the five roots Syrup of Lemons of each an ounce and a halfe Mingle them and make an Apozem When she hath drunk the Apozem make ready this Potion Take the roots of Polypody Marish mallowes The leaves of Violets Mallowes of each a handfull The leaves of Sena Bastard saffron seeds of each halfe an ounce Agarick Trochischated Mechoacha of each two drams Macerate them a whole night in a sufficient quantity of Rhenish wine to eight ounces and boyle them gently in the morning straine and presse out the liquor with a strong hand and add to it Halfe an ounce of Electuary Diacarâ—hamum Mingle them together and make a Potion for two doses to be taken every other day We have already furnisht you with Fomentations Poultisses Oyntments Plaisters and halfe tubs to bath in which are very serviceable in this cure but above all things inject these glysters following very often
throughout the whole progresse of the Cure Take nine ounces of some emollient decoction Diacatholicon Benedicta Laxativa of each an ounce Oyle of Dill. Oyle of bitter Almonds of each six drams A dram of Sal gemme Mingle them and make your glyster or Take the roots of restharrow Marish mallowes of each halfe an ounce The leaves of mallowes Violets Pellitory of the wall Mercury of each a handfull The tops of Dill Camomile flowers of each half a handfull Line seed Fenugreek of each three drams Two drams of nettle seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to nine ounces to the strained liquor add Diaphenicon Benedicta laxativa of each an ounce Oyle of Lillies Unsalted butter of each an ounce and a halfe Mingle them and make a glyster When these things are done let the Midwife put her finger up into the Patients Fundament and artificially presse downe the belly upon the bones that joyne neer the privie parts that the place where the stone lies may be raised up this being dryed put in a hooked instrument and draw it out as we have sometimes seen it done but afterwards let issues made in her body be kept open THE THIRD BOOK OF Barrennesse and such Diseases as befall Women with Childe The first Chapter OF Barrennesse both Absolute and Respective PRovident Nature that she might contrive the continuation of Mankinde for a long time if not in the Individuall yet at least in the Species hath imprinted in those parts dedicated to generation a vehement continuall and inexpressible appetite to propagation and thus by a due commixture of the womans bloud with the seed of the man she formeth and fashioneth a Creature in the Matrix which at a certaine and appointed time she sends forth into the world compleat and perfect in its Conformation Wherefore in my Judgement Conception is nothing else then a receiving of the mans seed in the Matrix being exquisitely and proportionably intermingled aptly retained and fully perfected and therefore by the rule of Contraries we may affiâ—me Barrennesse to be a Depravation or defect of these operations Barrennesse is either naturall and acquired from the first Elements of the Conformation or introduced by sicknesse or lastly Respective namely in reference to the Man or the Woman the first is incurable for no Physitian can correct those errours which Nature commits in the mysterious purpose of our generation one of these errours is the straightnesse of those passages which lead to the Matrix being sometimes so narrow that they hinder the right transmission of the seed into the vessells of Generation or if it be injected yet is it received with so much paine and labour that the Matrix doth neither concoct nor perfect it another errour is the widenesse of those parts into which although the seed be duely ejaculated yet it presently slips out againe because the capacity of the Matrix is too wide the crookednesse of the vessells also may be another impediment for we may many times meet with jesting errours as I may call them in the workmanships of Nature thus in one body a double Matrix hath been seen in another two hearts in a third the Spleen placed where the Liver should stand and many other such like recreations of Nature as Realdus Columbus hath discoursed of them at large in his Anatomy The second kinde of barrennesse is that which is contracted by some disease for whereas the seed is a certaine spirituall substance generated of the purest part of the bloud it is necessary that it should be concocted in a temperate wombe but if the Matrix be too hot it consumes the seed as a little water thrown into a fire is presently dryed up and on the contrary if it bee too moist and cold the actions that are ordained for conception are weakned and disabled because cold is unprofitable and uselesse for any function it shuts up the mouthes of the veines in the Matrix it renders a woman averse from and indisposed to the pleasure of the Lawfull sheets for a waterish seed cooles the Testicles and makes them unapt to elaborate the seed and make it fit to unite and mix with the mans seed unto these impediments Hippocrates hath also added another which in his Aphorisms he calls a thick Matrix From all which it is manifest that the temperate Matrix is most fruitfull namely that which obtaines a mediocrity approaching to no excesse either of an active or passive quality by the universall Constitution of the whole body you may best discerne the temperature of the wombe which is most fit for conception for such women are fresh coloured and of a rosie complexion gentle of behaviour affable in their cariage merry and pleasant in their conversation not dull and drowsie and full of pensivenesse The third cause of barrennesse proceeds neither from the Nativity of the Patient nor from any sicknes but relates to the man as for example one and the same woman may have had Children by a former husband and yet no children by a second husband not because she is now barren or unfruitfull but she is so called because of her husband by whom she hath now no children the case is likewise the same on the mans part respectively to the woman but perhaps you will demand a reason hereof I answer because the proportion and temperature of both the seeds which ought to concur to generation are contrary the one to the other for the seed both of the man and the woman if it be prolificall and fruitfull will be of a white and shineing colour not thin and waterish but of a thick and compacted substance in sent like unto the flowers of the Dwarfelder tree and being put into water it will sinke to the bottome but that which is unfit for generation will swim upon the â—op of the water and is in all respects conâ—rary to the former the man ought to be of a strong constitution well set full of â—uscles and neither too slender nor too â—hick for those that are slender are usualâ—y too weak to get childreu at least such as are healthfull strong and lively and those who are to grosse are commonly of a cold temper have a thin and slippery seed and are more desirous of Venery then able to performe it Barren men are commonly beardless slow in imagination and dull in practise because their seed is cold and containes not any spirit to tickle and warme their Phantasies but they sit like images and are sad and insociable on the contrary hairy men that have Testicles of an indifferent size and a well concocted seed are cheerefull affable ever frequenting the young company of Maids and Virgins being excited by the flagrancy of their eyes to Venereous dalliances and lustfull speculations After the same manner we must give judgement concerning women which besides the signes aforesaide if they be bald and harelesse in the privie parts they are suspected to be barren but if they
from wine and all such meatâ— as are spiced with cinamon and Ginger Let her meat be of easie concoction and 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 Chapter of a hot diâ—â—â—per in the 〈◊〉 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 distemper be thecause that the Patient hath not her Courses cut a veine in her ankle Moreover you may prepare 〈◊〉 and moistning Juleps after this manner Take Syrup of Violets and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of each two ounces Twelve ounces of Endive water Six drops of Spirit of vitrioll mingle them or Take Syrup of borage and Syrupe of pur selane of each an ounce and a halfe A decoction of 〈◊〉 with cucumber citruâ— gourd and melon seeds of each a dram and a halfe take a pint and a halfe of the decoction mingled with the Syrups and let her drink it at three doses 〈◊〉 a Purge 〈◊〉 to evacuate choler Take three drams of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A scruple and a halfe of citron seeds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a night in a sufficient quantity of a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two ounces and a 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 straine and presse them and to the liquor add three drams of the Electuary Diaprunlaxative 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 hearbs 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 Sautalâ—n 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 perlutum 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 〈◊〉 When unfruitfulnesse proceedeth from 〈◊〉 cold distemper you must observe a contrary method of cure as for example The ayre must incline to hot and dry the 〈◊〉 must be also 〈◊〉 hot and dry and because this cold distemper is perpetually consociated with moisture whereby cloudy and grosse vapours get into the Matrix which is cold and nervous therefore it will be requiste to correct this coldnesse to take away the moisture and to consume and dissipate those windy vapours from 〈◊〉 you may gather that this is a very frequent cause of barrennesse and 〈◊〉 and so likewise are flatulent and windy humours for they extreamely swell the Matrix so that the seâ—d cannot be perfectly 〈◊〉 neither can the child be held fast by the 〈◊〉 When you attempt the Cure abstaine from Phlebotomy unlesse it be preparative onely to diâ—burthen 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 â—et out might be seasonably â—â—â—octed and this you may observe with the learned Ferâ—â—liuâ— 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 Phâ—ebotomy 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 struple of Ginger Halfe a dram of Anâ—â—â—eeds Macerate them a whole night in a sufficient quantity of marjorâ—m waterâ— to three ounces in the morning presse them hard and add Diaphenicon and Diaenicum 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 rosat 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
and free from the humour you may prescribe a gentle Purge of Rubarb which hath both a purging and a strengthning faculty for if we may adventure our beliefe to the assertions of the best Physitians Rubarb may be safely given to old men infants and women with childe and Fallopius in his booke of purging Simples and in the chapter where he speaketh of Rubarb saith it dries up all superfluous moisture contained in the vessells of the Matrix it is a gentle cleanser it strengthneth the Heart and the stomack by its astringent faculty neither need you to entertaine the vaine feares of some who suspect that the bitternesse thereof may destroy the childe for the taste of it is not horrible to nature and besides the bitternesse quickly vanisheth There remaines another doubt to be answered namely whether it be more proper and advantagious to prescribe an infusion of Rubarb or to give it in the substance I answer that it purgeth most in the substance or body of it expelling the humours by siege which it doth not in an infusion at least not so powerfully because then it evacuates onely by the purgative vertue which is in it and of the same opinion is the Author before named CHAP. IV. Of a bad stomach proceeding from Vomiting IT is a known truth that most dangerous direfull and pernicious Symptomes invade women with childe from which also forsaking of meat and Vomiting doe afterwards follow all which things proceed from those noysome and foggy exhalations which are distributed into the severall parts from the corruption of the bloud for whereas there is a sympathy and consent between the stomack and the Matrix when any poysonous or malignant vapour ascendeth from the latter it immediately invades and overcomes the stomack which being weakned in the conflict or indeavour to resist and keep out those vapours the functions of it are depraved it refuseth all comfort or nourishment or if at any time it admit any 't is no sooner swallowed but vomited up againe these are the signes of this disease and to cure it proceed according to the Method following In the first place prescribe a cleansing potion Take three drams of Elecampane roots The leaves of wormewood and Century the lesse of each halfe a handfull Boile them in a sufficient quantity of whole barley water to a pint and a halfe to the strained liquor add three ounces of honey of roses strained mingle them for a Potion against the next morning prepare this purge following Take three drams of rubarb Two scruples of agarick Trochischt A dram of annise seeds Macerate them a whole night in a sufficient quantity of mint water to two ounces and a halfe in the morning presse them hard with all your strength and add three drams of the Electuary Diaphenicon if she cannot take down a Puâ—ge let her swallow these Pills following Take a dram of the mass of Pills de Hiera cum agarico Make nine pills and guild them The next day following give her this strengthning mixture which doth not purge at all and eveâ—y morning let her eat the quantity of a Nutmeg Take Elecampane roots candied Marmalade of Quinces of each an ounce Halfe an ounce of Conserve of red Roses Foure scruples of aromat rosat in powder Two scruples of mastick in powder With a sufficient quantity of Syrup of mint make a Confection After the use of these things make this plaister following and lay it to her stomack Take lignum aloes Yellow Sanders And the round Cyperus of each two drams Galangale mace cloves And calam aromat of each a dram Common wormewood roman wormewood Spikenard dried mint Of each as much as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers Mastick Storax calamitu Red Corall of each two scruples Amber Musk of each a scruple Pure ladanum Turpentine of each an ounce Foure ounces of white wax Make a Masse whereof let him take a sufficient quantity and spread it upon leather and lay it to her stomack Bisket steeped in muskadine is excellent good for her because it refresheth the spirits and mightily strengthneth the stomack CHAP. V. Of a Pain in the Belly the Passion of the Heart and of sounding Fits VVOmen with Childe doe often feele a pain in their bellies and this also proceeds from winde and the malignant vapours aforesaid neither are the swounding Fits or the Passion of the heart produced by any other causes because the heart when it is shaken with this fuliginous and grosse spirit doth frequently stretch and contract it selfe and endeavouring to expell the evill which annoyes it it falls into an inordinate and strange motion like unto trembling Under these diseases the woman languisheth is full of feares and frights prone to despaire subject to faint can obtaine no sleep but wasteth away daily and waxeth leane and meager To take away her paine you may administer such remedies as will expell the winde and strengthen the bowell of which sort you may furnish your selfe with plenty above in the chapter of a cold distemper and windy humours in the Matrixâ— You may likewise anoynt the stomack with this oyntment following Take an ounce of unguent Altheae Oyle of wormewood Oyle of Camomile And oyle of rue of each three drams The powder of lignum aloes Mastick Wormewood And both sorts of Corall of each a dram Halfe a dram of aromat rosat in powder Six drops of oyle of annise seeds With a sufficient quantity of yellow wax according to art make an oyntment This or the like fomentation may likewise be very usefull Take halfe a dram of elecampane roots Two drams of lignum aloes The leaves of Rue Motherwort Sage Wormewood Mint of each a handfull Mastick Cloves of each two drams Boile these Simples in a sufficient quantity of water to three pints and prescribe the strained liquor for a fomentation After the use of the fomentation clap to the stomack the caul of a sheep newly killed In Spaine the greatest persons and those the wisest also take hot bread from the oven afterwards they soake it in Muskadine and having sprinkled upon it the powders of red and white corall and aromat rosatum they lay it to the heart others instead thereof use Treacle Alkermes and Confect Hiachytorum to all which may be added if the evill yield not to the remedies aforesaid a little bag to be worne upon the left pap and made after this manner following Take two drams of lignum aloes Bezoar stone Muske Red corall of each a dram Red and yellow Sanders of each two scuples The Specie Diamosch And Diambr of each a scruple and a half With a piece of red taffata and cotton make a quilted bombast for the use aforesaid Mingle cordialls with her drinke and cordiall conserves as for example Take two ounces of conserve of red roses Two drams of alkermes Macerate them a night in two pints of plantane water and red wine in the morning straine it thorough Hippocrates his sleeve
that is a woollen bag and give her now and then the quantity of a small wine glasse If these remedies overcome not the disease apply an exceeding great Cuppinglasse to the heart by the force whereof the windy vapour will evaporate for although Glysters doe draw back the humour from the affected part yet in reference to great bellied women you ought to suspect the event of them because they raise too great a disturbance by provoking nature downwards and many times cause abortivenesse yet if the paine be insupportable then inject carminative glysters and omit all bitter ingredients as Hiera benedicta Laxativa or Scammoniata but to prevent all errour prescribe this following Take a handfull of mallow leaves The flowers of melilot The tops of Dill of each halfe a handfull Two drams of fennill seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of barley water to nine pints to the strained liquor add two ounces of Syrup of roses Laxative An ounce of red Sugar Mingle them and make a glyster Or Take the flowers of melilot And mallowes of each a handfull Annise and Fennill seeds Of each two drams Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of broth made with an old Cock to nine ounces to the inward liquor add Calabrian Manna And red Roses of each an ounce and a halfe An ounce of oyle of rue Mingle them and make a glyster It might doe much good if you gave her a draught of balme water in the morning in which water you may steep lignum aloes the space of a night and afterwards put to the strained liquor a sufficient quantity of Syrup of mint for this expells the winde cleanseth away the phlegme and powerfully strenghthens the stomack You must frequently and laboriously rub her lower parts tye ligatures about them and apply Cuppinglasses to them if there be no imaginable cause to feare abortivenesse but if there be the least suspicion of that omit all such applications as may procure a revulsion of the bloud nay let me give you this caution absolutely to foâ—beare them unlesse she be taken with desperate trembling and fainting fits or swounding in the spring time too when her spirits require them You must cause her Basilick veine to be opened if she be young fleshy and strong for this Remedy besides that it letteth out the thick dreggish and black blood it refresheth the childe also and the heart is sweetly easily and safely delivered from that burthensome humour which did oppresse and almost overwhelme it CHAP. VI. Of a Cough in Women with Childe MOst certaine it is that great-bellied Women by reason of their being with childe have not sometimes a free vent for their crude and indigested aliments either by Stoole or by Urine or by any other Emunctories of the body these being unduly kept in the body putrifie wax hot and communicate noysome fumes and vapours to the spiritous parts which by their clamminesse thicknesse and sharpnesse together with the bad quality that is in them gripe and twitch the Woman and force her to cough Some perhaps may demand why doth this Coughing happen in the last months the answer is obvious namely because in those moneths a greater plenty of excrements are lodged in the body then were accumulated at the first The cause of the Cough according to Hippocrates is a viscous thick and tough humour impacted in the Pipes of the Lungs which humour sometimes also thorough that consent which is between the Matrix and the Chest invadeth that part and raiseth a Coughing and these are set down as the true signes of this evill As for the Prognosticks you must know that a Cough befalling a woman with childe is a bad Symptome seeing that by the least stretching and shrinking the Cotyledons or vessells of the wombe are many times loosned yea sometimes burst asunder and from thence comes abortivenesse The Cure is perfected with sweet wine mild beere and the frequent use of a Ptisan sharp sowre and cold things must be avoided meats also must be forborne which breed a thick nourishment and are hard to digest vehement evacuations likewise are not good wherefore having given order for the observation of a good Diet prescribe some gentle lenifying mediciâ—es to provoke her to spit as manna Syrup of roses laxative Diacnicu and the like These things being administred proceed to Electuaries and expectorating medicines and especially to this Apozem following Take an ounce of cleansed Barley The roots of Aristolochy Licoras scraped of each two drams The leaves of Asarabacca Nettles White Maidenhaire of each a handfull Two drams of raisins pickt The flesh of Dates Fat Figs of each three drams Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of water to two pints and to the strained liquor add Two ounces of Diacodium Mingle them and make an Apozem or You may prescribe Lozenges after this manner Take a dram of the species Diatragacanth frigid Diaireos Poppy seeds of each a scruple Two ounces and a halfe of Sugar dissolved in rose water according to art make them into Lozenges Then prescribe this Conserve Take Conserve of red Roses Elecampane candied of each an ounce Conserve of Violet flowers Rosemary flowers of each halfe an ounce Two drams of meale of beanes A dram of Diaireos Ten graines of Sulphur With Syrup of Coltsfoot make a Conserve Meale of beanes according to Galen doth cleanse and mundifie the Chest digests and crude spittle contained in the pipes and makes it easie to be excerned bean-flower water is exceeding good for the Lungs especially if she drinke it with Syrupe of Maydenhaire or Oxymel Scilliticum the same faculties hath the distilled waters of red Poppies The yolke of an egg taken in the morning with Sugar and the oyle of sweet Almonds is a most incomparable remedy and hath done good to thousands Anoynt her Breast with this Oyntment which is good to prepare the crude and thick matter which stops her pipes Take an ounce of the oyntment of marish mallowes The axungia of a hen Of a Duck of each halfe an ounce Oyle of sweet Almonds Oyle of Violets of each two drams Ten graines of Saffron Mingle them and according to art make an oyntment heat it when you use it and anoynt the whole region of her Chest therewith CHAP. VII Of the swelling of the Legs in Women with Childe FRom the same cause namely from abundance of phlegme and câ—ude humours especially in the last moneths proceed the swelling of the legs face and eye-browes and when I have told you that the flesh of the whole body groweth soft and that she looketh white and wan in the face I have discovered unto your consideration the signes of this disease Women in this condition cannot be restored to perfect health till she be delivered yet may we not delay our helps least a worse evill happen unto her for whereas the legs and feet are outward parts and at a great distance from the fountaine of heat they are quickly affected with cold and
mortified through the abundance of crude humours which many times settle in them You may securely speedily and gently accomplish the cure by strengthning and disâ—olving 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 Diacinnamonium aromaticum rosatum 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 Cotyledons 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 â—xgraines of Diagryâ—ium for these will irritate Her meat should be of a moistening and mollifying quality as mallow and borage leaves eaten with butter and Sugar fat pottage also is good for her in which if she complaine of no torments you may boyle polypoda sena and prunes 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 Forbeare 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 drinkes 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 allow 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 are 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
in the fifth sixth seventh or eigth moneth in 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 every disease of repletion or the malice of a complexion is not cured by his contrary but sometimes by a good regiment of health wherefore if it be a slight disease it will be cured of its own accord for theâ—e is no kinde of disease so fierce saith Galen in his book of Diet which is not tamed by it but yet a moderation must be observed for they who are neere their time and looke every day to be in labour want 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
they apply to the privie parts Take unguentum de 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 〈◊〉 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 kick 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 the Secundine be retained for any considerable time it putrifies and communicates poisonous 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 sneâ—zing 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 Mercury 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 fleshiâ— substance whereof it is compounded is as difficult to cure as the retention 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 fixth 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 fixth 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 fixt 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 of assa faetida Trochishs of myrrhe of each a scruple Troch Alhandal Borace of each ten graines Nutmeg 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 benedicta 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 unto which may be added a little coloquintida powder of dittany scammony the gall of an Oxe Take two ounces of Vnguentum Agrippae 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 Euphoribium 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 Agrippae With a piece of cotton according to Art Make a Pessary Or Take Ammoniack Assa faetida Black â—ellebore 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 drams 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 griese 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 befall 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 conâ—idered the age of the woman the Climate in which she liveth the time of the yeare and the menstruum you mâ—st 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 iâ— 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 Violets 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 seeds 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—ea Vnguentum Agrippe of each an ounce
Oyle of Lillies Oyle of camomile of each two drams A dram of Opium dissolved in burnt wine Mingle them for a Liniment Between the suppression of the Courses and the staying of the menstruum after a womans delivery there is little or no difference for there is one cause of both and that accompanied with the same signes and therefore we shall not diversifie the Cure but direct the Reader to the second chapter of our first book where she may furnish her selfe with convenient remedies CHAP. VI. Of the immoderate coming down of the Courses after the birth VVE have sufficiently handled the Causes of the immoderate flowing of the Gourses in our first book we have also related unto the signes wherefore now we shall tell you further from an Aphorism in Hippocrates that if Fainting and Convulsion fits befall a woman in Child-bed 't is a bad signe because they argue a great weaknesse after which follow inexpressible tortures with paine in the Hypochondriacall parts by reason of the clotted bloud a small frequent and swift pulse yea and death it selfe sometimes the woman is surprized with dotage a quinsey or a Lethargie wherefore you must labour to stop the Courses with all your best premeditation and caution and the most expedite meanes you can use are a thickning bindiug and cold diet as broth made with trotters in which you may also boilâ— rise quinces or pease but abstaine from wine for it opens the parts thins the humours and provokes the Courses as on the contrary cold things bind thicken and stop up Rub her hands and tie Ligatures about her upper parts and according to the injunction of Hippocrates in his Aphorismes lay Cuppinglasses to her Breasts Finally if the womans strength will bear it there is not a surer remedie then letting bloud and you must open the Basilick vein twice or thrice Thickning things are very necessary and of great moment in this cure Take true bolearmenick The species Diatragacanth frig 1. of each a scruple Halfe an ounce of Syrupe of Quinces Halfe an ounce of plantane water Mingle them for a Draught or Take terra sigillata Red corall prepared Troch de carabe of each a scruple Halfe an ounce of Syrup of pomegranets Three ounces of a decoction of red rose leaves Mingle them for a Draught or Take the leaves of plantane Knotgrasse of each a handfull Red roses Pomegranet flowers of each half a handfull Myrtle seeds Sumach seeds of each two drams A dram of the juice of hypocystis Boile them to six pints in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been quenched give the strained liquor for a fomentation or Take the powder of Cyprus nuts The roots of Tormentill Dragons bloud of each a dram and a half A dram of mastick Halfe a dram of right bolearmenick Two ounces of unguentum Comitissae Oyle of mastick Oyle of myrtles of each two drams With a sufficient quantity of wax make an oyntment If these get not the victory Take a scruple of the masse of pills de Cynoglossa Make five pills and guild them or Take halfe a dram of new Treacle Halfe a scruple of Requies Nicholai Two drams of Syrup of poppy Three ounces of plantane water Mingle them for a Draught If any fault in the Liver as sometimes it hapneth is the cause of this evill apply cooling Epithems unto it or instead thereof you may adhibit Ceratum Santalinum mixt with the powders of Corall Roses and Camphire CHAP. VII Cures of such Diseases as usually befall a woman after she is delivered VVE are taught by Hippocrates that those Diseases which happen after the Birth are more dangerous and venomous then the rest because they are produced by a grosse impure thick and feculent bloud for the Childe in the wombe sucketh away the sweetest part of the bloud for its own nourishment which it purifies and reserves the melancholy and thicker portion thereof being separated and forsaken which if the providence of Nature doe not duly evacuate and purge away the woman in Childe-bed will without all doubt be invaded by strong and vehement Fevers by reason of the boyling and putrifying of the bloud in the veines of the Matrix which according to Galen are very large in the first place therefore let the Patient be carefully attended and begin the Cure by opening a veine by Cuppinglasses applyed to the calfes of her legs with Scarification and laying Leeches to the Hemorrhoids But the Controversie will be what vein must be cut for if she bleed from the arme you draw the bloud upwards if from the ancle you weaken the body and contribute no ease but if you will follow my direction tie strong Ligatures about her thighes and legs having first well rubbed them and then open the Cubit veine without any discouragement for this cleanseth the very Minerall sinke and puddle of the putrified Humours Galen indeed affirmeth that if a veine be opened in any part of the body it will exhaust and emptie all the Vessâ—ll4 but not equally and in all respects alike for we deliver it for an undoubted truth that the whole masse of bloud will soonest flow away if the Basilick veine be opened which is greater then any of the rest and of the same Judgement is Fernelius who saith if the menstruum flow away from women in Childe-bed thorough the vehemence of a Fever you must cut the Cubit veine At the beginning you must refraine the use of purging medicines for although you should make choice of such as are most gentle in their operation yet they stir the humours and doe not expell them from convenient places Againe should you prescribe strong purges they would draw back the menstruum from the Matrix to the stomack and disturb Nature when she is labouring to expell it and that this were no rationall and well-grounded meanes of Cure but rather a rash and preposterous adventure any sober judgement will acknowledge because the expedition the Art and the Mystery of the whole Cure consisteth in the provocation of the Menstruum If it be a violent burning Fever prescribe such things as will qualifie and temper the heat of the bloud but avoide cold Simples because they keep in the menstruum by binding up the parts neither may you be too bold with hot things for they inflame the bloud These Glysters following will be of excellent use for the purpose aforesaid Take nine ounces of some softning Decoction An ounce and a halfe of the Electuary called Diacatholicon An ounce of hony of roses Butter and oyle of sweet Almonds of each halfe an ounce A dram of salt mingle them and make a Glyster or Take nine ounces of mutton broth well boiled The leaves of Motherwort Violets and Pellitory of the wall of each a handfull Two ounces of honey of roses The yolkes of two eggs An ounce of oyle of Violets mingle them and make a Glyster You may make a Ptisan of Raisins Barley and Licorish which will be very profitable