out of the Womb and the pain is fixed chiefly about the orifice of the Womb the right Gut and the Bladder being affected by reason of the continual desire of expelling forth the humor In the Cure first you must seek to dissolve the clotted blood which is done by the use of Treacle dissolved in wine and then to evacuate which is performed with Agaric Aloes with the juice of Savin decoction of Rosemary with the Flowers of Cheiri in Wine Sometimes it is caused by the menstruous blood when the vessels are more open or the blood too thick which happens through the over-much use of cold drink especially when the woman is hot The cure may be found in the cure of the suppression of the Flowers Sometimes it is caused by other vitious humours collected in the concavity of the womb or adhering to the other Vessels and then these humours are to be removed with purging and evacuating Medicines Sometimes windy vapours are the cause hereof arising from the heat of the vitious humors caused by copulation It is cured by things that discuss the wind to which purpose it may not be amiss to use a Clyster made of Malmsey and Oyl of Nuts of each three ounces of Aqua vitae one ounce of Oyl of Juniper and distilled Rue of each two drams and applied warm or a mixture of spirit of wine and spirit of Nitre of each half a dram or two scruples exhibited in the spirit of Wine Sperma ceti with Oyl of sweet Almonds or a Plaister of Caranna and Tachamahacca applied to the Navel Sometimes it is occasioned by the retention and corruption of the seed For the Cure look the Chapter of the suffocation of the Matrix Of the Suppression of the Flowers THE suppression of the Flowers is the retention of the menstrual blood either by reason of the narrowness of the vessels or through some corruption of the blood The signs are evident from the relation of the Woman Yet if they are loth to confess it may be discerned by this for in Virgins the suppressed blood wanders up and down the Veins and begets obstructions changing the colour of the Body and causing Fevers In Women because the blood is carried down to the Womb where it begets many diseases it is distinguished from retention after Conception because women with Child find no alteration of affections of the mind and retain the native colour of their bodies and in the third month they shall perceive the motion and situation of the Infant and lastly the mouth of the womb is closed up The Causes of this distemper are the narrowness of the Veins and the vitiousness of the blood The Cure of this must be hastened because this suppression if it stay long begets many more diseases as Fevers Dropsies Vomiting of blood and the like The Cure is hard if it be of any continuance and if it stay beyond the sixth month it is almost incurable especially if it happen through any perversion of the neck of the Womb for then the woman is troubled with often swooning and vomiting of blood and a pain seizes the parts of the Belly the Back and the Back-bone which is attended with a Fever and the excrements of the Belly and Bladder are suppressed a weariness possesses the whole Body because of the diffusion of the retained blood through the whole body and especially the hips and thighs because of the sympathy of those parts with the veins of the Womb. In the first place the letting of blood is commended for the blood which every month stays in the body and sticks in the Veins is to be provoked downward to the Womb and therefore a vein is to be opened in the heel for so the plenty of blood is diminished and the motion of the blood is made toward the Womb if necessity requires that it should be done more than once one day a vein must be opened in one thigh and another day in the other and that which is opened for evacuation must be first opened that which is opened in the ham or heel must be done after Purgation three or four or five days before the time that the accustomed evacuations of the Woman ought to come down Cupping-glasses also are to be applied first to the more remote places as to the thighs and then to the nearer parts as to the hips Ligatures or bindings and frictions at the time of the coming down of the Flowers after Purgation of the whole body are not to be omitted In the second place the matter is to be prepared for which purpose in bodies troubled with Flegm the decoction of Guaiacum with Cretan Dittany doth much avail without provoking sweat In the third place evacuation is to be made at several times Among evacuating Medicines are commended Agaric Aloes with the juice of Savin and these Pills Take Aloes Succotrine three drams the best Myrrh one scruple extract of sweet smelling Flag Carduus Saffron of each three drams Roots of Gentian and Dittany of each five grains make them up with Syrup of Laurel-berries taking the quantity of one scrupâ—e at evening before supper In the fourth place by opening obstructions by those things which provoke the Flowers of which these are most to be commended the decoction of Rosemary with Flowers of Cheiri Pennyroyal-water twice distilled and mingled with Cinnamon-water Extract of Zedoary Angelica and Castor and the Earth which is found in Iron Mines prepared in the same manner as Steel spirit of Tartar the fat of an Eel Colubrina with the distill'd water of Savin And in the fifth place by the discussion of the dregs and relicks that remain by sudoroficks or things that provoke sweat with a potion made of a Chalybeate decoction with spirit of Tartar c. The differences of this Disease arise partly from the obstruction of the Veins of the Womb caused by a cold and thick blood and thick slimy humours mixed with the blood and coming either from some hot distemper of the Womb which dissipates the sharp and subtil humours and leaves behind the gross and earthy parts or from the cold Constitution of the Liver and Spleen especially if at the time of the menstrual Flux at what time the Flux of Blood is more violent those subtil humours happen to be dissipated and then at the time of the monthly Purgation the Party affected feels a great pain in the loins and parts adjoining and if any thing come down it is slymy whitish and blackish The whole Body is possessed with a numness the Colour pale a slow Pulse and raw Urines The Cure is the same with the former great care being taken of a gross and ill diet There is another difference of this Disease when it happens by Compression which arises from external causes as the Northern wind and long standing in cold water which may be known from the relation of the sick Person The Blood in this case is to be drawn to the lower parts by
Frictions and Baths or from internal causes as fatness or swelling of the Womb or of the lower parts in which case Medicines must be applied that asswage the swelling There is another difference which is in the hardness of the skin which happens either from the first Nativity and then the disease is not easily taken away or long after from some cold and dry distemper Concerning which look the former Chapters Another difference there is when there happens a closing up of the skin which is caused after Cicatrising of an Ulcer or by reason of some skin or Membrane growing to the Vessels of the Womb or by reason of frequent Abortion after which these Veins to which the Secondines adhere do grow together so close that they cannot be afterwards opened Another difference of this Disease there is when it happens through want of Blood which is not generated either by reason of external causes as Famine over much evacuation Issues and such like or through internal causes as a frigid Constitution of the principal parts old Age and Fevers or when it is converted to other uses as before full growth to the nourishment of the Body In Women with Child to the nourishment of the Birth In those that give suck to the increase of Milk And in fat people to the augmentation of the Fat Or when it is consumed either by External causes as over much Exercise Affrights Terrors Sadness Baths overmuch Sweating which do consume the serous quality of the Blood or through Internal Causes as are hot and dry Diseases or over-great evacuations in other parts of the Body Sometimes another difference of this Disease proceeds from the dryness of the Blood which happens to Women who in the Winter time do too much heat their lower parts by putting Coals under their Coats For the cure thereof you must use refrigerating and moistning Medicines Of the dropping of the Flowers and the difficulty of their coming down THE dropping of the Flowers is when they are coming down for many days together drop by drop This happens both from external causes as over hard labour c. And sometimes from the drossiness of the blood the passage not being wide enough For the cure of this it is convenient to open a Vein in the Arm with gentle purging as in the former Chapter Sometimes from the weakness of the retentive faculty there being at that time great plenty thinness and serosity of the blood In this case there is no pain Medicines that bind and corroborate the Stomach here must have place The difficulty of the Flowers is when they come down with pain and trouble either through defect in the Veins or in the Blood The signs of this are gathered from the relation of the sick person who is then much troubled with pain in the Head Stomach and Loins and lower parts of the body And they do either flow altogether or drop by drop as in the former disease It is a Disease more incident to Maids than married Women because the Veins of the Womb are less open in them than in those who brought forth Children It happens sometimes from a corruption of the blood that is from the drossiness and thickness thereof and then the blood clots together and there is a great pain long before the Flowers begin to come down The Cure of this is performed by attenuating Medicines Sometimes from the sharpness and acrimony of the Blood which proceeds from a mixture of sharp humours with the Body and then the genital parts do itch It is cured by those Medicines that temper the sharpness of the Humour as the four greater Seeds Violets and Flowers of Nenuphar Sometimes from windy Vapours and then the pain comes by intervals and is suddenly exasperated rumbling up and down and when the wind is forth the pain ceaseth The cure hereof is procured by evacuation of the matter and dispelling of the wind as is before declared Of the discolouring of the Flowers THE discolouring of the Flowers is when their right colour which ought to be red declines either to paleness whiteness greenness yellowness or blewishness through some defect or vitiousness of the blood The signs are apparent by the sight of the blood besides that it is accompanied with an ill smell many times also it is the cause of Fevers trembling of the body loathing of the meat pain in the stomach c. The differences of this disease consist first in the vitiousness of the blood which is caused through some distemper either of the whole body or some part thereof Sometimes the blood is affected by reason of some stoppage thereof and then the Flowers are suppressed which causeth pains in the Breast and strong beating of the Breast and if the woman begin to amend the Blood flows out with a stinking putrefaction which continues 'till the eighth day or it may be because the Blood is foul'd by the Womb being full of excrements and then you may perceive the signs of a foul Womb. Sometimes the difference of this disease consists in the mixture of the Blood with other vitious humors The Cure consists in preparation and evacuation but care must be had that because the thick humors need attenuation and that over attenuating things do melt the serous humor that you therefore do not use over attenuating things as Vinegar c. Another difference is when the Flowers decline to a whitish colour which ' proceeds from abundance of Flegm or from Putrefaction and then Ulcers follow in the Womb and barrenness follows unless the womans Flowers do happen to flow for seven or eight days together by which the woman is freed from the disease or else they break out to the parts above the groin without any tumor and burst forth a little above the Hypochondrium and then the woman seldom lives or else there will appear after some few days a great swelling in the Groyn without a head of a red colour because the Flesh is there filled up with the Blood When it inclines to yellowness or greenness the distemper comes of Choler when to a blackness and blewness from Melancholy Of the inordinate Flux of the Flowers THE disorderly Flux of the Courses is either the coming of them down before their time or else the stoppage of them for some time after the usual course of Nature They come down sometimes before their time partly by reason of internal Causes and partly by reason of external Causes as falls blows and such like casualties that open the veins Or from the expulsive faculty of the Womb too much provoked First by the plenty of blood which is known by this that the blood which is sent to the womb from all part is fluid and of its natural constitution signs of a Plethora or fulness of blood are apparent in the Woman It is Cured by blood letting if the blood abound by good diet and frequent though gentle exercise Secondly it proceeds from the Acrimony and sharpness of
the good diet of the Nurse and partly by convenient Medicines among which a bath made of Sulphur Nitre and the leaves of Oak is exceeding good Of the Intertrigo WHen the little skin in the Hips is separated from the true skin it arises first from the sharpness of the Urine especially in Children that are more corpulent by reason of the dirt which frets the skin being gathered together in the wrinkles Bath the place and then sprinkle upon it either white Nihili or anoint it with Oyl of Litharge Of Leanness THis arises either from a subtle kind of Worms which are generated in the most musclely parts of the Back and Arms and consume the Body they break forth sometimes like to black hairs if you wash those parts with a Bath mixed with Bread and Honey they are taken away either with a Razor or with a crust of bread Secondly it arises from the small quantity of milk which is oftentimes remedied by changing the Nurse Of the difficulty which Children have to make water IF the Disease proceed from sharpness of the Urine the Nurse must use such a way of diet as is proper for the tempering and cooling of the blood she must be purged and let blood using afterwards cooling and refrigerating broths If it proceed from any gross humor ingendered in the Bladder the Nurse must abstain from all meats that do breed gross humors as milky meats Pease and Beans and such like If the Child be troubled with gravel which may be perceived by the whiteness and rawness of the Urine with a gravelly setling at the bottom and the continual pain in making water If the Child be any thing big let a potion be given him of an ounce and a half of sweet Almonds an ounce of Pellitory water and two drams of the juyce of Lemons use as much of this at a time as is convenient Or take of this powder of the blood of a Hare six ounces of the root of Saxifrage one ounce burn them in an earthen pot and if the Infant suck give him a scruple of this powder in a little milk Of the Inflammation of the Almonds of the Ears IF the Child be very small you must wash the throat as near the root of the Tongue as may be with a linnen cloth tied to a stick dipped in this Gargarism Take of new extracted Cassia one dram syrup of dry Roses one dram and a half six ounces of the decoction of Coriander Or you may anoint the Neck with Oyl of Violets and Camomile binding the Neck with a little roller well anointed with the same when the Child goes to bed you may give him in a spoon a little syrup of dried Roses of Pavot and Nenuphar mingled together Oxycrate alone doth make an excellent Gargarism If they come to a Suppuration you must use this Gargarism Take of the decoction of Barley Plantain Agrimony Speedwell Honey-suckle and herb Rob six ounces in which dissolve Honey of Roses and Sugar-Candy of each half an ounce to make a Gargarism Of Vomiting IF it proceed from abundance of milk which the Child sucks you must take care that the Child suck less and often If it come from any ill humor contained in the stomach besides that the Nurse must keep a very good diet the Infant must be purged with a small expression of Rheubarb giving it afterwards a little Mint-water sweetned with syrup of Quinces to comfort the stomach putting afterwards upon his stomach this Plaister Take of the pulp of condited Quinces two ounces red Roses Wormwood and red Saunders of each two drams Oyl of Quinces as much as sufficeth make a plaister of this and lay it upon the stomach of the Child Of the Hicquet IF it come from an over much repletion it will not be amiss to make him Vomit of whatsoever age he be or if it be necessary that a greater force should be used you must try to make him Vomit by putting down the Throat a feather dipt in oyl If from the badness of the Nurses miâ—k she must be changed for a better if from the coldness of the stomach you must use remedies to comfort it as little Tablets of Diarrhodon of which you must dissolve a scruple in the Milk of the Nurse you must also chafe the stomach of the Child with Oyl of Wormwood Mastick and Quinces Of the pain of the Belly in Children IF the disease come from indigestion and moistness the little Infant will Vomit and be troubled with a Flux of the Belly and the Belly will be hard In which case you may give the Infant one ounce of sweet Almonds drawn without fire and mingled with a quantity of Sugar-candy or anoint the Belly with this ointment Take Oyl of Camomile and Oyl of sweet Almonds of each an ounce and a half mingle them and therewith anoint the Belly If wind be the cause you may mingle a little Oyl of Rue in the foresaid Oyntment Of the Small Pox in Children THE signs of this disease are pains in the Head accompanied with a Fever redness about the Eyes a dry Cough and you shall mark in the skin up and down the body certain little spots upon the Face Back Breast and Thighs The small Pox is dangerous if they come forth with much pain if they be greenish blewish or blackish For the cure of this If the Infant suck the Nurse must keep a good order of diet she may eat broth of Hens with Endive Cichory Bugloss and Borage boiled therein Now to make the small Pox come forth the more quickly if the Child be little the Nurse must drink this following Potion Take of fat Figs one ounce peeled Lentils half an ounce Gum Lacca two drams Gum Tragacanth and Fennel-seed of each two drams and a half make of this a decoction in Fountain-water and strain it to the quantity of two pints sweeten this either with Sugar or syrup of Maiden-hair let her drink of this in the morning a good glass full Or you may give the Child if it be able to take it this Julep to be used very often Take of Cordial-waters two ounces and a half syrup of Lemons one ounce mingle it and use it often four or five hours after give him of powder of Unicorns-horn and Bezoar Now to keep this venomous humor from attacking the eyes temper a little Saffron in a small quantity of Plantain and Rose-water and rub the eye-lids or you may anoint them with Tutie For keeping them from the Nose take Rose-water and Betony-water of each an ounce Vinegar half an ounce juyce of Pomegranates six ounces in which steep two drams of Sanders and two drams of the powder of Citron-peel add to this six grains of Saffron and make a Medicine for the Child to smell often to the same Medicine will serve for the ears by stopping them with a little Cotton To preserve the Mouth and Throat and Tongue take this Gargarism Take whole Barley one handful Plantain leaves
by it self or from external means such are perfumes anger fear c. and not only ascending through the veins but also through all the other breathing holes and secret passages of the body The Cure is doubtful if it have possessed old Women for a time for it begets weakness consumes the strength and shews abundance of humour or if it possesseth Child-bearing Women either after a difficult Travel or after an Abortion or if it possesseth Women with Child because it induces fear of Abortion there is more hope if the act of Respiration be not too much impeded and if the Fits do not return too often The Cure regards first the time of the Fit being performed first by means of interception which may be done by binding the Belly under the Navel with a girdle made of the skin of a Hart killed in the very act of Copulation Secondly by keeping the natural Spirits awaked and rouzed up by painful friction by pulling the hairs of the Privities with violence and suffumigations made with Partridge feathers burnt as also Eel-skins the application of Assa faetida and Oil of Tartar to the mouth Thirdly by way of revulsion of the humour by Frictions and Glysters dispelling the winds and the application of Cupping-glasses with much flame first to the Thighs and then to the Hips putting sweet things into the Privities such as are Oil of Sivet half a scruple Oil of Nutmegs one scruple Fourthly by discussion of the humour which is performed inwardly by the Oil of white Amber with the pouder of Walnut Flowers extract of Castor externally by an Emplaister of the fat of a black Heifer Sclarea boiled in butter adding to it a sufficient quantity of Tachamahacca and Caranna After the fit is past evacuation is to be regarded first with purgation for which purpose it will not be amiss to use these ensuing Pills Take Siler mountain Pennyroyal Madder the innermost part of Cassia Pipe Pomegranate Kernels Piony roots and Calamus of each three drams Muscus and Spike of India of each half a dram then make Pills thereof with the juice of Mugwort of which she may take every day or every other day before Supper If the disease proceed from the terms let the Woman affected take an Ounce of Agarick poudered in Wine or honied water or a dram of Agnus Castus powder'd with an ounce of Honey of Roses The Womb is also to be strengthned by the internal and external application of such things as resist the malignity of the Disease among which are numbred Faecula Brioniae and Castor The difference of this Disease consists in this that sometimes it happens that it is occasioned by the retention of the Seed which is known by this that the symptoms of the Disease are more violent and after the fit is past there flows out of the Womb a matter like to that of the seed It is cur'd by evacuation of the seed such as are Rue and Agnus Castus and anointing with odoriferous salves especially if the woman be to live without the use of man If it come from the suppression of the terms which is known by the Courses being mingled with a melancholy blood take powdered Agaric a dram of Pioney seeds or the weight of a dram and a half of Triphera magna But take this for a secret that for a married Woman in case of the present suffocation there is nothing better than for the Man to anoint the top of his Yard with a little Oyl of Gilliflowers and Oyl of sweet Almonds together and so to lye with her for this assuredly brings down the Matrix again This Disease is very frequent the Procatartick or external Causes of it are either violent motions of the body or which is much oftner vehement commotions of the Mind from some sudden assault either of Anger or Grief or the like Passions Therefore as often as Women are troubled with this or that disorder of Body the reason whereof cannot be deduced from the common Axioms for finding out Diseases we must diligently enquire whether they are not chiefly afflicted with that indisposition which they complain of when they have been disturbed in their minds and afflicted with grief which if they confess we may be fully satisfied that this disorder proceeds from this Disease we are now speaking of especially if Urine as clear as Chrystal evacuated copiously some certain times makes the Diagnostick more manifest But to these disorders of the Mind which are usually the occasions of this Disease is to be added emptiness of the stomach by reason of long fasting immoderate bleeding and a Vomit or Purge that worked too much and certainly this Disease proceeds from a confusion of the Spirits upon which account too many of them in a crowd contrary to proportion are hurried violently upon this or that part occasioning Convulsions and pain when they rush upon parts indued with exquisite sense perverting the functions of the Organs both of that into which they thrust themselves and also of that from whence they departed both being much injured by this unequal distribution which is quite contrary to the Oeconomy of Nature The Origen and Antecedent Cause of this confusion is a weak constitution of the Spirits whether it is natural or adventitious for which Reason they are easily dissipated upon any occasion and their System soon broke For as the outward Man is framed with parts obvious to sense so without doubt the inward Man consists of a due Series and as it were a Fabrick of the Spirits to be viewed only by the eye of Reason and as this is nearly joyned and as it were united with the constitution of the Body so much the more easily or more difficultly is its frame disordered by how much the Constitutive Principles that are allotted us by Nature are more or less firm That the said Confusion of the Spirits is the cause of Hysteric Diseases will appear by Mother-Fits wherein the Spirits are crowded in the lower Belly and rushing together violently towards the Jaws occasion Convulsions in every region thro' which they pass blowing up the Belly like a great Ball which is yet nothing but the rowling together or conglobation of the parts seized with the Convulsion which cannot be suppressed without great violence The external parts in the the mean while and the Flesh being in a manner destitute of Spirits by reason they are carried another way are often so very cold not only in this kind but in all other kind of Hysteric Diseases that dead Bodies are not colder but the Pulse are as good as those of People that are well nor is the Womans life in danger by this cold unless it is occasioned by some very large evacuation going before And the inordinate agitation of the Spirits disturbing the blood is the cause of the clear and copious Urine for when the Oeconomy of the blood is interrupted the Sick cannot long enough contain the serum that is imported but lets it
go before it is impregnated with saline particles whereby the Citron colour is to be imparted to it whereof we have daily experiment in those that drink much especially of thin and attenuating Liquors for then their Urine is very clear in which case the blood being over-power'd by that quantity of serum and being wholly unable to retain it puts it off quite clear not yet died by the juice of the Body by reason of its too short stay As to the Cold by which the external parts are so often chilled it is very manifest that that happens because the Spirits forsaking their stations too officiously intrude themselves into this or that part Nor is it to be doubted that weeping and laughing fits which often seise hysterical women without any occasion are procured by the Animal Spirits forcing themselves violently upon the Organs that perform these Animal functions And now I suppose it is manifest that this whole Disease is occasioned by the Animal Spirits being not rightly disposed and not by seed and menstruous blood corrupted and sending up malignant Vapours to the parts affected nor from I know not what depravation of the juices and congestion of acrid humors as others think but from those Causes we have assignâ—d for that the fomes of the Disease does not lurk in matter will plainly appear by this one instance viz. A Woman that used to enjoy perfect health being delicate and of a thin habit of body if she chance to be weakned and exhausted by some error or by some strong Vomit or Purge will certainly be afflicted with some one of those Symptoms that accompany this Disease which would rather be removed than occasioned by such Vomiting or Purging if the fomes of the Disease was contained in matter The same may be said of a great loss of blood whether it is taken away by opening a vein or flows immoderately in Labour or of emptiness or too long abstinence from Flesh all which would rather prevent hysteric Diseases than occasion them if the fomes of them was involved in some matter whereas on the contrary nothing does so constantly occasion this Disease as these evacuations But tho' it is apparent enough that the Original fomes of this Disease is not lodged in the humors yet it must be confessed that the confusion of the Spirits produces putrid humors in the Body by reason the function as well of these parts which are distended by the violent impulse of the Spirits as of those which are deprived of them are wholly perverted and most of these being as it were separatory Organs designed for the reception of the impurities of the blood if their functions are any way hurt it can not be but a great many feculencies will be heaped up which had been elimmated and so the mass of blood purified if the Organs had performed their office which they had certainly done if a due Oeconomy of the Spirits had invigorated them To this Cause is to be attributed great Cachexies loss of appetite a Chlorosis and the White Fever in young Women which is a species of hysteric Diseases and the source of many miseries From what has been said it is very manifest that that is the chief indication in this Disease which directs the corroboration of the blood that is the Fountain and Origin of the Spirits which being done the invigorated Spirits can preserve that tenure that is agreeable to the Oeconomy of the whole body and the particular parts and therefore when the confusion of the Spirits has vitiated the humors by long continuance it will be proper first to lessen those humors so corrupted by bleeding and purging if the Patient has sufficient strength before we endeavour to corroberate the blood and which indeed we can scarce do whilst a feculent heap of humors lies in the way But forasmuch as Pains Vomiting and Looseness are sometimes so very severe that they will not bear a truce so long until we have satisfied the first intention of fortifying the blood therefore sometimes we must begin the Cure by quieting the effects the cause being let alone a little while with some anodyne Medicine and then we must endeavour to rectifie the Spirits whose infirm constitution is the cause of this Disease by which we may again endeavour to Cure such kind of Symptoms And because experience teaches that there are many stinking things that will repell the inordination of the Spirits and contain them in their places which are therefore call'd hysterics we must make use of them when we would answer such intentions According to what has been said I order the Sick to be blooded in the arm and that after bleeding she be purged three or four Mornings following The Woman thinks her self worse of those days she is blooded and purged for these evacuations promote the confusion of the Spirits which I take care to forewarn her of that she may not despair the Disease of it self being apt to incline her so to do But however those ill humours heapt up by the long continuance of the Disease are in some sort to be evacuated before we can well answer the prime intention After these evacuations some steel Remedy must be prescribed to be taken about a Month to comfort the blood and so consequently the Spirits that proceed from it and nothing will more certainly answer your intention in this case than steel for it raises a volatile ferment in the vapid and languid blood whereby the weak Spirits are roused that before were kept down by their own weight and this is very manifest for as often as Chalybeats are given in the Green Sickness the Pulse are presently greater and quicker and the outward parts grow warm and the pale and dead Countenance is changed and becomes fresh and lively But here we must take notice that bleeding and purging must not always be used before Chalibeats or when the Woman is weak and almost worn out by the long continuance of the Disease they may and ought to be omitted and you must begin with steel which must be well minded I think steel is most conveniently given in substance and as I never observed nor heard that so taken it ever injur'd any person so I have been fully satisfied by frequent experience that the bare substance performs the Cure sooner and better than any of the common Preparations of it for busie Chymists make this as well as other excellent Medicines worse rather than better by their perverse and over-officious diligence I have also heard and if it be true it much strengthens our assertion that the crude Mine as it is digg'd out of the Earth is more effectual in curing Diseases than Iron that has pass'd the Fire and bin purified by fusion So the Author affirms but I have not yet try'd whether it be so or not This I certainly know that there is no excellent and powerful Remedy which has not received its chief Vertues from Nature Upon which account grateful Antiquity
for them to hang by on both sides one in form oblong and slender These Muscels derive their original from a thick membrane which is joyned to the Hanchbone in the further part of that region where the hair grows and is fastned to this bone with certain fleshy and straight fibres where the oblique Muscles of the Abdomen or Midriff end thence reaching down upon the superiour Members of the Testicles they are extended through the whole length of that round Body These Muscles are never seen in Women being altogether useless because their Stones are not pendent but are inclosed within their bodies CHAP. VII Of the substance and temper of the Stones THE substance of the Stones is glandulous or kernelly white soft loose spongy and hollow having sundry vessels dispersed thorow them Now although the substance of the Testicles be most soft and moist yet doth not this moistness constitute an uniform or homogeneal body for the substance of the Stones is wholly dissimilar and full of fibres These fibres also seem to be of a different substance from that of the Stones being only cloathed with the flesh of the Stones as the fibres of the Muscles are inwardly nervous but covered over with the flesh of the Muscles These fibres again differ in this that the fibres of the Testicles are hollow but the fibres of the Stones full and substantial These fibres are said to come from the spermatic vessels and thence branch themselves forth thorow the Testicles by which that part of the Seed which is over and above what serves for the nourishment of the Testicles is drawn forth and kept for procreation As concerning the temper of the Stones they would sooner be thought cold than hot if that Maxim were true that All white things are cold and all red things hot Notwithstanding because nature is known to abhor all coldness in the work of generation Therefore we must presume to affirm the temper of the Stones to be hot for they always abound with blood and a pure spirit that can never be without heat besides that heat is requir'd for the concoction of this blood and the changing it into seed yet it is very temperate as appears by the softness of the substance for as coldness and driness is the cause of hardness so heat and moisture is the cause of softness Nevertheless we are to understand this that the temper of the Stones are not alike in all for in some they are far colder than in others And therefore those who have hot Testicles are more salacious and prone to venereal actions having the places near about much more hairy and their Testicles much harder than others Those that have their Testicles cold find every thing contrary The greatest heat is in the right Testicle because it receives more pure and hotter blood from the hollow Vein and the great Artery the left colder because it receives a more impure and serous blood from the Emulgent Vein CHAP. VIII Of the Actions of the Testicles THE action and use of the Testicles is To generate Seed a gift which they obtain from an inbred quality which Nature hath bestowed upon them For the blood being received by the spermatic Vessels and there beginning to change its colour is by and by received by the deferent Vessels or the vessels which carry the blood so prepared to the Testicles where it is for a while contained and afterwards being carried to the Stones is by them made Seed and the last work perfected And it may with more easiness be affirmed that the Seed is generated by the Stones because every like is said to generate its like now the substance of the Testicles is very like the Seed it self that is white moist and viscous Whether the Stones are the only efficient cause of the Seed is not here to be disputed being only a nice point and no way profitable We shall rather with silence adhere to that opinion which affirms the function of the Testicles to be the generation of the Seed which is most likely and proceed to the next CHAP. IX Concerning the Utility of the Testicles and their parts THE structure of the Testicles being thus known it remains that we shew you their use This is first discovered from their situation For of those Creatures that have Stones some have them in their bodies as all Fowl others have them without though not pendent others have them hanging downward as men Men therefore have their Testicles without their bodies for two causes first because it is required that the Testicles of the Male should be bigger and hotter than those of the Female so that it were impossible for them to be contained within the body because of their quantity Besides the Seed of the Male being the effective original of the Creature and therefore hottest it is also required that the Seed should be more abundant than could be contained in the Testicles were they placed within the body for the seminary passages must have been less and the veins themselves would not have afforded such plenty of matter as now they do The motion of the Testicles is also to be considered by which they move sometimes upward and sometimes downward The one of these motions which is made upward is voluntary as being made by the Muscles but the motion downward is a forced motion not hapning without the laxity of the Muscles the Testicles through their own weight falling downwards These Muscles are called Cremasters their use being to draw up the Testicles to shorten the way of the Ejaculation of the Seed as also to keep the vessels from being distended too far by the weight of the Testicles The use of the Tunicles is now to be spoken of and first of that which is outermost and is called by the Latins Scrotum being the purse wherein the Testicles are contained It is made to wrinkle it self up and to let it self loose that it may be large enough for the Testicles when they swell with plenty of Seed and to wrinkle up again when the Testicles being emptied and so becoming less are drawn upward The other Coats or Tunicles are also made for the defence of the Stones but so thin and light that they should not oppress the Stones with their weight that which is called Erythroides hath many veins for the nourishment of the adjacent parts The Epididymis was made to wrap the Testicle round about lest the Humid matter of the Testicle should flow about and consequently be wasted CHAP. X. Of the Vessels that cast forth their Seed THat passage which comes from the head of the Testicles to the root of the Yard is called the Ejaculatory Vessel This as I said before rises from the head of the Testicles and joyning downward to the Testicle descends to the bottom and thence being reflected again and annext to the preparing Vessel it returns again to the head of the Testicle from thence it proceeds upward from the Testicles till it
suffer so great a distention neither can it be full of Arteries because it wants a continual pulsation neither can it consist of Nerves because they having no hollowness cannot be extended and loosned as it must of necessity happen to the Yard It is therefore necessary that the Yard should have such a substance as is not peculiar to any part of the body It is to be understood that there do concur to the framing of the Yard two nervous bodies the passage for the Urine which is called Urethra the Glans or Nut of the Yard four Muscles the Vessels and the skin Here doth arise a question why the Yard hath not any fat Which is in brief thus because that there should be no hindrance to the perfect sense of the Yard which could of necessity not be avoided if that member were subject to any obesity the fat being subject to be melted by frication CHAP. XIV Of the several parts constituting the Yard AMONG the parts that compose the structure of the Yard is that skin which with its cuticle and fleshly pannicle is common not only to this but to other members only it hath this peculiar to it self that it may be reflexed and drawn back from the Nut of the Yard This skin that turns back is called the Praeputium because that part in circumcision was cut away with which prepuce the Nut of the Yard is covered The Glans or Nut of the Yard is a fleshy part soft thin repleat with blood and spirits endued with an exquisite sense something sharp and acute at the end This is fastned to the prepuce at the lower part by a certain ligament which is therefore called the bridle or the filet which commonly is broken in the first venereal assaults which are for the most part the most furious The greatest part of the Yard is constituted by two nervous bodies on both sides one which terminate both together in the Nut. They rise from a two-fold original leaning or resting upon the Hip under the Share-bone whence as from a sure foundation they go on till they arrive at the nut of the Yard They consist of a double substance the first is nervous hard and thick the inner part black loose soft thin and spongy It is called the Nervous pipe These two bodies are joyned together by a certain membrane thin yet nervous which is strengthned by certain overthwart fibres being there placed in the likeness of a Weavers shuttle and though in their original they are separated the one from the other that there might remain some certain space for the Urethra yet they are joyned together about the middle of the Share-bone where they lose about the third part of their nervous substance The interiour substance which is wrapt about by the exteriour nervous substance hath this worthy observation That there appears stretched through the whole length of it a thin and tender Artery proportionable to the bigness of the body which is diffused through the whole loose substance of the Yard reaching as far as the root of the Yard Besides these two there is another body which lies between these two as proper or rather more peculiar to the Yard than they are This is a pipe placed at the inferiour part of the Yard being called the Urethra though it be a passage as proper to the Seed as to the Urine which is encompassed by the two fore-mentioned bodies This is a certain Channel produced in length and running through the middle of those nervous bodies consisting of the same substance that they do being loose thick soft and tender every way equal from the neck of the bladder to the nut of the Yard saving that it is a little wider at the beginning than it is toward the place where it ends which is at the head of the Glans or nut of the Yard At the beginning of this Channel there are three holes one in the middle and something bigger than the other two arising from the neck of the bladder the other two on both sides one being something narrower proceeding from the passage that goes out of the seminary vessels and conveighs the Seed into this Channel This is further to be noted in this place that in the Channel where it is joyned to the Glans together with the nervous bodies there is a little kind of cavern in which sometimes either putrid Seed or any other corroding humour happens in the Gonorrhaea being collected it is the cause of ulcers in that part the cause of very great pain and it many times also comes to pass that there is a certain little piece of flesh which grows out of this Ulcer that oftentimes stops the passages of the urine To the structure of the Yard there do moreover occurr two pair of Muscles one more short and thick proceeding from a part of the Hip near the beginning of the Yard and being of a fleshy substance The use of these two Muscles is to sustain the Yard in the erection and to bend the fore part of the Yard which is to be inserted into the womb the other pair is longer and rises from the Sphincter of the Fundament where they are endued with a more fleshy substance being in length full as long as the Yard under which they are carried downward ending at the sides of the Urethra about the middle of the Yard Their use is to dilate the Urethra both at the time of making water and at the time of Conjunction lest it should be stopped up by the repletion of the nervous bodies and so stop up the passage of the Seed They are also thought to keep the Yard firm lest it lean too much to either side and also to press out the Seed out of the Prostatae or Forestanders There are Vessels also of all sorts in the yard first of all certain Veins appearing in the external parts and in the cuticle which do branch themselves out from the Hypogastrium In the middle between the space of the fibres they send out certain branches from the right side to the left and from the left to the right These veins swelling with a frothy blood and spirit erect the Yard There are also certain nerves which scatter themselves from the pith or marrow of the Holy-bone quite through the yard bringing with them the cause of that pleasure and delight which is perceived in the erection of the yard CHAP. XV. Of the Action of the Yard THE main scope of Nature in the use of the Yard was the injection of Seed into the womb of the Woman which injection could not be done till the Seed were first moved neither could the Seed be moved but by frication of the parts which could not be done till it were sheathed in the Womb nor that neither till the Yard were erected This distention is caused by repletion which is caused by the plenty of Seed Secondly by superfluity of wind which if it
upon them and upon those another handful of Herbs covering the platter with a close cloth that the woman may receive the smoak this is a remedy which hath been much approved and experimented To remedy the fall of the Fundament in Infants TAke of the green shrub whereof they make â—rooms and cut it small and lay it upon the Coals and set the Child over the smoak thereof and it will certainly cure it Of the diseases of Women and first of the inflammation of the breast THe Inflammation of the Breasts is a hard swelling together with a beating pain redness and shooting The chief cause of this is the abundance of blood drawn up together in that place though there be sometime other causes also as the suppression of the courses the Haemorrhoids or a blow received upon the Breasts The signs of it are easie to be known that is to say a certain redness and burning heat oft-times joined with a Fever For the cure of this there are four sorts of remedies First the order of diet which must be comforting and moistning as Broth of Pullets where Endive Borage Lettice and Purslain may be boyled also she may drink the Juyce of Pomgranates or Barley water with Anniseeds boyled in it the use of Wine and all sorts of Spices are very dangerous and if the Woman go not freely to the stool there is nothing better than a Lenitive Clysteâ— she may sleep much and must not disturb her self with any passion The next way of Remedy is by diverting the humours which is done by frictions letting blood in the foot scarrification of the legs or veficatories applied to those places especially if the flowers are stopped or ready to come down if not it will be expedient to open a vein in the arm You may also prepare the humour to void it out of the place affected by opening either the middle vein or the Basilic or the Vena Saphena which may be done two or three times as occasion serves after blood-letting purge but let this be done with gentle Medicines such are Cassia Manna Tamarind Syrup of Roses or Violets Solutive having a little before used certain Syrups which may asswage and temper the humours Take syrup of Roses and Purslain of each one ounce Endive water and Plantain-water of each an ounce give this to the Patient neither will it be amiss to give her Syrup of Succory or Endive or such like for these Syrups have a cooling and refreshing faculty especially being mingled with Plantain or Endive-water or such like or the decoction of the said Herbs now when the humour is thus prepared you may give her some gentle Purges As for Example take of the pulp of Cassia and Tamarinds of each six drams of this make a little Bolus with some Sugar and give it to the Patient or with this Potion Take of the Leaves of Italian Orach three drams of Aniseed one scruple infuse these into four ounces of the foresaid waters Into this being strained infuse an ounce of Cassia and into the streining of this dissolve an ounce of Solutive Syrup of Roses of this make a Potion and give it The fourth way of cure consists in Topicks such as may drive back and repress the humour though care must be had that they be not over-strong lest you thereby do cool the heart too much and thereupon drive the humour upon the heart it self And therefore temperate Medicines are chiefly to be chosen and such especially as are to digest and dissolve the humour Wherefore it shall not be amiss to apply a linnen cloth dipt in white strong vinegar and a little cold water which must be applied to the Breasts and often changed Or else you may dip linnen cloaths also in a decoction of Camomile-flowers and Violet-flowers with a small quantity of Oyl of Roses and a drop of vinegar or two or you may use this Fomentation Take of the juyce of Night-shade and Oyl of Roses of each an ounce and a half of the decoction of Fenugreek Camomile and Line-seed two ounces vinegar one ounce This Medicine you may use by dipping a spunge therein and so washing and fomenting the Breast therewith Or you may apply this Cataplasm take of the leaves of Night-shade and Mellilot half a handful of each let them be boyled and extracted through a course cloth then add to them Bean-meal two ounces Oxymel and Oyl of sweet Almonds of each one ounce of this make a Cataplasm and apply it If the Disease be be more prevalent you must use more forcible Remedies and among the rest this Fomentation Take of the leaves of Mallows Violets Dill of each one handful flowers of Camomile and Mellilot of each a small handful and a half boyl these together adding to them a little Wine and Oyl of Dill or Mustard first let the Breast be fomented with this and afterwards with an Oyntment composed of equal parts of new butter Oyl of Violets and Hens fat But if these things avail not to dissipate the humour you must observe whether the inflammation tend either to a suppuration or induration If you find that it tends to a hardness you must try all means to hinder it by the way of mollifying Plaisters among which this is not a little experimented Take the Marrow of a Calves leg two ounces Sheeps-grease one ounce Saffron four Scruples Cumin-seed bruised two Scruples mingle all these and make a Plaister If the inflammation doth not harden but doth altogether tend to a suppuration which may be known by these signs that is to say the increasing of the tumour the beating and excessive heat and pain which rages about those parts so vehemently that they do not admit them to be touched But now the suppuration is to be hastned with hot and moist Medicines which have an Emplastick faculty for which purpose this is much commended Take the leaves of Mallows one handful roots of Marsh-mallows one ounce boyl these together and when they are mashed draw them out and add to them Bean-meal and Fenugreek of each one ounce the whites of two Eggs Myrrh and Assa faetida of each one dram Saffron one scruple mingle all these together and make a Cataplasm for your use to this you may either add Capons-grease Hogs-grease or fresh butter If these Remedies do not suddenly bring the inflammation to a suppuration you must then take of the shels of Snails bruised and lay them upon the Cataplasm in such a manner that the Snail-shells may come to touch that part of the tumour which is most elevated and pointed whence it appears that the matter will first issue if these Remedies avail not it will be necessary to open the said Aposthume with a Lancet and this must be done when you are sure that the matter is ready to come forth which may be known by these signs when the beating ceases when the Fever the pain and the Heat of the part do begin to diminish when you perceive the
the hand to take away the root of the disease but this is not to be done 'till you have used all other means to soften and dispell the humour which may perhaps be done by the use of Diachylon or by a plaister of melilot to which you may add half an ounce of Ammoniach an ounce of Oly of Lillies and an ounce and an half of the root of Flower-deluce of Florence Neither may this following Plaister be amiss Take of the roots of Marsh-mallows two ounces boil them and strain them and add to that Oyl of Lillies Ganders-grease of each an ounce burnt Lead and roots of Orrice of each an ounce and an half mingle all these together and make of them an Emplaister If this avail not the operation of the Hand must be used in which the skill of the Surgeon must be very able and ready Of the Scirrhus of the Breasts THE Scirrhus of the Breasts is a hard swelling without pain Of this there are two kinds the one ingendred of a Melancholy and produced by a feculent and gross blood or else from a thick Flegm now this exquisite Scirrhus is without pain in which it differs from the other The other is not so exquisite an hardness perhaps because it is not yet come to its full maturity or else because it hath certain other humours mixt with it This exquisite kind of Scirrhus is ingendred either because the Spleen is obstructed and cannot purge away the melancholy Blood which for that reason abounding in the Body discharges and empties it self upon the Breasts or by reason of the supression of the Courses which causes the feculent and gross humour to disgorge it self upon the Breast gathering together in the Veins and Flesh of the same Many times the ignorance of the Surgeon is the cause of it when they apply an unreasonable company of refrigerating Medicines to the inflammations of the Breast or too many resolving and heating Medicines to it in case the Breasts be over-hard This Scirrhus is known by its hardness without pain from the unevenness of the Body and the colour of the part either inclining to black or brown Now though the cure of these hardnesses be something difficult yet is there great hopes that they may be overcome which is to be done two ways by mollifying diligently that which is hard and by taking that away which remains hard and knotty in the Breast And first of all care is to be had to keep good order of diet to which purpose she must use Wheaten bread rear Eggs Pullets Capons Partridge Veal and Mutton which must be boiled with Spinage Bugloss and Borage she must abstain from Beef Venison Hares-flesh and Brawn from Pease and Beans and unlevened Bread from all Salt and Smoaked Meats as also from all things that have a sharp biting quality also she must abstain from all care and sadness immoderate exercise and going in the Winds If the monthly Courses be stopt you must seek to provoke them gently which may be done by letting Blood in the Foot or to let blood with Horse-leeches In the next place it will not be amiss to purge well with Sena and Rheubarb to which you may add Catholicon or Triphera Persica if you find that the Disease needs a more strong purgation Between every purge it will not be amiss to take good Cordial and Comfortable things as Confection of Alkermes Triasantalon Electuarium de gemmis conserve of the Roots of Borage Conserve of Orange-flowers You may after all this use Topicks that is to say such Medicines as heat and dry moderately being hot in the second degree and dry in the first such are Sheeps grease especially that greasie substance that grows upon the flank of a Sheep Wax Oyl of sweet Almonds Oyl of Camomile Oyl of Dill Capons-grease Goose-grease Hogs-grease Bears-grease c. Veal-marrow Deers-marrow Emulsions of Mallows Lillies and other things of more force As liquid-pitch Liquid Storax Galbanum Cummin-seed Rue-seed Broom-flowers and Dill-seed If this swelling come of a hard Flegm which is known because it yields not so much to the touch as the other you must use the same Topicks to this as to the watry tumour before rehearsed If melancholy be the cause of it you may use a Fomentation of the leaves of Mallows and Marsh-mallows of each a handful and a half of Fenugreek and Lineseed of each two drams Cucumbers Bears-foot of each two ounces boil them in as much water as is sufficient and Foment the breast with this twice or thrice a day After that take this Oyntment Take of the root of Mallows one ounce when it is boiled and bruised take it out and add to it Sheeps grease and Capons-grease of each two ounces and with a little Wax make an Ointment This you may use for some few days after which you may if need require use this Ointment Take Hysop-leaves Dill-leaves and Thyme-leaves of each half a handful roots of Mallows and Fenugreek-seed of each half an ounce boil them in as much Wine and Vinegar as is sufficient 'till half be boiled away then take of the aforesaid Vinegar Goose-grease Ducks-grease and the marrow of the leg of a Hart of each two ounces boil it to the Consumption of half the Vinegar You may add to this two drams of Diachylon and make it into the form of a Plaister You may also use for this purpose plaisters of Melilot or Oxycroceum At length if all remedies fail the operation of the hand must be the last succour which we leave to the Surgeon In the Cure of a Scirrhus three intentions are required the first is the regulation of Diet and manner of living the second is the preparing and evacuating the antecedent or peccant Humour the third is the application of external Medicines in order to the first the Air ought to be clear and temperately hot and moist their Food such as may breed good blood as new laid Eggs Chicken Pullets Mutton Veal Lamb Kid and these boyled with Spinage Borrage Endive Succory Lettice Sorrel and the like their Bread ought to be of good Wheat and well baked their Drink a well boiâ—ed small Ale or small white Wine Rhenish or the like their exercise and sleep must be moderate their minds must be chearful and their bodies soluble by Glisters or otherwise The second intention is the evacuation of the Humour which abounds in the Body whether flegm or Melancholy be the cause of the Scirrhus or whether it proceeds from obstructions of the Courses or a suppression of the Hemorrhoids if from any of these causes blood abounds and be feculent bleeding is allowed but if Bloud do not abound forbear bleeding and proceed in preparing and evacuating the humours the Antients used for preparatives the Syrrups of the juice of Borrage Bugloss of Hops of Apples and the Bizantine Syrup and the like and also the destill'd waters of the same Plants or Whey The following are also used Gerion's decoction of
within side with Oil of Henbane-seed Of the defect abundance and coagulation of the Milk THE defect of Milk arises from a double cause for either it is a defect in the blood which is dried up by reason of some hot maladies of the body either through intemperancy of the Liver through fasting or too much evacuation If the deficiency of milk come from these causes it may be increased again either by prepared Crystal The leaves also root and seed of Fennel do avail much in this particular and the powder of Earth-Worms prepared and drunk in Wine as also the Electuary called Electuarium Zacuthi There is another cause which proceeds from the Lactifying quality which is many times so weak that it can neither attract nor concoct the Blood by reason of some outward refrigerating and astringent qualities or by reason of some other Diseases The Cure of which being looked after in their respective places much conduceth to the restoring of that defect The redundance of milk proceeds from too great a plenty of blood and a strong lactifying quality In the cure of which the increase of blood is to be impeded which is done by drying up that humour and diversion to which blood-letting conduceth much Medicines also that drive it back are to be put upon the Breasts towards the Arms to which purpose Hemlock boiled in Chervil-water and Vinegar avails Curdling of the milk is when the thinner part of the milk exhales and the more gross and heavy part stays behind which many times is the cause of tumours kernels and Aposthumes In this case the Infant is not to suck the part affected though that Breast is also to be suckt for fear lest the milk which is newly generated should be curdled and knotted by that which is there already and so that part of the coagulated milk may be hindred from putrifying To the dissolving of the Milk it much conduceth to wash the Breast with Water Wine and Vinegar mixt together as also a Fomentation made of the decoction of Marsh-mallows Fenugreek and Melilote and then anointing them with a liniment of Oil of Roses Oil of sweet Almonds juice of Parsley and Vinegar wherein let the Gall of a Hare be first dissolved Hemlock water in this case also is not a little commended Of the Diseases of the neck of the Womb and first of the Disease called Tentigo TENTIGO is a Disease in Women when the Clitoris increases to an over great measure the subject of this Disease is the Clytoris or nervous piece of flesh which the lips or wings of the privities do embrace and which suffers erection in the act of Venery The signs of it are evident for it hangs below the orifice of the Privities as big as the neck of a Goose The causes hereof are a great concourse of Humours or nutriment by reason of the laxity of it which happens by often handling The Cure is performed by the diminution of the blood and drawing out of the other humours A slender and refrigerating diet is also necessary and such things as have a discussive faculty as the leaves of Mastick-tree and the leaves of Olive-tree In the next place by taking away the excrescence to which purpose gentle Causticks may be first applied as Allum and the Aegyptiack Ointment and that Lie whereof Sope is made being boiled with Roman Vitriol to which at last you may add some Opium and form the composition into Trochisques which being afterwards made into a powder is to be sprinkled upon the fleshy excrescence At length the flesh is to be out away either by binding hard or by section care being taken that you avoid an inflammation There is another Disease which is called Cauda which is a carnous substance proceeding from the mouth of the Womb which sometimes fills up the privy parts and sometimes thrusts it self outwards like a tail The Cure of this is the same with the former only if it come to Section it may be done either with a Horse-hair or a silken thread wound about it being first dipt in Sublimat water or else with a Knife Of the narrowness of the neck of the Womb. THIS narrowness is either of the Womb it self or of the Orifice of the Womb the signs are the stoppage of the Courses followed with a depressing and weighty pain The cause is partly natural from the Nativity and partly varies according to the differences of the Disease The difference is in this it hapning sometimes that this streightness consists in the exterior orifice whereby neither the Flowers have free passage neither can she enjoy coition or conceive with Child because she cannot receive either the Man or the Seed Sometimes the narrowness is in the interior orifice of the Womb into which the flowing retires back again to the absolute hindrance of Conception sometimes it is occasioned by way of compression when the Caul being fatter than ordinary lies upon the neck of the Womb. Sometimes the splaying of the thighs stone in the Bladder or some tumour in the straight gut Sometimes it happens by the clinging of other parts together which happens either from the Birth and then either the Flesh which appears red and is soft to the touch intercepts the passage or else the Membrane which seems white feels hard being touched In the Cure of this the use of moist Fomentations is very prevalent and an insection is to be made perpendicularly great care being taken for fear of hurting the neck of the Bladder The Humour is next to be provoked forth and a Tent dipt in some suppurating Plaister is to be put up the next day it is to be washed with water and Honey and cicatrizing Plaisters to be applied if it come after the Birth it is either occasionâ—d by an Ulcer and then either the sides of the neck cling together in which case either incision or cauterization is to be used or else there is a brawny substance which is to be cut away with a Pen-knife or else some spongy and luxuriant flesh in which case drying and dâ—â—cuâ—â—ng Medicines â—re to be used as Birthwort Frankincensâ— Myrrh and Mastick afterwards you may apply things to eat it away and last of all to cut it away by incision Of Wheals Condyloma's of the Womb and of the Hemorrhoids THE Wheals of the Womb are certain risings in the neck of the womb which by their acrimony excite both pain and itching The signs of them are an itching pain and full of scurf from that part for the better searching of which the Instrument called speculum Matricis is to be used The Causes of this are certain cholerick sharp and adust humours and thick Among the preparing Medicines Syrup of Fumitory is much commended and Chichory with a decoction of Lupines Topicks also are useful that discuss and mitigate the humour as Baths and insessions and the washing of the place with Wine and Nitre which is often to be used These Wheals are divided into gentle and
venemous which are said to be contagious they are to be washed in a water thus made Take of Aloes the quantity of a Pea of the flower of brass the quantity of half a Pea powder these and mingle them in an ounce of white-wine Plantain-water and Rose-water of each an ounce which is to be kept in a glass vessel Condyloma's are certain swelling wrinckles in the neck of the Womb with pain and heat There is no need to tell the signs of these for they are apparent to the eye the wrinkles are like those which appear in the hand when you close the first but are much bigger when the courses flow they are caused by adust and thick humours some of these are with an inflamation which have more pain and heat and the swelling is hard In the cure of which you must use insessions and fomentations that ease pain sometimes they come without any inflammation which if they be new come are to be dried up if they be old they are first to be softned afterwards to be digested and dried up for which purpose you may use powder of Egg-shels burnt or this Oyntment Take of the Trochisques of Steel one dram powdered mixt with a little Oyl of Roses and Wax with half an ounce of the juyce of Mullein if this profit not the Warts are to be shaved away with a knife and an astringent powder laid upon them Hemorrhoids of the Womb are little protuberancies like those of the Fundament produced in the neck of the Womb through the abundance of feculent blood the subject is the neck of the Womb for where the Veins end there do grow these extuberancies just as in the Hemorrhoids The signs are evident and easily seen by the help of the Speculum Matricis The women who are thus affected look pale and are troubled with a weariness The cause is a feculent blood which flowing to these Veins before its season and setling there grows thicker so that it cannot pierce the orifice of the Veins They are cured by a revulsion of the humour First by letting blood in the Arm. Secondly by drawing it to another part as by letting blood in the heel Sometimes these Hemorrhoids are very painful and are distinguished from that menstruous effluxion by the pain which they bring they are cured by mittigating and asswaging inâ—eâ—â—ions â—s also by Opiates carefully applied Others are without pain to which the foresaid remedies may be applied Others are open and do sometimâ—s run moderately and then Nature is to be â—et alonâ— or violentâ—y so that thereby the strength of the person is impaired in which case a Vein must be opened in the arm two or three times purgation is also to be used by Myrobolans Tamarind and Rheubarb and at length you must apply those things which cease the blood Others are termed blind out of which there issues no blood they are cured by blood-letting the part is to be also softned and fomented with things that soften and open the orifices of the Veins and dispel the humour such are an Oyntment made of the pith of Coloquintida and Oyl of sweet Almonds or the juyce of Capers mixt with Aloes neither is the applying of Horseleaches amiss The Cure of these Excrescences at their first budding forth may be attempted by drying and astringent Medicines as with the tops of Brambles and Horse-tail with the Leaves and Berries of Myrtles and Sumach with the rind of Pomgranats Balaustins scales of Brass wash'd Lime Allom and the like made into fomentations or powder'd and mixed with Oyntments and applied upon Tow. If these do not check their growth you may cut them off with a Knife or Scizers and consume the remaining roots by Escharoticks or actual Cautery and then proceed in the cure by digestion and Epuloticks accordingly To prevent their growing again Authors commend the ashes of Vine and Bean-stalks mix'd with Vinegar to apply upon the part The Cure of Chaps or Fissures consists in removing the Callosity and Cicatrizing them smooth if moisture abound things that are dry must be used To which purpose Take of the flowers of Red-Roses of Myrtle-Berries of the tops of Brambles each one handful of the roots of Tormentil and Bistort each one ounce of Allom one dram boyl them in a pint and an half of Steel-water towards the end of boyling add four ounces of red wine wherewith foment the part then apply what follows Take of Litharge and Ceruse each three drams of Sarcocoal Mastick and Frankincense each one Scruple of Sealed-earth two Scruples of Oyl of Roses four ounces of Wax a sufficient quantity mingle them over the fire then beat them in a leaden Mortar for use If dryness be the fault you must dress them with Medicines that are moistening as Take of Calves fat of Ducks and Hens-grease each two drams of Litharge of Gold one dram mingle them in a leaden Mortar according to art The material cause of all these sorts of Excrescences is flegmatic or gross clammy blood thrust forth by the strength of the expulsive faculty out of the Pores of the skin and dry'd up into these forms in which you see them All these species of Excrescences are for the most part Symptoms of the French Pox. Of the Ulcers of the neck of the Womb. THE signs of these Ulcers is a pain and perpetual twinging which increases if any thing that hath an abstersive quality be cast in the issuing out of putrid humours and matter with blood if the Ulcer be great or the Flowers come down often making water and the water hot as also a pain in the fore-part of the head toward the roots of the eyes as also some kind of gentle Fever The Cure of this is hard because of its being in a place of so exquisite sense and moist and having such a sympathy with other parts of the Body For the easing of the pain Chalybeated milk is very much conducing and to the drying of them up drying baths are the best and most prevalent remedy These differ much coming either from external causes as rash Physick hard labours and violent coiture or from internal causes as the corruption of the Secondines the Courses retained and the Urine flux a virulent Gonorrhea the Pox inflammations turned into Apostems humors flowing from other parts of the body and there setling all which must be duly considered in the Cure Others are in the outward part and may be easily come at with Medicines others deep and must be come at only with injection for which purpose use this following Take whites of four Eggs beat them well and put to them an equal quantity of Rose water and Plantain-water as much in quantity as they come to Câ—mphire Ceruse Litharge of Gold and Bole-Armoniâ—ck of each a like quantity green Copperas half as much as of any of them beat all to powder mix it and strain it through a cloth and make your injection 'till the part infected be whole and if there be
Ulcer you must apply a drying and cicatrizing Ointment Take of Tutty washed half an ounce and of Litharge Ceruse and Sarcacoal each two drams of Oyl and Wax a sufficient quantity make an Ointment Sometimes the Ulcer penetrates the right gut and sometimes the bladder which may be known by the matter evacuated by those parts if it flow by the right gut lenitive cleansing and drying Glisters must be injected but if it flow from the Bladder gentle and cooling diureticks must be used as an emulsion of the greater cold Seeds Turpentine and the like If the Ulcer turn to a Fistula which chiefly happens when it is opened outwardly towards the Hip tho' it may happen in the womb it self or in the neck of it In this case we must consider whether it be best to leave the accustomed passage untouched thro' which nature endeavours to evacuate various Excrements or to undertake the â—ure of it But if that be thought most proper for the sick a Cure that is call'd palliative must be instituted by purges frequently-repeated and by sweatlng twice a Year and by cleansing and strengthening injections and by applying over a plaister of Diapalma or the like but if there be any hopes of a Cure the same Remedies must be used which are proper for other Fistula's If the Ulcer be occasion'd by the French Pox it cannot be cured without an universal Cure in performing which the fumes of Cinnabar receiv'd thro' a Tunnel into the womb are peculiarly proper Also the anointing the inner parts of the womb with a Mercurial Ointment In all Ulcers of the womb if there be a troublesome itching about the neck as it frequently happens by reason of a defluxion of an acid and Salt Humour to the part a pessary must be made to qualifie it dipt in the ointment of Elecampane with Mercury or in Aegyptiacum dissolved in Sea or Allom-water or in fresh Butter wherein Quick-Silver has been extinguished to which must be added Sulphur Of the Diseases of the Womb. Of the Womb being out of temper THE intemperance of the Womb is when it hath lost its natural temper and is affected with a preternatural intemperancy arising both from inward and outward causes The one of these is hot and is known by the womans proneness to Venery by the small Flux of the Monthly Courses by their adustness sharpness inordinate and difficult Flux Hence in process of time they are very Hypochondriack by early growing of the hairs about the Privities by redness of the Face and driness of the lips and frequent pains of the head and abundance of cholerick humours in the Body it ariseth either at first from the Birth which causes Women to be Virago's and to be barren or after their Nativity from outward causes as the use of hot things overmuch Venery and such Medicines as bring the heat and blood to the Womb. The cure consists in a contrary diet and cooling Medicines both internal and external which are to be applyed to the back and sides which must be very moderate that the heat which is necessary for Conception may not be weakened and the cold and membranous substance of the womb come to any harm or lest the Vessels which serve for the carrying away of the Courses should be thickned and the Nerves of the back and sides be any way mischieved The next way of cure is performed by evacuating Medicines namely Rheubarb and solutive Syrup of Roses Manna also profiteth much the flower of Vitriol of Venus and Mars taken from three grains to six and put in any proper Syrup purges the Womb. There is another intemperancy which comes of cold which is known by a lesser proneness to Venery and little pleasure taken in it a setling in the Courses with a slimy and flegmy matter mixed and an inordinate flowing of them by reason of the plenty of Humours collected in the Womb which causes obstructions by reason of abundance of windy vapours in the Womb crudities and watriness of the Seed which causes it to flow without any pleasure a pale colour in the Face It arises from causes contrary to the former it is cured by contrary diet by hot Medicines applyed to the womb among which the roots of Birthwort Clove-Gilliflowers Angelica and Eringo's are very much commended The leaves also of Mercury Balm Dittany Penny-royal Sage Rosemary Mugwort flowers of Centaury Marigolds Sage Rosemary Borage and sundry spices as Nutmegs Cubebs Saffron and Cinamon These kind of Compounds are also very useful as Oyl of Mace Oyl of Amber Oyl of Myrrh and of Cinamon There is another intemperancy of the womb which comes of moisture and is joined most commonly with the cold intemperancy it is known by the plenty of the Courses and by the thinness and watriness of them as also the moistness of the Privities by reason of the moistness of the Excrements no pleasure in the act of Venery and proneness to abortion by reason of the growth of the Birth It hath the same original with the frigid intemperancy and happens most commonly to Women who are lazy and sedentary It is cured with the same Medicines as the former only this may be added that a fume may be made of the shavings of Ivory And the decoction of Sage being received into those parts before supper is very much commended Baths of Sulphur do also profit much There is another distemper of the Womb which is dry which is discerned by the want of Seed and the defect of the Courses by slowness to Venery driness of the Mouth of the Womb by a blackish colour of the lower lip which is always chopt It sometimes arises from the very Nativity which causes a dry and lean constitution of Body sometime through age and then Women cease to bring Children sometimes from inflammations and such like Diseases sometimes from a defect of blood which ought to moisten the parts which happens either through a narrowness and obstruction of the Veins or else because it being voided out at the neck of the Womb cannot pierce to the bottom The cure of this is performed first by a contrary diet where you must also avoid much labour watching hunger and sadness Secondly by the use of moistning things amongst which are most commended Borage Bugloss Mercury Mallows Violets Among outward means Baths of sweet water and unctions with Oyl of sweet Almonds Oyl of white Lillies Hens-grease and the marrow of Calves legs The cure is the more hard if the driness have been of any long continuance There is another which is a compound distemper which is most often cold and moist which is discerned by comparing the signs of the simple distemperatures together It arises from Flegmy humours The cure is performed by preparing the matter with hot things by evacuation of the matter with such Medicines as are most proper to purge Flegm As also by a particular purgation of the Womb it self to which purpose pessaries do very much conduce as
the beginning yet it is afterwards very difficult for by this means the whole body accustoms it self to send forth its excrements this way and the Womb being now weakned gathers excrements apace Sometimes it proceeds from the whole body and then you may perceive the signs of an ill humor through the whole body In the Cure of this you must avoid blood-letting for that the bad humor must not be recalled to defile the blood besides that the disease is a sufficient weakning and consuming of the body The humor is discussed by the decoction of Guaiacum and China and Lentisk-wood For the drying up of the humor the Root of Filipendula doth very much conduce For astringent Medicines you may use chiefly the powder of dead men's bones the ashes of Capons-dung in rain water The Patient must avoid sleeping upon her back lest the heat of the Lungs should carry the humors toward the Womb Frictions also of the upper parts for the diversion of the humor may be used Sometimes it is caused by the Womb it self and then there will appear signs of the affection of the Womb and the Flux is not so great For the Cure of this Suffumigations of Frankincense Labdanum Mastick and Sanders are very requisite Of the Green-Sickness THE Green-Sickness is a changing of the colour of the Face into a green and pale colour proceeding from the rawness of the humors The signs of this appear in the Face to which may be added a great pain in the Head difficulty of breathing with a palpitation of the heart a small and thick beating of the Arteries in the Neck Back and Temples sometimes inordinate Fevers through the vitiousness of the humors loathing of Meat Vomiting distention of the Hypocondriack part by reason of the reflux of the menstrous blood to the greater Vessels a swelling of the whole body by reason of the abundance of humors or of the Thighs and Legs above the heels by reason of the abundance of serous humors The Cause is the crudity and rawness of the humor and quantity withal arising from the suppression of the Courses through the natural narrowness of the vessels or through an acquired narrowness of the vessels by the eating of Oatmeal Chalk Earth Nutmegs and drinking of Vinegar or from the obstruction of the other bowels Hence arises an ill concoction in the bowels and the humors are carried into the habit of the body or become habitual thereunto The Cure is performed by the letting of blood especially in the heel if the Disease be of any continuance by Purgation preparation of the humour being first considered which is performed by the decoction of Guaiacum with â—retan Dittany purging of the humor is performed with Agarick Aloes Succotrin with the â—â—ice of Savin for the unobstructing of the humor prepared Steel the root of Scorzonera Bezoarstone in diet Vinegar is utterly to be avoided The Cure of this Disease is performed by opening Obstructions by purging off vitious Humours by correcting the intemperies of the Bowels and by strengthening them First therefore a gentle purging Medicine must be given that is agreeable to the Constitution that the first region may be emptied and if the Belly be bound a Glister must be given first of all afterwards bleeding must be ordered unless the Disease is very inveterate and the Maid be inclined to a Cachexy But a Vein in the Arm must be opened tho' the Courses are stopt for at that time if you bleed in the Foot the obstructions of the Veins and of the Womb would be increased That quantity of Blood being taken away that is necessary proper purges must be used Take of the Pill Coch. major two scruples of Castor powdered two grains of Peruvian Balsom four drops make four Pills let her take them at five in the Morning and sleep after them if she can Let these Pills be repeated twice or thrice every Morning or every other Morning according to the strength of the sick and their operation After the purging Pills let her take the following Take of the fileings of Steel eight grains with a sufficient quantity of extract of Wormwood make two Pills to be taken in the Morning and they must be repeated at five in the Afternoon She must continue this Course for a Month drinking presently after the Pills a draught of Wormwood-wine If a Bolus be more pleasing Take of the conserve of Roman Wormwood and of the conserve of the inner peell of Oranges each one ounce of candied Angelica and Nutmegs candied and of Venice Treacle each half an ounce of Ginger candied two drams with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Oranges make an Electuary take of this Electuary one dram and an half of the filings of Steel well powdered eight grains with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Oranges make a Bolus to be taken in the Morning and at five in the Afternoon drinking upon it a draught of Wormwood wine Of the suffocation of the Matrix THE signs of the Suffocation of the Womb are a weariness of the whole body with a weakness of the Thighs a paleness and sadness of the Face a nauseousness though seldom vomiting oftentimes a loathing and distate of Meat and that sometimes with a grumbling and noise in the Belly and sometimes without The signs of the present Disease are that when the Vapours are carried up to the Heart and do there stop the vital Spirits a light swooning follows the Pulse changes and is little the Body grows cold all the spirits flying up into the Heart the Vapour being thrust up to the Head and Chaps the Chaps are many times set fast the Patient seeming to be stifled the motion of the Breast and Diaphragm is disturbed and hindred so that the breath is almost stopt the Patient living only by transpiration Sometimes there is joined with it a kind of Uterine fury with talking and anger Sometimes it causes other madness sometimes the Woman falls into a dead sleep which makes her seem as though she were dead It differs from the Epilepsie because in that the Convulsive motions are more general nor is there any memory of those things which happen about them after the Fit the Pulse is great and the Mouth of the Party affected fomes with a froth It differs from the Apoplexy because in that the Fit comes suddenly without any notice and the Patient is affected with a kind of snorting and there is such a Resolution of the parts that they feel not although they be pricked It differs from a Syncope in that there are no signs when the Fit will be the Pulse ceases to the apprehension and the Patient is troubled with cold sweats They differ from dead people by sneezing which may be provoked by putting something for that purpose into the Nose The cause of this is a venemous subtle and thin Vapour piercing in one moment through the whole body and carried up from the matter in the Womb corrupted after a peculiar manner either
being stripped of his flower as that thing which remaineth pure and profitable by the second purging Afterwards the Fruit being grown to its just quantity the third alteration casteth down the leaves as the superfluity of this degree but ordaineth the fruit being now so often cleansed and purged for the utility of mans nourishment maturity and ripeness being granted unto it Put now either the seed breaketh the fruit lying hid in it or else it sendeth it out by putrefaction and being cast into the ground it hasteneth again into the property of its own nature not tending towards it self which is remaining but to the likeness of its first original from whence it had its begining so that in this it appeareth absolutely true that Nature ingendereth things like unto it self for every thing doth naturally covet and desire the form and likeness of that form whence it is bred Hence it comes to pass that Apples grow not from Pears nor Pears from any other kind of fruit unless it be so brought about by the means of grafting and planting And the same thing is to be acknowledged in the generation of Man and Woman which is to be confessed in the growing of Plants and Herbs that because we see bodies well distinguished by Members to be engendred of seed we may also believe that the same seed is derived from the distinct and several parts of the body wherefore let those be advised what they say who affirm the seed of generation to be ingendred of the Brain only when as it is not so agreeable to the consideration of the Concoctions nor to the constitution of the bodies True it is that some and that not a small part is derived from the Brain but the chiefest part is collected together from the chiefest parts of the whole body For if we say that this should be ingendred of one or two parts only every one would find that this consequence would follow by an infallible reason namely that those same parts only should be ingendred again Therefore we may more rightly conclude that besides that beginning which it draweth from the Brain it is ingendred from the whole body and the most especial parts of the same the effect it self manifesting the cause most especially when we see distinct members and perfectly finisht according to the due form of the body and so truly that the thing begotten doth answer and agree to the constitution of the thing begetting of feeble seed a feeble man being born of strong seed a strong and lusty man By which means it happeneth that we many times see the infirmities and ill favoured marks of the body in the Children which are inherent in the Parents and these we firmly believe to have passed into them by the corruption of the seed And these things thus determined may suffice to have been spoken concerning the beginning and substance of Ingendring Seed CHAP. III. What course Parents ought to take that they may beget wise Children IT may well be admired what the reason should be that Nature being so wise and provident in all her actings should nevertheless be so overseen in a work of so special regard as Mankind that for one whom she produceth wise solid and judicious she bringeth so many into the World of those that are shallow half witted and void of prudence But having seriously consider'd with my self and searcht into the reason of natural causes of this so strange a matter I easily found the true reason to be this namely that Parents apply not themselves to the act of generation with that order and diligence that is required by nature nor know the conditions which ought to be observed that their Children may prove wise and judicious Now if by art we may procure a remedy for this we shall have brought to the Common-wealth the greatest benefit she can receive The main difficulty of this matter chiefly consisteth herein that we cannot discourse hereof in terms so seemly and modest as exact decency would require but if for this reason I should forbear to insist upon any particular note or observation the whole business would be of small validity forasmuch as divers grave Authors are of opinion that wise men ordinarily beget foolish Children because in the act of Copulation they abstain from certain diligences which are of importance that the Son may partake of the Fathers Wisdom For the more Methodical proceeding I have thought good to divide the matter of this discourse into four principal parts The first is to shew the natural qualities and temperature which Man and Woman ought to possess that they may use Generation The second what diligence the Parents ought to imploy that their Children may be male and not Female The third how they may become wise and not fools The fourth how they are to be ordered after their birth for preservation of their wit As to the first point Divers both ancient and modern Authors have delivered their opinions to this effect that in a well ordered Common-wealth there ought to be assigned certain surveyors of Marriages who should have skill and judgment sufficient to look into the qualities of the persons that are to be married and to allot to every woman a husband and to every man a wife agreeable and proportionable to them in all respects But whether such a thing be of absolute necessity in a State or no let it lye upon the care and consideration of such as take upon them to manage and dispose the affairs of Common-wealths Hippocrates and Galen took much pains in prescribing certain Precepts about this matter with several rules to know what sort of Women were fruitful and what not what men were able for generation and what disable But touching all this they deliver very little to the purpose and that not with such distinction as is requisite for the business in hand therefore it will be necessary to begin this discourse from its principles and briefly to give the same its due order and method that so we may plainly and clearly demonstrate from what Union of Parents wise children are generated and from what fools and faineants issue To which end is needful First to be informed of a particular point of Philosophy upon the knowledge of which depends all that which is to be delivered touching this first point and that 's this that man is different from Woman in nothing else as Galen also observes than in having his genital Members without his body whereas a woman hath all the very same parts within so that if when nature hath finished her work in the formation of man she would convert him into a Woman there needs nothing else to be done saving only to turn the Organs of generation inward and if having formed a woman she would transform her to a man she may effect it by doing the contrary But whether or no these things have hapned as some affirm they have and of the certainty of Hermaphrodites being found in
Woman almost dead her eyes open and fixed her nose shrunk in her breath smelling like a Charnel-house and she took nothing down into her stomach that she did not instantly vomit up again she had drunk up above two pints of water in an hour and by her bed there was a whole sea of those things that she had vomited up They gave her cold water and the yolk of an Egg sometimes though it came up again at the same instant She felt no pain of the Infant but finding her Womb was open and her waters beginning to come down I found that she had been in Travail only Nature was oppressed and had not had any good assistance so that the Infant was retired back again which stifled the Mother and provoked her vomiting Upon which I gave my advice and though I thought my self come a little too late yet I resolved to do what lay in the power of my Art and therefore I resolved to give her a good strong Clyster to awaken Nature and to bring the Infant lower which did according to our hopes afterwards to drink a small quantity of Rhubarb-water which stayed with her a little after I gave her the Yolk of an Egg which stayed with her also causing her to drink nothing but Rhubarb-water and at every hour's end I gave her the Yolk of an Egg which did also stay with her by this time Nature began to strengthen it self and the pains of the Infant came again and in less than two hours after the Clyster and other nourishment given when I saw her pretty well and that Nature strove to expel the Infant I gave her half a dram of Confection of Alkermes in a little Wine and a little while after I caused her to take another Clyster into which I put a little Hiera and a little Benedictum which finished the work for she was then delivered of a very lusty Child which lived about two days I came thither about noon and she was brought to bed before nine at night I wrote this thus particularly to let you know that oft-times for want of knowing where the mischief lies the Remedies are misapplied and indeed a Woman Travailling in the ninth Month ought chiefly to be succoured with Clysters Of a Woman here in Town that bare her Children eleven months and could not be Delivered BEing called to a Woman in this Town that thought her self three months and a half gone which is one of the Terms of time wherein commonly the Moles and False-births are delivered having then some loss of blood and pain I was sent for and judged it to have been some imperfect Conception and therefore I used all means to assist her yet could she not expel it for all these long pains Whereupon finding some strange apprehensions in her I wondered for in all the time of my Practice I never knew such a thing as that dangerous in my life But I afterwards found this apprehension to come from a certain accident that had happened to a Sister of hers who being with Child carried it very well to the end of the ninth month at the end of which she began to be in pain as if she would have cried out the pains were great and long which they were not at all astonished at by reason that it was her first Child yet were not these pains accompanied with any signs of Labour as the opening the exterior orifice of the Womb And they continued thus for the space of two days and two nights Many medicines were used to facilitate the birth but to no purpose and now she felt not the Child stir any more And now it was concluded that she had mistaken her time and now being at rest for four or five days and growing weary of the City she went into the Country and being returned without taking notice that she had received any harm she was taken with the same pains as before which continued a day and a night and then ceased as before This was adjudged to be certain pains of the Colick after this she endured one month longer in her former estate which was now the eleventh month compleat at the end of which she felt some little pain like throws which presently affected her heart upon which she was laid upon her bed and they brought her Wine but at the very instant she died without having any time to call for assistance Seeing her dead they perceived upon the right side of her belly a very black mark about the breadth of a Dollar being opened they found the Child all putrified Hence we must observe that in Women that are big with Child who have frequent pain and nothing coming forth the Matrix that should open rather shuting it self closer whether it be at the time or no you must make for them clysters that expel wind which are to be reiterated as occasion requires which Rule if it had been observed in this Woman she nor the Fruit of her Womb had not perished in that manner Of the common opinion that a Woman seven months gone ought to walk very much and of the Accidents that happen thereby IT is a common error among Midwives which is not to be passed by that a Woman with Child when she hath gone seven Months of her time is to walk much Upon a conceit that exercise is very proper for her for that they say doth loosen the Child from the reins and facilitates the Birth I confess as to facilitating of the Birth it may something avail only I must add this also that it is better to draw away the Child than to break it and moreover it is better to be something longer in Travail than to incurr two or three evils which ordinarily happen the first is that the Child in the end of the seventh month doth make certain endeavours to free it self from the belly of the Mother and without doubt his first endeavour is to turn himself in the belly of the Mother for the Infant turns himself a good while before the time of Labour and therefore I say Exercise is very dangerous The first reason is because by pushing downward the belly is dilated and especially in such as carry their Children low and besides oft times the head drags down all the body of the Womb and loosens the ligaments in such a sort that after Delivery it can hardly be put into its place again Besides the Children having their heads between the bones of the Mother by much walking of the Mother they come to be bruised so that the Infants do many times dye and no man is able to give a cause why for the branches of veins which are for the nourishment of the brain open in an instant letting out the blood which is contained in them and when the corruption is ingendered there follows immediately Feavers and corruption of the Infant At other times Women coming to sit upon a hard seat do bruise the head of the Infant which causes like
Tablet weigh six drams The observation of a Woman who was thought unable to bear any more Children yet contrary to expectation was delivered of one and the reason thereof THere are certain Women who have the neck of the Womb long and hardned by a cold humor that falls down thereon and renders them uncapable of conceiving One I have heard of who was afflicted with this Disease and voided a great deal of putrified blood by a certain fumigation that I taught her she was cured I can say this of a certainty that after this Woman had voided this putrefaction she came to see me with a very lusty Child and was big of another for being discharged of the burden of putrified blood she found her self marvellously free for Conception for the Matrix that began to be ulcerated was now fortified and strengthned again and the natural heat began to take possession there again A good observation in the choice of Nurses THere be two sort of Nurses which I have found The one is of such Women as are of an ill humor or juice which humors settle all in the milk for that is the place where these fluxes discharge themselves These Women are in a better condition being Nurses than when they are not Nurses and being not Nurses are subject to pains sometimes in the arms and sometimes in the shoulders sometimes in one of their legs or thighs or else they are subject to the watring of the eyes or swelling in the corner of the eye or nose These are good Nurses as long as Children are fat but the fat is soft and the Infants dull and sottish giving no great signs of vivacity coming to bear teeth they are very sickly and do ordinarily die by reason of the flux that pusheth out too great company of teeth at once The Children that escape this are more ill juic'd in their infancy than are their Fathers and Mothers in their old Age. If the flux that afflicts them be salt the milk is of a blackish and blewish colour if it be of Choler it is more dangerous than the other for that is more dangerous and venomous to the Children There is another sort of Nurses more dangerous than these I have now spoken of who presently after they have Lain in that is three or four or five or six months are taken with their Purgations a thing which never happens to good Nurses for this is the course of Nature that all the blood which is retained is dedicated to the nourishment of the Infant This is caused by a moderate heat which is in their blood and to say true as soon as ever this happens the Infant must be taken away for they are more apt to conceive than to nurse and if they continue Nurses they do but ruine the Children This is but too much experimented and I speak this to save the lives of a great many Children when seeing them suck I have discovered their want of milk so that I may say there dies a third part of the Children for want of taking care in this particular which yet seem fat and in good case This is the cause of great Cholicks and windinesses in Children which kills them in a moment for the least Feaver that takes them carries them away Besides this there are some whose milk is so little but withal so thick that it sticks upon the tongue palate and throat which causes as it were a white canker which is more and more heated by reason of their forcible drawing in vain and possesseth all the throat whereby they are hindred from sucking These Nurses will milk after this a drop or two out of their breasts crying Look ye the Child cares not for sucking I never knew more abuse in any thing than in Nurses for let them make what excuse they will it is nothing but necessity that reduceth them to be such Although the greatest part do say that it is to get acquaintance yet when they have a Child whether they have milk or no yet they desire not to part with it no more than they do to drown themselves whereby the Parents are often deceived And therefore the Mothers ought to have a great care and to make it their business to surprize the Nurses at their own houses that if there be any miscarriage they may find it out And indeed it is very reasonable that the cause of these poor creatures that cannot complain should not be neglected and these She-murderers be made known that they may not go unpunished Of a Woman which I laid two several times and of the difference of her bearing of two Children proceeding from several causes I Was called to lay a Woman who said she was gone her full time she had the same pains that women are wont to have in the time of Travail but her waters came not down At one forcible Throw she cast forth a great membrane like a Hogs-bladder all united within and without only that it had divers branches of veins as you shall see in a bladder which I presently cut and found therein a little Infant well shaped swiming in black waters it had gone its full time and was so lean that it resembled a meer Picture it had the Navel-string holding fast to the bladder where it is to be supposed those small branches of the veins do end Here as I guess as long as it found any blood it lay languishing but that beginning to fail it died and presently voided those excrements that were contained in the intestines which being mingled in the waters made them black And as for the Woman her self she was the fullest of humours that ever I saw in my life Another time I brought the same Woman to bed who was delivered of a Child that came the ordinary way into the World with the head foremost now I perceiving her in Labour found nothing at first but a certain softness as if the waters were coming down Afterwards I perceived a certain bag with hair athwart which I saw certain great knobs or heads The Infant being come forth was not yet formed the face and the head were like vizards more than any face it had the form of a nose but it was soft like wooll The head was full of water and those knobs which appeared were nothing but the futures of the head which the too great abundance of water had disjoyn'd in the hands it had nothing but hair instead of bones and the toes were of the same The woman her self was said to be extream cholerick and moist Instructions of a famous and dying Midwife to her Daughter touching the practice of this Art DAughter if the excellencies of what is to be known in this World are to be found not in one but in several Countries certainly they are most able to instruct who have had the greatest experience and longest travel in the World which is the reason that in this small Treatise I have not tyed up my self to the
necessary And if she be so opinionated as that she will not tell her how much you do it for the better and how great a pain it will be afterwards content her though for you must make of a bad Market no more then you can You ought to give order for things to be had from the Apothecaries with her consent or if she be young with the consent of her friends You must take order also that some good broth be made for her to take in the time of her Travail if it should chance to be long and also two hours after her being brought to bed Above all things I charge thee that what ever business thou maist have there that thou go not about them too hastily For there is nothing so nauseous to be seen as the improvident actions of over-busie women Never be dismayed if every thing go not well for fear disorders the senses and a person that keeps her wits together without suffering them to be scattered by fear is capable of giving assistance in weighty affairs and especially where things are done with leisure for in such cases Nature helps marvellously when we are most at a stand There is a great necessity of prudence especially in the age wherein we live There is now no need of Coloquintida to render any thing good in it self bitter and disagreeable to the taste There are few Women now a days that do give that respect or have that kindness for them as in former ages for then when their Midwife died they shewed a great deal of sorrow and prayed God that now they might have no more Children which though it were not well done yet it shewed their affection Now adays Women use them as meer Hirelings There is a great deal of artifice to be used in the pleasing of our Women especially the young ones who many times do make election of Men to bring them to bed I blush to speak of them for I take it to be a great piece of impudence to have any recourse unto them unless it be in a case of very great danger I do approve it I have approved it and know that it ought to be done so that it be concealed from the Woman all her life long nor that she see the Surgeon any more for it is very inconvenient to Husbands that unless in cases of very great danger such things concerning their own Wives should be communicated to any other men but themselves To this purpose shall I tell thee Daughter that being called to the Labour of a Friend where were none but 2 or 3 of her acquaintance they asked me what I thought of the Labour to which I answered that the Child did not come well but that I would do the work with the assistance of God without danger to the Child or to the Mother They desired me that I would let a Surgeon see her for their satisfaction I consented to it provided that she might not see him for I was fearful lest she should die with apprehension and shame I perswaded her to slide down toward the feet of the bed and darkned the Room on that side where he was to come at the feet he touched her and she was brought to bed without any other assistance save that of God and Nature Since these injuries have bin put in fashion there have bin observed greater hazards and dangers in lying in than before which might be remedied by persons capable of their profession if they might be let alone But this Detraction is so much in request that among some kind of people there is much ado to make them believe the truth and especially where they cannot get great advantage by so doing and truly Honourable persons which I have had the honour to serve make other women seem monstrous to me You shall come into some houses where there are certain persons that hold such false lights to the Mistress of the House that she sees quite contrary to that which is real which persons if they are not humoured your business will be there soon dispatched Take great heed of coming there for it may chance to gain you nothing but a great deal of care There are some Women that have no Children at which they are very much troubled which is so notwithstanding that they might easily be helped if they would tell an understanding Midwife where the defect lay As concerning those who are sent for to lay Women in the Country I must say this that as for those that are not very well experimented they may incur many hazards by reason of their ignorance and the multiplicity of accidents that may happen And for those that are knowing to leave their Patients in the City is a thing that may displease and wrong many and run the hazard of being no more entertained among them to their own ruine neither is there any certainty of a Woman that will run rambling into the Country My last advice is that thou do well and in so doing fear nothing but God that he may bless thee and thy endeavours Explanation of the first Figure A A. The right and left Kernel of the Reins B. The true Kidneys CC. The Emulgent Veins DD. The Emulgent Arteries E E. The Spermatic Veins F F. The Spermatick Arteries GG The Trunk of the hollow Vein HH The Trunk of the great Arterie IIII. The Ureters KK The Vessels that prepare the Seed MM The Stones with all their Tunicles N N. The Vessels carrying the Seed retorted back into the Bladder O. The Bladder P. The Neck of the Bladder QQ The two glaudulous Fore-standers R R. The two Muscles that erect the Yard S S. Two other Muscles dilating the Ureter T. The body of the Yard U. The Praeputium that covers the Nut of the Yard Explanation of the second Figure A. The Bladder turned downward BB. The insertion of the Uterers into the Bladder CC. The neck of the Womb which Anatomists call the Sheath which receives many vessels EEEE The two lower round Ligaments of the mouth cut away FF The blind Vessel of the Womb annexed here to the uppermost and broad Ligament GG The same vessel on the other side separated from the broad Ligament HH The different or Seed-carrying vessels on each side ending in the neck of the Womb. II. The upper and membrany Ligament of the Womb like the wings of a Bat thorow which many vessels that arise from the preparing vessels are scattered and diffused K. The preparing Vessels of one side not yet discerned from the first membrany or filmy Ligament L. The preparing Vessels on the other side severed from the filmy Ligament to shew you their insertion into the stone with its films MM. The Stones where one is covered the other is bare NN. Many Veins and Arteries scatered into the neck and bottom of the Womb serving for the purgation of the flowers and the nourishment of the birth OO The Nerves scattered through the body of the Womb. FINIS The second Tunicle The proper Tunicle The Original of these Muscles The Nut of the Yard The two nervous bodies Their substance The holes of the Vrethra Note The Muscles of the Yard The Vessels of the Yard The use of the Glans The Clytoris The neck of the Womb. The substance The Hymen The cause of the largeness of the Vessels Note The two holes or pits near the lips of the Pudendum The Womb. The figure The bigness The Fibres The Veins The Arteries Note The Vessels The Insertion of the vessels Their Situation A doubt Their figure Their bigness and temper The proper actions of the Womb. Their figure Signs of Conception Conception of a Male. Conception of a Female Conception of Twins False Conception Several sorts of Moles Of the true Mole Of the false Mole Signs of Moles The Windy Mole The Watry Mole The membranous Mole The signs of false Conception The pendent mole Her Diet. Of longing Her sleeping Her Exercise Other precepts Precepts concerning the breasts Concerning the belly The Liver framed The Heart formed Her Age. Her Manners Her Spirit Of Women near the time of their lying down Her Bed In the time of Travel what to do Certain Rules Of the Child dead in the Mothers Belly Another way To help difficult Labour To encrease Milk
also sulphury and drying baths as also the use of Sudorificks or things that provoke sweat may be very profitable as the decoctions of Lignum sanctum China Sarsaparella and Mastick wood Of the narrowness of the Vessels of the Womb. THE signs of the narrowness of the vessels of the Womb are partly the retention of the Flowers so that they cannot flow as also the hindrance of conception by reason that the passage of the blood is intercepted The causes are partly external as from astringent baths and medicines which is known from the relation of the party affected it is cured more easily by moistning and mollifying Medicines The other causes are internal as from Flesh or Membrane clinging to the orifice of the Womb or by a closing up of the orifices of the veins by reason of some violent extraction of the Secondines which is commonly incurable the only cure which may be tryed is by mollifying applications Another cause is deduced from obstruction which arises from certain thick viscous and copious humours flowing from other parts of the Body the heat of those places not being able to attenuate them or else gather together in the Womb it self by reason of the weakness of the heat of that part it is discerned by the same signs as the cold Distemper there being also a slimy matter which now and then comes down from the Womb It is cured as other obstructions by sharp and bitter Medicines and steel-wine as also baths made with opening and mollifying things Sometimeâ— this narrowness arises from a compression of the parts occasioned either by some swelling or Schirrus either within or without the Womb if this be there do appear manifest signs of swelling It is an evil for the most part incurable many times it is occasioned by an over-fatness of those parts which is plain to the sense Of the puffing up of the Womb. THE puffing up of the Womb is a windy swelling of that part occasioned from cold flegmy and flatulent matter which is increased through the defect of natural heat in the Womb. This is called the windy Mole it giving hopes of a conception The signs of this are a distention of the Womb not far from the Midriff which is now increased now diminished sometimes extending it self to the Navel sometimes to the Loins and Diaphragm It differs from the Dropsie partly because the swelling is not so great and the party affected is not much troubled with thirst by the increasing and diminishing of the tumor and by the upper part not being so lean It is distinguish'd from the Dropsie of the Womb by the fore apprehension of the causes that beget those windy vapors by the sound and less ponderosity as as also by a feeling of an extensive and pricking pain in the womb and parts adjoyning It is also distinguished from the inflammation of the intestines because here is no great pain neither is the Patient hard bound yet the Flowers are suppressed and the feet and hollow of the eyes do swell and the colour of the body is changed the woman draws her breath short and is sad and when she awakes is fain to lift up her head to take breath It differs from a Mole because there is not that heaviness and ponderosity in the womb besides the woman doth not feel the burden of her womb tumble from one side to the other It is distinguished from conception by the sound and by the increasing and decreasing of the swelling and by the deadness of the motion not unlike that of a dead Infant for if the Midriff be violently compressed the wind being then compelled to the part adjoyning there is a kind of palpitating motion perceived through all the Midriff The matter of this distemper is generated either in the Womb it self or by reason of the suppression of the Courses or by the interception of due purgation after delivery Many times it comes through the veins and seminal vessels Now the weakness of the heat proceeds sometimes from the external air sometimes from hard Delivery from the suppression of the Courses from abortion c. The Cure is performed after the same way that other Cures are managed among those things that purge Species Hierae and Diaphaenicon with Castor are most commended for Fumes Nutmeg is counted the best for Potions Nutmegs bruised and boyled with the roots of Mather and drunk in six ounces of wine and two drams of Sugar Sometimes this wind gets into the cavity of the Womb and then the neck and orifice of the Womb is closed so that nothing can go forth when the woman is moved or when the Midriff is pressed down with her hand and then a kind of noise and sound is perceived Sometimes the wind gets into the tunicles of the Womb and then the mouth of the Womb may be open by reason of the shutting up of the windy vapours in a narrow place there goes a noise forth and the pain grows greater and extends farther This is more hard and difficult to be cured than that which is in the concavity of the Womb. Of the inflammation of the Womb. THE inflammation of the Womb is a swelling of the same through the putrefaction of blood which is fallen down into its substance having many symptoms and now tending to a Scirrhus now towards an Apostem The signs are various there is a swelling in the Womb with heat and pain and a retraction of the Womb to the more inward parts the neck of the Womb appears red with little veins scattered up and down in it like the web of a Spider There is sometimes a difficulty of breathing with some kind of Pleurisie because the interior tunicle of the Womb being extended which rises from and is joyned to the Peritonaeum thâ— parts also to which that coheres are stretched The excrements of the belly and bladder are detained by reason of the heat and driness of the belly and the compression of the passages Sometimes the whole body of the belly seems empty or filled with water and the Navel hangs forward and the mouth of the womb is made very slender and close and upon a sudden few depraved courses come down then happens a burning Fever by reason of the great sympathy with the womb and the heart occasioned through the Arteries and great Vessels There is a pain in the breasts with a swelling in them by reason of the consent and agreement between the groyns the hips the septum transversum claviculare and the forepart of the head which is extended to the roots of the eyes as also from vapours which rise from the putrified blood to the head through the Arteries that run along through the neck passing by both parts of the infundibulum into the fore part of the head The cause of this consists in the blood which is sometimes with Choler and sometimes with Melancholy The Cure is difficult if the blood in that part be wholly putrified for that causeth a sordid
humor which consumes the Patient with a continual Fever If it be an Erisypelas or St. Anthonies fire there is no cure at all because the Birth dies by reason of the excessive heat which causes abortion to follow which kills the Woman if it turn to a gangrene it is deadly it is cured as other inflammations which may be observed in the following Chapters Only observe that for revulsion you must not let blood in the veins of the thighs for that draws down the blood to the womb but in the arm the blood flowing from the Liver and the parts adjoyning For deriving of the matter you may cut a vein in the ham unless the Woman be with Child for that will cause abortion Refrigerating and moistning Topicks without any binding faculty may be well applied to which purpose the decoction of wild Thyme prepared with Chalybeat water and outwardly applied with a sponge is an excellent Remedy These inflammations sometimes affect the whole womb and sometimes either side of the Womb which causes the heat to descend into the Hip because of the ligaments of the Womb which are carred thither the thigh is difficultly moved and the groins are inflamed sometimes the inflammation possesseth the posterior part which causes the belly to be bound and a pain in the loins and back-bone sometimes it possesseth the forepart which because it coheres to the bladder the Urine is suppressed or made very difficultly and the pain is extended above the Privities Semetimes it possesses the bottom of the Womb which causes such a pain in the lower part of the Belly that it is hardly to be touched and the pain extends to the Navel There is another inflammation which degenerates into a Scirrhus whereall the symptoms are not so dangerous yet there is a great heaviness perceived in the parts adjoyning This evil is diuturnal and commonly ends in the Dropsie sometimes it turns to an Apostem swelling 'till it break In this case the body is troubled with a shivering especially towards the Evening when the Apostem is broken sometimes it empties it self into the concavity of the Womb wherein there is less danger and sometimes in other parts of the Body which causes sometimes a stoppage in the Urine and sometimes in the Belly with a swelling of the hairy parts and the feeling of something floating up and down Of the Schirrus of the Womb. THE Schirrus of the Womb is a hard swelling of the said part without pain begot by some thick earthly and feculent Humour the signs besides others that are general are these in particular The Flowers at the beginning are either wholly stopt or flow very sparingly the evil increasing there is a great flux of blood by intervals the mouths of the Veins being opened more than ordinary or because the Womb is not able to receive or to retain its wonted proportion of blood It is distinguish'd from the Mole because in that distemper the Flowers if they flow flow inordinately the Breasts swell with Milk which in the Schirrus grow very lank The cause of this is a gross feculent humour being a thick blood sometimes Flegmy sometimes melancholy which happens to those who decline in their age or to those who have been troubled with a squeamish and naughty stomach Often it arises from an ill cured Inflammation through the use of Medicines that cool too much The Cure is difficult either because having been dried for a long time they cannot be softned or because the natural heat in those places where the Schirrus is is for the most part extinct and then because while the humour is mollifying if it have conceived any putrefaction it easily turns to the Cancer For the cure it is the same as of the Breasts It differs either as being in and possessing the substance of the Womb which causes the Womb to lean downward upon the Hip and Back and there begets pain sometimes possessing the neck of the Womb which is discerned by touching it and is cured more easily than the former If it be in the upper part of the neck of the Womb the Woman is hindred in the lower part of the neck of the Womb the streight gut is affected Of the Dropsie of the Womb. THE Dropsie of the Womb is a distemper from water collected in the Womb either by some fault in the part it self or in the parts adjoining The signs of this are a loose swelling at the bottom of the belly extending it self according to the proportion of the Womb the fewness and naughtiness of the Courses a moistness and slenderness of the neck of the Womb softness of the Breast want of Milk a shivering in the Body and sometimes a Fever It differs from an inflammation by the symptoms above related and from an inflation in the defect of sound and distention from a Mole because in this there is a greater weight perceived at the bottom of the belly and the Breasts at the time of delivery are not without milk It differs from Conception because in the Dropsie the swelling is just according to the form of the Womb but in Conception it is always sharper In Women with Child the Flowers do not flow but in this Disease there flows such a certain bloody vitious humour without any order which ceases quickly It differs from the Dropsie of the Belly because the face of the Patient is coloured unless the Liver be any way affected the want of thirst and the ascent of the swelling from the lower part to the upper The cause of this is a water gathered there through some defect of the Liver or Spleen or through some weakness in the Womb by reason whereof it is not able to concoct or expel the Excrements or through a too immoderate defluxion of the Courses which oppresseth the natural heat or through a suppression of them which suffocates the heat The cure is to be performed by the eduction of the water and strengthening of the Womb for which purpose the use of Antimonial Pills is not a little to be commended Her diet must be of meats that breed good Juice she must drink little she must use instead of drink a Ptisan or Barly-broth made with Sassafras or Sarsaparilla if her Courses be stopt you may let her blood in the foot if the repletion be great then to let her blood in the arm will not be amiss The use of Clysters is not amiss and Fomentations are also very necessary made with the decoction of Broom wild Cucumbers Flowers of Camomile Melilot with Origan Cumin Fenel Aniseed of which you may make several injections Ointments also may be useful made of Oil of Lillies or Oil of Dill Then may you apply upon the Belly this Plaister Take of the emplaister of Laurel berries two Ounces Oil of Camomile and Melilot two ounces and a half Pigeons dung and Goats dung of each half an ounce mix them altogether and make a Plaister adding thereto a little Venice Turpentine Of the falling