Artificial Remedies to restore it viz. Those Meats that most conduce to the affording such Aliment as makes Seed abound and restores the Decays of Nature that the Facâ—lties may freely operate For as Dung and good manuring restores Ground that is worn out and heartless even so proper Diet operates to the restoring the Coldness and Driness of the Genital Parts and reduceth the weakness of the Nerves to their Temperament and removes Impediments obstructing the Procreation of Children Then since Diet alters the evil state of the Body to a better it is necessary that such 〈◊〉 are subject to Barrenness should eat such Meats only as may render them fruitful and such arâ— all meats of good Juice that nourish well aâ—â— make the Body lively and full of Sap of which faculty are all hot moist Meats for according to Galen Seed is made of the pure concocted and windy superfluity of Blood whence we may conclude there is in many things a power to accumulate Seed as also to augment it and other things of force to cause Erection as Hen-Eggs Pheasants Woodcocks Gnat-sappers â—hrushes Black-Birds young Pidgeons Sparrows Partridges Capons Almonds Pine-Nuts Raisins Currants all strong Wines taken sparingly especially those made of the Grapes of Italy but Erection is chiefly caused by Styrium Eringâ—es Cresses Erysimum Parsnips Artichoaks Turnips Rapes Asparagus Candied Ginger Gallinga Acorns bruised to Pouder and drank in Muscadels Scallions Sea-Shell-Fish c. But these must have time to perform their Operation and you must use them for a considerable time or you will reap little benefit by them The Act of Coition being over let the Woman repose her self on her Right Side with her Head lying low and her Body declining that by sleeping in that posture the Cell on the Right Side of the Matrix many prove the Place of Conception for therein is the greatest Generative Heat which is the chief procuring cause of Male Children and rarely fails to answer the expectation of those that experience it especially if they do but keep warm and without much motion leaning to the right and drinking a little Spirit of Saffron and Juice of Hysop in a Glass of Mallago or Alligant when they lye down and rise for the space of a Week Now the fittest time for the Procreation of Male Children is when the Sun is in Leo and the Moon in Virgo Scorpio or Sagitarius But for a female Child the woman must lye on the left Side strongly fancying a Female in the time of Procreation especially if she drink the Decoction of Female Mercury four dayes from the first day of Purgation the Male Mercury both Herbs so called having the like Operation in case of a Male Child for the Decoction of these Simples do purge the one the right and the other the left side of the Womb and thereby both open the Receptacles and make a way for the Seminary of Generation And the best time to beget a Female is when the Moon is in wane in Libra or Aquarius for then they will be of a gentle affable temper very faâ—r and perfect in all their Members Avicenna describes the time of Procreation thus When the Menses are spent and the Womb is cleansed which is commonly in five days or seven at most if a Man lie with his Wife from the first day she is purg'd to the fifth she will conceive a Male but from the fifth to the 8th a Female from the 8th to the 12th a male again But after that Number of Days peradventure neither distinctly but both in an Hermaphrodite In a word They that would be happy in the fruit of their Labour must observe to use Copulation at a due distance of time not too often nor yet too seldom for both these are alike hurtful and to use it immoderately weakens a Man wastes his Spirits and debilitates the Seed And thus much for the first particular I shall now proceed to the second which is to let the Reader understand how the Child is formed in the Womb what accidents it is liable to there how nourish'd and when brought forth There are various Opinions concerning this matter therefore I shall for the satisfaction of the Curious shew what the Learned say about it Man consists of an Ovum or Egg which is impregnated in the Ovaria or Testicles of the Woman by the more subtile part of Man's Seed but the forming Faculty and Vertue in the Seed in from a Divine and Heavenly Gift it being abundantly endued with a Vital Spirit which gives shape and form to the Embryo so that all the parts and bulk of the Body which is made up in the space of many months and is by degrees formed into the comely Figure of a man do consist in that and are adumbrated thereby Which is incomparably expressed by the Royal Psalmist in Psal 138. I will praise thee O Lord because I am wonderfully made Thou knowest all my Bones when I was fashioned in the secret place and when I was wonderfully formed in my mothers Womb. Thy Eyes beheld me yet unmade in thy Book were all my Members written which day by day were fashioned And the Physicians have assigned four different times wherein this Microsm or little world is fram'd and perfected in the womb The first is presently after Coition being perfected in the first Week if no Efflux happen which sometimes fall out through the â—â—â—ippeâ—â—ness of the Matrix or the head thereof that shifts over like a Rose-bud and opens on a sudden by reason of Cold or over-hard Labour The second time of forming is assigned to be when Nature makes a manifest mutation in the Conception so that all the substance seems Congealed Flesh and Blood which happens about 12 or 14 days after Copulation and though this Concretion or Fleshy Mass abound with hot fiery Blood yet it remains undistinguishable having no form or figure and may be termed an Embrio and compared to Seed which is sown in the Ground which through kindly Heat and Moisture grows up by degrees into a perfect form either in Plant or Grain or as when a Potter fashions a Vessel out of a rude lump of Clay The third time assigned to make up this Fabrick is when the principal Parts shew themselves so as to be discerned as the Heart from whence proceeds the Arteries the Brain from which the Nerve like many small Threads ruâ— through the whole Body and the Liver whose office it is to separate the Chile from the Blood brought to it by the Vena Portae The two first are the Fountains of Life that Nourish every part of the Body in framing which the Faculty of the Woâ—b is busied from the time of Conception to the Eighteenth Day of the first Month But Lastly About the 28 or 30th day the outward parts are seen exquisitely elaborated and distinguished by Joints and then the Child begins to grow from which time by reason the Limbs are divided and the whole
performs its Actions For being placed in the highest part of the Body it diffuseth its Force into every Member not propagated from the Parents nor mixed with gross Matter but the infused â—reath of the Alâ—ighty immediately proceeding from him not passing from one to another as we the Opinion of Pythagoras who held a Transmigration of the Soul But that the Soul is given to every Infant by Infusion is the most generally received and Orthodox Opinion and the Learned do likewise agree that this is done when the Infant is perfected in the Womb which happens about the 45th day after Conception especially for Males that are generally born at the end of Nine Months but in Females who are not so soon formed and perfected thro' the defect of heat not till the 50th day And altho' this day in all cases cannot be perfectly set down yet Hipocrates has given his Opinion when the Child has its perfect form when it begins to move and when born if in due season for in his Book of the Nature of Infants he affirmeth That if it be a Male and he be perfect on the 30th day and move at the 60th he will be Born at the seventh Month but if he be perfectly formed on the 35th day he will move one 70th and be born in the 8th Month. Again if he be perfectly formed on the 45th day he will move on the 90th and be born in the Ninth Month. Now from these passing of Days and Months it plainly appears That the day of Forming being doubled makes up the day of moving and that day three times reckoned makes up the day of Birth As for Example where 35 perfect the Form if you double it it makes 70 the day of motion and three times 70 amounts to 210 Days which allowing 30 Days to a Month makes seven Months and so you must consider the rest But as to a Female the Case is different for it is longer perfecting in the Womb the Mother ever goes longer with a Boy than a Girl so that the Accompt differs for a Female formed in 30 Days moves not till the 70th day and is born in the 7th Month when she is formed in the 40th day she moves not till the 80th day and is born in the 8th Month but if she be perfectly formed on the 55th day she moves on the 90th and is born on the 9th Month but she that is formed on the 50th day moves on the 100th day and then will she be born in the 10th Month. And I have more largely treated hereof that the Reader may know the reasonable Soul is not Propagated by the Parents but is Infused by the Almighty when the Child hath its perfect Form and is exactly distinguished in its Lineaments Now as the life of every other Creature as Moses shews is in the Blood so the life of Man consisteth in the Soul which although subject to Passion by reason of the gross 〈…〉 posure of the Body in which it has a 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—rary Confinement yet it is immortal and cannot in it self corrupt or suffer change it being a spark of the Divine Mind and renders him Immortal and that every Mans has a peculiar Soul plainly appears by the vast difference between the Wit Judgment Opinion Manners Affections c. in men And this David observes when he says God hath fashioned the Hearts and minds of all men and has given to every one it s own Being and a Soul of its own Nature Hence Solomon rejoyced that God had given him a happy Soul and a Body agreeable to it It has been disputed amongst the Learned especially Philosophers in what part of the Body the Soul resides and some are of Opinion that its residence is in the middle of the Heart and from thence communicates its self to every part which Solomon in the fourth of his Proverbs seems to assert when he says Keep thy Heart with all Diligence because Life proceedeth therefrom But many curious Physicians searching the works of Nature in Man's Anatomy c. do affirm That it 's chief Seat is in the Brain from whence proceeds the Senses Faculties and Actions diffusing the operation of the Soul through all parts of the Body whereby it is enlivened with Heat and Force but it doth communicate particular force to the Heart by Arteries Carotides or sleepy Arteries that part upon the Throat the which if they happen to be 〈◊〉 â—â—e or cut cause Barrenness and if stopped an Apoplexey for there must necessarily be some ways through which the Spirits Animal and Vital may have intercourse and convey Native Heat from the Soul For tho' the Soul has its chief seat in one place it operates in every part exercising every Member which are the Soul's Instruments by which she shews her power but if it happen that any of the Organical parts are out of Tune the work is confused as appears in Idiots Mad-men c. Tho' in some of them the Soul by a vigorous erecting of it's Power recover its innate Strength and they become right after a long dispondency of Mind But in others it is not recover'd again in this Life For as Fire under Ashes or the Sun obscured from our sight by thick Clouds afford not their full Lustre so the Soul over-whelm'd in moist or morbifick matter is darkened and Reason thereby overclouded and altho' Reason shines less in Children than in such as are arrived to maturity yet no man must imagine that the Soul is an Infant and grows up with the Child for then would it again decay but it suits it self to the weakness of Nature and the imbecility of the Body wherein it is placed that it may better operate And as the Body is more and more capable of receiving it's influence so the Soul does more and more exert its faculties having force and endowments at the time it enters the form of the Child in the VVomb for the substance of it can receive nothing less and thus much to prove that the Soul comes not from the Parents but is infused by God I shall next prove its Immortality and thereby deâ—onâ—â—rate the certainty of its Resurrection That the Soul of Man is a Divine Ray infused by the Sovereign Creator I have already prov'd and now come to shew That whatever immediately proceeds from him and participates of his Nature must be as immortal as its Original for altho' all other Cretures are indewed with Life and Motion yet want they a reasonable Soul and from thence 't is concluded That their Life is in their Blood and that being Corruptible they Perish and are no more But Man being indewed with a reasonable Soul and stamped with the Divine Image is of a different nature and tho' his Body be Corruptible yet his Soul being of an immortal Nature cannot Perish but must at the dissolution of its Body return to God that gave it either to receive Reward or Punishment Now that the Body can sin of
it self it is impossible because wanting the Soul which is the Principle of Life it cannot act nor proceed to any thing either Good or Evil for could it do so it might sin even in the Grave but 't is plain that after Death there is a cessation For as Death leaves us so Judgment finds us Now Reason having evidently demonstrated the Souls Immortality the Holy Scriptures do abundantly give Testimony to the Truth of the Resurrection as the Reader may see by perusing the 14th and 19th Chapters of Job in the Old Testament and the 5th of St. John's Gospel in the New Testament I shall therefore leave the further discussing of this matter to Divines whose proper Province it is and return again to treat of the Works of Nature CHAP. V. Of Monsters and monstrous Births and the reason thereof according to the Opinions of the Antients also whether Monsters are endewed with reasonable Souls and whether Devils can Engender is briefly here discussed BY the Antients Monsters are ascribed to depraved Conceptions and are defined to be Excursions of Nature which are vitious one of these four ways viz. In Figure Situation Magnitude or Number In Figure when a Man bears the Character of a Beast as did the Monster in Saxonia which was born about the time of Luther's Preaching In Magnitude when one part doth not equalize with another as when one part is too big or too little for the other parts of the body and this is so common amongst us that I need not produce a Testimony for it In Situation as if the Ears were on the Face and the Eyes on the Brest or Legs of this kind was the Monster born at Ravenna in Italy in the Year 1512. In Number when a Man hath two Heads or four Hands Of this kind was the monster born at Zarzara in the Year 1540. I proceed to the Cause of their Generation which is either Divine or Natural The Divine cause proceeds from the permissive will of God suffering Parents to bring forth such abominations for their filthy and corrupt Affections which are let loose unto Wickedness like brute Beasts that have no Understanding Wherefore it was Enacted amongst the Antient Romans That those which were any ways deformed should not be admitted into Religious Houses And St. Hierom in his time was Grieved to see the Deformed and Lame offered up to God in Religious Houses And Kekerman by way of inference Excludeth all that are mis-shapen from the Presbyterial Function in the Church And that which is of more force than all God himself Commanded Moses not to receive such to offer Sacrifice amongst his People and he renders the Reason Lev. 21.18 Lest he Pollute my Sanctuaries Because the outward Deformity of the Body is often a sign of the pollution of the Heart as a Curse laid upon the Child for the Parents Incontinency Yet there are many born depraved which ought not to be ascribed unto the infirmity of the Parents Let us therefore search out the Natural Cause of their Generation which according to the Antients who have dived into the Secrets of Nature is either in the Matter or in the Agent in the Seed or in the Womb. The matter may be in fault two ways by Defect or by Excess By Defect when as the Child hath but one Arm. As in the following Figure By Excess when it hath three Hands or two Heads Some monsters also are begotten by VVomens unnatural lying with Beasts as in the Year 1393 there was a monster begotten by a VVoman's Generating with a Dog which monster from the Navel upwards had the perfect Resemblance of its Mother but from the Navel downwards it resembled a Dog As you may here see The Agent or Womb may be in fault three ways First in the Formative Faculty which may be too strong or too weak by which is procured a depraved Figure Secondly in the Instrument or place of Conception the evil conformation or evil disposition whereof will cause a monstrous Birth Thirdly in the imaginative power at the time of Conception which is of such force that it stamps the Character of the thing imagined upon the Child So that the Children of an Adultress may be like unto her own Husband tho' begotten by another man which is caused through the force of the Imagination which the Woman hath of her own Husband in the Act of Coition And I have heard of a Woman who at the time of Conception beholding the Picture of a Black-more conceived and brought forth an Aethiopian I will not trouble you with any more humane Testimonies but I will conclude with a stronger Warrant We read in Gen. 30.31 how Jacob having agreed with Laban to have all the spotted Sheep for keeping of his Flocks To augment his VVages took Hasel-rods and pilled white Strakes in them and laid them before the Sheep when they came to Drink and they coupling there together whilst they beheld the rods Conceiv'd and brought forth spotted Young The Effigies of a Maid all Hairy and an Infant that was born Black by the Imagination of their Parents c. And certain it is That oftentimes monstrous Births happens by means of undue Copulation For some Men and VVomen there are That having been long absent from each other and having an eager desire to enjoy one another consider not as they ought to do what their Circumstances are and if it happen that they come together at the time when the â—Vomens Menstrues are flowing will notwithstanding proceed to the Act of Copulation which is both Unclean and Unnatural and the issue of such Copulation does oftentimes prove monstrous as a just Punishment for their lying together when Nature bids they should forbear And therefore tho' the men should be never so eager for it yet VVomen knowing their own Condition should at such times refuse their Company And tho' such Copulations do not always produce monstrous Births yet the Children then gotten are generally Heavy Dull and Sluggish and defective in their Understandings wanting the Vivacity and Liveliness which Children gotten in proper Seasons are blessed withal It Remains that I now make some Enquiry whether those that are born monsters have reasonable Souls and are capable of a Resurrection And here both Divines and Physitians are generally of Opinion That those who accordig to the Orders of Generation deduced from our first Parents and proceeded by natural means from either Sex tho' their outward Shape may be deformed and monstrous have notwithstanding a reasonable Soul and consequently their Bodies are capable of a Resurrection as other Mens and VVomens are But those monsters that are not begotten by men but are the product of a womans Unnatural Lust in copulating with other Creatures shall Perish as the brute beasts by whom they were begotten not having a reasonable Soul or any breath of the Almighty infused â—â—to it And such can never be capable of a Resurrection And the same is also true of Imperfect and
Nature viz. raw or burnt Flesh Ashes Coals Old shoes Chalk Wax Nut-shels Mortar Lime Oat-meal Tobacco Pipes c. which occasion not only a Suppression of the Menses but likewise obstructions through the whole Body Therefore the first thing necessary to eradicate the Cause is Matrimonial Conjunction and such Copulation that may prove to the satisfaction of her that is afflicted for by that means the menses will begin to flow according to their natural and due course and the Humours being dispersed will soon waste themselves and then no more matter being administred to increase them they will vanish and a good temperament of Body will return But in case this best Remedy cannot be had so soon as necessity requries then let her be let Blood in the Ankle and if she be about 16 you may likewise do it in the Arm but let her bleed but sparingly especially if the Blood be good If the Disease be of any continuance then is it to be eradicated by Purging Preparation of the humour being first consider'd which may be done by the Virgins drinking Decoction of Guaicum with Dittany of Creet But the best Purge in this case ought to be made of Aloes Agarick Senna Rhubarb And for strengthing the Bowels and opening Obstructions Chalibiat Medicines are chiefly to be used The Diet must be moderate and sharp things be by all means avoided And for the freeing of the Humour take Prepared Steel Bezoar Stone the Root of Scorzonera Oyl of Chrystal in small Wine and let the Diet be moderate but in no wise let Vinegar be used therewith nor upon any other occasion And in so observing the Humours will be dilated and dissipated by which Means the Complexion will return and the Body be lively and full of Vigour And now since Barrenness daily occasions discontent and that Discontent creates Difference between Man and Wife or by immoderate Grief frequently casts the Woman into one or other violent Distemper I shall in the next place treat thereof Of Barrenness In times past before Women came to the marriage Bed they were first searched by the Midwife and those only which she allowed of as fruitful were admitted I hope therefore it will be thought a needless labour to shew how they may prove themselves and turn the stony ground into a fruitful soil Barrenness is a deprivation of life and power which ought to be in the seed to procreate and propagate for which end both man and woman were made Causes of Barrenness It is caused by overmuch heat or cold that drying up the seed and making it corrupt this extinguishing the life of the seed making it watrish and unfit for Generation It may be caused also by the not flowing or over-flowing of the Courses by Swellings Ulcers and Inflammations of the Womb by an excrescence of flesh growing about the mouth of the Matrix by the mouth of the Womb being turned unto the back or side by the grossness and fatness of the body whereby the mouth of the matrix is closed up by being prest with the Omentum or Caule and the matter of the seed is converted into fatness Or if she be of a lean and exhaust body to the World she proves Barren because though she doth conceive yet the fruit of the Womb will wither before it comes to perfection for want of nourishment Aetius and Sylvius ascribe one main cause of Barrenness to compel'd copulation as when parents enforce their daughters to have Husbands contrary to their liking therein marrying their Bodies but not their Hearts and where there is a want of Love there for the most part is no Conception as appears in Women which are deflowred against their will Another main cause of Barrenness is attributed to the want of a convenient moderating quality which the Woman ought to have with the Man as if he be hot she must be cold If he be dry she must be moist But if they be both dry or both moist of constitution they cannot propagate and yet simply considered of themselves they are not Barren for he or she which before was as the Barren fig-tree being now joined with an apt constitution becomes as the fruitful Vine And that Man and Woman being every way of a like constitution cannot Procreate I will bring Nature it self for a testimony who hath made Man of a hotter Constitution than Woman that the quality of the one may moderate the quality of the other Signs of Barrenness If Barrenness does proceed from overmuch heat she is of a dry body subject to anger she hath black Hair quick pulse her purgations flow but little and that with pain she Loves to play in the courts of Venus But if it comes by cold then are the signs contrary to those even now recited If through an evil quality in the Womb Make a suffumigation of red Storax Myrrh Cassia wood Nutmeg Cinnamon and let her receive the fume of it into the Womb covering her very close and if the odour so received passeth through the Body up into the Mouth and Nostrils of her self she is fruitful But if she feels not the fume in her Mouth and Nose it argues Barrenness one of these ways that the Spirit of the seed is either through cold extinguisht or through heat dissipated If any Woman be suspected to be unfruitful cast natural Brimstone such as is digged out of the Mine into her Urin and â—f Worms breed therein of herself she is not barren Prognosticks Barrenness maketh Women look young because they are free from those pains and sorrows which other Women are accustomed to bring forth withall Yet they have not that full perfection of health which fruitful Women do injoy because they are not rightly pâ—rged of the menstruous blood and superfluous seed the retaining of which two are the principal cause of most Uterine Diseases Cure First the cause must be removed and then the Womb strengthened and the Spirits of the seed enlived If the Womb be over-hot Take Syrrup of Succory with Rhubarb Syrrup of Violets Endive Roses Cassia Purslain Take of Endive water Lillies Borage flowers of each a handful Rhubarb Myrobolans of each 3 Drams with water make a Decoction add to the straning of the Syrup Laxative of Violets one ounce Syrup of Cassia half an Ounce Manna 3 drams make a potion Take of the Syrup of Mugwort one ounce Syrup of Maiden hair 2 ounces water of Succory Borage Fennel of each 3 ounces Pulv. Elect Triasand one dram make a Julep Take Pru. Solut. Elect. Ros Mesuae of each 3 drams Rhubarb one Scruple and make a Bolus Apply to the reins and privities fomentations of the juice of Lettice Violets Roses Mallows Vineleaves and Night-shade Anoint the secret parts with the cooling unguent of Galen If the power of the seed be extinguisht by cold Take every Morning two spoonfuls of Cinnamon water with one Scruple of Mahridate Take Syrup of Calamint Mugwort Bettony of each one ounce water of
the Man has withdrawn himself let the Woman gently betake her self to Rest with all imaginable serenity and composure of Mind free from all anxious and disturbing Thoughts or any other kind of Perturbation whatsoever And let her as much as she can forbear turning herself from that side on which she first reposes And by all means let her avoid Coughing and Sneezing which by its violent concussion of the Body is a great Enemy to Conception if it happen soon after the Act of Coition And thus I have finish'd the first Part of this Treatise which I hope will be to the honest and sober Readers Satisfaction The End of the First Part. ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE COMPLEATED PART II. BEING A Private Looking-Glass FOR THE FEMALE SEX TREATING Of the several Maladies incident to the WOMB with proper Remedies for the Cure of Each CHAP. I. Of the WOMB in General ALTHO' in the first Part I have spoken something of the Fabrick of the Womb yet being in this Second Part to Treat more Particularly thereof and of the various Distempers and Maladies it is subject to I shall not think it a Tautology to give you by way of Introduction a general Description both of its Situation and Parts but rather think this Second Part would be imperfect without it so that it can by no means be Omitted especially since in it I am to speak of the Quality of the Menstruous Blood First Touching the Womb Of the Graecians it is called METRA the Mother or DELPHOVS saith Priscian because it makes us all Brothers It is placed in the Hypogastrium or lower part of the Belly in the Cavity called Pelvis having the streight Gut on one side to keep it from the hardness of the Back-bone and the Bladder on the other side to defend it from Blows The form or figure of it is like a Viril Member only this excepted the Manhood is outward and the Womanhood within It is divided into the Neck and the Body The Neck consists of a hard fleshy Substance much like a Cartilage at the end whereof there is a Membrane transversly placed called Hymen or Eugion Near also unto the neck there is a prominent Panicle which is called of Montanus the Door of the Womb because it preserveth the Matrix from Cold and Dust Of the Graecians it is called KLYTORIS of the Latines Praeutium Muliebre because the Jewish Women did abuse this part to their own mutual Lust as St. Paul speaks Rom. 1.26 The Body of the Womb is that wherein the Child is Conceived and this is not altogether round but dilates it self into two Angles the outward part of it is Nervous and full of Sinews which are the cause of its motion but inwardly it is Fleshy It is fabulously Reported That in the cavity of the Womb there are seven divided Cells or Receptacles for Humane Seed But those that have seen Anatomies do know there are but two and likewise that those two are not divided by a Partition but only by a Line or Suture running through the midst of it In the right side of the Cavity by reason of the heat of the Liver Males are conceived In the left side by the coldness of the Spleen Females are begotten And this do most of our Moderns hold for an infallible Truth yet Hypocrates holds it but in the General For in whom saith he the Spermatick Vessel of the right side comes from the Reins and the Spermatical Vessel of the left side from the hollow Vein in them Males are conceived in the left Side and Females in the right Well therefore may I conclude with the saying of Empedocles Such sometimes is the power of the Seed that a Male may be conceived in the left Side as well as in the right In the bottom of the Cavity there are little holes called the Cotyledones which are the ends of certain Veins and Arteries serving in breeding women to convey Sustenance to the Child which is received by the Umbilical Vein and others to carry the Courses into the Matrix Now touching the Menstruals they are Defined to be a Monthly flux of Excrementitious and Unprofitable Blood In which we are to Note That the matter flowing forth is Excrementitious which is to be understood of the Superplus or Redundancy of it For it is an Excrement in quantity in quality being pure and incorrupt like unto the Blood in the Veins And that the menstrous Blood is pure and simply of it self all one in quality with that in the veins is proved two ways First from the final Cause of this Blood which is the propagation and conservation of Mankind that Man might be conceived and being begotten he might be Comforted and Preserved both in the Womb and out of the Womb. And all will grant it for a Truth That the Child while it is in the Matrix is nourished with this Blood and it is as true That being out of the Womb it is still nourished with the same for the Milk is nothing but the menstruous Blood made white in the Breasts and I am sure Womans Milk is not thought to be venemous but of a nutritive quality answerable to the tender nature of an Infant Secondly It is proved to be Pure from the Generation of it it being the Superfluity of the last Aliment of the fleshy parts It may be Objected If the Blood be not of a hurtful Quality How can it cause such venemous Effects as if the same fall upon Trees and Herbs it maketh the one barren and mortifies the other And Averroes writes That if a man accompany with a Menstruous woman if she Conceive she shall bring forth a Leaper I answer this Malignity is contracted in the Womb for the woman wanting native heat to digest this Superfluity sends it to the Matrix where seating it self until the mouth of the Womb be dilated it becomes corrupt and venemous which may easily be considering the heat and moistness of the place This Blood therefore being out of his vessels offends in quality In this Sense let us understand Pliny Fernelius Florus and the rest of that Torrent But if Frigiâ—ity be the cause why women cannot digest all their last Nourishment and consequently that they have these Purgations it remains to give a reason why they are of so cold a Constitution more than Men which is this The natural end of men and womens being is to Propagate and this Injunction was imposed upon them by God at their first Creation and again after the Deluge Now in the act of Conception there must be an Agent and a Patient for if they be both every way of one Constitution they cannot Propagate Man therefore is Hot and Dry Woman Cold and Moist he is the Agent she the Patient or weaker Vessel that she should be Subject unto the Office of the Man It is necessary that woman should be of a cold Constitution because in her is required a Redundancy of matter for the Infant depending on
Fumetary of each a Dram and a half sowr Dates 1 Ounce with Endive water make Decoction take of it 4 Ounces add unto it Confectionis Hamech three Drams Manna three Drams Or take Pil. Indarum Pil. Foetidarum Agarici Trochiscati of each one Scruple Pills of Rhubarb one Scruple Lapidis Lazuli six Grains with Syrup of Epithimum make Pills and take them once every Week Take Elect. Laetificantis Galeni three Drams Diamargaritti Calidi one Dram Diamosci Dulcis Conserves of Burrage Violets Bugloss of each half a Dram Citron-peels condited one Dram Sugar seven Ounces with Rose-water make Lozenges Lastly Let the Womb be cleansed from the corrupt Matter and then Corroborated For the purifying thereof make Injections of the Decoction of Bettony Feverfew Mugwort Spikenard Bistort Mercury Sage adding thereto Sugar Oyl of sweet Almonds of each two Ounces Pessaries also may be made of silk Cotton madified in the juice of the aforenamed Herbs To Corroborate the Womb you may thus prepare Trochisks Take of Mugwort Feverfew Myrrh Amber Mace Nutmeg Stirax Ligni Aloes red Roses of each one Ounce with the Mucilage of Tragacanth make Trochisks cast some of them on the Coals and smother the Womb therewith Make Fomentations for the Womb of red Wine in which hath been decocted Mastrick fine Bole Balaustia and red Roses Anoint the Matrix with Oyl of Quinces and Myrtles and apply thereto Emplastrum pro Matrix and let her take of Diamoscum Dulce and Elect. Aromaticum every Morning A drying Diet is commended to be best because in this Affect the Body moll commonly abounds with Phlegmatical and Crude Humours For this cause Hippocrates counsels the Patient to go to Bed Supperless Let her Meat be Partridge Pheasant Mountain-Birds rather roasted than boyl'd Immoderate Sleep is Forbidden Moderate Exercise is Commended CHAP. VI. Of the Suffocation of the Mother THis Affect which simply Considered is none but the cause of an Affect is called in English the Suffocation of the Mother not because the Womb is Strangled but for that it causeth the Woâ—an to be choaked It is a retraction of the Womb towards the Midriff and Stomach which presseth and crusheth up the same that the instrumental cause of respiration the Midriff is Suffocated which consenting with the Brain causeth the Animal Faculty the efficient cause of Respiration also to be intercepted whereby the Body being Refrigerated and the Actions depraved she falls to the Ground as one being Dead In these Histerical Passions some continue longer some shorter Rabby Moses writes of some which lay in the Paroxisme of the Fit two days Ruffius makes mention of one which continued in the same Passion three days and three nights and at the three days and revived That we may learn by other mens harms to beware I will give you one Example more Paraeus writeth of a Woman in Spain which sudenly fell into a Uterine Suffocation and appeared to the Judgment of Man as dead her Freinds wondering at this her sudden Change for their better Satisfaction sent to the Chyrurgeon to have her Dissected who beginning to make an Incision the Woman began to move and with a great Clamour returned to her self again to the Horror and Adâ—iration of all the Spectators To the end therefore you may distinguish the Living from the Dead the Antients prescribe three Experiments The first is to lay a light Feather to the Mouth and by the motion of it you may judge whether the Patient be Living or Dead The second is to place a Glass of Water on the Brest and if you perceive it to move it betokeneth Life The Third is to hold a pure Looking-glass to the Mouth and Nose and if the Glass appear thick with a little Dew upon it it betokeneth Life And these three Experiments are good yet with this Caution that you ought not to depend on them too much for though the Feather and the Water do not move and the Glass continue pure and clear yet it is not a necessary Consequence that she is destitute of Life For the motion of the Lungs by which the Respiration is made may be taken away that she cannot Breathe yet the Internal Transpiration of the Heat may remain which is not manifested by the motion of the Brest or Lungs but lyes Occult in the Heart and inward Arteries Examples hereof we may have in the Fly and Swallow which in the Cold of Winter to the Ocular Aspect seem Dead Inanimate and Breathe not at all yet they Live by the Transpiration of that Heat which is reserved in the Heart and inward Arteries therefore when the Summer approacheth the internal Heat being Revocated to the outward parts they are then again revived out of their Sleepy Extasie Those Women therefore that seem to dye suddenly and upon no evident Cause let them not be committed unto the Earth until the end of three days lest the Living be Buried for the Dead Cure The part affected is the Womb of which there is a twofold Motion Natural and Symptomatical The Natural Motion is when the Womb attracteth the Humane Seed or excludeth the Infant or Secundine The Symptomatical Motion of which we are here to speak is a Convulsive drawing upward of the Womb. The Cause usually is in the Retention of the Seed or in the Suppression of the Months causing a Repletion of corrupt Humours in the Womb from whence proceeds a Flatulent Refrigeration causing a Convulsion of the Ligaments of the Womb. And as it may come from Humidity or Repletion being a Convulsion it may be caused by Emptyness or Dryness And lastly By Abortion or difficult Child-birth Signs At the approaching of the suffocation there is a paleness of the face weakness of the legs shortness of breath frigidity of the whole body with a working up into the throat and then she falls down as one void both of sense and motion The mouth of the Womb is closed up and being touched with the finger feels hard The paâ—oxism of the fit once past she openeth her eyes and feeling her stomach opprest she offers to vomit And least that any should be deceived in taking one disease for anothâ—r I will shew how it may be distinguisht from those diseases which have the nearest affinity with its self It differs from the Appoplexy being it comes without shreeking out also in the Hysterical passion the sense of feeling is not altogether so destroyed and lost as it is in the Appoplectical disease It differs from the Epilepsie in that the eyes are not wrested neither does any spumy froth come from the mouth and that convulsive motion which sometime is joyned to suffocations is not so Universal as it is in the Epilepsie onely this or that member is convulst and that without any vehement agitation In the Sincope both respiration and pulse is taken away the Countenâ—nce waxeth palâ— and she swoons aâ—ay sudddenly but in thâ— Hysterical passion commonly there is â—â—th respiration and pulse
Urine doth flow forth it is white and thick and the Midriff is molested the loyns are grieved the Privities pained the Womb sinks down to the entrance of the private parts or else comes clean out Prognosticks This Grief possessing an old Woman is cared with great difficulty because it weakens the Faculties of the Womb and therefore tho' it be reduced into his proper place yet upon every little illness or indisposition it is subject to return and so it is with the younger sort if the Disease be inveterate If it be caus'd by putrifaction in the Nerves it is incurable Cure The Womb naturally being placed between the strait Gut and the Bladder and now fallen down ought not to be put up again until the faculty both of the Guts and Bladder be stirred up Nature being unloaded of her Burthen let the Woman be placed on her back in such sort that her legs may be higher than her head let her feet be drawn up to her hinder parts with her knees spread abroad The mollifie the Swelling with Oyl of Lillies and sweet Almonds or with the decoction of Mallows Beets Fenugreek and Linseed When the Inflation is dissipated let the Midwife anoint her hand with Oyl of Mastick and reduce the Womb into its place The Matrix being put up the situation of the Patient must be changed let â—er legs be out at length and laid together set Cupping-glasses to the brests and navel Boyl Mugwort Feverfew red Roses and Comfery in red Wine and foment the places therewith Make a Suffumigation for the Matrix of Castor Assafoetida Frankincense and Mastick Take Sandarache Olibani Cypress Nuts of each three drams Mastick Styrax Frankincense of each an ounce fine Bole one dram with Oyl of Myrtles and Wax make two Plaisters apply one before and the other behind Take of red Roses Pomegranate Pills Acorn-cups Myrtle-berries of each two ounces Medlar-leaves Sage Rue Origan Comfery Wormwood of each a handful and a half boyl all these in water and make an Insession Move sweet Odours to the Nose and at her coming out of the Bath give her of Syrup of Feverfew one ounce with one dram of Mithridate Take Ladam Mastick of each three drams Galbani half an ounce Styracis two drams make therewith a Plaister for the Navel Then make Pessaries of Assafoetida Saffron Comfrey Mastick adding thereto a little Castor The practice of Pareus in this case was to make them only of Cork in figure like a little Egg covering them over with Wax and Mastick dissolved together fastening to it a thrâ—d and so to put it up into the Womb. The present danger being now taken away and the Matrix seated in its natural abode the remote cause must be removed If the Body be Plethorick open a Vein Prepare with Syrup of Betony Calamint Hysop and Feverfew Purge with Pil. de Hiera cum Agaric Pil. de Colocyn If the Stomach be oppress'd by Crudities unburden it by vomiting Sudorifical Decoctions of Lignum sanctum and Sassifras taken twenty days together dries up the superfluous moisture and consequently suppresseth the cause of the Disease Let the Air be hot and dry and your Diet hot and attenuating Abstain from Dancing Leaping Sneezing and from all motion both of body and mind Eat sparingly drink not much sleep moderately CHAP. VIII Of the Inflammation of the Womb. THe Phlegmon or Inflammation of the Matrix is a Tumour possessing the whole Womb accompanied with unnatural heat by obstructions and gathering together of corrupt Blood Cause The Cause of this Affect is suppression of the Months repletion of the whole Body immoderate use of Venus often handling of the Genitals difficult Child-birth vehement agitation of the Body falls blows to which also may be added the use of sharp Pessaries whereby not seldom the Womb is inflamed Cupping-glasses also fastened to the Pubes and Hypogastrium draw the Humours to the Womb. Signs The Signs are Aguish humours pains in the head and stomach vomiting coldness of the knees convulsions of the neck doting trembling of the heart sometimes there is a straitness of breath by reason of the heat which is communicated to the Diaphragma or Midriff the Brests sympathizing with the Womb are pained and swelled Particular Signs If the fore-part of the Matrix be inflamed the Privities are grieved the Urine is supprest or flows forth with difficulty If the after part the loyns and back suffer the Excrements are retained If the right side the right hip suffers the right leg is heavy slow to motion in so much that sometimes she seems to hault And so if the left side of the Womb be inflamed the left hip is pained and the left leg is weaker than the right If the Neck of the Womb be affected the Midwife putting up her Finger shall feel the mouth of it retracted and closed up with a hardness about it Prognosticks All Inflammations of the Womb are dangerous if not deadly and especially if the total substance of the Matrix be inflamed Yet they are less perilous if they be in the Neck of the Womb. A fâ—ux of the Belly foretells Health if it be natural for Nature works best by the use of her own Instruments Cure In the Cure first let the humours flowing to the Womb be repell'd for effecting of which after the Belly hath been loosened by cooling Clysters Phlebotomy will be needful Open therefore a Vein in the Arm and if she be not with Child the day after strike the Saphena on both Feet Fasten Ligatures and Cupping-glasses to the Arms and rub the upper Parts Purge lightly with Cassia Rhubarb Sena Myrobolans Take of Sena two drams Anniseed on scruple Myrobalans half an ounce Baâ—ley-water a sufficient quantity make a Decoction dissolve it in Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb two ounces Pulp of Cassia half an ounce Oyl of Anniseed two drops and make a Potion At the beginning of the Disease anoint the Privities and Reins with Oyl of Roses and Quinces Make Plaisters of Plaintain Linseed Barley-meal Mellilot Fenugreek Whites of Eggs and if the pain be vehement add a little Opium Foment the Genitals with the Decoction of Poppy-heads Purslain Knot-grass and Water-Lillies Make Injections of Goats-Milk Rose-water clarified Whey with Honey of Roses In the declining of the Disease use Insessions of Sage Linseed Mugwort Penny-royal Horehound Fenugreek Anoint the lower parts of the Belly with Oyl of Camomile and Violets Take Lilly Roots and Mallow Roots of each four ounces Mercury one handful Mugwort Feverfew Camomile-flowers Melilot of 〈◊〉 half a handful bruise the Herbs and the â—â—â—ots and boyl them in a sufficient quantity of Milk then add fresh Butter Oyl of Camomile Lillies of each two ounces Beaâ—-meal a sufficient quantity make two Plaisters apply one before and the other behind If the Tumour cannot be removed but â—ends to suppuration Take of Fenugreek Malâ—ow-Roots decocted Figs Linseed Barley-Meal Doves-dung Turpentine of each three â—rams Deers Suet half a dram Opium
Convulsions Epilepsies Appoplexies Palseys Hectick Fevers Dropsies Malignant Ulcers c. And to be short there is no Disease so bad but may proceed from the evil Quality of it How necessary therefore the Knowledge of these things are let every Vnprejudâ—ced Reader Judge For that many Women labour under them thro' their own Ignorance and Modesty as I said before woful Experience makes manifest Here therefore as in a Mirror they may be acquainted with their own Distempers and have suitable Remedies without applying themselves to a Physitian against which they have so great a Reluctance ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE COMPLEATED PART I. OF THE Secrets of Generation In all the PARTS thereof CHAP. I. Of Marriage and at what Age Young Men and Virgins are capable of the Marriage-Bed and why they so much desire it Also how long Men and Women are capable of having Children THERE are very few except some profess'd Debauchees but what will readily agree That Marriage is Honourable being Ordain'd by Heaven in Paradise and without which no Man or Woman can be in a Capacity honestly to yield obedience to the first Law of the Creation Increase and multiply And since it is Natural in young People to desire those mutual Embraces proper to the Marriage-Bed it behoves Parents to look after their Children and when they find them inclinable to Marriage not violently to restrain their Affections and oppose their Inclinations which instead of allaying them makes 'em but the more impetuous but rather provide such suitable Matches for them as may make their Lives comfortable Lest the crossing of their Inclinations should precipitate them to commit those Follies that may bring an indelible stain upon their Families The Inclination of Maids to Marriage is to be known by many Symptoms For when they arrive to Puberty which is about the Fourteenth or Fifteenth year of their Age then their Natural Purgations begin to flow And the Blood which is no longer taken to augment their Bodies abounding stirs up their Minds to Venery External Causes also may incite them to it for the Spirits being brisk and inflam'd when they arrive at this Age if they eat sharp salt things and Spices the Body becomes more and more heated whereby the Desire to Venereal Embraces is very great and at some times almost insuperable And the use of these so much desir'd Enjoyments being deny'd to Virgins is many times follow'd by dismal Consequents as a green Weasel-colour short Breathings Trembling of the Heart c. But when they are married and their Venereal Desires satisfied by the Enjoyment of their Husbands those Distempers vanish and their former Beauty returns more gay and lively than before Also their eager gazing at Men and affecting their company sufficiently demonstrates that Nature prompts them to desire Coition which their Parents often neglecting or refusing to provide by procuring them Husbands they break the Bounds of Modesty and satisfie themselves in unlawful Embraces The same may be observed in young brisk Widows who cannot be satified without that Due Benevolence which they were wont to receive from their Husbands At Fourteen Years of Age commonly the Menses in Virgins begin to flow at which time they are capable of Conceiving and so continue generally to Forty-four at which time for the most part they cease bearing unless they be very healthful and strong of Body and have always been addicted to Temperance such indeed have born Children till Fifty-five years but this rarely happens altho' the Menses flow a longer time in some Women than in others but many times such Efflux proceeds not from a natural Cause but by reason of some violence offer'd to Nature or some other Morbifick matter which often proves of fatal consequence to the Party And therefore those Men that are desirous of Isue must marry Women within the Age aforesaid or blame themselves if they meet with disappointments Tho' if an old Man not worn out by Diseases and Incontinency marry a brisk lively Lass there is hopes of his having Children to Threescore and Ten nay if extraordinary lusty even till Fourscore Hipocrates is of Opinion that a Youth at Sixteen years or between that and Seventeen having much vital strength may be capable of getting Chi'dren and also that the Force and Heat of Procreating Matter constantly increases till Forty-five Fifty and Sixty-five and then begins to flag the Seed by degrees becoming unfruitful the natural Spirits being extinguished and the Humours dried up Thus it is in general but as to particulars as I have before mentioned it often happens otherwise Nay it is reported by a credible Author That in Sweedland a Man was married at a hundred years old to a Bride of Thirty and had many Children byâ—â—r but looked so fresh that such as knew him not took him not to exceed half that Age. I Campania where the air is clear and temperate men of Fourscore years old usually marry young Virgins and have Children by them which shews that age in men hinders not Procreation unless they be exhausted in their Youth and their Yard shrivel'd up If any would know why a Woman is sooner Barren than a Man they may understand that the natural Heat which is the Cause of Generation is more predominant in the latter than in the former For since a Woman is more moist than a Man as her Monthly Purgations demonstrate as also the softness of her Body it is also apparent that he doth exceed her in her Native Heat which is the chief thing that concocts the Humours into proper Aliment which the Woman wanting grows fat when a Man through his Native Heat melts his fat by degrees and his Humours are dissolved and by the benefit thereof they are elaborated into Seed And this may be also added That Women generally are not so strong as Men nor so wise and prudent nor have so much Reason and Ingenuity in ordering of Affairs which shews that thereby the Faculties are hindred in their operation CHAP. II. How to get a Male or Female Child and of the Embryo and Perfect Birth with the fittest time for Copulation WHEN a young Couple are married they naturally desire Children and therefore make use of those means that Nature has appointed to that end But notwithstanding their Endeavours they must know the Success of all depends on a Blessing from on high for Children are the Blessing of the Lord and not only so but the Sex whether Male or Female is from his disposal also tho' it cannot be deny'd but secondary Causes have an influence therein especially two First The Genital Humour which is brought by the Arteriae Preparantes to the Testes in the form of Blood and there Elaborated into Seed by the Seminifical Faculty resident in them To which may be added the desire to Coition which fires the Imagination with unusual Fancies and by the sight of a brisk charming Beauty may much inflame the Appetite But if Nature be enfeebled there are fit
that resembles a Woman that is it will be fairer whiter and smoother not very subject to have Hair on the Body or Chin it will have long lank Hair on the Head the Voice small and sharp and the Courage feeble And on the contrary That a Female may perchance be gotten if the Seed fall on the Right Side but then through the abundance of Heat she will be big bon'd full of Courage having a Masculine Voice and her Chin and Bosom hairy not being so clear as others of that Sex and subject to quarrel with her Husband for Superiority c. In case of Similitude nothing is more powerful than the Imagination of the Mother for if she fasten her Eyes upon any Object and imprint it in her Mind it oft times so happens that the Child in some part or other of its Body has a representation thereof And if in the Act of Copulation the Woman earnestly look upon the Man and fix her Mind upon him the Child will resemble its Father Nay though a Woman be in unlawful Copulation yet if she fix her Mind upon her Husband the Child will resemble him though he never got it The same effect of the Imagination is the cause of Warts Stains Moldspots Dashes tho' indeed they sometimes happen through frights or extravagant Longing Many Women big with Child seeing a Hare cross them will through the strength of Imagination bring forth a Child with a hairy Lip Some Children are born with flat Noses wry Mouths great blubber Lips and ill-shap'd Bodies and most ascribe the reason to the Imagination of the Mother who has cast her Eyes and Mind upon some ill-shap'd and distorted Creatures Therefore it behoves all Women with Child to avoid such sights if possible or at least not to regard ' em But tho' the Mothers Imagination may contribute much to the Features of the Child yet in Manners Wit and Propension of the Mind Experience tells us That Children are commonly of the same condition with their Parents and of the same Tempers But the Vigor or Debility of Persons in the Act of Copulation many times causes it to be otherwise For Children got with heat and strength of desire must needs partake more of the Nature and Inclinations of their Parents than those that are begotten when their Desires are more weak and feeble and therefore the Children that are begotten by Men in their old Age are generally less strong and vigorous than those begotten by them in their Youth As to that share which each of the Parents have in begetting the Child we will give the Opinion of the Antients about it Though it is apparent say they that the Seed of Man is the chief Efficient and beginning of Action Motion and Generation yet the Woman affords Seed and effectually contributes in that particular to the Procreation of the Child is evinced by strong Reasons In the first place Seminary Vessels had been given her in vain and Genital Testicles inverted if the Woman wanted Seminal Excressence for Nature doth nothing in vain therefore it must be granted they were made for the use of Seed and Procreation and fixed in their proper Places both the Testicles and Receptacles of Seed whose Nature is to operate and afford Vertue to the Seed And to prove this there needs no stronger Argument say they than that if a Woman do not use Copulation to eject her Seed she often times falls into strange Diseases as appears by young Women and Virgins A second reason they urge is That altho' the Society of a lawful Bed does not consist altogether in these things yet it is apparent that the Female Sex is never better pleas'd nor appear more blithe and jocund than when they are often satisfied this way which is an inducement to believe that they have greater Pleasure and Titilation therein than a Man for since Nature causes much Delight to accompany Ejection by the breaking forth of the swelling Spirit and the stiffness of the Nerves in which case the Operation on the Womans part is double she having an enjoyment both by Ejection and Reception by which she is more delighted in the Venerial Act. Hence it is say they that the Child more frequently resembles the Mother than the Father because the Mother contributes most towards it And they think it may be further instanced from the endeared Affection they bear them for that besides their contributing Seminal matter they feed and nourish the Child with the purest Fountain of Blood until its Birth which Opinion Gallen confirms by allowing Children to participate most of the Mother and ascribes the difference of Sex to the Operation of the Menstrual Blood but the reason of the Likeness he refers to the power of the Seed for as Plants receive more nourishment from fruitful Ground than from the Industry of the Husbandman so the Infant receives in more abundance from the Mother than the Father for first the Seed of both is cherish'd in the Womb and there grows to perfection being nourished with Blood and for this reason it â—s say they that Children for the most part love their Mothers best because they receive most of their substance from their Mother for about nine Months and sometimes ten she nourisheth the Child in the Womb with her purest Blood then her love towardâ— it newly born and its likeness do clearly shew that the Woman affordeth Seed and contributes more toward the making of the Child than Man But in all this the Antients were very Erronious for the Testicles so called in Women do not afford any Seed but are two Eggs like those of Fowls and other Creatures â—either have they any such Office as those of Mâ—n but are indeed Ovarium wherein these Eggs are nourished by the Sanguinary Vessels dispersed through them and from thence one or more as they are fecundated by the Mans Seed separated and are convey'd into the Womb by the Ovi duces The truth of this is plain for if you boil them their Liquor will have the same Colour Taste and Consistency with the Taste of Birds Eggs If any object they have no Shells that signifies nothing for the Eggs of Fowls while they are in the Ovary nay after they are fallen into the Vterus have no Shell And tho' when they are laid they have one yet that is no more than a Fence which Nature has provided them against outward Injuries while they are hatched without the Body whereas those of Women being hatched within the Body need no other Fence than the Womb by which they are sufficiently enough secured And this is enough I hope for the clearing of this point As to the third thing proposed viz. Whence grows the kind and whether the Man or the Woman is the Cause of the Male or Female Infant The primary cause we must ascribe to God as is most justly his due who is the Ruler and Disposer of all things yet does He suffer many things to proceed according to
the Rules of Nature which are carried by their inbred motion according to usual and natural Course without Variation Tho' indeed by Favour from on high Sarah conceived Isaac Hannah Samuel and Elizabeth John the Baptist But these were extraordinary things brought to pass by a Divine Power above the Course of Nature nor have such instances been wanting in latter Days And therefore passing over such Supernatural Causes that have their peculiar Effects I shall proceed to speak of things natural The Ancient Physicians and Philosophers say That since there are two Principles out of which the Body of Man is made and which render the Child like the Parents and to be of one or the other Sex viz. Seed common to both Sexes and Menstrual Blood proper to the Woman only The Similitude say they must needs consist in the force and virtue of the Male or Female Seed so that it proves like one or other according to the plenty afforded by either but that the difference of Sex is not referr'd to the Seed but to the Menstrual Blood which is proper to the Woman is apparent for were that force altogether retained in the Seed the Male Seed being of the hottest quality Male Children would abound and few of the Female would be propagated Wherefore the Sex is attributed to the Temperament of the Active Qualities which consist in Heat and Cold and to the Nature of the matter under them that is to the flowings of the Menstrual Blood Now the Seed say they affords both force to procreate and form the Child and matter for its Generation and in the Menstrual Blood there is both matter and force for as the Seed most helps the material Principles so also does the Menstrual Blood the potential Seed which is saith Galen Blood well concocted by 〈◊〉 Vessels that contain it so that Blood is not only the matter of generating the Child but also Seed in possibility that Menstrual Blood hath both Principles The Ancients further say That the Seed is the strongest Efficient the matter of it being very little in quantity but the potential quality of it is very strong Wherefore if the Principle of Generation according to which the Sex is made were only say they in the Menstrual Blood then would the Children be all or mostly Females as if the efficient force was in the Seed they would be all Males But that since both have operation in Menstrual Blood Matter predominates in quantity and in the Seed Force and Vertue And therefore Galen thinks the Child receives its Sex rather from the Mother than from the Father for altho ' his Seed contribute something to the material Principle yet it is more weakly But as for Likeness it is referred rather to the Father than the Mother Yet the Womans Seed receiving strength from the Menstrual Blood for the space of Nine Months over-powers the Man's as to that particu'ar for the Menstrual Blood howing into the Vessels rather cherishes the one than the other from which it is plain the Woman affords both matter to make and force and vertue to â—â—â—fect the Conception tho' the Female's 〈…〉 fit Nutriment for the Male's by reason of the thinness of it being more adapted to make up Conception thereby for as of soft Wax and moist Clay the Workman can frame what he intends so say they the Man's Seed mixing with the Woman's and also with the menstrual Blood helps to make the form and perfect part of Man But with all imaginable Deference to the Wisdom of the Ancients give me leave to say That their Ignorance in the Anatomy of Mans Body has bewilder'd 'em in the Paths of Error and led them into great mistakes For their Hypothesis of the Formation of the Embryo from a Commixture of Seeds and the Nourishment of it from the menstruous Blood being wholly false their Opinion in this case must needs be so also I shall therefore conclude this Chapter and only say That altho a strong Imagination of the Mother may sometimes determine the Sex yet the main Agent in this case is the Plastic or Formative Principle which is the Efficient in giving Form to the Child that gives it this or that Sex according to those Laws and Rules that are given to it by the wise Creator of all things who both maketh and fashioneth it and therein determines the Sex according to the Counsel of his own Will CHAP. IV. A Discourse of the Soul of Man That it is not Propogated from the Parents but is Infused by it's Creator and can neither Die nor Corrupt and at what time it is Infused Of the Immortality thereof and certainty of the Resurrection MAN's Soul is of so Divine a Nature and Excellency that Man himself cannot in any wise comprehend it it being the infused Breath of the Almighty of an Immortal Nature and not to be comprehended but by him that gave it For Moses by Holy Inspiration relating the Original of Man tells us That God breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and he became a living Soul Now as for all other Creatures at his Word they were made and had Life but the Creature that God hath appointed to set over his Works was the peculiar Workmanship of the Almighty Forming him out of the Dust of the Earth and condescending to breathe into his Nostrils the Breath of Life which seems to Denote more Care and if we may so term it Labour used about Man than about all other Creatures he only partaking and participating with the Divine Nature bearing the Image of God in Innocence and Purity whilst he stood firm and when by his Fall that lively Image was defaced yet such was the Love of his Creator towards him that he found out a way to Restore him the only begotten Son of the Eternal Father coming into the World to destroy the works of the Devil and to raise up Man from that low Condition to which his Sin and Fall had reduc'd him to a State above that of the Angels If therefore Man would understand the Excellency of his Soul let him turn his Eyes inward and look into himself and search diligently his own Mind and there he shall find so many admirable Gifts and excellent Ornaments that it must needs strike him with Wonder and Amazement as Reason Understanding Freedom of Will Memory and divers other Faculties that plainly shew the Soul to be descended from an Heavenly Original and that therefore it is of an infinite Duration and not subject to Annihilation Yet by reason of its many Offices and Operations whilst in the Body it goes under sundry Denominations For when it enlivens the Body it is called the Soul when it gives it Knowledge the Judgment or the Mind when it recalls things past the Memory whilst it discourseth and discerneth Reason whilst it contemplates the Spirit whilst it is in the Sensitive parts the Senses And these are the principâ—â— Offices whereby the Soul declares its Powâ—â— and
and that from the Authority of Pliny who makes mention of a Woman that went thirteen Months with Child But as to what concerns the 7th month a Learned Author saith I know several married People in Holland that had Twins born in the 7th month who lived to old Age having lusty Bodies and lively minds wherefore their Opinion is foolish and of no moment who assert That at seven months a Child cannot be perfect and long lived and that he cannot in all parts be perfect till the 9th month and thereupon this Author proceeds to tell a passage from his own knowledge as follows Of late saith he there happened a great divers disturbance amongst us which ended not without Blood-shed and was occasioned by a Virgin whose Chastity had been violated descending of a Noble Family of unspotted Fame Now several there were who charged the Fact upon a Judge who was President of a City in Flanders who strongly denyed the Fact saying that he was ready to swear that he never had Carnal Copulation with her and that he would not father a Child that was none of his and further alledged that he verily believed that it was a Child born in seven months himself being many miles distance from the mother of it when it was Conceived whereupon the Judges before whom the hearing was decreed That the Child should be viewed by able Physicians and Experienced Women and that they should make their report who having made diligent inquiry all of them with one accord concluded the Child without respecting who was the Father was a Child Born within the space of seven months that it was carried in the mothers Womb but 27 weeks and odd Days but if she would have gone full 9 Months the Childs Parts and Limbs would have been more firm and strong and the Structure of the Body more compact for the Skin was very loose and the Bâ—eâ—st-bone that defends the Heart and the Gristle that lies over the Stomach were higher than naturally they should be not plain but crooked and sharp ridged or pointed like those of young Chickens hatched at the begining of the Spring And being a Female Infant it wanted its Nails upon her Fingers and the outmost Joints of her Fingers upon which from the Musculous or Cartilaginous matter of the Skin Nails that are very smooth do come and by degrees harden she had instead of Nails a thin Skin or Film as for her Toes there was no appearance of Nails about them for they wanted the heat that was communicated to the Fingers from the nearness of the Heart These things being considered and above all one Gentlewoman of Quality that assisted affirming that she had been the Mother of 19 Children and that divers of them had been born and liv'd at 7 months they without favour to any party made their report that the Infant was a Child of 7 months tho' born within the seventh Month for in such cases the revolution of the Moon ought to be observed which perfects it self in 4 bare weeks or somewhat less than 28 Days in which space of her revolution the Blood being agitated by the force of the Moon the Courses of the Women flow from them which being spent and the Matrix cleansed from the Menstrual Blood which happens on the 5th Day then if on the 7th Day a Man lie with his Wife the Copulation is the most natural and then is the Conception best and a Child then gotten may be born in the 7th Month and prove very healthful So that upon this report the supposed Father was pronounced Innocent upon Proof that he was 100 miles distance all that month in which the Child was begot And as for the mother she strongly denied that she knew the Father being forced in the dark and so thro' fear and surprize was left in Ignorance As for Coition it ought not to be had unless the Parties be in Health lest it turn to the disadvantage of the Children so be gotten creating in them through the abundant ill Humours divers languishing Diseases wherefore Health is no where better to be discerned than by the Genitals of the Man for which reason Midwives and other skilful Women were formerly wont to see the Testicles of Children thereby to conjecture at their temperature and state of Body and Young-men may know thereby the signs or symptoms of Life and Death for if the Cases of the Testicles be loose and feeble and the Cods fall do â—n it denotes that the vital Spirits which are the props of Life are fallen But if the secret Part be wrinkled and raised up it is a Sign all is well But that the Event may exactly answer the Prediction it is necessary to consider what part of the Body the Disease possesseth for if it chance to be the upper part that is afflicted as the Head or Stomach then will it not so well appear by the Members which are unconcerned with such Grievances but the lower part of the Body exactly sympathizing with them their Liveliness on the contrary makes it apparent for Natures force and the Spirits that have their intercourse first manifest themselves therein which occasions Midwifes to feel the Genitals of Children to know in what part the grief is resident and whether life or death be portended thereby the Symptom being strongly communicated by the Vessels that have their intercourse with the principal seats of life CHAP. IX Of the Green-sickness in Virgins with its Causes Prognosticks and cure Together with the chiefest occasion of Barrenness in Women and by what means to remove the Cause and render them fruitful THe Green Sickness is so common a Distemper in Virgins especially such as are of a Flegmatick Complexion that 't is easily discern'd shewing it self by discolouring the Face making it look green pale and of a dusky yellow which pâ—oceeds from raw undigested Humours nor only doth it appear to the Eye but sensibly afflicts such as it possesses with difficulty of breathing pains in the Head Palpitation of the Heart unusual beatings and small throbings of the Arteries in the Temples Neck and Back many times casting them into Fevers if the Humour be very vitious also loathing of Meat and the distension of the Hypocondriack part by reason of the Inordinate Efflux of menstruous Blood to the greater Vessels and of the abundance of Humours the whole Body is often troubled with Swelling or if not at least the Thâ—ghs Legs and Anckles all above the Heels And also there is a Weariness of the whole Body without any reason for it The Galennical Physitians affirm that this Distemper proceeds chiefly from the Obstruction of those Vessels that are about the Womb occasion'd by the abundance of gross viscous and and crude Humours arising from several inward causes but there are also outward causes which have a share in the Production of it as taking cold on the Feet drinking of Water intemperance in Diet and also the eating of things contrary to
of a Purge After the humour hath been purged proceed to more proper and forceable Remedies Take Trochisks of Myrrhe one dram and half Parsley-seed Castor Rindes of Cassia of each one Scruple and of the Extract of Mugwort one Scruple and half Musk ten Grains with the juice of Smalledge make twelve Pills take 2 every Morning or after supper going to Bed Take of Cinnamon half an Ounce Roots of Smirnium Valerian Aristolochia of each 2 drams Roots of Asrum one dram Castor Saffron of each 2 Scruples Specdiambrae 2 drams Trochisks of Myrrhe 4 Scruples Tartari Vitrolati 2 Scruples make all into a powder with Mugwort water and Sugar a sufficient quantity Make Lozenges take one dram of them every Morning Or mingle one dram of the pouder with one dram of Sugar and take it in White-wine Take of prepared Steel Specierum Hierae of each 2 drams Borass Species of Myrrhe of each one Scruple with the juice of Savine make it up into 38 Lozenges and take 3 every other day before dinner Take of Castor one Scruple Wild-Carrot-seed half a dram with Syrup of Mugwort and make 4 pills take them in the Morning fasting and so for three days together before the wonted time of the Purgations Take of Agarick Aristolochia juice of Horehound of each 5 drams Rhubarb Spikenard Anni-seed Galbanum Assafoetida Smalledge Roots Gentian of the three Peppers laccae of each 6 drams with Honey make an Electuary Take of it 3 drams for a Dose In Flegmatical Bodies nothing better can be given then the Decoction of the wood Guaiacum with a little Dictam taken in the Morning fasting and so for 12 days together without Provoking of sweat Administer to the lower parts by Suffumigations Pessaries Unctions Injections Insessions Make Suffumigations of Cinnamon Nutmeg Cloves Bay-berries Mugwort Galbanum Melanthium Amber c. Make Pessaries of Figgs and the leaves of Mercury bruised and rowled up with Lint If you desire a stronger make one of Myrrhe Bdeâ—um Opopanax Ammoniacum Galbanum Sagapenum Mithridate Agarick Coloquintida c. Make Injections of the decoction of Origane Mugwort Mercury Bettony and Figs inject it into the Womb by an instrument fit for that purpose Take Oyl of Almonds Lillies capers Camomile of each half an Ounce Ladani Oyl of Myrrhe of each 2 drams with wax make an Unguent with which let the places be anointed Make Insessions of Faenugreek Camomile Melilote Dill Marjoram Penny-royal Feverfew Juniper-berries and Calaminâ— But if the suppression comes by a defect of matter then ought not the Courses to be provoked until the Spirits be animated and the Blood again increased Or if by proper affects of the Womb as Dropsies inflamations c. then must a particular cure be used the which I will not insist upon here but speak of them as they lye in order If the retention comes from repletion or fulness let the air be hot and dry use Moderate exercise before Meals Let your sleep be shorter then ordinary and your Meat and Drink attenuating Seeth with your Meat Garden-Savoury Time Origan and Cyche Peason If of emptiness or defect of matter let the air be moist and moderately hot Shun exercise and watchings let your Meat be nourishing and of a light digestion as rare Eggs Lamb Chickens Almond Milk and the like CHAP. III. Of the overflowing of the Courses THe Schoolmen say By comparing of Contraries Truth is made manifest Having therefore spoken of the suppression of the terms order requires now that I should insist upon the overflowing of them an effect no less dangerous then the former And this immoderate flux of the Months is defined to be a Sanguineous excrement proceeding from the Womb exceeding both in quantity and time First it is said to be Sanguineous the matter of the flux being only Blood wherein it differs from that which is commonly called the false courses or whites of which I will speak hereafter Secondly it is said to proceed from the Womb for there are two ways by which the Blood flows forth The one sâ—by the internal Veins in the Body of â—â—e Womb and this is properly called the Mâ—â—â—â—â—â—ux The other is by those Veins which are terminated in the Neck of the Matrix and this is called of Aetius the Hemorrhoides of the Womb. Lastly it is said to exceed both in quantity and time In quantity saith Hippocrates when they flow above 18 Ounces In time when they flow above three days But we take this for a certain character of their inordinate flowing when the faculties of the Body thereby are weakned In Bodies abounding with Gross Humours this immoderate flux sometimes unburdens Nature of her Load and ought not to be stayed without the counsel of a Physitian Cause The cause of this affect is internal or External The internal cause is threefold in the matter instrument or faculty The matter which is the Blood may be vitious two ways First in quantity it being so great that the Veins are not able to contain it Secondly in quality it being adust sharp watrish or unconcocted The instrument viz. the Veins are faulty by the dilatation of the Orifice which may be caused two ways first by the heat of the constitution climate or season heating the Blood whereby the passages are dilated and the faculty weakned that it cannot retain the Blood Secondly by falls Blows violent motion breaking of a Vein c. The external cause may be calidity of the air lifting carrying of heavy burdens unnatural Child-Birth falls c. Signs In this inordinate flux the appetite is decayed the concoctions depraved and all the actions weakened the feet are swelled the colour of the Face is changed and a general feebleness possesseth the whole Body If the flux comes by the breaking of a vein the Body is something Cold the Blood flows forth on heaps and that suddenly with great pain If it comes through heat the Orifice of the veins being dilated then is there little or no pain yet the Blood flows faster then it doth in an Erosion and not so fast as it doth in a Rupture If by Erosion or sharpness of Blood she feels a great heat scalding the passage It differs from the other two in that it flows not so suddenly nor so copiously as they do If by weakness of the Womb she abhorreth the use of Venus Lastly if it proceeds from an evil quality in the Blood drop some of it on a Cloth and when it is dry you may judge of the quality by the Colour If it be Cholerick it will be Yellow If Melancholy Black If Flegmatical watrish and whitish Prognosticks If with the flux be joyned a convulsion it is dangerous because it intimates the more noble parts are vitiated and a convulsion caused by emptiness is deadly If it continues long it will be cured with great difficulty for it was one of the miracles which our Saviour Christ wrought to cure this disease when it had continued 12 Years To
conclude if the flux be inordinate many diseases will ensue and without remedy the Blood together with the native heat being consumed either cachectical Hydropical or paralitical diseases will follow Cure The cure consisteth in three particulars First in repelling and carrying back of the Blood Secondly in correcting and taking away the fluxibility of the matter Thirdly in corroborating the veins and faculties For the first To cause a regression of the Blood open a vein in the Arm and draw out so much blood as the strength of the Patient will permit and that not together but at several times for hereby the spirits are the less weakned and the retraction so much the greater Apply cupping-glasses to the Brests and also to the Liver that the reversion may be in the Fountain To correct the fluxibility of the matter Cathartical means moderated with Astrictories must be used If it be caused by Erosion or sharpness of blood consider whether the Erosion be by salt Flegm or adust Colour If by salt Flegm Prepare with syrup of violet Wormwood Roses Citron pills Succory c. Then take this purgation following Take Myrobolans Chebul half an Ounce Trochisks of Agarick one dram with Plantain water make a decoction add thereunto sir rosat lax 3 Ounces and make a potion If by adust Choller prepare the Body with Syrrup of Roses Myrtles Sorrel Purslain commixt with water of Plantain Knotgrass and Endive Then purge with this potion Take Rinds of Myrobolans Rhubarb of each one dram Cinnamon 15 Grains infuse them one night in Endive water Add to the straining pulp of Tamarind Cassia of each half an Ounce Syrup of Roses one Ounce make a potion If the blood be watrish and unconcoct as it is in Hydropical Bodies and flows forth by reason of the tenuity and thinness to draw off the Water will be profitable Purge with Agarick Elaterium and Coloquintida Sweating is proper in this cause for by it the matter offending is taken away and the motion of the blood is carried to the outward parts To procure sweat use Carduus water with Mithridate or the decoction of Guaiacum Sassafras and Sarsa-parilla the Gum of Guaiacum also doth greatly provoke sweat Pills of Sarsa-parilla taken every night going to bed are worthily commended If the blood flows forth from the opening or breaking of a vein without any evil quality in its self then ought only Corroboratives to be applied which is the last thing to be done in the cure of this inordinate flux Take of Bole Armoniac one Scruple London Treacle one dram old conserve of Roses half an Ounce with syrup of Myrtles make an Electuary Or if the flux hath continued long Take of Mastick 2 drams Olibani Troch de Carabe of each one dram Balaustiorum one Scruple make a pouder with Syrup of Quinces make it into Pills take one always before Meals Take Lapidis Haematitis Triti of each 2 Scruples Specierum Triasantali one Ounce Troch de Carabe de scoria ferri Coral Frankincense of each one Scruple fine Bole one Scruple beaâ— these to fine Powder and with Sugar and Plantain water a sufficient quantity make Lozenges Asses Dung is well approved of whether taken inwardly with Syrâ—p of Quinces or applied outwardly with Steeled water Galen by coâ—veâ—ing the juice of it through a Metrenchitâ— into the Womb four days together cured this immoderate Flux which no ways else couâ—d be restrainâ—d Going to bed let her take one Scruple and a half of Phiâ—onii Romani in a wafer make Suffumigations for the Matrix of Maststick Frankincense burnt Frogs not forgetting the hoof of a Mule Take of the juice of Knot grass Comfrâ— Quinces of each one Ounce Camphire one Dram dip silk Cotion therein and apply it to the placâ—s Take of Oyl of Mastick Mâ—râ—les Quinces of each half an Ounce fine Bole Troch de Carabe Sanguinis Draconis of each â—ne Drâ—m Wax and Vinegar a sufficient Quantity make an Unguent apply it both beâ—ore and behind Take of Plantain Shepherds Purse red Rose leaves of each one Handful of Goats and Asses Dung dryed of each one Ounce and a half Acatiae Hypocistidos of â—ach one Ounce and a half dryed Mâ—nt one Ounce Bean-Meal three Ounces boyl all â—hese in Plantain water and maâ—e of it two â—laisters apply one bâ—fore and the other behind If the blood flows from those veinâ— which are terminated in the neck of the Matrix then it is not called the overflowing 〈◊〉 the Terms but the Emerhoids of the Womb 〈◊〉 Yet the same Cure will serve them both onlâ— the instrumental Cure will a little differ foâ— in the Uterine Emorhoids the ends of thâ— veins hang over like little Teats or Pusheâ— which must be taken away by incision and theâ— the veins closed up with Aloes fine Bolâ— burnt Allom Troch de Terra sigil Myrrhâ— Mastick with the juyce of Comfrey and Knoâ—â—grass laid Plaister-wise thereto The Air must be cold and dry all motioâ— of the body is forbidden Let her Meat 〈◊〉 Pheasant Patridge Mountain-Birds Coney 〈◊〉 Calf's Feet c. And let her Beer be miâ—â— with the juyce of Pomgranates and Quinces CHAP. IV. Of the Weeping of the Womb. THe weeping of the Womb is an unnatuâ—â— flux of blood coming from the Womâ— by drops or after the manner of Tears causâ—â— violent Pains in the same keeping neither â—â—riod nor time By some it is referred unâ—â— the immoderate Evacuation of the Coursâ— yet they are distinguisht in the quantity aâ— manner of their flowing in that they flow copiously and freely In this continually tho' by little and little and that with great Pain and Difficulty wherefore it is likened unto the Strangury The Cause is in the faculty instrument or matter In the faculty by being enfeebled that it cannot expel the blood and the blood resting there makes the parts of the Womb grow hard and stretcheth the vessels from whence proceeds the pain in the Womb. In the instrument by the narrowness of the Passages Lastly It may be in the matter of the blood which may offend in too great a quantity or in an evil-quality it being gross and thick that it cannot flow forth as it ought to do but by drops The Signs will best appear by the Relation of the Patient Hereupon will ensue pains in the head stomach and back with inflammations suffocaâ—ions and excoriations of the Matrix If the strengeh of the Patient will permit â—irst open a vein in the Arm rub the upper â—arts and let her Arms be corded that the â—orce of the blood may be carried backward Then apply such things as may laxate and â—olify the stretching of the Womb and asâ—wage the sharpness of the Blood as Cataplasms â—ade of Bran Linseed Fenugreek Meliâ—ote Mallows Mercury and Atriplex If the â—lood be viscous and gross add thereto Mugwort Calamint Dictam and Betony And let her take of Venice-Treacle the quantity of a Nutmeg with Syrup of Mugwort every morning Anoint the places with Oyl
of Lilies Roses â—inseed sweet Almonds and Calf's Marrow Make injections of the Decoctions of Mallows Mercury Linseed Groundsel Mugwort Fenugreek with Oyl of sweet Almonds Sometimes it is caused by a wind and then Phlebotomy is to be omitted and in the stead thereof take Syrup of Feverfew one Ounce Honey of Roses Syrup of Staechas of each half an Ounce water of Calamint Mugwort Betony Hysop of each one Onnce make a Julep If the pain continues take this Purgation Take Specierum Hâ—erae 1 Dram Diacatholicon half an ounce Syrup of Roses laxative 1 ounces with the Decoction of Mugwort and the four Cordial Flowers make a Potion If it come thro' weakness of the Faculty let that be Corroborated If thro' grosness or sharpness of the Blood let the quality of it be altered as I have shewn in the foregoing Chapter Lastly If the excrements of the Gut be reâ—ained provoke them by a Clyster of the Decoction of Camomile Betony Feverfew Mallows Linseed Juniper-berries Cuâ—â—in-seed Anniseed Melilot adding thereto of Diacatholicon half an Ounces Hiera Picra two Drams Honey Oyl of each one Ounce Salniter a Dram and a half The Patient musâ— abstain from salt sharp and windy Meats CHAP. V. Of the false Courses or Whites FRom the Womb proceeds not only the menstruous blood but accidentally many other Excrements which by the Antients are comprehended under the Title of RHOVS GVNAIK AIOS which is a distillation of variety of corrupt Humours through the womb flowing from the whole Body or part of the same keeping neither course nor colour but varying in both Cause The Cause is either promiscuously in the whole body by Cacochymia or weakness of the same or in some of the parts as in the Liver which by by the inability of the Sanguifficative faculty causeth a generation of corrupt blood and then the matter is reddish sometimes in the Gall being sluggish in its Office not drawing away those cholerick Superfluities which are ingendred in the Liver and the matter is Yellowish Soâ—etimes in the Spleen not defecating and cleansing the blood of the dregs and excrementitious parts and then the matter flowing forth is blackish It may also come from Catarrhs in the Head or from any other putrified or corrupted Member But if the matter of the Flux be white the cause is either in the Stomach or Reins In the Stomach by a Phlegmatical and Crude matter there contracted and vitiated through Grief Melancholly and other Distempers For otherwise if the matter were only Pituita crude Phlegm and no ways corrupt or vitiated being taken into the Liver it might be converted into blood for Phlegm in the Ventricle is called Nourishment half digested But being corrupt tho' sent unto the Liver yet it cannot be turned into Nutriment for the second Concoction cannot correct that which the first hath corrupted and therefore the Liver sends it to the Womb which can neither digest it nor repel it and so it is voided out still keeping the Colour which it had in the Ventricle The cause also may be in the Reins being over-heat whereby the Spermatical matter by reason of its thinness flows forth The external cause may be moystness of the Air eating of corrupt Meats Anger Grief Slothfulness immoderate Sleeping Costiveness of body The Signs are extenuation of the body shortness and stinking of breath loathing of meat pain in the head swelling of the eyes and feet melancholly humidity flows from the Womb of divers colours as reddish black green yellow white It differs from the flowing and over-flowing of the Courses in that it keeps no certain periods and is of many Colours all which do degenerate from blood Prognosticks If the Flux be Phlegmatical it will continue long and be difficult to Cure yet if vomiting or the flux Diarrhaea happeneth diverting the humour it cures the Disease If it be Cholerick it is not so permanent yet more perilous for it will cause clifts in the neck of the Womb and sometimes make an excoriation in the Matrix If Melancholick it is most Dangerous and Contumacious yâ—t the flux of the Emerhoids administers Cure If the matter flowing forth be reddish open a vein on the Arm if not apply Ligatures to the Arms and Shoulders Galen glories of himself how he cured the wife of Boctus labouring of this Disease by rubbing the upper parts with Crude Honey If it be caused by a distillation from the brain take Syrup of Betony Staechas and Marjoram Purge with Pil. coch sine quibus de Agarico make Nasalia of the juice or Sage Hysop Betony Nigella with one drop of Oy1 of Cloves and a little silk Cotton Take Elect. Dianth aromat rosat diambre diamosci dulcis of each one Dram Nutmeg half a Dram with Sugar and Betony water make Lozenges to be taken every Morning and Evening Take Auriae Alexandrinae half a Dram at Night going to Bed If these things help not use the Suffumigation and Plaister as they are prescribed If it proceeds from Crudities in the Stomach or from a cold distempered Liver take every morning of the Decoction of Lignum Sanctum Purge with Pil. de Agarico de Hermodact de Hiera Diacolocynthid Foetida Agrigative Take of Elect. Aromat Ros two Drams Cytron-peels dryed Nutmeg long Pepper of each one Scruple Diagalanga one Dram Santali Albi Ligni Aloes of each half a Scruple Sugar six Ounces with Mint-water and make Lozenges of it Take of them before Meals If with Frigidity of the Liver there be joyned a repletion of the Stomaâ—h Purging by Vomit is commendable For which take three Drams of the Electuary Diasaru Galen allows of Diuretical means as of Apium Petrosilinum c. If the matter of the Flux be Cholerick prepare the Humour with Syrup of Roses Violets Endive Succory Purge with Myrabolanes Manna Rhubarb Cassia Take of Rhubarb two Drams Anniseed one Dram Cinnamon a Scruple and a half infuse them in six Ounces â—f Prune-broth Add to the sâ—raining of Manna one Ounce and take it in the Morning according to Art Take Spâ—cierum Diatrionsantalon Diatragacant Frig. Diâ—rrhod Abbatis Diacydonit of each one Dram Sugar four Ounces with Plantain-water make Lozenges If the Clyster of the Gall be sluggish and do not stir up the Faculty of the Guts give hot Glisters of the Decoction of the four mollifying Herbs with Honâ—y of Roses and Aloes If the Flux be Melancholious prepare with Syrup of Maiden-hair Epithimum Polypody Burrage Bugloss Fumetary Hart's-Tongue and Syrupus Bysantinus which must be made without Vinegar otherwise it will rather animate the Disease than Nature for Melancholly by the use of Vinegar is encreased and both by Hippocrates Sylvius and Avenzoar it is disallowed of as an Enemy to the Womb and therefore not to be used inwardly in Uterine Diseases Purgers of Melancholy are Pilulae Fumariae Pilulae Indae Pil. de Lapide Lazuli Diasena Confectio Hamech Take of stamped Prunes 2 Ounces Senna 1 Dram Opithiâ—um Polipody
half 〈◊〉 scruple with Wax make a Plaister Take of Bay-leaves Sage Hyssop Camomile Mugwort and with Water make an Inâ—ession Take Wormwood Betony of each half a â—andful White-wine Milk of each half a â—ound boyl them until one part be consumed â—hen take of this Decoction four ounces Honey â—f Roses two ounces and make an Injection â—et beware the Humours be not brought down â—nto the Womb. Take roasted Figs Mercury bruised of each â—hree drams Turpentine Ducks-grease of â—ach one dram Opium two grains with Wax â—ake a Pessary The Air must be cold All motion of the Body especially of the lower parts is forbidden Vigilancy is commended for by sleep the humours are carried inward whereby the Inflammation is increased eat sparingly Let your Drink be Barley-water or clarified Whey and your Meat be Chickens and Chicken Broth boiled with Endive Succory Sorrel Bugloss and Mallows CHAP. IX Of the Schirrosity or Hardness of the Womb. OF a Phlegmon neglected or not perfectlâ— cured is generated a Schirrus of thâ— Matrix which is a hard unnatural swelling insensible hindering the operations of the Womb and disposing of the whole Body to slothfuâ—ness Cause One Cause of this Disease may bâ— ascribed to want of Judgment in the Physâ—tian as many Empericks administring to aâ— Inflammation of the Womb do overmuch refrigerate and astringe the humour that it caâ— neither pass forward nor backward hence thâ— matter being condens'd degenerates as it werâ— into a lapidious or hard substance Other Causes may be suppression of the Menstrues retention of the Lochia commonly called thâ— after-purgings eating of corrupt meats as iâ— the disordinate longing called Pica unto which breeding Women are often subject If may proceed also from Obstructions and Ulcers in the Matrix or from evil Affects in the Liver and Spleen Signâ— If the bottom of the Womb be affected â—he feels as it were a heavy burden representing 〈◊〉 Mole yet differing in that the Brests are attenuated anâ— the whole Body waâ—â—â—â—â—â—ss If the Neck of the Womb be hardned noâ— outward humour will appear the Mouth of it is retracted and being touch'd with the Finger feels hard nor can she have the company of a Man without great pain and prickings Prognosticks A Schirrus confirmed is incurable and will turn into a Cancer or a Dropsie and ending in a Cancer proves deadly because the native heat in those parts being almost smothered can hardly again be restored Cure Where there is a repletion Phlebotomy is adviseable wherefore open the Mediana on both Arms and then the Saphena on both Feet more especially if the Menses be suppress'd Prepare the humour with Syrup of Borage Succory Epithimum and clarified Whey Then take of these Pills following according to the strength of the Patient Take Hierae Picrae six drams black Hellebore Polipody of each two drams and an half Agarick Lapidis Lazuli abluti Salis Indi Coloquintida of each one dram and a half mix them and make Pills The Body being purged proceed to mollifie the hardness as followeth Anoint the Privites and the Neck of the Womb with Vnguentum Dalthea and Agrippae Or take Opopanax Bdellium Ammoniacum Myrrh of each two drams Saffron half a dram Dissolve the Gums in Oyl of Lillies and sweet Almonds with Wax and Turpentine make an Unguent Apply bellow the Navel Diachylon-Fernelii Make Insessions of Figgs Mugwort Mallows Pennyroyal Althea Fennel-Roots Mellilot Fenugreek Linseed boyled in water Make Injections of Calamint Linseed Mellilot Fenugreek and the four mollifying Herbs with Oyl of Dill Camomile and Lillies dissolving in the same three drams of the Gum Bdellium Cast the stone Pyrites on the Coals and let her receive the fume of it into her Womb. Foment the Secret Parts with the Decoction of the Leaves and Roots of Danewort Take of the Gum Galbanum Opopanax of each one dram Juice of Danewort Mucillage of Fenugreek of each half an ounce Calves marrow one ounce Wax a sufficient quantity make a Pessary Or make a Pesaary only of Lead dipping it in the aforesaid things and so put it up The Air must be temperate Gross viscous and salt meats are forbidden as Pork Bulls-â—â—ef Fish old Cheese c. CHAP. X. Of the Dropsie of the Womb. THe Uterine Dropsie is an unnatural swelling ellevated by the gathering together of wind or flegm in the cavity membranes or substance of the Womb by reason of the debility of the native heat not digesting the Aliment received and so it turns into an Excrement The Causes are over-much cold and moistness of the Milt and Liver immoderate drinking eating of crude meats all which causing a repletion do suffocate the native heat It may be caused likewise by the over-flowing of the Courses or by any other immoderate Evacuaation To these may be added Abortions Ulcers Phlegmons and Schirrosities of the Womb. Signs The Signs of this Affect are these The lower parts of the Belly with the Genitals are puffed up and payned the feet sweell the natural colour of the Face decays the Appetite is depraved and the heaviness of the whole Body concurs If she turns her self in the Bed from one side to the other a noise like flowing of water is heard Water sometimes comes from the Matrix If the swelling be caused by wind the Belly being hit by the hand sounds like a Drum the Guts rumble and the wind breaks through the neck of the womb with a murmouring noise This Affect may be distinguish'd from a true Conception many ways as will appear by the Chapter of Conception It is distinguish'd from the general Dropsie in that the lower parts of the Belly aâ—e most swell'd Again in this the sanguificative faculty appears not so hurtful nor the Urine so pale nor the Countenance so soon changed neither are the superiour parts so extenuated as in the general Dropsie Prognosticks This Affect foretells the total ruine of the natural functions by that singular consent the womb hath with the liver and therefore that a Cachexia or a general Dropsie will follow Cure In the Cure of this Disease imitate the practice of Hippocrates First mitigate the pain with Fomentations of Mellilot Mercury Mallows Linseed Camomile Althea Then let the humour be prepared with Syrup of Staechas Hyssop Calamint Mugwort of both sorts With the distill'd waters or decoctions of Dodder Marjoram Sage Origan Sperage Penny-royal Betony Purge with Sena Agarick Rhubarb Elaterium Take Speciâ—rum Hierae Rhubarb Trochisks of Agarick of each one Scruple with the Juice of Ireos make Pills Or Take Pill de Rhubarbaro half an Ounce Pill de Mezereo one Scruple with Mugwort water make Pills In diseases which haâ—e their being from moistness purge with Pills and in those affects which are caused by emptiness or driness purge with potions Fasten a cupping-glass to the belly with a great flame and also to the navel especially if the swelling be flatulent Make an issue on the inside of each leg a handful bredth below the knee
Take Specierum Diambrae Diamosci Dulcis Diacalamenti Diacinnamomi Diacimini Troch de Myrrha of each 2 drams Sugar one Pound with Bettony water make Lozenges Take of them two hours before Meals Apply to the bottom of the belly as hot as may be indured a little bag of Camomile Cummin and Melilote boyled in Oyl of Rue Anoint the belly and secret parts with Vnguentum Agrippae and Vnguentum AREGON mingling therewith Oyl of Ireos Cover the lower parts of the belly with the plaister of Bay-berries or with a Cataplasm made of Cummin Camomile Briony Roots adding thereto Cows and Goats dung Our Moderns ascribe a great vertue to Tobacco water distilled and poured into the Womb by a Metrenchyta Take of Baum Southern wood Organ Wormwood Calamint Bay-leaves Marjoram of each one handful Juniper-berries 4 drams with water make a Decoction Of this may be made Fomentations Injections and Insessions Make Pessaries of Styrax Aloes with the Roots of Dictam Aristolochia and Gentian Instead of this you may use the Pessary prescribed pag. 130. Let her take of Electuarium Aromaticum Diasatyrion and Eringo Roots condited every Morning The air must be hot and dry Moderate exercise is allowed Much sleep is forbidden She may eat the flesh of Partridges Larks Chickens Mountain-birds Hares Conies c. Let her drink be thin Wine CHAP. XI Of the Mola or False Conception THis disease is called of the Greeks MVLE and the cause of this denomination is taken from the load or heavy weight of it it being a Mole or great lump of hard flesh burdening the Womb. It is defined to be an inarticulate piece of flesh without form begotten in the Matrix as it were a true Conception In which definition we are to note two things First in that a Mole is said to be inarticulate and without form it differs from Monsters which are both Formata and Articulata Secondly it is said to be as it were a true Conception which puts a difference between a true Conception and a Mole which difference holds good three ways First in the Genus in that a Mole cannot be said to be animal Sâ—condly in the Species because it hath no humane figure and bears not the Character of a man Thirdly in the Individuum for it hath no affinity with the Parent either in the whole Body or any Particle of the same Cause About the cause of this affect amongst learned Authors I find variety of Judgements Some are of opinion that if the Womans seed goes into the Womb and not the Mans thereof is the Mole produced Others there be that affirm it is ingendred of the menstruous Blood But if these two were granted then Maids by having their Courses or through nocturnal polutions might be subject unto the same which never any yet were The true cause of this fleshy Mole proceeds both from the Man and from the Woman from corrupt or Barren Seed in the Man and from the menstruous Blood in the Woman both mixed together in the Cavity of the Womb where Nature finding her self weak yet desiring to maintain the perpetuity of her Speâ—ies labours to bring forth a vitious Conception rather than nonâ— And so instead of a living Creature generates a lump of â—lesh Signs The signs of a Mole are these The Months are supprest the appetite is depraved the brests swell and the Belly is puffed up and waxeth hard Thus far the signs of a breeding Woman and of one that beareth a Mole are all one I will now shew you how they differ The first sign of difference is taken from the motion of a Mole it may be felt to move in the Womb before the third Month which the Infant cannot Yet that motion cannot be understood of any intelligent power in the Mole but of the faculty of the Womb and of the seminal Spirits diffused through the substance of the Mole for it lives not a life animal but vegitative in the manner of a Plant. Secondly in a Mole the belly is suddenly puft up but in a true Conception the belly is first retracted and then riseth again by degrees Thirdly the belly being prest with the hand the Mole gives way and the hand being taken away it returns to the place again But a Child in the Womb though prest with the hand moves not presently and being removed returns slowly or not at all Lastly the Child continues in the Womb not above Eleven Months but a Mole continues some times four or five Years more or less according as it is fastened in the Matrix I have known when a Mole hath fallen away in four or five Months If it remains until the Eleventh Month the legs wax feeble and the whole body consumes only the swelling of the belly still increaseth which makes some think they are Hydropical though there be little reason for it for in the Dropsie leâ—s swell and grow big but in a Mole they consume and wither Prognosticks If at the delivery of a Mole the Flux of Blood be great it shews the more danger because the parts of nutrition having been vitiated by the flowing back of the superfluous humours whereby the natural heat is consumed and then parting with so much blood the Woman thereby is so weakned in all her facultâ—es that she can hardly subsist Cure We are taught in the School of Hippocrates that Phlebotomy causeth abortion by taking away that nourishment which should sustain the life of the Child Wherefore that this vitious Conception may be deprived of that vegetative sap by which it lives open the liver vein and then the Saphena on both feet Fasten Cupping glasses to the loins and sides of the belly which done let the Uterine parts be first Mollified and then the expulsive faculty provoked to expel the burden To laxate the Ligatures of the Male Take Mallows with the roots 3 handfuls Camomile Melilote Pellitory of the wall Violet leaves Mercury Roots of Fennel Parsley of each 2 handfuls Line-seed Fenugreek of each one pound boyl them in water and let her sit therein up to the Navel At the going out of the Bath Anoint the Privities and Reins with this Unguent following Take oyl of Camomile Lillies and sweet Almonds of each one Ounce fresh Butter Labdani Ammoniaci of each half an Ounce with the Oyl of Lineseed make an Unguent Or instead of this may be used Unguentum Agrippae or Dialthaea Take of Mercury Roots of Althea of each half a handful Fol. Branchae Ursinae half a handful Lineseed Barley-meal of each 6 ounces boyl all these with Water and Honey and make a Plaister Make Pessaries of the Gum Galbanum Bdelium Ammoniacum Figs Hogs-suet and Honey After the ligaments of the Mole are loosed let the expulsive faculty be stirred up to expell the Mole for effecting of which all Medicaments may be used which are proper to bring down the Courses Take Troch de Myrrha one Ounce Castor Aristolochia Gentians Dictam of each half an ounce make a
Pouder take one dram in 4 ounces of Mugwort water Take of Hypericon Calamint Penny-royal Bettony Hyssop Sage Horehound Valerian Madder Savine with water make a decoction take 3 ounces of it with one ounce and half of Syrup of Feverfew Take of Mugwort Myrrh Gentian Pil. Coch. of each 4 Scruples Rue Penny-royal Saggapenum Opopanax of each half a dram Assafoetida Cinnamon Juniper-berries Borage of each one draâ— with the juice of Savine make Pills to be taken of every Morning Make Insessions of Hyssop Bay-leaves Assrum Calamint Bay-berries Camomile Mugwort Savine Take of Sagapenum Marjoram Gentian Savine Cloves Nutmeg Bay-berries of each 2 Scruples Galbanum one dram Hierae Picrae Black Hellebore of each one Scruple with Turpentine make a Pessary But if these things prove not available then must the Mole be drawn away with an instrument put up into the Womb called a Pes Griphius which may be done with no great danger if it be performed by a skilful Chirurgeon After the delivery of the Mole by reason that the Woman hath parted with much blood already let the flux of blood be stayed as soon as may be Fasten Cupping-glasses to the shoulder and ligatures to the arms If these help not open the Liver-vein on the right arm The air shall be moderately hot and dry and her diet such as doth molify and attenuate she may drink White-wine CHAP. XII Of the Signs of Conception IGnorance makes Women become Murderers to the Fruit of their own Bodies many having Conceived and thereupon finding their Bodies to be out of Order and not knowing rightly the Cause do either run to the Shop of their own Conceit and take what they think fit or else as the Custom is they send to the Physitian for Cure and he perceiving not the Cause of their Grief seeing that no certain Judgment can be given by the Urine prescribes what he thinks best perhaps some strong Diuretical or Cathartical Potion whereby the Conception is destroyed Wherefore Hippocrates saith There is a Necessity that Women should be instructed in the Knowledge of Conception that the Parent as well as the Child might be saved from Danger I will therefore give you some Instructions by which every one may know whether she be with Child or not The signs of Conception shall be taken from the Woman from the Urine from the Infant and from Experiment Signs collected from the Woman are these The first day after Conception she feels a light Quivering or Chilness running through the Whole Body a tickling in the Womb and a little Pain in the lower parts of the Belly Ten or twelve Days after the Head is affected with Giddiness the Eyes with a Dimnes of Sight Then follows Red Pimples in the Face with a Blue Circle about the Eyes the Brests swell and grow hard with some pain and pricking in them The Belly suddenly sinketh and riseth again by Degrees with a hardness about the Navel The Nipples af the Brest's wax Red the Heart beats inordinately the Natural appetite is Dejected yet die hath a longing Desire after strange Meats The neck of the Womb is retraced that it can hardly be felt with the Finger being put up and this is an infallible Sign She is suddenly Merry and as soon Melancholly her Monthly Courses are stayed without any Evident Cause The Excrements of the Guts are unaccustomedly retained by the VVomb pressing the great Gut and her Desire to Venus is abated The surest Sign is taken from the Infant which begins to move in the VVomb the third or fourth Month and that not in the manner of a Mole from one side to another Rushing like a Stone but mildly as may be perceived by applying the Hand hot on the Belly Signs taken from the Urine The best Clerks do affirm that the Urine of a VVoman with Child is white and hath little Motes like those in the Sun-beams ascending and descending in it and a Cloud swimming aloft of an Opal Colour the Sediment being divided by shaking of the Urine appears like carded VVool. In the middle of her time the Urine turneth Yellow next Red and lastly Black with a Red Cloud Signs taken from Experiment At Night going to Bed let her drink Water and Honey afterward if she feels a beating pain in her Belly and about her Navel she hath Conceived Or let her take the juice of Carduus and if she Vomiteth it up it is a sign of Conception cast a clean Needle into Womans Urine put into a Bason let it stand all Night and in the Morning if it be coloured with red Spots she hath Conceived but if it be blacker or rusty she hath not Signs taken from the Sex to shew whether it be Male or Female Being with Child of a Male the right Breast swells first the right Eye is more lively than the left her Face Well coloured because such as the Blood is such is the Colour and the Male is conceived of purer Blood and of more perfect Seed than the Female Red Motes in the Urine settling down to the Sediment foretells that a Male is conceived but if they be white a Female Put the Womans Urine which is with Child into a Glass Bottle let it stand close stopt three days then strain it through a fine Cloth and you shall find littte living Creatures if they be Red it is a Male if White a Female To conclude the mod certain Sign to give Credit unto is the motion of the Infant For the Male moves in the third Month ad the Famale in the fourth CHAP XIII Of Vntimely Birth WHen the Fruit of the Womb comes forth before the Seventh Month that is before it comes to Maturity it is said to be Abortive And in effect the Child proves Abortive I mean not to Live if it be Born in the eighth Month. And why Children born in the seventh and ninth Month may Live and not in the eighth Month may seem strange yet it is true The cause hereof by some is ascribed unto the Planet under which the Child is born for every Month from the Conception to the Birth is Governed by his proper Planet And in the Eighth Month Saturn doth Predominate which is cold and dry and coldness being an Enemy unto Life destroys the Nature of the Child Hippocrates gives a better Reason The Infant being every way perfect and compleat in the Seventh Month desires more Air and Nutriment than it had before which because he cannot obtain he labours for a Passage to go out and if his Spirits be weak and faint and have not Strength sufficient to break the Membranes and come forth it is decreed by Nature that he should continue in the Womb until the 9th Month that in that time his wearied Spirits might be again Strengthned and Refreshed but if he returns to strive again in the eighth Month and be born he cannot Live because the day of his Birth is either past or to come for in the eighth Month