which proceeds of thick flegme or else of a thick mattrie blood hardned under the skin they are caused many times by the detention of the flowers the bloud often times mounting up into the breast The cure of these is undertaken two waies by softning the hard tumor and preventing the Canker and then also a strict diet is to be observed which must be moderately attenuating by keeping themselves warm which is performed by moderate exercise before meales as also by using sulphury bathes but ful Diet ease idleness and meats of hard digestion are very dangerous and indeed in all respects beside the cure is the same as is set down in the foregoing Chapter But if the kernel be swelled up with a sharp humour those topicks are to be used that are prescribed also in the foregoing Chapter onely in case the fluxion remain any time you may mingle those things which do a little more refresh such are oyl of Roses and oyl of violets When the flux of humours ceases you may then add oyl of Camomil and Lillies and other such like things to dissolve and dissipate the humor If you find that this kernel is become a kind of Kings Evil you must then use stronger Medecines adding to the forementioned purgation a dram and a half of the root of Mechoacan or three drams of Diaturbith For topicks you may use such as do soften and dispel but such as are stronger then these we have expressed in the former Chapter You must at length when all other waies do fail use the operation of the hand to take away the root of the disease but this is not to be done til you have used all other means to soften and dispel the humour which may perhaps be done by the use of Diachylon or by a plaister of Melilot to which you may adde halfe an ounce of Ammoniack an ounce of Oyl of Lillies and an ounce and a half of the root of Flower deluce of Florence neither may this following Plaister be amiss Take of the roots of Althea two ounces boile them and straine them and add to that oyl of Lillies Ganders grease of each an ounce burnt lead and roots of Iris of each an ounce and a half mingle all these together and make of them an Emplaster if this avail not the operation of the hand must be used in which the skil of the Chirurgion must be very able and ready Of the Scirrhus of the Breasts THe Scirrhus of the breasts is a hard swelling without pain Of this there are two kinds the one ingendred of a Melancholy and produced by a feculent and grosse blood or else from a thick flegme now this exquisite Scirrhus is without paine in which it differs from the other The other is not so exquisite an hardnes perhaps because it is not yet come to its ful maturity or else because it hath certain other humours mixt with it This exquisite kinde of Scirrhus is ingendred either because the spleen is obstructed and cannot purge away the melancholy blood which for that reason abounding in the body discharges and empties it self upon the breasts or by reason of the suppression of the courses which causes the feculent and grosse humor to disgorge it self upon the breasts gathering together in the Veins and flesh of the same Many times the ignorance of the Chirurgion is the cause of it when they apply an unreasonable company of refrigerating medicines to the inflammations of the breast or too many resolving and heating medicines to it in case the breasts be over hard This Scirrhus is known by its hardnesse without pain from the unevennesse of the body and the colour of the part either inclining to black or brown Now though the cure of these hardnesses be something difficult yet is there great hopes that they may be overcome which is to be done two wayes by mollifying diligently that which is hard and by taking that away which remains hard and knotty in the breast And first of all care is to be had to keep good order of diet to which purpose she must use wheaten bread reare egges pullets capons partridge veale and mutton which must be boyled with Spinage Bugloss and Borage she must abstain from Beefe Venison Hares flesh and Brawn from Pease and Beans and unleavened bread from all salt and smoked meats as also from all things that have a sharp biting quality also she must abstain from all care sadness immoderate exercise and going in the winds If the monthly courses be stopt you must seek to provoke them gently which may be done by letting blood in the foot or to let blood with hors-leeches in the next place it will not be amisse to purge well with Sene and Rheubarb to which you may adde Catholicon or Triphera Persica if you find that the disease needs a more strong purgation Between every purge it will not be amisse to take good cordiall and comfortable things as confection of Alkermes Triasantalon Electuarium de gemmis conserve of the roots of Borage conserve of Orange flowers You may after all this use Topicks that is to say such medicines as heat and dry moderatly being hot in the second degree and dry in the first such are sheeps grease especially that greasie substance that grows upon the flank of a sheep wax oyle of sweet Almonds oyle of Camomil oyle of Dill Capons grease Goose grease Hogs grease Bears grease c. Veale marrow Dears marrow emulsions of Mallows Lillies and other things of more force as liquid pitch liquid Storax Galbanum Cumin seed Rue seed Broom flowers and Dill seed If this swelling come of a hard flegme which is known because it yeelds not so much to the touch as the other you must use the same topicks to this as to the watry tumour before rehearsed If melancholy be the cause of it you may use a fomentation of the leaves of Mallows and Marsh-mallows of each a handful and a halfe of Fenugreek and Lineseed of each two drams Cucumbers Bears foot of each two ounces boyle them in as much water as is sufficient and foment the breast with this twice or thrice a day After that take this ointment take of the root of Mallows one ounce when it is boyled and bruised take it out and add to it sheeps grease and Capons grease of each two ounces and with a little Wax make an ointment This you may use for some few dayes after which you may if need require use this ointment Take Hysop leaves Dill leaves and thyme leaves of each half a handful roots of Mallows and Fenugreek seed of each half an ounce boyl them in as much wine and vinegar as is sufficient til halfe be boyld away then take of the aforesaid vinegar Goose grease Ducks grease and the marrow of the leg of a Hart of each two ounces boyl it to the consumption of half the vinegar you may add to this two drams of Diachylon and make it into the
some certain space for the ureter yet they are joyned together about the middle of the share bone where they lose about the third part of their nervous substance The interiour substance which is wrapt about by the exteriour nervous substance The Ureter hath this worthy observation that there appears stretched through the whole length of it a thin and tender artery proportionable to the bigness of the body which is diffused through the whole loose substance of the yard reaching as far the root of the yard Besides these two there is another body which lies between these two as proper or rather more peculiar to the yard then they are This is a pipe placed at the inferiour part of the yard being called the Vreter though it be a passage as proper to the seed as to the urine which is encompassed by the two fore-mentioned bodies This is a certain Channel produced in length and running through the middle of those nervous bodies consisting of the same substance that they do being loose thick soft and tender every way equal from the neck of the bladder to the nut of the yard saving that it is a little wider at the beginning then it is toward the place where it ends which is at the head of the glans or nut of the yard At the beginning of this Channel there are three holes one in the middle The holes of thâ— Ureter and something bigger then the other two arising from the neck of the bladder the other two on both sides one being something narrower proceeding from the passage that goes out of the seminary vessels and conveighs the seed into this channel This is further to be noted in this place that in the channel where it is joyned to the glans together with the nervous bodies Note there is a little kind of cavern in which sometimes either putrid seed or any other corroding humour as happens in the gonorrhaea being collected is the cause of ulcers in that part the cause of very great pain and it many times also comes to pass that there is a certain little piece of flesh which grows out of this ulcer that oftentimes stops up the passages of the urine To the structure of the yard The Muscles of the Yard there do moreover concur two pair of muscles one more short and thick proceeding from a part of the hip near the beginning of the yard and being of a fleshy substance The use of these two muscles is to sustain the yard in the erection and to bend the fore-part of the yard which is to be inserted into the womb the other pair is longer and rises from the sphincter of the fundament where they are endued with a more fleshy substance being in length full as long as the yard under which they are carried downward ending at the sides of the ureter about the middle of the yard Their use is to dilate the ureter both at the time of making water and at the time of conjunction lest it should be stopped up by the repletion of the nervous bodies and so stop up the passage of the seed They are also thought to keep the yard firm lest it should lean too much to either side and also to press out the seed out of the prostatae or forestanders The vessel of the Yard There are vessels also of all sorts in the yard first of all certain veins appearing in the external parts and in the cuticle which branch themselves out from the Hypogastrion In the middle betwen the space of the fibres they send out certain branches from the right side to the left and from the left to the right These veins swelling with a frothy bloud and spirit erect the yard There are also certain nerves which scatter themselves from the pith or marrow of the holy bone quite through the yard bringing with them the cause of that pleasure and delight which is perceived in the erection of the yard CHAP. XV. Of the Action of the Yard THe main scope of Nature in the use of the yard was the injection of seed into the womb of the woman which injection could not be done till the seed were first moved neither could the seed be moved but by frication of the parts which could not be done till it were sheathed in the womb nor that neither till the yard were erected This distension is caused by repletion which is caused by the plentie of seed Secondly by superfluitie of wind which if it be too violent is the cause of priapisme A Third cause proceeds from the abundance of urine contained in the bladder Somtimes the heat of the reines is a cause thereof CHAP. XVI Of the use of the Yard in general THe Yard is scituated under the midriff over against the womb And is also placed between the thighes for the greater strengthning of it in the act of copulation Neither is this the only strength which it hath for at the lower part it appears more fleshie which flesh is altogether muscly for the greater strength thereof Neither is it only contented with this Musclie flesh it having too muscles also for the same purpose on both sides to poise it even in the act of erection which though they are but little yet are they exceeding strong The figure of the yard is not absolutly round but broader on the upper side lest it should be hindered by the convexity of the superior part in the casting forth of the seed Concerning the biggness of the yard it is by most estemed to be of a just length when it is extended the bredth of nine thumbs CHAP. XVII Of the use of the parts constituting the Yard THe first thing in the constitution of the yard that offeres it self to view is the skin which is long and loose by reason that the yard which is sometimes to be extended somtimes to fall downe againe so requires it The extremity of the skin is so ordered that it somtimes covers the glans and somtimes draws back that whilst it covers the nut of the yard it may defend the yard from frication or provoking the motion of the seed Moreover this skin in the act of copulation shuts up the mouth of the womb and hinders the ingress of the cold air Concerning the two nervous bodyes constituting the substance of the yard their use is for the vital spirit to run through the thin substance of them and fill the yard with spirits Moreover by their thicknesse they doe prevent the two hastie empting and flying out of the spirits which are to stay in for the greater and longer erection of the yard The use of the Ureter is for the passage of seed and urine through it The substance of the Ureter is much the same with the two former bodys the inside being more thin and loose the outside more nervous and thick which is so ordained that it may be more apt to be erected with the yard It goes forward
The belly waxes hard as happens to those who are troubled with the Dropsie and almost of an equal roundness with many pricking pains at the bottom of the belly which have scarce any intermission which is the cause that they can hardly sleep being encombered with a heavy and dead burthen It may be known also by other signs for in the conception the Male Infant begins to move at the beginning of the third moneth for the most part and the female at the beginning of the third or fourth moneth now where any motion happens the woman ought to observe whether she have any milk in her breasts or no if she have milk in her breasts it is a sign of true conception if she have not it is a sign of a false one Besides in true conception the mother shall perceive her child to move on all sides oftner though to the right flank then to the left sometimes up sometimes down without any assistance but in false conception although there be a kind of motion which is not enliven'd that proceeds from the expulsive faculty of the mother and not from the mole The mother shall also perceive it to tumble always on that side she lies not having any power to sustain it self beside as she lies on her back if any one do push gently downward the burthen of her belly she shall perceive it to lie and rest in the place where it was pushed without returning thither Beside that which will confirm it more is when after the end of nine moneths the woman shall not come to her travel but that her belly still swels and is puffed up more and more all the rest of the parts of the body growing thin and meager this is a sign of a mole notwithstanding that many women have been known to go ten or eleven moneths before their delivery The signs of the windy mole are these when the belly is equally stretched and swelled up like a bladder more soft then when it bears the fleshie mole and especially near the groynes and small of the belly if it be struck on it sounds like a drum sometime the swelling decreases but by and by it swels more and more the woman feels her self more light it is engendered and encreases swifter then the fleshie mole or the watry and it makes such a dissention of the belly as if one were tearing it a sunder For the watery and humorous mole the signs are almost the same the belly increases and swels by little and little as the woman lies upon her back the sides of her belly are more swelled and distended then the middle or the bottom of the belly which grows flatter then by reason that the water and the humours fall down to the sides of the belly moving up and down on the belly as if there were a fluctuation of water there This distinction is more to be observed in the watry mole that the flank and thighs are more stretched and swollen then the humoral because that the waters flow thither oftentimes and that which comes forth through natures conduite is as clear as rock water without any ill savour but that which flows out in the humoral distemper is more red like water wherein flesh hath been washed and is of an ill savour This is also to be marked in false conception that the flowers never come down and the navel of the mother advances it self little or nothing both which happen in true conception There are besides these above written certain other tumours which the women do take for moles These occasion a rotundity and swelling in the belly which are not discovered till the woman be opened and then there doth appear though the body of the womb be clean and neat without any thing contained in it at one or both corners of the womb a quantity of water contained as it were in little bags in others are to be seen a heap of kernels and superfluous flesh clustered up together in the womb which cause it to swell Yet in these women it hath been observed that their purgations have been very regular which hath been a sign that the womb it self hath been in good temper There is also another excrescency of flesh which may be termed a pendent mole The pendent mole which is a piece of flesh hanging within the inner neck of the womb which at the place where it is fastened is about a fingers breadth still increasing bigger and bigger toward the bottom like a little bell This flesh hanging in the interior neck of the womb possesses the whole orifice of the privy member sometimes appearing outward as big as the fist as hath been observed in some women Of the cures of all these we shall treat in due place CHAP. VI. How women with childe ought to govern themselves IN the first place she ought to chuse a temperate and wholsome air neither too hot nor too cold nor in a watry and damp place nor too subject to fogs or winds especially the South winde which is a great enemy to women with childe causing oft times abortion in them The North winde is also hurtful engendring Rhumes and Catarrhs and Coughs which do often force a woman to lie down before her time Likewise the winds which carry with them evil odours and vapours for these being sucked with the air into the Lungs are the cause of divers diseases For her diet Her Diet. she ought to chuse meat that breeds good and wholsome nourishment and which breeds good juice such are meats that are moderately drie the quantity ought to be sufficient both for themselves and for their children and therefore they are to fast as little as may be for abstinence unless upon good occasion renders the child sickly and tender and constrains it to be born before its time to seek for nourishment as the over-much diet stuffs it up or renders it so big that it can hardly keep its place All meats too cold too hot and too moist are to be avoided as also the use of salads and spiced meats and the too much use of salt meats are also forbidden which will make the childe to be born without nails a sign of short life Her bread ought to be good wheat well baked and levened Her meats ought to be Pigeons Turtles Phesants Larks Partrige Veal and Mutton For herbs she may use Lettice Endive Bugloss and Burrage abstaining from raw Salads for her last course she may be permitted to eat Pears Marmalad as also Cherries and Damsons she must avoid all meats that are diuretick and provoke urine or the termes and such meats as are windy as Pease and Beans Of Longing Yet because there are some women that have such depraved stomachs by reason of a certain salt and sower humor contained in the membranes of the stomach as that they will eat coles chalke ashes cinders and such like trash so that it is impossible to hinder them to such therefore we can only
powder laid upon them Hemorrhoids of the VVomb are little protuberances like those of the fundament produced in the neck of the womb through the abundance of feculent blood the subject is the neck of the womb for where the veins end there do grow these extuberancies just as in the Hemorrhoids The signes are evident and easily seen by the help of the Speculum Matricis the women who are thus affected look pale and are troubled with a weariness The cause is a Feculent bloud which flowing to these veins before its season and setling there grows thicker so that it cannot pierce the orifice of the veins They are cured by a revulsion of the humor first by letting blood in the arm secondly by drawing it to another part as by letting blood in the heel Sometimes these Hemmorrhoids are very painful and are distinguishd from that menstruous effuxion by the pain which they bring they are cured by mitigating and asswaging insessions as also by opiates carefully applyed Others are without pain to which the foresaid Remedies may be applied Others are open and do sometimes run moderately and then nature is to be let alone or violently so that thereby the strength of the person is impaired in which case a vein must be opened in the arm two or three times purgation is also to be used by Myrobalans Tamarinds and Rheubarb and at length you must apply those things which cease the blood Others are termed blinde out of which there issues no blood they are cured by blood-letting the part is to be also softned and fomented with things that soften and open the orifices of the veins and dispel the humor such are an Ointment made of the pith of Colocynthis and Oyl of sweet Almonds or the juice of Capers mixt with Aloes neither is the applying of Hors-leeches amiss Of the Vlcers of the neck of the Womb. THe signes of these Ulcers is a paine and perpetual twinging which increases if any thing that hath an abstersive quality be cast in the issuing out of putrid humors and mattier with blood if the Ulcer be great or the flowers come down often making water and the water hot as also a paine in the fore part of the head toward the roots of the eyes as also some kinde of gentle Fever The cure of this is hard because of its being in a place of so exquisite sense and moist and having such a sympathy with other parts of the body for the easing of the paine Chalybeated milk is very much conducing to the drying of them up drying baths are the best and most prevalent Remedy These differ much coming either from external causes as rash physick hard labour and violent coiture or from internal causes as the corruption of the secundines the courses reteined and the uterine flux a virulent Gonorrhea the pox inflammations turned into Apostemes Humors flowing from other parts of the body and there setling all which must be duly considered in the cure Others are in the outward part and may be easily come at with medecines others deep and must be come at only with injection for which purpose use this following Take whites of four Eggs beat them wel and put to them an equal quantity of Rosewater and Plantain-water as much in quantity as they come to Camphire Ceruse Litharge of gold and Bole Armoniack of each a little quantity green Copperas half as much as of any of them beat all to powder mix it and strein it through a cloth and make your injection til the part affected be whole and if there be any paine sometimes inject a little new warm milk Others are more gentle with a little stinking mattier flowing from them For the cure of which gentle abstersives are profitable as hony of Roses with Barly-water whey with sugar and the decoction of Lentils after these gentle astringents must be applied Others are sordid with much mattier flowing from them In which case stronger medecines must be appli'd Others do eat into the flesh having a colour'd green stinking mattier flowing from them For the cleansing of which Aloes and wormwood are very much commended or the foresaid injection There are another sort of ulcers little and long which eat the skin of the neck of the womb they are known by the pain and blood which they produce immediatly after congression they are seen also by looking into the neck of the womb being much like Childblains that come upon the hands in Winter-time They are caused divers wayes either by a difficult lying in or by a violent coiture and cured by an astringent Clyster or they are produced by some inflammation or Flux of sharp humors purgations are here needfull before Topicks be applied among which is much commended the grease that fries out of wooden ladles much used in Kitchins being held to the fire as also the ointment called Pomada Of the diseases of the Womb. Of the Womb being out of temper THe intemperance of the womb is when it hath lost its natural temper and is affected with a preternatural intemperancy arising both from inward and outward causes The one of these is hot and is known by the womans pronenesse to Venery by the small Flux of the monethly courses by their adustnesse sharpness inordinate and difficult flux Hence in processe of time they are very hypochondriack by early growing of the hairs about the privities by rednesse of the face and dryness of the lips and frequent pains of the head and abundance of cholerick humors in the body it ariseth either at first from the birth which causes women to be Virago's and to be barren or after their nativity from outward causes as the use of hot things overmuch Venery and such medicines as bring the heat and blood to the womb The cure consists in a contrary diet and cooling medicines both internal and external which are to be applied to the back and sides which must be very moderate that the heat which is necessary for conception may not be weakened and the cold and membranous substance of the womb come to any harm or lest the vessels which serve for the carrying away of the courses should be thickned and the nerves of the back and sides be any waies mischieved The next way of cure is performed by evacuating medicines namely Rheubarb and solutive syrup of Roses Manna also profits much the flower of Vitriol of Venus and Mars taken from three grains to six and put in any proper syrup purges the womb There is another intemperancy which comes of cold which is known by a lesser pronenesse to Venery and little pleasure taken in it a setling in the courses with a slimy and phlegmy matter mixed and an inordinate flowing of them by reason of the plenty of humors collected in the womb which causes obstructions by reason of abundance of windy vapours in the womb crudity and watrinesse of the seed which causes it to flow without any pleasure a pale colour in
toward the womb if necessity requires that it should be done more then once one day a vein must be opened in one thigh and another day in the other and that which is opened for evacuation must be first opened that which is opened in the hamm or heel must be done after purgation 3 or 4 or five dayes before the time that the accustomed evacuations of the Woman ought to come down Cupping-glasses also are to be applyed first to the more remote places as to the thighs and then to the neerer parts as to the hips ligatures or bindings and frictions at the time of the coming down of the flowers after purgation of the whole Body are not to be omitted In the second place the matter is to be prepared for which purpose in bodies troubled with flegme the decoction of Guaiacum with Cretan Dittany doth much avail without provoking sweat In the third place evacuation is to be made at several times Among evacuating Medecines are commended Agaric Aloes with the juice of Sabina and these pilâ— Take Aloes Succotrine three drams the best myrrh one scruple extract of Calamus Aromaticus Carduus Benedictus Saffron of each three drams roots of Gentian and Dittany of each five grains make them up with syrup of Laurel berries taking the quantity of one scruple at evening before supper In the fourth-place by an obstructing the humour by those things which provoke the flowers of which these are most to be commended the decoction of Rosemary with flowers of Cheiri Peny-royal water twice distilled and mingled with Cinamom water Extract of Zedoar Angelica and Castor and the earth which is found in iron mines prepared in the same manner as steel spirit of Tartar the fat of an Eele Colubrina with the distilled water of Savine and in the fift place by the discussion of the dreggs and relicks that remaine by sudorificks or things that provoke sweat with a potion made of a Chalybeat decoction with spirit of Tartar c. The differences of this disease arise partly from the obstruction of the veins of the womb caused by a cold and thick blood and thick slimy humors mixed with the blood and coming either from some hot distemper of the womb which dissipates the sharp and subtile humors and leaves behinde the gross and earthy parts or from the cold constitution of the liver and spleen especially if at the time of the menstrual flux at what time the flux of blood is more violent those subtile humors happen to be dissipated then at the time of the monthly purgation the party affected feeleth a great pain in the loyns and parts adjoyning and if any thing come down it is slimy whitish and blackish the whole Body is possessed with a numness the colour pale a slow pulse and raw urines The cure is the same with the former great care being taken of a gross and ill dyet There is another difference of this disease when it happens by compression which arises from external causes as the Northern wind and long standing in cold water which may be knwn from the relation of the sick person The blood in this case is to be drawn to the lower parts by Frictions and Baths or from internal causes as fatnes or swelling of the womb or of the lower parts in which case Medecines must be applyed that asswage the swelling There is another difference which is in the hardness of the skin which happens either from the first nativity and then the disease is not easily taken away or long after from some cold dry distemper concerning which look the former Chapters Another difference there is when there happens a closing up of the skin which is caused after cicatrising of an Ulcer or by reason of some skin or membrane growing to the vessels of the womb or by reason of frequent abortion after which these veins to which the secundines adhere do grow together so close that they cannot be afterwards opened Another difference of this disease there is when it happens through want of blood which is not generated either by reason of external causes as famine over much evacuation issues and such like or through internal causes as a frigid constitution of the principall parts old age and fevers or when it is converted to other uses as before full growth to the nourishment of the body in women with child to the nourishment of the birth in those that give suck to the increase of milk and in fat people to the augmentation of the fat or when it is consumed either by externall causes as overmuch exercise affrights terrors sadnesse bathes overmuch sweating which do consume the serous quality of the blood or through internall causes as are hot and dry diseases or over great evacuations in other parts of the body Sometimes another difference of this disease proceeds from the drynesse of the blood which happens to women who in the winter time do too much heat their lower parts by putting coals under their coats For the cure thereof you must use refrigerating and moistning medecines Of the dropping of the Flowers and the difficulty of their coming down THe dropping of the flowers is when they are coming down for many dayes together drop by drop This happens both from externall causes as over-hard labour c. And sometimes from the drossinesse of the blood the passage not being wide enough For the cure of this it is convenient to open a vein in the arm with gentle purging as in the former chapter Sometimes from the weaknesse of the retentive faculty there being at that time great plenty thinnesse and serosity of the blood In this case there is no pain Medecines that binde and corroborate the stomack here must have place The difficulty of the Flowers is when they come down with pain and trouble either through defect in the veins or in the blood The signes of this are gathered from the relation of the sick person who is then much troubled with pain in the head stomack and loyns and lower parts of the body And they do either flow altogether or drop by drop as in the former disease it is a disease more incident to maids then married women because the veins of the womb are lesse open in them then in those who have brought forth children It happens sometimes from a corruption of the blood that is from the drossiness and thickness thereof and then the blood clots together and there is great pain long before the flowers begin to come down The cure of this is performed by attenuating medecines Sometimes from the sharpnesse and acrimony of the blood which proceeds from a mixture of sharp humours with the body and then the genital parts do itch It is cured by those medecines that temper the sharpnesse of the humour as the four greater seeds violets and flowers of Nenuphar Sometimes from windy vapours and then the pain comes by intervals and is suddenly exasperated rumbling up and down
and when the wind is forth the pain ceaseth The cure hereof is procured by evacuation of the matter and dispelling of the wind as is before declared Of the discolouring of the Flowers THe discolouring of the Flowers is when their right colour which ought to be red declines either to palenesse whitenesse greennesse yellownesse or blewishnesse through some defect or vitiousnesse of the blood The signes are apparent by the sight of the blood besides that it is accompanied with an ill smell many times also it is the cause of Fevers trembling of the body loathing of the meat pain in the stomack c. The differences of this disease consist first in the vitiousnesse of the blood which is caused through some distemper either of the whole body or of some part thereof Sometimes the blood is affected by reason of some stoppage thereof and then the flowers are suppressed which causeth pains in the breast and strong beating of the breast and if the woman begin to amend the blood flowes out with a stinking putrefaction which continues till the eighth day or it may be because the blood is fould by the womb being full of excrements and then you may perceive the signes of a foul womb Sometimes the difference of this disease consists in the mixture of the blood with other vitious humours The cure consists in preparation and evacuation but care must be had that because the thick humours need attenuation and that over-attenuating things do melt the serous humour that you therefore do not use over-attenuating things as vinegar c. Another difference is when the flowers decline to a whitish colour which proceeds from abundance of flegme or from putrefaction and then ulcers follow in the womb barrenness follows unlesse the womans flowers do happen to flow for seven or eight dayes together by which the woman is freed from the disease or else they break out to the parts above the groyn without any tumour and burst forth a little above the Hypochondrion and then the woman seldom lives or else there wil appear after some few dayes a great swelling in the groyn without a head of a red colour because the flesh is there filled up with the blood When it inclines to yellownesse or greennesse the distemper comes of choler when to a blacknesse and blewnesse from melanlancholy Of the inordinate flux of the Flowers THe disorderly flux of the courses is either the coming of them down before their time or else the stoppage of them for some time after the usuall course of nature They come down sometimes before their time partly by reason of internall causes and partly by reason of external causes as falls blows and such like casualities that open the veins Or from the expulsive facultie of the womb too much provoked 1. by the plenty of blood which is known by this that the blood which is sent to the womb from all parts is fluid and of its natural constitution signes of a Plethora or fulnesse of blood are apparent in the woman It is cured by blood-letting if the blood abound by good diet and frequent though gentle exercise Secondly it proceeds from the acrimony and sharpnesse of the blood which is known by the hot temper of the body the blood it selfe is more thin and yellowish It must be cured by evacuating medecines as Rheubarb and such things as temper the blood whereof we have already spoken It comes also when the retentive faculty of the womb grows lank which may be known by the looseness of the vessels of the womb besides a moist faint habit of the Body in the cure beware of things which are too astringent baths where in the force and strength of iron may be effectual may with safety be used The subsistence and stay of the courses beyond the accustomed time proceeds from a frustration of the expulsive faculty as when there is smal store of blood which is known by this that the Woman is not troubled with the stay of the Courses and especially if she have over-exercised her self or used a spare dyet before Secondly the thickness of the blood which is known by the whitenes and clammines thereof In the performance of the cure you must purge before too much blood be gathered together next the Courses are to be attenuated for the performance of which Calamint and Mercurialis are to be most commended In this case scarification of the heels is not amiss There is another difference of this disease which arises from the weaknes of the expelling faculty caused either by the frigid distemper of the Womb of which we have spoken already or by a kind of numness thereof of which we shal speak anon Of the over-abundance of the Courses THe over-much flux of the Courses is either a more abundant or a more lasting purgation of the Courses through some defect either in the Blood or the Womb or the veins of the womb The signs are evident viz want of appetite crudities a bad colour in the face a swelling in the feet and rest of the body a waxing lean of the body and in brief a general ill habit of body The cure if it be of any continuance is difficult if it happen to an aged Woman there is none at all It requires a revulsion or drawing back of the blood interception and incrassation or thickning therof and a closing up of the vessels by astringent medecines Yet observe that they must be stopt by degrees To this effect you may take this powder R. Of the seed of Hyoscyam alb red Coral of each half a dram Caphura half a scruple and give the quantity of half a dram at a time powder of Amber Dragons blood Lap. Haematit Red Coral Lettice seed of each one dram Balaust two scruples Bole-armoniack two drams given in three ounces of Plantain water Asses milk heated with steel You may externally also apply a girdle made of the bruised leaves of Helleboraster Of this disease there are many differences sometimes it happens from the blood which is derived from the bottom of the Womb where for the most part lies the blackest and most clotted blood or from the neck of the womb which is more red and fluid Another difference ariseth from the plenty of blood which appears by this that the vessels are either broken or much opened especially in those Women who have had a stoppage of their Courses for a time which presently break out again The signes of this are evident that is to say a fulness of blood in the body besides that the blood which comes forth easily curdles In the cure you must have recourse to blood-letting which if you do for evacuation it must be done in the hepatick vein if the Woman be weak in Salvatella of both hands In the next place the use of Cupping glasses is to be commended being applyed with scarification to the back c. or without scarification to the Breast being taken away again
they obtaine from an inbred qualitie which nature hath bestowed upon them For the bloud being received by the spermatic vessels and there beginning to change it's colour is by and by received by the deferent vessels or the vessels which carry the bloud so prepared to the Testicles where it is for a while contained and afterwards being carried to the stones is by them made seed and the last work perfected And it may with more easiness be affirmed that the seed is generated by the stones because every like is said to generate its like now the substance of the Testicles is very like the seed it self that is white moist and viscous Whether the stones are the onely efficient causes of the seed is not here to be disputed being onely a nice point and no way profitable we shall rather with silence adhere to that opinion which affirmes the function of the testicles to be the generation of the seed which is the most likely and proceed to the next CHAP. IX Concerning the Vtilitie of the Testicles and their parts THe structure of the Testicles being thus known It remaines that wee shew you their use This is first discovered from their situation For of those creatures that have stones some have them in their bodyes as all Fowl others have them without though not pendent others have them hanging downward as men Men therefore have their Testicles without their bodys for two causes first because it is required that the Testicles of the male should be bigger and hotter then those of the female so that it were impossibe for them to be contained with the body because of their quantity Besides the seed of the male being the effective original of the creature and therefore hottest it is also required that the seed should be more abundant then could be contained in the Testicles were they placed within the body for the seminarie passages must have bin less and the veines themselves would not have afforded such plentie of matter as now they doe The motion of the Testicles is also to be considered by which they move somtimes upward and somtimes downward The one of these motions which is made upward is voluntary as being made by the muscles but the motion downward is a forced motion not happening without the laxitie of the muscles the Testicles through their own weight falling downwards These muscles are called Cremasteres their use being to draw up the Testicles to shorten the way for the Ejaculation of the seed as also to keep the vessels from being distended too far by the weight of the Testicles The use of the Tunicles is now to be spoken of and first of that which is outermost and is called by the Latines Scrotum being the purse wherein the Testicles are contained It is made to wrinkle it self up and to let it self loose that it may be large enough for the Testicles when they swell with plenty of seed and to wrinkle up again when the Testicles being emptied and so becoming less are drawn upward The other coates or tunicles also made for the defence of the stones but so thin and light that they should not oppress the stones with their weight that which is called Erythroides hath many veines for the nourishment of the Adjacent parts The Epididymis was made to wrap the testicle round about lest the Humid matter of the testicle should flow about and consequently be wasted CHAP. X. Of the vessels that east forth the seed THat passage which comes from the head of the testicles to the root of the yard is called the Ejaculatorie vessel This as I said before rises from the head of the testicles and joyning downward to the testicle descends to the bottome and thence being reflexed again and annext to the preparing vessel it returns againe to the head of the testicle from thence it proceeds upward from the Testicle till it touch the bone of the small guts still keeping close to the preparing vessel till it pierce the production of the Hypogastrium Thence tending downward through the hollowness of the hip it slydes between the bladder and the streight gut till it reach the glandulous Prostatae or forestanders and fix it self at the foot or root of the yard and there end It is not all one at the beginning and at the end for at the beginning while it remains among the tunicles of the testicles it is full of windings and turnings neer the end it hath many little bladders like to warts Now we must understand that these seminarie vessels doe not onely containe the seed but they perfit and concoct it having a seminifie or seed-making qualitie which they borrow from the Testicles There are other uses of these seminary vessels for neer the original of this vessel that is to say the head of the testicles many small passages or as it were conduit-pipes do stretch themselves forward into the body of the testicle into which the genital seed that remaines is remitted and also drawn or sucked from those passages this seminarie passage is at length wound above the testicles adjoyning all along but no where incorporated into the body of the Testicle unless at the bottom in which place it is thought that the seed doth again insinuate it self into the testicles through those hollow fibres being thence propagated and continually making supply to the stones It is to be noted also that these vessels while they move to the Root of the yard do not go by streigth passages which would be then very short but by crooked windings and turnings make the passages as long as may be that they may have longer time to containe and prepare the seed CHAP. XI Of the Seminarie bladders AT the end of the deferent vessels on both sides are certain little bladders knit and joyned together and placed between the bladder and the right gut the last of which together which the seminarie vessels is terminated in the prostatae or forestanders by a little channel These bladders have two several uses for they doe not only striengthen the seminarie vessels where they end but also seem to be the stores and magazines of the seed They are many that every time a man uses the act of venerie he may have a new supply of matter from these several vesicles Thus that which is next the yard being first disburdened the second is the next time emptied and so till all the store is spent and were it not for these vesicles a man could not lye which a woman more then once In these vessels such is the propensitie of nature to propagate let the body be never so much emaciated there is always found a lesser or greater quantitie of seed They are hollow and round to containe a greater quantitie of seed they are also full of membranes that they may be contracted or extended as the plenty of seed requires they are crooked and full of windings and turnings that the seed contained may not easily slip out CHAP.
better taking hold of the yard there is required a great heat for these kind of motions which growing more intense by the act of frication doth consume a great quantitie of moisture so that great vessels are requisite and onely able to make that continual supply that is needfull There is another cause of the longness of these vessels which is this because that the monthly purgations are poured through those veines for the flowers must not come onely out of the womb but out of the neck of the womb also whence it happens Note that women with child do somtimes continue their purgations because that though the wombe be shut up yet the passages in the neck of the womb are open The two holes or pits near the lips of the pudendum This is also further to be noted in the neck of the womb that as soone as ever your sight is entered within the female fissure there do appeare to the view two certaine little holes or pits where in is contained a serous humor which being pressed out in the act of copulation doe not a little add to the pleasure thereof This is the humor with which women doe moisten the top of a mans yard not the seed but a humor proper to the place voided out by the womb CHAP. VII Of the fabrick of the womb TO the neck of the womb the wombe it self is adjoyned in the lower part of the Hypogastrion where the Hips are widest and broadest which are greater and broader thereabouts then those of men which is the reason also that they have broader buttockes then men have The womb The womb is placed between the bladder and the straight Gut being joyned to the bladder and leaning upon the streight Gut where it lies as between two cushions this situation of the wombe was fittest that so it might have libertie to be stretched or contracted according to the biggness of the fruit contained in it The figure The figure of the wombe is round and not unlike a Gourd that lessens and growes more acute at the one end the bottome of the womb is knit together by Ligaments of its own which are peculiar The neck of the womb is joyned by its own substance and by certaine membranes to the share bone and the sacred bone As to the bigness The bigness of it that varies according to the age constitution of the body and use of venerie For it is much greater in women that have brought forth then in those that are with child and after the birth for the most part it exceeds the bigness of the bladder but in virgins it is for the most part equal to the bladder It is of a substance so thick as that it exceeds a thumbs bredth in thickness which after conception is so far from decreasing that it increases still to a greater bulk and proportion This substance the more to confirme it is interweaved with all manner of fibres The fibres streight oblique and overthwart The Vessels of the womb are Veins The veins Arteries and Nerves There are two little veines which are carried from the spermatick vessels to the bottom of the wombe and two greater from the Hypogastricks which go not onely to the bottom but to the neck The mouth of these veines pierce as farr as the inward concavitie in which place the extremities of them are called Acetabula which in the time of the flowers gape and open themselves by reason of the great plenty and stream of bloud that powres it selfe from thence and therefore they are at that time most conspicuous In women with Child that which is called the Liver of the wombe is joyned to them that it might draw blood for the nourishment of the child at which time these veins doe so swell but especially in the time of neer deliverie that they are as bigg as the Emulgent veines or at least half as thick as the Hollow veines It hath two Arteries The Arteries on both sides the Spermatick and the Hypogastrick which every where doe accompany the veines The womb hath also divers little Nerves knit together in forme of a net which are carried not only to the interior part of the bottom of the womb but also to the neck and as far as the privities themselves and that cheifly for sence and pleasure for which cause there is a great sympathy between the womb and the head This is also further to be noted Note that the womb in its situation is not fixed and immoveable but moveable by reason of two ligaments which hang on both sides from the share bone and piercing through the Peritonaeum are joyned to the bone it self so that it somtimes happens that through those holes of the Peritonaeum which give passage to these ligaments being loosned either the Omentum or Call or the Entrailes doe swell outwardly and cause the burstness either of the Caule or of the Guts and sometimes it happens by reason of the loosnes of those ligaments that the womb is moved with such a force that it falls down and in the act of Copulation is moved up and downe somtimes it moves upward that some women doe affirme that it ascends as high as their stomach Now though the womb be one continued body yet is it divided into the mouth and the bottom The bottom of the womb is called all that which by still assending stretches it self from the internal orifice to the end being narrow toward the Mouth but dilating it self by little and little till it come at the entrailes The mouth of the womb is that narrowness between the neck and the bottom it is an oblong and transverse Orifice but where it opens it selfe orbicular and round the Circumference very thick and of an exquisite feeling and if this mouth be out of order and be troubled with schirrus brawn or over-fatness over-moisture or relaxation it is the cause of barrenness In those that are big with child there uses to stick to this orifice a thick viscous glutinous matter that the parts moistened may be the more easily opened For in the deliverie this mouth is opened after a very strange and miraculous manner so that according to the bigness of the birth it suffers an equal dilatation from the bottom of the womb to the privy member CHAP. VI. Of the preparing vessels in women THe spermatick preparing vessels The vessels are two veins and two arteries differing not at all from those of men either in their number original action or use but only in their bigness and the manner of their insertion For as to their number there are so many veins and so many arteries as in men They arise also from the same place as in men that is to say the right from the trunk of the hollow vein descending the left from the left Emulgent There are two arteries The Arteries also on both sides one which grows from the Aorta these both
bring vital bloud for the work of generation As to the Longitude and Latitude of these vessels they are narrower and shorter in women only where they are wrinkled they are much more wreathed and contorted then in men for the way being shorter in women then in men nature required that for stretching out of these vessels that they should be more wrinkled and crankled then in men that the bloud might stay there in greater quantity for the preparation of the seed These vessels The insertion of the vessels in women are carried with an oblique course through the small guts to the stones being wrapt up in fatter membranes but in the mid-way they are divided into two branches whereof the greater branch goes to the stone constituting the varicous or winding body and those wonderful inoculations the lesser branch ends in the womb in the sides of which it is scattered up and down and chiefly at the higher part of the bottome of the womb for nourishment of the womb and of the birth and that some part of the flowers may be purged out through those vessels Now because the stones of women are seated near the womb for that cause these vessels fall not from the peritoneum neither make they such passages as in men neither reach they to the share bone CHAP. VII Of the Stones in Women THe stones of women although they do perform the same actions and are for the same use as mens yet they differ from them in scituation Their scituation substance temperament figure magnitude and in their covering They are seated in the hollowness of the Abdomen neither do they hang out as in men but they rest upon the muscles of the Loynes and this for that cause that they might be more hot and fruitful being to elaborate that matter which with the seed of man engenders man In this place arises a question not trivial A doubt whether the seed of woman be the efficient or the material cause of generation to which it is answered that though it have a power of acting yet that it receives the perfection of that power from the seed of man The stones of women differ from mens also as to their figure Their figure because they are not so round and oval as those of men being in their fore and hinder part more depressed and broad the external superficies being more unequal as if a great many knots and kernels were mixed together There is also another difference as to the subject because they are softer and moister then those of men being more loose and ill compacted The bigness and temper Their magnitude and temperament do also make a difference for the stones of women are much colder and lesser then mens which is the reason that they beget a more thin and watry seed Their coverings also do make a difference for mens are wrapt up in divers tunicles because being pendent outward they were otherwise more subject to external injuries but the stones of women have but one tunicle which though it stick very close to them yet are they also half cloth'd over with the Peritoneum CHAP. VIII Of the deferent or ejaculatory vessels THe deferent vessels are two blind passages on both sides one nothing differing in substance from the spermatick veines They rise in one part from the bottom of the womb neither doe they reach from their other extremitie either to the stone or to any other part but are shut up and unpassable adhering to the womb just as the the blind gut adheres to the Colon but winding halfe way about the stones are every waies remote from them no where touching them onely are tied to them with certaine membranes not unlike the winges of Bats through which certaine veines and arteries being produced from the stones doe run and end in these passages where they begin at the bottom of the womb they are hollow and large but as they proceed further on they grow narrower till near their end they do again obtain a larger bigness these two passages thus running from the corners of the womb to the stones are taken only to be certaine ligaments by which the stones and the womb are strongly knit together and these ligaments in women are the same things with the Cremasteres in men CHAP. IX Of the Actions and Uses of the Genital parts in Women IN the privie part are seen the Pubes the mountaines of veins the two lipps the Orifice under which the two wings lye hid the little knobs of flesh resembling myrtle berries the passages of the Urin and the Clytories As for the pubes and the Mountains of Venus they serve for this use that the great Orifice might be the better shut and to avoyd compression in copulation for which cause they are beset with haire and are covered with a hard kind of fat the great orifice receives the yard and gives passage to the Urine and the birth The use of the wings or knobs of flesh like Myrtle berries are for the defence of the internall parts shutting the orifice of the neck least cold aire dust or any other annoyances should hurt it from without and while they swell up they cause titillation and desire in those parts Lastly the passages of the Urine being shut up by the knobs of flesh resembling myrtle berries hinders the unvoluntarie passage of the Urine CHAP. X. Of the action of the Clytoris THe action of the Clytoris is like that of the yard which is erection which erection is for the motion and attraction of the seed CHAP. XI Of the action and use of the neck of the womb THe action of the neck of the womb is the same with that of the yard that is to say erection which is occasioned divers ways First all this passage is erected and made streight for the better conveyance of the yard to the womb Then while the whole passage is erected it is repleated with spirit and vital bloud whereby it becomes narrower for the more streight embracing of the yard The causes of this erection are first because if the womb were not erected the yard could not have a convenient passage into the womb secondly it would hinder convenient affrication without which the seed could not be drawn forth Lastly it hinders any hurt or damage which might be done by the violent force of the yard CHAP. XII Of the uses of the vessels running through the neck of the womb FIrst it is required that there should be a concurrence of divers veins and arteries for the nourishment of that part and though that part it self being full of membranes does not require much nourishment yet by reason that it is to suffer erection that could not be done but by bloud and spirits which are contained in these vessels besides although the fubstance of this part be of a cold temperament being notwithstanding still heated by the act of copulation that heat would soon consume a slender nourishment
which nature hath supplied by the concourse of these vessels Another cause of the plenty of these veins is nourishment of the birth and the exclusion of the flowers CHAP. XIII Of the actions of the womb THe first use of the womb is to attract the seed by a familiar sympathy just as the load-stone draws iron The second use is to retain it which is properly called conception The third is to cherish the seed thus attracted to altar it and change it into the birth by raising up that power which before lay sleeping in the seed and to reduce it from power into act The fourth action of the womb is to send forth the birth at the time prefixed the apt time of expulsion is when the expulsive faculty begins to be affected with some sence of trouble that is when the birth afflicts and oppresses the womb with its own weight Besides these uses it hath these moreover to nourish the birth and to dilate it self which it doth by the help of veins and arteries which do fill more and more with matter as nature requires The chiefest action of the womb and most proper to it The proper actions of the womb is the retention of the seed without which nothing of other action could be performed for the generation of man CHAP. XIV Of the utility of the womb FIrst it is the most fit place for copulation as being in a place furthest removed from the senses near which it were not fit to be by reason of the inconveniencies which would necessarily arise It is most fit to receive the birth as being hollow in which concavity the birth may increase to its full proportion every way It is most fit for the exclusion of the birth as being placed downward whereby the birth might help its self with its own weight and also by reason of the muscles of the Abdomen which serve for compression and do help the endeavours of the mother CHAP. XV. Of the Utility of the preparing vessels in women THe Utilities of these vessels are taken first from their original and from their insertion the right vein rising from the hollow and the left from the emulgent as in men that the more hot and purer bloud might come from the right vein for the procreation of males and the more serous and watry bloud from the Emulgent for the generation of women The vessels also in women are shorter then in men because the way is not so far to the stones which brevity of the vessels is lengthened out by the many turnings and windings with which those vessels are endued In the middle way those vessels divide themselves like a fork the greater part going to the stones carrying the matter for seed the lesser is carried to the womb where it scatters it self all along the sides of it for the Nutrition of the womb As for the Arteries they afford the bloud which is more full of spirits to perfect the seed CHAP. XVI Of the Utility of the stones THe use of the stones in women is the same as in men that is to say to prepare the seed and to make it fit for procreation They are seated within that they should not want a continual heat to cherish them for the matter of the seed being colder in men then in women it requires a greater heat which it would of necessity want were the stones placed outward like those of men and for that cause are they covered only with one tunicle that the heat of those parts may more easily pass to them And therefore the stones of women are softer then those of men because they should not perfect so substantial a seed and that the heat of the adjacent parts should not be wholly taken up in the cherishing of them Their figure is not exactly round Their figure but depressed that the little Meanders of the veins dispersed through the membrane from the stones to the deferent vessels might have more roome to be inserted for the attraction of the seed out of the whole substance of the stone The inequality and ruggedness of them makes for the longer stay of the seed in those crooked and winding vessels SECT III. CHAP. I. Of the signes of Conception Signs of conception HAving thus shewed you the Anatomy and use of the parts it will be requisite to discourse of the conception it self which is the main and chief end of these vessels And first of the signs of conception The signes of conception on the mothers side are certaine and apparent first if after she hath had the company of her husband she hath received more content then ordinary Pains in the head vertigo dimness of the eys all these concurring together portend conception the apples of the eyes decrease the eyes themselves swell and become of a dark colour the veins of the eyes wax red and swell with blood the eyes sink the eye-brows grow loose various colours appear in the eyes little red pimples rise in the face the veines between the nose and the eyes swell with blood and are seen more plain the vein under the tongue looks greenish the neck is hot the back-bone cold the veins and arteries swell and the pulses are observed more easily the veins in the breast first look of a black colour but afterward turn yellowish the teats looke red if she drink cold drinke she feeles the cold in her breast she loaths her meat and drinke she hath divers longings but her naturall appetite is destroyed continual vomitings follow and weakness of the stomach sower belches wormes about her navel faintness of the loynes the lower part of her belly swelling inward griping of the body the retention of the seed seaven dayes after the act of copulation after which act there is a cold and trembling which seizes the external members the attractive force of the womb increases the womb dries up It is also a certain sign of conception if the Midwife touching with her finger the interiour neck of the womb shall find it exactly closed so that the point of a needle will not go between the womb waxeth round and swels the flowers cease to flow for the veins through which they come down carry the bloud to the nourishment of the birth the thighs swell with some pain the whole body grows weak and the face waxes pale the Excrements proceed slower out of the body the Urine is white a little cloud swimming at the top and many atoms appear in the Urine Take the Urine of a woman and shut it up three days in a glass if she have conceived at the end of three days there will appear in the Urine certain live things to creep up and down Take also the Urine of a woman and put it in a bason a whole night together with a clean and bright needle in it if the woman have conceived the needle will be scattered full of red speckles but if not it will be black and rustie CHAP. II.
form of a plaister You may also use for this purpose plaisters of Melilot or Oxycroceum At length if all remedies faile the operation of the hand must be the last succour which we leave to the Chirurgion Of the Canker in the Breasts THe Canker is a venemous tumour hard and very much sweld hot and durable more exasperated oftentimes by remedies then asswaged The Canker proceeds from a feculent and grosse humour vvhich being gathered together in the spleen is chased away from thence after it growes too hot vvhich vvhen Nature cannot void it most commonly in Women empties it self upon the breast by reason of this cavernous and spongy nature the matter of it is a hot melancholy blood and it is known by the crooked vvinding and retorted veins that are about it stretching out long roots a good vvay from it being sometimes blackish and sometimes inclined to black and blew It is soft to see to but it is very hard to the touch extending the pain as far as the shoulders It wil sometimes remain for two years together no bigger then a bean afterwards it grows to be as big as a nut then to the bigness of an Egg and after that increasing daily to a larger size When the skin breaks there issues out a great deal of pestilent mattier thin and blackish and having a very bad smel The ulcer it self is very unequal the lips orifice thereof being sweld with hardness and inverted a light fever possesseth the body and often swoonings And many times the pestilencie of the humor having corroded a vein there issues out a great deal of blood If the canker be ulcerated or in any inward part of the body no medicine can prevail for remedies do more exasperate then help it To burn it with iron is pestilent and if it be cut with a penknife it returns again as soon as it is but skind over But if it be an exulcerated canker which is easily known arises from a more sharp matter for then the flesh is corrupted sending forth a very noysom mattier being very irksom to the sight and accompanied with a gentle Fever and swooning and issuing out of blood The cure of this is to be done by drying refrigerating medicines or by incision to the quick expression of the corrupted blood afterwards after which the wound must be wel cleansed for which purpose the powder which is called Hartmans blessed powder is very prevalent The diet must be of meats that moisten refrigerate blood-letting also is profitable as also preparatiō of the humor w th the juice of sweet smelling Apples and extract of Ellebore and often purgation with Lapis Lazuli pills and particularly if the Canker be not ulcerated you may apply this ointment Take Litharge one ounce beat it in a marble mortar with a leaden pestle incorporating into it two ounces of Rose water and oyle of Roses In case the pain be great use this remedy Take white poppy-seed one ounce oyle of Roses four ounces Henbane-seed and Opium of each a dram and a halfe gum Arabick halfe an ounce a little wax of which you may make an ointment If the Canker be already ulcerated take this water Take of the juices of Nightshade Housleek Sorrell Scabious Honysuckles Mullein Figwort dropwort Plantain Linarum Agrimony of each halfe a pound juyce of green Olives one pint the flesh of Frogs and river Crabs of each a pound and a half the whites of six Eggs Alum three ounces Camphire one dram let all these be distilled in a leaden Limbeck with the distilled water foment the part affected Take also Alum as much as a Nut Hony two peny worth red wine a pint seeth them together till the fifth part be spent strein it through a cloth and wash the Canker therewith Of the greatness of the Breasts THe greatness of the breasts is very unsightly the cause of their greatness is often handling of them store of windy vapours and retention of the monthly courses the cure of them is not to be neglected because the lesser the breasts be the less subject they are to be cankered they are cured by diet first wherein the use of astringent meats is to be recommended so that they be not windy by repercussion of the humors and bloud which flow to that part such are the juice of hemlock and the anointing of the place with partridge eggs or you may use this following cataplasm Take of the juice of hemlock three ounces of white lead Acacia and Frankincense of each three drams of Vinegar one ounce mingle all these together to which you may add powder of spunge burnt alum burnt lead Bole Armoniack and of these with a sufficient quantity of wax and myrtle make a very profitable ointment Thirdly by the discussion of that which is gathered together in that part for which purpose you may make an ointment in this manner Take of the mood or lome found in molis Tonsorum two ounces oyl of myrtle one ounce Vinegar half an ounce or thus take of the same lome and Bole Armoniack of each an ounce white lead two drams oyl of mastick two ounces and a halfe of the emulsion of henbane-seed one dram and a halfe anoint the breast with this and then upon that put a linen cloth dipt in the decoction of Oke Apples 4ly By compression of the part which is done by using a kind of plate of lead upon the breast anointed within side with oyle of Henbane-seed Of the defect abundance and coagulation of the Milk THe defect of milk arises from a double cause for either it is a defect in the blood which is dried up by reason of some hot maladies of the body either through intemperancie of the Liver through fasting or too much evacuation If the deficiency of milk come from these causes it may be increased again either by prepared chrystal the leaves also root and seed of Fenel do avail much in this particular and the powder of Earth-worms prepared and drunk in Wine as also the Electuary called Electuarium Zacuthi There is another cause which proceeds from the Lactifying quality which is many times so weak that it can neither attract nor concoct the blood by reason of some outward refrigerating and astringent qualities or by reason of some other diseases The cure of which being looked after in their respective places much conduceth to the restoring of that defect The redundance of blood proceeds from too great a plenty of blood and a strong lactifying quality In the cure of which the increase of blood is to be impeded which is done by drying up that humor and diversion to which blood-letting conduceth much Medicines also that drive it back are to be put upon the breasts toward the arms to which purpose Hemlock boyld in Chervile water and vinegar avails Curdling of the milk is when the thinner part of the milk exhales and the more grosse and heavy part stayes behinde which many
times is the cause of tumors kernels and Apostems In this case the infant is not to suck the part affected though that breast is also to be suckt for fear lest the milk which is newly generated should be curdled and knotted by that which is there already and so that part of the coagulated milk may be hindered from putrifying To the dissolving of the milk it much conduceth to wash the breast with water wine and vinegar mixt together as also a Fomentation made of the decoction of Marsh-mallows Fenugreek and melilote and then anointing them with a liniment of Oyl of Roses Oyl of sweet Almonds juice of Parsley and Vinegar wherein let the gall of a Hare be first dissolved Hemlock water in this case also is not a little commended Of the Diseases of the neck of the Womb and first of the Disease called Tentigo TEntigo is a Disease in Women when the Clitoris increases to an over-great measure the subject of this disease is the Clitoris or nervous peece of flesh which the lips or wings of the privities do imbrace and which suffers erection in the act of venery the signes of it are evident for it hangs below the orifice of the privity as bigg as the neck of a Goose the causes hereof are a great concourse of humours or nutriment by reason of the laxity of it which happens by often handling The cure is performed by the diminution of the bloud and drawing out of the other humors A slender and refrigerating dyet is also necessary and such things as have a discussive faculty as the leaves of Mastick tree and the leaves of Olive tree In the next place by taking away the excrescence to which purpose gentle causticks may be first applyed as Alum and the Aegyptiac oyntment and that lye whereof sope is made being boyled with Roman Vitriol to which at last you may add some opium and form the composition into Trochisques which being afterwards made into a powder is to be sprinkled upon the fleshieexcrescence at length the flesh is to be cut away either by binding hard or by section care being taken that you avoid an inflammation There is another disease which is called Cauda which is a carnous substance proceeding from the mouth of the womb which sometimes fils up the privy parts and sometimes thrusts it self outwards like a tayl The cure of this is the same with the former onely if it come to section it may be done either with a horse-hair or a silken thread wound about it being first dipt in sublimate water or else with a knife Of the narrowness of the neck of the Womb. THis narrowness is either of the Womb it self or of the orifice of the Womb the signes are the stoppage of the Courses followed with a depressing and weighty paine The cause is partly natural from the nativity and partly varies according to the differences of the disease the difference is in this it hapning sometimes that this streightness consists in the exterior orifice whereby neither the flowers have free passage neither can she enjoy coition or conceive with child because she cannot receive either the man or the seed Sometimes the narrowness is in the interior orifice of the Womb into which the flowing retires back again to the absolute hindrance of conception sometimes it is occasioned by way of compression when the Caul being fatter then ordinary lies upon the neck of the Womb. Sometimes the splaying of the thighs stone in the bladder or some tumor in the streight gut Sometimes it happens by the clinging of other parts together which happens either from the birth and then either the flesh which appears red and is soft to the touch intercepts the passage or else the membrane which seems white feels hard being touched In the cure of this the use of moist fomentations is very prevalent and an insection is to be made perpendicularly great care being taken for feare of hurting the neck of the bladder The humour is next to be provoked forth and a Tent dipt in some suppurating plaister is to be put up the next day it is to be washed with water and honey and cicatrizing plaisters to be applied if it come after the birth it is either occasioned by an ulcer and then either the sides of the neck cling together in which case either incision or cauterization is to be used or else there is a brawnie substance which is to be cut away with a penknife or else some spungie luxuriant flesh in which case drying and discussing Medecines are to be used as Birthwort Frankincense Myrrh and Mastick afterwards you may apply things to eat it away and last of all to cut it away by incision Of Wheals condylomas of the Womb and of the Hemorrhoids THe Wheals of the VVomb are certaine risings in the neck of the womb which by their acrimony excite both paine and itching The signes of them are an itching paine and fall of scurf from that part for the better searching of which the instrument called speculum Matricis is to be used The cause of this are certain cholerick sharp and adust humors and thick which falling upon these moist and loose places do there easily make their way The cure depends upon the consideration of the causes Among the preparing Medecines syrup of Fumitory is much commended and Cichorie with a decoction of Lupines Topicks also are useful that discuss and mitigate the humor as baths and insessions and the washing of the place with wine and Nitre which is often to be used These wheals are divided into gentle and venemous which are said to be contagious they are to be washed in a water thus made Take of Aloes the quantity of a pea of the flowr of brass the quantity of half a pea powder these and mingle them in an ounce of white wine Plantain-water and Rose-water of each an ounce which is to be kept in a glass vessel Condylomas are certaine swelling wrinkles in the neck of the Womb with pain and heat There is no need to tel the signes of these for they are apparent to the eye the wrinkles are like those which appear in the hand when you close the fist but are much bigger when the courses flow they are caused by adust and thick humors some of these are with an inflamation which have more paine and heat and the swelling is hard In the cure of which you must use insessions and fomentations that ease paine sometimes they come without any inflammatiō which if they be new come are to be dryed up if they be old they are first to be softned afterwards to be digested and dryed up for which purpose you may use powder of Egg-shels burnt or this Ointment Take of the Trochisques of steel one dram powderd mixt with a little Oyl of Roses and wax with half an ounce of the juice of Mullein if this profit not the warts are to be shaved away with a knife and an astringent
the face it arises from causes contrary to the former it is cured by contrary diet by hot medicines applied to the womb among which the roots of Birthwort Clove-Gilliflowers Angelica and Eringos are very much commended The leaves also of Mercury Baulm Dittany Penyroyall Sage Rosemary Mugwort flowers of Centaurie Marigolds Sage Rosemary Borage and sundry spices as Nutmegs Cubebs Saffron and Cinamom These kinde of compounds are also very usefull as oyle of Mace oyle of Amber oyle of Myrrhe and of Cinamom There is another intemperancie of the womb which comes of moisture and is joyned most commonly with the cold intemperancie it is known by the plenty of the courses and by thinnesse and watrinesse of them as also the moistnesse of the privities by reason of the moistnesse of the excrements no pleasure in the act of venery and pronenesse to abortion by reason of the growth of the birth It hath the same original with the frigid intemperancie and happens most commonly to women who are lazy and sedentary it is cured with the same medecines as the former onely this may be added that a fume may be made of the shavings of Ivory and the decoction of Sage being received into those parts before supper is very much commended Baths of Sulphur do also profit much There is another distemper of the womb which is dry which is discerned by the want of seed and the defect of the courses by slownesse to venery drinesse of the mouth of the womb by a blackish colour of the lower lip which is alwayes chapt It sometimes arises from the very nativity which causes a dry and lean constitution of body sometimes through age and then women cease to bring children sometimes from inflammations and such like diseases sometimes from a defect of blood which ought to moisten the parts which happens either through a narrownesse and obstruction of the veins or else because it being voided out at the neck of the womb cannot pierce to the bottom The cure of this is performed first by a contrary diet where you must also avoid much labour watching hunger and sadnesse Secondly by the use of moistning things amongst which are most commended Borage Bugloss Mercury Mallows Violets Among outward means Bathes of sweet water and unctions with oyle of sweet Almonds oyle of white Lillies Hens-grease and the marrows of Calves legs The cure is the more hard if the driness have been of any long continuance There is another which is a compound distemper which is most often cold and moist which is discerned by comparing the signes of the simple distemperatures together It arises from flegmie humors The cure is performed by preparing the matter with hot things by evacuation of the matter with such Medecines as are most proper to purge flegme as also by a particular pargation of the Womb it self to which purpose pessaries do very much conduce as also sulphury and drying baths as also the use of sudorificks or things that provoke sweat may be very profitable as the decoctions of Lignum sanctum China Sarsaparilla and mastick wood Of the narrowness of the Vessels of the VVomb THe signes of the narrowness of the vessels of the Womb are partly the retention of the flowers so that they cannot flow as also the hindrance of conception by reason that the passage of the blood is intercepted The causes are partly external as from astringent baths and Medecines which is known from the relation of the party affected it is cured more easily by moistning and mollifying medicines The other causes are internal as from flesh or membrane clinging to the orifices of the womb or by a closing up of the orifices of the veins by reason of some violent extraction of the secondines which is commonly incurable the only cure which may be tryed is by mollifying applications Another cause is deduced from obstruction which arises from certain thick viscous and copious humors flowing from other parts of the body the heat of those places not being able to attenuate them or else gather together in the womb it self by reason of the weakness of the heat of that part it is discerned by the same signs as the cold distemper there being also a slimy matter which now and then comes down from the womb It is cured as other obstructions by sharp and bitter Medicines and steel wine as also baths made with opening and mollifying things Sometimes this narrowness arises from a compression of the parts occasioned either by some swelling or Scirrhus either within or without the womb if this be there do appear manifest signes of swelling it is an evil for the most part incurable many times it is occasioned by an over fatness of those parts which is plain to the sense Of the puffing up of the Womb. THe puffing up of the Womb is a windy swelling of that part occasioned from a cold flegmie and flatulent matter which is increased through the defect of natural heat in the Womb This is called the windy mole it giving hopes of a conception The signes of this are a distention of the womb not far from the midriff which is now increased now diminished sometimes extending it self to the navel sometimes to the loyns and Diaphragma It differs from the Dropsie partly because the swelling is not so great and the party affected is not much troubled with thirst by the increasing and diminishing of the tumor and by the upper parts not being so lean It is distinguished from the Dropsie of the womb by the fore-apprehension of the causes that beget those windy vapours by the sound and less ponderosity as also by a feeling of an extensive and pricking pain in the womb and parts adjoyning It is also distinguished from an inflation of the intestines because here is no great pain neither is the Patient hard bound yet the Flowers are suppressed and the feet and hollow of the eyes do swel and the colour of the body is changed the woman draws her breath short and is sad and when she awakes is fain to lift up her head to take breath It differs from a mole because there is not that heaviness and ponderosity in the womb besides the woman doth not feel the burden of her womb tumble from one side to the other It is distinguished from conception by the sound and by the increasing and decreasing of the swelling and by the deadness of the motion not like that of a dead infant For if the Midriffe be violently compressed the winde being then compelled to the part adjoyning there is a kinde of palpitating motion perceived through all the Midriff The matter of this distemper is generated either in the womb it self or by reason of the suppression of the courses or by the interception of due purgation after delivery Many times it comes through the veins and seminal vessels Now the weaknesse of the heat proceeds sometimes from the external aire sometimes from hard delivery from the suppression of the
courses from abortion c. The cure is performed after the same way that other cures are remedied among those things that purge Species Hierae and Diaphaenicon with Castor are most commended for Fumes Nutmeg is counted the best for potions Nutmegs bruised and boiled with the roots of Mather and drunk in six ounces of wine and two drams of sugar Sometimes this winde gets into the cavity of the womb and then the neck and orifice of the womb is closed so that nothing can go forth when the woman is moved or when the Midriffe is pressed down with her hand and then a kinde of noyse and sound is perceived Sometimes the winde gets into the tunicles of the womb and then the mouth of the womb may be open by reason of the shutting up of the windy vapours in a narrow place there goes a noyse forth and the pain grows greater and extends farther This is more hard and difficult to be cured then that which is in the concavity of the womb Of the inflammation of the Womb. THe inflammation of the womb is a swelling of the same through the putrefaction of blood which is fallen down into its substance having many symptoms now tending to a Scirrhus now toward an Apostem The signes are various There is a swelling in the womb with heat and pain and a retraction of the womb to the more inward parts the neck of the womb appears red with little veins scattered up and down in it like the web of a spider There is sometimes a difficulty of breathing with some kinde of pleurisie because the interior tunicle of the womb being extended which rises from and is joyned to the Peritoneum the parts also to which that coheres are stretched The excrements of the belly and bladder are detained by reason of the heat and drinesse of the belly and the compression of the passages Sometimes the whole body of the belly seemeth empty and filled with water and the navell hangs forward and the mouth of the womb is made very slender and close and upon a sudden a few depraved courses come down then happens a burning Fever by reason of the great sympathy with the womb and the heart occasioned through the Arteries and great vessels There is a pain in the breastâ— with a swelling in them by reason of the consent and agreement between the groyns the hips the septum transversum clavicularum and the fore-part of the head which is extended to the roots of the eyes as also from the vapours which rise from the putrified blood to the head through the arteries that run along through the neck passing by both parts of the infundibulum into the fore-part of the head The cause of this consists in the blood which is sometimes mixed with choler and sometimes with melancholy The cure is difficult if the blood in that part be wholly putrified for that causeth a sordid humor vvhich consumes the patient vvith a continual Fever If it be an Erisypelas or St. Anthonies fire there is no cure at all because the Birth dies by reason of the excessive heat which causes abortion to follow which kils the woman if it turn to a gangreen it is deadly it is cured as other inflammations which may be observed in the following Chapters Only observe that for revulsion you must not let blood in the veinâ—s of the thighs for that draws down the blood to the womb but in the arm the blood flowing from the liver and the parts adjoyning For deriving of the matter you may cut a vein in the hamm unlesse the woman be with child for that wil cause abortion Refrigerating and moistning topicks without any binding faculty may be wel applyed to which purpose the decoction of Serpillus prepared with Chalybeat water and outwardly applyed with a sponge is an excellent Remedy These inflammations sometimes affect the whole womb and sometimes either side of the womb which causes the heat to descend into the hip because of the ligaments of the womb which are carried thither the thigh is difficultly moved and the groins are inflamed sometimes the inflammation possesseth the posterior part which causes the Belly to be bound and a pain in the loines and back bone sometimes it possesseth the forepart which because it coheres to the Bladder the urine is suppressed or made very difficultly and the paine is extended above the privities sometimes it possesses the bottom of the womb which causes such a pain in the lower part of the Belly that it is hardly to be touched and the pain extends to the navel There is another inflammation which degenerates into a Scitrhus where all the symptoms are not so dangerous yet there is a great heaviness perceived in the parts adjoyning This evil is diuturnal and commonly ends in the Dropsie sometimes it turns to an Apostem swelling til it break In this case the body is troubled with a shivering especially towards the evening when the Apostem is broken sometimes it empties it self into the concavity of the womb wherein there is lesse danger and sometimes into other parts of the body which causes sometimes a stoppage in the Urine and sometimes in the belly with a swelling of the hairy parts and the feeling of something floating up and down Of the Scirrhus of the Womb. THe Scirrhus of the Womb is a hard swelling of the said part without paine begot by some thick earthy and feculent humor the signes â—esides others that are general are these in particular The flowers at the beginning are either wholly stopt or flow very sparingly the evil increasing there is a great Flux of blood by intervals the mouths of the veines being opened more then ordinary or because the Womb is not able to receive or to retaine its wonted proportion of blood it is distinguished from the Mole because in that distemper the Flowers if they flow flow inordinately the breasts swel with milk which in the Scirrhus grow very lank The cause of this is a gross feculent humor being a thick blood sometimes Flegmy sometimes Melancholy which happens to those who decline in their age or to those who have been troubled with a squeamishand naught stomach often it arises from an ill cured inflammation through the use of medecines that cool too much The cure is difficult either because having been dryed for a long time they cannot be softned or because the natural heat in those places where the Scirrhus is is for the most part extinct and then because while the humour is mollifying if it have conceived any putrefaction it easily turns to the Canker for the cure it is the same as of the Breasts It differs either as being in and possessing the substance of the womb which causes the womb to lean downward upon the hip and back and there begets pain sometimes possessing the neck of the womb which is discerned by touching it and is cured more easily then the former if it be in the upper part
so firmly annexed to the right gut and to the privities it would necessarily follow that those parts should be also stretched And though it happen to be stretched and distended by the windy vapours yet it follows not that therefore it should be moved upward and whereas women do say that they do somtimes perceive a certain round body moving about the region of the navel that may rather be said to be the stones and that blind vessel then the womb Of the wounds of the Matrix this must be noted that they are very difficult to be cured Yet the cure is to be assayd five manner of wayes by the use of things which do evacuate the peccant humor which is done partly by a good order of dyet and living in a dry and temperate aire Longer sleep then ordinary and the avoiding of exercise in this case is to be observed and instead thereof to use moderate frictions all repletions and a loose Belly are naught the meat that she eats must be little and contrary to the humor that offends as reare eggs Milk Chicken Broths and the meat of them dry Raisins Almonds and Pistaches For her drink it ought to be chiefly the decoction of Barly or liquorice In the next place it will not be amiss to let blood in the Basilick vein let her take some convenient purge according to the humour which abounds Vomitings also and frictions may be used and the provoking of sweat by the decoction of Guaiacum Sarsaparil China root which are very proper to turn away the humors from the Matrix Sometimes this happens from an intemperancie of the womb which if it be cold the womb is not able to concoct sufficient quantity of nourishment and therefore heaps up together many excrements if it be moist it is not able to contain either the blood or the seed or the birth as it should do The cure of this is above touched in the chapter of Distempers There is another difference which is taken from the occult qualities which the womb is seen to have there being a sympathy and antipathy between that and divers things as to covet the seed of man and to love sweet things and then the affection arises from no evident cause there being no excesse of coldnesse or moisture to be apprehended The medecines which are to be applied for the cure of this must be proper in their whole substance Sometimes the difference ariseth in this that the naturall heat is either suffocated or dissipated this affection is something dangerous because it is a difficult matter to restore the naturall heat In the cure of this restoratives must be notwithstanding used such are Cinamom Nutmeg Species diaxyloaloes Aromaticum Rosatum Of the pain of the womb THere is no need to give other signes of this then the complaint of the woman it affects women that are both free and women that are with childe It happens sometimes from corroding humours especially caused by ulcers or vitious flowers The cure whereof is referred to these heads sometimes it happens from a distention caused either by some curdled blood sticking in the cavity of the womb and then there is a copious flux of blood out of the womb and the pain is fixed chiefly about the orifice of the womb the right gut and the bladder being affected by reason of the continuall desire of expelling forth the humor In the cure first you must seek to dissolve the clotted blood which is done by the use of Treacle dissolved in wine and then to evacuation which is performed with Agaric Aloes with the juice of Savine decoction of Rosemary with the flowers of Cheiri in wine Sometimes it is caused by the menstruous blood when the vessels are more open or the blood too thick which happens through the overmuch use of cold drink especially when the woman is hot The cure may be found in the cure of the suppression of the flowers Sometimes it is caused by other vitious humours collected in the concavity of the womb or adhering to the other vessels then these humours are to be removed with purging and evacuating medecines Sometimes windy vapours are the cause hereof arising from the heat of the vitious humours caused by copulation It is cured by things that discusse the winde to which purpose it may not be amisse to use a Clyster made of Malmesey and oyle of Nuts of each three ounces of Aquavitae one ounce of oyle of Juniper and distild Rue of each two drams applied warm or a mixture of spirit of wine and spirit of Nitre of each half a dram or two scruples exhibited in spirit of wine Sperma Coeti with oyle of sweet Almonds or a plaister of Caranna and Tachamahacca applied to the navel Sometimes it is occasioned by the retention and corruption of the seed For the cure look the Chapter of the suffocation of the Matrix Of the suppression of the Flowers THe suppression of the Flowers is the retention of the menstrual blood either by reason of the narrowness of the vessels or through some corruption of the blood The signes are evident from the relation of the woman yet if they are loath to confesse it may be discerned by this For in virgins the suppressed blood wanders up and down the veins and begets obstructions changing the colour of the body and causing Fevers In women because the blood is carried down to the womb where it begets many diseases it is distinguished from retention after conception because women with child find no alteration of affections of the minde and retain the native colour of their bodies and in the third moneth they shal perceive the motion and situation of the Infant and lastly the mouth of the Womb is closed up The causes of this distemper are the narrowness of the veins and the vitiousness of the blood The cure of this must be hastened because this suppression if it stay long begets many more diseases as Fevers Dropsies Vomiting of blood and the like the cure is hard if it be of any continuance and if it stay beyond the sixt moneth it is almost incurable especially if it happen through any perversion of the neck of the womb for then the Woman is troubled with often swooning and vomiting of blood and a paine seizes the parts of the Belly the back and the back-bone which is attended with a Fever and the excrements of the Belly and bladder are suppressed a weariness possesses the whole body because of the diffusion of the retained blood through the whole body and especially the hips and thighs because of the sympathy of those parts with the veins of the womb In the first place the letting of blood is commended for the blood which every moneth staies in the body sticks in the veins is to be provoked downward to the womb and therefore a vein is to be opened in the heel for so the plenty of blood is diminished and the motion of the blood is made
when the Woman is troubled with difficulty of breathing In the third place ligatures and frictions of the arms are to be used Another difference of this disease arises from a sharp blood which is known by the gnawing of the humor upon the vessels In the cure you must purge with syrup of Roses solutive or with leaves of Sene a pessary of sows dung and Asses dung which is made up with Plantain water and the muscilage of the seed of Quinces is here of use if need require Another difference arises from a serous and watry blood for either the liver is weakned or the veins so debilitated that it cannot attract the serous or wheyie humor in the blood in this case the blood flows not forth in such a quantity nor is easily curdled if a cloth be dipped in it and then dryed in the shade it presently discolours In the cure hereof you must look to the rectifying of the weaknes of the reins and liver with convenient remedies for which purpose the livers of Foxes Calves Hens c. are very good Sometimes from a rupture of the veins which proceeds either from a fulness of blood or from causes that do vehemently stir up the blood especially from hard labour if it be needful you must let blood and apply conglutinating medecines Or from a gnawing of the vessels which is known by this that sometimes there flows forth little blood and that purulent and full of the wheyie or serous humour It arises from a sharp and corrupt blood and sometimes from the use of sharp medecines Among the astringent medecines the root of Filipendula is much to be commended or a decoction of the same root Of the Whites Gonorrhea in women THe Whites is an inordinate eruption of an excrementitious humour collected together through some vitiousnesse of the blood It affects women chiefly and sometimes also Virgins of which there are examples yet it is more often in women especially if they be of a moist constitution and live an idle and delicate life eating such things as are cold and moist Old women also are affected herewith through the abundance of flegme and the weakness of the concoctive faculty If differs from the Gonorrhea because in that the seminal matter is white and thicker and flows by longer intervals and issues forth in a lesser quantity from a nocturnal pollution for that is joyned with venereal imaginations and onely happens in the time of sleep It differs from the discolouring of the flowers for they though not exactly do always observe their times of flowing Besides they happen not to women with childe or such whose courses are stopped It differs from the putrid humour that issues from the ulcers of the womb because that is joyned with the signes of an ulcer and the putrefaction is thicker and whiter if it be mattrie it is coloured with blood and issues forth with pain The cure of this must be hastened because in a short time it endangers the making of women barren causing them to be lean to fall into a consumption melancholy the dropsie fall of the womb swoonings and convulsions which is the cause that though it be not hard to be cured in the beginning yet it is afterwards very difficult for by this means the whole body accustoms it self to send forth its excrements this way and the womb being now weakned gathers excrements apace Sometimes it proceeds from the whole body and then you may perceive the signes of an ill humour through the whole body In the cure of this you must avoid blood-letting for that the bad humours must not be recalled to defile the blood besides that the disease is a sufficient weakning and consuming of the body The humour is discussed by the decoction of Guaiacum and China and Lentisk wood For the drying up of the humour the root of Filipendula doth very much conduce For astringent medecines you may use chiefly the powder of dead mens bones the ashes of Capons dung in rain-water The patient must avoid sleeping upon her back lest the heat of the Lungs should carry the humours towards the womb Frictions also of the upper parts for the diversion of the humour Sometimes it is caused by the womb it self and then there will appear signes of the affection of the womb and the flux is not so great For the cure of this suffumigations of Frankincense Ladanum Mastick and Santalum are very requisite Of the Green-sicknesse THe Green-sicknesse is a changing of the colour of the face into a green and pale colour proceeding from the rawnesse of the humors The signes of this appear in the face to which may be added a great pain in the head difficulty of breathing with a palpitation of the heart a small and thick beating of the arteries in the neck back and temples sometimes inordinate Fevers through the vitiousnesse of the humours loathing of meat vomiting distention of the Hypochondriack parts by reason of the reflux of the menstruous blood to the greater vessels a swelling of the whole body by reason of the abundance of humours or of the thighs and legs above the heels by reason of the abundance of serous humours The cause is the crudity and rawnesse of the humour and quantity withall arising from the suppression of the courses through the natural narrownesse of the vessels or through an acquired narrownesse of the vessels by the eating of oatmeal chalk earth nutmegs and drinking of vinegar or from the obstruction of the other bowels Hence arises an ill concoction in the bowels and the humours are carried into the habit of the body or become habitual thereto The cure is performed by the letting of blood especially in the heel if the disease be of any continuance by purgation preparation of the humour being first considered which is performed by the decoction of Guaiacum with Cretan Dittany purging of the humour is performed with Agarick Aloes Succotrin with the juice of Savine for the unobstructing of the humour prepared steel the root of Scorzonera Bezoar stone and oyle of Chrystall in diet vinegar is utterly to be avoided Of the Suffocation of the Matrix THe signes of the suffocation of the womb are a wearines of the whole body with a weakness of the thighs a palenes and sadness of the face a nauseousness though seldom vomiting oftentimes a loathing and distast of meat and that sometimes with a grumbling and noise in the belly and sometimes without The signs of the present disease are that when the vapours are carried up to the heart and do there stop the vital spirits a light swooning follows the pulse changes is little the body grows cold all the spirits flying up into the heart the vapour being thrust up to the head and chaps the chaps are many times set fast the Patient seeming to be stifled the motion of the breast and Diaphragme is disturbed and hindred so that the breath is almost stopt the Patient living only by transpiration
navel Of Looseness in Children LOoseness of the belly happens either in the time of Teeth breeding or out of the time in the time of breeding teeth either by reason of the corruption of the nutriment or by reason of over-much watching through the pain of the teeth or by reason of a Fever and some unnatural heat it must not be suddenly stopt if it be not overcopious and that the infant can indure it the belly must be afterwards cleansed with Roses solutive and afterwards stopped great observation being had whether the cause come from a hot or cold distemper Of Burstness in Children BUrstness happens to children either by reason that the peritonaeum is burst through crying or falling or splaying with the thighs For the cure whereof the child must be kept quiet and stil from crying upon which after the part affected is wel bound up you may give the child inwardly of the essence of the greater Consound one spoonful with two drops of Balsam of sal Gemma You may also foment the place with a Fomentation made of the roots of the greater Consound and Osmundi regulis the bark of Elme and Fraxi of each half an ounce the leaves of Plantain Mullein Centinode Herniar Horsetail flowers of Camomil red Roses and Meliot of each a handful and a half Balust Cypress nuts and acrons of each two drams put these into two sacks and boyl them in equal parts of sour wine and Smiths water for a Fomentation to be used for a quarter of an hour then you may lay on a Plaister of the red drying Ointment eleven ounces powder of Mastick Olibanum and Sarcocol Cypress-nuts of each one dram with a little wax and oyl of Mastick to make a plaister which must be put upon the place affected and bound down with a little pillow Sometimes this burstness proceeds from a watry humor abounding in the Abdomen which descending into the Codds causeth them to swel for which you may use with good success this Ointment Take of Vnguent Comitiss and the red drying Ointment of each two ounces Pigeons dung half an ounce live Sulphure three drams powder of Lawrel berries and mustard-seed of each a dram oyle of Dill and Venice Turpentine of each 3 drams wax as much as sufficeth this is also an extraordinary Remedy for the Burstness proceeding from wind Of the Inflammation of the Navell THe inflammation of the Navel ariseth when the blood gathers thither by reason of some external hurt the danger is very great if it should apostemate and so the guts fall down and therefore suppuration must be hindred as much as may be Of the jutting forth of the Navel THis differs from the inflammation because here the Navel doth not give way to the touch neither is the colour of the skin changed neither is there any very great paine or pulse unless the intestines are very much fallen it proceeds from the ill binding thereof at first which is incurable or when a greater portion then necds of the Navel string is left Secondly from a laxation of the Peritonaeum and then the tumor is equal nor doth the Navel jut forth very far in the cure hereof you must let the child abstain from all windy meats and from much crying Sometimes it is occasioned by the rupture of the Peritonaeum and then the swelling is hardly perceived when the child lies upon his back but increaseth and swels forward when he walks sits cries and bawls in the cure of this the mosse that grows upon the wild Prune-tree is very much commended or you make little Swathbands of Leather and anoint them with Oxycroceum Of the Stone in the Bladder THis is known by the coming forth of the Urine by drops and with paine which is sometimes unmixed sometimes containing a kinde of serous humor sometimes dyed with a little blood it is produced either by the milk which is ingendered of meats that do increase the Stone or through a hot distemper of the Liver which attracts the Chylus and sends it unaltered to the bladder for the Cure you must use Baths among which this is commended to anoint the bladder withall take Oyl of Scorpions oyl of bitter Almonds Conies-grease and Hens grease of each an ounce and a half and of the juice of Parietarie Or take sal Tartar one ounce parsley-water a pint mix them through a fine paper rubd over with the rindes of Oranges and give a smal quantity thereof Of the not holding of the Vrine THis ariseth either from the muscle which shuts the orifice of the Bladder which is so disposed that it is loosed upon the least exciting of the Urine and grows so into a habit that it many times accompanies them to their graves or from the stone in the bladder or from the weakness of the sphincter proceeding from a cold moist distemper which is cured partly by the good dyet of the Nurse and partly by convenient Medecines among which a bath made of Sulphure Nitre and the leaves of Oak is exceeding good Of the Intertrigo WHen the little skin in the hips is separated from the true skin it arises first from the sharpness of the Urine especially in children that are more corpulent by reason of the dirt which frets the skin being gathered together in the wrinkles Bathe the place and then sprinkle upon it either white Nihili or anoint it with oyl of Litharge Of Leanness THis arises either from a subtle kinde of Worms which are generated in the most musclely parts of the back and arms and consume the body They break forth sometimes like to black haires if you wash those parts with a Bath mixed with bread and hony they are taken away either with a Razor or with a crust of bread Secondly it arises from the smal quantity of milk which is often-times remedied by changing the Nurse Of the difficulty which Children have to make water IF the Disease proceed from sharpness of the Urine the Nurse must use such a way of dyet as is proper for the tempering and cooling of the blood she must be purged let blood using afterwards cooling refrigerating broths If it proceed from any gross humor ingendered in the bladder the Nurse must abstain from all meats that do breed gross humors as milky meats Pease and Beans and such like If the child be troubled with gravel which may be perceived by the whiteness and rawness of the Urine with a gravelly setling at the bottom and the continual pain in making water if the Child be any thing bigg let a potion be given him of an ounce and half of sweet Almonds an ounce of Pellitory water and two drams of the juice of Limons use as much of this at a time as is convenient Or take of this powder of the blood of a Hare six ounces of the root of Saxifrage one ounce burn them in an earthen â—ot if the Infant suck give him a scruple of this powder in a little milk