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
Midwives that handle me I wil change mine cries another for that trick also so that many out of a kind of fear have a greater desire and wil to be complacent then to do wel and so â—itting with their hands before them entertaine their Patients with discourse who for all that feeling their paines are constrained to thrust forward upon which the head of the Infant coming first for the most part the womb serves for a Head-band which comes forth before it whereas might the Midwife be permitted to touch the Patient they might put back the womb and prevent many accidents that happen in lyings in which happens sometimes to be a total relaxation of the Matrix of which when the Women complain to their complacent and flattering Midwives They reply why Mistress you know I did not touch and besides I am not in fault if you have been touched this is the fruit of their reproaches You will say there are abundance of Country Women that the Midwife never toucheth at all and they do not know scarcely whether a Woman lye in or no unless they see the Infant appear but they are not free from the disease whereof I speak for I have seen so great a company of them that I have been afraid to behold them This comes say the Midwives because they touched them not and that it is occasioned either because the Infant is too bigg or they say it is a burstness or the coming down of the great gut the most subtile put up a clew of thread the others a ball of wax which easeth a little while but comes out again every hour Of a Childe which they thought sick of the Epilepsie occasioned by the sickness of the Mother and of the cause ONe day there came to me a Gentlewoman to desire me that I would give her something for her Daughter that was sick of the Mother when her Mother related what she ailed I desired to see her I saw her and she had in one hour two several fits which was an affrightment attended with very much yawning after which she remained in a very great weakness all which time the mouth of the child was drawn more to one side then the other the eyes when she was out of the fit were open and fixed in one place I inquired of the Mother at what age her Daughter came to be first troubled with it who answered that she had been in this Town for something more then a year and that before that time she was never troubled with any such thing I gave her the best counsel that I could and first of all bid her to carry her again to the place where she was first nursed using some few Remedies that were convenient which prospered so wel that after she came thither she had but one fit though she had them so frequently before Of this no other cause can be given but that the place where she lived for that year being thicker then that where she was nursed caused in her a stirring of the humors with which the mother was continually afflicted she being disposed naturally to that kind of disease Of a young Woman who being struck upon the belly by her Husband with his foot was in great pain and could not be brought to bed without the help of a Chirurgeon I Will here relate a thing which I have seen in a young Woman that if the like accident should happen the same Remedies may be applyed There came a Woman to me to declare to me a disease with which she was troubled defiring me to do my utmost for that hitherto she could not lye in without the help of a Chirurgeon who had already killed two of her children I knowing what an ill Husband she had and that he had given her a blow upon the belly with his foot and had broken the Peritonaeum which was the reason that part of her guts hung down upon the share-â—bone like the bagg of a bagpipe to which place being bigg the Womb jutted out so that when the time came the Infant had not liberty to turn it self so that the Midwife seeing she could not have the child without losing the Woman was feign to make use of the Chirurgeon I considered her disease and ordered her to carry a swathe-band such a one as VVomen with child carry to support their bellies onely made a little more hollow and I caused her to wear it as they that are burst do wear half slopps lying smooth with cushionets within and never to fig 3 fig 4 Explanation of the third figure THis figure contains the birth at full maturity ready to come forth in the truest posture AAAA the parts of the midriff dissected BBBB the body of the womb dissected into four parts CCCC the Membranes or Filmes called Chorion and the Amnios dissected likewise into four parts D the Birth in its naturall posture Explanation of the fourth Figure This Figure contains the Navel vessels and the films or covering of the infant AAAA the muscles of the midriff the peritoneum and the skin it self dissected into four parts B the Liver of the Infant C the urinary vessels D the hole of the Liver into which the Navel veine doth passe E the Vmbilical or Navel vein it self FF the two Navel arteries tending downwards to the small gut arteries G the passage for the urine proceeding from the bottom of the bladder H the umbilicall vessels taken out of the body of the Infant to shew how they are joyned together I the membrane that involves the Navel vessels KKKK the guts or intrales of the Infant LLL the Navel vessels extended from the children to the birth M the place where the branches of the Navel vessels are first collected into one Trunk NN A branch of the Navel vessels scatterd through the fleshy part of the Chorion OOO A branch of the Navell arteries PPPP the conjunction of the umbilicall veine and artery QQQQ the extremities of the Navel veins and Arteries ending the fleshy parts of the Chorion RRRR the membraine called the Chorion rise without this whether bigg or no which she did and stil does and bears as fine children and lies in as wel as any other woman Of two Deliveries of one Woman THere was a Woman who being come to a sufficient age became big she causeth two of the best Midwives of the Country to assist her in her Lying in the hour being come they did as art commanded them which was the Child coming wel into the vvorld to keep her in a good situation to cause her to eat things vvhich vvere only to the purpose to keep her moderately vvarm then to bring her pains to a good issue I excuse the passion and impatience of Friends but I vvould not do any thing against my duty for complacency a fault that is soon committed but not so easily repented of This Woman vvas pretty long as most Women are of their first Children in vvhich time her Husband
often changed Or else you may dip linnen cloaths also in a decoction of Camomil flowers and Violet flowers with a small quantity of oyl of Roses and a drop of vineger or two or you may use this fomentation Take of the juyce of Nightshade oyl of Roses of each an ounce and a half of the decoction of Fenugreek Camomil and Lineseed two ounces vineger one ounce This medicine you may use by dipping a spunge therein and so washing and fomenting the breast therewith Or you may apply this Cataplasme take of the leaves of Nightshade and Melilot half a handful of each let them be boyled extracted through a course cloth then add to them bean meal two ounces Oxymel and oyle of sweet Almonds of each one ounce of this make a Cataplasm and apply it If the disease be more prevalent you must use more forcible remedies and among the rest this fomentation Take of the leaves of Mallows Violets Dill of each one handful flowers of Camomil and Melilot of each a small handful and a halfe boyl these together adding to them a little wine and oyl of Dill or Mustard first let the breast be fomented with this and afterwards with an oyntment composed of equal parts of new butter oyl of violets and Hens fat But if these things avail not to dissipate the humour you must observe whether the inflamation tend either to a suppuration or induration If you find that it tends to a hardness you must try all means to hinder it by the way of mollifying plaisters among which this is not a little experimented Take the marrow of a Calves leg two ounces Sheeps grease one ounce Saffron four scruples Cumminseed bruised two scruples mingle all these and make a plaister If the inflamation doth not harden but doth altogether tend to a suppuration which may be known by these signs that is to say the increasing of the tumour the beating and excessive heat pain which rages about those parts so vehemently that do not admit them to be touch'd But now the suppuration is to be hastened with hot and moist medicines which have an Emplastick faculty for which purpose this is much commended Take the leaves of Mallows one handful roots of Althea one ounce boyl these together and when they are mashed draw them out and add to them bean meal and Fenugreek of each one ounce the whites of two eggs myrrh and Assa faetida of each one dram Saffron one scruple mingle all these together and make a Cataplasm for your use to this you may either add Capons grease Hogs grease or fresh butter If these remedies do not suddenly bring the inflammation to a suppuration you must then take of the shells of snails bruised and lay them upon the Cataplasm in such a manner that the snail shell may come to touch that part of the tumour which is most elevated and pointed whence it appears that the matter will first issue If these remedies avail not it will be necessary to open the said Apostem with a Lancet and this must be done when you are sure that the matter is ready to come forth which may be known by these signs when the beating ceases when the fever the pain and the heat of the part do begin to diminish when you perceive the place pointed and raised and enclining to a blackish colour When the wound is open you must first apply to it a digestive composed of an ounce of turpentine half an ounce of oyl of Roses and the yolk of an egge After this you must cleanse it with honey of roses Turpentine and barly meal or with the oyntment of the Apostles or the oyntment called Aegyptiacum then you may put on the top of the place the oyntment called Basilicon or Paracelsus plaister which doth digest cleanse carnifie cicatrize after a very extraordinary manner This is furthermore to be observed that an ulcer in the breast is not easily cured if the milk be not dried out of the other breast and therefore the milke is to be dried up by keeping the child from sucking and by putting upon the breasts of the woman cloaths dipped in cold water together with bean barly and vineger and such like remedies THE COMPLEAT MIDWIVES Practice Of windy Tumours in the Breasts THe flatuous tumor of the breasts is caused by a thick vapour which rises from the menstruall blood which is retained or corrupted in the Matrix The causes of which are first the suppression of the flowers or when the flowers are not discharged into their proper place and in their proper time as also from the corruption of the humours by which are ingendred divers bad fumes and vapours for this being received into the breasts cause a distention much like a true swelling The signes by which it is known is the pain which it brings along with it which is sharp and pricking causing a distention of the part The heart is not a little out of order by reason of the windinesses which lie so neer it and commonly the left breast is most swoln communicating its pain to the arm shoulder and ribs of the same side And these signes differ from those of a Canker for in this distemper the breast is white and shining by reason of the distention and if you touch it it sounds like a Drum And if you presse it with your hands you wil finde that it is sweld in all parts alike and not in one more then another This is cured first by a good order of diet taking little victuals whereby crudities may be avoided that do afford matter to the obstructions and increase windinesse for which cause she must also drink little that water boyld with Cinamom Anis-seed and rinde of Citrons The next remedy is by using things which are good to provoke the courses among which use this receit strein Selandine stampt into posset-ale and drink it four dayes before the new moon and four dayes after And it will not be amisse to let blood three or four times in the year about the time that the courses ought to begin For by this means you may provoke the flowers hinder the increase either of a Scirrhus or of a Canker to which purpose bathes frictions and infections are not a little to be used In the next place you must prepare the humours that foment this windinesse both in the Matrix and in the veins and that by syrups which do expell flegme and melancholy after which you must purge your patient for which purpose you may take of the leaves of Sene three ounces Anis-seed one scruple let them boyle in foure ounces of Borage water vvhen it is streined infuse into it Confection Hamech vvithout Scammony Colloquint and Cathol Dupl Rheo of each an ounce and a halfe when it is streined dissolve in it one ounce of syrup of Roses solutive this potion must be given two hours before eating You may also use this gentle Apozem Take of the
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
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
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
Whether she have conceived a Male. Conception of a Male. IF she have conceived a male childe the right eye will move swifter and look clearer then the left The right pap will also rise and swell beyond the left and grow harder and the colour of the teats will change more suddainly The milk will increase more suddainly and if it be milked out and be set in the Sun it will harden into a clear mass not unlike pearl If you cast the Milk of the woman upon her Urine it will presently sink to the bottom Her right cheek is more muddy and the whole colour of her face is more cheerful she feels less numness The first motion of the child is felt more lively in the right side for the most part upon the sixtieth day If her flowers flow the fourtieth day after conception The belly is more acute toward the navel As the woman goes she always puts her right leg forward and in rising she eases all she can her right side sooner then her left CHAP. III. Whether she have conceived a Female IF she have conceived a Female Conception of a Female the signs are for the most part contrary to those aforesaid The first motion is made most commonly the nintieth day after conception which motion is made in the left side Females are carried with greater pain her thighs and Genital members swell her colour is paler she hath a more vehement longing Her flowers flow the thirtieth day after conception Girles are begot of parents who are by nature more cold and moist their seed being more moist cold and liquid CHAP. IV. Of the Conception of Twins IF a woman have conceived twins Conception of Twins the signes thereof appears not till the third or fourth moneth after her conception and then it will appear by the motion of the Infant and by the extraordinarie swelling of her belly As to the motion it is plaine that she doth beare twins if she perceive a motion on the right and left side at the same instant which she perceives more quick and violent As for the greatness of the belly if the woman perceive it bigger then at any other times of her being with child as also if the two flanks be swelled higher then the middle of the belly if there doe appeare as it were a line of devision from the navel to the groine making a kind of channel all a long if the woman carrie her burden with more then ordinary paine These are commonly the signes of twins CHAP. V. Of false Conception False Conception VVOmen doe oftentimes deceive themselves concerning their conception for they doe many times beleive themselves to be big with child when it is nothing else but either the retention of their flowers which doe not fall down according to their accustomed periods of time or else that which is called the Moon-calfe which is a lump of flesh for the most part like the guisern of a bird greater or lesser according to the time of its being there which is most commonly not above foure or five months Several sorts of Moles Of moles there are two sorts the one is called the true mole the other is called the false mole The true mole is a fleshie body filled with many vessels which have many white green or black lines or membranes it is without thought without motion without bones without bowels or entrailes receiving its nourishment through certaine veines it lives the life of a plant without any figure or order being engendered in the concavitie of the matrix adhearing to the sides of it but borrowing nothing of its substance Of the false mole Of the false mole there are four sorts the windie mole which is a conflux of wind the watrie mole which is a conflux of watrie humours the Humorous mole which is a conflux of various humours the Membranous mole which is a thin bag filled with blood All these four are contained in the concavity of the womb These moles Sign of moles are somtimes engendered with the Infant though they do oftentimes cause the Infant to die either because it doth deprive the Infant of that nourishment which goes from the infant to the encrease of that or else because it hinders the growth and perfection of the Infant The cause of the fleshy mole doth not always proceed from the mother for the man doth often contribute to the encrease of it when the seed of the man is weak imperfect and barren or though it be good if there be too small a quantity of it which after it is mingled with the seed of the woman is chok'd by the menstrual bloud and so not being sufficient for the generation of the Infant instead thereof produces this little mass of flesh which by little and little grows bigger being wrapt about in a caule while nature strives to engender any thing rather then to be idle It happens also when the woman during her monethly purgations receives the company of her husband her body being not yet purged and void or else when the woman lies with a great desire and lust with her husband after she hath conceived or when she hath retained her monethly courses beyond her time The windy mole The windy mole is engendered by the weak heat of the matrix and the parts adjoyning as the liver and the spleen which engender a quantity of winde which fix in the concavity of the matrix The watry Mole The watry mole is engendered of many confluences of water which the womb receives either from the speen or the liver or the parts adjoyning or else from the weakness of the liver which cannot assimulate the bloud which is sent thither for the nourishment of the thing contained in it part whereof turns into water which cannot be voided but remains in the womb That which is called the Humorous mole is engendered of many moist humours serosities or the whites or certain watry purgations which sweat forth from the menstruous veins and are contained in the concavity of the matrix The Membranous mole The membranous mole is a skin or bag which is garnished with many white and transparent vessels filled up with bloud This being cast into the water the bloud goes out and the membrane is seen only to gather like a heap of clotted seed False Conception hath many signes The signs of false conception common with the true conception as the supression of the flowers depraved appetite vomitings swelling of the belly and of the breasts so that it is a hard thing to distinguish the one from the other only these that follow are more properly the signs of false then true conception For in false conception the face is ordinarily puffed up the breasts that at the first were swollen afterwards become every day more then other softer and lanker and without milk In fine the face the breast the arms the thighs and groynes grow lank and meager
let her be brought to the bed and anointed with this oyntment Take oyle of sweet Almonds Hens fatt Oyle of Lillies Muscilage of Althoea of each halfe an ounce Mingle all these with as much wax as is sufficient and make an oyntment This being done give her this little doss Take two yolkes of egges and boyle them in ould wine then mix with them these spices Cinamon half an ounce rind of Cassia two drams or you may leave out the Cassia and instead thereof put in the more Cinnamon saffron halfe ascruple Savine Betonie Venus-haire Dittanie Fenugreeke Lawrel berries Mint of each one dram The bone of the heart of a Hart Pearles prepared Mingle all these with sugar and make a thick pouder and give it If the secondine come before the child and hinder the egress of the child it is to be cut of and this following pessarie to be put up Take Marsh-mallows with the rootes two hand fulls Mother wort one handfull Rue one ounce and a half Fenugreek Line-seed of each an ounce ten figgs make of these a decoction with as much water as is sufficient and when you have streined it add this to it Oyle of Lillies oyle of Line of each two ounces Musk one graine In this decoction let the pessary be dipt and put up she may afterwards use this electuarie ℞ Take Myrrh Castor Calamum Arom of each two dramms Cinamon one ounce saffron halfe a scruple Mace Savin of eace a scruple clarified hony halfe a pound you may also make an electuary with the water of Thyme and mother worte wherein have bin boyled Fenu-greek Line-seed Graines of Iuniper of each one spoonful Now after that the woman hath bin weakned with these impediments you may give her in broth species Loetificans or Manus Christi or Diamargaritont CHAP. XXVII How the secondines are to be hastened out THe secondines afore that the Infant is born may be many ways hindred first by the debilitie or weaknes of the Matrix which happens by the frequent motion and endeavouring of the Infant as also by reason of the difficultie of the birth or by reason that the womb doth not continue distended or because it is many times streightened by which the womb is so weakned that by its own force it is not able to expell the secondines Besides the secondines may inwardly stick close to the womb which happens many times through the abundance of superfluous humors that are retained in the matrix by reason of which Glutinous humors the secondines stick to the Matrix These are noe way else to be pulled away but by the hand of the midwife Thirdly the secondines are hard to come away if all the waters come away with the Infant for then the secondines being left without moisture cannot come away by reason of the drines of the womb besides that the Matrix and the neck of the womb are rougher by reason of the driness therof for these waters render the way slipperie and easie both for the infant and for the secondines which being slipped away the womb is to be anoynted with juices and oyles Fourthly when the mouth of the Matrix by reason of the paines of child-bearing swells as often happens unless there be a provident care taken to prevent it Fiftly when the neck of the Matrix is streighter and more close and for that reason fat women travaile with much more difficultie Therefore when the secondines doe make any extraordinary stay the Midwife is to use all her endeavour to make way for them for that retention causes suffocation and divers other evils for being long detained they putrifie and cause an evil smell which ascending up to the heart liver stomach diaphragma and so to the brain cause pains in the head and lungs shortness of breath faintness cold sweats so that there is great danger and also Apoplexies and Epilepsies are not a little to be feared Now in all the time of their stay the women are to be refreshed with convenient food to add strength to them giving them sometimes the yolks of eggs boyled in old wine with Sugar and sprinkled over with Saffron and Cinamon or some broth made of Capon or Hen seasoned with Cinamon and Saffron It may not be amiss to make certain perfumes for the woman to receive up into her womb made of Saffron Castor Myrrh annd Cinamon of each the quantity of a bean and care must be had that the fume pass no further then the Matrix and this may be done till the fume of these spices shall cease After this a little sneezing-pouder is to be put into her nostrils composed of Hellebore or such like the woman shutting her mouth hard and keeping her breath If these things prevail not give her this following potion ℞ Trochisch of Myrrh ʒ j ten grains of Saffron one scruple of Cinamon Peny-royal two ounces make of this one draught and give her after she hath taken this and rested a little while let a pessary of Hellebore and Opoponax wrapt up in pure wool be thrust up into the neck of the womb This will certainly bring down the seconds for it is of so great vertue that it is efficacious in expelling the child which is dead together with the seconds Take Mallows Hollihock Wormwood Mugwort Calamint Origanum an M. j. make a bath and let her sit therein up to the navel and stroke ever downwards with her hands and give her inwardly Myrrh ℈ i j. Cinamon pouder'd in Nutmeg-water or wine or drink Calamint or Penyroyal in wine Neither will it be amiss to anoint the Matrix with the oyntment called Basilicon if this doth nothing avail toward the bringing down of the seconds and that the woman is in great danger of her life then with the consent of her husband and kinred give her seven of the following Pils which being taken let her lie still till the vertue of them do provoke new pains for they are of so great vertue also that they do expel the dead child together with the secondines yet herein it will not be amiss to consult the skilful Physician The Pills are these ℞ Of Castor Myrrh Liquid storax of each a scruple the bark of Cinamon or Cassia and Birthwort of each half a scruple Agaric half an ounce Diagridion six grains Saffron Siler of the mountain Savin of each three graines Thebaic Opium Assa faetida of each one grain mingle all these with as much extracted Cassia as is sufficient and make of them certain Pils as big as pease and give them to the woman in a small quantity of Peny-royal-water It may be also expedient to apply this ensuing plaster ℞ one part of Coloquintida boyled in water and as much of the juce of Rue with these mingle Line-seed Fenugreek Barley of meal of each a spoonful let them all boyl together and the plaster made of these must be laid upon all that part from the navel to the privities CHAP. XXVIII Of Cases of Extremity
root of Tamarinds Cypress Bugloss of each an ounce and a halfe flowers of Borage Epithymi Sen. of each halfe a handfull flowers of Balme one handful Raisins one ounce Prunes in number twelve boyle them in a sufficient quantity of vvater and then in a pint of the vvater dissolve foure ounces of the syrup of Violets make of this an Apozem clarified according to Art and sweeten it vvith a sufficient quantity of sugar giving four or five ounces at a time In the next place you may use Topicks to attenuate and resolve to vvhich purpose you may bathe or soment the breast vvith a sponge dipt in Lye and then lay upon it a linen cloth dipt and moistned in Aqua-vitae and dried in the shade or else dipt in fresh butter that hath boyled a good while or in oyle of Lillies or in oyle both of the root seed of Angelica or you may foment the breast vvith this Decoction Take Wheat-bran two handfuls leaves of Dill and Melilot of each halfe a handfull Anis-seed Fenell and Cumin-seed of each two drams Camomill flowers one halfe handfull boyl all these in a sufficient quantity of water and white wine and let them boyle to the consumption of the third part In this decoction you may wet a sponge and wash or foment the breast therewith After you have fomented the part you may put this ointment upon the part affected Take oyle of Lilies Elder of each an ounce and a halfe of the best Balsam halfe an ounce powder of burnt lead unwasht Anis-seed one dram and as much Wax as is sufficient Of the watry tumour of the Breast THe watry tumour is ingendred by a thick and watry flegme gathered together in great abundance in the breast and parts adjoyning and it happens many times that this watry and flegmy substance is not alwayes gathered to one particular place but also diffused through all the parts of the breast which causes a generall swelling in that part This swelling that we may define it is a loose and soft tumour without much pain yeelding to the touch and pressing of the fingers so that the hole which is made by the pressing of the fingers remains a pretty while after yet it soon becomes painful if there be any acrimony joyned with it or if there be any distention by reason of the press of vapours to that part This oftentimes happens by reason of the suppression of the courses sometimes it is occasioned by reason of a clear and watry flegme which discharges it selfe upon these parts This swelling is easily distinguished from other swellings by reason of the loosnesse and softnesse thereof and by the pain which is alwayes lesse then in other swellings and in this kinde of tumour the pain ascends up to the arms and shoulders and the whole breast is altogether swoln and raised and this pain comes at certain times chiefly when the flowers ought to come down which being once come down the pain diminishes by reason that the woman is then throughly purged Yet notwithstanding there doth remain some certain kind of swelling which happens not in the windy tumours by reason that the purgations of the flowers do totally dissipate the matter of those swellings These flegmy tumours do easily turn into Cankers and are therefore to be diligently looked after As to the cure of these tumours there is required first an orderly diet which must be drying her bread must bee well baked and leavened dried Raisins parched Almonds Asparagus rosted flesh and small birds Before meat she may take a little hony of Roses upon a wafer cake For her drink let it be the decoction of Anis-seeds China root Sassafras and Sarsaparil If the retention of the flowers be the cause of this evill let her then use rather boyled then rosted meats and then let her boyle them with Sage Betony and Hysop All meats made of milk are dangerous as also sleep after dinner and unleavened bread You may in the next place use things to divert the humor as frictions and baths if her flowers are suppressed let a vein be opened in the feet Next after you have prepared the humor by the use of syrups as those of Mint Worm-wood Hysop Licorass Maidenhaire hony of Roses with fenel water water of Hysop Marjoram Rosemary Betony Mint then may you use some purges with those pils called Sine quibus Agarick pils and Cochie-pils If the patient be strong and not to be worked upon by weak Physick you may then add two or three grains of Diagridion or Alandaal Trochisques these pils are to be used for eight days half a dram at a time Another way may be by topicks to attenuate and resolve for which purpose the fomentations specified in the foregoing chapters may be very fitly used being prepared with Vine ashes or figg-tree ashes whereto a little Vinegar may be put though the use of things that drive back the humour are not here to be used you may also rub and chafe the brest with this Ointment take of Oyl of sweet Almonds Oyl of Line seed of each one ounce ganders grease of each half an ounce with a little Diachylon instead of Wax a plaister of great Diachylon would not be amiss in this Disease if the Woman feel any paine or heat in her breasts let her anoint them with Oyl of Roses a little burnt lead and a little white wax or with a little Oleum Omphacinum and oyl of sweet Almonds tempered together in a mortar In the dispersing and resolving of the humor you may use baths of alum and sulphur prepared with the decoction of Hysop Mint and Sage and after that such ointments as are most approved for the same purpose alwaies taking heed of too boisterous Remedies if you would suppurate or mature the swelling you must use such Remedies as we have described in the following and fore-going Chapters the strongest of which you may here apply because the matter is more obstinate and tenacious mingling with them for that purpose other more effective Remedies as are the Roots of Mallows marsh mallows lillies figgs goose grease and the like when the sore is opened you must tend it after the same manner as is before rehearsed There are other Remedies either to be taken inwardly or to be outwardly applied which serve to fortifie and comfort the stomack as to take every morning a spoonful of conserve of Rosemary preserved Orange or trochisques of Aromaticum Rosatum Diagalanga or diacuminum Of the kernels in the Breast THe kernels of the breast are little round bodies soft and thin like a sponge which sometimes grow hard by reason of the phlegmie humor which is sometimes purely so and sometimes is mingled with other sharp acrimonious humors But sometimes it comes to passe that not only the kernels of the breast are swollen but also that there do grow others which ought not to be there which may not unfitly be termed a kind of the Kings-evil being a swelling
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
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