to Lust have few Courses yellow or black or burnt or sharp they have hairs betimes upon their privities they are subject to the Headach and there are signs of much Choler their Lips are dry When this distemper is strong The Prognostick they have few terms and out of order they are bad and hard to flow and in time they are Hypochondriacks and for the most part barren and there is sometimes a Frenzy of the Womb. Use Coolers The Cure so that they offend not the Vessels that must be open for the Flux of the terms therefore Use inwardly Succory Endive Violets Waterlillies Sorrel Lettice Sanders and Syrups and Conserves made thereof As Take Conserve of Succory Violets Waterlillies Borage each an ounce Conserve of Roses half an ounce Dâ—amargariton frigid Diâ—trio santalon each half a dram with Syrup of Violets or Juyce of Citrons make an Electuary Outwardly use Oyntment of Galens Cooler Oyntment of Roses Cerot of Sanders Oyl of Roses Violets Waterlillies Gourds Venus-navel to the Back and Loins or make Cataplasms of Barley meal Roses powdered Violets Waterlillies Sanders with Juyce or water of Plantane Waterlillies Succory Lettice Oyl of Roses Violets Waterlillies Baths are good to sit in and cooling Fomentations and after let her take some of the Coolers mentioned In great heat use this cooling Pessary Take Opium a scruple Goose grease two scruples Eras de pass mulic cap. 7. Wax and Honey each four scruples Oyl at ounce whites of two Eggs. This was from an opinion the Ancients had that Opium was cold but take heed of the using it too much lest the narcotick quality hurt Let the Air be cool her Garments thin let her meat be with Lettice Endive Succory Barley give no hot meats nor strong Wine except it be waterish and thin Rest is good both in body and mind She must not copulate but she may sleep much Chap. 3. Of the cold Distemper of the womb THis causeth many Evils and Barrennesse They are contrary to those of a hot Distemper The Causes cold Air Rest and Idlenesse and cooling Medicines The Signs It is known by their not desire of Lechery not receiving pleasure in the time of Copulation when they spend their Seed The terms are flegmatick thick and slimy and flow not rightly there is wind in the womb the Seed is crude waterish with a Gonorrhoea The Prognostick The Cure It is the cause of Obstructions and Barrenness and is hard to be cured Use things proper to heal the womb as this Water Take Galangal Cinnamon Nutmeg Mace Cloves each two drams Ginger Cubebs Zedoary Cardamoms each an ounce grains of Paradice long Pepper each half an ounce beat them and put them in six quarts of Wine for eight dayes then add Sage Mints Balm Motherwort each three handfuls let them stand eight dayes more then pour off the Wine and beat the Herbs and the Spices and then pour on the Wine and distil them Ano her Take Cinnamon Nutmegs Cloves Mace Ginger Cubebs Cardamom grains of Pa adice each an ounce and half Galangal six drams long Pepper half an ounce Zedoary five drams bruise them and add six quarts of Wine put them in a Cellar nine dayes daily stirring them then add Mints two handfuls then let them stand fourteen dayes pour off the Wine and bruise them and then pour on the Wine again and distil them Quercetan hath an Hysterick Extract In phar doc restit cap. 25. a greater and a less use outwardly Fomentations Baths Baggs of hot Roots as Birthwort Lovage Valerian Angelica Burnet Masterwort Calamus Madder Elicampane Orris and Herbs as Mugwort Balm Motherwort Savin Penny-royal Calamints Organ Dittany Marjoram Rue Bettony Rosemary Lavender Sage Stoechas flowers Seeds of Smallage Parsley Rue Carrots Anise Fennel Cummin Lovage Parsley Anoint with Oyl of Lillies Rue Angelica Bays Cinnamon Cloves Mace Nutmeg Or Take Labdanum two ounces Frankincense Mastick liquid Storax each half an ounce Oyl of Cloves Nutmegs each half a scruple Oyl of Lillies Rue each an ounce with Wax make a Plaister A Fume Take Frankincense Mirrh Mastich each a dram Bayberries a dram and half Labdanum two drams Storax Cloves each a dram Gum Arabick and Wine make Troches or Pessaries of the same Let the diet be warming and the air the meat of easie concoction seasoned with Anise Fennel Thyme Avoid Milk-meats and raw Fruits Chap. 4. Of the moist Distemper of the Womb. THis is commonly joyned with a cold Distemper and causeth Barrenness and is from the same causes as a cold distemper for commonly cold things do moisten It is commonly in women that are idle The Signs They that have moist wombs abound in Courses but they are waterish and thin the privities are wet they have the VVhites and desire not Copulation much and delight not in it they retain not the seed and if they conceive when the child is big they abort or miscarry The Prognostick The Cure If it last long it is hard to be cured If it be much they conceive not It is by Driers and things that cure the cold distemper are good against the moist because all Healers have a drying power Use Sulphur Baths and Injections Beware of Astringents lest the evil humors be stopt and the disease increased Chap. 5. Of the dry Distemper of the Womb. IN this the womb is hardned of it self it is fleshy and soft and moistned by blood for Conception It is sometimes from the birth or old age when they are past child-bearing If it be from drying causes they are barren before they are old The Causes Diseases and Medicines dry the womb as Inflammations Feavers and when blood flows not to it nor goes to the bottom of it by reason of the straitness of the Veins or Obstructions as in Viragoe's and such as never conceived and if they void any blood it is from the neck of the womb and not from the bottom The Signs They void little seed and are slow in Venery the terms are few the mouth of the womb is dry and they are slender of a dry Constitution their lower Lip is alwayes chapt and blackish red This distemper is hard to be cured in any part especially if it be old The Prognostick The Cure Use Moistners as Borage Bugloss Mercury Mallows Althaea Violets sweet Almonds Pistachaes Pine-nuts Jujubes Dates Figs Raisins Of which are made Syrups Conserves Emulsions Candies c. Outward Remedies are made of the same adding Time Fenugreek-Seeds Lillies Brank-ursine Pellitory c. Fomentations are made with Milk and after bathing anoint the region of the womb and the belly to the privities with oyl of sweet Almonds Lillies Lin-seed Jesamin fresh Butter Hens and Goose grease Let the Diet be moistning the Air moist the meat fatning of much nourishment and small excrement Leet sleep be a little longer than usual Great labour anger sadness fasting do hurt Chap. 6. Of Compound Distempers and first of
gone as in old Folk expect no Conception If they flow not by reason of labour and too much exercise the conception is not hindered if there be but blood enough to form the child Hence it is that women that are brought in bed conceive again before they have their terms If all these be right there is conception otherwise she is barren which is an impotency of the womb that keeps it from sucking in of the seed or from retaining or from nourishing it and bringing it into act The Causes The first is impotency in copulation from the closing of the womb of which before or other evil conformation of the privities or an ulcer or tumor in the neck of the womb The second is the breeding of unfruitful seed from distemper of the vessels and stones or too tender and delicate a constitution In men at eighteen in women at fourteen and men seldom get children after sixty and women seldom bear them after sixty As for evil conformation to breed seed Faelix Plat. lib. 1. obser tit de vitalis motus defectu some have wanted Seed-vessels or they were not in their places Some women are barren by the first Husband and have children by the second because there must be a certain proportion between both seeds and if they be wanting they are barren which proportion is hard to be explained and almost impossible for we must not stay in the first qualities for there are occult qualities in seed by which they agree or disagree The third cause is when the womb sucks not in the seed nor receives it in a right manner as when the attractate faculty is hurt or hindered by divers distempers of the Womb or when a woman hates her husband Attraction is hindered by tumors or ulcers in the Womb or by its being displaced 5. Aph. 46. as Hippocrates They who being too fat and conceive not the mouth of their Womb is stopt up with the Cawl and they conceive not till they are lean But the more probable reason of not conceiving is the matter of the seed turning into fat The fourth cause is the retension of the seed hurt by a moist distemper then the Womb is weak and the fibres are loose so that it cannot contract it self to retain and the seed by reason of its sliminess cannot stick there Also if the Womb be too thick not fleshy and soft and be not sprinkled with blood as it is in some by birth which makes them barren and in some after they cease to conceive If the orifice of the womb gape after hard travel and abortion by which the fibres are loosned and weakned and the retention of the seed hurt And if a woman after Copulation cough neese cry out dance or be angry or frighted the same may be The fifth cause of Barrenness is the hurt of the altering faculty which brings in the form and act into seed for if there be not a due proportion between the womb and the seed there is Barrenness as Seeds are choaked in Marshy-ground or die or are burnt in dry and sandy ground so mans Seed is suffocated in a moist womb 5. Aph. 52. and dryed up in a hot Hippocrates speaks of the true proportion of the womb as it is fit to cherish this or that seed thus Women that have thick and cold wombs conceive not and they whose womb is too moist for they quench the seed Nor do they conceive that have dry and burning wombs for the seed is corrupted in them for want of nourishment They who are of a mean temper between these are fruitful The last cause of Barrenness is want of Menstrual-blood which is necessary for the first formation of the child Therefore Nurses that have much milk conceive because the blood is carried to the Breasts Therefore all these causes are reduced either to impotency in Copulation or distemper of the Stones and Seed-vessels or evil conformation or a cold and moist distemper of the Womb which cannot attract detain and alter the seed sometimes a hot and dry distemper that cannot nourish the seed or from the enlarging of the Orifice after Child-bearing or from Humors or being displaced or the straitness of the Vessels or want of Terms or too many Hence we may gather that barrenness is oftner from a fault in the women than the men for in men there is nothing required but fruitful seed spent into a fruitful womb But women besides the meeting of their own seed must receive retain and nourish the mans and afford matter for the forming of the child in which divers accidents happen and any of these will cause Barrenness Mark also in these kinds of causes that some do not properly cause barrenness but only hinder Conception for a time as the closing of the womb smalness of the privities these do not simply cause barrenness Some bring other external causes Ioa. Anglicus cap. de steril as eating the heart of a Deer or if she wear Jet about her or if Harts-tongue be hanged about her bed if she walk over the Terms of another or tread upon them unawares or anoint with them or put the juyce of Mints into her womb Some are born so from a fault in the womb The Differences others are not simply barren but in respect of the man and when they have another Husband are fruitful Some are barren till the constitution of the womb be changed Some bring forth at first and then by some fault grow barren How shall we know that a Women is Barre First see if the fault be in the man or woman The Signs Lib. 3. Of Sterility in Men. For women see if they are apt to Venery or not or receive the Yard fitly 2. Search if she hath good seed answerable to the man or whether she hath used quenchers of seed You may know that she spendeth little or no Seed if she hath little or no pleasure in the act Unfruitful Seed is known by a disease in the womb a cold and moist distemper the signs whereof are mentioned a foul body shews the same for good seed cannot be made of bad blood It is hard to find whether the two seeds have the right proportion or the womb agree with the mans seed Yet temperate with temperate are very fruitful because they are both of a good constitution But intemperate couples are barren but if one temper be good it may mend the other and she may conceive If it come from a Medicine that destroys the seed she will tell If Inchantment be the cause though they love yet they cannot copulate Or whereas they loved each other now they fall out without a cause Ask the woman how her womb doth attract retain and cherish the seed If it have a tumor or have matter or not Whether there be a natural hereditary imperfection Enquire concerning her Family if many were barren whether she hath had hard travel or abortion Whether the
eggs when chickens pip in them And if the child have a rough artery lungs and breasts which are the organs of breathing sound and the child is strong there is no hinderance but it may utter a voice But something whatsoever it is must stir it to make this noise THE FOURTH BOOK THE THIRD PART THE SIXTH SECTION Of Symptoms that happen in Child-bearing Chap. 1. Of Child-bearing in general WHen the Child can no longer be contained in so small a place being grown and requiring more nourishment it kicks and breaks the Membranes and Ligaments that held it and the Womb by an expelling faculty sends it forth with great straining and this is called Travel It is either natural or not natural legitimate or illegitimate The natural is when the child comes with the head forward and heels upwards with his hands and arms to his thighs and so the other parts easily follow then the Amnios is broken and the water that was laid up in time of being with child flows forth and moistens the passages then the child with more force breaks the Acetabula from which the Secundine is separated and the other membranes are broken and the blood flows into the cavity of the womb and the child gets out by the expulsive faculty with such force that it seems to fall rather then be expelled and the bones of the Privities must needs be divided That which follows the birth is above humane capacity namely The transmiration of the Navel-vessels and Lungs and Heart in the Infant and why Nature ordered it of which Galen elegantly in the 15th Book Of the Use of Parts and 6th Chapter There is also a legitimate Birth when it is according to the Law of Nature and an illegitimate when it is before or after the time Hippocrates saith Lib. de septim paren That a Birth in the seventh month is vital and legitimate And it is sooner from the strength of the faculty and matter fit for formation yet it is commonly weak except the seventh month be compleat Of the eighth month Hippocrates saith thus None lives that is born in the eighth month because it cannot bear the two afflictions to follow but the reason of the Arithmaticians is better that say an even month is imperfect The ninth or tenth months are the best Lib. de natura pueri Lib. Sapient as Hippocrates saith A Child is born in ten months at the farthest and so says the wisest Solomon Some say that a child may be born in the 11th month and Peter Apponensis was so born and some say they have been born in the fourteenth and fifteenth month but rare things are not to be counted the Law of Nature Generally Physitians agree with Hippocrates though some dissent Chap. 2. Of Abortion IT is the exclusion of a child nor perfect nor living before ligitimate time This time is defined by Hippocrates Lib. de carnib Whosoever Conceiveth doth it within seven days but they are properly Abortions that come before the seventh day and though some are in the fifth and sixth month that have lived yet that must not derogate from the common Law of Nature Some differences of Abortion are from the time and bigness of the child For that which is cast out is little and round without distinction of members at first like a Grape Sometimes as long as a finger and members may be distinguished And sometimes the child is almost perfect The Causes The immediate Cause is the expulsive faculty stirred up and that is done by three means from Galen 3. De natur fac cap. 12. from the weight bigness and pain There are more causes which we shall place in two Ranks The first is of the manner of the causes that provoke the expulsive faculty The other is that which findeth out these wayes by all the causes The expulsive faculty is first provoked by the child being weak either from evil seed or being dead The child is weak for want of food and from the mothers diseases either in her whole body or in the womb or parts adjacent that consent as Feavers Inflammations Fainting Convulsions Pain Vomiting Neesing Cough that move the spirits and humors and shake the child and stir up Nature to expel it Also straitness of the womb causeth Abortion by which means it cannot contain a great child Also shortness of the Navel-vessels which Frabricius first observed The outward causes are cold air after hot and moist which gets into the womb and provokes it and hurts the child Cent. 2. obs 50. The Astrologers add the malignant aspect of the Stars also too much or too little meat Great watchings purging and flux of blood by the Womb and Haemorrhoids Also violent motion as leaping carrying of burdens strokes on the belly or back Also passions as anger fear sorrow Also bleeding purging fasting smell of brimstone or ashes hoofs burnt or stink of the snuff of a candle If the breasts be less The Signs or much milk flow from them or she feel much and often pain about the belly or loyns that go to the Pubes and Os sacrum with a desire of thrusting forth in the womb If the child change its place and if it fall lower when it was in the middle of the belly there is fear of miscarrying It is dangerous alwayes The Prognostick because it is with violence there are also great Symptomes they are in less danger that have already brought forth a child therefore the first is most dangerous and the mouths of the Vessels are torn and they commonly become barren Abortion is most dangerous in the sixth seventh and eighth month because the Infant being greater causeth greater pain and breaks the Ligaments worse To preserve from Abortion Consider the constitution before she is with child and prevent every cause If it be like to come from Plethory before Conception open a Vein and after Conception in the fourth or fifth month in the Arm. If it be from Cacochymy purge the whole body and purge the womb with Pessaries and strengthen it of which in the cold and moist distemper of the womb If she have conceived open a vein before the time be used to abort if there be a Cacochymy purge gently at times If there be a cold distemper of body by flegm that hurts the womb give the decoction of China or Sarsa with strengtheners of the child Avoid the external causes of abortion and if they have done hurt help it presently Let not the belly be bound if the child be weak remove the causes of weakness and strengthen it Use things that strengthen the womb and child as Coral as Kermes-berries Or Take Magistery of Coral a dram Pearl prepared half a dram Ivory shaved a dram Mastick half a dram grains of Kermes a dram Manus Christi with Pearl two drams make a Powder If the Abortion be at hand and the pains increase give this Powder with a rear Egg. Or Take
swelled under the ribs for want of concoction and there are crudities in the stomach and wind and also in the parts adjacent The Hypochondria are hard and puffed up The Signs and there is straitness in the mouth of the stomach and short breath It is easily cured with good dyet The Prognostick The Cure Give a thinner dyet that the crudities may be concocted Give no fresh nourishment till the first be digested then give Honey of Roses to purge Or the Decoction of Cardiaca which is good for the heart and mouth of the stomach it opens obstructions and cleanseth flegm Or powder of Piony-roots Cummin-seed Jesamine or make it up with Honey Oyl of sweet Almonds or Sugar for a Liniment Foment the sides with the Decoction of Cardiaca Chamomil-flowers and Cummin-seed Chap. 21. Of the Flux of the Belly IT is 1. From breeding of Teeth with a Feaver commonly and the concoction is hindred and the nourishment corrupted 2. From much watching 3. From pain 4. From stirring of the humors by a Feaver 5. When they suck or drink too much in a Feaver Sometimes they have a flux without breeding of teeth from outward cold in the guts or stomach that hinders concoction The Signs If it be from teeth it is knwon by the signs in breeding of teeth if from external cold there are sings of no other causes If from a humor flowing from the head there are signs of a Catarrh and the excrements are froathy If crude humors are voided there is wind belching and flegmatick excrements If they be yellow gre n and stink the flux is from a hot and sharp humor The Prognostick Hipp. lib. de dentitio The Cure It is best in breeding of teeth when the belly is loose but if it be too great and you fear Atrophy it must be stopt if black excrements are voided with a Feaver it is bad A sucking child needs not cure so much as the Nurse you must chiefly observe the condition of the milk and mend it if not change the Nurse and let her not eat green fruit and things of hard concoction If the child suck not take away the causes of the flux with purges that bind after as Syrup of Honey of Roses or a Clyster Take the decoction of Milium Myrobalans each two or three ounces with an ounce or two of Syrup of Roses make a Clyster After cleansing if the cause be hot give Syrup of dried Roses Quinces Mirtles Coral Currans or the powder of Diamargariton Coral Mastich Harts-horn red Roses or powder of Mirtles with a little Sanguis Draconis Anoint with Oyl of Roses Mirtles Mastich Or Take red Roses an ounce Mirtles Mastich each two drams with Oyl of Mirtles and Wax make an Oyntment Or Take red Roses Moulin each a handful Cypress-roots two drams make a Bag boyl it in red Wine apply it to the belly or use the Plaister of Bread or Stomach-Oyntment If the cause be cold and excrements white give Syrup of Mastich and Quinces with Mint-water Use outwardly Mints Mastich Cummin As Take Rose-seeds an ounce Cummin Aniseeds Lib. 3. par 2. cap. 5. 6. each two drams with Oyl of Mastich Wormwood and Wax make an Oyntment Chap. 22. Of Binding of the Belly IT is from a cold and dry distemper of the guts from birth in some 2. From slimy flegm that wraps the dung which sticks in the guts This is from bad milk when the Nurse eats gross food slimy and astringent or drinks little 3. It is from a hot distemper of the Kidnies or Liver that dries the excrements 4. It is when choler doth not stir up the guts to expel If it be from a dry distemper of the guts The Signs it is hard to be cured if it be from slimy flegm the dung is wrapt in it If choler comes not to the guts to provoke them to stool the dung is white and the body yellow It is best in children to have a loose belly The Prognostick Hipp. 2. Aph. 53. The Cure and they are more healthful for if it be bound the belly is pained and there is a head-ach First take away the cause if it be from a hot distemper of any bowel or dry wash the child often to moisten and cool it in a Bath of Succory and Lettice boyled In a cold distemper use hot for the stomach and in a dry use moist things as Oyl of Lillies Dialthaea Hens-grease Butter Let the Nurse avoid astringent meats as Quinces Medlars Beans and use Emollients If the child be big give juyce or Decoction of red Colworts with a little Salt and Honey If it be from slimy Flegm give Honey or Syrup of Roses Correct the hot distemper of the Liver and Reins with Syrup of Violets and Emulsions of the four great cold Seeds If choler come not from the Gall to the Guts give the Decoction of Grass-roots Fennel Sparagus Maidenhair Give Clysters to cut and cleanse tough Flegm As Take Althoea-roots Mallows Pellitory each half a handful Foenugreek and Linseed each a dram Chamomil-flowers a pugil boyl and to three or six ounces add three drams of Cassia Oyl an ounce and the yolk of an Egg. To the Navel apply Hens-grease and Ox-gall Or Take Aloes two drams Ox-gall a dram Scamony a scruple with Butter make an Oyntment Fill a Walnut-shell with it and apply it to the Navel Anoint the Belly with Emollients Take fresh Butter Goose and Hens-grease each half an ounce Oyl of sweet Almonds and Linseed each two drams Veal-marrow Dialthaea each two drams with Wax make an Oyntment Bran and juyce of Danewort make a loosning Cataplasm for the Belly Only keep it from the Stomach as you must do other Cataplasm Chap. 23. Of the Worms Ex authore lib. 4. de morb IT is observed that children have had worms in their mothers belly and voided them after they were born But they are chiefly bred by mixing milk with other meats in a hot and moist constitution and from sweet meats which worms love and Summer fruits they are round and long or broad and little The Signs Besides what is said in Lib. 3. Part 2. Sect. 2. Cap. 5. Worms are known to be in a body when there is much spittle and a stinking breath troublesome sleep gnashing of teeth crying and bawling a dry cough loathing vomiting hickets want of appetite or too much thirst a belly swelled or bound or too loose thick white urin with pain when the belly is empty and the worms want food There is a cold sweat over the face and a high colour with sudden paleness sometimes a Feaver and Convulsion which ceaseth presently These are signs of round worms rather than of the flat Infants are often long troubled with worms without any great inconvenience The Prognostick sometimes there are great Symptomes The long round worms are worst and have eaten sometimes the guts and belly through with a Feaver they are more dangerous few
or if it be to hinder the increase of it let diet be against Melancholy prepare and purge Melancholy This powder for many dayes given is excellent Take Smaragds Saphir and East Bezoar-stone each a dram give every day three or four grains with Scabious or Carduus water Let the Tropicks not be biting at first But foment with juyce of Plantane Nightshade Purslane or use Diapompholigos Or Take Juyce of Plantane Nightshade Purstane each two ounces Mucilage of Fleabane an ounce Oyl of Roses three ounces stir them in a leaden Mortar Or Take Oyl of Roses of Eggs each an ounce and half Sugar of Lead a dram stir them in a leaden Mortar then add Litharge Ceruss each three drams Tutty a dram Camphire a scruple Or Take Juyce of Nightshade six ounces Tutty and burnt Lead each two drams Camphire half a dram stir them long in a leaden Mortar and add powder of Cray-fish Inject a Decoction of Cray-fish and if pain be great foment with Mallows Althaea Water-lillies Coriander Dill Fleabane Seed with Saffron in Milk or make a Cataplasm of the same Some use Antimony Arsenick c. which are good in other parts But this cannot bear them A noble Woman had on the right side of her Face an ulcerated Cancer and when all the French Italian German Spanish Physitians could not cure her a Barber cured her only with Chickens sliced thin and laid on often every day Chap. 12. Of a Gangrene and Sphacel in the Womb. SOmetimes the whole Womb is gangrenated and it is from the Privities that receive many Excrements apt to corrupt The Causes It is from an Inflammation and Ulcer not well cured because the part hath many Excrements which easily quench the natural heat and then the part mortifies The Signs There is an usual heat in the Neck of the Womb and a Feaver with horror all over the body then the colour changeth in the part it is black and blew without pulse or sense When it is cut or pricked it stinks and the strength decayes and the heart faints The Prognostick Aetius leth 1. cap. 72. Nichol. Florent ser 6. tr 3. Math. degrad in 9. Rhasis C. de exitu matricis It is very dangerous and worse when it goes to the womb than outwards Some have had the Womb fall out and have lived which besides grave Histories We saw at Avinion in an old noble VVoman Anno 1635. Stop the putrifaction take away that which is rotten by scarrifying if you can then wash with the Decoction of VVormwood Lupines and with Aegyptiacum and apply this Cataplasm Take Orobus and Bean flour each two ounces Oxymel a pint boil them add Lupines Wormwood Aloes and Mirrh Cut off the dead flesh The Cure strengthen the principal parts the Heart lest the Spirits be infected with evil vapors that fly by the Arteries Give Conserve of Borrage Bugloss Gilli-flowers Diamargariton frigid Electuary of Gems frigid Confection of Hyacinths Syrup of Sorrel Pomegranates Borrage and apply Epithems to the Heart In Observatio Vuierus cured a noble Woman aged twenty five she had a Pustle in her Privities in the Dog-dayes from violent Lechery with her Husband and she used a Cataplasm from a silly Chirurgion and in few dayes it rotted grew black and mortified and went towards the Fundament very fast THE FOURTH BOOK THE SECOND SECTION Of the Diseases of the WOMB Chap. 1. Of the Knowledge of the Temper of the Womb. Lib. uterus muliebris MArk Anthony Ulmus Physitian of Bononia shews the Temper of the Womb He saith That a Beard in Women shews that they have a hot Womb and hot Stones It comes with the beginning of the Terms and when the Breasts swell and is hard to be seen Lib. 3. de lui ani c. 11. Aristotle saith That some Women have hairs in their Chin when their Courses stop and when they have a hot Womb and Stones But there are more certain signs of heat 1. When hard hair comes forth suddenly thick black and long and large about If they come forth slow thin soft yellowish and but few not spreading the Womb is cold Also when the Terms come forth at 12 years of age it is a sign of a hot Womb and when they last long the blood is red hot but not very much In an old Constitution they come later and the blood is cold and waterish and they end sooner If it be hot and moist they flow plentifully and last till after fifty If it be hot and dry the blood is yellow thin and sharp and pricks the Privities If it be cold and moist the blood comes late forth with difficulty and it is whitish and thin If it be cold and dry the Terms come forth very late and with difficulty and seldome continue till forty and the blood is thick and little The third sign is from Lechery for they who have hot wombs desire Copulation sooner and more vehemently are much delighted therewith they who are cold do the contrary The hot and moist are not tired with much Venery The hot and dry have great Lust and a Frenzy if they want it but they are quickly tired because there are but few Spirits If it be cold and moist they are not soon lecherous and are easily satisfied and if they miscarry often the womb is made colder and they delight not in the sport but Copulation doth them good and makes them more youthful If it be cold and dry they desire not a man in a long time and take no delight because the Spirits are few The fourth sign is from often Conception for the hot conceive often and bring forth males or Viragoes if the seed of the man agrees with it the cold doth the contrary A hot and moist Womb is very fruitful if the man be well tempered and though he be old and weak yet she will conceive by him Sometimes they have twins or over-do and have a Mole Hot and dry are fruitful but not so much as the former Cold and moist are hard to conceive especially when they are in years when they are young and the Seed of the man is hot and dry they conceive males but seldom well shaped or healthful and the woman while she is with Child is sickly A cold and dry Womb is commonly barren and if they conceive the Mans Seed is hot and moist they bring forth Females and if Males they are tall and quickly look old Chap. 2. Of the hot Distemper of the Womb. HEat of the VVomb is necessary for Conception but if it be too much it nourisheth not the Seed of the man but disperseth its heat and hinders the Conception The Causes This preternatural heat is from the Birth sometimes and makes them barren If aftewards it is from hot causes that bring the heat and the blood to the womb From internal and external Medicines too much hot meats and drinks and Exercise The Signs They are prone
we spake at large If blood be superfluous loose it not nor open the Ankle-vein lest you draw it more to the Womb but take away the Cacochymy If it be from weakness of the retentive Faculty strengthen the womb with Dryers and Astringents Chap. 6. Of the overflowing of the Terms IT is when it is too much or too long and hurts any Woman and brings diseases but a certain proportion of bleeding is not to be defined but too much is lost when the actions are hurt The Causes Gal. 3. de symp Causis c. 2. 5. aph com 57. The immediate Cause is the opening of the Vessels and the immediate Cause is the blood in quantity or quality offending or by its force or disorderly motion Vessels are opened by Anastomisis Diapedesis Diaeresis or ruption or by Diaurosis or corrosion Anastomosis is from a moist distemper of the Vessels which loosneth the Orifices or from external causes as Baths hot and moist or use of Aloes The flux is seldom too great from a Diapedesis for it is but a sweating through Ruption is from Plethory when the terms have long been stopped and then break out and when the blood is hot by Air Baths c. The outward causes are falls strokes hard travel great burthens lifted Erosion is from sharp blood or humor or from Medicines that corode as Pessaries long kept For this great Flux is chiefly from the Veins in the bottom of the Womb. The Signs The Flux of Blood is too great when the strength abateth and Cachexy follows with paleness swollen feet and the blood that comes from the bottome of the Womb is blacker and clotted That from the neck redder and thinner The signs of the causes If it be from much blood there are signs of plethory and it easily clotted together If the blood be sharp and cholerick it is putrified in the womb you shall know waterish blood by its colour and the signs of that humour abounding and if you dip a clout in it and dry it in the shade you may see it If the womb be too moist such causes went before If it be from breaking of Veins they will tell you of violence If it be from corrosion it is little and slow sometimes pure sometimes serous It weakneth the whole Body The Prognostick the Liver and Bowels there is Swounding the Whites and paleness and Dropsie sometimes That which hath been long is hard to be cured and causeth death and in an old woman it is deadly If there be fulness abate the blood Indications and keep it from flowing to the womb revel it repel cool and astringe it that it may not flow so fast and then amend the blood If it is from plenty of blood The Cure open the Liver-veins in the right Arm bleed little and often because it makes better revulsion and weakens not open the Salvetella if there be weakness Gal. 5. aph com 50. and cup the Back and Breast against the Liver beneath the Paps where are Veins from the womb cup not beneath but in the Shoulders or Back and Arm with Scarification but scarifie not under the Breasts Bind and rub the arms and shoulders and temper and thicken the sharp thin humors with Decoctions and water of Plantane Purslane Sorrel Knot-grass Shepheards-purse Pomegranate-Syrup and of dried Roses Sorrel Purslane Coral Conserve of Roses Bole sealed Earth If it be urgent use Narcoticks Syrup of Poppies Treacle Philonium Laudanum If it still continue it is fed with Choler therefore purge it with Syrup of Roses Manna Rhubarb Senna If it be fed with serous blood help the Reins that do not their duty and the Liver and sweat with China You must not provoke urin but use astringents As Take the juyce of Ass-dung Syrup of Mirtles each half an ounce Plantane-water an ounce Give it her and let her not know what it is Decoctions Take Comfrey-roots Tormentil each two drams Purslane Plantane each a handful boil them add to six ounces Syrup of Currans Quinces Mirtles each six drams give it at twice Or Take Syrup of Purslane juyce of Nettles each two ounces Purslane-water four ounces Troches of Amber of sealed Earth each a dram Blood-stone half a dram give two spoonfuls every day A Water Take eight pints of water with Starch Barley-meal and Rice dried Roses a handful juyce of Yarrow Plantane each half a pint Comfrey-roots and all three ounces Horstail Blood-wort each half a handful Pears and Quinces Pomegranate-flowers all Sanders each half an ounce Mastich an ounce Distil them and give two ounces with half an ounce of Syrup of Roses or Purslane Electuaries Conserve of Roses two ounces Quinces an ounce and half Troches of burnt Ivory and sealed Earth each a dram Crocus Martis Bole red coral prepared Mastich each half a dram with Syrup of Mirtles make an Electuary Powders Take Mastich red Coral prepared each a dram Pearl Smaragds prepared each a scruple Blood-stone half a scruple Bole half a dram make a powder Michael Paschal cured many with this Powder Lib. de curat morb cap. 55. Take two Egg-shells burnt Frankincense Mastich each half an ounce Pearl red Coral and Amber each two drams Blood-stone Smaragds prepared each half a scruple Barley-flour two pugils whites of four Eggs with steeled water make Cakes Give from half a dram to a dram in powder with Trotter-broath in the morning Or give every day a dram of the powder of Mulberry-tree roots Or Ex petrafores to Take plump Turtle drawn and pluckt wash it in Rose-water and red Wine put an ounce of Mastich in the belly of it stick it on and roast it and bast it with Vinegar of Roses Then put it into a glass close luted to be dried in an Oven then beat all of it to powder Give a spoonful with Plantane-water or an astringent Decoction Anoint the bottome of the Belly Reins and Groyns with the dropping of it Or make Rouls thus Take Bole half a dram Magistery of Coral a dram Pearl prepared a scruple Sorrel and Plantane-seed each half a dram Aromatiacum rosatum Traganth each half a dram with Sugar dissolved in Plantane-water make Rouls In the use of cold Astringents take heed you stop not the Veins and the heat be cooled If these help not use Narcoticks as Troches of sealed Earths and Amber with Opium these astringe also Use no Pessaries except the Veins in the neck of the Womb be open As Take Snakeweed Tormentil each half an ounce Pomegranate-flowers Plantane-seed each two drams Comfry-roots half an ounce Frankincense Mastich each a dram Acacia Sanguis Draconis each two scruples Blood-stone Starch each a dram and half with the white of an Egg and Gum traganth dissolved in Rose-water make Pessaries with red Silk Womb-Clysters Take juyce of Yarrow Solomons-seal each two ounces Mucilage of Gum Arabick made in Plantane-water two ounces make a Clyster A Fume Take Frankincense Mastich each two drams Mirtles Labdanum each a
dram red Roses Pomegranate-flowers each half a dram with Gum traganth make Troches to be burnt Oyntments Take Oyl of Mirtles Quinces each two ounces juyce of Plantane Solomons-seal Horse-tail each an ounce boil the juyces away add Bole Plantane-seed Mirtle-berries Ceruss each half an ounce with Wax make an Oyntment Or use the Countesses Oyntment to the Loins and Pecten Cataplasms Take Quinces Pearls boiled in red Wine add Bole Mastich Sanguis Draconis Acacia make a Cataplasm or a Cerot Or Take Sorrel and Plantane-seed Purslane-seed Bole Sanguis Draconis each two drams Frankincense Mastich Mirrh each three drams Turpentine an ounce with juyce of Plantane and Yarrow and Wax make a Cerot after the Juyces are boiled away Fomentations are better than Baths for they make the humors flow more Let them be astringent and cool Or wash the Legs and Hips in cold water Lay Epithems to the Liver Oyntments Cerots or Plaisters If Choler offend give Rhubarb and Conserve of Roses to evacuate the Cacochymy If blood flow from a vein broken use Coral Bole Mirtles Comphry Acacia Hypocistis or apply a Pultis of whites of Eggs and astringent Powders If it come from a vessel corroded use stoppers and glutinaters that are slimy as Dropwort-roots a dram with a rear Egg. Let the diet be as the Physick is In a flux from plethory eat little and that of little nourishment and in other cases give things to close the vessels Sleep long and use little Venery little or no exercise Anger hurts and other passions Question Whether Frictions or Ligatures in the Legs may be made for Revulsion Hippocrates and Galen are misconstrued in his 8. Book of Blood-letting and they are not to be used in the flux of the Terms Chap. 7. Of the Terms-flowing with pain and Symptoms THe Symptoms are pain in the Loyns or Thighs Head-ach biting at the mouth of the Stomach pain in the Belly and Loyns fainting They are as in suppression of Terms The Causes but less vehement and are in them that have not conceived There is obstruction thick and gross blood that stretcheth the vessels and the blood flows not orderly A little before the Terms there is head-ach The Signs biting at the stomach pain in the loyns and bottom of the stomach with beating at the heart and fainting When the pain is from thick blood it comes forth in clodds and the pain is worse than before If it be from wind it is sudden and staies not in a place and there is rumbling in the belly The Prognostick Take heed it turn not to the stoppage of terms if it be neglected It is greater in barren women and Virgins then in those who have had children The Cure Take away the cause if they be thick humors evacuate them after they are prepared If sharp temper them These attenuate blood water of Grass-roots Maidenhair Decoctions of the opening Roots Syrup of Maidenhair of the five Roots Treacle and the like in the stoppage of the Terms Against pain use the Fomentations and Oyntments in the Chapter of pain of the Womb. Chap. 8. Of evil discoloured Terms THis is called the Terms depraved by bad humors and so they are voided The Causes Blood is foul either from evil diet or evil humors or stoppage of it The humors are flegm choler or melancholy mixed with it and then the Terms are either pale blew green or black and stinking or white and flegmatick They are so from a fault in the stomach The pale and yellow are from too great heat in the Liver The black are from the spleen disordered The Signs That blood which is natural is different from the bad in colour and substance it is like that of a new slain sheep nor thicker nor thinner and the bad Terms come not seasonably but sooner or later of which Hippocrates Lib. de morb mulier You may know by the colour what humor predominates and by the substance The flegmatick and melancholy are long in coming and the cholerick waterish Terms come quicker The more they differ from the natural state The Prognostick the worse they are black and stinking are worst The mattery are worst of all If these flow seven eight or nine daies she is cured if they ulcerate the womb she is barren Hippocrates saith The Cure 5. Aphor. 36. they must be purged and prepared with proper things as we shewed in the distempers of the womb But take heed that you move not the Terms when you attenuate for that will melt the serous humors and fix them more in the vessels use neither Vinegar nor sharp things After purging consume the reliques by sweat if choler be in fault that must not be sweated out discuss it with warm Baths and do so in melancholy Use Pessaries Fomentations and Fumes to the womb Give Treacle Mithridate or the Decoction of Angelica-roots if cold humors are the cause Chap. 9. Of Terms coming before their time THese shew an ill constitution And it is a depraved excretion of the Terms that comes for the time often for sometimes they flow sooner or twice in a month The immediate Cause is hurt of the retentive and expulsive faculty The Causes so that the blood flows not or sooner or later or oftner the cause why they come sooner is in the blood that stirs up the expulsive faculty in the whole body or in the womb sometimes all causes meet the blood is too much or too sharp and hot and if the retentive faculty in the womb be weak and the expulsive strong and of quick sense it is sooner A fall stroke or passion are the evident Causes The Signs They will relate it and the signs of the causes are these If it be from much blood there are the signs of plethory heat thinness and sharp humors are known by the distemper of the whole The weakness of the retentive faculty and loosness of the vessels is known from a loose and moist habit of body The Prognostick The Cure It is not dangerous but troublesome and hinders conception If they come too soon from hurt in the faculty provoked by too much plethory Let blood use a spare diet and much exercise If it be from sharp blood temper it by good diet and Medicines as in the cholerick distemper of the womb Use Baths of Iron-water that corrects the distempers of the bowels then evacuate If it come from the retentive faculty and loosness of the vessels correct the cold and moist distemper with gentle astringents If it be from a stroke or fall cure it as the vessels opened are cured of which before Chap. 10. Of the Terms that come after their usual time WHen they stay longer then ordinary and return without order at no set time the causes are little and thick blood straitness of the passages weakness of the expulsive faculty and dulness Either of these causes may stop the Terms but if all meet the disease is
worse For if blood be not bred in such a quantity that may prick Nature forward to expel it the purging of it is differed till there be enough to stir up Nature to expel it If thick humors are in the blood the passage stopt and the faculty weak the Terms must needs be disordered and the purging of them differed longer If it be from want of blood The Signs she hath either lived poor in diet or exercised too much and she finds no inconvenience by the want of her Terms If it be from gross slimy blood there are signs of Cachochymy The weakness of the faculty is known by the cold distemper of the womb It is not so dangerous as stoppage of the terms The Prognostick but it is bad enough in a plethorick or cacochymical body If little blood be use a fuller diet The Cure and exercise not If blood be gross and foul make it thin and cut it and after Preparatives let the humors mixed therewith be evacuated It is good to purge presently after the Terms and to use Calamints and to purge often Also four or five dayes before the Terms scarifie the ankles and hold the feet in warm water rub the legs apply Cupping-glasses without Scarification to the inside of the thighs and use Fumes and Pessaries Anoint the bottom of the belly with things to provoke the Terms If there be a numness use things against the Palsie Chap. 11. Of the Terms voided another way SOmetimes they come out at the Nose or are vomited up or flow out by the Haemorrhoid veins 1. De morb mul. 5. apho 32. obser medit c. 15. Lib. 1. de affect mul. c. 7. The Causes Hence Hippocrates saith that a woman that vomits blood is cured by having her Terms or by a Bloody-flux Sometimes they are pissed forth Dodonaeus saies That they come out at the eyes like tears sometimes Amatus Lusitanus saith they will come forth at the Teats of the breasts and at the navel at the little finger or ring finger every month as Mercatas observed thrice Are stoppage of the Terms from straitness of the vessels in the womb or evil conformation of the womb The Prognostick It is more troublesome then dangerous and hinders conception It is best when they come out at the Nose for it is a part that Nature useth to disburden her self by The Cure First Bring the blood to the womb again and abate it Open the ankle-vein three daies before she begins to bleed Or cup the thighs or rub them Or use Baths Fomentations Oyntments Womb-Clysters Pessaries and the like mentioned in Suppression of the Terms Chap. 12. Of the Whites IT is a foul excretion from the womb white and sometimes blew or green or reddish nor at a set time nor every month but disorderly longer or shorter Before or after the Terms and when they are stopt Virgins seldom have this disease and women with child have it sometimes It differs from the running of the reins for it is in less quantity whiter and thicker and at a greater distance It differs from night pollution which is only in sleep with the imagination of Venery The immediate Cause is an excrementitious humor flegm choler or melancholy The Causes Sometimes it is like waterish blood It is gathered in the whole body or in the stomach liver or spleen For they who have crudities in the stomach are subject to this disease Sometimes the womb alone is distempered after often mischances or when the womb is very cold and moist This matter flows through the veins of the womb or of the neck of it which use to carry blood and Nature abuseth them to carry excrements especially if they are bred in the womb The remote causes are whatsoever doth breed bad humors some have it after strong purges or long bathing Sometimes they are pale sometimes blew red The Differences waterish and green sometimes slimy or cold or sharp or stinking In young people it is reddish The face is discoloured the urin thick The Signs there is loathing and heart-ach If the humor be sharp and corrupt there is a Feaver If it be flegmatick and much the ligaments of the Womb are loose and it falls out thus Hippocrates Lib. de natur mulierum and there are saith he swelled eyes evil colour and short breathing If it be not bred in the womb the humor is from a Cacochymy If it be from a fault in another part the signs of that will appear If it come only from the Womb there will be but little If from the whole body there will be more The Prognostick It is often long with little inconvenience but it must be looked to lest it be worse for it often breaks ulcers Cachexy falling out of the womb Consumption Fainting Convulsions when the matter is sent to the brain or nerves And the worse the humor is the greater is the disease The Cure It must not be suddenly stopt lest it go to the noble parts First see whether it be from the whole body or any part or from the Womb it self If from the whole body which is often make general evacuation and turn the humors from the womb and keep a good diet lest they come again I allow not bleeding in the arm if the terms be stopt for they cause a Cacochymy which admits no bleeding Moreover the mass of blood may be made foul by them therefore find out whether it comes from Cacochymy or Plethory And when it is most like to come from Cacochymy bleed not Therefore if flegm abound which is most usual after general purging consume the reliques with Guajacum and Sarsa and a drying diet and by provoking Urin of which hereafter If sharp and cholerick humors abound temper them with gentle astringents as Succory Endive Sorrel to prepare purge with Rhubarb Triphera Persica aggregative Pills and Pills of Rhubarb If it be melancholy do as in melancholy If it be water cure it as Galen did the Wife of Boethus c. 8. lib. de prognost ad Posth If it be in the stomach liver or the like prevent it from increase and because it is most about the stomach give a Vomit but not too strong Then strengthen the stomach with hot and dry Medicines If Choler abound the Distemper is hot and then cool it If it come from the Womb do as I shewed from what cause soever it is Baths are good to evacuate and divert and strengthen and take away a moist distemper provided they are proper for the Constitution Use Dryers and Astringents As Take Conserve of red Roses four ounces of Succory two ounces red Coral Snakeweed Tormentil-roots Ivory each two drams with Syrup of Mirtles make an Electuary Or Take red Coral Bole sealed Earth each an ounce Pearl prepared a scruple Mastich half a dram Cypress-roots two scruples Mace half a scruple with Sugar of Roses as much as all make a powder Or Take
terms flowed not orderly in their youth are splenitick and Hypochondriack in their age The Signs It is known by a pain in the left side and breast to the throat there is short breath often belching the belly is bound they are sad and solitary When thin blood grows hot there is inflammation over all the body and chiefly the face which suddenly vanisheth and there are other signs of Hypochondriacks These cannot endure sweet scents to their nose The Prognostick The Cure If it be not speedily cured it turns to worse diseases as the Schirrhus of the spleen The blood is commonly too hot therefore open a vein especially when it is from the terms stopt You may also open the Haemorrhoids and then purge gently and often with Pills of Tartar by Quercetan of Ammoniacum of Aristolochia or Birthwort by Fernel or give Steel and things as in the Hypochondriack diseases lib. 3. part 5. and in the Chapter of Terms stopt and Melancholy from the Womb. Chap. 11. Of the Distemper of the Liver from the Womb and of a Beard growing by consent from the Womb. THe Womb hath many and great veins more then other parts If then there be too much blood in them it easily goes back to the hollow vein and choaks the heat of the Liver and so the Liver is distempered according to the humor It breeds crude and flegmatick bood which sent over the body causeth a Cachexy and what diseases come by the Liver are by consent from the womb as in stoppage of the Terms and Green-sickness Hippocrates speaks of a womans Beard in Phaetusa the Wife of Pythius 6 Epid. sec 8. aph 45. for hairs have their beginning and growth from the reliques of the nourishment of the noble parts that is from the excrementitious part of the blood And if terms be stopt and vitious humors that use to be evacuated with them are sent over the body they cause divers Diseases and Symptoms and among the rest the body of a woman is made hairy and she hath a Beard which is rare Chap. 12. Of the Diseases of the Stomach that come from the Womb. SOmetimes from consent with the womb the appetite is lost diminished increased or depraved or there is Hickets or vomiting belching pain or heart-ach The Causes This is when malignant vapors the way being large rise from the arteries of the womb and go to the coeliack artery and through the Hypogastrick And if they are hot they cause thirst if cold they hurt concoction and many times cause strong symptoms from their malignity and occult qualities whose causes are not known Hence it is that women desire absurd things as these vapors get into divers parts of the stomach The Signs You may know when the stomach is affected by consent from the womb because the Symptoms abate and return again when the vapor comes to the stomach there are also other signs of the womb distempered and of the Spleen and Mesentery by the vessels of which the matter is sent from the womb to the stomach The Prognostick The Symptoms are worse when they come from the womb then when they come from the stomach first nor are they curable except the womb be first cured The Cure It is to be directed to the womb and stomach For if it come only by consent and there is no disease by propriety when you have cured the womb the stomach disease vanisheth of it self if you do but strengthen the stomach If the stomach be first affected look only to that Therefore first evacuate the humors that stick in the stomach as we shewed in its Distemper with matter or the humors will be infected by the malignant vapors A Vomit is here proper To help the Womb see for the Mother-fits and Suffocation and for the Chapter of the Distemper of the womb with matter then strengthen the Stomach thus Take Aromaticum Rosatum a dram Extract of Angelica half a scruple Oyl of Cloves Cinnamon each five drops with Sugar two ounces make Rouls Or give Pills of Aloes and Mastich often THE FOURTH BOOK THE FOURTH SECTION Of the Symptoms which are in Conception Chap. 1. Of the desire of Venery hurt THere are two Symptoms in women about copulation The first lechery lost when she doth not willingly entertain a man or cannot long endure him or if she endures she finds little or no pleasure no more than if she were outwardly handled The other is too great lust as in Frenzy of the womb when they cannot be satisfied by many men Causes The defect of appetite in lust is from defect of seed or when it is cold or there wants Spirits in the Seed-vessels The causes of want of Seed are Lib. 3. Par. 9. Sect. 2. C. 1. Sometimes it is from evil conformation of the Seed-vessels Women discover this to their Husbands that go to the Physitians for counsel The Signs These women have not fruitful feed The Prognostick The Cure and therefore are barren For that see Lib. 3. Of Barrenness of Men where are Liniments and Oyntments for the Loyns and Privities of women but that she may take more pleasure let the man anoint the head of his Yard with Civet or Hens-gall or the gall of a Pickrel Too much Letchery not of it self hinders Conception but wandring Lust that follows Letchery doth The Causes are the same with those of Womb-Frenzy as plenty of seed sharpness and commotion sharpness of seed from hot meat and Medicines that provoke lust and sharp humors in the womb and seed Thus lust or lechery is abated by Medicines that extinguish the plenty of seed and allay its sharpness Chap. 2. Of Barrenness and want of Conception Man or Woman may be lustful and copulate and yet there may be no conception or she may conceive too many as Twins or more or have one conception after another which is called Superfoetation or she conceives a Mole or Monster Conception is of fruitful seed spent by a man and mixed with a womans seed to perfection for the making of a child by the retentive and altering faculty of the womb hence it is necessary that both seeds be fruitful that is hot full of Spirits and well tempered and a fit subject for a Soul and that both spend at a time and there be mixed and retained together to produce a child Also the sucking of the womb is necessary and that it should lay it up and embrace it so that there be no space between the Seed and the Womb. Sometimes the womb greedily snatcheth and embraceth the seed but doth not keep it but lets it come forth two or three dayes after or keeps it to no purpose and brings it not to action as in a false conception or mole Moreover there must be blood in readiness to get the child or besprinkle it when it is first formed and to nourish it after Therefore if terms be wanting as in girls or be stopt or
come from worms give things that kill worms with Piony-roots and the like If there be a Feaver respect that also Give Coral Smaradgs and Elkes-hoof In the fit give Epileptick-water as Lavender-water and rub with the Oyl of Amber or hang a Piony-root Elkes-hoof or Smaradg about the neck Of a Convulsion This is when the brain labors to cast out what troubles it The matter is in the marrow of the back and fountain of the nerves It is a stubborn disease and often kills In the fit wash the body especially the back-bone with decoction of Althaea Lilly-roots Piony Chamomil-flowers And anoint with Mans and Goose-grease Oyl of Worms Orris Lillies Foxes Ex Paulo Aegineta Turpentine Mastich Storax calamite The Sun flower is good boiled in water for to wash the Child Chap. 11. Of Strabismus or Squint-eyes THis is when they lie in the Cradle with their head from the light or on one side and they still look towards the light which causeth distortion of the eyes or it may come from the Epilepsie or by Birth The Prognostick If by birth it is not curable nor if it come from an Epilepsie If it come from custome and be new it is curable The Cure Lib. 1. par 3. c. 43. You must put a Candle on the contrary side or a Picture so long till the Eyes come to be right Chap. 12. Of Pain in the Ears Inflammation Moisture Ulcers and Worms OF these in the first Book But here we shall speak of Infants The Brain in them is very moist and hath many excrements which Nature cannot send out at its proper passages these get often to the ears and cause pain and flux of blood with inflammation and matter with pain The Signs In children pain and inflammation are hard to be known they canot relate it only it is known by constant crying and feeling their ears and will not let others touch them sometimes the parts about the Ears are red It is dangerous because it brings watching The Prognostick Hipp. 1. prog c. 16. The Cure and Epilepsie the moisture breeds worms there and fouls the spungy bones and at length deafness incurable Presently allay the pain but children must not have strong remedies Only use warm milk about the ears Oyl of Violets or the Decoction of Poppy tops To take away moisture use Honey of Roses and Aqua Mellis to be dropt into the Ears Or Take Virgins Honey half an ounce red Wine two ounces Allum Saffron Salt-peter each a dram mix them at the fire Or drop in Hemp-seed-Oyl with a little Wine Chap. 13. Of the Thrush Bladders in the Gums and Inflammation of the Tonsils THese are from bad milk or from foul humors in the stomach for the mouth is tender and cannot endure the sharp milk nor the vapors from the stomach because the coat is the same as in Lib. 2. Par. 1. Cap. 18. The bladders in the gums are thus cured Take Lentils husked powder them lay it upon the gums Or Take Melium in flour half an ounce with Oyl of Roses make a Liniment The inflammation of the Tonsils is more from eleven to thirteen for then the parts are harder and hold the humours longer and they cannot sweat out For Cure keep the belly loose by Clysters Hipp. 3. aph 26. or the like use Repellers at first then Resolvers with Repellers and at last Resolvers alone but not too hot in age Gargles are best in Infants anoint with Honey of Roses Mirtles Pomegranates Diamoron inwardly Outwardly use Oyl of sweet Almonds Lib. 2. Par. 1. cap. 22. Chamomil St. Johns-wort c. Chap. 14. Of Breeding of Teeth THis is a necessary evil in all children and very great by reason of the variety of symptoms joyned with it It is about the seventh month first the fore-teeth then the eye-teeth and last of all the grinders First they feel an itching in their gums then they are pierced as with a needle and pricked by the sharp bones whence is great pain watching and inflamation of gums Feaver loosness and convulsions especially when they breed their eye-teeth The Signs First It is known by the usual time as the beginning of the seventh month Also they put their fingers in their mouths to allay pain 3. They hold the nipple faster then before 4. The gum is white where the tooth begins to come and there are divers Symptomes mentioned before The Feaver that follows breeding of teeth comes from cholerick humors inflamed by watching pain and heat The Prognostick The longer teeth are breeding the greater the danger so that many dye of Feavers or Convulsions They are best that have their belly loose These have no Convulsion Hipp. lib. de dentitio and a Feaver consumes the humors Hard breeding of teeth is from thickness of the gums therefore mollifie and loosen them The Cure rub them with the finger dipt in Butter and Honey or a Virgin Wax Candle is to be chewed upon Or anoint with Mucilage of Quinces made with Mallow-water or with the brains of a Hare Foment the cheek with the decoction of Althaea and Chamomil-flowers and Dill or with juyce of Mallows and fresh Butter If the gums are inflamed add juyce of Nightshade and Lettice Let the Nurse keep a temperate dyet inclining to cold as Barley-broaths or Water-grewel rear Eggs Prunes Lettice Endive Avoid salt sharp biting and peppered meats and Wine Chap. 15. Of Loosing of the Tongue and of the Frog WHen the Tongue is tyed they cannot freely suck This must be done by skilful Artists or use this Liniment Take clarified Honey and boyl it up gently till it may be powdered Then take yolks of hard Eggs dryed in a glass in an Oven till they may be powdered a dram Frankincense and Mastich each a scruple burnt Allum fix grains with Honey of Roses make a Liniment The Frog is when the veins under the tongue are filled with bad blood and if flegm sweat out and stick in the passages there is a tumor like Mushrooms which causeth stammering It is cured thus Take Cuttle-bone Sal-gem Pepper each a dram burnt Spunge three drams make a Powder or with Honey a Liniment rub under the tongue Lay under the chin a Plaister of Goose-dung and Honey boyled in Wine till the Wine be consumed Chap. 16. Of Catarrh Cough and difficult Breathing Lib. 1. Par. 2. c. 34. WE have spoken of these before but because Hippocrates reckons them in childrens diseases I shall touch upon them The Causes The general Cause of a Catarrh in a child is a moist brain and much milk that burdens the stomach from whence many vapors fill the brain and if the brain be full of excrements it is easily dissolved or melted either by heat or cold and goes to the nose jaws or lungs which cause a Cough or Asthma Moreover much food makes crudities in the first passages and flegmatick blood is bred of crudity and thick chyle
and Althaea or anoint with Oyl of Lillies then keep it in with astringents As Take red Roses Pomegranate-peels and flowers Cypress-nuts each half an ounce Sumach Frankincense Mastich each two drams boyl them in red Wine foment with a Spunge then sprinkle on this Powder Take red Roses and Pomegranate-flowers each half a dram Frankincense Mastich each a dram allay it upon a clout and lay it to the Fundament See Lib. 3. Part 2. Sect. 1. Cap. 6. Chap. 28. Of the Stone in the Bladder Lib. 3. par 3. sec 1. c. 6. par 8. sec 1. c. 1. THe stone in the bladder is usual in Infants as that of the kidnies is in elder people How it is cured we shewed before In Infants it is from gross unclean milk made of tough meats this too much taken in causeth crudities fit to breed the stone or pap of Barley-meal and milk may cause it There is also a weakness in the Liver and Stomach when they do not separate unprofitable food but much earthy juyce remains in the chyle that breeds stones Also a hot distemper in the reins by which the chyle is drawn to the bladder and if there be a native hereditary disposition to breed the stone an earthy part is in the humor which makes the urine thick this is in bigger Boyes more then in Infants They piss by drops with itching and pain the urine is stopt often and that which is pissed is like clear water white or like milk or whey sometimes blood is pissed and the yard often stands It increaseth daily if it be not opposed The Prognostick and cannot be cured without cutting which is dangerous for young or old Prevent the breeding of it when you see the least disposition to it The Cure Let the belly be alwaies kept loose and the Nurse eat no gross slimy food make a bath of the decoction of Althaea Mallows Pellitory Parsley Dill Foenugreek Lineseed then anoint the bladder with Althaea Oyl of Lillies and Scorpions and apply a Cataplasm of Pellitory boyled with Oyl of Lillies A Powder Take Magistery of Crabs-eyes Lib. 3. pra decal ves white Amber Goats-blood prepared each a scruple with Parsley-water give it often Or give two drops of spirit of Vitriol with half a dram of Cypress Turpentine Chap. 29. Of Difficulty and Stoppage of Urine THere are many causes in ripe age that are mentioned but in Infants they are chiefly two causes the thick humor that breeds the Stone that makes a Strangury and Dysury and the Stone that stops the bladder It is voided by drops and the child cries The Signs and the Urine is thick you may try with the Catheter if there be a Stone If it be not presently cured The Prognostick it turns to the Stone and all natural evacuation in Children being stopt is dangerous The Cure It is as in the Stone you must evacuate humors from the first passages with Honey of Roses Cassia Turpentine foment and anoint as before with Grass-water Rest-harrow Dropwort-water and decoction of red Pease Or Take the blood of an Hare an ounce Saxifrage-roots six drams calcine them give from a scruple to half a dram with white Wine or Saxifrage-water Chap. 30. Of not holding the Urine SOme piss not only in their sleep but alwayes because the muscle that should close the orifice of the bladder is weak and when much water pricks it it suffers it to come forth sometimes a stone in the Bladder hurts the Sphincter so that it cannot do its duty The cause of weakness is a cold humor and moist from gross tough meats from gluttony and the like The Signs It cannot be known in Infants but it may in elder children that know they ought not piss a bed The Prognostick If it come by custome it turns to an habit or a disease and is hard to be cured in ripe years if it be from distemper is easie to be cured The Cure Alter the cold and moist distemper dry and consume the flegm let the Nurse have a hot drying diet with Sage Hysop Marjoram let not the child drink much keep the Belly Outwardly anoint the Region of the Bladder with Oyl of Castus Orris and other driers make a Bath of Sulphur Allum and Oak-leaves or use Sulphur or Allum-baths give this Powder Take Hogs-bladders burnt roasted stones of a Hare Cocks throats roasted each half a dram Acrons two scruples Nip Mace each a scruple give half a dram with Oak-leaves-water See Lib. 3. Part 8. Sect. 2. Cap. 6. Chap. 31. Of chafing in the Hips called Intertrigo IT is the separation of the Scarf-skin from the true in the Hips that causeth pain and unquietness It is from sharp Piss The Causes when the clouts are not changed often in such as are fat to whom filth sticks easily The skin is off and it looks red The Signs The Prognostick It is troublesome by reason of the pain and causeth want of sleep and ulcerateth if it be not cured Change the clouts often The Cure wash and cleanse the child often sprinkle on this fine Powder Of Litharge of Silver seeds and leaves of Roses burnt Allum and Frankincense or anoint with white Oyntment and Diapompholigos Chap. 32. Of Leanness and Fascination SOmetimes children and men grow lean the elder from Feavers Consumptions and other diseases but children pine away and the cause is not known and though they eat and perform other actions they are not nourished nor grow The Causes The causes of Consumption in Infants are little or bad milk by which no blood is bred fit to nourish the body so that they thrive not till they change the Nurse The second is worms that sucks away the nourishment The third is worms about the body without as in the Back Arms or Legs and all parts these are very small and breed in musculous parts and stick in the skin and never come wholly out but after rubbing in baths they put forth their heads like black hairs and run in when they feel the cold air they breed of slimy matter shut up in the capillar veins which turns to worms from transpiration hindred The fourth cause in the opinion of people is fascination or witchcraft either from the eyes of Witches or by vapors or by touch or by words from a Witch these are alledged by many Authors I neither allow nor plainly deny all these waies of fascination though it is not credible that a child should suffer by words or looks only I deny not but diseases may be sent from sick bodies to others as the Leprosie the French Pox Consumption and the like and many infect Infants And I believe that they may be hurt by Witches and malitious persons by the help of the Devil and Gods permission Bas in hode invidia as Basil the Great writeth for wicked people make a league with the Devil that they may hurt such as they look enviously
from the first confirmation De passion mulier c. 20. when by Natures error the passage from the straight Gut goes to the Womb. Chap. 2. Of the Mentula or Yard in a Woman THe Alae or Wings in the Privities of a Woman are of soft spongy flesh like a Cocks-comb in shape and colour the part at the top is hard and nervous and swells like a Yard in Venery with much spirit This part sometimes is as big as a mans Yard and such women were thought to be turned into men It is from too much nourishment of the part The Causes from the looseness of it by often handling It is not safe to cut it off presently The Cure but first use Driers and Discussers with things that a little astringe then gentle Causticks without causing pain as burnt Allum Aegyptiacum Take Aegyptiacum Oyl of Mastick Roses Wax each half an ounce If these will not do then cut it off or tie it with a Ligature of Silk or Horse-hair till it mortifie Aetius teacheth the way of Amputation Tetrabser 4. c. 103. he calls it the Nympha or Clitoris between both the Wings but take heed you cause not pain or Inflammation After cutting wash with Wine with Mirtles Bayes Roses Pomgranate flowers boiled in it and Cypress nuts and lay on an astringent Powder Some Excrescences grow like a tail and fill the Privities they differ from a Clitoris for the desire of Venery is increased in that and the rubbing of the Cloaths upon it cause lust but in an Excrescence of flesh they cannot for pain endure Copulation but you may cut off this better than a Clitoris because it is all superfluous Chap. 3. Of Atretae or Closures and straitness of the Neck and Mouth of the Womb. THey are threefold Is it either in the Orifice or the Neck or in the middle it is alwaies hurtful either to Copulation or the Terms or to Conception and Child-bearing I saw one that had the first the Orifice was very little only fit to purge the Terms and receive Seed she conceived and the Midwives discovered in time of Child-bearing and the Chirurgion opened it and she was happily delivered but how the Seed was spent into it is not to be understood Lib. de ab sana morb cau cap. 78. Flesh or a Membrane is from evil conformation or a Wound or Ulcer of which Benivenius Fabricus and Hildanus The Cleft also may be closed by a Wound or Ulcer as in a woman who with the French Pox had all eaten off and it grew together after only there was a little passage for Urin. This is either when the sides grow together from an Ulcer or when proud flesh stops it up which is sometimes in the French Pox. When it is in the Privities it is to be seen The Signs but when in the Neck or Orifice of the Womb it is not known but when the Terms are to flow or when they copulate and it is either broken by the force of blood or there is pain and being Virgins they are taken to be with child for if it last long the womb swells and the whole body is blewish These either hinder the Terms from the neck of the womb or from the veins of it If inflammation or ulcer was before this disease may be suspected to be if there the closing be by the Membrane the place is white if by Flesh it is red And it is known by the touch for the Membrane is harder then Flesh The inconveniences are great The Prognostick either in Copulation Conception or Child-bearing especially for the Child cannot get forth without hazard of it self or mother It is easier cured when it is from a Membrane only because it is easily cut or broken that in the Orifice of the Womb is not to be cured because the instruments cannot reach it Take away that which stops the passage The Cure a Membrane that is outward is easily cut but if it be in the neck of the Womb or be flesh it is hard For if the cut be large there is pain and bleeding and the wound is hard to be cured because the neck of the Bladder is easily hurt thereby Uvierus teacheth this Operation in his Observations And Hippocrates in his Book of Sterility shews how a Membrane may be taken away without cutting If flesh grow from an ulcer after purging use Driers and Discussers to diminish it with Frankincense Birthwort Roses Pomgranate flowers Mastick Mirrh Aloes c. as in Chap. 2. Nicol. Florentius Some think this Disease may come from driness but it is incredible If it come from a hard tumor soften and dissolve it with Butter Oyl of sweet Almonds Lillies c. Chap. 4. Of Pustles and Roughness of the Privities ROughness and Itching come from Pustles in the neck of the Womb and Privities with scurff and swellings which itch and pain The Causes They are from an adust humor malignant and sharp which abounding evacuate themselves by these loose and moist parts and their sticking exasperate the flesh this is in the French Pox. The Signs The Prognostick The Cure They declare it themselves It is stubborn long and infectious to men and hard to be cured If the adust sharp humors come from the whole body prepare with Borrage Fumitory Succory Endive and the like then evacuate them with Senna Epithimum Syrup of Apples Violets Roses Catholicon Confection Hamech pills of Fumitory Tartar Let blood if there be fulness first in the Arm then in the Ancle but if it be from the French Pox first use Guajacum and Sarsa and the like Foment the part often with a hot Decoction of Dock roots Fumitory Hops Pellitory or use this Oyntment Take Plantane and Rose-water each four ounces Sal gem Niter Allum each three drams Sublimate a dram and half boil them to the third part strain them and add Verdigreece a scruple then use gentler means two days after till the Pustles fall off and new flesh appear and then use the Oyntment again Let the Diet be to resist evil humors of good Juice avoid salt sharp and sour things Chap. 5. Of Condyloma in the Neck of the Womb. COndyloma is a tubercle or excrescence with heat and pain for these parts are wrinkled and when the wrinkles swell there is a Condyloma Sometimes it is without Inflammation and soft or with Inflammation and hard It is usual in the Privities and Fundament of such as have the French Pox. They are from a sharp malignant humour The Causes which is alwaies in the Pox and sometimes they follow hard Clefts or Chaps They are pain and burning The Signs the skin is wrinkled and when they are many they are like a Bunch of Grapes They are hard to be cured The Prognostick if they are from the Pox first cure that and then they often vanish of themselves After general Evacuations proper against the Pox use Tropicks
The Cure first see if there be Inflammation and then abate pain As Take Oyl of Linseed and Roses each an ounce Oyl of Eggs half an ounce mix them in a Leaden Mortar Or Take Pellitory Mallows Althaea each half a handful Chamomil-flowers two pugils Linseed and Foenugreek each half an ounce Boil them to a pint add Oyl of Roses three ounces inject it with a Syringe If there be no Inflamation use Driers and Repellers as Vervain Ivy Acacia Pomegranate-peels and flowers for Baths and Fomentations and after add Discussers as Chamomil and Thyme If it be old and hard first soften it with the same and after thrice using them use Digesters and Driers that are strong as a Powder Take round Birthwort a dram Savin Hermodactils burnt each two drams burnt Allum two drams red Lead a dram Calcitis half a dram sprinkle it upon the loofe flesh Or Take Aloes Frankincense Mirrh each a dram Ammoniacum dissolved in Vinegar a dram and half Allum two drams red Lead two drams Galls half a dram Turpentine Oyl of Tartar each a dram with Oyl of Roses and Wax make an Oyntment This is very strong Take Turpentine an ounce Oyl of Nutmegs two ounces read Lead two drams Allum Vitriol each a dram Verdegreece half a dram Sublimate a scruple with Wax make an Oyntment or of Balsom of Mercury Tetrab 4. serm l. c. 3. If Medicines will not do the Ancients advise Burning of which see Aetius Chap. 7. Of Warts in the Neck of the Privities of the Womb. THey are from a gross feculent and malignant humor sent to the skin turned to a Node The Signs They are known by their shape the malignant are known by their hardness and heat and blewness filth and pain The Prognostick They are often hard to be cured because the pox is with them and they are in a place to which Medicines are hard to be applied and to continue The Myrmeciae are not cut off but they leave a great ulcer the Thymi and Clavi grow again Acrochordones once cut leave no root After Universals and order of diet The Cure either use Medicines or cut or burn them to discuss then use Sage dried with Figs Organ Rue burnt dry Savin Frankincense with Wine and Vinegar or Snakes skins with Figs these also dry These corrode eat and burn as juyce of wild Cowcumbers with Salt Milk of Figgs Sheeps-dung Goats-gall with Niter Aqua fortis Spirit of Vitriol Sulphur Butter of Antimony Take heed that you hurt not the parts adjacent but defend them with Bole sealed Earth Rose-water and Vinegar if you put the Corrosives into Nut-shells change them twice or thrice in a day and wash the part with a cleansing Decoction and then cut or burn Chap. 7. Of the Haemorrhoids of the Womb. THe veins that end in the neck of the womb often swell like the Haemorrhoids it is from gross blood that comes to these veins out of the time of the terms Inordinate flux of terms may occasion it The Causes when they flow out of the usual time they grow thick and cannot get out of the veins but swell them They are to be touched The Signs and with a Speculum matricis to be seen There is pain and bleeding without order she is pale and lazy The Cure Correct the blood purge and bleed in the arm to derive and revel of which in the diseases of the womb If pain be abate it by sitting in a Decoction of Mallows Althaea Chamomel Melilot flowers Moulin Linseed Foenugreek of which also make Fomentations and Oyntments with Butter Populeon and Opium if there be pain Take Populeon Oyl of Roses and sweet Almonds fresh Butter each half an ounce Saffron a scruple with the yelk of an Egg make an Oyntment Or Take Mucilage of Quinces Althaea each half an ounce Oyl of Roses and Hens-grease each a dram the yelk of an Egg and Saffron half a dram mix them in a Leaden Mortar If pain be gone or abated and they bleed not use Dryers of Bole Earth of Lemnos Acacia Ceruss froath of Silver Lead burnt and washed long Birthwort Allum Verdigreece If they swell with blood evaporate it or foment with the Decoction of Mallows Althaea Pellitory Chamomil-flowers Moulin Melilot seeds of Line and Foenugreek If they do not good open them by Fig-leaves rub'd upon them or by Horsleeches of which Chap. 2. If there be proud flesh take it off as is shewed If they bleed gently let Nature alone to the work for it is good and frees from other diseases If the flux be great and abate the strength open a vein in the arm divers times and do as in overflowing of the Terms Question How do the Haemorrhoids differ from the Terms flowing or stopt Mercurialis saith That though a flux of Terms be immoderate yet it hath its periods and is without pain and makes not the body lean but it is contrary in the Haemorrhoids But this is not true for the body is not made lean alwaies by the Haemorrhoids nor do the Courses keep their periods alwaies Besides the pain which is almost alwaies in the Haemorrhoids they differ in that the terms flow from the veins of the womb and its neck but the Haemorrhoids are when the blood flows too much to the veins that nourish the privities and sticks or is evacuated Chap. 8. Of Ulcers in the Neck of the Womb. THey are seldome cured in the body of the womb and they are simple and clean or sordid and malignant Are a flux of sharp humors that lasts long in the Pox and Gonorrhaea Corrupt after-births The Causes and courses after child-bearing detained inflammations turned to imposthumes these are the internal The external are sharp Medicines hard travel a great child taken out by force violent lechery wounds falls strokes Are pain and constant biting that increaseth The Signs especially in copulation or when Wine or Hydromel is injected You may also see it with a Speculum also there is matter gentle or filthy if the ulcer go towards the bladder they piss hot and often there is pain in the roots of the eyes to the hands and fingers fainting and a little Feaver sometimes The external Causes are to be related by the Patient If it be from the Pox or Gonorrhoea the signs of them will appear of which Hippocrates They are hard to be cured because they are in a part fit to receive humors soft and moist and that hath consent with many parts Hence are divers Symptoms the great old and foul are worst when they corrode and are hollow they are seldome cured they that may easily have Medicines applied to them are easiest cured The Cure First stop the flux of humors to the part if it be either from the whole body or any part And amend the distemper of the womb that it may neither breed nor receive bad humors If the French Pox be with it resist that first If there
Cold and Moist THere is seldom a simple Distemper in the part and commonly there is matter which feeds it It is usually cold and moist which gathers excrements of that sort either in the whole body or in the womb after the terms The Causes Are all things that breed cold and flegmatick humors in the whole body or the womb The Cure They conceive not and are of an ill habit of body the terms seldom flow right and they have sometimes the whites The Prognostick The Cure It is harder to cure than a simple distemper The cold humor is in fault therefore prepare it with Syrup of Mugwort Mints Bettony Hysop with a Decoction proper As Take Fennel roots an ounce Valerian Elicampane Masterwort each half an ounce Penny-royal Mugwort Motherwort Nep Marjoram each a handful Rosemary and Sage-flowers each two pugils Siler Montane Fennel Anniseed Parsnep-seed each a dram boil them to ten ounces strained add Sugar syrup of Mugwort two or three ounces Cinnamon-water half an ounce make a Portion for three doses Then purge it with Agarick Mechoacan Turbith and if other humors be mixed with Flegm add Senna and the like or use Pills de tribus Aloephanginae Mastich of Hiera with Agarick Sine quibus Or Take Agarick a dram and half Senna two drams infuse them in Mugwort-water to three ounces strained add Diaphoenicon or Diacarthaemum two drams strain and add syrup of Mugwort half an ounce Cinnamon-water half a dram After universal Evacuation use Pessaries As Take Mercury bruise it and put it in a bag of white Silk anoint it with Butter or Honey of Roses Or Take Benedicta laxativa three drams Agarick two drams Gith seed a dram Pease meal six drams with juyce of Mercury make Pessaries in a Sarsnet Bag. Or Take Hiera a dram Agarick half a dram Bdellium a dram with Honey make a Pessary or make it with powder of Agarick and Troches of Coloquintida or five sweats of Guajacum China and Sarsa As Take Guajacum a pound and eighteen ounces infuse them in twelve pints of water twenty four hours then boyl them to the consumption of the third part give six or eight ounces hot in the morning and let her sweat Pour water to the reliques and boyl them to the consumption of the third part for an ordinary drink You may use China and Sarsa the same way and because in a decoction some strength is lost and so great a quantity is tedious for women you may distil them and give a less quantity with things proper for the womb As Take Guajacum a pound or Sarsa eight ounces Angelica Elicampane each an ounce Mugwort two handfuls Dittany half a handful add six pints of water or wine steep them two dayes then distil them and give two ounces of the water Let her meat be roasted Birds Hens Capons Partridges Mutton sweet Almonds Raisins Let her abstain from salt and sharp things If these sweats are unpleasant give them in the third and fourth Chapter internal and external As Take Conserve of Marjoram Rosemary Bettony each two ounces of Balm an ounce Diamoschu dulcis Diamargariton calid each a dram â—â—ndied Eryngus and Citrons each half an ounce with furup of Mugwort make an Electuary and use Baths to sit in mentioned Drying Spaw-waters are good to drink or to sit in Let the diet be as in Chap. 3. and 4. give the flesh of wild Mountain fowl Pidgeons Hens Capons Mutton roasted and spiced and old wine and let her exercise Of the hot and dry Distemper of the Womb with Choler Do as in Chap. 5. purge the Choler whether it be from the whole body or from the Liver with Syrup of Roses Manna Tamarinds Rhubarbs Senna c. Chap. 7. Of the ill shape of the Womb and first of the straitness of it and its vessels THis is a Disease of evil conformation from Nature when it can be stretched out no further this makes an abortion in the fourth or fifth month But it is wonderful in its natural shape when it will stretch according to the proportion of the child and after child-bearing be as small as at first Of straitness of the vessels of the Womb. This is usual and hinders the flux of the terms and conception it is in the vessels of the womb and of the neck thereof The Causes Are thick tough humors that stop the mouths of the veins and arteries these are bred of gross or much nourishment when the heat of the womb is so weak that it cannot attenuate the humors these either flow from the whole body or are gathered in the womb Sometimes vessels are closer by inflammation or Schirrhus or other tumor 3. They are stopt by astringent Medicines 4. By compression 5. From a Scar or Flesh or a Membrane that grows after a wound Stoppage of the terms shews straitness The Signs which hinders conception and this stoppage is known by crudities abounding in the body which are known by their signs Sometimes thick flegm comes from the womb if there was a wound before or the Secundine was pulled out by force Stoppage of terms from an old obstruction by humors is hard to be cured The Prognostick if it be from disorderly use of astringents it is more curable if it be from a Schirrhus or other tumor that compresseth or closeth the vessels that cannot be cured the disease is incurable Obstructions are taken away by the means mentioned in the cold and moist Distemper of the Womb flegm must be purged The Cure and she must be let blood as in stoppage of the terms After Universals come to the obstruction with Medicines that move the terms these take away the cause as in the Chapter of the cold distemper of the Womb. Or Take Asparagus roots Parsly roots each an ounce Madder roots half an ounce red Pease half a handful Penny-royal Calamints each a handful Wall-flowers Dill-flowers each two pugils boil strain and add syrup of Mugwort an ounce and half Or Take Birthwort and white Dittany roots each an ounce Costus Cinnamon Galangal each half an ounce Rosemary Penny-royal Calamints Bettony-flowers each a handful Anise and Fennel seeds each a dram Saffron half a dram with Wine Or use Topicks as Take Mugwort Marjoram Calamints Mercury Penny-royal each two handfuls Sage Rosemary Bays Chamomil-flowers each a handful boyl them in water foment the groins and the bottom of the belly or let her fit in a Bath up to the Navel and then anoint about the groins with Oyl of Rue Lillies Dill c. Or use Pessaries and Fumes mentioned If straitness be from other diseases cure them first Chap. 8. Of the opening of the Vessels of the Womb besides Nature THis when there is great bleeding The Causes The vessels are opened preternaturally three wayes by Anastomosis Diaeresis and by Diapedesis as in the Lungs Anastomosis is from much blood which the Liver doth produce and send out by the womb as in some
by the Nose For the blood being thin hot cholerick and sharp opens the mouths of the vessels and causeth a flux Diaeresis is from much blood when there is great motion as when there is long copulation with a strong man that hath a great tool or a hard travel or abortion a fall or stroke also when sharp humors corrode or sharp pessaries The Signs Diapedesis is from the thinness of the vessels and loosness and the thinness of the blood or from much moisture or use of Baths Much blood is a sign the vessels are open you shall know the causes that open them thus In Anastomosis the blood drops and is thin and there are signs of much blood or sharp and thin If there be a Diaeresis the blood flows more and there are clodders and there were causes that broke the Vessels as sharp Suppositories Diapedesis is known when the woman is of a thin and loose habit of body the blood thin or she hath used much bathing If the Vessels open from much blood in a sound body there is less dagger The Prognostick and it is easier cured then in a Cacochymy In an Anastomisis give things that thicken without slime as Roses Mirtles Medlars Services The Cure Pomegranate-peels and flowers Sanders Coral Harts-horn Cypress-nuts In Diaeresis give things that thicken with slime Comfry Plantane Gum-traganth whites of Eggs troches of Amber Bole Starch Rice Quinces sanguis Draconis Sarcocol and Izing-glass But because there are divers causes and these diseases are not cured but by taking them away we shall speak of them in the Chapter of immoderate terms Chap. 9. Of a double Womb the wanting of a Womb and evil shape of the Womb and strange things found in it Julius Obsequens saith that one woman had two wombs and Bauhinus saith that a Maid had her womb in two parts as in Bitches Columbus saith that one wanted a womb Lib. 15. anato but her privities were as in other women and part of the neck of it hung out Worms in the Womb. Lib. de morb mul. Hippocrates writes that worms are found in the womb And Gynaecea writes it is a sign that Nature is wanton c. And Joen de Tornamira writes that he saw a Woman that had an intolerable itching in her womb from the Ascarides he gave a Womb-clyster of the Decoction of Wormwood and Hiera and she voided many small worms and was cured An Addition * Wheresoever foul humors stop in any parts it is no wonder if it breed worms if other things agree which are required for the breeding of them Fat and Hair found in a Womb. Cent. obser 5. obser 49. William Fabricius mentions that in a dead woman the womb was taken out and it weighed eighty seven pounds and was full of divers humors in the middle there were hairs like yellow Wooll An Addition * This was by Magick or a humor lay there fit to breed this strange matter by preternatural heat Stones bred in the Womb. Lib. 4. de morb mulier c. 11. Lib. 5. epid Mercurialis doubts of stones being bred in it but thinks it is clotted blood like stones But it cannot be denied which many worthy Authors write First Hippocrates writes that a Woman of sixty after noon alwaies was pained as one in travel After she had eaten many Leeks she had one fit worse then the rest and she arose and found something rough in the Orifice of her womb and she fainted and another woman thrust in her hand and took out a great stone and the woman recovered Aetius also saith Tetrab 4. serm 4. c. 98. Hard stones are bred in the Womb sometimes c. Nicholas Florentine and Marcellus Donatus say the same Chap. 10. Of the Magnitude of the Womb increased and first of the Inflation of the Womb. INflation is a stretching of the Womb with wind it is called by some a windy Mole Math. de grad in 9. Rhasis See Matthew de gradibus and Thadeus Dun lib. miscel c. 8. This wind is from a cold matter The Causes either thick or thin contained in the Veins of the Womb which overcomes the weak heat of the womb It is gathered there by cold meats and drinks or flows from other parts Cold Air may be the cause also if women that lie in expose themselves to it This wind is contained either in the Cavity of the Vessels of the Womb or between the Tunicles There is a swelling in the region of the womb The Signs sometimes reaching to the Navel Loins and Diaphragma and as wind increaseth or decreaseth it ariseth or abateth It is different from a Dropsie because it is never swollen so high And lest a Physitian be deceived and take it for a Conception observe the signs of women with child for if one sign be wanting you may suspect an Inflation Also in Inflation the tumor increaseth and decreaseth but in Conception it still increaseth Moreover if you strike upon the Belly there is a noise but not in Conception It differs from a Dropsie in the Womb for there is no such heaviness they move more easily and the Belly is not so swelled there were causes that bred wind and things against wind do good It differs from a Mole for there is in that a weight and hardness in the Belly and when they move from one side to another they feel a weight that moveth which is not in this of which Hippocrates 2. De morb mulier The feet and the face swell in the hollow parts the colour is bad the terms are stopt there is wind c. If the wind is without the cavity of the womb there is more pain and larger nor is there a noise because the wind is in a straighter place The Prognostick It is neither a lasting nor a deadly disease if well look'd after If it be in the Cavity of the womb it is easier discussed The Cure Give Hiera Diaphoenicon with a little Castor sharp Clysters that also expel wind If it be in travel purge not till she be delivered Bleed not because it is from a cold matter if it come after Child-bearing and the terms were not sufficient after and there is fulness of blood open the Saphaena After these give things mentioned in Tympany that respect the womb As Take Conserve of Bettony Rosemary each an ounce and half candied Eryngus Citron-peels candied each half an ounce Diacymium Diagalangal each a dram Oyl of Aniseeds six drops with Syrup of Citrons make an Electuary Or Take Conserve of Rosemary Balm each three ounces candied Citrons and Oranges each an ounce Diacymium a dram with syrup of Citrons make an Electuary Or give the Woman Aqua vitae or this Take Angelica roots two ounces Masterwort Elicampane Orange peels each six drams Calamints Penny-royal Rue Sage Rosemary each a handful Cummin Fennel Aniseed each half an ounce Juniper-berries a handful Zedoary Galangal Cubeb each
half an ounce with good Wine distil them give a spoonful or two Apply outwardly a Cataplasm of Rue Mugwort Chamomil Dill Calamints Nip Penny-royal Thyme with Oyl of Rue Cheir Chamomil and make Baths of the same Bags of Milium Salt Chamomil-flowers Melilot Bayberries Cummin Fennel-seed or lay a Plaister of Bayberries Let Clysters to expel wind be put into the womb As Take Calamints Agnus castus Rue each half an handful Anniseeds Costus Cinnamon each two drams boil them in Wine for half a pint Apply a Cupping-glass with much flame to the Breast and over against the Womb. Use Sulphur-baths and Spaw-waters inward and outward for they expel wind If it come from cold after Child-bearing and she is not well purged by her Terms heat the womb and purge and give strong Wine Let the Diet be hot cutting and attenuating The Diet. with things that expel wind and little at a time Question Whether the wind is in the Cavity when there is Inflation of the Womb It is so by Experience though some deny it nor is there any cause why wind should not be bred in the womb as well as in any other part both by reason of the Excrements that come thither and the natural heat that turns them into wind these also stretch the womb though it be thick as in Dropsies and Conception Also the retentive or altering faculty of the womb is never idle so that when it receives diseased and unfruitful seed it suffers it not to corrupt but turns it into wind As Hippocrates writes When the Womb is stretched by wind from the Belly Lib. de nat pueri women think they have conceived Chap. 11. Of the Dropsie of the Womb. THey are also deceived and think they are with child when there is water that swells the womb Ves lib. 6. de corp hum Fab. Mar. Do de hist me mira l. 4. c. 21. Tetrab 6.4 ser 4. c. 79. this is a Dropsie of the womb This water is either in the Cavity or between the Coats of the womb or in its Vessels Vesalius Marcellus Donatus shew that water is in the Cavity for it doth not presently by its plenty or quality force its passage out because the Orifice is not alwaies open and Nature gathers it by degrees and is used to it Aetius saith There are sometimes Bladders of water in the womb And Christopher Vega saith that Leonora thought that she had gone 6 months and then voided sixty Bladders of water and seven pieces of flesh like that of the Spleen in Membranes Lib. 4. obser cent 2. obser 56. The Causes There is sometimes a Dropsie of the Womb with Conception as Schenstius and William Fabricius saith of his own wife Are gathering of water from moistness mixed with the terms and from an evil Sanguification in the Liver and Spleen from their weakness or from errors in Diet or from weakness of the womb from hard travel or often mischances cold air or water or whatsoever hurts the heat of the womb Also stoppage of the terms doth cause gathering of water for the water useth to be evacuated with them Many take this for the only cause Sometimes the tunicles of the womb may be divided in some place and water may be gathered between them Hippocrates saith the terms are fewer The Signs 1. De morb mulier and cease before the time the bottom of the Belly swells and the Paps are soft without Milk and she thinks she is with child By these you know it is a Dropsie But because Doctors and Midwives are often deceived you must distinguish this from other Swellings When a woman is sound and useth a sound man the womb by degrees swells and the child moves in its time but often there is a Dropsie with Conception before or after therefore in a Dropsie the tumor is equal according to the largeness of the womb and belly and not pointed as in a woman with child Secondly If the woman be in years and hath not conceived before and hath a good colour it is a sign of a Dropsie rather then a Conception If the tenth month be past and the child moves not nor the Breasts swell but are soft say there is Dropsie of the womb Thirdly In a true Conception women are better after some months and the Symptoms abate but in a Dropsie they increase still It is distinguished from a Mole by the weight in the bottom of the Belly From an inflation because the Belly is stretched in that and sounds being stricken but is soft in a Dropsie It differs from the Dropsie of the Belly because the Face is pale or wane in that from the distemper of the Liver there is thirst but in the Womb-dropsie she is of a good colour except the Liver be also bad It differs from Inflamation in the womb for that is with a constant Feaver and the Symptoms of it and from other tumors which are harder but in a Dropsie of the womb if the Belly be pressed it yields You shall know whether it be from the fault in the womb principally or from some other part thus If the Woman be of a good colour and there were only some diseases and causes that might hurt the womb as abortion hard travel stoppage of terms or too many of them then the womb is chiefly affected But if there be signs of a distemper in the whole body or in the Liver or Spleen and the colour is bad it is consent from other parts You shall know whether the water be in Bladders or in the Cavity of the womb thus If you find the Orifice of the womb closed and there is little pain it is in the Cavity But if the Orifice be open and there is great pain it is in Bladders or without the Cavity The Prognostick If the humor in the womb be not corrupt this disease is of long continuance but may be easily cured It is easier cured in the cavity then when it is in bladders and between the tunicles A woman after Conception having a Dropsie of the womb her child dieth and she is in danger The Cure When it is from stoppage of terms and new and the strength firm open a Vein in the Legs otherwise bleed not Purge according to the Humor with respect to the Womb as in Chap. 6. of a cold Distemper Then purge Water Take Angelica and Madder roots each half an ounce Calamints Penny-royal Mugwort Lovage each a handful Savin a pugil boil them in Wine and sweeten it with Sugar Or make Broaths with the same Take Dianisum Diagalangal each half a dram Oyl of Aniseeds Cloves each five drops Sugar three ounces make Rouls Inject into the Womb as in Dropsies Take Asarum roots three drams Penny-royal Calamints each half a handful Savin a pugil Mechoacan a dram Aniseed Cummin each half a dram boil them and take six ounces strained Oyl of Elder and Orris each an ounce make a Clyster Or use Pessaries Take
the liver-veins on the right side or the spleen on the left as they are filled more or less It also falls down by the loosning of the parts to which it is fastned but how that can be it is not clear 1. 2. De morb mulier Hippocrates saith It comes from external causes as from cold of the feet or loins from leaping or fear cutting of wood or running down a hill and the like these make the ligaments moist and loose Also it may be from cold after child-bearing getting into the womb when the terms flow sitting upon a cold stone and the like Platerus Others say It comes from the solution of the connexion of the fibrous neck and the parts adjacent and that is from the weight of the womb descending this we deny not But when the ligaments must be loose or broken But women in a dropsie could not be said not to have the womb fall down if it came only from loosness But the cause in them is the saltness of the water which dries more then it moistneth The Signs If there be a little tumor within or without the privities like a skin stretched or a weight felt about the privities it is only a descent of the womb but if there be a tumor like a Goose-Egg and a hole at the bottom there is at first a great pain in the parts to which the womb is fastned as the loyns the bottom of the belly and the privities and the Os sacrum from the stretching or breaking of the ligaments but a little after the pain abateth and there is an impediment in walking Sometimes blood comes forth from the breach of the vessels and the dung and urine are stopt and a Feaver and Convulsion When it is near it is easily cured when old The Prognostick it is hard to be cured but not deadly only it is troublesom and nasty It hinders conception and keeps terms from flowing orderly If it be with pain Feaver or Convulsion it is deadly especially in women with Child That which comes from corrosion of the ligaments is dangerous First put it up before the air alter it The Cure or it be inflamed or swollen Therefore first give a Clyster to remove the excrements Then lay her upon her back with her legs abroad and thighs lifted up her head down and take the tumor in your hands and thrust it in without violence If it be swollen by alteration and cold foment it with the Decoction of Mallows Althaea Line Foenugreek-seed Chamomil-flowers Bayberries and anoint it with oyl of Lillies and Hens-grease If there be an inflammation Roder a. casuo de morb mul. 1. 2. c. 17. put it not up yet It may be frighted in by shewing of red hot iron and acting as if you would burn it First sprinkle upon it the powder of Mastich Frankincense and the like As Take Frankincense Mastich each two drams Sarcocol steept in Milk a dram Mummy Pomegranate-flowers Sanguis Draconis each half a dram When it is put up let her lie with her leggs stretched one upon the other for eight or ten dayes and make a Pessary like a Pear of Cork or Spung put into the womb dipt in sharp wine or juyce of Acacia with powder of Sanguis Draconis Bole Mastich or the Countesses Oyntment with Galbanum and Bdellium Apply a Cupping-glass with great flame under the navel or paps or to both kidnies and lay this Plaister to the back Take Opopanax two ounces Storax liquid half an ounce Frankincense Mastich Pitch Bole each two drams with Wax make a Plaister Or Take Labdanum a dram and half Frankincense Mastich each half a dram wood Aloes Cloves Spike each a dram Ash coloured Amber-greece four grains Musk half a scruple make two round Plaisters to be laid on each side the Navel Make a Fume of a Snail skin salted or of Garlick and let it be taken in by a Funnel Use astringent Fomentations of Bramble leaves Plantane Horstails Mirtles each two handfuls Wormwood two pugils Pomegranate-flowers half an ounce boil them in wine and water Or inject this with a Syringe Take Comfrey-roots an ounce Snakeweed Pomgranate-flowers each half an ounce Rupture-wort two drams Yarrow Mugwort each half an ounce boil them in red Wine Then use Sulphur Baths To strengthen the Womb Take Harts-horn Bayes each a dram Mirrh half a dram make a powder for two doses give it with sharp Wine Or Take Zedoary Parsnep-seeds Crabs eyes prepared each a dram Nutmeg half a dram give a dram in powder but use astringents warily lest you stop the courses and cause worse mischief If it fall out from evil humors that flow to the womb and loosen the ligaments purge the body and then use dryers as the decoction of China Sarsa and Guajacum To keep it in its place make Roulers and Ligatures as for the Rupture and use Pessaries into the bottom of the womb that may force it to remain Lib. de partu Caesar sect 6. cap. 3. 4. of which Francis Rousset hath written at large and shews that they neither hinder Conception nor bring any inconvenience nay that they help Conception and retain it and cure this disease perfectly And Gaspar Bauhinus confirms the same in his Appendix to Rousset You may use Circles or Balls instead of Pessaries As Take roots of wild Vine make round Circles or Balls of them greater or less as the neck of the womb is Then Take Virgins Wax melted with white Rosin or Turpentine dip the balls in till they are fit put one in the neck of the womb that will hold in being just fit let it not be taken out till it fall out and then put in another if she be not cured If it gangrene and sphacelate cut it quite off Lib. de partu Caes sect 4. cap. 5. hist 6. Ibid. sect 4. cap. 5. if she fear cutting take it off by Ligature of which Rousset who shews the way and saith that it may be cut off without danger of life He tells also of the place where you must cut and in Sect. 4. de partu Caesareo where the Ligature is to be made Let the diet be drying and astringent and glewing as Rice Starch Quinces Pears green Cheese Avoid Summer-fruits Let the Wine be astringent and red The Cure of the inclining of the Womb. When it inclines to the sides after Universals apply Cupping-glasses to the other side and let her still lie on the other side and let the Midwife anoint her finger with Oyl of sweet Almonds and draw it a little by degrees to the other side Chap. 17. Of the Rupture of the Womb. FEw Physitians have seen this I never read of any but once I saw it of which in my Institutions lib. 2. part 1. cap. 9. Chap. 18. Of Wounds and breaking of the Womb. The Signs IT is seldom wounded by reason of the divers defences it hath but sometimes the Chirurgions wound it in
it by one Sometimes there is only short breath sometimes the animal actions are hurt the whole Body is cold from a malignant vapor sent up from the Womb. The Causes The immediate Cause is a vapour malignant and venomous sent up by the Arteries Veins and Nerves that hurt the actions of the parts it goes to This vapor is like air or wind thin and little but very strong to get presently through the whole Body It chiefly ascends to the Gullet and causeth choaking as eating of Mushrooms Hellebore and other poysons There is often short difficult breathing with Heart-ach Vomiting and Loathing If the vapor go first to the heart the motion of it ceaseth and there is swounding and she falls down If it go to the Brain the animal actions are hurt When seed and terms corrupt in the Womb with other bad humors they breed this evil vapor because they are the best substance and the beginning of generation they are worst when corrupted especially seed to hurt the whole Body Gal. cit 1. Sometimes it is in Women with child when they have not their after-purging but evil humors are left and corrupt in the Womb. The chief cause of this humor is in the trumpet of the womb and stones the body of which is hollow and loose the stones being in Bladders and have hollowness full of water which in hysterical women is yellow and thicker then ordinary Vesal de corp human Fabr. lib. 5. c. 15. This trumpet and the stones are often taken from the womb it self when they are swollen with corrupt seed and humors and wind and reach to the Navel of which in the Chapter of Ascent of the Womb. This disease is breeding sooner or longer as the matter is more or less sometimes corrupt humors lie still and if they be stirred they send a venom or vapor to the whole body Now in women subject to this disease sweet scents to the Nose or taken in or anger will move these humors and vapors They are according to the variety of the Symptoms and efficient cause or venomous humors The Differences for corrupt blood especially seed puts on another Nature That Suffocation is at hand The Signs it appears by laziness weakness of the Legs paleness sad countenance and the motion of something like a Ball in the Belly with noise like Frogs Snakes or Crows so that some think it is devillish There is also Belching Yawning Yexing short Wind Heart-beating Loathing Dulness Laughter at the coming of the fit from the vapor getting into the Membrane of the Breast that tickle them some cry some both laugh and cry These Symptoms increase when the fit comes and the Jaws are closed that she seems to be choaked and sense and motion is gone or depraved Some have Convulsions some hear what is done about them but cannot speak the pulse is less the whole body is cold and the Eyes shut as if they were dead When the fit declines humors flow from the Privities the Guts rumble the Eyes open the Cheeks grow red and the body warm the animal actions return and the Patient sighs and comes to her self It is known to be from corrupt seed if the terms are in order and short breath and low voice Suffocation and Convulsions and all Symptoms are then more vehement and at the end of the fit there flows a humour like seed out of the privities It is from the terms if they be stopt or flow not orderly and if there be a disease in the womb it is neither from the seed nor the terms The Prognostick 1. If there come Swounding or a great Convulsion or quenching of natural heat it is deadly 2. Suffocation from corrupt seed is more dangerous then that which is from the terms mixt with melancholick humors 3. The longer it lasts and the worse the Symptoms the more is the danger It ceaseth in young Women when they begin to bear children 4. The oftner the fit comes the more you may fear the quenching of the natural heat by weakning of the Heart often and if she foam at the mouth she dies The Cure of the Fit In the fit you must discuss the malignant vapors that rise from the womb and turn it from the principal parts and you must evacuate the matter that breeds it and prevent its return Call upon her loud pluck the hairs of her privities and Ears make strong Ligatures and Frictions cup the Legs and Thighs and Groyns hold stinks to the Nose as Partridge-feathers burnt hairs Leather Horn Castor Assa-foetida Galbanum Oyl of Amber Rue the warts on Horses legs dried and the powder upon coals burnt makes a Fume which if taken in the nose suddenly raised them Apply sweet Scents to the Privities as Civet Musk Gallia and Alipta moschata or powder of Cloves Or Take Storax calamita Benzoin each a dram Gallia moschata half a scruple make Troches with Gum traganth and let the Fume be taken into the VVomb by a Fennel A Liniment Take Storax Benzoin each a dram Gallia moschata half a scruple Civet four grains liquid Storax half a scruple with Cotton put it into the Womb. Clysters to discuss wind draw down the matter Take the Carminative Decoction a pint Electuary of Hiera six drams Benedicta laxativa an ounce Oyl of Rue and Bayberries each a dram Use VVomb-clysters and Pessaries to women that have known man Take Electuary of Hiera and Diaphaenicon each two drams Turpentine half an ounce Honey of Mercury an ounce Castor half a dram with Wooll make a Pessary Oyl of Tin applied to the Navel doth remove the fit Or Rue Castor and sneesing Powders As Take white Hellebore half a scruple long Pepper and Ginger each half a dram or put Oyl of Amber into the Nose and Ears Apply to the VVomb this Take Oyl of Rue Bayes each two ounces Cummin-seed Castor dissolved in Vinegar each two drams with Wax make a Liniment Or use a Plaister of Galbanum Castor and Assa-foetida A Compound distilled VVater Take Zedoary Parsnep-seeds Lovage-roots each two ounces Mirrh Castor each half an ounce Piony-roots four ounces Misleto of the Oak gathered in the wain of the Moon three ounces and water of Motherwort four ounces and half Spirit of Wine a pint and half steep them eight daies distil and give a spoonful with Tile-flower or Mugwort-water or Oyl of Amber some drops Or Take Castor Assa-foetida each a scruple Pepper half a scruple with syrup of Mugwort make Pills give three The Cure out of the Fit First prevent the seed from corrupting in the womb and if it be corrupt evacuate it presently with Womb-Clysters and Pessaries then disperse the reliques and strengthen the womb But first give a general Purge that is gentle often and use things that prevent the breeding of Seed Strengthen with Plaisters and Oyntments to the Region of the Womb. As Take liquid Storax two drams Avens Agnus castus seeds Angelica each half a dram
or shape of what she desired of which there are many Examples But I doubt whether all errors in Formation depend together upon the imagination for the spirits and humors are troubled by the passions of the mind and so slow forceable immediately to the womb or other part and this disturbs the forming faculty in its work Authoris sententias Also the forming faculty being overcome with plenty of humors or wanting spirits that are gone another way may by chance make an ill shape therefore the passions of the mind are the first causes of errour in Formation and imagination helps by stirring up the appetite These are the common errors of Formation Others are determinate errors not simply from the imagination by the passions which have no determination to such a thing but no other cause can be besides the imagination but how she directs the forming faculty for the producing of such effects it is hard to be understood but there must be some imagination and the forming faculty that it may impart the species sent from the external senses to the forming faculty And this is the cause of the consent of the upper and lower faculties for the soul is the same in the whole body and every where fitted with the same faculties but it doth not exercise all in all parts but by the proper determinate Organs or Instruments And though the child hath its soul yet while it is in the womb it depends upon the soul of the mother as the fruits partake of the life of the tree while they are upon it therefore it is probable that whatsoever moves the faculties of the soul in the mother may move the same in the child Hence it is that while the forming operateth in the seed and womb of the mother if any species be sent to the imagination of the mother which she strongly receives it may make an impression upon the child yet every imagination cannot make this impression but that which makes a great admiration or terror in the mother when the forming faculty is at work as when she beholds one with six fingers she brings forth the like or when she produceth hair where it should not be or the likeness of a beast in any limb or when she seeth any thing cut or divided with a cleaver she brings forth a divided part or a Hare-lip Chap. 8. Of a Child turned into Stone JOhn Albosius Doctor at Senon and Simeon Provarcher of Lingo Physitian of Senon writ of this in French and Latin I shall give my opinion with others Two things are to be observed in this wonderful History First Why the Child in the time of travail being dead in the womb did not stink as is usual or kill the mother suddenly or was not cast out by degrees being rotten Secondly By what force the child was turned into Stone For the first The mother lived twenty eight years after she had this Child therefore it is not credible that the womb was so cold that it might hinder putrefaction as some think It seems more probable to be that these questions explanation depend upon one principle for the cause that made the stones hardness kept the child from putrefaction but what that is it is obscure Many fly to the efficiency of the first qualities others to driness others to coldness others to both I acknowledge heat cold and driness to he helping causes for breeding of Stones in mans body but the chief cause is a Stone breeding juyce or spirit of which I have spoken at large The principles of Generation were weak in this child and impure and this stone breeding juyce was mixed with the blood in the humors hence it is that it was not born alive as in a mole bred in the womb which women have till they are old and die with it and yet it stinks not no more then stones bred in most parts But there is but this History of such a Birth Chap. 9. Of a Mole IT is flesh and mass without bones or bowels gotten of an imperfect conception instead of a child The Latins call it a Mole from the weight because it is troublesome to women as a Milstone in Latin called Lapis Moralis The Differences Sometimes it is unshapen flesh without bones only full of veins with a skin over it and nothing within but like the Parenchyma of the bowels Sometimes it is membranous and fibrous Pet. Salis diu in annot in altimarum without shape Sometimes it is long round or like a quarry of glass or like a brute beast Some have brought forth three Moles like mens yards Some are like congealed blood or the Placenta of the womb into which the navel-vessels are inserted some grow and are nourished and some have an obscure sense Sometimes they are sent out alone sometimes with or before the child of which there are many Histories Some bring forth Monsters for Moles In is from the error of the forming faculty but the Cause of that is obscure The Causes I suppose it is from both seeds when the forming faculty is weak and the seed little and not good and overcome by much blood and can make only veins and membranes and not a whole child Sometimes it is in Widows only from their own seed and blood A Mole is sooner bred when the blood is impute and unfit to nourish and is made when they copulate in the flowing of the terms that are unclean It is neither from heat nor cold principally but from the error of the forming faculty They are hard to be known before the fourth month The Signs then they are known by such as can distinguish between the motion of wind and a child 2. If a woman turn from side to side it falls like a stone to that side she lies on and is heavy If it have any motion it is trembling and beating with construction and dilation like a Spunge If after the time that the child should move there be no motion and the belly swells and there is no sign of a Dropsie it is a sign of a Mole Thirdly In women with child there is Milk about the fourth month but in a Mole the breasts swell but there is no true milk 4. They are more pained and faint and have more pain in their back and groyns If it be with a quick child it is hard to be known but it is known by its weight in the womb which she perceives when she gets up to walk or moves from side to side some are then strong and well coloured It hurts the womb and whole body The Prognostick if it be divided it is less dangerous when it is soft it is cast out the third or fourth month Sometimes it ulcerates or tears the womb and causeth great bleeding Some have been cast out or drawn out without danger some grow old with them in Fabr. cont 2. obs 55. The Cure and find no inconvenience but the weight To
make a Pessary The stronger are of the Decoction of wild Cowcumber Coloquintida Staphisacre Hellebore Honey and gall of an Ox. Fumes are made of Cassia lignea Nard Mugwort Savin Penny-royal Dittany Or Take Myrrh Castor Galbanum each half a dram Opopanax Cinnamon each a dram with Honey make Troches for to be burnt Then foment the Belly with the Decoction of those Plants Or Take Lupine-meal an ounce powder of Wormwood half an ounce Mirrh Rue each three drams with Ox-gall and Honey make a Cataplasm If it come not forth give a Womb-clyster of the Decoction of Sage Mugwort Mercury Calamints Penny-royal If all fail inject things to suppurate into the womb and let it be turned to matter and come out by degrees and inject strengtheners into the womb Of the Mole left after Child-bearing You may know it by the signs of a Mole mentioned she hath no ease after travel there is pain in the navel back and groyns and much clotted blood comes away and yet she hath no ease the Cure is mentioned before in the Mole Chap. 3. Of the Purgation after Child-bearing diminished or detained THis is not alike in all women for in some women the blood is fresh in others it is waterish cholerick or melancholick And some bleed more then others according to the constitution and Countrey It is either not at all or too much or too little The Causes When they are stopt or lessened the vessels are too strait or the blood flows another way or it is too thick or the vessels of the womb are pressed from its position the blood is drawn away by passions fears or goes hastily to the breasts The Signs The just quantity is not to be defined when it is stopt the belly swells the pain is in the bottom of the belly and groyns there is chilness and a Feaver after it fainting weak swift unequal pulse there is soot in the urin Sometimes the belly inflamed or she voids blew or black clodds or blood The Prognostick Gal. 1. epid com 3. t. 21. The Cure It is bad of it self to have any thing left after Child-bearing and worse if it staies long and grows melancholick therefore it is a cause of many diseases First endeavor to evacuate the blood from the womb by Frictions Ligatures and Cupping if they will not do open a vein in the foot Then open the passages with external and internal meats anoint the Belly with loosning Oyls or foment thus Take Lilly-roots Birthwort Briony Angelica each half an ounce Mercury Mugwort Penny-royal Savin Calamints each a handful Tansey Chamomil and Elder-flowers each half a handful Faenugreek and Linseed each two drams bruise them grosly and put them in a bag and boyl them in Water and Wine lay it to the Privities and bottom of the Belly Give emollient Clysters and if some dayes are past purge with Agarick Rhubarb Senna Or Take Lilly-roots Althaea each half an ounce Birthworts two drams Pellitory Mercury Althaea each a handful Calamints Chamomil Elder-flowers each two pugils Foenugreek and Linseed each two drams boyl them to ten ounces strained add Oyl of Dill Lillies each an ounce Hiera simple half an ounce Oyntment of Sowbread three drams make a Clyster Or give Pessaries that provoke the Terms Give things to melt and attenuate the blood As Take opening Roots three drams Bettony Maiden-hair Endive Schoenanth each two pugils Anise Fennel-seed each a scruple red Pease a spoonful boyl them to a pint and half add Cinnamon-water two drams syrup of the five Roots three ounces give four ounces Chap. 4. Of too great a flux of blood after Child-bearing THat is too much which makes weak It is blood abounding which hath been gathered nine months in the womb The Causes It is thick or spends the Spirits and weakens The Signs There is loathing of meat pain the Hypochondria belly-ach weak and often pulse dark sight noise in the ears fainting and Convulsion It is dangerous when long The Prognostick Hippoc. 9. aphor 55. The Cure and with fainting and Convulsion Therefore observe the Pulse lest she dye suddenly See what strength she hath and stop it not suddenly If it be not very great order a dyet of roasted Hens basted with red Wine or Pomegranate of Starch Almonds Rice Quinces Conserve of Roses steeled Water and make Revulsions use gentle things and strengthen the loose passages Anoint the belly with Oyl of Roses Mirtles cup under the breasts and sides without scarrification Apply a Cataplasm of red Roses Bole and Rose-water to the Liver Then use stronger and give a higher diet often in small quantity and give Syrups to stop blood As Take old Conserve of Roses two ounces of Tormentil an ounce of Quinces without species half an ounce Bole red Coral each half a dram with syrup of Currans and Coral make an Electuary Anoint the belly with the Oyntment of the Countess and other Astringents or use Astringent Fomentations or let her take into the womb a Fume of Mastich Frankincense red Roses c. Then open a vein in the arm and let blood by degrees See Sect. 2. Chap. 6. Of Overflowing of the Terms Chap. 5. Of the pains after Travel and torments in the Belly THese are not in the body and bottom of the womb but in the vessels and membranes by which the womb hangs and that goes to the sides and belly The Causes They are from a constant labour in travel when the bottom of the womb is pricked to send forth from cold air let into it or clotted blood detained or sharp blood sticking to the womb and pricking it The Signs They are in the womb it self you may know if they came from cold by what hath been done and clotted blood will manifest it self The Prognostick The Cure They weaken much and are very troublesome therefore they must be abated First take away the cause or abate the pain and make that which hurts the womb fit to be evacuated by these Pills Take Cinnamon a dram Saffron a scruple Diacymini Diagalangal Zedoary each half a dram make a Powder give a dram in Penny-royal or Cinnamon-water Or Take of Cummin-seed steept in Spirit of Wine and dried again a dram Ameos-seed and Ginger each half a dram Cinnamon a scruple Castor half a scruple make a Powder If she faint add Cordial Waters As Take Diacyminum a dram Diamargariton frigid Citron-peels Zedoary each half a dram make a Powder If she be cholerick or the humor thin and sharp cure it as a Cholick from Choler As Take Syrup of Violets Borage each an ounce Mucilage of Quince-seeds made with Violet-water half an ounce water of Borage Scorzonera each two ounces give it at twice Extenuate the humors and loosen the passages outwardly Take Bean-flour Faenugreek and Linseed each an ounce Chamomil-flowers and Cummin-seeds each half an ounce boyl them in Oyl of Lillies for a Cataplasm You may fume the womb with Decoctions of Herbs Chap.
The strong children must be sooner weaned than the weak some in the twelfth some in the fifteenth month It is good to wean them at a year and half or two years old but give it not suddenly strange food but bring it to by degrees while it sucks It is best to wean in the Spring or Fall in the increase of the Moon and give but very little Wine Chap. 7. Of Childrens Dyet after Weaning FOr seven years the Dyet must be such as nourisheth and causeth growth 1. Aphor. 13. for Hippocrates saith They cannot endure to fast especially if they be â—itty Keep them from passions sorrow and fear and cocker them not but keep them to reason Let them play to temper the affection but so as not to hurt the body THE SECOND PART OF Diseases and Symptomes of CHILDREN Chap. 1. Of Infants Diseases in General 5. Aphor. 24. HIPPOCRATES divides their Diseases according to their Ages In new born Children there are Ulcers in the Mouth Vomiting Coughs Watchings Fears Inflammation of the Navel Aphor. 25. Moistness of Ears At Breeding of Teeth the Gums Itch and there are Feavers and Convulsions and a Loose Belly when they Breed the Eye-teeth Aphor. 26. When they are older the Tonsils are Inflamed the Vertebrae in the Neck are luxated inwardly they Breath short they have the Stone or round Worms or Ascarides Warts Satyrism or standing Yards Strangury Struma's and other Swellings They have other Diseases at other times as Meazles small Pox the Ligament of the Tongue is too short chafing In the Cure use not strong Remedies nor bleeding not purging but Suppositories and Clysters As Take Violet leaves Mallows each a handful flowers of Chamomil and Violets each a pugil boyl them to four or five ounces strained add Syrup of Roses half an ounce or six drams Oyl of Violets half an ounce make a Clyster If it need other Physick give it to the Nurse 6. Epid. c. 6. for the purging force is sent to the milk as Hippocrates saith If a Woman take Elaterium or wild Cowcumbers the Child is purged but you must not give these to the Nurse but gentle things will purâ—e the Infant if the Nurse take them Chap. 2. Of Feavers in Children Meazels and Small Pox. THey are subject to all sorts of Feavers but they have chiefly a Feaver from milk which putrifies and turns to choler and inflames the humors And when the teeth break forth the gums are inflamed they have watching and itching pain in the mouth and then Feavers When Feavers come from corrupt milk The Signs they expel no teeth and there are signs of corrupt milk belly-ach many stools yellow and green A Feaver from breeding of teeth hath its proper signs These Feavers cease when the cause is removed but if corrupt milk last long The Prognostick it is dangerous A Feaver from corrupt milk is commonly from choler The Cure therefore give cold moist things to the Nurse as Lettice Endive Emulsions of the four great cold Seeds Barley-cream Give no Wine while the child is in a Feaver Purge the Nurse gently with Manna Cassia Lenitive Electuary and Syrup of Roses Give Alterers to the Infant as Syrup of Violets Sorrel Citrons Succory Endive-water and of Violet with Sugar Anoint the Back-bone with Mucilage of Quinces Fleabane with Oyl of Violets and a little Wax lay Astringents to the Stomach As Take Oyl of Roses Mastich each half an ounce red Sanders Coral each a scruple with Wax mix it If the Feaver come from breeding of it abate the pain and give the Alterers of which Chap. 14. Of Bleeding of Teeth Of Meazles and Small Pox. Lib. 4. De fabr c. 12. There are Epidemical Feavers at certain times that cast out Meazles and small Pox of which before The cause is not only from the impurity of the Terms but from the malignity of the Air for they are more or less as the Air is purer or impurer Sometimes it is infectious and the humors are so corrupt that worms breed under the scabs and corode the bones and internal parts as hath been seen in Bodies opened dead of this Disease If the Disease be very infectious before there is a Feaver it is good to preserve by change of Air and Antidotes when many die of it but when few die it is not amiss to let them alone lest they have it in a more dangerous time for most will have it only give a gentle Purge and fortifie Nature that she may expel them If there be a Feaver use no more Preservatives but labour to get them forth by Medicines mentioned and defend the eyes and throat and prevent deformity of which before Chap. 3. Of the Milkey Scab Achores and Favi THe Milkey Scab is at the first sucking the Achores are after The Achores are scabs not white and the white scab is not only in the face but all over the body The Achores are only in the head but they are cured alike They are all ulcers chiefly in the head with holes that run with matter constantly They come from excrementitious humors The Causes waterish and sharp mixed of thick and thin very salt Therefore they are sometimes yellow 2. De com po med sec lo. c. 8. or white or red or black but alwayes salt and biting and itching that makes them scratch They are gathered in the womb and from corruption of the milk The Vulgar think they are healthful The Prognostick Hipp. lib. de sacro morb when they run because Nature sends them forth and if they strike in they causes Diseases and Epilepsies They cure in time of themselves but if the matter be very bad it pierceth the skull Dry these not rashly The Cure so they disfigure not the face nor hurt the eyes But drive them forth with Scabious Carduus-water and Cordials Use no Coolers nor Astringents lest the matter be struck in Let the Nurse forbear salt and sharp and spiced things and strong Wine Prepare the humors with Borage Succory Bugloss Fumitory Hops Polypody and Dock-roots Then purge with Senna Polypody Epithymum Rhubarb and strengthen the Bowels As Take Conserve of Borage Bugloss Violets Fumitory Succory each an ounce Succory-roots and Citrons candied each half an ounce Diarrhodon Diamargariton frigid Harts-horn each a scruple with Syrup of Gilly-flowers make an Electuary Let the Nurse take every day two drams Or Take Harts-horn prepared two drams Magistery of Coral a dram Diamargariton frigid half a dram give half a dram or a dram of this Powder Let the child be purged with Manna or Raisons laxative If you fear great putrefaction under the scabs and that will turn to a scald head or eat the skull wash the head with Decoction of Mallows Barley Celandine Wormwood or with Althaea-roots boyled in boyes Urine and Barley-water And then anoint with Oyl of Roses bitter Almonds and a little Litharge Or Take ashes of Mirtles and Nut-shells each