Sope Stavisacre each a dram quick Brimstone half an ounce Quick-silver 2 drams with Rose-vinegar and Hens-grease make an Oyntment Let the meat be of good juyce cooling and moistning Take heed of Spices sharp and salt meats Chap. 3. Of pain in the Womb. THere is pain in the body of the womb with other diseases sometimes as the Colick-pains woven in the bottom of the Belly and in the Loins and Hips and is called the pain of the Womb. It is often in women with child as the inflammation of the womb It is burning and beating it binds the Belly and stops the Urin. The Causes Solution of unity is the cause of all pains and this is from the stretching of the Womb and its Vessels or corrosion Stretching is from wind or clotted blood in the cavity of it and when Nature cannot expel it by reason of the straitness of the part there is pain Also pain is from stretching of the vessels before the terms flow when they are close and the blood thick and this pain is increased by external cold especially after heat Sometimes there is a gathering of humors about the womb when the terms flow and are foul and they get into the membranes and stretch them The same may be from corrupt Seed that stretcheth the vessels Or from sharpness and corrosion in the neck of the womb The Signs when sharp humors flow through it and twitch it The pain is manifest but let us look at the signs of the causes If it be from clotted blood there was a flux of the same and the pain is fixed about the orifice of the womb If there were external causes the patient will relate If it be from Seed there is suffocation of the Womb. The greater the cause is The Prognostick The Cure and the more vehement it works the more is the danger If there be pain and fear of fainting look to that before the cause with Anodynes and Narcoticks if need be If it be from wind see inflation of the Womb. If it be from clotted blood dissolve and evacuate it with hot and attenuating Medicines made into Fomentations Baths and Oyntments It is good to apply Treacle to the region of the Womb or put it in with Rue and Honey Or give a Clyster to the Womb of Rue Foenugreek-seed and Oyl of Rue and Orris Or give Treacle and Cinnamon-water If the vessels of the womb are not open enough for the terms See in the stoppage of the terms If there be wind make a Clyster thus Take Mercury Mugwort Calamints Penny-royal each a handful Chamomil and Melilot-flowers each half a handful Faenugreek and Linseed each an ounce boyl them in a pint strained dissolve Hiera Benedicta laxativa each half an ounce make a Clyster Give Mugwort Zedoary-water Essence of Castor Treacle or Womans Aqua vitae of which before Make a Clyster for the Womb thus Take Mugwort Calamints Bettony each half a handful Gith Cummin Carrot Aniseeds each a dram Spike Schoenanth Nutmeg Cinnamon each a dram boyl them in Wine Then fill an Ox bladder half full with Oyl of Lillies and Dill and apply it to the belly Or Take Oyl of Lillies Orris each an ounce distilled Oyl of Angelica a dram Goose and Hens grease each half an ounce Mucilage of Line and Faenugreek-seed made with Mugwort-water each three drams seeds of Cummin Carrots Caraway each a dram with Wax make a soft Oyntment Or Take Pellitory two handfuls Mercury a handful beat them add Chamomil-flowers Cummin Anise Carrots-seeds each a dram two yelks of Eggs and Oyl of Lillies make a Cataplasm for the Belly Apply Plaisters to the Navel and Cupping-glasses with great flame to the Region of the womb or dry Fomentations of Oats Milium Anise Cummin Carrot-seed in a Bag. And use Pessaries as Take Harts Marrow Turpentine Wax Goose-grease each three drams Saffron a dram yelks of Eggs seven with Oyl of Lillies make Pessaries If the humors and wind is malignant mix Scorronera Bezear seeds and roots of Angelica water of Zedoary Treacle Mithridate and the like in Suffocation of the womb Chap. 4. Of the Diseases of the Womb that come from sweet scents and stinks THere is a particular Symptom in the womb which breeds great admiration that it delights in sweet scents and is offended with stinks And it is certain for if Musk Civit or the like be but put to the Nose of the woman that is subject to fits of the Mother they grow sick and if the same be put to their privities and stinks to the Nose the fit of the Mother ceaseth It is hard to give the reason of this many wise Men have given their opinion but they disagree among themselves and satisfie me not neither do I promise to satisfie others But it is probable to me that the womb is not delighted with scents as scents for the privities have no smelling and the sense of smelling doth not reach so far but the quality by which it is well or ill is occult and not to be explained and to be separated from the odours If any ask what the quality is I answer There are many qualities in Nature that are hid from our senses and yet we cannot deny them because we see their effects as the quality in a Dogs Nose we cannot apprehend but the Dog perceives it But how these qualities come to the womb Quomodo uterus bene olentia recipiat is by no other way but by the open way by the privities by which Spirits get into the womb and in the suffocation of the womb sweet things profit because they strengthen it by a peculiar quality to disperse the venemous air and draw down the spirits and humors But if they be put to the Nose Quomodo bene olentia hystericis noceant the womb consents by the Sympathy of the organ of smelling and the brain with it This is by the Nerves and Arteries for the heart is presently refreshed with a sweet scent because it presently pierceth into it being spiritual and there is a great consent of the womb with the brain and the smelling as is seen by the tryal of Barrenness by a Fume from Hippocrates 5. Aphor. But we must observe that sweet scents are acceptable to all Wombs and stinks are not but the same Symptomes are not in all Women from them for they who have a Womb of a good constitution with no evil humors in it endure sweet things well and delight in them but they who are unclean hate sweet things and osten fall into fits by them because while the womb is delighted with that sweet and hidden quality with which it hath a peculiar Sympathy the evil humors that lie in the Womb especially if there be any corruption from Seed and the Seed also are stirred and when the Spirits flie up they take the bad humors with them and send bad vapors to the heart which cause suffocation and others Symptoms But when the
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
an action of the womb after fruitful seed both male and female is received mixed and nourished and its strength is stirred up to do its office Seed and Coema differ seed is that which comes from both male and female but Coema is that which is mixed of both and is called Conception which produceth a child This Conception is presently when two seeds meets in the womb in less then seven hours after they are spent if the heat of the Womb preserve them Nature is not idle a moment but presently falls to conformation Lib. de genit Therefore Hippocrates saith that the beginning of Conception is to be reckoned from the day that the Seed is retained and if she conceives not from the weakness of the seeds or womb the seed will fall out in seven days for Hippocrates saith Lib. de septim partu 3. De hist ani c. 3. That Conception and Abortion are judged in the same time as a disease health and death are judged And Aristotle saith If seed remains within till the seventh day there is certain Conception As for Formation the Soul lying in the seed makes its own house for all acknowledge a forming faculty and you must then suppose there is a substance from whence this faculty flows And though Aristotle saith that seed is a living creature in power not that there is not the essence of the Soul in the seed and that it is not a living creature in respect of the first act but because it is not come to the second act for want of fit Instruments which being perfected it hath the second act and all its operations which for defect of Organs it cannot produce There are divers opinions of the time of Formation they are best that say the membranes are first made which wrap the child with the Navel-vessels by which it is joyned to the Mothers womb and receives nourishment for the child Then all other parts are made sooner or later as the child requires for dignity or necessity We intend here to speak of womens diseases Therefore there are three things required for the Formation of a Child 1. Fruitful seed from both parents in which the Soul remains that hath a forming quality to make its own habitation 2. The Mothers blood is required to enlarge the Child to perfection 3. There is required a good constitution of the womb to nourish the seed and stir the concealed force If these three be right there is a child that is sound and perfect that will be born but if any of these be wanting there are Twins or more and other faults of which in order Chap. 5. Of the Generation of Twins and many Children NAture hath ordained that a woman should conceive but one child in these and other Countries especially and that every year yet in many places she hath more one had five at every birth twenty at four lyings in A Margaret the Countess of Holsterne in the time of the Emperour Henry the Seventh had three hundred sixty four at one labour And another Countess in the time of Frederick the Eleventh had five hundred and fourteen children at once being Boys these are so seldom that they seem incredible I speak nothing of the Causes of such Monstrous Productions but of Twins or Three The Causes or Four It is certain they are got at one time and this differs from Superfoetation which is at many times And you must not impute it to the divers Cells of the womb for women have no such Cells but only a Line that divides the left-side from the right but it comes from the division of the seed into divers parts and the least forming force in the side is compleat and makes a child of every part of it And because the cavity of the womb cannot admit so many parts of seed being no bigger than a Bean and if it do admit them how can the seed be divided at one copulation into so many parts I suppose that such women have naturally a larger womb so that much seed is divided And as Twins are begot at the same time so they have but one Placenta or part that receives the Navel-vessels of both but they have their several Coats It is hard to know whether a woman have conceived Twins onely their belly is not even The Signs but divided with seams and wrinkles and the weight is commonly greater and the motion is not one not alike If a woman have two children and be weak The Prognostick she is in danger in her travel Twins of one Sex are more lively then of both Sexes And one is by experience weaker and shorter lived then the other Chap. 6. Of Superfoetation IT is seldom that a woman hath many children at divers Copulations but it is sometimes and is called Superfoetation that is a new conception after a former 5. Aphor. 15. Though Hippocrates writes That the mouth of the Womb after Conception is so shut that you cannot put in a Needles point yet a woman with child may take such pleasure after that she may a little open the womb to receive seed again and draw it in which may form another child The Causes Therefore the Cause is the pleasure the woman hath which opens the womb again to attract seed And it is necessary that the seed received be in its proper membrane and peculiar receptacle The Differences These come sometimes sooner sometimes later sometimes the same day or the following sometimes longer after Sometimes they have a third Superfoetation so that they have two living children and one mischance The Signs It is known only by the motion of the Infant when it is conceived long after the first The Prognostick It is dangerous for the Mother for fear of abortion and for loss of much blood by two births at no great distance of time The Cure It is best to leave the whole work to Nature and women ought to take heed of Superfoetation therefore after they have conceived let them meddle no more Chap. 7. Of the ill Formation of the Child IN the Formation of the child there are divers Symptoms 1. In the weakness of the child 2. The parts are more or fewer to which you may refer Hermaphrodites 3. The parts are greater or less as Dwarffs or Gyants 4. There is some part out of place or shape as Histories shew abundantly You must find the Causes in the seeds terms The Causes womb and error in Formation the cause of these is the action hurt of the forming faculty This is not always from it self but from the unfitness of the matter and fault in the place which keeps it from the intention for actions of active things are not but in a disposed patient Sometimes there is an extraordinary cause as imagination when the Mother is frighted or imagineth strange things or longeth vehemently for some meat which if she have not the child hath a mark of the colour
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
same scents are put to the privities the womb is refreshed with them and the Spirits are quiet or move to the scents And so the humors if there be any are still or else move downward But stinks on the contrary by reason of their Antipathy with the Womb voided by the Spirits and so the humors move downwards and often there is an abortion thereby What is spoken of sweet Scents may be understood of all sweet things and this is our Judgement in a matter so difficult THE FOURTH BOOK THE SECOND SECTION Of the Symptoms in the Terms and other Fluxes of the Womb. Chap 1. Of the Flux of the Terms BY Divine providence the blood which is voided every month is kept in when there is a Child For if it be its Nature it is not ill but only superfluous till they conceive nor is it more an Excrement then Seed and Milk The terms commonly begin at fourteen and then the hair appears on the privities the breasts swell and women begin to be lecherous and the blood can no longer stay in the Veins but breaks out at the Veins of the Womb. In some they begin at twelve and they are very lustful commonly and of shorter lives they continue till fifty and some till sixty and then stop In some they begin at seventeen or eighteen And in some they stop before fifty according to the variety of Nature and Diet. Nature doth not send forth every day what is gathered but staies till the plenty offends and doth only once in a month otherwise it would be filthy and unpleasant and hinder Conception Nor do they flow at one time in all exactly but there are twenty two daies or at most thirty between the purgings In some they last three daies which was usual in the time of Hippocrates In some four or five or more as their Liver is greater or their diet is higher or lower Hippocrates saith they should bleed but a pint and half or two pints this is is not alike in all but differs in respect of age and diet As for the quality it must not be too thick nor too thin but of a middle substance without scent of a red colour yellower in cholerick persons in melancholick black in flegmatick whiter and it must flow without any great Symptom The passages are the veins of the womb being double from the double branch on both sides it the Spermatick and Hypogastrick that they may evacuate superfluities from all parts And from this Description of a natural Flux you may gather what is preternatural Question Whether can a Woman conceive that never had Terms They are called by some Flowers because they go before Conception as flowers do before fruit but many have conceived that never had their flowers being hotter by Nature as the Indians that never had any Flowers and Viragoes that use more exercise but if these have no more blood then will nourish their body they are barren If any thing abound that is not required for nourishment of the parts and is so much that Nature cannot endure it in the body the Womb draws it to it when it hath conceived to make up the child of which hereafter Question 2. Whether Menstruous blood is only superfluous in quantity or bad in respect of quality Writers disagree about this Some say it is bad in quantity and quality and venomous by the effects as making Ivory obscure and infecting Looking-glasses corrupting Wine by a Vapor from the Body of a Woman that hath her Flowers Others say they offend only in plenty for if it were venomous it would not be a whole month in the body and it could not from the child nor would Nature make Milk of it Therefore menstruous blood only offends in quantity and not in any manifest or hidden quality But it hath strange qualities when it is mixed with bad humors or is kept too long in the Body to be corrupted and cause great Symptoms but this is when it is mixed with bad humors or is out of its Vessels and so corrupt Question 3. Of the Text of Aristotle 7. de hist. Animalium cap. 2. and how it is to be understood Aristotle writes thus 7. De histo ani c. 2. Constantly every month some have their Terms but most in the third as if he should say Few women have their courses every month but many have them every third month This is against Galen and against experience For it is certain that among six hundred women scarce one hath them every third month Therefore this is either an errour in the Greek Text or in the Translation or great Men do often lie which is probable and so did Aristotle in this of Physick therefore it is in vain to defend their Errour Chap. 2. Of the Terms flowing too soon ORdinarily they begin at fourteen but many have had them sooner A child of eleven daies old had a bloody humor flowing Her saxonia vidit venetiis ser 6. part 5. c. 16. from the Privities Another of five years old had every month a moderate flux Fernel reports that a Girl of eight years old had the terms but are rare and for the most part very lecherous and short lived Chap. 3. Of want and stopping of the Terms SOme Women have them not till eighteen or twenty Some before and then they stop for a time without either giving suck or being with child Some have been without them three five or seven months and then they came again This is an evil constitution or suppression of that which it ought to flow from the fault of the blood and stoppage of the passages The Causes When Terms are wanting either blood is wanting or stopt It is wanting either because it is not made or dispersed or turned to other uses for nature being more sollicitous to preserve the individual person then to propagate the species spends it in preserving of the person Blood is not made from divers causes as age cold constitution of Liver Heart or a disease which distempers the bowels Or often bleeding from great Vessels or from having many issues which take from the blood It is spent other waies as before ripe age and when women are with child or give suck or in hot Natures and fat women in whom it is turned to fat It is in vain to provoke Terms in these They are either external evident causes of stopping of the Terms as too great labour troubles sadness fear but these last do not only waste the blood but cool and corrupt it and cause obstructions 2. Epid. sec 8. in fine as Hippocrates speaks of Phatusa the wife of Pytheus The proper causes are the straitness of the passage or evil conformation of the parts through which it should flow Or the closing of the womb of which we spake but I speak here of the vessels The usual cause of obstructions is thick slimy humors from the blood too thick or mixed with melancholy which comes
and add Fennel-seed Calamus Cinnamon Cassia lignea Cardamoms each half an ounce distil them again Or give Syrup of Calamints Mugwort Or Take water of Penny-royal Savin Calamints each four ounces Syrup of Mugwort four ounces Cinnamon-water an ounce give it at four times Rouls Take Extract of Savin a scruple of Angelica half a scruple of Elicampane six grains Oyl of Cinnamon five drops of Cloves two drops with Sugar dissolved in Balm-water Or make an Electuary of Steel six ounces Cassia lignea Cinnamon each two drams Cloves a dram Raisins two ounces with Sugar dissolved in Mugwort-water Or Take Troches of Mirrh a dram Extract of Gentian and Savin each a scruple Castor half a scruple make Pills give two scruples or give every third day Pills of Hiera Use outward Medicines but provoke not sweat by them Take Althaea and Lilly-roots each two ounces Birthwort an ounce Mallows Mercury Mugwort Savin Motherwort Calamint Penny-royal Marjoram Bayes each two handfuls flowers of Chamomil Lavender Cheir each a handful Foenugreek-seed an ounce Juniper and Bayberries each half a handful boil them in Water foment with Spunges And then anoint with this Take Oyl of Lillies an ounce of Lavender-seeds stilled half a dram Calamints and Gith-powder each a dram Storax Calamite a scruple To Virgins that must take no Pessaries give Fumes with the head defended they will open the mouths of the vessels and cut thick humors As Take Mirrh Bdellium Storax each a dram Benzoin two scruples Gallia moschata Ivet each half a scruple with liquid Storax make Troches Then use Clysters and Injections into the Womb with Purgers As Take Calamints Penny-royal each a handful Gith-seed Turbith each a dram Coloquintida half a dram boyl it in Wine inject it into the Womb. If it be hot after it inject the Decoction of Mallows with Milk or Barley-water And because the neck of the womb lies upon the strait gut give Clysters Take Lilly-roots an ounce Orris Valerian each half an ounce Mercury two handfuls Mugwort Savin each a handful Chamomil Lavender-flowers each a pugil Caraway Gith-seed each a dram boyl add Hiera and Benedicta laxativa each half an ounce Oyl of Cheir two drams Electuary of Bayberries half an ounce If she be no Virgin put Mercury bruised in a Bag for a Pessary with Centuary-flowers Or Garlick beaten with Oyl of Spike Begin still with the mildest as Mugwort Mercury Penny-royal Marjoram Rue and then add Mucilages and Juyces to loosen the womb let not Pessaries lie long lest they cause a Feaver If it be from a tumor provoke not the Terms but look to the tumor Let diet be hot and attenuating of good juyce with Parsley Savory Rosemary Cloves Cinnamon Little sleep and much exercise Question 1. Whether are the other Causes of stoppage of the Terms Some say the blood going to other parts is a cause but it is rather contrary and the suppression of terms is cause of that For the Veins of the Womb are large enough to evacuate blood Others say The strength of the womb is a cause which thickens the Vessels that they receive blood But the Womb is made to receive it when it abounds Others accuse the strength which is to be denied but when it is so strong that it is too hot or too dry and will not receive the blood and that is a sign of weakness But there must be strength in the whole body to cast out superfluous blood or there will be other mischiefs Question 2. What Veins must be opened when the Terms are stopt Authors disagree in this as Aetius and Galen Lib. de sang miss cap. 11 18 19. who alwaies speaks of the Ankle-veins and most are of his mind being it is rational For a Vein opened in the Arm doth rather revel from the Womb then draw the blood to it But in the Ankle brings it to its place and opens Obstructions and doth both lessen and bring blood to the womb and move that which is in the womb fixed Open the Ankle therefore twice or thrice Lib. de sang miss adver craesis rather then the Arm once Therefore Galen commends Hippocrates that he opened a Vein in the Ankle in the Servant of Schimarg though she had a Plethory But in other diseases of the womb as Inflammation dropping or too many terms it is good to open a vein in the Arm. The Saphaena is opened by putting the foot in warm water before and after Question 3. At what time must a Vein be opened against the stoppage of the Terms Galen saith It must be when Nature may be helped be the blood moved that is three or four daies before the usual time of their coming as if she had been always in the full of the Moon and they have been stopt some months Bleed three or four daies before the full to put Nature in mind of her duty and to make the blood run again Chap. 4. Of Fewness of the Terms IT is when they flow less then they use or ought to flow The Causes It is either from the blood or in the expulsive Faculty in the passages As if blood be little the terms are few and slow If the retentive Faculty is weak and the expulsive strong they come at due time but in small quantity If the terms are slow the fault is in the quality of the blood being too thick Also straitness of the passages may be a cause for if they be not wide enough the blood cannot flow freely The Signs The patient will tell the disease but the cause of it is to be found in the Chapter aforegoing Few Terms from little blood is not dangerous if they be stopt from thick blood The Prognostick there follow Diseases as Erysipelas Scirrhus or Cancer See the Chapter aforegoing for the Cure The Causes and if it be from thickness of blood it is often cured by a general purge for the whole Body Chap. 5. Of Dropping of the Terms THis is a Flux and lasts long and there is pain The blood flows not conveniently at the due time and manner and the privities are alwaies wet as when the urin drops Are from the blood and the passages of it The Causes and the retentive faculty as when the blood is too thick and sharp which stir up Nature to let it out and because it stretcheth the Membranes there is pain Also the weakness of the retentive faculty is a cause The women declare it The Signs but if it be from thick blood and sharp and straight passages there is a stretching pain about the womb If it be from crudity of blood and weakness of the retentive faculty the blood flows without pain and is not much felt It is troublesom to women and if it last long The Prognostick The Cure causeth Ulcers and Inflammations It is all in mending of the thick and sharp blood and in opening the passages which are the two chief causes of it of which
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
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
day in it and not sweat To take away the sharpness of the Seed use Lettice Violets Water-lillies and things that quench seed by a secret quality as Agnus castus Seed Leaves and Flowers of Camphire hereafter As Take leaves of Water-lillies Agnus Castus Willow each three handfuls Ltetice Purslane Venus-navel each a handful Lettice Poppy-seed the four great cold seeds each half an ounce Dill-seed two drams Water-lillies a hundful Violets half a handful beat them with juyce of Lemons distil them after twenty four hours add to every pint a dram of Camphire give an ounce Or Take Agnus castus leaves Rue Willow each two handfuls Mints tops of Dill each a handful and half Water-lillies half a handful Agnus castus seeds Hemp Coriander Lettice-seed each half an ounce beat them and distil them with water add a pint of juyce of Lemons rectifie it to half An Emulsion Take Lettice and white Poppy-seed and the four great cold Seeds each half an ounce water of Lettice Water-lillies Willow each four ounces Syrup of Violets two ounces Magistery of Coral a dram An Electuary Take Conserve of Water-lillies Violets of Agnus castus tops each an ounce of Roses half an ounce red Coral Smaragds each a dram Coleworts and Lettice candied each an ounce with syrup of Violets and Water-lillies make an Electuary Or make Baths of the same As Take tops of Agnus castus Lettice Rue Water-lillies Dill-tops boil them anoint with Oyl of Lillies Unguent of Roses with Camphire after that Or lay a Plaister of Mercury and Marsh-lentils to the Breast and Loins Lay a Plate of Lead to the Back and give a Pessary of Juyce of Plantane Purslane Gourds These that work by an occult quality are fittest for Nuns that must not marry but they that will marry must forbear them because they cause Barrenness Let diet be thin and of little nourishment no Eggs Beef is good and fresh Fish Also Lettice Purslane Succory Sleep little think not of Venery labour and avoid idleness Question Whether is Camphire cold or hot or doth it quench Venery It is hot because it burns flames is thin pierceth is sharp and bitter But it hath cold effects as curing of Burns and Inflammations and hot Head-aches but this is from the likeness of the substance because it draws hot vapors to it and discusseth as Linseed-Oyl that cures burns Nor hath it a double substance cold and hot that may be separated Exercit. 104. sect 8. Scaliger denies it by Experience to quench Venery but if it be taken often it doth He tried it but once Chap. 6. Of the Melancholy of Virgins and Widows IT is a Delirium with sadness trouble and weeping sometimes laughing without a Feaver It differs from others by the efficacy only of the efficient cause for it hath divers pains besides sadness especially on the left side near the Heart in the Pap this is by occasion at a distance The Cause is a melancholick Vapor from a melancholick blood in the vessels near the Heart The Causes that infects the animal Spirits hurts the Fancy and so the reason For melancholick blood abounding in the vessels of the womb comes back to the great Arteries about the Heart by the Arteries of the womb and infects both vital and animal Spirits and causeth trouble of Heart and Delirium while this blood is quiet in the Arteries there is no vapor that riseth but when it is heated or stirred up by any cause the Arteries about the Back and Spleen beat more then ordinary and the vapors arise and trouble the Heart They are sad and full of thoughts The Signs and trouble at the Heart and cannot express their grief all things are tedious to them they weep and laugh without a cause they sleep little and with trouble and fear they have a pain on the left side and sometimes the left Breast their Jaws are dry All which are the effects of a melancholick vapor and when that is discussed all cease If it be old it turns to Madness and then they are first silent then pratlers and think they see Ghosts At first it is easier cured but if it last long The Prognostick and she resist not imagination and will not rejoyce with her Gossips it is dangerous They often despair and desire death or hang themselves or drown themselves If the manners are changed it turns to madness Observe what progress the disease hath made The Cure At first if blood be hot open a Vein often in the Arm if the terms be not stopt If they be bleed in the Ankles some daies before they use to flow Let her be merry and prepare and purge Melancholy thus Take Borage and Balm-water each three ounces Syrup of the Juyce of Borage and Bugloss each an ounce an half Mix them for two Doses repeat them sometimes Then purge Melancholy As Take Senna six drams Agarick a dram and half Borage-flowers and Violets each a pugil Citron-peels two drams infuse them in Rhenish wine for six hours strain them add Syrup of Violets an ounce Or Take Scorzonera-roots two ounces Borage an ounce Balm a handful Senna four ounces Agarick half an ounce Citron-peels 6 drams Zedoary two drams Cordial-flowers a handful add half a pint of the juyce of sweet-scented Apples and of Borage and Bugloss steep them two daies then strain them add Sugar and half an ounce of Cinnamon make a Syrup give two or three ounces Also give Cordials Confection of Hyacinths Species Exhilerants and Confection Alkermes to such as can bear it Cure it as Melancholy only the matter comes from the womb therefore still regard that it dry not the body too much The Prognostick but use a moistning Diet. Chap. 7. Of an Epilepsie from the Womb. THis Falling-sickness is worse then from other causes because there are greater Symptoms for that malignant vapor doth not only fall into the Nerves but the Veins and Arteries The same malignant vapor that causeth suffocation causeth this for when it ascends by the Veins and Arteries it begets other diseases but when it gets to the Nerves or to the fountain of them it causeth the Epilepsie In some the whole body hath a Convulsion in others some part only as the Eyes Head Tongue Hand or Leg and the outward Senses are diversly taken Some see not some hear not some see and cannot speak some dote and think they see strange things some cry out and know not why All lose the sense of Feeling If the vapor be not very malignant they return to their work after the fit as if they had not been ill It is known by what hath been said for here is not only a Convulsion as in other Epilepsies but divers Symptoms as in Suffocation of the Womb. They seldom foam at the mouth because the Brain is not so shaken as to cause foaming nor is the vapor so fixed in the roots of the nerves but they often do hear It is grievous and hath grievous
Symptoms but it is not so bad as a true Epilepsie And if you give proper Medicines it never returns The Cure of the Fit Use things as in Suffocation of the Womb or Mother-fits as Rue and Castor are good against both Also out of the fit you must cure it as the Mother using things that respect the womb and the Head As Take Piony-roots Scorzonera Misleto of the Oak each half an ounce Polipody of the Oak an ounce Rue Penny-royal Calaminths each a handful Seseli Piony Agnus castus seeds each three drams Carthamus-seeds bruised half an ounce flowers of Rosemary Sage Stoechas Borage each two pugils boil them to a pint and half strain and add juyce of Bettony Yarrow Mercury Mugwort Senna five ounces Agarick Epithimum each half an ounce Rhubarb Cloves each two drams Anise Fennel-seed each three drams boil strain with Sugar and half an ounce of Cinnamon make a Syrup give two ounces And these Pills twice in a week a scruple or a dram an hour afore Supper Take Piony-roots Senna each half an ounce Mugwort Bettony Rue Yarrow each half a handful boil them clarifie the Decoction and juyce of Mercury an ounce Aloes an ounce and half Let it settle pour off the clear add Rhubarb sprinkled with Cinnamon-water two drams Agarick half an ounce Mastich Epileptick-powder each half a dram with syrup of Mugwort make Pills To strengthen the Head and the Womb and to mend its Distemper Take Fecula of Piony a dram of Briony Amber Misleto of the Oak each half a dram Bezoar-stone Mans-skull each a scruple make a powder give half a dram with Scorzonera or Tile-flower-water or with Sugar make Rouls An Electuary Take Conserve of Balm Tile-flowers Rosemary Lilly-convals Scorzonera-roots candied each an ounce Diamoschu dulce a dram powder of Agnus castus seeds and Piony-roots each two drams with syrup of Scoechas Chap. 8. Of pain of the Head from the Womb. MAny pains come from the Womb but the chiefest and greatest are in the Head all over or on one side or in the Eyes Matter ascends to the Membranes of the Head by the Veins and Arteries from the Womb. The Causes It is a vapor or humor from blood and humors sometimes bad blood that is thin goes from the womb-vessels to the great Vessels and gets to the Head and to the Membranes there and causeth a stretching ulcerated or pricking or beating pain when it is carried through the Arteries being full of blood They think their Head will be torn The Signs and the Membranes and it is behind in the Head or when the terms flow or are disordered from consent with the womb If it be from a vapor there is no heaviness and it ceaseth presently If from a humor there is heaviness These pains are great and cause watching The Prognostick The Cure We have spoken of the Head-ach but here it is from the Womb therefore consider what humors offend in the womb and let them be purged and the distemper of the womb amended as we shewed in the Distemper of the Womb. There is also a pain in the Loins because bad humors go from the veins of the womb and Arteries to the great Vessels and so are sent by the Capillar-veins into the Membranes and stretch them and cause pain 〈…〉 must have prâ—â—â—â— Purges Question In what part of the Head is the pain that comes by consent from the Womb It is in the Crown before and behind but chiefly behind by reason of the joyning of the back with the womb for the womb is nervous and consents with the Membranes of the brain by the Membranes of the Marrow of the back and so Nerves suffer with Nerves either by communication of matter or pain and because the original of the Nerves is in the hinder part of the Head women are more pained there then men because of the Womb. Chap. 9. Of the Diseases of the Heart and beating of the Arteries in the Back and Sides from the Womb. THe Heart beats and the Arteries also as we shewed in the Green-sickness and it is by evil vapors sent by the Arteries to the Heart from the womb that arise from the terms and evil humors gathered in the womb and this is known by other Signs and Symptoms of a distempered Womb. The Cure To discuss the malignant Vapors from the Heart give Cordials as in Chap. 3. Of Palpitation of the Heart as Aqua vitae Cinnamon-water and Epithems Bags and Liniments The Arteries also beat with the Heart as in Widows on the left Hypochondrion and Back where there is a great Artery and the Artery that beats in the back is part of the great Artery they which beat in the Hypochondrion are the lesser splenitick and mesenterick branches therefore the beating is more in the back then in the Hypochondrion but both pulsations come from the same cause The Causes The Inflammation of the Arteries is the cause of this beating when evil humors are sent from the womb into the great branches of the Artery and there beat the Heart being over hot Sometimes the motion of this Artery is all the body over and from a hot humor the hot humors go to the heart and cause a feaver but because there is little putrefaction it vanisheth presently If the heat of the humors go to the brain by the arteries there is madness Some seek the cause in the veins and say that the arteries suffer from the blood too hot in them You may feel it with your hand laid upon the Hypochondrion The Signs and there are signs of a distempered womb and melancholy from the womb if heat continue in the arteries and go to the whole body it consumeth it It is seemingly a small disease The Prognostick but it is not without danger because it comes from a bad cause that weakens the bowels It is cured as melancholy from the womb The Cure and stopping of the terms and as Hypochondriack melancholy from the womb which follows Chap. 10. Of the Diseases of the Spleen and the Hypochondriack Disease from the Womb. SOmetimes the Spleen and the Hypochondria suffer from the womb so that you may doubt what disease it is It is from the womb by the arteries The Causes the womb hath two one from the preparing arteries another from the Hypogastrick artery That from the Hypogastrick goes almost to all parts of the Abdomen and most branches of the spleen therefore when bad blood is bred in the womb and gets out of the arteries upward to the Hypogastrick artery it gets easily from thence to the coeliack artery to the spleen and the parts adjacent in the abdomen and the sooner because Nature useth to send bad humors to ignoble parts These humors are gathered by suppression of Terms which though they seem to be only in the veins yet they get to the arteries by their Anastomosis Therefore those women that have hot blood and their
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
seed comes away presently after or at a distance after some dayes if so then the womans seed is unfruitful or there is a distemper in the womb that keeps it from cherishing the seed If the Terms be wanting they are Viragoes and have hair on their Chins or they are fat and seed turns into fat or they are very lean because they want blood 5. Aph. 59. Hippocrates proves Barrenness thus Put a Fume saith he under the coats of a Woman and let her be close cloathed about and if the scent come to the Nose she is not barren and he bids you put Garlick cleansed into the womb and if she smell of it at the mouth she is fruitful The Prognostick A natural bad disposition that causeth Barrenness is not curable Hippocrates saith 2. Prognos 3. That Barrenness from Ulcers is hard to be cured A woman that conceives not from disagreement with her husbands constitution by another husband or in time may be cured or some distemper that causeth sterility may be mended by Physick Take away the causes The Cure amend the distemper of the womb whether with matter or without matter is to be mended which causeth either no Seed or that which is unfruitful or not convenient See Part I. Sect. 2. Chap. 1. The Medicines of an occult quality are best As Take Rocket-seed Siler montane each half a dram Ivory-shavings Cinnamon Nutmeg each a dram Musk in such as may three grains white Sanders three drams make a Powder give a dram with Wine Or Take Species Diamoschu Diambra each a dram the Matrix of a Hare a Bores-stones and the Yard of a Stagg each half a dram Nutmeg Cinnamon Cloves Rocket-seed wild Parsnep-seed each a dram Musk Amber each four grains with Sugar as much as all give two drams in Wine A Confection Take sweet Almonds Pistachaes Pine-Nuts Hazel-Nuts each an ounce Citron-peels Ginger Cloves Cinnamon each half a dram Rocket-seed two drams give a spoonful at bed-time Or make this March-pane Take sweet Almonds four ounces Pine Pistachaes Hazel-nuts each two ounces Diambra Diamoschu each a dram Ivory half a dram Cinnamon half an ounce An Electuary Take Conserve of Rosemary six ounces Dogs-stones candied two ounces Orobus Schinks-reins Bores-stones Sows-wombs Deers-privities Ivory Turnep-seed Fennel Nettle-seed Rocket Clary wild Mustard each two drams Pine-nuts sweet Almonds each half an ounce Diamoschu dulcis a dram Oyl of Nutmeg by expression two drams with Syrup of Bettony make an Electuary Or use Triphera without Opium Or use Baths Insessions Fomentations Fumes and Baths after Terms for five days Take Briony Masterwort-roots Mercury Mug-wort Penny-royal Marjoram Bayes Sage Motherwort Juniper-berries and tops make a Bath Or use Sulphur-baths of Allum Niter Bitumen these do much good A Fume Take Labdanum Storax calamite Benzoin each two drams Wood Aloes a scruple Musk six grains with infusion of Traganth made in Rose-water make Troches Make Pessaries of green Mercury and Motherwort Or Take Mastich Storax liquid each half an ounce Balm Nep Mercury each a dram Cloves Nutmeg each half a dram Civet half a scruple with Wax make a Pessary After Baths and Fumes anoint the Pecten and Navel with this Take Oyl of Keir half an ounce Oyl distilled of Marjoram a scruple of Cloves half a scruple of Nutmegs by expression a dram Storax liquid two drams Civet and Musk each six grains with Wax make a Liniment After bathing let her have a Bag upon her Belly of Balm Calamints Mints Motherwort and Wine Let her wear Plaisters upon her Loins and Perinaeum till the week before her Terms As Take the Plaister for the Mother an ounce Storax liquid Caranna each two drams Gallia moschata half a dram Oyl of Cloves half a scruple of Nutmegs by expression a dram with Oyl of Keir make a Plaister If the Womb be too loose and slippery use Clysters of juyce of Mercury with Honey-baths Pessaries Fumes and other astringent Topicks that strengthen If the mouth of the Womb gape make a Decoction in Wine of Mirtles Mastich Wood-Vines Olives Wormwood Cypress-roots Comfrey Snakeweed Cinquefoyl red Roses Pomegranate flowers foment the Privities or with powder of Mastich Frankincense Allum Wood-Aloes make a Fume Other Diseases are to be cured as before shewed Let it be to increase seed of much good juyce The Diet. In the time of Copulation avoid passions anger sadness fear Let love be invited and if it burn there will many spirits flie to the Womb and Privities Chap. 3. Of Barrenness for the time and Conceiving seldom SOme Conceive the seventh eighth or ninth year after wedding some presently but not after the first any more or not in many years after If Virgins marry afore fourteen The Causes they conceive not or if the constitution of the womb be bad or the Seed Some conceive not from the disagreementt of Seeds till their constitution be changed They who want Terms The Signs or have them disorderly or are sickly seldom or never conceive with child or have had hard travel or a dead child Some are weakned so that after the first child they have no strength to conceive All these will be related whether she be married too soon or had hard travel or aborted or had a dead child or a Mole If these were not the Seed and Womb have not a just proportion with the mans but it may be altered by age The Prognostick If the womb be much hurt after hard travel or any thing turn in it or broken they seldom conceive again And if a woman marry at a ripe age and have no remarkable Disease and conceive not presently she is not to be accounted barren because some private indisposition hinders Conception which after may be altered and she may prove fruitful The Cure A woman that marries too young after she hath once conceived and then ceaseth must use Venery sparingly till she grow older that she may recover the strength she lost in her first travel And if a woman marry at ripe years and conceives not by reason of the driness of her Womb let her use Baths Fomentations and emollient Pessaries If she conceive not from weakness strengthen the Womb and let her not use Venery often If Virgins be sick from seed retained or terms let them marry But if there be a fault in the Liver or Spleen or the whole body that may be increased by Venery it is better that they be cured before they be married And if they cannot be cured let them not be married If the Womb be distempered by Birth or a Disease cure it as in diseases of the Womb. If it be from a Mole or Flux of blood cure it as it hath and shall be shewed If it be from a dead child first cleanse it with juyce of Mercury and then put Treacle or Mithridate dissolved into the womb or with a Pessary or give them outwardly Chap. 4. Of Conception and Forming of the Child COnception is
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
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.
6. Of the tearing of the Vulva to the Arse and coming forth of the Womb Inflammation Ulcer Suffocation and falling out of the Fundament THe tearing is in hard travel Par. Sectiâ— 1. Cap. 1. when the mother is tender and the child great of which before The womb comes forth from the violent extraction of the child or after-birth which the ligaments are stretched Part 1. Sect. 2. Cap. 15. The Cure is mentioned but you must not hinder the after-flux by astringents let her therefore rest and lie on her back with her feet drawn up with sweets to her nose and stinks to the womb so the womb will be retained and the flux continued after this is past you may use Astringents If there be Inflamation from hard Travel hinder not the after-flux of blood by Coolers If it turn to an ulcer let the after-flux flow and then cure it Suffocation after Child-bearing is from the stinking after-blood which sends up stinking vapors which kill many It is cured by Friction of the leggs Ligatures and Cupping with Scarification applying stinks to the nose as Castor Partridge-feathers burnt Rue And applying Sweets to the Privities You must cure the falling out of the Fundament from straining in Delivery as formerly shewed Chap. 7. Of Watching Doting and Epilepsie of Women in Child-bed THese are from the motion of the blood and humors when the after-blood flows not kindly and there is a Feaver of which in the first Book And from vapors sent from the womb there is an Epilepsie which is cured by Revulsion of vapors and humors downwards and perfect Evacuation of the After-blood which done all these Symptoms cease Chap. 8. Of the Swelling of the Womb Belly and Feet after Child-bearing IT is commonly from cold gotten into the womb and the belly sometimes swells as if there were another child It is cured by hysterical or mother Fomentations or with the skin of a new slain sheep and hard wine if in Travel they keep a bad dyet or drink too much the humors go into wind and if they fall into the Legs they swell then take heed of much drink and after the flux is is past make Evacuation with things that expel wind As Take Coleworts and Chamomil each as you please boyl them in Wine and foment the parts Or Take Wormwood Southernwood Bettony Calamints Organ Chamomil-flowers Aniseeds Rue Caraway as much as will serve for a Fomentation for the Feet Chap. 9. Of Vomiting Loosness Belly bound and not holding of Urine in Women in Child-bed THey cast up crude and indigested meat sometimes Hip. 1. de nat mulier from weakness of the stomach by consent from the womb or from the humors that came to the stomach from the parts near the womb when the after-flux doth not flow they sometimes vomit blood or when it is disordered For the blood not getting out goes to the great Veins and Liver and in its hollow part by plenty and sharp it opens the Veins and it gets into the Stomach Sometimes a Vein is broken from hard Travel Hip. 1. de morb mul. It is bad of what cause soever it comes for the strength will fail and there will be no matter to make milk of if the food be vomited If other humors they may cause a Feaver by their motion If blood be vomited from a Vein of the Liver broken or opened a Dropsie is to be feared therefore stop it whatsoever it be in this case If it be of the meat give that which will be easily digested that oppress not the stomach which must be strengthened If bad humors are vomited up stop it not so soon but cleanse with gentle Medicines and open the way by stool In vomiting blood make Revulsion to the lower parts by rubbing cupping them or bleeding in the ham or ankle and provoke the After-flux The Flux of the Belly is dangerous if it be great for it weakneth and threatneth to bring a Dysentery or Tenasmus or Neesing Nor is it safe to stop it presently lest you stop the After-flux with it If it be from food nor well concocted let her keep a better dyet and let the stomach be strengthened outwardly If this will not do give internal remedies so that they help the stomach and hurt not the womb as the Decoction of Barley Syrup and Honey of Roses Give Clysters also to temper the sharp humors and cleanse Or give Syrup of Roses Pulp of Tamarinds or Rhubarb And Astringents of Roses Plantane Tormentil Quinces Coral and the like If they be wholly stopt the belly must not be bound But first give Rhubarb and Astringents outwardly and provokers of the Terms Also the belly is bound in women in Child-bed then give a Suppository of Soap or Honey and after four or five dayes give emollient Clysters and Manna or Cassia If they cannot hold their Urin after hard Travel use a Bath of Bettony Sage Bayes Rosemary Penny-royal Organ Stoechas and presently after anoint with this Take fat Puppy-dogs boyled in Oyl of Worms Lillies and Foxes till the flesh fall from the bones then take the Fatt and add Frankincense Storax calamite Benzoin Opopanax Mace each a dram Oyl of Nutmegs by expression half a dram with Goose-grease and Wax make an Oyntment Chap. 10. Of the Wrinkles of the Belly after Child-bearing and mending of the largeness of the Privities AFter the fourth month Women prevent wrinkles by carrying a clout upon the belly dipt in Oyl of sweet Almonds Jesamine Oyl of Lillies to loosen the skin that it may stretch better without clefts If the Belly be already wrinkled Tetrabi 4. Serm. 4. 112. Take Sheeps-suet Goats-suet Oyl of sweet Almonds each an ounce Sperma Ceti two drams with Wax make an Oyntment After the flux is past add Oyl of Mastich or Roses or make Aetius his Cataplasm Chap. 11. Of Feavers and acute Diseases in Women in Child-bed THey have often continual Feavers The first is the Feaver of Milk about the fourth or third day from the motion of the blood from the womb to the breasts it is not of many dayes continuance and is not dangerous But take heed you mistake not a putrid Feaver for a Milk-feaver for labour and pain sometimes inflame the humors and cause putrefaction and though the Symptomes appear not the next day after delivery yet there may be the beginning of putrefaction from the heat of the humors in Travel especially if the after-flux be stopt from which time you must count the beginning of the diseases For a Feaver cannot be long concealed nor the motion from Travel last long therefore it is probable the motion is ceased and the Feaver comes of another cause which I shall declare presently The Causes They are the stoppage of the After-flux or the diminishing of it or the foul humors that were gathered in the time of being with child and stirred in Travel Too great purging of the After-blood or Lochia signifies Cacochymy or
that sweat as Harts-horn sealed Earth Carduus must be given with Elder-water to discuess that thin blood that causeth the inflammation Apply outwardly hot a Pledget dipt in Elder-water Chap. 4. Of the Oedoma of the Breasts THis flegmetick tumor is in chachectick women that have the white Feaver it is cold and white and pits because the part is loose and spungy Are a loose tumor almost insensible of pain The Signs and the finger laid on leaves a pit It is larger when the Terms are at hand and abateth when they are past If it come from a Cachexy The Prognostick and a disease of the womb it is dangerous but it commonly ends by resolution or dissolved The Cure is by dry and hot means The Cure and if it is from a Cachexy or want of Terms they must first be removed then use Topicks that discuss and resolve and strengthen let them be but temperately hot lest you discuss the thin and leave the thick which will cause a Schirrhus Make therefore Fomentations of a Lixivium of Vine and Colewort-ashes and Sulphur or a Decoction of Hysop Sage Organ Chamomil-flowers Then anoint with Oyl of Chamomil Lillies Bayes Or Take Barley-flour four ounces of Linseeds Faenugreek Dill Chamomil-flowers each half an ounce Althaea-roots an ounce with Oyl of Chamomil and Dill make a Cataplasm Chap. 5. Of the Scirrhus of the Breasts IT is a hard tumor without pain from melancholy gathered in the veins that flows to the Breasts or it is thick flegm dryed Sometimes both humors are mixed together or more which makes a bastard Scirrhus And if burnt humors abound most it turns to a Cancer and if melancholy be most it is not a Scirrhus but a Cancer The Signs There are two signs of a true Scirrhus hardness and want of pain if it be fixed It is sometimes white sometimes black or blew as the humor is If it be a bastard Scirrhus there is heat and pain and if they increase it turns to a Cancer and the veins grow blew about and begin to swell The Prognostick The bigger and the harder it is the more hard it is to be cured If hairs grow upon a Scirrhus it is incurable and it easily turns to a Cancer The Cure After Universals and the Cause is removed from the womb or the whole body let the containing cause be softned made thin and discussed But beware of two things First That the thin parts be not discussed by too hot medicines and the thick left for so it will be incurable and as hard as a stone Secondly That you ferment not the matter by moistning Emollients so that it turn to a Cancer The Ancients either used none or a drying or a moistning medicine only You must either use Moistners and Emollients with Digesters by turns Inst l. 50. Ja. 1. sec 1. c. 6. or mixed Foment with the Decoction of Mallows Althaea Foenugreek and Linseed Brank-ursine and Chamomil-flowers Then anoint with Oyl of sweet Almonds Chamomil Hens-grease Veal-marrow Oyntment of Althaea Or apply this Cataplasm Take Althaea Mallows Brank-ursine Fennel-tops each a handful boyl them soft stamp them add Barley and Bean-flour Linseed powder of Althaea-roots Chamomil-flowers each an ounce Or lay on the great Diachylon Plaister and that of Frogs Then sprinkle Wine upon a hot stone and let the Fume be received And apply a Plaister of Ammoniacum dissolved in Vinegar If it be a Bastard Scirrhus you may fear a Cancer Then after Universals and Bleeding take away the disposition of the Bowels that breeds black humors If you fear a flux of humors use Oyl of Roses and Juyce of Plantane and if there be heat stir them first in a Leaden Mortar till they change their colour then add Ceruss Litharge each three ounces with Wax make an Oyntment Chap. 6. Of the Glandles or Kernels in the Breasts being swollen or of the Scrofula and Struma in the Breast CElsus saith The Struma and Scrofula in the Breast are rare It is from a thick humor The Causes flegm or melancholy Struma is with pain sometimes and is like a Cancer or seems to turn to a Cancer but continues many years at a stand But let the cause be what it will it comes from stoppage or disorder of the terms by reason of the great consent of the Womb with the Breast The Signs The Glandles or Kernels are to be felt though not before there is one great unmoveable tumor and the rest are small The Prognostick It is hard to be cured for two causes the earthiness of the matter and the deep lying of it They which are near the skin are easily dissolved The Cure After purging and bleeding use Emollients and Discussers that are strong as in Scirrhus Take Orris-roots three ounces boyl them in Oxymel stamp them add Turpentine Oyntment of Althaea each three ounces Mucilage of Foenugreek-seed an ounce Or Take roots of Althaea two ounces Briony-roots an ounce Orris-roots half an ounce boyl them soft in white Wine stamp them add Ammoniacum dissolved in Vinegar and Bdellium dissolved in Wine each an ounce with Pitch and Wax make a Plaister If it cannot be discussed suppurate or cut it but this is troublesome and dangerous Chap. 7. Of the Cancer of the Breasts 6. Aphor. 38. HIppocrates saith That an occult Cancer is better not cured than cured for if cured they presently die but if not they live long Many women have lived long with good order of diet having a Cancer as if they had no disease so saith William Fabricius Cent. 3. Obs 87. and that if the Cancer be not ulcerated they may live forty years without pain and if you lay on Emollients and Suppuraters they die in half a year The Breasts are spungy and loose The Causes and therefore Cancers breed often there but the Cause is from the Womb when they are of a hot and dry constitution with burnt blood and when the terms stop and then the humors flie to the Womb and make a Cancer either with or without a tumor aforegoing A Cancer that ariseth of it self The Signs is hard to be discerned at first for it is like a little tubercle no bigger than a pease and grows up by degrees and spreads out roots with veins about it And when the skin is eaten through it is a stinking ulcer and the lipps are hard and the matter black It is hard or never cured The Prognostick because the black humor that causeth it is very troublesome and hath a peculiar malignity which is fermented and made worse with Emollients and Suppuraters which loosen the vessels and dilate them so that the humor flows easier to the part and the corrupt humors get easier to the parts adjacent and infect them A Cancer not ulcerated is to be let alone The Cure by the counsel of Hippocrates But let blood and purge melancholy often But use no Topicks that may
if as oft as they lie in they have no milk and the breasts are small and wrinkled or if Medicines to keep down the breasts have been applied she will tell you or if it be from weakness of the child or passions of mind The inconvenience is little to the Nurse The Prognostick but great to the Child therefore get another Nurse or cure her To breed milk The Cure give things that breed much and good blood of easie concoction Medicines to breed milk are Fennel-roots and all green things that heat and are not very dry which are few but infinite are they that hinder milk as things hot and dry and cold things These increase Milk Roots of Smallage Seeds of Parsley Dill Basil Anise Rocket Earth-worms washt in juyce of Fennel and dried or burnt in a pot a dram or two fasting for some mornings or Crystal or Milk-stone a dram Compounds are Take green Fennel Parsley each a handful Barley two pugils red Pease half an ounce boyl them and with Sugar sweeten them or in Chicken-broath Or Take green Fennel six drams Barley two pugils boyl them in Broath and strain them Or Take Fennel-seed six drams Anise a dram and half Rocket-seed half a dram give a dram or two in Broath Or Take Cows Udder sliced dry it in an Oven and powder it Take half a pound of it Anise Fennel-seed each an ounce Cummin-seed two ounces Sugar four ounces make a Powder Hot Fomentations open the Breast and attract Blood as the Decoction of Fennel Smallage or stampt Mints applied Or Take Fennel and Parsley green each a handful boyl and stamp them add Barley-meal half an ounce Gith-seeed a dram Storax calamite two drams Oyl of Lillies two ounces make a Pultis A Dropax and Synapisme or Plaister of Mustard are good if often changed Chap. 2. Of too much Milk THis is when much blood flows to the Breasts and the Mother will not give suck or weans the Child for the Infant cannot suck it as fast as it breeds when there is much blood and good breasts that cannot make Milk The Prognostick Arist. 7. De hist ani c. 12. The Cure If Milk be kept and cannot be sucked out by the Child these are swellings inflammations pains curdlings and corruption Children that suck much if they be full bodied have a Convulsion The first coming of Milk is not to be stopt but when there is more then the Child can suck it is abated with a slender diet of little nourishment as Barley Pot-herbs-water By letting blood or cupping or by Repellers to the veins under the arms above the breasts Mints Calamints Smallage Agnus-castus Coriander Hemlock to abate Milk Mints and Smallage are doubted Compounds Take Smallage Mints Mallows Mercur. Plat. Dioscor dissentiunt each a handful Foenugreek Cummin-seed each half an ounce Chamomil Melilot-flowers each a pugil boyl them and foment add a little Wine or make a Pultis of them with Bean-flour and Oxymel Or Take Cummin-seed boyl it in Vinegar and with a Spunge foment They which will not give suck let them foment with this Decoction Take Mallows Bays Fennel Smallage Parsley Mints each half a handful anoint after with Oyl Omphacine Then take Turpentine washed with Wine and Rose-water three ounces Eggs two or three Saffron a scruple with Wax make a Plaister with a hole in the middle repeat it alwayes before Supper If you fear inflammation by too great a flux of Milk repel with a Cataplasm of Lettice Water-Lillies Poppies Housleek Or Take Turpentine washt with Mint-water three ounces Cummin-seed Orris Mints each half an ounce Saffron a scruple with Wax make a Cerot Chap. 3. Of Curdling and other faults in the Milk IF it stay long in the breasts the thin evaporates and the thick remains and hardens the kernels hence are hard tumors because the cheesie part of the Milk is apt to harden Sometimes Milk is too thick or too thin sharp salt or the like The Signs The tumor from Milk curdled is known by the plenty of Milk retained that make clefts and pain and little tumors The Prognostick The Cure If curdled Milk be strong in the Breasts it easily turns to an Imposthume and Inflammation To hinder curdling Take Powder of Mints Coriander-seed each two ounces Oyl of Dill an ounce with Wax make a Liniment Or Take Oyl of Mints Chamomil Dill Rue each an ounce To dissolve curdled Milk Take Fennel-roots Eryngus each an ounce Mints a handful green Fennel half a handful Aniseed a dram boyl them to a pint add Syrup of the two Roots and Oxymel each two ounces Foment with the Decoction of Fennel Dill Southernwood Chamomil Melilot-flowers Fenugreek Linseed Parsley-seed Smallage or stamp them or Mints with Butter and apply it If it be hard Take Mints Colewort Bran each a handful boyl them in Vinegar and apply them Or Take juyce of Smallage Dill Coleworts each a handful boyl them soft and bruise them add powder of Mirrh Orris each two drams Saffron a dram Oyl of Rue an ounce Vinegar an ounce and half make a Pultis Chap. 4. Of Milk coming forth at wrong places MIlk hath been known to come forth with the Urin or by the Womb by which passage is the doubt the short way is from the Breasts-veins to the Epigastrick-veins from the Epigastrick to the Hypogastrick and so to the Womb rather then from the Pap-veins to the breast-veins and so the Hypogastrick and so to the womb Chap. 5. Of strange things coming forth of the Breasts SOmetimes matter comes forth of the Nipples when they have long ulcers Schenkius lib. 2. ex observat Bauhini Amat Lusit cent 2. cur 21. and after the ulcer is healed it ceaseth Sometimes the Terms have come forth of the Breasts at set Periods of which Hippocrates When Blood comes forth at the Nipples there is Madness Amatus Lusitanus knew two Noble Women that were so and not Mad. And Hippocrates doth not speak of the Terms but of other blood that is hot and flies to the Head and causeth Madness and part of it goes to the Breast and causeth pain and inflammation which shews madness at hand It is cured by opening the Saphena in the Foot to revel the blood The Cure Chap. 6. Of the change of colour in the Nipples and pain of the Breasts THe change of colour in the Nipples is not a sign of the loss of Virginity for they are blew in them that give suck black in old women and in them that have known Venery it is natural and red as a Strawberry Now because there is a great consent between the Womb and Breasts if the Womb be distempered the Nipples are discoloured The pain in the breasts is from stretching by much milk and inflammation or from corrosion and twitching from sharp matter as in the Cancer and other Ulcers The cause of the pain is known from the distemper If it be from much milk it is a gentle
add Camphire a scruple Saffron half a dram with Oyl of Chamomil make a Pultis Snuff this Water often Take Nutmegs Cloves Cubebs each a scruple Calamus Frankincense-bark each half a dram Marjoram-water three ounces drop hot Oyls into the Ears If in twenty dayes the water be not gone open the skull and let out the water by degrees and take heed of cold The tumor of wind in the skin of the head or membranes of the brain is seldom without water which breeds wind Use Discussers that make thin as Chamomil Rue Organ c. Chap. 7. Of Syriasis IT is from Aetius a disease with a Feaver Tetra 1. serm 4. c. 13. or an inflammation of the membranes and the brain so that there is a hollowness of the eyes and forehead It is from flegmatick blood that grows hot by putrefaction and so becomes like choler The Causes The remote causes are hot weather and milk full of wind from the evil dyet of the Nurse Such milk will make the child drunk and cause the inflammation Heat of the fore-head and hollowness there The Signs redness of face a Feaver driness no appetite watching The hollowness in the fore-part of the head is where the Sagital and Coronal sutures meet for there the bones are membranous and grow at last hard It is dangerous The Prognostick and counted deadly among women and as often as this bone or membrane falls there is a pit and the brain falls down they commonly dye in three days The Cure First give a Clyster of Syrup of Roses or Violets then Coolers of the juyce and water of Lettice Guords Melons or apply a Pumpion split in two But cool not the brain too much anoint with Oyl of Roses Or Take Oyl of Roses half an ounce Populeon an ounce the white of an Egg and of the Emulsion of cold Seeds drawn with Rose-water two drams After the flux is stopt and the Inflammation abated use Discussers As Take Oyl of Chamomil an ounce and half of Dill half an ounce with the yolk of an Egg. Let the Nurses dyet be cooling or the milk be changed let it not be vexed Chap. 8. Of Frights in the Sleep 3. Aphor. 24. HIppocrates saith this is often the cause is unclean vapors mixed with the animal spirits that disturb them and present horrible objects to the fancy They arise from the depraved concoction of the stomach in full feeding children that eat more then they can digest These vapors ascend not only by the weasand but by the veins to the head It comes often from worms also or corrupt humors that gnaw the mouth of the stomach The Signs They grown in their sleep and twitch and being frighted out of sleep they cry their breath is hot and often stinking The Prognostick Cure it presently for it is the fore-runner of an Epilepsie Give good Milk and less The Cure that the stomach be not over-charged Let it not sleep presently after food but carry it about till it is in the bottom of the stomach Use Oyl of sweet Almonds or Honey of Roses two spoonfuls to cleanse the stomach Then strengthen it with Magistery of Coral or Confection of Hyacinths with Milk Or Take Magistery of Coral a dram Diaplerers a scruple with Sugar dissolved in Rose-water an ounce make Rouls Anoint the stomach with Oyl of Nard Wormwood Mints Mastich Nutmegs If it be from a Feaver look to that If from Worms I shall after speak of it Some hang Coral and Wolves-teeth about the childs neck Chap. 9. Of great Watching A Child new born sleeps more then he wakes because his brain is very moist and he used to sleep in the womb If you cannot make him sleep by singing or rocking nor the like it is a Disease Are divers in men and children The Causes in these it is from milk corrupt in the stomach from which sharp humors arise and disturb the animal Spirits and infect them and if there be sad fancies frights follow of which before If it cries alwayes The Signs and cannot by any art be made to sleep it is a sign of a disease of watching which is dangerous because children use to sleep much And hence come Catarrhs Convulsions Driness and Feavers The bad milk must be amended The Cure and the corrupt meat prevented If it be from a Feaver or Pain remove them 1. De tuen c. 8. Galen adviseth you often to change the bed and place Sleeping Medicines are not safe but hurt but are rather to be given the Nurse moderately as sweet Almonds Lettice Poppy-seeds Wash the Feet with Decoction of Dill-tops Chamomil-flowers Sage Osiers Vine-leaves Poppy heads Cool not the head too much nor use Narcoticks These are safe Oyl of Dill to the Temples Oyl of Roses with Oyl of Nutmegs with Poppy-seed Breast-milk Rose or Nightshade-water with Saffron In great driness of the Brain let the covering of the Cradles head be wet Chap. 10. Of Epilepsie and Convulsion IT is either by consent from parts below when the milk corrupts in the stomach or from an ill quality in it from the Nurses bad diet or from worms in the guts or from vapors from bad humors that twitch the membranes of the brain as in the Meazles and small Pox. It is sometimes from the brain first as when the humors are bred in the brain that cause it either from the parents or from distemper or bad dyet It may come from Tooth-ach also when the brain consents and from a sudden fright The Signs It is manifest You shall know by the signs of the diseases whether it comes from bad milk worms or teeth If from a fright the people will tell you If these all are absent it is certain that the brain is first affected The Prognostick It is a great disease and kills for the most part young children But when in older Hippo. 58. Aph. 7. and it comes at a distance it vanisheth by age If it come with Pox or Meazles it ceaseth when they come forth if Nature be strong enough Give this Powder to prevent it The Cure to a child as soon as it is born Take male Piony-roots gathered in the decrease of the Moon a scruple Magistery of Coal half a scruple with Leaf-gold make a Powder Or Take Piony-roots a dram Piony-seeds Misleto of the Oak Elkes-hoof Mans-skull Amber each a scruple Musk two grains make a Powder The Florentines burn behind in the head to dry the brain and Celsas saith It is the last Remedy Lib. 3. c. 25. Lib. 3. c. 13. Aeginta saith That children cannot endure such cruelty for the pain and watching would kill them See Sylvaticus The best part of the cure in the Nurses diet Sylvatic contro 87. which must not be disordered If it be from corrupt milk provoke vomit thus hold down the tongue and put a quill dipt in sweet Almonds down the throat If it
are better then many and small then great white are better then those of other colours The other Prognosticks are mentioned in other places Preservation It is better to prevent the breeding of worms then to expel them by eating of meats of good juyce with Oranges and Pomegranates and avoiding sweet fat and slimy meats fish milk and Summer-fruits and figs. Drink thin Wine and Grass and Sorrel-water with it and with powder of Harts-horn Let the belly be kept loose with Clysters for children or give the Decoction of Sebestens before meat or of Wormwood and Scordium but children will not take bitter things therefore give Grass-water and juyce of Lemmons or Citrons or a drop or two of Spirit of Vitriol When you know by the signs The Cure that there are worms kill and repel them with Powder of Coralline Wormseed Harts-horn or eight grains of Mercurius dulcis Infuse them a night in Grass-water and cast away the substance of the Mercury and give the Water Or Take Wormseed two drams Coralline Harts-horn prepared each a dram roots of Piony Dittany Magistery of Coral each a scruple make a Powder or give the Essence of Peach-flowers or the Decoction of Fern-water half an ounce or an ounce If there be a Feaver use colder as juyce of Lemmons Pomegranates Oranges Vinegar Harts-horn Bezoar Confection of Hyacinth or this Portion Take Grass-water four ounces Syrup of Juyce of Citrons an ounce of Violets half an ounce Spirit of Vitriol two drops give two spoonfuls Give bitter things at the mouth and sweet at the fundament as a Clyster of Milk Or Take Raisons ten Figs seven boyl them in water take of it four ounces add Sugar an ounce and half make a Clyster Use varieties that the worms may not be too familiar with one Apply Peach-leaves to the Navel bruised or a Cataplasm of Ox-gall Wormwood and St. Johns-wort Or Take Powder of Wormwood Gith Centaury Wormseed Lupines each half an ounce with Oyl of Wormwood and Wax half an ounce make an Oyntment Or Take Treacle half an ounce with juyce of Wormwood apply it to the Navel or make a Bath of Peach-leaves and Wormwood put the child into it up to the Navel If there be a Feaver use colder things mentioned Chap. 24. Of the Rupture IT is from the Peritonaeum loose or broken when the small guts fall into the cods from crying cough straining at stool and from vehement motion or a fall Sometimes the Peritonaeum is well and a water falls from the belly into the cods The tumor is visible if it be from a gut The Signs it is in one part only as the right or left and it may be felt and the hole also through which it fell If from water it is even all over and there was no cause of other Rupture It is easier cured in Infants then in elder persons for it is safer The Prognostick but worse then that of water which goes away of it self when the water is consumed Let the belly be kept open The Cure let not the child cry Avoid vehement motion lay him upon his back and thrust it up gently and apply this Plaister Take Lambs-tongue Sanicle each half an ounce Lentills and Lupines and red Roses in Powder each two drams Frankincense a dram Allum half a dram with the white of an Egg. Or Take Frankincense Cypress-nuts Aloes Acacia each two drams Mirrh a dram with Izing-glass make a Plaister Or apply Gum Elemni steept in Vinegar till there be a Cream at the top and with Oyl of Eggs make a Cerot Inwardly Take Sanicle Lambs-tongue each half a handful Agrimony a handful Comphry the greater half an ounce boyl them to a pint strained add Sugar give it often Or give Powder of Mouse-ear or Moonwort with Wine If it be from water anoint with Oyl of Elder Bayes Rue or apply a Cataplasm of Powder of Beans Foenugreek Linseed Chamomil-flowers Cummin-seeds with these Oyls Chap. 25. Of sticking out of the Navel IT is without Inflammation 1. When is was not well tyed and too much left that sticks out 2. When the Peritonaeum is loose and hath water or wind in it from crying or coughing 3. When the Navel is ulcerated and the guts fall into it this is called properly Exomphalon The Navel yields to the touch but in an inflamation it is hard there is neither heat nor redness and it lasts longer than an Inflammation The Signs If the Navel was not well cut there will be too great a quantity if the Peritonaeum be not broken but loose the Navel starts not much out and is not greater by crying if it be broken the tumor scarce appears when he lyes upon his Back but it increaseth by crying or walking The Prognostick If the Midwife did not cut the Navel well it is more troublesome then dangerous If it be too large or ulcerated at first it is easily cured but afterwards it may cause a deadly Iliack passion when the guts that fall in are inflamed The Cure When the Peritonaeum is loose wind stretcheth the Navel then use a Cataplasm of Cummin Bayberries and Lupines powdered in red Wine or a Bag of Cummin and Spike boyled in red Wine Then lay on an Astringent and roul it If the Peritonaeum be broken first put in the gut then bind it close after you have laid on astringent Powders Or Take powder of Cypress-nuts Frankincense Mirrh Mastich Sarcocol Allum Izing-glass each a dram with the whites of Eggs make a Pultis and give Medicines against Ruptures Chap. 4. Of Inflammation of the Navel IT is from pain when it is not well tied that draws blood to it There is redness hardness heat and beating If it turns to an Imposthume and breaks The Prognostick The Cure the guts come forth and the child usually dies First abate pain Take Mallows boyled and stampt two ounces Barley-meal half an ounce Lupines Foenugreek each two drams with Oyl of Roses make a Cataplasm To repel Blood Take Frankincense a dram Acacia Fleabane-seed each half a dram with the white of an Egg make a Cataplasm Hinder Suppuration as much as may be but if it doth suppurate Take Turpentine half an ounce the yolk of an Egg and Oyl of Roses two ounces Chap. 27. Of Falling out of the Fundament WHen the muscle that shuts the Arse-hole is loose the Fundament comes forth the cause is moisture of the muscles after a flux or straining at stool in Tenesmus or Needing or when the belly is bound The people will tell you the causes The Signs and you may see it The Prognostick It is easily cured when it is from straining at stool if it have not been long out If it be from great store of moisture it is hard to be cured especially if there be a loosness of the belly for then Medicines cannot lie on The Cure First put it up if it be swollen foment it with the decoction of Mallows
and angerly upon And I add one thing A habit of body that is grown very excellent is in most danger as Hippocrates saith When children come to be very healthful and fair they fall suddenly into a disease and the vulgar not knowing the cause of it impute it to Witchcraft The signs of the causes The Signs if they be lean from a Feaver or other disease it is easily known If these causes be not view the Nurses milk whether little or her breasts flag without milk and that is the cause of leanness in the child if she have milk see if it be not hot and dry and cholerick And consider her Constitution If the milk be blameless see if it be not from worms either in the guts or in the skin the worms in the skin are known by putting the child into a bath and rubbing it especially on the back with the hand and with Honey and Bread and then you shall see little ash-coloured or black hairs come out of the skin If there be no outward nor inward cause you may mistrust a venemous vapour or witchcraft If it be for want of milk change the Nurse The Prognostick If it be from worms in the skin it is not hard to be cured if it be from an occult quality or from witchcraft it is hard to be cured because we know not the nature of the malignity If the Nurse have any disease The Cure or be contrary to the constitution of the child change her kill and cast out the worms If it be from worms in the back rub it and anoint it with Honey and Wheat-bread and when their heads come forth kill them with a Razor or crust of bread Do this often There are many superstitious things carried about against witchcraft some hang Amber and Coral about the childs neck nor is it impossible that Plants and Gems should have power against witchcraft As Briony-root and Elks-hoof are good against the Epilepsie also there are Amulets against other Diseases If leanness be from a dry distemper of the whole body there is no better Remedy then often bathing in a Decoction of Mallows Althaea Branck-ursine Sheeps-heads and the like and anoint after with the Oyl of sweet Almonds If he be hot and dry add to the Bath Lettice Endive Violets Poppy-heads and anoint after with Oyl of Roses and Violets FINIS Other Physical Books lately Printed and to be Sold by George Sawbridge 1. ORiatrick or Physick unrefined The Common Errors therein refuted and the whole Art reformed and rectified Written by the Acute Philosopher and profound Physitian John Baptista Van Helmont 2. The New Dispensatory made by the Colledge of Physitians London in Latine And the same Translated into English by Nich. Culpeper 3. Riolanus Anatomy 4. Veslingus Anotomy 5. Bartholinus Anatomy 6. Riverius Practice and Observations all Translated by Nich. Culpeper 7. A Treatise of the Rickets Being a a Disease common to Children wherein is shewed 1. The Essence 2. The Cause 3. Signs 4. The Remedies of the Disease 8. The Hidden Treasures of the Art of Physick Fully discovered in Four Books by John Tanner Student in Physick and Astrology 9. Philosophia Muturata Containing the Practise and Operative part in gaining the Philosophers Stone With a work Compiled by St. Dunstan concerning the same And the Experiments of Rumelius and Preparations of Angelo Sala Published by Lancelot Colson Doctor in Physick and Chymistry 10. Physical Considerations of the Matter Origination and several Species of Worms Whereby it doth probably appear to be an Epidemical Disease killing more than either the Sword or Plague Together with their various Causes Signs and Method of Cure By William Ramsey Doctor of Physick and Physitian in Ordinary to His Majesty FINIS