three Doses adding to each one ounce of Syrup of Violets and a dram of Sal-prunella if the Pain be very violent some Syrup of Poppies may be added to it and a dram of Gum Arabick powdered Broths may be also prepared in the following manner Take of the Roots of Marshmallows half an ounce of Mallows one handful of Liquorish half an ounce of the Seeds of Quinces one dram boil them with Chicken Broth and let it be taken for several Days together The Whey of Goats Milk is also very good a large draught of it being taken at a time and if there be no Feaver milk it self is more effectual especially Asses Milk If the Disease is inveterate Epsom and Tunbridge-waters are very proper Forestus cured himself of a violent Dysury by only using a Decoction of Mallows sweetned with Syrup of Violets a Conserve of Mallows has also done much good an ounce of it having been taken Morning and Evening and three ounces of Mallow-Water being drank presently after the Conserve of the Flowers of Marshmallows is as good or rather better some Practitioners commend the Troches of Alkakengi a dram of them being taken at a Time in some proper Liquor When the Pain is very violent the dipping the Yard in Milk whilst the Urine is rendring or in a Decoction of Mallows and the Seeds of white Poppies does much good in this case A small decoction of Mallows sweetned with Syrup of Violets or with Conserve of Roses is very proper for the ordinary Drink And to ease the Pain Injections may be made for the Passage of the Bladder of Milk an Emulsion of the cold Seeds of Plantane and Whey whereunto may be added the White of an Egg well beaten and a Scruple of the Troches of Alkakengi External Remedies do also much good to qualifie the Heat of Urine as Baths and Fomentations applied to the Pubis and Perinaeum made of a Decoction of cooling Herbs also Liniments made of Oyls of Roses of white-lillies and of Oyntment of Roses and of the white Oyntment with Camphor CHAP. XCV Of a Chlorosis or the Green-Sickness THe Green-Sickness is a vitious Habit of the Body proceeding from Obstructions it is accompanied most commonly with a Palpitation of the Heart Difficulty of Breathing and a longing for absurd things and with an Unfitness for Motion and other Symptoms The Diagnostick manifestly appears by the following Series of Symptoms First The Face and whole Body is pale and sometimes of a leaden livid and green Colour Secondly An Inflation and as it were a Swelling appears upon the Eye-lids the Legs also swell especially about the Ankles Thirdly There is a Dulness and Unwillingness for Motion Fourthly There is a Difficulty of Breathing especially when they move much or go up Stairs Fifthly There is a Palpitation of the Heart upon Motion Sixthly There is a heavy and often a lasting pain of the Head Seventhly The Pulse is quick Eighthly The Sick are drowsie and incline to Sleep Ninthly There is a great Aversion for wholesome Food Lastly The Disease increasing and the Obstructions being multiplied a Suppression of the Courses at length follows which shews the Disease is confirmed As to the Prognostick This Disease most commonly is noâ— dangerous but if it be neglected too much it occasions great Diseases as a Scirrhus Tumours a Dropsie and other grietvous Diseases which at length kill the Patient When the Disease is small and chiefly arises from Obstructions of the Veins of the Womb it is easily cured by Marriage in Young Virgins Women that have had this Disease a long while are either barren or bring forth Children that are Sickly and short liv'd There is great Hopes of Cure when the Courses keep their exact Periods and flow in a due Quantity and Quality The Cure of this Disease is performed by opening Obstructions by purging off the vitious Humours by Correcting the Intemperies of the Bowels and by Strengthning them First therefore A gentle Purging Medicine must be given that is agreeable to the Constitution that the first Region may be only emptied and if the Belly be bound a Glister must be given first of all Afterwards Bleeding must be ordered unless the Disease is very inveterate and the Maid be inclined to a Cachexy But a Vein in the Arm must be opened though the Courses are stopped for at that Time if you should bleed in the Foot the Obstructions of the Veins and of the Womb would be increased That quantity of Blood being taken away that is necessary proper Purges must be used viz. Take of the Pill Coch Major two Scruples of Castor powdered two grains of Peruvian Balsam four Drops make four Pills let her take them at five in the Morning and let her sleep after them Let these Pills be repeated twice or thrice every Morning or every other Morning according to the Strength of the Sick and their Operation After the purging Pills let her take the following Take of the Filings of Steel grains eight with a sufficient quantity of Extract of Wormwood make two Pills to be taken in the Morning and they must be repeated at five in the Afternoon She must continue this Course for thirty Days drinking presently after the Pills a Draught of Wormwood Wine If a Bolus be more pleasing Take of the Conserve of Roman-Wormwood and of the Conserve of the yellow Peel of Oranges each one ounce of candied Angelica and Nutmegs candied and of Venice Treacle each half an ounce of Ginger candied two drams with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Oranges Make an Electuary Take of this Electuary one dram and an half of the Filings of Steel well powdered eight grains with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Oranges make a Bolus to be taken in the Morning and at five in the afternoon drinking upon it a draught of Wormwood-wine Take of choice Mirrh and of Galbanum each one dram and an half of Castor sixteen grains with a sufficient quantity of Peruvian Balsam make twelve Pills of each dram Let her take three every Night at Bed time drinking upon them three or four Spoonfuls of compound Briony water through the whole Course But if these Pills should purge then the following must be used instead of them Take of Castor one dram of Volatile Salt of Ambar half a dram with a sufficient quantity of Extract of Rue make five and twenty small Pills Let her take three every Night at Bed-time CAHP. XCVI Of the Suppression of the Courses THere is said to be a Suppression of the Courses when in Women of a mature Age that neither give suck nor are with Child the Evacuation of Blood by the Womb which naturally is wont to be monthly seldom or sparingly proceeds or is wholly stopt The Cause of this Suppression is to be referred either to the Womb or to the Vessels of it or to the Blood which flows or ought to flow through them Various Diseases of the Womb may occasion this Suppression namely a
quantity of them being increased or diminished as there seems occasion In the mean time if the Belly be hard it must be loosened by things that purge gently and cooling Glisters frequently injected do much good in qualifying the Inflammation the Womb lying upon the right Gut But the quantity of them must be very small that they may be the longer retained Take of the Roots of Marsh-mallows one ounce of the leaves of Mallows Violets and Lettice each one handful of Night-shade half an handful of the flowers of Violets and red Roses each one pugil of acid Prunes number ten boyl them in Barly-water to six ounces of the strained Liquor add three ounces of Oyl of Roses make a Glister If the pain be very violent to the foresaid Glister may be added yolks of Eggs Hens grease Woman's milk the mucilages of the Seeds of Fenugreek Flax oâ— Mallows and a little Opium and a little Saffron Injections may be also made for the Womb of Goats or Sheeps milk with Opium or Saffron each Grains three or four with a little Rose-water Or to the Pessaries may be added a moderate quantity of Opium with a little Saffron yolks of Eggs and Oyl of Roses or Pessaries may be made of Philonium Romanum with Cotton or an anodyne Fomentation may be prepared in the following manner Take of Marsh-mallows with the roots of Mallows and Violets each one handful of Camomile Melilot and Roses each one pugil boil them for a fomentation The Disease decreasing Purging must be repeated with gentle Catharticks but if it tend to resolution which may be known by a remission of the Symptoms and by a lesser weight in the part Discutients must be added in larger a quantity to the foresaid Remedies or make the following Cataplasm Take of the Powder of the roots of Marsh-mallows one ounce of the flowers of Melilot and Camomile each two drachms of the leaves of Mugwort powder'd of the Meal of Barly and Beans each half an ounce boil them a little in rough Wine add to them of fresh Lard of the Oils of Camomile and of white Lillies each one ounce make a Cataplasm A dissolving fomentation or bath is here also of use If the Tumor cannot be dissolved but tends to supparation it must be furthered by the following Cataplasm Take of the powder of the roots of Marsh-mallows of the flowers of Camomile and Melilot of the Meal of Linseeds Fenugreek-seeds each one ounce of fat Figs number eight boil them to the consistence of a Cataplasm then add of the yolks of Eggs number four of Saffron ten grains of Oil of Lillies and fresh Butter each one ounce make a Cataplasm The Pus being made which may be known by the remission of the heat and pain and by its â—loating when it is touched the breaking of the abscess must be endeavoured by the motion of the Body Sneazing Coughing by applying Cupping-glasses by cleansing and attenuating Injections or by Pessaries that have a faculty of breaking Tumors For instance Take of Goose-fat half an ounce of Turpentine two drachms of the powder of the seeds of Rue and of Orris-root each half a drachm mix them and make a Pessary The Abscess being broken we must endeavour to cleanse and heal the Ulcer as shall be shewed in the following Chapter CHAP XCIX Of an Vlcer in the Womb. AN Ulcer follows an Inflammation of the Womb suppurated it also proceeds from other causes viz. from whatever corrodes the Womb. Therefore the causes of it are an Abscess broken acrid Humours flowing to the Womb acrid and corrâ—ding Medicines injected or taken inwardly as Cantharides The antecedent causes are all those things that occasion an Inflammation as hard Labour violent and ungovernable Copulation acrid and long Whites Wounds Falls Contusions but especially a virulent Gonorrhaea and the French Pox the Contagion whereof is easily communicated to the Womb and the neck of it The differences are to be sought for from the Place Magnitude Figure and Complication with other Diseases The diagnostick Signs are a Pain and Gnawing and the evacuation of purulent Matter The cure of the Ulcer must be performed by stoping the defluxion of acrid Humours and by cleansing and conglutinating the Ulcer And first if the Body be Plethorick or if the Ulcer be accompanied with an Inflammation a Vein must be opened in the Arm and bleeding must be repeated as often as there is danger of a new fluxion especially at the time of the Courses to lessen them which are wont to increase the matter of the Ulcer and to promote the flux of other Humours to the Womb. Purging is also very necessary to cleanse the Body from ill Humours but it ought to consist of gentle Catharticks as of Sena Rhubarb Tamarinds Myrabolanes and the like which must be often repeated that the vitious Humours may be diverted and this is of so great moment that Forestus says That a noble Matron was cured of an Ulcer of the Womb by taking every fourth day five ounces of the decoction of Sena Dodder of Thym red Roses Indian Myrabolanes sweetned with Sugar and by injecting a cleansing decoction into the Womb. For common use a magisterial Syrup may be made in the following manner Take of the roots of Comfry and of fresh Polypody of the Oak each one ounce of the Bark of dried Citron six drachms of the leaves of Plantain Periwinkle Sanicle Sorrel and Maiden-hair each one handful of Liquorish rasped and of Raisins of the Sun stoned each one ounce of Sena cleansed six drachms of the seeds of Bastard-saffron bruised two ounces of Agarick fresh trochiscated and tyed up in a Rag ten drachms of the seeds of Anise and Melon each three drachms of the Cordial Flowers of Rosemary and of Dodder each one pugil make a decoction of all in a part of which infuse half an ounce of choice Rhubarb and one drachm of Cinnamon in a pint and an half of the strained Liquor dissolve three ounces of Syrup of Roses solutive and a sufficient quantity of Sugar boil them well and make a Syrup whereof let her take two or three ounces twice or thrice in a month with a decoction of Agrimony and Plantain or with an infusion of Rhubarb in Endive water If the sick vomits easily a Vomit is most useful for it makes a revulsion of the Humours from the Womb and the days the sick does not purge a vulnerary decoction must be used a long while made in the following manner Take of the leaves of Agrimony Knot-grass Burnet and Plantain each half a handful of the roots of China three drachms of Coriander-seed one drachm of Raisins half an ounce of red Sanders one scruple boil them in Chicken Broath strain it Let the sick take of it morning and evening Or Take of the leaves of Mugwort Plantain Yarrow each one handful Rhaponticum half an ounce of the seeds of Nettles one drachm boil them in a measure of white Wine and sweeten it with Sugar let
and Ambergrise each six grains with a little white Wax make a Liniment wherewith anoint the said Parts and anoint within with Civet or with natural Indian Balsam Lastly let Plasters be applied to the Perineum and the Loins and let rhem be worn continually Take of the Plaster for the Matrix four ounces of the Plaster of Mastick two ounces of Gum Tachamacha and Caranna each one ounce of the Powder of the Roots of Tormentil and Bistort each three ounces of the Powder of Myrtles two drachms of Aromatic Rosat four scruples moisten them with Oil of Quinces and with a drachm of Oil of Nutmegs spread two Plasters upon Leather the one round for the Pubes and the other square for the Loins CHAP. CVI. Of Miscarriage MIscarriage is the Exclusion of an imperfect or unripe Child and consequently a Child dead in the Womb is not said abortive till it is excluded so that whether alive or dead Child be brought forth not being ripe nor having attained to the just growth in the Womb it is to be termed abortive The causes of Abortion are some Internal some External the Internal may be reduced to four Heads viz. to the Humors to the Child to the Womb and to the Disease of the Mother The Humors may occasion Abortion when they offend in quantity or quality They offend in quantity either by way of excess or defect The quantity is excessive in a Plethora for there being more Blood than is requisit to nourish the Fetus it flows into the Veins of the Womb and is excluded like the monthly Courses and so the Child comes away with it There is too small a quantity of the nutritious Humor when the Child's nourishment is by any means lessened as by Fasting whether volunary or forced and when Women with Child nauseat all sorts of Food or vomit it up again Likewise by reason of a thin Diet in acute Diseases or by an immoderate evacuation of Blood Likewise by reason of extream leanness of the whole Body In respect of the Child Abortion may happen if it be over great so that it cannot by reason of its bulk be contained in the Womb and for this reason little Women often miscarry especially if they are married to Men bigger than ordinary whose Children grow very great and find not in the Womb a space large enough to contain them till they come to their perfect growth also plurality of Children may occasion Abortion as when two or three or more are contained in the Womb at one time The Womb it self occasions Abortion if it be not large and capacious enough to widen it self sufficiently according as the Child grows or if there be any thing preternatural in the Womb as an Inflammation a Scirrhus or Imposthume or the like or if the Womb be over moist and slack so that it cannot contain the Child so well as it ought to do Abortion comes two ways from the Diseases of the Mother First when her Diseases are communicated to the Child whereby it is killed or so weakned that it cannot receive due nourishment nor growth such are continual Fevers and Agues the French Pox and many such like Secondly when the said Diseases of the Mother cause great Evacuations or great Commotions of the Body as large Bleeding from what part of the Body soever Fluxes of the Belly grievous Swooning Falling-sickness Vomiting and a Tenesmus which above all other Diseases is wont to cause Abortion External Causes which further Abortion do some of them kill the Child others draw away it 's nourishment and others dissolve those Bands wherewith the Child is fastned to the Womb. The Child is killed by great Commotions of the Mind as by Anger Sadness Frights and the like by Meats earnestly longed for and not obtained by strong purging Medicines by things that provoke the Courses and by those things that expel the Child and by such things as are reckoned by a Specifick Quality to destroy the Child in the Womb by abominable Smells especially the stink of a Candle ill put out Violent Exercise dissolves the Bands that fasten the Child to the Womb as Dancing Running Riding Jolting in a Coach or Cart carrying or lifting from the Ground a heavy Weight a violent Fall a Blow on the Belly vehement Motion of the Belly by Coughing Vomiting Looseness Sneezing Convulsions Crying-out immoderate or over-wanton Embraces and in a word vehement motion of the Arms the turning a Wheel or doing some such work may exceedingly promote Abortion The Signs of present Abortion are manifest of themselves but such as go before Abortion and prognosticate the same are these An unusual heaviness of the Loins and Hips an unwillingness to stir Appetite gone shivering and shaking coming by Fits pain of the Head especially about the Roots of the Eyes a straitening of the Sides and Belly above the Navel the flagging or falling and extenuation of the Dugs but if frequent pains and almost continual Torment the Reins and Loins reaching towards the Share as far as the Os sacrum with endeavours to evacuate the Womb certainly the Woman will shortly miscarry If from violent external Causes such as are a Blow a Fall and the like vehement Pain and Perturbation arise in a Woman with Child she ought to keep her Bed three days or longer As to the Prognosticks Women are more endangered by Abortion than by a true and timely Birth because it is more violent and unseasonable for as in ripe Fruit the Stalks are loosened from the Boughs and the Fruit falls off of it self so in a natural Birth the Vessels and Ligaments wherewith the Child is tyed to the Womb are loosened and untyed as it were of their own accord which in Abortion must needs be vioiently broken asunder Abortion is most dangerous in the sixth seventh and eighth Month. Our ordinary Women say A miscarrying Woman is half with Child again The Cure of Abortion consists in Preservation for that which is past cannot be helpt But all the Symtoms which follow Abortion are the same which accompany Women duly brought to bed The preservation from Abortion consists principally in these two things the one concerns the Woman before she is with Child and the other when she is with Child Before the Woman is with Child all Indispositions of the Body which are wont to cause Abortion must be removed as fulness of Blood ill Humours and peculiar Diseases of the Womb viz. Intemperies Swellings Ulcers and the like Fulness of Blood opens the Veins of the Womb or strangles the Infant while it is in the Womb this if it be a pure and simple Plenitude may be cured by Blood-letting such as shall answer the quantity of Blood superabounding A Cacochymy is either Cholerick and partaking of Acrimony so as to open the Orifices of the Veins or by provoking Nature it stirs up the expulsive Faculty whereby the Child comes to be expelled with those ill Humours or it suffocates the Child by reason of
Sala says That he has used with very good success Mercurius Vitae in this Case four or five grains at a time and that it does powerfully exclude a dead Child and is better than other Remedies But it must be used with great Caution because it is a violent Medicine If after having tried Medicines a long while the Child cannot be ejected Chirurgical Operation must be used that is perform'd either by Instruments or by the Hand alone CHAP. CIX Of the Secundine retained IN a Natural Birth the Secundine is wont most commonly to be excluded presently after the Child yet sometimes it is retained whereby the Life is much endangered The internal causes of this Retention are too great a thickness of the Coats so that they stick firmly to the sides of the Womb the swelling of them by an afflux of Humors occasioned by hard Labour and the shutting of the Mouth of the Womb after the exclusion of the Fetus The external causes are coldness of the Air whereby the Secundine is expelled and the orifice of the Womb shut certain Perfumes whereby the Womb is allur'd upwards violent Passions of the Mind as fear and sudden Frights the perversness of the Woman who will not abide in such a position or use such Endeavours as are requisite the weight of the Child whereby the Navel is broken the Secundine remaining within the unskilfulness of the Midwife who cuts the Umbilical Vessels too soon or does not hold them in her left hand as she ought for if they are let go they are drawn back into the Womb and are hid there with the Secundine whereas it ought they serve for the extraction of the Secundine It is easie to be known when the Secundine is retained in the Womb but sometimes a piece of it is separated and remains in the Womb which is not so easily found yet it may be known for that the Womb after delivery endeavours to eject something But tho' its endeavours are but small a sense of Heat and Pain is perceived in the Womb and after a few Days a cadaverous Smell exhales from the Womb. The retention of the Secundine is very dangerous and if it continues some Days an acute Fever Nauseousness Fainting difficulty of Breathing Coldness of the extream Parts Epileptick and Hysterick Fits and at length Death follow The Secundine retained is expelled by the same Remedies which were proposed for a dead Child to which may be added some Specificks delivered by Authors Gesner and Augenius commend much the Testicles of a Horse cut in pieces and dried in an Oven as much of the Powder of them as may be contained with three Fingers being taken in Chicken-Broath and it may be repeated twice or thrice upon occasion Rulandus says He has given with success thirty Drops of the Oil of Juniper Some order the Woman to bite an Onyon three or four times and to swallow the Juice and presently after to drink a small draught of Wine by which she may be soon relieved Forestus mentions a Widwife who received the following Secret from a Jewish Physician He took the Leaves of Green Lovage and pressed out the Juice with good Rhenish-Wine and gave a Draught of it Angelus Sala commends Mercurius Vitae as before in a dead Child To these things may be added Sneezing-Powders Fomentations Liniments and other things both external and internal described above for difficult Labour The following Decoction has been very succesful Take of Vinegar of Roses four or five quarts of the Leaves and Berries of Bayes each three handfuls one Rose-Cake cut in pieces Boil them and with the Decoction hot wash the Hips and Legs from the Groin to the Feet for a long while To this Decoction may conveniently be added of Myrrh and both the Birth-Worts each one ounce But among other things the Hand of a skilful Surgeon may do much before the Inflammation and Inflation are increased for so the Secundine may be gently drawn out and the Woman freed from all the Symptoms and Fatigue of Medicines If the Secundine cannot be ejected by any means but sticks firmly to the Womb and putrifies there Suppuratives must be injected mixed with things that cleanse that that which is putrified may be drawn out by degrees to this purpose Rondoletius commends Basilicon especially being dissolv'd in the following Decoction Take of the Leaves of Mallows with the Roots three handfuls of the Roots of both the Birth-worts each six drachms of Flax-seeds and Fenugreek-seeds each half an ounce of Violets one handful of the Flowers of Camomel and the lesser Centaury each half an handful Make a Decoction in Water mingle Oil with it if you would have it suppurate much but if you more design to cleanse add a little Vnguentum Aegyptiacum CHAP. CX Of a Suppression of the Child-bed Purgations THere is so great a Flux of Humors from all parts of the Womb when a Woman is with Child and during the Commotion in her Labour that in case there be not afterwards sufficient Evacuation of them the Woman is in great danger of very ill Accidents and sometimes of Death it self because these Humors corrupting by their stay there will certainly cause a great Inflammation And this is the reason why the Suppression of the Lochia is one of the worst and most dangerous Symptoms which can befal a Woman after Delivery especially if they happen to be totally and suddenly stopt the first three or four days which is the time they should come down plentifully for then follow an acute Fever great Pains in the Head Pains in the Breast Reins and Loins Suffocation of the Mother and an Inflammation which is suddenly communicated to the Belly which becomes very much swell'd and blown up there happens also a great difficulty in Breathing Choakings Palpitation of the Heart Fainting Convulsions and often Death it self if the Suppression continues and if the Woman over-lives it she is in danger of an Abscess in the Womb and afterwards of a Cancer or there may happen great Imposthumes in the Belly also the Gout Sciatica and Lameness or an Inflammation and Abscess in the Breast The Causes of the Stoppage of the Lochia proceed either from a great Loosness because a great Evacuation that way turns the Lochia and makes them stop or any strong Passion of the Mind so do great Colds and cold Drink To bring the Lochia well down let the Woman avoid all Perturbations of Spirit which may stop them let her lie in Bed with her Head and Breast a little raised keeping her self very quiet that so the Humors may be carried downwards by their natural tendency Let her observe a good Diet somewhat hot and moist and apply an Hysterick Plaster to her Navel Take of the Conserves of Roman Wormwood and of Rue each one ounce of the Troches of Myrrh two drachms of Castor English Saffron Volatil Salt of Sal Armoniack and of Assa Fetida each half a drachm with a sufficient quantity of the
carried off by derivation to this end frictions of the extream Parts especially the lower Parts are to be used Cupping-glasses are to be applied to the Back and Shoulders without Scarification especially to the hinder part of the Head with Scarification whereby the Humours are so powerfully drawn from the foreâ—parts and beginning of the Nerves that some upon the application of it have immediately recovered their Sight At the same time a Blister must be applied to the Neck An Issue made in the Neck with a Skean of Silk is very beneficial in this case A Potential Cautery applied to the Coronal Suture has been successful sometimes when nothing else would do good After universal Purging a sudorifick Diet is to be ordered of Sarsa and the like and after the use of the sudorifick Decoction the use of a sulphureous Bath is very proper to Bath in and to wash the Head with Apophlegmatisms are also of use During the whole Course the Sick is to be purged often And care is to be taken to strengthen the Head and Eyes to which end a Dram of Old Venice Treacle must be given at Bed-time twice or thrice a Week dissolved in Fennel or Eye-bright Water Nutmeg also chewed iâ— a Morning Fasting is much commended so are Candieâ— Myrobalans eaten in a Morning In a desperate case after all Remedies have been used to no purpose a large Blister applied to the shaved Head has sometimes done much good and repeated twice oâ— thrice when the Excoriation begins to be dry CHAP. XV. Of Diseases of the glassy Humour THE glassy Humour is placed under the Cristaline and is therefore made by Nature clear that the Species may be conveyed pure and clear to the Optick Nerves if therefore the perspicuity of it be sullied by the mixture of any Humour and it become dark the Sight is more or less diminished proportionably to the degree of darkness of it Moreover this Humour may be injured by being misplaced namely if part of it by a Blow or Contusion is thrust before the Cristalin Humour for then the Sight is darkned for the glassy humour is thicker than the watry and so the Species of Objects cannot be brought pure and sincere to the Cristaline Humour The former of these Diseases can be known by no Signs but be imagined only by reason For this Humour cannot be seen nor the disposition of it known therefore Practitioners when they perceive no fault in the Eye confound this with the Gutta Serena and that without any damage to the Patient for extraneous Humours poured upon the glassy Humour must be discussed by the same Remedies wherewith a Gutta Serena is wont to be Cured But the vitiated situation of the glassy Humour may be known by appearing like the White of an Egg under the Pupil but it cannot be distinguished from a suffusion unless the antecedent and procatarctick causes are well considered for a suffusion proceeds from a simple influx of the Humours But this from the glassy Humour misplaced by a Blow or Wound This Disease is incurable by Art But sometimes it happens to be Cured by Nature and therefore the whole business is to be left to her CHAP. XVI Of the Diseases of the Cristaline Humour THE Christaline Humour is the chief Instrument of Sight and therefore more than the other Humours of the Eye ought to retain its Purity and Perspicuity that it may render the Sight perfect and if it recede from that Purity the Sight is much obstructed The chief Disease of the Cristaline Humour is the change of it to a grey Colour and this Disease happens in old Age from a drying and thickning Cause It is known by a deep and great whiteness that appears about the Pupil and all things are seen through a Smoak and Cloud but it is difficultly distinguished from a Suffusion which represents such a Whiteness in the Pupil upon which account many Authors confound it with a Suffusion But those that look carefully may distinguish these two Diseases for in a Suffusion the whiteness is in the Pupil but in this it appears deep This Disease is incurable especially in old People in whom the driness of the Parts cannot be mended Besides the Cristaline Humour may be vitiated in Situation namely when its broad part which is like a Lentil is not exactly opposed to the hole of the Pupil but is moved upward to downward and then things appear double But this fault of Sight is also occasioned by Vapours or by thin Flegm that sullies the Christaline Humour This often happens to People that are drunk The second ill Situation of the Christaline Humour is when it inclines forward or backward if forward towards the Pupil then things that are near are not plainly seen but things that are at distance are this happens most commonly to old People If it be placed backward towards the Optick Nerve things that are near are plainly seen but things at distance not at all This is called Purblindness which is to be remedied only by Spectacles The third ill Situation of the Cristaline Humour is when it proceeds too much to the right or left and this is called Squinting But this is not only occasioned by the vitious Situation of the Cristaline Humour but also from the ill Disposition of the Muscles that move the Eyes which is either natural or occasioned by a Convulsion or Palsie which is to be cured by Paralytick Remedies Lastly From a greater or lesser Inversion of the Cristaline Humour other Vices of Sight may proceed as when things that are streight appear crooked or upside down which happened to a Physician as Sennertus relates who looking earnestly upwards removed the Cristaline Humour CHAP. XVII Of the Diseases of the Watery Humour and especially of a Suffusion THE watery Humour is alter'd from its natural Constitution when it is peccant in Quantity or Quality when it is encreased or diminished beyond measure it causes a Dilatation or Contraction of the Pupil which are to be treated of in their Place But when it is vitious in quality it becomes thick it is caused by some other Humour flowing into it this is called a Suffusion which is to be treated of here This Disease when it begins and when the Sight is a little darkned is called A Suffusion But when something is collected in the Pupil like Water it is called Water Lastly when the Matter is wholly concreted in the Pupil and wholly obscures the Sight it is called a Cataract There is also a Suffusion which is Spurious which proceeds from Vapours translated from the Stomach and other Parts A Flegmatick Humour is the chief and most ordinary Cause of a Suffusion yet some other Humours may be mixed with it at least in a small Proportion if Choler be mixed with it it appears yellow when Melancholy black These Humours are wont to flow to the Eyes whâ— they are weak either naturally or occasionally To the natural Weakness belongs a prominence of the
of an Ophthalmia If there be also an Inflammation and Pain Medicines respecting both must be added to the former Moderate cleansing and drying Medicines are Sugar Honey Saffron Myrrh Frankincense Aloes Sarcocol Tutty and Ceruss whereof the following Forms may be composed Take of the Decoction of Barly and Foenugreek four ounces of the best Hony half an ounce or of Syrup of dried Roses one ounce make a Collyrium wherewith wash the Eye often or Take of Vervain and Plantane Waters each two ounces of Sugar-Candy half an ounce mingle them for a Collyrium or Take of Hony Water distilled in a Bath and of Rose-water each equal Parts or Take an Egg boiled hard and clear'd from the Shell divide it into two parts take out the Yolk and fill the hole with Sugar-Candy powder'd bind it up and set it in a Cellar and a Liquor will drop from it which is very fit to cleanse Vlcers if you would have it operate more powerfully you must mix powder'd Myrrh with the Sugar-Candy In the Progress of the Disease if it is necessary to cleanse and dry more powerfully add to the forementioned Collyria white Troches of Rhasis Frankincense Aloes Myrrh Sarcocol and such like in a small Dose You may also add Milk the White of an Egg Mucilages and other Anodyns but Tutty is better than the rest because it dries without causing Pain The following Collyrium is very drying and cleansing Take of Sarcocol moistned in Rose-water of Ceruss Aloes wash'd Myrrh Tutty prepared each half a dram of Sugar-Candy one dram with the Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth extracted in Rose-water make a Collyrium wherewith anoint the Eye-lids CHAP. XXV Of the Cancer of the Cornea AS Cancers are wont to happen in all Parts of the Body so also they sometimes grow in the Eyes A Cancer of the Eye is either occult or ulcerated An occult is called a Cancerous Tumor when it is ulcerated it is called a cancerous Ulcer in both there is an unequal hardness and a leaden and livid Colour great and pricking Pain especially about the Temples the Veins appear swoln like a Varix in the Tumour and in the Neighbouring Parts sharp Blood frequently flows our when the Cancer is ulcerated and the Pain is very much exasperated by Medicines that are never so little heating This Disease is incurable both in the Eye and in other Parts of the Body when it is rooted unless it be irradicated by a Chirurgical Operation Two sorts of Cures are proposed by Authors viz. a true one and a palliative The true one can be performed only by Chirurgery the palliative Cure which mitigates the Symptoms is perform'd by Evacuations and convenient Topicks But first of all a cooling and moistning Course of Diet must be ordered afterwards Blood must be drawn from the Part opposite to the Eye affected and Leeches must be applied behind the Ears of the same side and to the Hemorrhoidal Veins if they are any whit swelled Cupping-glasses must be also applied to the Shoulders and other sorts of Revulsions must be used Purging and the preparaâ—ion of the Humours by Potions Apozems medicated Brothes and the like must be frequently prescribed But above all Black Hellebore rightly prepared or the extract of it for an incipient Cancer has been cured by using of it twice or thrice These Remedies hinder the influx of the Humours into the Eyes and much lessen the Pain and other Symptoms But Topical Remedies such as are described in the Chapter of an Ophthalmia to ease pain do also much good especially Collyria made of Mucilages of the white Troches of Rhasis of Tutty prepared and with the Water of Roses Night-shade and Plantane The following Water is excellent for washing the Eye Take of the Roots of the greater Figwort and of Herb-Robert each two handfuls of Ribwort Night-shade Borrage Bugloss Purslain Eye-bright Betony each one handful of green Frogs and of the white of Eggs each number seven of the Seeds of Foenugreek and Quinces each one ounce the Roots and Seeds must be beat and the Leaves cut then pour upon them of Rose-water and Eye-bright water each one pint mingle them and distil them in a leaden Still The Flesh of Pullets eases the Pain much and some say this Disease has been cured by this Remedy only A Lady that had an ulcerous Cancer upon all the right side of her Face a long while and had used various Medicines that were prescribed by Italian French German and Spanish Physicians was cured by a Barber by this common Remedy He cut Chickens into thin and broad Pieces and applied them often in a day to the Part affected Lastly The true Cure of a confirm'd Cancer can only be perform'd by the Extraction of the Eye which Fabricious Hildanus says may be safely and successfully done and he describes at large the manner of Extirpation and all the Circumstances of it in his Observations CHAP. XXVI Of the Rupture of the Cornea THERE is such a Solution of the Continuum in the horny Tunick sometimes that the watery Humour comes out of the Tunica Vvea this is call'd a Rupture of the Cornea The cause of this is either a Rupture or a Wound and it is most commonly incurable but if the Wound be small and if but part of the watery Humour flows out the Cure may be undertaken For Galen says that the watery Humour is sometimes regenerated The Cure of this Disease must be entred upon by conglutinating Remedies Universal Evacuations namely Bleeding and Purging if they are necessary being first used drop into the Eye the White of an Egg mingled with the white Troches of Rhasis and foment the Part with the Decoction of Red Roses of the Leaves of Knot-grass Brambles Shepherds Purse and Plantane made in astringent Wine if there be not an Inflammation if there be it must be made in Simple Water Or Take of Quinces paired the Seeds and Cores being taken out half a pound of red Roses three pugils of Acacia two drams of Saffron one scruple boil them in astringent Wine and make a Pulâ—ise to be applied to the Part and to strengthen the whole the following Collyrium must be used Take of Aloes wash'd of prepared Tutty and of Sarcocol moistned with Womans Milk each half a scruple Saffron grains eight with Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth make a Collyrium CHAP. XXVII Of the Falling out of the Uvea THE Falling out of the Vvea often succeeds the Rupture of the Cornea the Cure of it is very difficult But if it be very small it may be oured by moderate Astringents such as are proposed in the foregoing Chapter CHAP. XXVIII Of a Fistula Lachrimalis HItherto the Diseases of the Eyes which happen in the Tunicks or Humours of them have been treated of It remains now that we speak of the Diseases of the Eye-lids and of the Corners of the Eyes And first the Tumour appearing betwixt the greater Angle of the Eye and the Root of the Nose offers
violent Sounds The Cure of this Disease is to be varied according to the variety of the Causes and first the Cure of the Noise proceeding from a consent of other Parts depends on the Cure of the Diseases of those Parts But that which arises immediately from the Ear requires a peculiar Cure and if it be generated by a cold Intemperies and from gross Wind it requires the same Cure which is described in the Chapter above If it proceed from an Ulcer in the Ears it requires the same Cure which is proposed for Curing the Ulcer in the following Chapter If it proceed from Weakness after long Sickness it will decrease gradually as the Strength increases But you must drop into the Ear Oil of Camomil of Dill or Oil of sweet Almonds And lastly if it takes its rise from a hot Intemperies or an exquisite Sense a cooling and moistning Diet must be ordered and cooling things must be dropp'd into the Ear and first a Decoction of Barly Violets Lettice Water Lilies to which may be added to make it more penetrating a little Balm or Camomil and if these do no good the Juice of Lettice Purslane and Henbane may be used Galen proposes the Juice of Poppies and Opium it self but these are to be used sparingly least by weakning the Native Heat of the Part they should too much dull the Hearing CHAP. XXXIV Of Pain of the Ears PAIN of the Ears is a very violent Disease The chief Causes of it are Intemperies immaterial and humoral Wounds Ulcers and external Things falling or thrust into the Cavity of the Ear. A cold Intemperies often occasions a Pain in the Ears it is occasioned by cold Winds cold Water and other cold thlngs for cold things are injurious to those Membranous and nervous Parts But a cold Matter occasioning Pains in the Ears is either Flegmatick or Serous flowing from the Brain or Wind transmitted from the Brain or lower Parts Hot Matter occasioning those Pains is either Cholerick or Sanguinious whereby an Inflammation is raised If an immaterial Intemperies be the Cause there is no weight peceived in the Ear nor no Tumour A cold Intemperies is known by cold Causes going before as travelling in the Winter time the increase of Pain by external Cold and its being eased by the Application of hot things A hot Intemperies may be known by the external things that heat as a hot Air the heat of the Sun pain arising from the use of hot things If the pain arise from a Flegmatick Humour there is a weight perceived in the Ear and in the Head and a Flegmatick Fluxion has sometimes fallen upon some other Parts Besides cold Causes went before as cold and a Northerly Wind cold Aliments Winter time old Age and the like If the Pain arise from Wind it will be violent but not continual and a noise of the Ear will be joined with it That it comes from a Serous Humour may be known by other Diseases produced by it and afflicting the Sick at the same time as sharp and thin Fluxions on the Teeth the Eyes the Ears the Breast and other Parts and by an Evacuation of serous Humour by Vomit Stool Urine and Sweat If it arises from a Cholerick Humour it will be pricking and sharp with a sense of heat it will be eased by cooling Medicines and the Constitution is hot and cholerick the Sick young the Course of Diet hot it is Summer and some other heating Causes went before An Inflammation is known by the Violence of the Pain Pulsation by great heat and redness that extend themselves sometimes to the Cheeks and Temples a violent continual Fever accompanies it sometimes a Delirium Convulsion Fainting and Coldness of the extream Parts A Wound may be known by Blood pouring from the Ear an Ulcer by Matter flowing out But because a Flux of Matter sometimes flows from the Brain through the Ears there is need of distinction for if it proceed from the Brain the Pain of the Head and other Signs of an Imposthume went before the Matter is evacuated in great quantity and is lessen'd by degrees till at length it quite ceases But it may proceed indeed in a great quantity from an Abscess of the Ear but then the Signs of an Inflammation went before afterwards an Ulcer follows which afterwards may be known by the following Signs whether it takes its rise from an Abscess or from a Flux of some sharp Humour A small quantity of Matter flows continually pain and heat and pricking in the Ear especially when the Ear-Picker is put in Moreover we may guess at the differences of the Ulcer for if the Ulcer actually exists it may be known by the thin Sanies that is of a Citron Colour And by the length of the Disease you may know if it be deep by the quantity of Matter if it be sordid by the thickness and quantity of it if it be virulent by the thin Sanies if putrid by the stinking Matter if corrosive by Blood flowing out after the Sanies if it be Fistulous by the duration of the Ulcer the virulent Sanies and by the hard and callous Flesh Things fallen into the Ear or thrust into it may be known by the relation of the Sick and may be perceived in the Cavity of it The Prognostick of the Pain of the Ear is various according to the variety of the Causes that which proceeds only from an Intemperies is easily cured That which proceeds from cold flegmatick serous or windy Matter is not dangerous but is most commonly long in curing But that which proceeds from hot Humours and especially if they cause an Inflammation is very dangerous for the Brain by reason of its nearness suffers by consent and a Delirium and a Convulsion often follow and young Men are in most danger of this Disease for they being of a hot Constitution and their Blood being hot the Inflammation is so great that it destroys the Native Heat of the Brain and kills the Sick within a Week but old Mens Humours are colder and the Inflammation less and so they are less in danger Ulcers in the Ears are difficultly cured because the Brain puts off its Excrements upon them but those that follow an Abscess are easier cur'd and also those that yield good Matter But when the Sanies is virulent fetid or otherwise ill qualified the Cure will be very difficult and especially if the Ulcer be Fistulous or the Bone foul The Cure must be varied according to the variety of the Causes if it proceed from a cold Intemperies alone boâ—â— Medicines applied to the Ear may be sufficient for the Cure such as were proposed for the Cure of Deafness A hot Intemperies if at any time it happen without Matter may be cur'd by cooling Topicks If it proceed from a cold Intemperies joined with Matter viz. Flegm or Wind or serous Matter the same Cure is to be administred which was proposed for the Cure of Deafness If it arise
Roses each one Ounce boil them a little and drop them into the Ear the Filth being cleansed away afterwards the Ears must be stopped with Cotton dipt in the same Liquor But if a watry Humour flows from the Ears of grown People and continues so a long while the whole Body and the Brain must be evacuated afterwards the superfluous Moisture must be dried up by Sudorifick Diet-drinks and the Course of it must be endeavoured to be turned by Blisters Issues and Cupping-glasses Lastly Worms are sometimes generated in the Ears from putrid Ulcers which being cured they cease to come out But Because the healing of the Ulcer requires Time you may endeavour to kill the Worms in the mean while by convenient Remedies For Instance Take of the Oyl of bitter Almonds of the Juice of Smallage and the lesser Centaury each two Ounces of Vinegar two Drams boil them a little then add of Mirrh and Aloes each one Scruple mingle them and drop it into the Ear. If you would have it stronger add ten Grains of Coloquintida Of Diseases of the NOSE CHAP. XXXVI Of Vlcers of the Nostrils and of an Ozaena AN Ulcer of the Nostrils is either fresh and simple or old and putrid which is called an Ozaena The fresh and simple proceeds either from extetnal Causes as a Wound or Contusion or from internal viz. From Acrimony of Humours flowing thither espeally from Salt Flegm But an Ozaena comes from a simple Ulcer neglected or by reason of greater Acrimony of Humours A simple Ulcer hath little or no Pain and Blood flows frequently from it especially when it is touched or rubd or it is covered with a dry and black Scab which is sometimes blown out but an Ozaena is accompanied with a greater Pain the Scab is more filthy and the Snot stinks and it often eats the Back Bones and perforates the Pallat especially if it be of a cancerous Nature or from the French Pox or an Elephantiasis As to the Cure such a Course of Diet must be ordered as may attemperate the Acrimony of the Humours and hinder its Generation afterwards the whole Body must be evacuated by Bleeding and proper Purges and Cuping-glasses must be applyed with Scarification And if the Fluxion of sharp Humours to the Nostrils be very obstinate Derivation must be made by Blisters in the Neck and Issues there and things that strengthen the Head must be used After universal Remedies Topicks must be applyed and first you must see whither the Ulcers are crusty if they are the Scabs must be taken off before you go any farther and first you must foment them with warm Water or anoint them with fresh Butter with fresh Goose or Hens Grease or with rhe Oyl of sweet Almonds or the like When you have mollified them they must not be forcibly pulled off but you must suffer them to fall themselves or gently remove them with your Finger anointed with Oyl of Almonds When the Scabs are cleared you must use drying and astringent Medicines in a simple Ulcer it may be sufficient to wash it with Barly-water sweetned with Honey of Roses and to anoint it with Oyntment of Tutty or with the white Oyntment of Rhasis or with the Oyl of the Yolks of Eggs rub'd in a leaden Mortar But for an Ozaena you must prepare the following Medicines Take of whole Barley one Pugil of the Leaves of Agrimony Plantane Wormwood and the lesser Centaury one Handful of red Roses half a Pugil boil them in Smiths Water in the Liquor strained dissolve four Ounces of Honey of Roses make an Errhine which must be often snuffed up After it hath been cleansed the following Decoction must be used Take of Balaustins and Pomegranate-peel each two Ounces of the Leaves of Plantane Horse-tail Mouse-ear Rupture-wort each one Handful of the Roots of Bistort one Ounce of Crude-alum one Ounce and an half make a Decoction The Water of Allum is also very good and also those Medicines which are to be proposed to dry a Polypus in the following Chapter Egyptiacum also dissolved in Barly-water is good Afterwards use the following Oyntment Take of Omphacine Oyl half an Ounce of Pomegranate-Bark and Balaustines each three Drams of Mirrh Allum and Labdanum each two Drams of Chalcitis Aloes and the Bark of Frankincense each one Dram of the Oyl of Roses and Mirtles each two Ounces of red Wax a sufficient Quantity to make an Oyntment apply it to the Vlcer or dissolve it in Wine or Plantane-water snuff it up often the Mouth being filled with Water When the Ulcer is well cleansed you must dry it with the Powder of red Roses snuft up Rondeletius says that nothing is so effectual to dry the Ulcers as Fumes of Orpiment and Cinnabar As for Instance Take of Pure Labdanum of Hypocistis Mastich and Mirrh each three Drams red Storax and Storax calamit of the Bark of Frankincense Sandarach and Orpiment each two Drams mix them all with Turpentine and make Troches wherewith let the Sick be fumed Morning and Evening in his Chamber It is also of great Use to burn Candles made of red Wax in the Patient's Chamber which ought to be small and the Windows and Doors must be kept close shut And this Way says Rondeletius I have cured Ulcers which the Italian and French Physicians left off as incurable CHAP. XXXVII Of a Sarcoma and Polypus UPon Ulcers of the Nose comes sometimes fleshy Excrescences which constitute another Kind of Disease viz. A preternatural Tumour whereof there are two Sorts one a Sarcoma and the other a Polypus A Sarcoma is a fleshy Excrescence in the Nose which has no certain Shape and is much like proud Flesh in other Ulcers But a Polypus is a fleshy Excrescence arising with small Roots and afterwards spreads broad and hangs down in the Nose and resembles the Fish Polypus from whence it takes its Name It is a soft Caruncle sometimes white sometimes red and sometimes livid and if it grow much it sometimes hangs out of the Nostrils But if it be rooted high in the Nose it sometimes hangs down to the Pallat and obstructs the common Passage of the Mouth and it may be plainly seen behind the Uva It swells much in a southerly Constitution and at full Moon and is much diminished at the new Moon It may be distinguished from a Sarcoma because a Sarcoma is wont to grow at the Bottom of the Nostrils but a Polypus near the Root of the Nose The Cause of both Tumours is a thick viscid and flegmatick Humour flowing from the Brain mixed with some Blood and sometimes a melancholly Humour is mixed with it and then there is Danger lest it degenerate into a Cancer A Sarcoma is also generated often from a superfluous Nutriment of the Nostrils A Sarcoma is most commonly easily cured but a Polypus very difficultly But that which is soft and white or red or redish is cured most easily but when it is hard and livid it
Sick cannot take a Vomit he must be purged by stool but the Humour must be first prepared by things that incide and cleanse Afterwards these things that follow are convenient Cupping-glasses must be applied opposite to the Region of the Stomach and to the Stomach The Stomach must be bound with a Swath-band that it may not be so much dilated Ligatures of the Extremities must be used Let him eat Anniseeds which is thought to Cure the Hickops peculiarly Frequently Glisters must be injected to draw away the Noxious Humours from the Stomach Young Animals must be applied to the Stomach Vinegar of Squills may be taken by Spoonfuls Sneezing casts off the Matter impacted in the Coats of the Stomach As the Physician Chrysimacus cured Aristophanes of a Hickop by provoking Sneezing when he could not do it by stopping of the Spirits and Gargling with cold Water Pills made of one dram of Aloes and three grains of London Laudanum are good Platerus in his Observations says That he cured a Boy of ten Years of Age that had the Hickops for eight Days and Nights continually with the Water of green Nuts distilled with Radishes infused first in Vinegar which he gave him to provoke Vomiting and though he did not Vomit at all yet he was cured But to conclude Narcoticks wiil do the Business when nothing else will CHAP. LXVI Of Vomiting of Blood THe conjunct cause is the Quantity or Quality of the Blood exceeding The external causes are Wounds and Bruises and violent Heat or immoderate Cold or unaccustomed Labour and Excercise or Hollowing If the Blood flow from the Stomach there will be almost always a continual Pain and Weight there and the quantity of it will not be much because the Veins of the Stomach are small and Nauseousness will accompany it and 〈◊〉 Blood will be mixed sometimes with Meat sometimes with Choler and sometimes with Flegm If it flow from the Head there will be a Tickling perceived about the Jaws and Pallate and Blood will flow sometimes from the Nostrils mixed with Snot and a Pain or Heaviness of the Head precedes If Vomiting of Blood proceeds from a Suppression of the Courses it will be Periodical As to the Prognostick Vomiting of Blood from what Cause soever it arises is dangerous for if too great a quantity be evacuated there is Danger of Death if it coagulate in the Stomach and corrupt there it occasions Fainting But a Vomiting of Blood from Suppression of Courses is least dangerous They which fall into a Dropsie by Vomiting of Blood die It must be cured by Medicines that cause a Revulsion of the Blood from the Stomach and by such as attemperate it and stop the Apertion of the Veins And First Because an orderly Diet is of great use in this Case the common Diet ought to be astringent and Emplastick and also cooling as Barley Broths Almond and Rice Diet Water-gruel and Jellies and especially Starch boiled in Milk whereunto may be added Pomegranate Juice or a little Rose-vinegar hard Eggs may be also used dipt in Vinegar Also Bread dipt in Water Chicken Broth with Wood-sorrel Purslain and Plantane boiled in it but at the beginning of eating some Astringent thing should be taken as a Quince baked under Ashes Medlars or the like Let the Sick abstain from all acrid salt peppered and fried Meats and also from such things as yield a great deal of Nourishment unless the Weakness of the Sick requires that they should be taken sparingly He must drink but little and when he does he must drink Water wherein Iron has been quenched with a little Juice of Pomegranates in it The Air must be somewhat Cold but he must not expose himself to the Winds nor to the Rays of the Sun or Moon He must sleep moderately and his Body must be kept open and his Mind free from Passion Bleeding must be used sparingly and it must be repeated Frictions and Ligatures must be used and cleansing Glisters must be injected Apply Cupping-glasses to the Buttocks Legs Loins and Hypochondres Let two Spoonfuls of Oxycrat be given if there be a Suspicion of coagulated Blood for by the use of it it may be easily dissolved and driven from the Veins of the Stomach and they will be stopt thereby foment the Region of the Stomach also with it cold and if the Sick does not Vomit the following Mixture may be used to stop the Veins Take the White of one Egg of Rose-water and Vinegar each one dram and an half shake them well and add to them two drams of Starch mix them and let the Sick take it by Spoonfuls Or Take of prepared Coral sealed Earth Bole-armonick Blood-stone Troches of Ambar each one dram of Plantane-water and Syrup of Mirtles each two ounces mingle them let the Sick take it as before Or Let the Sick take Morning and Evening four ounces of the Juice of Plantane cold Galen says That nothing is better than this Juice to stop any Flux of Blood The Juice of Purslain and Knot-grass is also good for the same Purpose Take of the Waters of Plantane and Purslain each one ounce and an half of Syrup of Mirtles half an ounce of Syrup of Poppies one ounce mingle them make a Julep to be repeated often Take of old conserve of Roses and of Comfrey-roots each one ounce of Marmalad of Quinces half an ounce one Mirobalan candied Troches of Ambar and of Lemnian Earth each two drams of Coral prepared and of Saffron of Mars each one dram with Syrup of dried Roses make an Opiat to be used frequently Troches of Ambar do not only bind but also dissolve concreted Blood and therefore are frequently to be used Tincture of Coral made with Juice of Lemons is also very good But when the Blood is evacuated violently and cannot be stopt by the forementioned Medicines Narcoticks must be taken inwardly and injected by Glisters and the Region of the Stomach must be anointed with Oyl of Roses and of Mirtles washed in Vinegar and after you have anointed it sprinkle on Powder of Coral Bole-armonick and sealed Earth or anoint the Stomach with the following Ointment Take of the Juices of Plantane and Knot-grass each one ounce and an half Rose-vinegar one ounce of Omphacin Oyl six ounces boil them to the Consumption of the Juices then add of Dragons-blood Mastich Pomegranate peels and Mirtles each two drams of Camphor one scruple with a sufficient quantity of red Wax make an Ointment Let him drink Water wherein hot Iron hath been quenched with Syrup of Quinces and Spirit of Vitriol in it and let his Broths be made of the same Water Let his Loins and Hypochondres be fomented with a Decoction made of Plantane and Purslain in Oxycrat and let it be used when it is almost cold and let him put his Hands into cold Water Afterwards let the foresaid Parts be anointed with Galen's cooling Ointment washed in Vinegar Bleeding being sufficiently used gentle and frequent Purging must be ordered
An Inflammation of the Stomach is a preternatural Tumour arising from Blood poured upon the Substance of the Stomach and its Membranes And this Blood is either pure and sincere and then it produces a Phlegmon properly so called or it is mixed with Choler Flegm and Melancholly and then it produces an Oedematous Schirrhus Phlegmon or a Phlegmon mixed with an Erysipelas There may be many external Causes viz. Whatsoever renders the Blood hot as hot Medicines drinking of Wine or whatever forces the Blood thither as a Bruise of the Stomach especially when it is full of Meat to which may be added hot and acrid things taken inwardly as Cantharides Sublimate and the like The Diagnostick Signs of this Disease are a great Burnining Pricking Distending Pain with Pulsation stretching it self to the Back The Tumour may be felt and sometimes seen the Shoulders are drawn backward the Breathing Swallowing and Belching are difficult Sometimes something Bloody is Vomited up there is a violent Feaver accompanied with dreadful Symptoms If the Inflammation be purely from Blood it is somewhat gentler but if it be joined with an Eâ—ysipelas the Symptoms are very violent and there is an inward Feaver though the outward Parts are cold and the Thirst is unquenchable To this Inflammation of the Stomach that Inflammation is near of kin which either seises that Part of the Liver wherewjth the Stomach is covered or that lies upon the Region of the Abdomen which can be only distinguished by the violence of the Symptoms for the Inflammation of the Stomach is the most violent and most dangerous From what has been said it may be easily prognosticated that this Disease is very dangerous and most commonly deadly Nevertheless that is most dangerous which seises the upper Orifice of the Stomach and partakes of the Nature of an Erysipelas If the Inflammation do not kill and be not resolved it degenerates into an Abscess which is known by the Remission of Heat and Feaver the Tumour remaining The Abscess being broken an Ulcer is left behind which may be known by the Evacuation of Matter by Vomit and Stool But an Ulcer of the Stomach does not only proceed from an Abscess broken but also from other causes which must be here mentioned least any thing should be desicient in the Theory of it Therefore the causes of an Ulcer of the Stomach are either Internal or External the Internal causes are acrid Humours bred in the Stomach or transmitted from another place to it as Yellow and Black Choler or salt Flegm The external causes are acrid and corroding Medicines or Poisons and hither may be referred Wounds of the Stomach ill cured which degenerate into an Ulcer and also the Rupture of some great Vein which cannot be well cured after vomiting much Blood up An Ulcer bred in the Stomach may be known chiefly by the Evacuation of Matter by Vomit and Stool to which primary Sign others may be added For first There is perceived in the Stomach a pricking Pain with Heat especially when any thing acrid salt acid or any thing very hot or very cold is taken inwardly There is moreover a Loss of Appetite Stinking Belching and a small and continual Feaver The Prognostick is most commonly deadly unless the Ulcer be very small and possess the Superficies and has not a Feaver joined with it for the Membrane of the Stomach being ulcerated is difficultly cured and the Nourishment cannot be well concocted and it is rejected before a due concoction besides Medicines can do little good for things that cleanse which are necessary for the Cure of the Ulcer cause Pain and things that dry which should satisfie the other Indication of Healing the Ulcer are continually spoiled by the Meat and Drink and Chyle and other Humours which always stagnate in a weak Stomach The Cure of the foresaid Diseases is to be instituted particularly And first The Cure of the Inflammation is to be begun by Bleeding repeated in the Arm as often as the Strength will bear and though it may seem to be dejected at first by reason of the fainting and Coldness of the extream Parts yet this Infirmity of the Strength proceeds from an Oppression which requires Evacuation and therefore Bleeding ought not to be forbid Moreover the opening of the Hemorrhoid Veins if the Sick has been accustomed to this Evacuation may conveniently cause a Revulsion of the Blood from the Stomach Cupping-glasses applied to the Back and Buttocks both dry and moist Frictions and Ligatures of the extream Parts and the heating those that are wont to be cold by applying hot Cloaths and by anointing them with Oyl of Orris Nard and with other hot things may be also conveniently used to draw the Blood from the Stomach But Purging is not allowed of because it disturbes the Humours and draws them to the Part affected Yet Avicen commends a Decoction of Tamarinds or half an ounce of Cassia dissolved in Endive-water or in Whey and would have it given daily till the seventh Day yet it is better to abstain from all purging at the Beginning but the Seventh Day being over and some Signs of Concoction and Declination appearing Purging may be instituted with a dram of Rhubarb and a Scruple of red Sanders infused in Borrage-water you must add one or two ounces of the Syrup of Roses that the Filth sticking to the Part may be evacuated In the mean while Lenient cooling and emollient Glisters must be daily injected Take of Chicken-broth or a Decoction of Mallows and Violets one Pint of Cassia fresh drawn one ounce of Oyl of Roses and Violets each two ounces of Sugar one ounce and an half Yolks of Eggs number two make a Glister The same altering and corroborating things may be taken inwardly which were proposed for a Cure of the Pain of the Stomach occasioned by a Cholerick Humour But Syrup of Water-lillies and of the Juice of Purslain are peculiarly proper especially at the beginning because they may serve instead of a repelling Medicine Emulsions also of the four cold Seeds and of the Seeds of white-Poppies are proper for they are lenitive and qualifie the Heat and so do also the following Juleps Take of the Waters of Roses three ounces of Plantane two ounces of the Juice of Sorrel one ounce and an half of Sugar of Roses one ounce boil them a little and strain them Let him take two ounces twice or thrice a Day If the Pain be very violent Syrup of Poppies may be taken Let him use for his Drink Barley-water sweetned with Syrup of Violets which he must drink cold In Progress of the Disease Medicines are to be mixed with the foregoing which may help the Resolution to which end the following Julep may be prescribed Take of the Syrups of Water-lillies of Apples and of the Juice of Purslain each one ounce of the Syrup of Roman Wormwood half an ounce of the Waters of Sorrel Lettice and Fennel each three ounces of the Species Diamargarite
does not only cause Pain there but it also stops the Urine just as if there were a Stone whereas there is none But this last kind seizing the Bladder happens very seldom That which resembles the Stone in the Kidnies is not so rare both use to invade those Women who are much weak'ned by Hysterick Fits coming frequently and whose health of Body is much impaired Sometimes falling upon the Stomach it causes câ—ntinual Vomiting and sometimes a Looseness when it is setled upon the Guts But no Pain accompanies either of these Symptoms though oftentimes in both the green Humours appear Both these kinds are familiar with those that are weak'ned by the Hysterick Fits coming frequently And as this Disease afflicts almost all the inward Parts so sometimes it seizes all the outward Parts and the musculous Flesh occasioning Pain and sometimes a Tumour in the Jaws Shoulders Hands Thighs Legs in which kind that Tumour which swells the Legs is more conspicuous than the rest But whereas in Hydropical Swellings these two things may be always taken notice of viz. That the swelling is most in the Evening and that the Finger prest upon it leaves a pit In this Tumour the swelling is most in the Morning nor does it yield to the Finger or leave any mark behind it and for the most part it only swells one of the Legs As to other things if you mind the largeness of it or its superficies it is so very like Hydropical Swellings that the Patient can scarce be brought to believe that it is any other Disease nor can the Teeth free themselves from the assaults of this Disease tho' they are not hollow and tho' there is no apparent defluxion that may occasion the Pain yet it is no whit gentler nor shorter nor easier cured But these Pains and Tumours which afflict the outward Parts chiefly seize those Women that are in a manner quite destroyed by a long series of Hysterick Fits and by the force of them But among all the Torments of this Disease there is none so common as a pain in the Back which most certainly all feel how little soever they are afflicted with this Disease Moreover this is common to the foresaid Pains that the place on which they were will not bear touching after they are gone but is tender and akes just as if it were soundly beaten But this tenderness goes off by degrees And this is worth observing That often a notable Cold of the external Parts makes way for these Symptoms which for the most part does not go off till the Fit ends which Cold I have observed is almost like that by which a Carcass grows stiff yet the Pulse is good And moreover all Hysterick Women which I have hitherto taken care of complain of a dejection and sinking of the Spirits and when they would shew the place where the sinking of the Spirits is they point to the region of the Lungs Lastly every one knows that Hysterick Women sometimes laugh excessively and sometimes cry as much without any real cause for either But among all the Symptoms that accompany this Disease this is the most proper and almost inseparable viz. a Urine as clear as Rock-water and this Hysterick Women evacuate plentifully which I find by diligent Enquiry is in almost all the pathognomonic sign of this Disease which we call Hysterick in Women and Hypochondriack in Men and I have sometimes observed in Men that presently after making Water of a Citron colour yea almost the next moment being suddenly seized with some violent commotion of the Mind they make Water as clear as Cristal and in a great quantity with a continued violent Stream and continue ill till the Urine comes to its wonted colour and then the Fit goes off And it happens to all Hysterical and Hypochondriacal People that sometimes they belch up ill Fumes as often as they eat tho' they eat only moderately and according as they have an Appetite and sometimes the Wind that comes from the Stomach is sower just like Vinegar Nor are they unhappy upon this account only viz. That their Bodies are so ill affected and as it were tottering like ruined Houses just about to fall for their Minds are more diseased than their Bodies and an incureable desperation is mixed with the very nature of the Disease and what the Roman Orator said of the Superstitions exactly agrees with these melancholy People Sleep says he seems to be a Refuge to the Laborious and Careful but from thence Cares and Fears arise whilst only Funerals and Apparitions of their deceased Friends are represented in Dreams and they are so tormented in Body and Mind that one would think their Lives were a Purgatory wherein they were to purifie themselves and to expiate Crimes committed in some other State Nor does this happen only to mad People but also to those who if you except those Impetuosities of Mind are very prudent and judicious and who much excel for deep thought and wisdom in Speech others who 's Minds were never excited by these Provokments to thinking But this dreadful condition of Mind which we have above described seizes on those only that have much and a long while conflicted with this Disease and have been at length wholly vanquished by it especially if Adversity care or trouble of Mind or hard Study or the like join'd with an ill habit of Body have added Oil to the Flame A day would scarce be sufficient to reckon up all the Symptoms belonging to Hysterick Diseases and I think Democritus reckoned pretty right though he mistook the cause of the Disease when he said in an Epistle to Hippocrates That the Womb was the cause of six hundred Miseries and of innumerable Calamities The procatarctick or external causes of this Disease are either violent motions of the Body or which is much oftener vehement commotions of the Mind But to these disorders of the Mind which are usually the occasions of this Disease is to be added emptiness of the Stomach by reason of long Fasting immoderate Bleeding and a Vomit or Purge that works too much As to the internal efficient Causes in my Opinion those Diseases which we call Hysterick in Women and Hypochondriack in Men proceed from a confusion of the Spirits The origin and antecedent cause of this confusion is a weak constitution of the Spirits In order to the Cure I order That 8 ounces of Blood be taken from the right Arm and that the following Plaster be applied to the Navel Take of Galbanum dissolv'd in tincture of Castor and strain'd three drachms of Tacamacha two drachms mix them make a Plaster The next Morning let her make use of the following Pills Take of the Pill Coch. major two scruples of Castor powder'd two grains of peruvian Balsam four drops make four Pills let her take them at five in the Morning and sleep after them Repeat them twice or thrice every Morning or every other Morning according to their operation and
Difficult Labour is known both by the Woman by the By-standers and especially by the Midwife And first if the Woman continue a long time in Labour viz. two three four or more days whereas a natural Birth is finished in 24 hours Another Sign of difficult Labour is languid pains returning at long Intervals also the pains tending backward rather than forward But the Causes of difficult Labour may be known by the Womans Relation and most commonly upon sight So the weakness of the Woman or leanness or over-fatness may be seen by the habit of Body The Diseases of the Womb may be known by their proper Signs the weakness of the Child by the weak and slow motion of it But the signs of a dead Child may be known by the following Chapter The bigness of the Child may be judged of by the stature of the Parents especially if a gigantick Man be married to a dwarfish Woman But when there are none of these Causes and the Womans and Childs endeavours are strong and yet the Labour is difficult it is a sign that the Secundine is so strong that it cannot be easily broken and this will be confirmed if no water or moisture flows out in Labour The preposterous figure of the Fetus may be perceived by the Midwife and other things as has been said by sight As to the Prognostick difficult Labour is of it self dangerous and sometimes the Woman and sometimes the Child and sometimes both are extinguished If a Woman continue in Labour four days she will hardly escape Sleepy Diseases and Convulsions coming upon hard Labour are most commonly deadly Sneesing coming upon hard Labour is good As to the Cure of hard Labour First all those things which retard it must as much as may be be removed afterwards Medicines that further Labour must be methodically administred And first it is common with Women to give a spoonful or two of Cinnamon-water or Cinnamon powdered with a little Saffron or half a drachm of Confection of Alkerms in broath or half a scruple of Saffron alone in some broath or every hour in a little VVine Or Take of Oil of sweet Almonds and of white Wine each two ounces of Saffron and Cinnamon each twelve grains of Confection of Alkermes half a drachm of syrup of Maiden-hair one ounce and an half mingle them make a Potion If these things are not sufficient the following may be used which I have frequently found very effectual Take of Dittany of Crete and both the Birthworts and of Troches of Myrrh each half a scruple of Saffron and Cinnamon each twelve grains of Confection of Alkermes half a drachm of Cinnamon-water half an ounce of Orange-flower-water and of Mugwort-water each one ounce make a Potion Oil of Ambar of Cinnamon and extract of Saffron are very effectual in a small quantity viz. five grains of extract of Saffron four or five drops of Oil of Cinnamon twelve or fifteen drops of Oil of Ambar in VVine Broath or some other Liquor Sneesing hastens Delivery it may be provoked by the following Powder Take of white Hellebore half a drachm of long Pepper one scruple of Castor five grains make a Powder let the quantity of a Pease be blown up into the Nostrils But difficult Labour must be helpt not only with inward Remedies proposed but also with external let the Midwife therefore frequently anoint the VVomb with the Oils of Lillies sweet Almonds Linseed and the like and let the Belly be fomented with an emollient decoction of the Roots of Marsh-mallows Lillies the leaves of Mallows Violets Mugwort of Linseeds Fenugreek-seeds of the flowers of Camomile and Melilot Sharp Glisters are to be injected by the irritation of which the expulsive faculty of the VVomb will be stimulated and the Guts being emptied thereby there will be more room for the VVomb Anoint the Navel with Oil of Ambar and such things as are thought to help Delivery by a specifick quality are to be used as the Eagle's-stone the Load-stone Storax Calamint and the like bound to the Hips and if the Woman has any Gems about her as in Rings or the like they must be pull'd off for many Women think that such things retain the Child by a specifick Quality If the Child seem to be weak it must be refreshed by giving strengthening things to the Mother as hot Wine Confection of Alkermes Cinnamon-water and the like If the Child begins to come forth preposterously as with one Arm or first with the foot or the like the Midwife must thrust them back and turn the Child right which may be done by placing the VVoman in a Bed upon her back with her Head low and her feet high and then force the Child gently into the VVomb and then the Midwife must endeavour to turn it right viz. to turn the Face towards the Mothers back and the Buttocks and Legs must be elevated towards the Mothers Navel and so she must hasten a legitimate Birth But all hopes of Delivery being past or the Mother being near Death some Authors propose the Cesarian Section whereof Franciscus Rossetus wrote an excellent Treatise wherein he endeavours to shew by many Arguments that it may sometimes succeed But because this operation is dangerous and very terrible it ought rarely or never to be attempted by a prudent Physician if he values his own Reputation CHAP. CVIII Of a Dead Child WHen the Child is dead the Motion of it ceases which either the Mother felt before in the Womb or the Midwife with her Hand a greater sense of weight with Pain afflicts the Belly when the Woman turns from side to side she perceives the Child fall like a Stone from one part to another the Belly feels cold the natural Heat being extinguish'd and the Spirits dissipated which were contained in the Child the Eyes are hollow the Face and Lips pale the extream parts cold and livid the Breasts flaccid and at length the Child putrifying a fetid Ichor and Sanies flows from the Womb an ill and strong smell exhales from the Woman's Body and her Breath stinks If the Secundine be excluded before the Fetus it is a certain Sign that the Child is dead The whole Cure consists in the exclusion or extraction of the Child Take of the Leaves of Savin dryed of the Roots of round Birthwort of the Troches of Myrrh and of Castor each one drachm of Cinnamon half a drachm of Saffron one scruple Mingle them make a Powder whereof let her take one drachm in Savin Water In the mean while apply to the Pubes Privities and Perineum an emolient Decoction After the Fomentation anoint the Parts with the Ointment de Arthanita and let a Pessary be put up the Privities Take of the Roots of round Birthwort Orris black Helebore of Coloquintida and Myrrh each one drachm of Galbanum and opopanax each half a drachm With Ox-Gall make a Pessary It is also proper if the Strength be sufficient to give a Purge Angelus
Syrup of the five opening Roots make an Electuary Let her take the quantity of a large Nutmeg every third Hour drinking upon it three or four spoonfuls of the following Mixture Take of the Water of Penny Royal and Balm each three ounces of compound Briony-Water two ounces of Syrup of Mugwort three ounces and an half of Saffron two drachms of Castor tied up in a Rag and hanged in the Glass one scruple mingle them If these things are used presently upon the Suppression they generally take it off But if they have been used so long that all the quantity is taken and the Lochia are still stopt in this case we may use Laudanum for once but it is best to mix it with hysterick things For instance Take of liquid Laudanum sixteen drops in a spoonful of compound Briony-water Or Take of solid Laudanum one grain and an half of Assa Fetida one scruple and an half Make two Pills But it must be carefully noted that if upon once taking the Business is not done Opium by no means must be repeated again But having waited a while to see what it will do we must return again to Emmenagoges mix'd with Hystericks and afterwards we must Inject a Glister But what was said before of Opium is also to be taken notice of in respect of Glisters for unless the first bring down the Lochia nothing is to be hoped for from more These things therefore being done it is safest and the duty of a prudent Physician to wait and see what Time will do for every Day the Danger will lessen and if the Sick live over the twentieth Day she will be in a manner out of Danger for then she will be able to bear that Method which is fittest to conquer the Diseases which were occasioned by the Suppression of the Lochia CHAP. CXI Of After-Pains PAins happen so frequently to Women in Childbed that few are free from them but they seldom require the Physicians help because they usually cease in two or three Days But if they are sharp and continue longer they are forced to send for Physicians who before they prescribe ought to enquire into the causes of the Pains The chief Causes therefore of Pains after Labour are a great quantity of Blood the Thickness and Acrimony of it and the Narrowness of the Vessels for when the Veins of the Womb have ceased to evacuate Blood for nine Months and when that is heaped up in a great quantity and also grows thick and acrimonious by it's long stay it occasions Pain while it passes through the narrow Passages which returns by Intervals as often as the Womb endeavours the Evacuation of the Blood And when that is over the Pain ceases till more Blood endeavours to come out These Pains are also sometimes occasioned by Wind or cold received into the Womb but the Pain seldom happens from these Causes This Pain is distinguished from other Pains that are wont to afflict the Belly by the continuance or Intervals which follow the Evacuation of Blood and Women can easily distinguish them themselves The thick Blood easily coagulates but the thin is known by its thinness and fresh colour If the Pain arises from Wind it is more wandring and possesses more parts of the Belly nor does it follow the Intervals of the Evacuation of Blood If cold Air be admitted into the Womb it may be known by those things which have been done about the Woman These Pains are not dangerous but are most commonly very troublesome and therefore are to be taken off or asswaged as soon as may be As to the Cure the Vessels of the Womb must be relaxed and the thickness of the Blood attenuated and its Acrimony qualified all which may be done by the following means And first the Woman's Belly must be gently swathed that it may subside and not move hither and thither as it often happens after Delivery upon so sudden an evacuation and then give of Oil of Almonds fresh drawn three ounces mixed with an ounce and an half of Syrup of Violets And Glisters may be injected made of Milk and Sugar and Yolks of Eggs or they may be prepared of a Decoction of Camomel-flowers and of Mugwort in Chicken-broath adding to them Oil of Lillies and Yolks of Eggs. And the Belly of the Woman must be anointed with Carminitive and Aperitive Oils as with Oil of Dill Rue Jasmin or with the following which is very effectual which may be prepared for this use in due season and kept in the Shops Take of the Roots of round Birth-wort of Orris and Peony each one ounce of Cyprus half an ounce of the dried Leaves of Mugwort Feverfew wild Marjoram Calaminth Pennyroyal Dittany of Creet of Wormwood Savin Rue Bettony and Sage each one handful of the Flowers of Rosemary Stechas Lavender Camomel Dill S. John's Wort Elder each half an handful of the Grains of Lawrel and Juniper each half an ounce of Cummin the Seeds of Rue Peony Daucas of the Chast Tree each three drachms of Cloves Nutmegs Cinnamon and Ginger each two drachms of Storax and Myrrh each one ounce Bruise them and cut them and infuse them in three quarts of old Oil adding a litte White-Wine keep them in an earthen Vessel well stopt for the space of a Week then boil them upon hot Ashes four or five hours then press out the Oil and keep it for use If you have it not ready prepared you may boil the Simples upon occasion with equal parts of Oil and White-Wine to the consumption of the Wine afterwards press out the Oil. A Fomentation may be also made of a Decoction of Mugwort Feverfew Baulm of the Leaves of Bays and Calaminth of the Seeds of Daucas Cummin and Caraways of the Flowers of Wall-flower and Camomel made in Water and White-Wine or in Milk Or the following Cataplasm may be applied Take of Onions boil'd in Water number three or four bruise them in a Mortar and add to them of the Seeds of Cummin and Flax bruised each one handful With a sufficient quantity of the Flowers of Camomel and Barly-meal make a Cataplasm and if there be occasion add a little of the Water wherein the Onions were boil'd Spread it upon a cloath and apply it hot to the Navel It is also proper to cover the Belly with a Sheep's-skin fresh flea'd off and applied hot for the Heat of it is very agreeable it eases the Pain and keeps the Belly from wrinkling And the following things may be taken inwardly Take of the Seeds of Daucas powdered one drachm of White-Wine three ounces Mingle them and give it twice in a day Or Take of Nutmegs Aniseeds and Cinamon each one scruple Mingle them make a Powder give it with White-wine or one scruple of Oil of Nutmegs with Broath Forestus used the Flowers of Camomel in Beer or a Decoction of Camomel and Mugwort in Chicken-Broath with good Success It is good presently after Delivery to give the Broath of an
old Cock early in the Morning fasting for three Days with a little Cinnamon and Saffron The following Powder taken presently after Delivery preserves the Woman from Pain in a wonderful manner and some think if a Woman takes it the first Lying in she will never be troubled in Child-bed with these kind of Pains Take of Comfry dried one drachm of the Kernels of Peach-Stones and of Nutmegs each two scruples of Ambar half a drachm of Ambergrise half a scruple Make a Powder whereof let her take a drachm with White-Wine and if there be a Fever with Broath Let her use for her ordinary Drink a Decoction of Mugwort and Cinnamon When the Pains arise from Cholerick and Acrid Humors they must be cured in a manner the same way as the Cholick occasioned by Choler For instance Take of Syrup of Violets and of Borrage each one ounce of the Mucilage of the Seeds of Quinces extracted with Violet-Water half an ounce of Borrage and Scorzonera-Water each three ounces mingle them make a Julep for two Doses Or Take of Oil of Sweet Almonds two ounces of Syrup of Violets one ounce of Borrage Water half an ounce Mingle them for one draught External Medicines that loosen and mollifie the Passages must be applied Child-bed Women after Delivery are often troubled with a Pain in the Groin it may be taken off by applying a Plaster of Galbanum and Assafetida to the Navel in the middle whereof some grains of Musk must be placed CHAP. CXII Of the Acute Diseases of Women in Child-bed THE Fever from Milk whilst the Child-bed Purgations proceed right seldom lasts beyond three Days for about that Time it usually goes off by a great Sweat coming of its own accord But this Intemperies occasioned by the coming of the Milk is somewhat heightned and continues longer when the Milk flows plentifully to the Breasts and is not milkt out but repelled For by its going back as well as its coming there is a Disturbance in the whole Body usually which comes more certainly if the Milk be driven violently back by Repelling Topicks Some common Rules are to be observed concerning the Coming of the Milk or in driving of it back If the Milk flow too freely into the Breasts that the Inflammation of them and the immoderate Effervescence of the Blood may be prevented a thin and spare Diet must be ordered viz. of Broath without Flesh and the Breasts must be often sucked and if it be not thought convenient that the Woman should give Suck it is customary on the First or Third day of Lying-in to apply over the Breasts moderately Astringent Cere-cloaths But this kind of Remedy must be used with Caution lest the Milk should be Excluded altogether or too hastily and so cause a disorder in the Blood and a putrid or malignant Fever of which we shall speak next Women with Child by reason their Bodies are ill affected are as it were infected with a Pestilential Contagion and so are very subject to a putrid or rather malignant Fever This Fever seizes Child-bed Women at various Seasons and upon several Occasions sometimes presently after Delivery especially if it has been difficult and hard sometimes on the first sometimes on the second third or fourth Week but the later it begins the better it goes off It begins and proceeds most commonly in the following manner After a previous Indisposition the Fever begins most commonly with a Shaking and Shivering which Heat presently follows and after that Sweat the first or second day fits of Heat and Cold succeed one another and then all the Blood being inflamed the Lochia if they were not suppressed before flow but little or quite stop If the Disease be acute and of quick motion it comes to its height the third or fourth day the Heat is violent and the Thirst very much the Pulse vehement and quick Watchings obstinate there is great Restlessness so that the Sick tumble from one side of the Bed to the other continually the Urin is thick and red and there are many other grievous Symptoms when this Fever is in its State no Crisis is to be expected for I never saw this Disease go off by a critical Sweat for when the Blood has a while Boyled the adust Matter being presently translated to the Brain dangerous disorders of the Genus Nervosum are occasioned and convulsive motions of the Tendons and inflations of the Bowels like Mother Fits and sometimes a Phrensie or Delirium and often a Stupoâ— and loss of Speech follow and the Strength is suddenly dejected almost in all without any manifest Cause the Pulse is weak and unequal and the Sick soon die And if any chance to escape the flux of the Courses being restored or a Loosness happening they recover difficultly after a long Sickness The acute Diseases of Women in Childbed are not always according to the manner of the fore-mentioned Fever but sometimes they are accompanied with some great Symptom as with a Quinsie Pleurisie Peripneumonia Bloody-flux Small-pox and the like Of these a Quinsie Pleurisie and Peripneumunia by reason of the great similitude of the Cause and analogy of the Cure may be considered together Presently at their first beginning we must endeavour that the Blood fixed any where and beginning to be Extravasated be restored to Circulation lest an Imposthume should be occasioned wherefore internal Remedies which free the Blood from Coagulation must be used of which sort are Diaphoreticks abounding with Volatile Salt as Spirit of Harts-horne and Soot Urin also Testaceous and Bezoartick Powders Lapis Prunella Decoctions and Juleps made of Vegetables that force Urine and the Courses with all which must be mixed such things as have been found by Experience to have been proper for Uterine Diseases Moreover Discutient Medicines which disperse the Matter Impacted such are Liniments Fomentations and Cataplasms must be carefully applied to the Parts affected In the mean while the violent Motion and immoderate Effervescence of the Blood must be driven far from thence and the Filth must be driven as much as possible downwards To this end Frictions Ligatures Epispasticks and if there be occasion Cupping-glasses must be applied about the Legs and Feet if the Disease be very violent Bleeding is indicated and unless there be a Plethora in the whole Body and the Inflammation be very acute in the Part affected it will be best to open a Vein in the Foot or to apply Leeches to the Hemorrhoidal Veins But if necessity urge we may Bleed in the Arm and afterwards if it can be admitted in the Foot But you must take notice that Bleeding must be cautiously used in these Cases for unless it does good which I have seldom found the Sick is in worse condition the Pulse being thereby rendred weaker A Dissentery is very often deadly and so much the rather because such things as qualifie the Blood and that moderately bind are Indicated but the flux of the Lochia forbid the use of them
Wherefore in this case till she has been well Purged by a long flux of the Lochia the fierceness of the Symptoms must at present be only appeased The Indications of the Small-pox are not only contrary to those above-described but also to one another for the flux of the Lochia must be moderately restrained but in the mean while the Efflorescence of the Blood and gentle Sweating must be continued For seeing a twofold venomous Ferment is in this Disease and the corrupt Particles of the Blood are to be carried out two ways we must take care that the least and narrowest Passage do not draw all the Matter or more than it can let out Wherefore lest the Lochia flowing plentifully should turn inward the Venom that is inclined to go off by Sweat the course of Diet must be somewhat changed and first such things as are of an Alexipharmick and astringent nature must be boyled with their Broaths as the Roots of Tormentil and Bistort also Powders Juleps and Electuaries endued with such Vertues must be given at due Intervals and in this case the Woman must be no ways allowed Flesh or the Broath of it not must she Rise but she must be kept as quiet as is possible and the whole Business must be left in a manner to God and Nature All Women in Child-bed have an inbred Venom and they ought to be careful of it and to avoid it as much as the greatest Malignity Wherefore they ought to use an exact course of Diet whereby the Impurities of the Blood and Humours may be purged in Child-bed without the danger of a Fever and that the disorders of the Womb may be heal'd and their strength weakned by Delivery may be restored To which end three things are to be minded First An exact course of Diet must be ordered viz. That they be fed for a Week at least with Water-Gruel sometimes made with Beer sometimes made with Water mix'd with Whitewine or with Panada and other things of easie Digestion Secondly They must take great care that they do not catch Cold whereby the Pores and the Lochia may be stopt wherefore let them continue in Bed at least till the Tenth day Thirdly The Lochia must be gently provoked to this end Midwives when after hard Labour there is danger of a stoppage of the Lochia give Sperma Caeti Irish Slates Powdered or White Wine tinctured with Saffron and they make the Gruel with Water and White Wine wherein as also in Posset Drink they Boyl Marygold Flowers the Leaves of Penny-royal or Mugwort CHAP. CXIII Of Childrens Diseases Of ordering them and of the Choice of a Nurse A Child which during the stay in its Mother's Belly had no other Nourishment but the Blood it received by the umbilical Vessels hath for want of that after its Birth need to take some by the Mouth and Suck Breast-Milk however it is not good to give it Suck as soon as it is Born to prevent that so sudden a Change as well in respect of the difference of Nourishment as the manner of receiving it lest it cause some alteration in its Health First therefore empty the Phlegm out of its Stomach by giving it the first three or four days some Wine and Sugar to cut and loosen it to prevent the Milk he shall take from Corrupting it being mixed with this viscous Phlegm wherefore it is best to stay until the next day before you give it Suck It were to be wished that the Mother shou'd not give it Suck until the Eighth day of her Child-bed at soonest and it is best if she stay three Weeks or a Month for in that time she will be well Purged by the Lochia and the Blood will be much more pure besides the small holes of the Nipples are not at first sufficiently opened and therefore it is necessary for a Woman to Suck first But often poor People cannot observe so many Precautions and such Mothers are obliged to give their Children Suck from the first day and likewise others will not suffer any but themselves to do it In this case let her Breasts be a little drawn by some old Woman or some lusty sucking Child or they may Draw them themselves If the Nurse has much Milk she must not give the Child any thing else at least the first two Months As to the quantity of Milk the Child ought to suck it must be proportionable to his Age and Strength in the beginning he must not suck too much nor too often afterwards by little and little let it be daily augmented until he may take his fill but he may suck at any time night or day After the Child has suck'd two or three Months more or less according as one finds he needs stronger Nourishment give him then Pap made of Flower and Milk though but little at first and not too thick lest his Stomach may be overcharged When the Child has taken Pap thus made which must be but once a day especially in the Morning or twice at most the Nurse may give it a little suck to the end that being washed down into the Stomach the Digestion may be the better and easier made There are many Women who give their Children Pap as soon as they are Born and Nurses who have little Milk ordinarily do so to hinder their Crying as they will do when they are Hungry But sometimes this of it self is enough to kill them because of the Indigestion and Obstruction it occasions which by reason of its gross and viscous consistence can scarce find Passage through the Stomach and Guts which at the beginning are weak and not sufficiently opened and dilated whereby there happens to Children great Oppressions difficulty of Breathing Gripes Swellings Pains of the Belly and often Death Wherefore do not give it the Child till after the first or second Month at soonest and if you forbore it three or four Months he would thrive the better provided the Nurse does not want Milk When he is in the Cradle let it be so turned as it may be towards the Fire the Candle or the Chamber Window that having the Light directly in its Face he may not be allured to look continually on one side for doing so often his Sight will be so perverted that he will grow Squint-ey'd Wherefore for the better secucurity throw some Covering over the head of the Cradle Many Children are so Grip'd that they can't forbear Crying night nor day and some die so and this is very often the first and most common Disease that happens to little Infants after their Birth To remedy all these Pains which Women generally call Gripes respect must be had to their different Causes As to that which is the general cause viz. The too sudden change of the Nourishment you must forbear giving the Child Suck till the next day lest the Milk being mix'd with the Phlegm which is in the Stomach corrupt and at first it must Suck but little until it
sufficient quantity to make it pleasantly acid Take of the Leaves of Plantain and of Nettles each a sufficient quantity beat them together in a Marble-Mortar and press out the Juice clarifie it and give six spoonfuls of it cold three or four times in a day After the first Purge apply the following Plaster to the Region of the Loins Take of the Plasters of Diapalma and ad herniam each equal parts mix them and spread them upon Leather A cooling and thickning Diet must be ordered only it may be proper to allow once or twice a day a small Glass of Claret which tho' it be not so proper because it is apt to raise an ebullition yet it may be allowed to recover the Strength This Method may be also used to prevent Miscarriage but the Juices and the Purges must be omitted CHAP. XCVI Of the Whites THis obstinate and lasting Disease may be cured by Bleeding once and by purging with two Scruples of Pill Coch. major four times and by the following Corroboratives Take of Venice Treacle one ounce and an half of the Conserve of the yellow Peel of Oranges one ounce of Diascordium half an ounce of Ginger candied and Nutmegs candied each three drachms of compound Powder of Crabs-eyes one drachm and an half of the outward Peel of Pomgranates of the Roots of Spanish Angelica and of the Troches of Lemnian Earth each one drachm of Bole-armenick two scruples of Gum Arabick half a drachm with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of dried Roses make an Electuary whereof let her take the quantity of a large Nutmeg in the morning and at five in the afternoon and at night drinking upon it six spoonfuls of the following Infusion Take of the Roots of Elecampane Masterwort Angelica and Gentian each half an ounce of the Leaves of roman Wormwood white Horehound the lesser Centaury and Calaminth each one handful of Juniper Berries one ounce Cut them small and infuse them in five pints of Canary-Wine let them stand in Infusion and strain them only as you use them Through the whole course of Corroboratives purging must not be used for every Evacuation spoils what the Corroborative has done CHAP. XCVII Of Hysterick and Hypochondriack Diseases THese Diseases if I calculate right are the most frequent of all chronical Diseases and as Fevers with those Diseases that appertain to them if they are compared with chronical taken altogether make two thirds so Hysterical Diseases at least those that go under that Name are half the remaining third that is chronical Diseases are half Hysterick for very few Women which Sex contains half of grown People are wholly free from all kinds of Hysterick Diseases if you except those who being accustomed to Labour live hardly yea many of those Men that live sedentary Lives and are wont to study hard are afflicted with the same Disease and though heretofore Hysterical Symptoms were always reckoned to proceed from a vicious Womb yet if we compare Hypochondriack Symptoms which were supposed to proceed from Obstructions of the Spleen or Bowels or from some other I know not what Obstructions with Women's Hysterick Symptoms an Egg is scarce more like an Egg than these Symptoms are like one another in all respects But it must be confessed that Women are much more subject to this kind of Disease than Men. This Disease is not only frequent but so wonderfully various that it resembles almost all the Diseases poor Mortals are subject to for whatever Part it seats it self in it presently produces such Symptoms as belong to it and unless the Physician be very sagacious and very skilful he will be mistaken and suppose that tâ—ese Symptoms proceed from an essential Disease of this or that part and not from an histerical Distemper Sometimes for instance it possesses the Head and occasions an Apoplexy which also ends in an Hemiplâ—gy and this seizes Women very often after Delivery or it is occasioned by hard Labour or some violent commotion of the Mind Sometimes it produces violent Convulsions very like an Epilepsy the Belly and Bowels swelling toward the Throat the Patient strugling so violently that though at other times her Strength is but ordinary she now can scarce be held by all the strength of the By-standers uttering some odd and inarticulat sounds and striking her Breast Women who are accustomed to this Disease commonly called Mother-fits are generally extraordinary Sanguine and have a habit of Body almost like that of a Virago Sometimes it possesses the outward part of the Head betwixt the Pericranium and Skull causing violent Pain continually fixed in one part which may be covered with the top of your Thumb and violent Vomiting accompanies this Pain I call this Species Clavus Hystericus chiefly afflicting those that have the Green-sickness Sometimes falling upon the vital Parts it occasions so great a palpitation of the Heart that the Women who are afflicted with it may verily believe that the By-standers may hear the sound of the Heart thumping upon the Ribs This kind chiefly afflicts those that are of a thin habit of Body and of a weak Constitution and who look almost tabid and also young Maids that have the Green-sickness Sometimes the Patient coughs almost without intermission but expectorates nothing This kind of Hysterick-cough is very rare and chiefly invades Women that abound in Flegm Sometimes rushing violently upon the Colon and the Region under the Scrobiculum Cordis it occasions violent Pain much like the Iliack Passion and the Woman vomits exceedingly ejecting a certain green Matter somewhat like that they call porraceous Bile and sometimes Matter of an unusual colour And often after the Sick have been almost destroyed by the said Pain which would tire a stoical Apathy and reachings to vomit for many days at length it is carried off by the Jaundice tincturing the superficies of the Body like Saffron Moreover the Sick is oppressed by an anguish of mind and wholly despairs of recovery with dejection of mind and as it were a certain desperation as certainly accompanies this kind of Hysterick Disease as the Pain and Vomiting above-mentioned This kind chiefly invades those that are of a lax and crude habit of Body and those that have suffered much in bringing forth great Children When this Disease falls upon one of the Kidnies it plainly represents by the Pain it causes there a Nephritick Fit and not only by that sort of Pain and by the place it rages in but also by the violent Vomitings that accompanies it and for that sometimes the Pain extends it self through the passage of the Ureter so that it is very difficult to know whether these Symptoms proceed from the Stone or from some Hysterick Disease unless perchance some unlucky Accident disturbing the Woman's mind a little before she was taken ill of the vomiting of green Matter shews that the Symptoms rather proceed from an Hysterick Disease than from the Stone Nor is the Bladder free from this false Symptom for it