then the woman dyes presently but if it be voided by the mouth or nose then she may escape The causes of this suppression are of two kinds either inward or outward The outward causes are sadnes griefe suddain apprehension of some ill newes feare frighting and such like passions of the mind Likewise cold which the woman hath taken which shutteth vp the veines of the Matrice a bad dyet and amongst other things drinking of colde and raw water which hath beene noted by Hippocrates to be very hurtfull vnto women with child Now concerning the inward causes the same Author writes that the vlcers which happen by reasen of a long and troublesome deliuery doe cause an inflammation and swelling which makes the side of the wombe come together and shuts vp the orifices of the veines thereof from whence proceedes suppression of the after-Purgins Likewise the ouer great quantity of thicke and grosse bloud may bee the cause as also the weakenesse of the Matrice the which because it hath beene sore wearied and troubled in the deliuery and thereby lost all strength is not able to disburden and free it selfe of the bloud whereof it is full Hippocrates also in the same place giues another cause which is when the mouth of the said womb is shrunke or turned awry or else because the sides of it are sunke downe shut together and inflammed For the Cure heereof shee must obserue an order of dyet which shall be moistning and opening Her meate and drinke must be such as we haue formerly prescribed for one newly deliuered Shee shall take operitiue Broths thereby to open the orifices of the veines which are much stopt and according to the cause so the remedies must be fitted as if it come by any sudden apprehension griefe or anger then must she be plasant and make her selfe as merry as she can If it proceed of any inflammation or heate that hath thickned the bloud then must she vse medicines that shal moderately cool moisten as Apozemes made with the leaues and rootes of Succory Burnet Endiue Agrimony Maydenhaire Couchgrasse or Gramen Hoppes rootes of Persely and Asparagus Violet flowers with the sirups of Maydenhaire and de quinq radicibus If it be needfull to attenuate and cut or to euacuate any grosse and clammy humors which shut vp the orifices of the veines it will not be amisse to vse this fomentation so that there be no great inflammation of the part A. somentatiō ℞ Malu Bismal Parietar Matricar an m. i. Abrotan Origan Aneth Calamint Artemis an m. s. Flor. sambuc Chamaemel Melilot an P. i. sem Linifoenugraec an ʒ ij fiant sacculi duo Coquantur in aq Communi addendo sub finem vini albi parum pro fotu Of the foresaide ingredients you may likewise prepare fumes halfe baths and also iniections for the Matrice If the said after-purgings are suppressed because the inner orifice of the matrice is closed or turned aside then will it be very necessary for the Chirurgion after he hath considered that there is neither paine nor distemperature to set it right againe by putting vp pessaryes which shal prouoke and bring downe the after purgings as this following A Pessary ℞ Cerae nouae ℥ iiij Mell. ℥ i. styrac liq ℥ s. Ol. muschell ʒ ij liquefiant omnia simul addendo Myrrh Aloes an ʒ is farin Lupinor ʒ vi auferendo ab igne impone telam ex Canabe de qua cooperiatur pessarium ad vsum You shall first frame a pessary and then it shall be couered with the said cloth or else dipped and couered with the said medicine You may also make little round bags of a fingers length in the forme of a pessary which you shall fill or stuffe with the herbe Mercury first brused or beaten and this may serue for a pessary this herb is very much commended If it be needful to haue the pessary stronger you may put thereto a little Mugword Sauine and Balme It will be very profitable to bind the thighs hard and to rub the legges and thighs especially on the inside all along the crurall veyne you may also apply great Cupping glasses in the saide places Let her legges and thighs be washed with that decoction which was set downe before for the fomentation The same decoction also may serue for Clysters dissoluing therein Hiera or Benedict Laxatiua and mel mercuriale But we must preferre before all these medicines that which is the most soueraigne which is letting of bloud in the foote out of the Saphena or in the Poplitica which is in the bending of the gartring place For by this meanes we shall manifestly meet with the cause of the sicknesse And heerein wee shall follow the example of Hippocrates who caused the woman seruant of Stymargus to be let bloud be cause her sicknesse or purgings were stayed after she was deliuered and by this meanes she was well discharged of them although before she had bene in great and generall Convulsions The same Author saith that a woman that hath these purgings staide must haue present helpe for feare least there happen some great inflammation to the part so that except she be presently let bloud she is in danger of death Her belly also must be kept loose by Clisters and if she can vomit easily she must be helped that way also Galen saith that hee hath brought downe these purgings in women that was pale leane and weak by letting her bloud in good quantity I haue not heere set downe any medicines to bee taken by the mouth because I haue written many of this kind in the Chapters going before wherein I haue treated of the meanes how to make the child or after-birth come foorth when they bee staide which medicines haue power also to prouoke the courses or after purgings Of the false Conception stayed and abiding in the woman after her deliuery CHAP. IX IT may happen to some women that after they haue been well deliuered of their children there may stay with them one or more false conception Some of these false conceptions sticke fast to the wombe some are vnfastned and loose If they be small they come foorth together with the purgings but if they be big they oftentimes stay and abide within And in this case the Chirurgion must be carefull for if they bee bigge and cleaue to the wombe they may bring much inconuenience to the woman by their long staying behind So then it will be necessary for him to know whether there be any of this kind and of what nature it is which he shal learne of the Mother by demanding of her how she found her selfe all the time shee went with child First then let him enquire of her whether she were very big at that time and if she had any hardnesse in any part of her belly whether shee hath beene vsed to any such accident with her other children for there are women which
before the fourth moneth the veines of her thighes and groine are bigger and more knottie on the left side then on the right An honest Gentlewoman assured me that she had made triall of this receipt which is to take an equall quantitie of Claret wine and of vrine made in the morning put them together into a glasse and let them stand a whole day if there appeare in the bottome a grosse cloud thicke like to Beane-broth it is a signe the woman is with child of a boy if it appeare in the middest it is signe of a wench if there be nothing found in the bottome but the ordinary residence of vrine it shewes she is not with child at all An experiment likewise may be made out of the practise of Liuia the Mother of the Emperour Tiberius who being with child and desirous to know with what she went tooke an egge from vnder a Henne that sate and kept it warme so long in her hands till at last a Cock-Chicken was hatched out of it whereby she knew that she should haue a sonne which proued to be Tyberius the Emperour as Suetonius reporteth Heere will it not be beside our purpose to set downe what Hippocrates writes in his booke de superfaetatione of the meanes how to get a man or woman-child He that wil saith he beget a sonne must know his wife as soone as her courses are stayed and then try the vtmost of his strength but if he desire to get a daughter then must he companie with his wife a good while after her courses or at that time when she hath them and beside he must tye his right stone as hard as he can endure it and when he would haue a sonne he must tye the left But Aristotle seemes wrongfully to blame his worthie man when he sayth that the generation of Males or Females depends of the strength of the seed and not of the stones the vse whereof he saith is not for generation But experience teacheth vs the contrary for the countreymen when they would haue a Bull beget a Cow-Calfe or a Bull-Calfe they tye the right stone for the one and the left for the other The signes whereby to know that a woman goeth with two children CHAP. III. THe signes that a woman hath conceiued two children doe seldome appeare before the third or fourth moneth which then is knowne both by the mouing of the children and also by the greatnes and swelling of the womans belly As for the motion if it be felt strong and forceable both on the right and the left side at the same instant then it is apparent that there be two children Likewise for the greatnes of her belly if it appeare more swollen and bigger then in her other child-bearing if the sides be higher then the middle of her belly and from the nauell downeward there appeare as it were a line or separation betweene both sides creasted if the woman beare her burthen with difficultie and her belly fall vpon her thighes and hips then may you safely say that she goeth with two children Of false Conception CHAP. IIII. WOmen are oftentimes deceiued in reckoning themselues with child for they thinke themselues with child when it is nothing but the stopping of their naturall sicknesse which keepeth not due course Some haue a false conception which is as it were the beginning of Mola Others haue the Mola it selfe which we commonly call the Moone-calfe False conception is a lump of flesh gathered together commonly like to the gizard of a fowle which is bigger or lesser according to the continuance of it which nature commonly expelleth in the second third or fourth month But the Mola is farre bigger and continues a yeare or two yea ten or twelue and sometime as long as the woman liues Of this Mola there be two kinds the one may be called a true the other a false one The true Mola is fleshy being nothing else but an vnprofitable masse without shape or forme hard and firme bred within the Matrice and cleauing to the sides thereof The false Mola is of three sorts the one windy being a collection of grosse winds the second watrish or a heaping together of waters the third humorall or a meeting of many humors All three contained within the capacitie of the womb which doth make them differ from the swelling hardnes or Scyrehus of the said wombe or from any flesh water or humor which may chance to cleaue to or touch the outward part thereof These are often bred together with the child but then they cause death either for that the child is deceiued of his nourishment which is carried to the Mola or because he wanting roome cannot grow and come to perfection Hippocrates saith that there be some liuing and some dead Moles The dead are like to the false burthens so called because women carry them not long as being but lightly tyed and fastned to the sides of the Matrice Sometime they are deuided into diuers seuerall pieces so that Nicholas Nicolus saith he saw a woman which cast forth nine of them in one day the least whereof waighed foure pound The quicke and liuing Moles are they which wholy cleaue to the wombe and continue with the woman euen to her death The cause of the fleshy Mole according to the ancient writers cannot wholly proceede from the woman but the man must adde somewhat thereunto Galen holdeth that it is bred when the mans seed is weake barren imperfect or in little quantitie and for the most part choked through the abundance of the menstruous bloud which is grosse and thicke vnfit for the framing of a child so that in stead thereof is bread a lumpe of flesh that by little and little increaseth being wrapped in his owne membrane which nature effecteth as desirous to bring forth any thing rather then to be idle The windie Mole is ingendred through want of heate in the Matrice and other parts adioyning as the Liuer and Spleene whereby much wind is bred and shut vp in the emptinesse of the wombe It may also come from without as in women newly deliuered and in such which hauing had their naturall courses in great abundance doe venture too soone into the cold aire The watry Mole proceeds from the abundance of watrie showres which is sent from the Liuer or the Spleene or other parts thereabouts or else through the weakenes of the Matrice which cannot assimilate the bloud that is brought to nourish it part whereof is turned into water and being not voided stayeth in the wombe The humorall Mole is bred by reason of too much moisture as of serious or whayish humors of the whites or watrish euacuations which come downe through the vessels of the Matrice and are stayed in the concauitie thereof False conception hath some common signes with the true as suppression of the naturall courses depraued appetite distastfulnesse vomiting swelling
tongue wetted This accident is verie hard yea euen vnsupportable to endure the sicke party taking no other delight but in drinking and that often and in great draughts Men are more subiect to this drougth then women Contrariwise Women and chiefly those with child such as haue not their Courses or Wenches that are subiect to the Greene sicknesse are more troubled with this depraued or immoderate appetite called Malacia or Pica hauing this name giuen it either because Pyes are troubled with this disease or else for that their feathers be of diuers colours blacke and white according to the varietie of things which Women long after This sicknesse hapneth when they desire to eate or drinke things that are wholie contrarie to Nature as eating of raw or burnt flesh yea euen to long after Mans flesh Ashes Coles old Shoes Chalke Waxe Nutshels Morter and Lime as Fernelius witnesseth of a man who being a long time desirous to eat vnslak't lime at last deuoured thereof the bignesse of ones fist which helpt him without doing him any harme either in the stomacke or guts Notwithstanding not long since the daughter of M. Forges died with eating the plastering of wals Sometimes custome which is a second Nature makes vs couet to eat such contrarie things as we desire and the rather because we haue commonly eaten thereof in our youth There is found the contrarie hereof in some who abhor and loath good meates which is imputed to the Idiosyncrasie or particular constitution of the person Others haue obserued that there are such malignant humours sometimes bred in vs that they are turned into poison and make both these depraued appetites As it is seen by poisons taken inwardly and applied outwardly which make the like effect The biting of the serpent Dipsas doth testifie the same which breedeth an intollerable and vnquenchable thirst in him that hath been wounded by it Now therefore leauing all these kinds of vitiated and depraued Appetites we will onely speake of that wherewith great-bellied Women are troubled which is called Pica Some impute the cause of this sicknesse to certaine Crudities and ill humours which are contained in the whole habite of the bodie and imparted to the mouth or orifice of the stomacke But the soundest opinion is that the sides and tunicles of the stomacke and orifice thereof are infected and stuffed with diuers excrements and ill humours and according to the qualitie they haue the Woman with child longeth after the like As if Melancholie abound not burn't or adust she longeth after sharpe things as Vineger Citrons and Orenges if the Melancholie be adust shee desireth Coles Ashes and Plastering if the humour be salt she coueteth salt meates and so of the rest And surely it often happens that they long for the like things as are in their stomackes This maligne and bad humour is ingendred as we haue said through the retention of the naturall Courses in women with Child which flow backe into the stomacke In some it beginneth the first weeks yea the verie first day in others the thirtieth or fortieth day and continues euen till the fourth moneth and then ceaseth which commeth so to passe because the Child is growen bigger and hauing need of more Nourishment draw's to him a greater quantitie of bloud the which he consumes and so by consequent it returnes backe no more into the stomacke Besides also this humour hath been much spent and voided by the often vomitings which Women haue during the first moneths And also because the Childs haire is bred and grown great which some hold to be partly a cause of this sicknesse Plinie writes That women with Child feel themselues worse when their Childs haire begins to come and chiefly about the new of the Moone Now that we may preserue them from this infirmitie or at least diminish it as much as may bee she must chiefely vse meats that breed good iuice and that in little quantitie increasing it neuerthelesse as her bignesse augmenteth and the childe groweth which at length waxing stronger and greater will consume part of this great quantitie of bloud and the rest may bee put into the membranes which wrap and infold the childe and to the masse of bloud which is called the after-burthen which is as it were the liuer of the Matrice Now concerning their meat and drinke Considering that they that are sicke of this disease and so infinitely distasted that often times they doe euen loath and abhorre good meats therefore wee must set an edge as it were on their appetite varying their meats in as many fashions as may be possible thereby to make them the more pleasing and desireable Oliues and Capers as likewise sallades a little parboiled are very good for them All meats that are either too fat or too sweet bee naught because they stirre vp a desire of vomiting For their sauces they may vse Veriuice Orringes Citrons Pomegranats and good Rose viniger all very moderately taken Auicen commendeth tosted cheese and Amylum dried which Aetius and Oribasius doe allow and especially to those that desire to eat earth and plastering of walles or the like Paulus Aegineta allowes them the vse of mustard pepper and cloues to make sauce thereof for the stirring vp of their appetite and to helpe to digest the crudities contained within the stomacke after meales she may eat bak't quinces and rosted filberds For her drinke she must vse good clarret wine well allaied but if shee long for white you may giue her leaue to drinke some so that it haue a little astriction True it is that the ouer great quantitie of drinke is hurtfull for her by reason of the great washing which it might make in her stomacke shee may take euery morning a draught of Wormewood-wine or a little strong Hydromel with a tost of bread The vse of these Lozenges is much commended â„ž Amyl puriss sic Ê’ j Caryoph Nucis mosch ana ℈ s Spec diarhod abbat ℈ j. Sacchar in aq Rosar Absynth dissolut â„¥ ij fiant tabellae ponder is Ê’ j. Capiat vnam singulis auroris superbibat tantillum vini The Ancients as Paulus and Oribasius exceedingly commend the decoction of Polypody and Annis-seed with suger of Roses They may vse gentle fomentations to their stomackes made of Wormewood Balaustia Cumin Cytisus and Fennill-seed wherewith likewise may be made Cataplasmes for the same vse For these medicines will comfort and strengthen the concoctiue facultie of the stomacke the better to digest the meat the retentiue to retaine and keepe that it hath receiued the expulsiue to thrust that foorth which troubleth the stomacke and the appetite to couet and long for meat This ointment is also very fit and profitable Liniment â„ž Ol. Nardin Cydâ—nior ana â„¥ s Pul. Caryoph Maslich an ℈ j. Croci gr iij. Cerae parum fiat litus pro stomacho praemisso fotu As also this that
followeth â„ž Ol. Mastich Cydonior an â„¥ j. ol Nardin â„¥ s Coral rub Caryophyl Menth. Calam. aromat nucis Mosch an â„¥ s. Cerae q. s. ad formam Cerati â„ž Cortic. Citri â„¥ j. fol. Meliss Absynth ana M. ij Coquantur in aq com pistentur passentur addendo olei Nard Mastih an â„¥ j. fiat Cataplasma They may vse Galens Cerote for the stomacke or that of Aecius made with Quinces Saffron and a little oile of Spicknard Concerning generall purgations which may euacuate downeward part of this superfluitie they must not be administred when a woman is yoong with childe but with very great care and good aduice not vsing any strong purgers But if there bee need and that the disease ceaseth not by light medicines then may be giuen a little infusion of Rubarbe and a gentle decoction of Sene taking the aduice of the learned Physitian And therefore we must onely haue a regard to their vomiting which at these times doth commonly molest and trouble them taking heed of staying it except it be immoderate as Auicen saith or too violent For otherwaies it helpeth to cure this disease euacuating part of those ill humours whereby it is nourished and increased And if wee perceiue she hath a desire to vomit and that the expulsiue facultie be not strong enough to helpe it let her take a little Hydromell warme and if the matter in the stomacke be tough and clammie adde thereto a little vineger the better to attenuate and cut it I haue beene the longer in this Chapter because it is an accident that doth much annoy women with childe thereby the better to instruct the yoong Chirurgion when there is no Physitian neere at hand Of Distastfulnesse and Hicket CHAP. IX MOst women as soone as they are with childe be so distasted and doe so loath and abhorre meat that they cannot endure either to eat see or smell it yea and some are sicke euen with the very hearing of it named which makes them goe often times two or three daies without any desire to eat This disease hapneth vpon the same reason we gaue before of the depraued appetite because the stomacke is filled and stuffed with diuers excrements that oloy a great bellied woman which by little and little are there gathered together by the flowing backe of the courses that be stopped which cannot bee put forth much lesse consumed by the little one and so come into the stomacke and fill it But when these corrupted and ill humours abide longer in the stomacke there happens another accident commonly called the Hicket or Yeaxing which is a violent and conuulsiue motion of the stomacke which seemeth to discharge it selfe of those bad humours which are contained in the capacity and membranes thereof and offend either in quantitie or qualitie or both together From hence comes it that the stomacke willing to put them forth casts vp with all the meat and food the woman hath taken to the preiudice of her selfe which cannot keepe any thing for her owne sustenance and of the Child who cannot find sufficient bloud to nourish him which at length makes them both weake and causeth the Mother either to be deliuered before her time or else to breed a faint and feeble Child and oftentimes one that will be sickly all his life time For the remedying of this queasinesse we must haue recourse to those medicines written in the Chapter of depraued Appetite Both for the dyet and remedies And touching the Hicket when it comes through emptinesse or want of eating then the woman must nourish her selfe taking often good meat and in small quantitie as yelkes of egs cullis veale broth hennes and chicken and let her belly be annointed with oyle of sweet Almonds and Violets If the cause proceed of any sharp or biting humour it must be drawen and purged downward gently as we haue said already or else by vomit without much straining Cow milke and the milke of an Asse are verie much commended as also the vse of syrups of Violets and Nenuphar are verie profitable The Hicket may also come of some inflamation that is in the Spleene Liuer or other bowels neere the stomacke and so is impart to it this hapning it will be verie necessarie to let her bloud and that she vse meats which moderately coole as also medicines of the same nature both inwardly and outwardly consulting thereof with the Physitions Of the Vomiting which happens to Women with Child CHAP. X. THere be some women who as soone as they be with child yea the verie first daies are subiect to Vomit casting vp store of water and slime by the mouth and this vomiting continueth euen till they are quicke with child and with some it remaineth all the time of their going which I saw happen vnto a great Lady of this kingdome who from the second day after she had conceiued vomited and affirmed constantly that she was with child When this Vomiting hapneth it must not be staied sodainly if so be it continue gently and without violence for being stopped there is such store of humors heaped and gathered together in their stomacks that they are ready to be stifled or stuft vp which being by little and little cast vp without violence they are much eased for by this euacuation of noysome excrements the first region of the belly feels it selfe free discharged and vnburthen'd of many long and grieuous paines The cause of this accident proceeds commonly of the abundance of humours gathered together in the stomacke or else of some sharpe and biting humour that doth stir and prouoke it and chiefly the vpper orifice thereof aswell by reason of the ill meats they eate and that in great quantitie as also because they fill themselues too much with good meat which doth putrifie and corrupt the naturall heat being weake and requires rather to be cast forth then kept in the bodie But it hapneth oftentimes that this Vomiting is so violent that euen the meat and sustenance which the Mother taketh to nourish her selfe and the child is cast vp and then it must be remedied Likewise if this accident come from some weaknesse of the stomack or by the default of the retentiue facultie which is not able to retaine and kepe the meat although it were of good iuice and in finall quantitie or by some maligne vapour which ariseth from the wombe by reason of the feed and naturall courses retained they maybe help'd by these meanes following First if the great quantitie of meates whether good or bad which the woman hath taken be the cause then let her abstaine from eating them obseruing the aboue mentioned Dyet vsing good meats and in little quantitie thereby to roule it forth If the ouermuch quantitie or ill qualitie of sharpe and biting excrements be the cause then must they be gently taken away and purged Notwithstanding we must refraine from giuing them any
of Annis seed added to it Of the paines of the Backe Hips and Groine with difficultie of making water that happens vnto Women with child CHAP. XII THere be some Women which beare their children high and as they say within their stomacke so that they are nimbler either in going or stirring without being let or hindred thereby at all Others carrie them verie low hauing their belly standing verie much out which brings them much inconuenience as paine of the Hips and Groine and then they complaine as if those parts and their belly were rent and torne in pieces Contrariwise there be others that hide their child within their raines and beare it verie backward which causeth them to haue exceeding great paine in their backs In the two latter cases we had need to helpe them for as Hippocrates saith When women with child are troubled with great paine in their backe and legs then are they in danger to be deliuered before their time The like may be also said of them that haue much paine in their belly and groine These paines commonly do rather proceed from the heauinesse of the child then of any quantitie of humors which abound in the bodie For at that time the wombe being great thicke and full by reason of the child which is big and large and of the bed or after-burthen and oftentimes filled with great store of water on which side soeuer the wombe resteth it drawes the ligaments and bonds with it that hold and fasten it to the foresaid parts and by the force of this dilation and stretching doth cause and prouoke paines in the backe hips and groine aswell by reason they are tyed thereto as likewise for the continuitie of those neighbouring parts which touch them For the remedying whereof the woman must keepe her selfe still and quiet without much stirring or shaking she must eat little and often and of meats that be light and easie of digestion for the stomake being full doth presse the body of the Matrice and thrusts it downward Therefore she must were Swathes which may helpe to support and keep vp her belly that by such a rest and swathing the ligaments which are lengthned and stretched may be somewhat brought backe to their proper places which must be confirmed and strengthned by these meanes All the bottome of her backe and raines must be annointed with Vnguentum Comitissae or else this ointment Oyntment ℞ Ol. Mastich Cidonior an ℥ j. ol Mirtill ℥ ss Corall rub terrae Sigillat an ʒ s Vnguent Comitiss ℥ s liquefiant omnia vt artis est fiat linimentum If the woman with child feel any coldnesse as it happens to some by reason of their cold temperature which makes them shiuer and quake let there be added to the former ointment Ol. Costin Aneth an ℥ ss But if she find any heat there or burning then applie some ointment that hath vertue to comfort and coole Another ointment ℞ Ol. Mirtill Rosar an ℥ j. ss vng Rosat Mes ℥ j. vng Refriger Galen ℥ s Puluer Corall rub Bol. Armen an ʒ j. succi Aurant ʒ ij misce fiat linimentum Likewise it may chance through the waightinesse of the wombe which resteth in the bottome that the woman with child cannot make water which hapning she herselfe with both hands must lift vp the bottome of her belly by meanes whereof she shall hinder the bodie of the wombe from pressing and crushing the bladder and especially the necke thereof which is loaded and oppressed with the said wombe You may applie below some bathing or fomentation made with the leaues of Mallowes Althaea Cresses and Parietarie with a little Lin-seed to make the passage more loose soft and easie to be inlarged or widened Of the panting and beating of the Heart As also of Swouning which happen vnto women with child CHAP. XIII AS there be diuers winds and vapours that are shut vp and inclosed in the neather belly of a woman with child which procure great paines in her hips backe and groine for the reasons before rehearsed So likewise are there the like vapours that arise from the wombe and other parts neere which are inclosed in the Arteries and by them are carried and imparted to the heart which cause a panting and beating and the heart feeling it selfe offended and oppressed by the said vapours endeuoureth by his motion to expell and driue them away far from itselfe Nature hauing giuen to euery part some particular meanes whereby to repell and thrust backe that which doth annoy or molest it As the Braine by sneesing the Lungs by coughing and the stomacke by vomiting But because this accident is oftentimes the forerunner of a Syncope or swouning therefore will it be needfull to haue care thereof it being easie to be knowne both by the relation of the party who finds her heart beate as also by feeling the breast vppon the region of the heart with ones hand with which this motion lifteth vp the ribs and the hand that is laide thereon yea some women haue such a beating that it makes euen the ribs stand out of their place For remedy whereof such vapors must be kept from seasing vpon the hart which may be done by well fensing of it both within and without If then you perceiue that the woman doe abound with any ill humors from whence these vapours may partly arise she must bee purged as before and let bloud according as the accidents doe require and the ancients doe appoint which must be done in small quantity and that not all at once but rather at mâny times by little and little For according to Galen There is no remedy that more hinders and altars the course of blood and noysome vapors from piercing and assailing the heart then letting of bloud doth Let her take euery morning one of these Lozenges which are very proper Lozenges ℞ puluer laetitiae Galeni de gemmis an ℈ i. pul lapid bezoard ossis de corde cerui an ℈ s. confect de hyacintho ʒ s. sacchari cum aqua scordij dissoluti ℥ ij fiant tabellae pond ʒ ij sumat vnam singulis diebus mane sero cubitura In steed thereof she may vse this opiate Opiate ℞ conseruae bugloss borag an ℥ s. conseruae radicis scorzonerae ʒ vi corti citriconditi ʒ iij. ther. veter ℈ i. pul electuar diamarg. frigidi ℈ s. fiat opiata capiat singulis diebus mane sero ʒ i. vt dictum est The Claret water before described is very excellent good some doe vse the water of Orringe flowers The heart must bee outwardly fortified with Quilts Fomentations Epithemes Cataplasmes applied to the region thereof made with the aforenamed ingredient Take for the Epitheme or fomentation the waters of Borage Buglosse Balme of Oringe flowers Cardus Benedictus Roses and of Scordium adding therto Saunders Angelica seed Cordiall flowers and the like And because that
good iuice Contrariwise she that is too leane must vse good meates and such as breed good iuice and that in good quantity If too much eating and drinking or the vse of bad meates that breed ill iuice be the cause then must she absteine from them And when it doth proceed from the fulnesse and aboundance of humors water as it happeneth in full bodied young women or which before their being with child were subiect to some euacuations as bleeding at the nose Hemorrodes or abundance of ordinary purgations and whites then will it also be very needful to purge and let them bloud and before their beeing with child to make them vse the dyet and especially those that haue the ligaments of the womb loose and soft and the vessels full of thicke and slimy matter to whome likewise may be administred cleansing strengthening iniections drying perfumes Baths with sulphur and emplasters for their backes which shall heereafter be set downe And when they shall be gone about foure moneths and a halfe it will be very fit to purge them gently let them bloud the which may be done more plentifully and boldly not all at once but at sundry times in those who before their being with child were vsed to more copious and frequent euacuations For experience doth shew that by this meanes those which were wont to be deliuered before their time haue not onely born their children to the ordinary time but thereby also haue beene brought a bed more easily and with lesse pain and trouble So that the child shall neither be in daunger to bee stifled by drawing more food then is needfull for his nourishment nor of growing too big by turning it into his owne sustenance which might bee a meanes through his exceeding greatnesse to breake and teare the ligaments that support him or else though he stay his ful time being thus big that he should not be able to come easily into the world To helpe the abortment whereof the child is cause being naturally either weake or sickly it will be very necessary that the mother put to her helping hand as much as she can possibly Wherefore she must be merry quiet as well in body as in mind not fretting or vexing her selfe and especially about the time she was wont to bee deliuered shee must keepe her bed vsing meates of easie digestion and distribution and drinke good claret wine let her take euery two houres a good space from her meate some of this opiate Opiate ℞ Cons. Borag Buglos an ℥ i. Cons. Rosar Anthos an ʒ vi Cort. Citri cond Myrobal condit an ℥ s. Margarit splendid Coral rub an ʒ i. ossis de corde cerui ʒ s. Cum syr Conser Citri fiat Opiata capiat ʒ i. vt dictum est If shee like not this Opiate let her vse these Lozenges Lozenges ℞ Sp. Diamarg frig ℈ ij Corall rub Corn. cerui vsti an ʒ s. priapitauri ℈ iiij Sacchar in aqua Buglos dissolut ℥ iij. fiat electuarium per tabellas ponderis ʒ s. vel ℈ ij pro dosi capiat vt dictū est Let her belly bee annointed with this ointment as well to comfort the Matrice as also to giue strength vnto the child ℞ Olei Mirtill Cydonior Mastich an ℥ s. Coral rub santal rub an ʒ i. maioran Absynth an ℈ iiij vng Rosat Mes. ℥ s. Cerae q. s fiat Linimentum Let there bee laide vpon her backe and os sacrum some such emplaster Some women haue found good by applying vpon their Nauell a tost dipt in good red wine strowing vpon it the powder of Roses Grana tinctorum Coral and a little Cinamon The Emplaster ℞ Gallar Nuc. Cupress sang Dracon Balaust mirtil Ros rub an ʒ i. s. Mastic Myrrhae an ʒ ij Thur. Hypocist acaciae gum Arabic Bol. armen an ʒ i. ladani ℥ i. Terebinth venet ℥ is picis Naualis ʒ v j. Cerae ol Mastich an q. s vt fiat secundum artem emplastrum The emplaster must be often taken off for feare of the itching and put on againe and if there happen any heate to the part annoint it with Mesues ointment of Roses If you perceiue that the child be too great and big to the end that he receiue not so much nourishment whereby he may grow bigger and larger the mother must absteine from all meates that are so iuicy and nourishing and keepe herselfe quiet hauing her belly stayed vp with a fit roler that it hang not downe and least the ligaments which hold the child might stretch and so by the waight be torne and broken a sunder The like may bee obserued and practized in the causes annexed ioined to the mother as if there bee any Scyrrhus Mole Dropsie Warts Impostums excrescence of flesh or other indisposition of the wombe The which must bee cured before the woman bee with childe according as the disease doth require it beeing very hard for a Woman to proue with child when she is troubled with any of the aforesaid accidents And in regard of outward causes wherin we did comprehend the Ague Laske Fluxe of bloud vomiting and the like These accidents must bee preuented according as the case doth require taking the aduice of the learned Phisitian as we haue said before But concerning medicines which must bee more particularly applied to outward causes as falls blowes and violent exercises let them haue recourse to the medicines described for the childe that is weake and sickly to which these following may be added as beeing profitable for both causes As if there appeare any bloud or red waters that begin to flow and come forth by then naturall passage this medicine is excellent ℞ Granor. tinct ʒ s. Coral rub margarit elect an gr vi germina duor ouor misce exhibeatur cum vitello vnius oui vel ℞ Mastich subtil pul ʒ s. seric subtiliter incisae ℈ s. germina duor ouor capiat cum vitello oui She may likewise take in the morning a Lozenge of Diarhodon of the waight of a French Crowne This powder also is very commendable ℞ Sp. Diamarg frigid ʒ s. Coral rub vst lot in aq Rosar pryap Tauri sic an ℈ ij Eboris Bol. Armen terrae sigillat an ℈ iiij Sachar rosat tabulat ℥ is Capiat mane sero ʒ ij pro vnaquaque dosi Of this powder also may bee made Lozenges Let there bee applied to her backe the former Emplaster or this that followeth Emplaster to retaine or keepe in the child ℞ Mastich Mirrh gum Arab. an ʒ ij Menth. sicc Absynth rad Bistort Nucum fol. Cupress an ʒ i s. Cortic. granat ʒ ij s. Styrac calam Colophon picis Naual an ʒ iij. Cerae Citrin ℥ j. Terebinth von ℥ s. Ol. Mirtill q. s fiat emplast extendat super alutam ad vsum If the emplaster breed any inconuenience let them vse this ointment Ointment ℞ Ol. Cydonior Mastich Mirtill an ℥ i s. Bol.
also dauncing leaping riding in a Coach taking cold of her feete sitting vpon a cold stone and ouermuch cooling of the Matrice may be causes thereof The inward causes are abundance of moisture which hath relaxed the ligaments or else a longing desire which a woman may haue for the companie of a man which may also happen to maides and barren women as Hippocrates writeth Another cause may be the long suppression of the naturall courses which sometimes makes a woman grow Viril or mankind as Hippocrates witnesses of Phaëtusa wife of Pitheus who became like a man with a beard and a mans voice The said Hippocrates giueth another reason contrarie to the former which is because she hath had the companie of her husband too soone after her deliuerie while her sicknesse is yet vpon her But commonly this falling downe of the Matrice doth come as Hippocrates noteth by being ill deliuered To which also Galen subscribeth making a similitude of it to two that wrastle together one of which falling to the ground drawes his fellow with him and makes him fall also euen so the Matrice striuing to put foorth the child doth thrust foorth it selfe also especially if the ligaments which should hold it to the backe bee naturally loose and weake It may also happen that while the Midwife drawes foorth the child or the after-birth the Matrice may follow it together In this case although Hippocrates in his booke before cited seem to be of opinion that there is no remedie but for young women leauing elder women without helpe Yet I haue cured them euen of all ages with verie good successe For the Cure therefore we haue three intentions The first to bring the Matrice into his owne place the second to keep it there the third to strengthen it being there keept For the first let the Chirurgion place the woman in this sort Let her lye vpon her backe with her legs higher then her head and her feet drawne vp in such sort that her heeles may almost touch her hinder parts with her thigh 's and knees spread abroad If the Matrice be fallen downe but a little it may easily be put vp nay it will euen go vp of it selfe But if it be much fallen downe before it be put vp it must be suppled and softned that so it may returne more easie and with lesse paine Let it be annointed therefore with the cooling ointment of Galen or else with some such liniment as this An ointment ℞ Axung Anser Gallin an ℥ j. Ol. Amygdalar dulc Lilior an ℥ s Cerae parum fiat litus For a shift you may take fresh butter and oyle of Roses mingled together and then vse this fomentation warme A fomentatiō ℞ Malu Parietar Matricar Betonic Saluiae an m. j. flor Chamaemel Melilot an P. i. Rosar rub p. ij Coquantur in aequis partibus vini aquae profotu After that you haue vsed this fomentation put vp the Matrice gently with a soft linnen cloth and when it is put vp let the woman draw vp her breth as we vse to bid them that haue a Hernia or bursting to be put vp and by this meanes the Matrice will be brought to his place the more easily Beside you must remember that if there bee any tension hardnes or inflammation in the Matrice to soften and souple it with the aforesaid liniment and fomentation and so will the inflammation be asswaged And if you find that the bladder or great gut bee full of excrements as I haue seene not long since in a poore Woman of Masson by meanes whereof the Matrice was shut and kept out then first you must make way for the Vrine by a Catheter and also voide out the excrements by Clitters For the second intention which is to keepe the Matrice in his place when it is well put vp and placed the best and surest meanes is to thrust vp a pessary such a one as is here described which hath this power to keepe the Matrice vp and yet not put it to any paine Beside it will not hinder the Matrice from purging out such euacuations as a woman newly deliuer'd hath or any other humour which may be contained in the wombe For this Pessarie hath a hole in the midst of it to giue such excrements free passage and issue The Pessarie being put vp let it abide there two or three daies when you take it out put vp a fresh one keeping that to serue another time There must also be a little string tyed to it so to be fastned to a girdle or some other thing least it fall downe to the ground The figure heere set downe doth shew the manner of it If the woman be newly deliuer'd and in her sicknesse you must not vse any astringent medicine for feare least you stay that but it is sufficient to keep the pessarie there When the time of purging is past then must there a care be had of the whole habit and constitution of the bodie Hippocrates wisheth that she eate little and drinke lesse the first seuen daies after which she may take some sustenance and when she would disburthen nature let her sit vp in her bed but not rise from thence in fortie daies After that time accomplished shee may walke gently but in no wise bath her selfe If she be full of bad humours let her be purged if she hath not had her courses or purgings sufficiently and if she be full of bloud it will be conuenient to open a veine And because the ligaments which tie and hold the Matrice are oftentimes much moistned and relaxed with slime and fleame which fals vpon them it will be necessarie to drie them by euacuating and drawing away the humour which is the cause heereof To this purpose Hippocrates doth much commend vomiting because it riddeth away such flegmaticke humours as commonly are in the stomacke by turning them another way Besides that the stomacke while it heaues it selfe vpward lifts and drawes vp the Matrice with it but this must be done considerately because strong and violent vomiting shakes and troubles the Diaphragme and guts making them presse downward and by this meanes keep downe the Matrice Heere also will it be auailable to applie large cupping glasses on the top of the hips vnder the paps and vnder the Nauill as also to bind the vpper part of the arms somwhat hard Moreouer you shal let the woman haue good sents to smell to as also some things of an ill sent to put vp beneath Liniments and plasters may likewise be applied vpon the backe belly and groine such as we haue set downe in the Chapter of Abortment As for the third intention which is to strengthen the wombe you must vse to this purpose Pessaries Parfumes Suffumigations and Iniections put vp and applied to the part Let the Pessarie be of the same fashion prescribed before but onely
let the waxe with which it is couered be compounded in this manner ℞ Cerae lib. ij Baccar Laur. Absynth Rosar rub an ʒ j. ss Nuc. Cupress Balaust an ʒ j. sang Dracon Mastich Myrrh an ℈ iiij liquefiant simul addendo vnguent Comitiss ℥ j. With this waxe thus prepared you may couer the pessaries made of Corke in the same fashion as is alreadie described Let the perfumes be made of the Ingredients aforesaid putting thereto a little Ladanum and Assa foetida because the Matrice flyeth from any thing that is of a bad sauour and let the woman receiue this fume beneath sitting in a chaire with a hole in it For moist suffumigations they shall be made thus The suffumigation ℞ Tapsi Barbat Centinod Absinth Matricar Consol vtriusque fol. Cupress an m. ij Baccar Laur. Nucum Cupress Balaustior an ℥ ß. semis Cortic quercus Pini Thuris an ʒ vj. Rosar rub p. ij fiat omnium decoctio in aequis partibus vini austeri aq fabrorum pro suffitu Hippocrates counsaileth to put heerein some things of an ill sauour as Assa foetida You may also iniect this decoction but then let it not be made altogether so astringent or else let this serue for an Iniection An Iniection ℞ Fol. Myrt Lentisc summitat rubi Bistort Pentaphil Plantag an m. j. Rosar rub Hyperic an p. j. cort Fraxin ℥ j. Rasur lign guaiac ℥ ß. semis fiat omnium decoctio in colaturâ ad lb. ij dissolue sirupi de Rosis siccis de Absynthi an ℥ ij fiat iniectio Hippocrates commendeth a fomentation made With a mans vrine and afterwards one made with the leaues of the Masticke tree Of an affect where the sides of the necke of the wombe are vnited and ioined together CHAP. XI THere is another troublesome accident which chanceth to some Women after their deliuery which is the vniting and sticking together of the necke of the wombe and this happens through hard trauaile which hath torne and excoriated the sides thereof or else by reason of some inflammation or vlcer which hath there hapned through some sharp and biting humor which hath corroded and exulcerated the said part which beeing neglected and ill cured the sides not being healed and scarred it happens that they are ioined and grow together and so be come one body Galen hath made mention of this accident and wee haue sometimes seene the experience of it As for the cure heereof the woman must be purged and let bloud then bathed for diuers daies together and the bath must bee made of emollient things likewise there must be many remollient fomentations vsed to her lower parts and after them diuers liniments such as we haue prescribed in diuers places when the parts are sufficiently softned then must you place the woman in the same manner as is described when shee is to bee deliuered then when you perceiue the smalnes and straightnesse of the passage you shall apply a Dilatory instrument made in the forme of a speculum Matricis and by little and little you shall dilate stretch the parts so ioyned together which will part and seuer one from another without any effusion of bloud And this haue I practised with good successe of late daies vpon a tenant of Madame Sacon as I haue declared before and this I did when she was ready to lye downe and yet no ill accident happened vpon it But if so be the callosity should be so hard as by continuance of time it may be that the said parts should grow together again and could not be softned then will it bee necessary first to make an incision that so it may bee dilated more easily And this hath Mons. Pineau and my selfe practised vpon a Gentlewoman as I haue more at large set down in my book of the nursing and gouernment of children in the Chapter of those that haue their naturall parts shut vp and without passage The rest of the cure must bee performed in that manner which I haue set downe in the place last cited and heerein must a speciall care be had that the parts ioyne not nor knit together again to preuent the which the woman shall weare a pessary continually vntill such time as the skarrebe perfectly growne and confirmed And to this purpose let the speculum Matricis be often vsed to inlarge the part For it is certaine that all such Membranes as haue beene ioyned and grown together when they are diuided and seuered doe hardly come to that length and bignesse that they were of at the first And this I haue often obserued and amongst other places in the mouth wherof Mons Pigray and Mons Pincau the Kings Chirurgions in ordinary sworn at Paris will bear me witnesse that I together with them cured an honest man who had one side of his checke grown fast to his iaw which made him that hee could not open his mouth nor speake plaine I cut and separated the membrane a good way which did knit and tye these parts together but while I went about to cicatrise both sides which I had deuided had I not had the greater care to haue hindered it the parts had grown together againe that I was constrained to make a new separation three diuers times FINIS THE NVRSING OF CHILDREN WHEREJN JS SET downe the ordering and gouermnent of them from their birth Together WITH THE MEANES TO helpe and free them from all such diseases as may happen vnto them WRITTEN IN FRENCH BY IAMES GVILLIMEAV the French Kings Chirurgion in Ordinary LONDON Printed by A. HATFIELD 1612. THE PREFACE TO Ladies wherein they are exhorted to nurse their Children themselues AVLVS Gellius in my opinion did not amisse in putting no difference betweene a woman that refuses to nurse her owne childe and one that kills her child as soone as shee hath conceiued that shee may not bee troubled with bearing it nine moneths in her wombe For why may not a woman with as good reason deny to nourish her child with her bloud in her wombe as to deny it her milke being borne since the milk is nothing else but bloud whitened beeing now brought to perfection and maturity But some will say that the child may bee deliuered to some other Woman to nurse it and that the Mother may haue an eye and care ouer it But Gentle Ladies here I desire you to consider with me the great inconueniences that may hence arise which though they bee infinite yet I will reduce them to foure heads 1. First there is danger least the child be changed and an other put in his place 2. Then that naturall affection which should be betwixt the mother and the child by this meanes is diminished 3. Thirdly it may be feared that some bad conditions or inclinations may be deriued from the Nurse into the child 4. And lastly the Nurse may communicate some imperfection of her body into the child 1. As for
backes and raines called in Languedocke Masquelon and of the Latins Morbus pilaris CHAP. XXXV IT had been more agreeable and conuenient to haue set downe this disease in the Chapter of the Vnquietnesse and Crying of little children But as this booke was euen almost printed Mr Toignet a Barber Chirurgion of Paris put me in mind of this disease that happens vnto little Children which is verie common in Languedocke and is called in their language Masquelon Hauing enquired of diuers Physicions about this disease and amongst the rest of Mons Riollan Doctour of Physicke in Paris and the Kings Professor in Chirurgerie a verie learned and painfull gentleman he told me that Montanus had written of it and that he called it Pilaris affectio As soone as little Children are taken with this disease they crie and take on extreamely and yet one can not perceiue any cause why they should do so which brings them oftentimes euen to their graue for that this disease drawes along with it Epylepticall convulsions because the Sinewes which come foorth of the backe-bone and are scattred on each side are ouer burthened and fill'd with some fuliginous vapour of which Haires are bred and they by their great length and continuitie are carried directlie to the braine whither when they are come they cause this disease The women of the Countrie of Languedocke because it is a common disease with them make no great reckoning of it and doe helpe it in this manner With the palme of their hand they do rub the bottome of the childs backe and raines downe to the crupper bone so long till they feele through the pores of the skin the tops of verie stiffe and pricking Haires to come foorth like vnto hoggs bristles which as soone as they see that they are come foorth they pull them away by and by with their nayles or else with such little pincers as women vse to pull the haire from off their eye-browes The same Montanus counselleth the woman to rub her hand first with some new Milke which being done and the Haires pull'd away the child presently recouers his health and leaueth his ordinarie cries and laments There may also happen vnto little Children diuers other diseases besides these that I haue spoken of But because they bee common as others are and such as may happen to one of any age as Wounds Vlcers Impostumes Fractures Luxations and sorenesse of the Head we haue willinglie omitted them for breuitie sake And also for that you may haue recourse to those that haue written thereof more particularly in their Chirurgerie The end The Chirurgions must beware of iudging rashlie A story Another Directions for the Chirurgion Signes of coÌ„ception taken from the man Experiment Signes taken from the woman The wombe shuts it selfe Some women when they be with child haue their courses Hippocrates Signes taken from vrines Experiment of Fernelius Hippocrates Hydromell is made of hony and water boiled together Auicen Truest signes gathered from the Child Signes gathered by the Midwife A pleasant answere The difference of sexe is hard to foretell Aristotle Obseruation Hipp. Aph. Signes of a boy â—â—gnes gaâ—hered out â—f Auicen Signes of a wench Hippocrates lib. de stipilitate An experiment Another experiment of Liuia The meanes how to begeâ— a sonne or a daughter To know whether a woman will bring two children What a false conception is Mola is either true or false Mola bred together with the child Hippocrates Cause of the flesh Mole Windie Mole Watry Mole Humorall Common signes Signes of false conception Signes from the motion The child moueth of it selfe and not the Mole True signes Signes of the windy Signes of the watry and humorall Difference betweene the Watry and Humorall Good Aire fit for a woman with child The Cough naught for women with child Bad smells to be auoided Her Dyet Too much meate stifleth Salt meates bad Fit meates Hearbs Diureticall and windy meates are naught Accidents that may happen Lib. 2. Aph. 38. Cibus potus deterior suauior tamen melioribus quidem sed insuauioribus est anteponendus Her Drinke Her Sleepe Exercise Causes of Abortment Great noyses hurtfull Violent exercise hurtfull Sentence of Aristotle Opinion of Plato Women that labour are easily deliuered Venus forbidden Aristotles opinion Her belly must be soluble Clisters Lib. 5. Aph. 34. Mulieri grauidae si aluus prosusior sit abortionis periculum imminet Lib. 5. Aph. 21. A Woman with Child may be purged Opening medicines must be auoided Lib. 5. Aph. 60. Considerations concerning Bloud-letting Passions of the mind An obseruation For great bellied women She must take need of lacing her selfe too hard To preserue the breasts A Fomentation What must be done the 3. and 4. Moneth Another Liniment Another The maner to prepare it Another easie to be prouided Obseruation Gouernment of the ninth Moneth The Bath The Ointment A Drinke A Woman must haue a care of her Beautie Health must be preferred Aristotle Hippocrates Vitruuius Why women with Child are sicke Diuers diseases of women Boulimos Canina appetentia Sitis immodica From whence it is called Pica Storie of Fernelius Diuers causes of Pica Wherefore they desire diuers things The beginning of the Pica The breeding of the haire causeth the Pica Their diet in Pica Meats fit for those that haue the Pica Auicen Aetius Oribasius Aegineta Much drinking is naught in the Pica Lozenges Another A Cataplasm Discretion in purging Auicens precept The Cause The Hicket Discommoditie of the Hicket Cure Straining bad for women with child Women with child Vomit often Vomiting must not be stopt on the suddaine Cause Accidents of Vomiting A good precept Emplaster An approued medicine Causes of wind Wind inclosed in the wombe Dyet Admonishment The diuers situation of the child Hipp. Cause of these paines The Cure A good obseruation Cause of the trembling of the Heart The wisedom of Nature in all her works How a woman with child must be let bloud The hart must be garded The wombe desireth good smels Inconueniences of the cough Cause Cure Dyet Generall medicines Cautery Frictions Another A medicine to take away the roughnes of the throat Sleeping stoppeth fluxes Contrary accidents in women with child Cause of Costiuenesse Other causes of Costiuenes Cure Brothes to loosen the belly Fluxe of the belly dangerous Prouerbe Women with child are subiect to loosenesse of the belly The Cure A wotrhy storie How to proceed therein Her Diet. A Drinke Cause of the swelling of the face Who are not subiect to the swelling Aduertisement concerning the cure Binding necessarie Lye of Vine ashes verie good A tried remedie An obseruation A tried remedie Causes of Abortment Causes from the child Causes from the mother Leannes causeth Abortment Fulnesse is cause of Abortment They which haue their naturall courses do often miscarry Things annexed to the mother which doe cause abortment Signes of abortment Hippoc. lib. 5. Aphoris 37.38 Loosenes of the belly causeth abortment
when I am accused there be no bodie to speake for me If therefore it be thought preiudiciall either to the literarie common-wealth of Physicke that I haue exported and made common a commoditie which the learned would haue had priuate to themselues or if I haue been oftensiue to Women in prostituting and divulging that which they would not haue come to open light and which beside cannot be exprest in such modest termes as are fit for the virginitie of pen paper and the white sheetes of their Child-bed I must as well as I can defend my selfe from these imputations and shew my care to keep both learning and modestie illibate and inuiolable First then I haue done no more in this then the Author hath in his French Copie which is common to be had and read in that vulgar tongue In defence of which and this the shadow therof I must say that it is not writ so much for the learned who notwithstanding if they haue not the french may make vse of this as for the Chirurgions Midwiues who are called to this kinde of employment As for women whom I am most afraid to offend they must be content to haue their infirmities detected if they will haue helpe for them which I wish might not come to any eare or eye but to those which they themselues would haue acquainted therewith and as well for their sakes as mine owne satisfaction I haue endeuoured to be as priuate and retired in expressing al the passages in this kind as possibly I could And with this I hope all good Gentlewomen will rest satisfied to whom I wish all happinesse of increase and all increase of happinesse that they may haue a good houre for this businesse and for all other Contentments many good daies and yeares A Summarie or Briefe of all the Chapters contained in this worke That which is handled in the first Booke THe gouernment and ordering of a woman the nine Monethes she goes with Child and the meanes to help her whatsoeuer sicknesse doth happen in that space Fol. 1 1 The signes whereby to know that a woman is with Child 2 CHAP. 2 The signes to know whether she will haue a Boy or a Wench 8 3 The signes to know that a woman hath two Children 12 4 Of false Conception 13 5 Of the order of Diet which a great bellied woman ought to keep 18 6 How a Woman must gouerne her selfe all the time of her being with Child 27 7 Of diuers Accidents which trouble and molest Women while they are with Child 32 8 Of Womens longing called Pica 34 9 Of Distastfulnesse and of the Hicket 41 10 Of the Vomiting which comes vpon a women with child 43 11 Of the paines of the Stomacke Flancks and Belly which happens to a Woman with Child 47 12 Of the paine of the Backe Hips and Groine and of the difficultie of making Water which chanceth to Women with child 49 13 Of the palpitation and beating of the Hart As also of the Swounings which happen to women with Child 52 14 Of the Cough 54 15 Of Costiuenesse or hardnesse of the Bellie 51 16 Of the Fluxe of the Bellie or Laske 61 17 Of the swelling of their Legs and Thigh 's 65 18 Of Abortment or the meanes to help them that beare not their Children to the full time 69 That which is handled in the second Booke The meanes to helpe a Woman with Child either in her naturall Trauaile or that which shall be contrarie to Nature 1 OF Midwiues Fol. 79 2 What manner of woman a Midwife ought to be 84 3 What must be obserued when a woman is ready to fall in trauaile 86 4 Of the duitie and office of a Midwife concerning the first time she must obserue in the trauaile 91 5 Of the second time she must obserue 93 6 Of the third time she must obserue 97 7 Of the care and attendance that must be had to a woman that is newly deliuer'd 101 8 Of painfull and difficult deliuerie and the causes thereof 104 9 The meanes to help Women that are deliuer'd with difficultie and great paine 113 10 Of diuers kinds of deliueries which are performed by the Chirurgions help And first what a Chirurgion ought to consider before he go about this worke 123 11 The meanes of helping a woman that is troubled with a Fluxe of blood and Convulsions in the time of her trauaile 125 12 The way to help a woman in trauaile when the After-birth comes for-most 133 13 The meanes to help a woman when her Child is dead in her wombe 136 14 The way to draw foorth a Child that is puft vp swolne 104 15 The meanes to help a woman when her Child comes with the head forward hauing his Necke and Head turned awrie 144 16 The meanes to help a woman when the Child commeth with an Arme and the Head formost 147 17 The meanes to help a woman when the Child comes with both his Armes and the Head formost 149 18 The meanes to help a woman when the Child comes with one or both the Feet formost 152 19 The meanes to help the deliuerie when the Child commeth with both his Hands and both his Feete together formost 160 20 The meanes to help the Woman when the Child commeth double putting formost either his Sides or his Backe and Shoulders or his Buttockes 163 21 The manner of helping the deliuerie when the Child commeth with his Breast and Bellie formost 166 22 The meanes to help the deliuerie when there is two Twins and the one comes with his Head and the other with his Feete formost 169 23 The meanes to help the woman that hath two Twins when they both come with their Feet formost 173 24 Of the After-birth which is retained and staies after the deliuerie and the meanes to bring it away 176 25 The way to take foorth a Child by the Caesarian section 185 What is contained in the third Booke The Gouernment and ordering of a Woman newly deliuered and of the diseases that happen vnto her in her Moneth 1 OF her Diet. 189 2 What must bee done to her Breasts Belly and neather parts 194 3 Of the Accidents that follow the Deliuerie And first of the Gripings or After-throwes 206 4 Of the falling downe of the Fundament and Matrice 210 5 Of the hurts and excoriations which happen in the neather parts after the deliuerie 211 6 Of the Hemorroides 215 7 Of the immoderate flowing or comming downe of the ordinarie euacuations or purgings 220 8 Of the suppression or stopping of the said purgings 227 9 Of the false Conception staying behind after the deliuerie 232 10 Of the precipitation or falling downe of the Matrice 235 11 Of the sticking and growing together of the necke of the Matrice 245 FINIS THE GOVERNMENT and ordering of a Woman the nine moneths that she goes with childe And also the meanes to helpe her what sicknesse soeuer doth happen in that
close her stomacke after meate with Peares or Quinces bak't or preserued as likewise with Cheries or Damsons She must shun all diureticall things which prouoketh either vrine or the naturall courses and such as are windie as Pease and Beanes Notwithstanding women with child haue oftentimes such disordinate appetite by reason of some salt or sharp humor which is contained within the membranes of the stomacke that they desire to eate Coles Chalke Ashes Waxe Salt-fish raw yea and vnwatred and to drinke Veriuice and Vineger yea very dregs so that it is impossible to hinder them from eating and tasting them But yet they must refraine and ouer-maister themselues therein as much as they can since that such foode may much hurt and hinder both their owne and their childs health Neuerthelesse if they cannot forbeare suffer them a little and let them haue their longings for feare least it should proue worse with them For I haue seene many women which being hindered and forbidden frō vsing such trash haue presently fallen into trauell and in others their children haue carried the marks of some of the things they so earnestly desired and longed after Beside although that such meates for the most part are very bad and contrary yet for the desire they haue to eate them they are digested commonly without hurting the partie at all Meate and drinke saith Hippocrates is better and fitter though it be some-what worse then that which is better and not so agreeable and pleasing For her Drinke she may vse Claret wine mature and not too strong which she must allay very well For this Wine hath power to comfort and strengthen the stomacke and all the other parts seruing for nourishment and generation and if she cannot away with Wine let her drinke Hydromell or Barley-water well boyled Her sleepe must be in the night the better to digest the meate she hath taken for watchings doe ingender crudities and diseases which cause vntimely births in stead of faire and goodly children and chiefely she must auoid sleeping after dinner But in the morning she may take her ease as she shall thinke best yet not turning as some great Ladies do the day into night and the night into day She may vse moderate exercise but violent motion loosneth the Cotiledons or vessels of the Matrice whereby the child receiues his nourishment They must be forbid riding in Waggins or Coaches especially in the three first months for as vpon a small occasion we see the fruits and flowers of trees do fall as by some little wind that shakes the tree or the like so many times through a light cause women great with child in stirring or moouing themselues yea or but setting their foot awry may be deliuer'd before their time It was not without good cause that the Romanes forbad their Wiues to ride in Coaches the which also ought to be obserued in these dayes especially by those who are subiect to take hurt and therefore let them walke gently taking an especiall heed and care to themselues the first three moneths She must shun all great noyse and sounds as of Thunder Artillery and great Bells Galen in his booke de Theriaca sayth that many women with child haue died with the very fright they receiued by a clap of thunder and when she is afraid of hurting her selfe or falling into trauaile let her be carried in a Chaire or Litter between two strong men and chiefely two howres before meales for as a woman may easily loose her burthen the first moneth because her child though he be but little is not yet firmely fastned and tyed to the wombe so likewise being great or big through his weight he may fall downe and come forth wherefore all violent exercise and too much labour is hurtfull and dangerous for her as also to fret chide or laugh immoderately The fourth fifth and sixth moneth she may vse more libertie the seuenth and eight she must keepe herselfe still and quiet but when she is in her ninth moneth then may she vse more stirring and exercise And therefore is it that Aristotle in his Politicks appointeth that women with child should not be sedentary nor liue too nicely but that since God hath blessed them to beare children they should dayly visit the Temples of the Gods for their exercise The which Plato expressely commandeth in his Common-wealth and by a kind of deuotion and religious pietie But Aristotle in that place speaketh like a Physition as he sheweth in his booke de Generatione In the Countrey saith he where women accustome themselues to labour they are brought abed more easily and with lesse paine In briefe where women exercise themselues they are sooner deliuered for their exercise consumes the excrements which idle and slothfull women gather and heape together In the first foure moneths she must likewise abandon Venus for feare of shaking the child and bringing downe her courses which must also be obserued in the sixth and eight moneth but in the seuenth and ninth she may boldly vse it especially toward the end of the ninth moneth which some are of opinion will help and hasten the deliuery Aristotle is of this opinion though herein he contradicts the authority of Hippocrates The woman with child saith he ought not to haue the company of her husband But Aristotle and Hippocrates may easily be reconciled the Philosopher meaneth that they should not embrace their wiues all the time of their being with child but onely toward the time of their lying in thereby to shake the child and make him come the more readily forth for comming into the world after this acte he is commonly enwrapped and compassed with slime which helpeth his comming forth It is also requisite that her belly be loose not retaining her excrements and that she haue if it be possible euery day the benefit of Nature which if it be not done naturally it must be helpt taking euery morning some broth of Damaske-Prunes Also Apples stued with Suger and a little Butter is very fit and good She may vse Broth wherein Borage Buglosse Purslane Lettuse Patience and a little of the herbe Mercury hath beene boyled She may likewise take Suppositaries so they be not too sharpe Clisters made of a Calues-head or of a Sheepes-head boyled with Annis-seed and Fennil-seed wherein some course Suger and oyle of Violets is dissolued are very conueniēt vsing them neuerthelesse with discretion leauing out all manner of ingredients which might cause a fluxe of the belly for feare of Abortment or being deliuered before their time as Hippocrates saith Notwithstanding the same Hippocrates is of opinion that women with child in cases of necessitie may be purged from the fourth to the seuenth moneth but before and after those times he admits it not nay he forbids it directly which for all that the Phisitions of our time obserue not in cases of
purgations with Diagredium or Coloquint and also from such as do much soften and moisten as Cassia Electuar Lenitiuum and the like because through their moisture they relaxe the stomacke and so consequently all the meanes which haue correspondence and traficke with the Matrice for the similitude of their neruous substance Their purges therefore must be of Rubart infusion and also in substance of the compound syrup of Cichory with Rubarbe which besides that they euacuate doe likewise coroborate and strengthen as also of the Syrup of Damaske Roses Maâ—na and other which with drawing away the water doe dry withall But aboue all pills are very fit for them because they dry both for their forme and also for the drying ingredients whereof they are compounded as those of Rubarb and Sene made with a little conserue of roses adding thereto if there be any suspition of some maligne or bad quality a little of the confection of Hyacinthvs This rule must be obserued in the purging of women with child and hereof must be had the counsel of the learned Phisitian If some maligne vapour be the cause they must vse cordials as a little confection of Hyacinthe the electuary of Gemmis these cordiall Lozenges or the like Cordiall Lorenges â„ž Corali vtriusque Ê’ s. lapid bezoard rasura vnic an ℈ s. pulu electuar diarrh abbat ℈ i. confect de Hiacintho Ê’ s. saccar cum aqua card bened dissol â„¥ ij fiant tabellae ponder Ê’ i. capiat singulis dicbus vnam mane alteram à prandio longe à pastu While they shall vse the aforesaid remedies it will be very necessarie to comfort the stomacke as also if the vomiting proceed through some weakenesse the stomacke not being able to retaine and hold the meate the fore mentioned Lozenges are very good as also Lozenges of Diarrhodon if they should prooue distasteful let them vse Codigniack or some Citron pill condited They may likewise take some digestiue powder after meales Let there be prouided some such fomentation for their stomacke as this Fomentation â„ž Mentae Ab sinthij rosar rub an m. s balaust Ê’ ij gariophilor santalor an Ê’ s. carnis cidoniorum â„¥ i. corticis citri Ê’ i. fiat decoct in vino austero profotu Then let them haue this ointment Liniment â„ž Olei mastich cidonior an â„¥ s. olei de absinthio Ê’ ij pulueris coralli rub gariophil an ℈ i. croci parum fiat litus admoueatur praemisso fotu This Emplaster is very fit which must be applied after the ointment and remain there a good space â„ž crustae panis assati â„¥ iiij macerent in vino rubro succo cidonior pul rosar rub absinthij an Ê’ i. ligni aloes gariophilor an Ê’ s. pul coralli rubri ℈ iiij olei de absinthio â„¥ i. fiat cataplasma If all these forenamed medicines helpe not the patient Master Mercator doth set downe a remedy very easie to be practised and of incredible vertue as he saith which cannot bring hauing often tried it any danger nor cause the woman to be deliuered out of her time which is to let her blood in the Saluatella of the right hand CHAP. X. Of the paine of the sto acke stancks and belly which happens to a woman with child THere is great store of grosse winds bred not onely in the stomacke and guts but also about the Liuer Spleene Mesenterium and Nauell by meanes of a weake and feeble heat which is not able wholly to consume and scatter them from whence proceedeth a great distention of the belly and other parts neere and chiefly about the Nauell which in some oftentimes stands out and is as big as a goose egge The which winds being thus inclosed and not hauing free passage cause such intollerable paine that euen the breathing is thereby hindred and the pulse almost lost which at length might cause the woman to be deliuered Sometime also the wind is shut vp within the womb for I haue knowen some women that haue voided them with such a sound noise as though it had bene by the fondament and this must be remedied after this sort First shee must shunne all manner of moist and windy meats liue after the order before prescribed If it bee needfull to purge her let it be done as is already set down Then let there be applied some dry fomentations to the place affected as this Quilt â„ž flor camo anethi an m. ij rosar rub p. ij se minis annisi foenicul an Ê’ ij baccar lauri Ê’ i. fiat omnium puluis grossus de quibus fi aut sacculi duo irrorati cum vino rub tepide admoueantur parti affectae The same quilts may be boyled in wine and fomitations made of the said wine with soft spunges But you must obserue that the too long vse of moist fomentations oyles and fats is forbidden women with child for feare least by too much moisture and oylinesse the ligaments and vessels of the matrice bee made too loose and soft which at length may cause the woman to abort Apply vnto her belly and to me parts pained in forme of a Pultesse this that followeth Pultesse â„ž Vitell. ouorum n. iiij puluis anisi foeniculi dulcis an Ê’ s. pul absinthii Ê’ s. cum oleo anethino camomil q. s fiat fricatum Let them chaw Fennil or Anniseed or a little Cinamon and take a tost dipt in Hippocras Some haue tolde mee that the distilled water of Citron Pills drunke is very singular good And it will not be amisse sometimes to take a spoonfull or two of this water A Claret water â„ž Aquae vitae â„¥ s. cinamo Ê’ i. macerent spatio xiiij hor. deinde affunde aque rosar â„¥ iii. saccari candi â„¥ s. fiat aqua clareta capiat coclear vnum If ye perceiue that shee is much troubled with paine you may giue her a Clister as this A Glister â„ž Folior maluae matrica an m. i. flor camom meliloti et summitat aneti an M. ss seminis anisi foenic. an Ê’ iii. bulliant in iure capit veruec vel vituli de quo accipe quart iij. in quibus dissolue Ol. Aneth Chamamel an â„¥ ij Sachar eub. â„¥ j. s Butyr recent â„¥ j. Vitell. duor ouor fiat Clyster Neuerthelesse I am of opinion if it may be done possibly that they should abstaine from Clysters because I haue seene women sometimes through as small a Clyster as this fall into great torments yea and euen into throwes nature being thereto prepared and ready which turned to the Chirurgions disgrace Wherefore let her vse these Lozenges following Lozenges â„ž sem Anis foenic. dulc an Ê’ s nucis Mosch ℈ j. spec Diacumin Diarrhod Abbat ana ℈ s sacchar in aq Cinamon dissolut â„¥ ij fiant tabulae capiat vnam singulis auroris She may vse Sugar of Roses which to euery ounce hath two or three drops of the oile
the heart and matrice are delighted with pleasant odors let those that are troubled with this disease vse good smels sweet but neither strong nor piercing CHAP. XIIII Of the Cough ONe of the most grieuous and almost insupportable accidents that can happen to a woman with childe is the Cough the which being violent oftentimes causeth head-ach pain of the sides flanks and belly vomiting watching the woman not being able to sleepe or take any rest for the great concussion and agitation which is made through the whole body which oftentimes puts the woman in danger to be deliuered before her ordinary time For the most part it proceedeth of some sharpe and biting vapours which arise from the nether parts or else by the distillation of some thinne humor that comes from the braine and falleth trickling vpon the Trachea Arteria or wind pipe the lungs which prouokes them to cough yet bringing vp little or nothing the distilation may also be of some thicker humor which falleth downe vpon the said parts Therefore wee must haue respect to the antecedent cause by hindering such vapors and humors from breeding then staying those which may flow or fal downe if there be any cause or matter ioined with it already fallen and impacted in the lungs brest then must it be brought vp by spetting For the helping hereof they must auoide all salt and spiced meates as also those that are sharp and biting especially if it be caused by some vapours or destillation of a thinne or serous humour Concerning generall medicines if it bee accompanied with a feuer or some great heat it will not be amisse to draw a little bloud then the better to turne the course of the distillation which causeth the cough to apply cupping glasses vpon the shoulders with some light scarification And if the cough should bee of so long continuance I would counsell you to lay a cautery in the hollownesse of the nape of the neck which I haue practised with good successe but it must not be done before you haue tried the medicines following and when the cough is great and violent The rubbing of the armes shoulders and backe must not bee omitted as also when the haire is shauen away to apply Emplasterum de Betonica vpon the head to stay the Rhume If the cough be dry proceeding from some thin and sharpe humor or vapour it must bee thickned contrariwise if the humour be tough and thicke it must be cut and attenuated by concocting both and therefore in this case the vse of Medicines that do dull the sence therof are very profitable to mittigate violent Coughs of which kind are these that follow If the humor bee thin and sharpe this Iulep taken twice or thrice is very fitte â„ž Syrup rosarum sicar de iuiubis an Ê’ vi syrupi de nenuph. â„¥ s. aquae cardui vngulae cabalinae an â„¥ ij s. fiat Iulap reiteretur ter quater-ue vt artis est If the humor be slimy thicke and tough she may vse this Iulep Iulep â„ž Syrupi capill veneris de liquirit an Ê’ vi oximelit simplic â„¥ s. aquae betonicae vngul cabal an â„¥ ij s. fiat Iulap reiteretur vt supra Let them often hold in their mouth suger candy especially that which gathers about the pot side wherein sirop of Violets or the like hath beene put Let them vse Trochiscks iuice of Licorise and sometime chawe a peece of Lichorise in their mouth The Lozenges of Diatragacanthum frigidum Diairis simplex and suger of Roses are very good The vse of Lohocs is very distastfull but in steed thereof let them vse Syrup of Iuiubes of dryed Roses and a little diacodium mingled together I haue seene this medicine doe much good especially when the cough is great and that they feele some excoriation and roughnes in the throat â„ž olei amigd dul sine igne recent extract â„¥ i. s. saccari canda subtilit pulueris â„¥ s. mucag. seminis psilij cydoniorum cum aqua rosar leuiter extract an Ê’ ij misce omnia diligenter Let them take of this medicine in a spoone swallowing it down verie gently that so some of it may the better slide downe the sides of the windpipe It will be very fit to rub their breast all ouer with fresh butter or oyle of sweet Almonds and if they finde any heat let them vse oyle of Violets washed with Barley water well boyled And because there is nothing that stayeth destillations better then sleepe and that those who haue the cough sleepe little it will be very good to make the patient sleepe without giuing any violent sleeping medicine this Iulep may bee giuen very safely Drink to stay the Rheume â„ž Syrupi de Iuiubis violati diacodij sine specieb an â„¥ s. cum decocto portulacae lactucae boraginis betonicae trium flor cordial fiat potus capiat hora somni This remedy procureth sleepe and so by consequence stayeth the Rheume If you haue any good Laudanum you may giue safely three or four grains thereof which I haue seene practised with prosperous successe CHAP. XV. of Costiuenes wherwith women with child are troubled AMongst many other accidents wherewith women with child are troubled there are two the one contrary to the other whereunto they be much subiect that is either they are bound and cannot go to the stoole but with much inconuenience and very seldome or else they are alwaies loose and subiect to the fluxe Both may put the woman in danger of miscarrying For when she is bound with much strayning and that violently to vnburthen nature the ligaments may bee loosened or some veine opened and cause fluxe of bloud which may make her fall into trauaile and therefore it is fit to prouide for it The retention of the excrements and costiuenes of the belly may happen either because they haue vsed to be so naturally or by alteration and change of yeares for as Hippocrates saith they who haue their belly moist in their youth in their age will haue it hard and drie and so contrariwise This accident happens to others because the guts are not prouoked stirred vp by the clister of nature which is the gall that they may expell and thrust foorth their excrements There might bee alledged many more reasons which at this time I will leaue to speake of and onely frame my selfe to that which most commonly is the cause of it in women with child which is referred to two points either because the guts are pressed by the vneuennes of the wombe which is too full and beeing placed vpon them and chiefly vpon the great gut crushes and thrusts them one against another in such sort that they haue no meanes to inlarge and dilate themselues thereby to uoid the excrements contained within them The other is because the guts and the excrements within them are commonly very hard and
dried in women with child through the great heate that is in the intrailes which makes them that they cannot easily flow The sedentary life also that women leade is cause that their excrements are stayed and gather themselues together by little and little and at the length stoppe vp the passage This accident brings vnto them flushing in the face headach beating of the Arteries yea and oftentimes an Ague For the curing of this disease a good order in dyet is verie needfull vsing meates that doe moisten and keepe the guts supple and slipperie and withall soften the excrements which must bee done with very great discretion for too much moysture may at length ouer much relaxe the ligaments of the the wombe and of the child and thereby hasten the deliuery Notwitstanding a woman with child being too costiue may vse tender meats as Veale wherewith they may make Brothes with Lettuce Purcelane Sorrell Spinach Beets Buglosse Violet leaues and sometime a little of the herbe called Mercurie Let them vse Prunes and bak't Apples Some take two or three gulps of fresh water before their meales but let them vse gentle exercise to make their excrement follow the more freely It is also verie fit for a woman with child in the morning when she riseth and at night when she goeth to bed to make proffer to vnburthen nature without straining her selfe but verie gently If for all this her belly will not be correspondent it will not be amisse to giue her Clysters Clyster â„ž Malu Bismal Parietar Matric an m. ij flor Chamoem Melilot an p. ij sem Anisi Foenicul an Ê’ ij coquantur in iure pulli vel capit veruec aut vituli in colatur ad quart iij. dissolue Sacch albi olei Violat Butyr recent an â„¥ j. ss vitell ouor numero ij fiat Clyster this may be giuen at twise She may also take some broth wherein is put a spoonfull or two of the water or wine of Seny which is made after this maner Seny wine Take halfe an ounce of Seny well cleansed sixe cloues brused put them into a dish and poure vpon them halfe a pint of wine or water redy to boyle and so let them soke all night and in the morning take two or three spoonfull which must be put into your broth keeping the rest to serue you afterward at your need Of the Fluxe or loosenesse of the Belly which troubleth women with child CHAP. XVI THe Laske in what maner soeuer it be doth put the woman in danger of comming before her time and that for diuers reasons First because thereby the meat they take for their nourishment is voided too soone which should haue staied and been turned into bloud for the nourishing and sustaining both of the Mother and the child And therefore they both remaine weake and feeble which compelleth the child to come foorth and seeke for food else where For as the Prouerbe saith Hunger makes the Wolfe come foorth of the wood Beside the Mother is so troubled with rising out of her bedde as also with much straining her selfe especially if it bee the bloudie Flixe that the wombe oftentimes is ouerturned and relaxed and causeth the childe to bee cast foorth of his place by reason of the moistnesse which runneth continually along the great gut vpon which the wombe is placed Women with great bellies are commonly subiect thereto because of the meats they eat which are of ill iuice whereby the stomacke being weakned and not able to concoct them the expulsiue faculty is compel'd to thrust them downward halfe concocted and indigested otherwise they are corrupted and turned into some maligne sharpe and biting humours as into fretting choller rotten flegme or melancholie which doe corrode and stir vp the bowels and so cause the fluxe of the belly Concerning the cure of it many considerations must be had And first it will be verie fit to know of what kind the fluxe is and what may be cause thereof Now all Fluxes of the belly must needs be one of these three either Diarrhaea Lienteria or Dysenteria which soeuer it be of these if it proceed of a maligne and putride humour it must not be suddainly stopped by astringent medicines least it happen vnto the woman with child as it did vnto Smyrnia as Hippocrat saith who hauing a fluxe of the belly suddainly stopt was deliuered in the the fourth moneth Now to know what kind of fluxe it may be the stooles will shew and testifie If it be not violent it may be suffered to flow gently and for a good while not omitting in the meane time the vse of some Clysters that may asswage the paine if there be any But if it continue that it bee bred of some sharpe and biting humours which knaw the guts and prouoke the expulsiue facultie of which kind are fretting and biting choller or salt flegme and that the Mother seeme to grow weake and faint then must it be remedied with as much speed and care as may be otherwise the woman hauing diuers pangs and prouocations is in danger to be deliuered Wherefore the humour offending must be purged with Rubarb compound sirup of Cichorie and the like which haue been alreadie prescribed in the former Chapters as also the like humours hindred from breeding And therefore she must abstaine from all vnholsome meats especially if the cause thereof proceed from thence Besides the said humors must be allaied and made more gentle that they may not any more prouoke or stir vp the expulssiue vertue the which may be easily done by a good dyet which shall breed as little choller or other bad humours as may be vsing broths made with Purcelance Sorrell Buglosse and the cold seeds adding thereto a little Rise or French Barley The vse of new laid Egges is much commended which must be poched in water Her meat must be rather rost then boiled All spices are to be eschewed Let her drinke be red Wine or steeled water wherein a piece of bread hath been soked This drinke is verie fit and pleasant Take of French Barly dried in a pan a handfull Fennill-seed Coriander-seed and Licorise of each two drams boile them in a quart of water adding thereto an ounce of Berberis or two ounces of the iuice of Pomgranats A little before meales let her eat a slice of Marmilade And seeing there often happens paine and gripings together with pangs and throwes because the guts are moued and prouoked therefore they must be washed and the paine mitigated with this Clyster Clister â„ž Hord. integ m.i. chamâ—mel melilot an m.s. Plantag Borag Buglos an m.i. Bulliant in iure capâ—t veruec aut vituli de quo cape quart iij. in quibus dissolue ol violar â„¥ iij. vitell duor ouor sachar rub â„¥ is fiat clyster But if the woman bee further molested with gripings and that she haue great and often prouocations then this Clister will be very fit
with a little Cerotum infrigidans Galeni Desiccatiuum rubrum mingled together this medicine will make the orifices vent and flow the longer Not long since there were two worthy Ladies which for honor sake I will not name that were troubled with this accident about the time of their lying in in whom I opened and scarified those parts to make the water flow and come foorth And it is to be obserued that we must awaite a fit opportunitie to do this which will be when they are neare their lying downe The meanes to helpe women which cannot beare their Children the full time CHAP. XVIII OFtentimes it happens to women that they cannot beare their burthen to the time prefixed by nature which is the ninth moneth This accident is called either a shift or slipping away or else Abortment or as our women call it a mischance The shift is reckoned from the first day the seed is retained in the wombe till such time as it receiueth forme and shape in which time if it chance to issue and flow foorth it is a Shift The Abortment hapneth after the fortieth day yea euen to the end of the ninth moneth For the Abortment is a violent expulsion or exclusion of the child already formed and endued with life before the appointed time But the sliding away or shift is a flowing or issuing of the seed out of the wombe which is not yet either form'd or endued with life Those that haue been deliuered once before their time for the most part they miscarie with the rest of their children about the same time This accident may happen vpon diuers occasions the which are either inward or outward The outward are either an Ague fluxe of bloud or of the belly vomiting or any other sicknesse that may happen vnto a woman with child as also leaping daunsing riding in a Coach too much stretching of her selfe and the lifting or carrying of any heauie burthen the immoderate vse of Venus Passions of the mind as choller sadnesse longing after any thing or the vse of violent and strong medicines The inward causes are gathered from one of these three either from the Mother or things belonging to her or from the child Those that are taken from the child are when he is either so weak and sickly that he cannot be kept in the wombe being not able to draw sufficient nourishment and thereby doth decay and die or else by being too big and large so that the wombe is not capable to lodge and support him which maketh the vessels of the wombe to bee relaxed and breake then the entrance of the womb dilates it selfe and the child commeth forth From the mother when shee is eyther too small or low of stature which causeth that the child cannot grow in so little roome neither moue himselfe or breath although he breath onely by the arteries of the mother her breast beeing so straight that it cannot be stretched or inlarged or else because she is too fat which maketh the caule to presse downe and crush the Matrice and causeth the seed to flow and issue forth before it be formed A woman also that is too leane and doth eate but little seldome or neuer beares her child the full time For if the mother be not well nourished much lesse can the child Too much eating stifles the child as likewise the vse of vnholesome meates doth engender ill bloud in the mother wherewith the childe beeing nourisht in the ende languisheth whence followeth death Another cause may bee the ouermuch fulnesse and moistnes wherewith women abound and chiefly in their womb which oftentimes is ful and ouerflowes with mosture and filleth the vessels of the wombe full of slime whereby the inner orifice is inlarged and dilated vnable to support or keepe in the child There may likewise bee ingendred some sharpe and biting humors wherwith the Matrice beeing stirred or prouoked while it endeuours to expell them may thrust out the child also This accident may also happen to those that in their child bearing are subiect to haue their naturall courses as if they were not with child which commeth to passe when nature striuing to put them forth doth cause the child to be vntyed and so he followeth the Purgings Concerning those things which are annexed or belonging to the mother I vnderstand them to bee such as may bee growne or contained within the womb as some impostume Scyrrhus or excrescēce of flesh mole or false conception therin contained as also great store of water the which I saw not long since happen vnto an honest Gentlewoman whose womb was so full of water in the eight moneth that the Orifice thereof was constrained to open it selfe and let them foorth the which was in such quantity that it is incredible to bee reported and some sixe daies after shee was deliuered the wombe not being closed againe As this accident is very dangerous both for the mother and the child so will it bee needfull to preuent and remedy it with all speed possible First we may know that a woman is in danger to abort or miscarry when the milk in her brests doth flow and run forth in great quantity her brests remaining limber and soft and if she be with child of two children and one brest grow empty it is signe she wil miscary with one of them For this sheweth that the child doth loath refuse his nourishment chiefly if the nipple haue gotten any ill colour it is a signe that the Matrice is distempered according to Hyppocrates They that are troubled with a great loosenesse of the belly bee often deliuered before their time Likewise great paine of the backe and thighs which coms round to the groin and bottome of the belly doth oftentimes presage the like As also when there floweth out of the conduit of nature first certain waters then bloudy and slimy matter and last of all bloud To the end that it may be safely remedied there must respect be had to the cause Now concerning the outward causes as if the mother bee troubled with any sicknes she must be handled as it is requisite and fit shee must shunne all violent exercises passions of the mind and the too often vse of Venus If the abortment proceed from the littlenesse or lownes of the mother before her being with child let her vse Bathes fomentations and oyntments that may loosen and inlarge her belly and Matrice And while she goeth with child let her feede moderately to nourish her selfe and her child when the ninth month is come let her vse supling and relaxing oyntments like those formerly set downe If the cause be of too much fatnes it wil be very fit and conuenient to purge her and let her bloud before shee bee with child and to prescribe her a strict order of dyet thereby to make her leane vsing meates that bee not too nourishing or full of
suppression whereof doth cause paines gripings suffocation an ague and many other accidents Now when the woman shall be thus accommodated she must be kept from sleeping though shee bee very desirous thereof and let her in the meane time be entertained with some discourse and let her nurse looke to her brests applying such things thereunto as shall be set downe in the third booke in their proper place After the woman hath beene kept three or foure houres from sleeping you may giue her some broth made with a knuckle of Veale or a Chicken or in stead thereof a couple of yelkes of egges and so let her take her rest and if she haue any desire to sleep shee may which must bee some three or foure houres after her deliuery the dores and windowes of her chamber being close shut not making any noise And so let this suffice for the naturall trauaile or deliuery wherein there hath beene no difficulty the woman beeing neither much troubled nor hauing had any greate paines but those that are ordinary and such as God hath which is that In sorrow a woman should bring forth Of a painfull and difficult deliuery with the causes thereof CHAP. VIII WOmen are brough a bed very hardly and with much paine vppon diuers reasons which is an occasion that many repaire vnto Phisitians and Chirurgions to haue their helpe since there be few Midwiues found skilful that can giue them much aide or succour in these cases A Chirurgion beeing called thither ought diligently to inquire what may be the cause and consider carefully thereof now the cause may be referred to foure things either to the mother or to the child or to things that are annexed vnto the child or else to outward things and so accordingly must they frame the remedy In the number of outward things I comprehend those persons that are about the woman in trauail who if they be displeasing vnto her are to be intreted gently to withdraw and absent themselues Whether it be by reason that the woman hath any feare apprehension or any mislike and loathing vnwillling to haue them so neare her when shee is in her trauaile and anguish or else being ashamed to see her selfe in that case 2 Pliny writeth that the ancients held an opinion that the deliuery might bee hindred and prooue difficult if there were any in the womans chamber which held her fingers lockt or shut one within another and produceth for an example Alcmena who could not be deliuered of Hercules but with much difficulty 3 Likewise the outward aire being too cold may hinder the deliuery because it cooleth the woman shutting vp her body and especially those parts which ought to be inlarged and dilated As also the aire being too hot spendeth the spirits and makes the woman lose her strength remaining weake and feeble and as it were fainting without any power or courage And therefore the aire must be temperate yet rather hot then cold 4 Pleasing smels as of Muske Ciuet Amber Grise or the like if she haue such about her the vapour whereof may strike vp into her nose doe hinder the deliuery because they draw the wombe vpward If the cause of difficult deliuery be in the mother her selfe it comes either by reason of her person or her age or her naturall disposition or of some other accident she hath had or may haue or by being deliuered before or after her time 1 Her person or body may be the cause thereof as if shee be too fat and full for in such women I haue seene great store of fat come down into their naturall parts which stopped the passage And in others I haue seene the caule come downe which did so presse and crush together both the inward and outward necke of the wombe that it could very hardly open it selfe yea and being dilated and inlarged did euen close presse it together againe In some I haue seene and felt part of the bladder present it selfe at the entrance of the wombe A woman that is too leane and bare as also one that is too little may likewise bee deliuered with much difficulty And when this happeneth it cannot be remedied as one would desire 2 Now concerning their age both they that are too yoong as being too straight and also they that are old hauing also their naturall parts too much shrunke together and dryed and the bones too closely ioyned together the cartilages very hard which cannot so well yeeld and bee dilated as in youth I say both of these bee deliuered with very much difficulty 3 Their naturall disposition likewise may bee a cause that they are deliuered with much paine 1 As if they be weake of constitution nice tender timerous and afraid of paine which makes them that they will not force themselues nor make their paines and throws effectuall and when the child is euen ready to come forth they shrinke in themselues with the very feare they haue to feel such paine 2 Hippocrates saith that women which haue an Ague when they are with child and become very leane without a manifest cause doe bring foorth their children with great difficulty paine and danger And if they doe miscarry or abort then they are in danger of their liues The same Author saith that those women which giue but little nourishment to their children are sooner deliuered and contrariwise they that feede too much are longer ere they be brought a bed 3 They that haue beene troubled with any sicknesses as the bloudy fluxe or other fluxe of the belly Convulsions fluxe of bloud or that haue any tumor vlcer or scarre which hath happened by being heeretofore badly deliuered or any other accident that hath made the necke of the wombe hard close and straight which is a meanes that it cannot be dilated and inlarged or else which haue the entrance or passage stopt with some flesh or membrane that is naturall vnto them that is to say which they haue had from their birth All these I say are deliuered with great paine and difficulty yea and oftentimes doe lose their liues thereby Now some will thinke it very strange and almost incredible to find a woman that should bee with child and yet a maide there being euen from her birth a membrane that stoppeth the passage and hindreth the man from entring Where as it is necessary for conception that a woman should haue the entire fruition or company of the man and that he should not onely enter within the outward passage of the womb but euen to the inner necke therof to carry thether the seed and there to mingle it with the womans But stories in this kinde make vs beleeue the contrary seeing there is no such necessity that the mans seede should be carried and cast so deepe For in some Women the wombe is so greedy and lickerish that it doth euen come down to meet
the parts of his bodie are not strong and able enough to draw vnto them sufficient nourishment This difficultie of deliuerie happens also when the child is either sicke or dead and is not able to help it selfe as likewise when he is too big in all his bodie and chiefly in the head or if he be a Monster hauing two heads two bodies foure armes or legs or if they be Twins th' one hindring the others comming foorth which will be euident by the bignesse of the Mother or if he be ill placed to come foorth putting formost an arme or a leg or both the shoulder buttockes side or belly comming formost 4 Now concerning that which is annexed to the child the deliuerie proues difficult if the membranes that containes the water wheron the child doth floate and swim be firme solide and hard that it cannot but verie hardly be broken or that the said membrane be so thin that it breakes too soone and before the child be well turned and ready to follow the said water which serues to carrie him and make him come foorth the easier For the child that remaines drie commeth into the world with much paine Likewise if the after-burthen offer it selfe first and that it stop the passage or if there be a Mole or false Conception As also if the woman haue not been lately at stoole or made water the which is cause that the great gut being full may close the necke of the wombe as likewise the bladder being full may presse it downe because it is placed betweene them both Whence it is commonly said in the prouerb Que l'enfant est situé enter le boire le manger which is That the child is seated between the meat and the drinke And therefore all the aforesaid accidents must be remedied accordingly The meanes to help Women that are deliuered with difficultie CHAP. IX THat a Woman which is deliuered with difficultie and much paine may be help'd the Chirurgian ought to know what is the cause thereof and from whence this difficultie doth proceed that he may the better cure it If it be because the Mother is to grosse or fat and chiefly in her naturall parts as also if there be any store of fat offer it selfe as I haue seen it oftentimes happen in great striuing and throwes yea and that in such sort that it did euen stop the passage of the child Then the Chirurgion as gently as he can possibly must thrust backe and put aside with one hand the said fat not tearing or hurting it least it be spoiled and corrupted afterwards holding it still downe on the one side till the child be come foorth of the wombe keeping it alwaies from falling downe into the passage and among the bones when the child is readdy to come foorth But when part of the bladder is sunke downe and relaxed and is manifestly perceiued in the entrance of the wombe then must he do the like as he did to the fat holding it aside vpward with the flat of two or three of his fingers vntill the childs head be past the Os Pubis If he find then as it may so come to passe that the said bladder be full of vrine the woman in trauaile not hauing made water a good while before then must he cause her to make water by putting a fit instrument gently into the bladder For it is seen in some that the fibres which doe contract the bladder and make it driue out the vrine are so weakned and also the whole bodie thereof that the vrine cannot come foorth Some women haue been deceiued by taking the said bladder thus full with vrine for the waters which come before the child causing the said bladder to be broken the which is worthy of great consideration Also the said necke of the bladder may be stop't by reason of some Carnositie Inflammation or stone which I haue seen an honest woman there being a stone fallen down into the necke in her bladder that stopt her vrine which being put aside by the probe she made water Neuerthelesse when the child was ready to come foorth the stone returning in to the said necke of the bladder againe did so fret and hurt it through the long stay that the childs head made in the passage that it grew to an Impostume and suppuration which made a little hole through the which she hath long time made her water not being able to hold or retaine it which is a storie worthy to be mark'd But as the vrine may be sometimes stop't so likewise the excrements of the great gut may be retained which hapning it will be more then necessarie for the cure thereof to giue the woman a Clyster that may both vnload her of her excrements and likewise help and make her deliuerie the more easie I my selfe was present at the trauaile of a poore sicke woman that had not been at stoole in ten daies before whose great gut was so fild and stuft with excrements as hard as a stone that it was impossible for her to receiue a Clyster and we were constrain'd before she could be deliuered to get out all the said excrements otherwise it had been impossible to haue taken foorth the child To help and succour one that is lean and barren or else of little stature as also such as are either too old or too young they must haue recourse long before hand vnto medicines that shall mollifie moisten and relaxe not onely the membranes which ought to be dilated and stretch'd that they may be made more souple and gentle But likewise you must annoint the Cartilages and Ligaments that ioine the Os pubis Sacrum Os Coccygis and Ilium which must be done with oyntments already set downe and euen in the verie houre of the deliuerie annoynt all the said parts therewith Some mislike not about the end of the ninth moneth to bathe the woman either with a generall or particular bath as we haue heretofore appointed as likewise to giue her euery morning eight or ten daies before her lying in this Drinke A Drinke to make easie the deliuerie Take Oile of sweet Almonds drawen without fire an ounce water of Parietary two ounces mingle thâ—m together and let her drinke it The which I haue oftentimes tried in many women and among the rest in Madame Capp who before had been many times deliuered with much paine and sorrow of her children dead But since I counsell'd her to vse this medicine she hath been deliuered thankes be to God verie fortunately of many children liuing The same remedies do likewise serue for them that haue any Callositie or hardnesse in the passage of Nature The weake and dainty women must be fed with yelkes of egges cullis a tost with wine and sugar or Hyppocras and that a little at a time and often you may also giue them a little confection of Alhermes dissolued either
as followeth Take a great tub or hogshed and fill it full of riuer water made somewhat hot adding thereto as much white Wine as you think fit wherein you shall stiepe the space of a day and a night of Fennill Marierom Mugwort Motherwort Penny-royall Agrimonie Chamamill and Meliot flowers of Rose leaues of each two handfuls put them into a strong linnen bag that is large enough quenching oftentimes in the said liquor a barre of Iron red hot Then ouer-night you shall take out three or foure kettels full of the said water and set them ouer the fire to seeth and then poure it into the tub againe and couer it close that it may keep in the heat all night and warme the tub then in the morning you must put in more hot water vntill you haue made the bath temperate which must be neither too hot nor too cold In the morning when the bath is thus prepared the woman shall go into it sitting vpon the bag of herbes aforesaid and stay there an howre or two without forcing her selfe and a little before her comming foorth let her take this Electuarie An Electuary â„ž Cons Bugloss Rosar an â„¥ ss cortic Citri condit Ê’ ij fiat Condium capiat vt dictum est Some women cannot away with this Electuarie but content themselues with a little Citron pill canded She may also sweat a little in her bed and then cause her selfe to bee gently rub'd with linnen cloths to take away any spots or staines that haue hapned vpon her skin in the time of her child-bed Her sweat being past and she somewhat cool'd her selfe in her bed then she must not eat any meat but such as is easie of digestion and that breeds good bloud Now this first Bath doth but only serue to prepare her for a Second which shall be made as followeth Take riuer water and quench in it hote Iron as you did in the former baths wherin you shall boile two great Bags which shall containe these Ingredients Second Bath for Summer â„ž Farin Orob Fabar. Lupinor an lb. ij Farin glandium lb. ss Rosar rub flor Chamaemil Melilot an pug iiij Alumin glacial Roch. crud an â„¥ iij. cortic Querc Nucum Cupress an â„¥ ij Balaust â„¥ j. Caryophyl Nucis Mosch an Ê’ vj. Granor. Tinctor â„¥ ij s. conquassantur omnia simul fiant sacculi cum panno lineo bulliant in aqua Balnei primi vt dictum est sit Balneum secundum This second Bath must be made as the first without being either too hot or too cold Wherein she shall stay an howre or two sitting vpon the bags and before her going foorth let her take the former Electuarie or a piece of Citron pill condited This Bath will serue for twice it being onely new heated againe In Winter time you shall make these Bath's Bath for wâ—â—ter â„ž Maioran Artemis Menth. Rorismar Heder terrest an M. iij. farin Hord. fabar Auenac Orobi Lupinor an lb. ij flor Rorismar Chamaemel Melilot Lauandul an M.i.s. Rosar rub m. ij Caryophil Nucis Mosch Cinamon Benzoin styrac calam an â„¥ i. Alumni lb. s. granor tinctor Balaust an â„¥ iij. omnia conquassentur fiant sacculi duo Coquantur in aqua Chalybeata in qua sape extinctum sit ferrum candens fiat Balneum vt praecedens In winter the woman in Child-bed shal vse this in stead of the former hauing washed her selfe in the first bath that was prescribed for summer and taking it her comming forth the electuary formerly set downe And besides while she is in the bath whether it bee in summer or winter it will be very fit and conuenient to rub all her body ouer with little bagges filled with Almonds beaten very small thereby to make her skinne smooth and slicke After she hath beene thus bathed she shall vse below such Fomentations as may close and strengthen those parts and bring them to their former state A fomentatioÌ„ for the lower parts â„ž Fol. Plantag Tapsi Barbat CeÌ„tinod Caudae equin an M.i. Fol. Cupres m.i.s. Rosar â—ub flor Chamaem Melilot an P.i. Balaust Sumach Nuc. Cupressi Gallar an â„¥ i. Maioran Thym. Puleg Origan an m.s. Alumin Ê’ vi fiat decoctio in aequis partibus vini austeri aquae Calibeatae profotu partium inferior When she hath done with the fomentation she must receiue beneath this perfume A perfume â„ž Benzoini styrac calam ligni Aloes an â„¥ s. Cortic citri Nuc. Cupressi Balaust an Ê’ iij. Nucis mosach Caryophil an Ê’ ij Carab Mastich an Ê’ i s. Rosa rub P.i. fiat omnium puluis excipiatur cum muccagine gummi tragacanthi fiant trochisci The Woman must sit in a hollow chaire that hath a hole in the bottom and vnderneath it a chasing dish of coles whereupon there shall bee put one or two of the said Trochiscks and so shee must receiue the fume thereof And because not onely the said parts doe continue limber and wrinkled but likewise the belly and breasts doe also remaine almost as big as they were before she was deliuered It will therfore not bee amisse to take some order that this exceeding greatnesse of her belly and breasts may bee diminished and they hardned withall endeuouring by all meanes to bring them againe to their naturall constitution And since that this swelling and puffing vp proceeds commonly from some humors or wind that is got in and gathered together in those parts hauing beene too much relaxed therefore it will bee very necessary before you apply any outward thing thereto that shee bee purged keeping a good diet and auoiding all meates that shall breed any ill humors or windines Which being done you may apply this that followeth â„ž Farin fabar Hord. lupinor an â„¥ ij farin Oryz. Glandium an â„¥ ij s. Coquantur perfectè in aequis partibus Aq. Mirtillor Caudae equin Centinod Plantag Rosar addendo Pul. Nuc. Cupres Balaust Mirtil. an â„¥ i. Pul. flor Camaemel melilot sem foenicul an â„¥ s. Sang. dracon Alumin an Ê’ ij Ol. Mirtillor vng Rosat Mes. an â„¥ iij. Mellis â„¥ i s. fiat Cataplasma ad formam pultis satis liquidae post coctionem poteris addere Albumina ouor Ventri applicentur mammis This Cataplasme must lye on xxiiij howers and then bee renewed In steed of a second Cataplasme you may vse this water A water for the brests c. â„ž Prunor. syluest Mespilor Cor. nor Nuc. Cupress Balaust Glandium cum suis cupulis si desint fructus sume cortices arborum an lb. s. flor Rosar syluest rubrar an â„¥ iiij Albumin duor ouor Aluminis Crud â„¥ ij Caryophil Nucis mosch an â„¥ s. BeÌ„zoini styrac Calamit an â„¥ i. Calam. Arom Frid. flor an Ê’ vi Macerentur omnia in lb. xij aquae fabrorum post infusionem 4. dierum ponantur omnia in Alembicum plumbeum fiat distillatio seruetur ad vsum In this water you shal dip and soak
Hemorrhoides Another to be maâ—â— Take of the aforesaid wood-lice thirty Cheruil a little handfull boyle them in milke or oyle of Violets then beate them together and make thereof a kind of plaster at the last vse this fomentation Boyle White mullen Scrophularia and Cheruil together Take a pint of this decoction halfe a pint of red wine Common salt and white frankinsence of each halfe an ounce boyle them altogether againe till there bee but two third parts or there abouts left and so vse this decoction to the Hemorrhoides fomenting them with little soft spunges Whilest these medicines are vsed the belly must be kept loose either with Cassia or Manna or else with Clysters if the pipe will enter in easily that so the excrements may come foorth the more readily and may not burthen or molest the part with their hardnesse and waight It will be very conuenient also to let her take of the powder of white mullen in a little milke or else in Lozenges made with suger because of the conceit some haue that this herbe so taken takes away the Hemorrhoides Some prepare Pils of Bdellium Galbanum and the powder of white Mullen and hereof giue the weight of a french Crowne If the Hemorrhoides heale not for all these meanes I would giue counsell to open them with a Lancette thinking it better to lance and open them so to let out the bloud then to apply leeches vnto them because they sucke and bring downe as much bloud to the part as they empty and draw foorth And because these Hemorrhoides haue oftentimes a great hardnesse with them this plaster or Pultesse may be fitly applied A Pultesse â„ž Rad. Bismal Lilior an â„¥ i s. fol. Porri cum Bulb an m. i. flor Chamaemel Melilot an m. s. Coquantur omnia in lacte pistent passaturae adde Bdellij cum axungia Anser gallinae liquefacti an â„¥ i. fiat Cataplasma Another Take Bdellium melted dissolue it with goose grease ducks grease and oyle of Peach Cernels Oftentimes the Hemorrhoides by reason of their hardnesse cleaue and so come to vlcers and chaps Of the after-purgings which come downe too aboundantly in Women newlie deliuered CHAP. VII IT happens to Women newly deliuered that their after purgins somtimes come downe too immoderately other times that they are suddenly staide These two accidents are very troublesome and breede many inconueniences Hippocrates writes that both these bring many symptoms with them whiche Galen also witnesseth saying If the purgings flow in too great aboundance and aboue custome it brings women into diuers diseases as Cold Distemper Dropsy and Convulsions and if the same be stayed and do not flow at all then some inconuenience happens to the Matrice as inflammation Erysipelas scyrrhus and at last Cankers So that we may easily see how fit and necessary it is that these purgings or courses should come away moderately and in an indifferent quantity This the Chirurgion should know by obseruing the time and the quantity which is limited for them set downe in diuers places by the ancient writers And first for the continuance of time that these purgings should flow Hippocrates doth proportion the time in which a woman in child-bed should be purged according to the time wherein the child is shaped or formed which is 30. daies for a man-child and 42. at most for a woman child This time may bee also measured according to that ordinary time of purging that is omitted in the nine moneths she goes with child as the bloud should bee purged in euery one of these nine moneths as in euery one of them the space of three or foure daies which put together amount to twenty seuen or thirty sixe dayes so in recompense heerof when a woman is deliuered she must bee purged 27. or 36. daies It is written in Leuiticus that when a woman hath brought foorth a man child shee shall continue in the bloud of her purifying three and thirty dayes but if she beare a maid child then shee shall continue in the bloud of her purifying 66. dayes As for the quantity and proportion of these purgings Hippocrates is of opinion that the purgings which a woman should haue euery moneth should bee a pint and a halfe or thereabouts And in his booke de natura Pueri hee would haue a woman in childbed at the beginning should purge about thirteene or fourteen ounces or a pint and so the whole space of thirty daies for a man child and forty two daies for a maiden-childe euery day diminishing the quantity till it wholly leaue her As for the quality of these purgings if the bloud be red as in a beast new killed and doe presently congeale and thicken then it is a signe that shee is in good health and will continue so all the time of her lying in But when these purgings come in little quantity and of an ill colour and do not congeale suddenly it is a signe that the woman is not well nor will not finde her selfe so all her month as the foresaid Author well obserueth But it is not to bee expected that all women should haue their purgings in like quantity for wee must respect the habitude of the body the course of life the temperament other particular things which in diuers women are diuers Therefore Galen saith that these purgings continue long in women that haue thinne and subtill bloud Hippocrates saith that women that are of full bodies are purged more exactly and againe hee writes that women that are more in yeares commonly haue more of this euacuation then they that are younger There may be two causes assigned of this abundant euacuation the one outward as some fall blow or painefull trauaile which a woman may suffer either in bringing foorth her childe or the after-birth It may also arise from pasions of the mind or from the vnseasonable vse of bath's or from some other ill gouernement in her child-bed The inward causes may bee two either the strength and vigor of the mother which expelleth and putteth foorth so much bloud as is troublesome and burdensome vnto her and in this kind there is no great danger because she that is so strong to expell in this sort will be also able to retaine so much as will be conuenient and necessarie for her Or else contrariwise this may proceed from the weaknesse and faintnesse of the woman who is not able to retaine and keep that bloud which nature hath prouided for her and this hapneth chiefly when the orifices of the veines continue open after the deliuerie not being able as Hippocrates saith to shut and gather themselues together The other cause is referred to the bloud which offends either in quantitie or qualitie or both In respect of the quantitie those women haue store of these after-purgings which are full of bloud because the Liuer breeds more bloud then is necessarie which afterward is voided
fundament shut vp After she was born she was deliuered vnto the Nurse to be carried into the country where she continued seuen or eight daies without voiding any thing by stowle which made her belly swel extreamely Wherupon she was brought vnto this Citty and Mons Rabigois a Master Barber Chirurgion and sworn at Paris a very diligent and painfull man was sent for to see what might be the cause of this swelling and he inquiring whether the child went to stoole or no it was answered him by the nurse she had neuer purged her selfe as yet that way since she was born then by by he searched the fundament and found it to be closed and stopped vp and therefore he did counsell the childs father to let him make an incision of the membrane that stopped vp the passage whereunto the Father and Mother would not consent till the morrow But while the matter was debated and argued vpon the child dyed And she was opened by the saide Master Rabigois who found all her guts filled with the humor called Meconium and other filthie matter Of the scabbe which comes on the childs head and face CHAP. XXXIIII OFtentimes there commeth vppon the childs head and face a hard crusty scab which couereth all the head quite ouer and therefore it is called the Cappe and sometimes the face also so that you can see nothing but the childs eyes as though hee had a maske on The Latines call this scabbe Lactumen or Lactitium as being an excrement of the Milke And because it is of a yellow colour like vnto waxe it is also called Cerium The cause heereof is two fold for eyther it is engendred of the reliques of the womens courses or purgings or else of the Nurses milke which being of an ill quality doth easily corrupt in the childs stomacke and cannot bee turned into good iuice and much lesse bee corrected by the Liuer it being sent thither to bee turned into bloud which makes it that being carried vnto the head and face it cannot be assimilated in those parts Least this scab might corrode and eat into the skinne and afterwards the very bone of the head and face and at length Gangrene the eies it will be very good to remedy it For which purpose the Nurse must keepe a good dyet as we haue formerly shewne Concerning Topicall or outward medicines you must haue an especiall care that you vse none that do repell and driue backe but rather such as gently draw You may bath the crusts especially those of the face with gentle Fomentations made of Mallowes Althaea Violet leaues Chamomile and Melilot flowers and Linseed boyled in milke and with this decoction you may foment the crusts and afterwards annoint them with Oile of sweet Almonds Fresh Butter well beaten with Parietary water and Oile of Violets washed with Barley water I am wont to vse an Ointment of Lard melted and then well beaten and washed with Parietary water and so annoint the crusts with it If there be any vlcer and that the scabs are fallen off you may lay vpon it a Cabbidge or a Beete leafe a little heated on a Gridyron The Ointment made of white Waxe and oile of sweet Almonds is very good when there is any rawnesse or excoriation Of the Meazels and the small Pockes what they are and how they doe differ CHAP. XXXV IT remaineth now that we speake of the Measells and the small Pockes and because there bee few children but haue them eyther first or last I haue thought good heere to say a word or two of them briefly The Measels and the Pocks are little risings or pustules which appeare most commonly in great number vpon the outside of the skinne and at the first they are so like one another that you can hardly discerne whether of them it is But yet the Measels come more suddenly and the face and skinne of the whole body lookes redder and the rednesse continues longer without rising there beeing ioined with it most commonly a greater itching and pricking But the small pockes comes not foorth so suddenly neither is the skinne so red nor doth the colour stay so long the pustules or pimples rise higher neither itching nor pricking so much and at length grow white The cause of both of them are the reliques of the impurer part of the bloud wherewith the child was nourished in his Mothers wombe which now is separated and thrust to the skin through the help and strength of nature because the childs bloud boileth in the veines of euery part of the bodie as Auicen saith No otherwise then new wine doth in a vessell which boyleth casting vp his froath or scum and separating it from it selfe And as Auenzoar saith though the child be nourished with the best part of the menstruall bloud yet there remaines some little portion behind which is of an ill qualitie and after the child is borne and is growne strong he gathering together his forces and naturall heat thrusts it foorth by the pores of the skin nature being willing to acquite and rid her selfe of this superfluitie Besides there is a certaine disposition of time caused through the malignitie of the aire which raiseth and stirreth vp the reliques of the said menstruall bloud in the childs bodie wherewith he hath been nourished vnto which the corrupt aire that we breath and which we cannot auoide doth adde an impression of a second bad qualitie wherewith nature being ouer-charg'd and offended she thrusts them out to the skin which receiueth the filth and vncleannesse of the bodie Now the fuller the bodie is of this menstruall bloud the deeper impression doth the outward aire make in it which is the reason that some haue them in greater quantitie and are fuller of them then others And so according to the malignitie of the humour it is also more or lesse dangerous to some then to others The marks and signes whereby you may know that the child will haue the Pockes are these Headach together with an Ague rednesse of the eyes which water verie often itching of the nose a drie Cough gaping wearinesse of the bodie paine of the Hart desire to vomit the vrine red a pricking and shiuering through all the bodie and sometimes convulsions and rauings When it is the Measels the face growes red and ariseth all at once but when it is the Pocks neither the face nor the rest of the bodie looke so red but you may perceiue some little risings here and there in the face backe breast and thigh 's which afterwards increase and grow bigger And when the Pocks begin to shew themselues then there happens heauinesse of the head the face swelleth the eyes are setled all the bodie becomes as it were puff'd vp the voice growes hoarse with difficultie of fetching breath and sorenesse of the throat For it is the propertie of this vile disease to take hold of the Lungs and yet
Cure of Abortment When the diet is necessary Bloudletting fit for them that abort Store of nourishment choketh the child Of the aborâ—ment that commeth froÌ„ the child Ointment Remedies if the child be to big Causes of Abortment annexed to the Mother Outward cause Medicines fâ— abortment Hippocrat Diuers wom Physitions Ouid. Why women did studie Physicke Higinus Women forbid to studie Physicke A notable Hystorie There haue been Midwiues from the beginning Lib. de Carnibus Lib 3. de Facul natural Midwiues iâ— Galens time Lib. de Causis morborum Socrates mother a Midwife Lib. 1. §. 1. de Extraordinaria cognitione Two sorts of cunning women Gal. in 62. lib. 5. Aph. Hippocrat First office The second office Act. 3. Scen Andr. Quod iussi ei dare bibere quantum imperani daâ— The Midw 〈…〉 must be paâ—â— child bearing The third office Another office of Midwiueâ— The quality of a Midwife for her person Her manners And. Act. â— Sc. â— Saue polâ—â—lla tonulâ—nâ—aest mulâ—er temeâ—â—ria necsatis digna cuâ— câ—m 〈◊〉 pâ—mi sarin wherem Drunkennessâ— reproued Her mind The chieâ—fice of a 〈◊〉 wife Lib. 7. de 〈◊〉 partium Admira 〈…〉 thing The bedde Women in trauaile muâ—â— walke Rest is oft profitable Diuers sorts of bringing womeÌ„ to bed The best way to be deliuered The placing of a woman in trauaile Another help for a woman in labour De generat 〈…〉 Animal Actites Genes Euripides Women deliuered without paine Men that lye in Signes oâ—â—ing in tr 〈…〉 The placing of the Midwife The meanâ— to know hâ—â— the child commeth The water must not be let foorth The Nauell string must be vndone Meanes to draw forth the after-burthen What must be done to the child A notable storie How the Nauell must be tyed Where the Nauell must be cut The Nauell must fall of it selfe The measure in tying the Nauell A common saying of Women Precept of Hippocrates Auicens Method What must be giuen the child after he is borne They must beware of taking cold The woman in child bed must bee in quiet Gen. 3.15 Causes of difficult deliuery Cause from outward things Lib. 28. cap. 6. Opinion of Plyny Story of Alcmena Coldnes or heate doth hinder the deliuery Effect of sweet smels Causes from the Mother Fatnesâ— The Bladder Leanenesse From her disposition Hippocrates Lib. de natura pueri A thing worthy to bee obserued A story of Auerrhoes A true story Another storie The deliuery that is too soone or too late doth prooue difficult Effect of too much drines A good obseruation Causes from the child A double conflict of the child Why the child is staid from comming foorth Another cause of difficult deliuerie Diuers situations of the child Cause from things annexed to the child The retention of excrements hinders the deliuerie Direction for the Chirurgian Meanes to help them that are too fat Considerations for the Bladder The woman must be prouoked to make water An Obseruation A thing worthy to be noted A notable storie The excrements must be voided Another storie Remedy for the dainty Fear of paine A good deceit Cause of the most troublesome deliuery Why Conuulsions are dangerous What must bee done in fluxes and convulsions Lib. de super faetatione A good sentence of Hypocrates A good obseruation Sometimes the waters must bee let forth Caution concerning the fluxe of bloud When they must not bee deliuered in a fluxe of bloud A worthy seÌ„tence of Hippocrates Lib. 1. de Morb. Mulier Other accidents that may hinder the deliuery Cure when the fault is froÌ„ the child When the deliuery must be hastned Ointments made for the purpose A Clyster Amatus Lusitanus Rondeles Two things must be considered in these deliueries Considerations concerning the mother The mother doth hazard her life in the deliuery Remedyes must not bee disâ—amed Signes of the childs being aliue Signes that the child is dead The child commeth after diuers fashions Situation fit in al deliueries The right placing of them The commoditie thereof The clots of bloud must be taken away The inner neck may be dilated How the feet may be found A storie The Chirurgion must foretell the danger Another storie They must rest in a flux of bloud The third storie The fourth historie An Admonition for young Chirurgions Another storie Another storie agreeing with this purpose Stories concerning convulsions The Chirurgions wisdom A wonderfull story Another storie When the after burthen comes formost there is a fluxe of bloud How the child is stifled ObseruatioÌ„s to draw forth the after burthen Another obseruation When the afterbirth must be drawne forth Lib. 1. de morbis Mulier The after-birth must come last It must bee puld gently A story The remedy What must be done wheÌ„ the childe coms ill The woman must be speedily helped Skill in drawing forth the child Obseruation in vsing the Crochet The child may be surely drawne out by the shoulders Safe way to draw the child by the feete Inconueniences to turne the child Considerations in vsing the Crochet QuestioÌ„ whether the Crochet may bee vsed The dead child swels and is puft vp The child that is aliue may likewise be swolne In how many fashions the head may be placed When the Mother the child striue in vaine How the child breaths How to find which way the childs head leaneth Way to bring the head straight Another way The hand comming foorth hinders the deliuerie The arme comming foorth fals into a Gangrene Inconuenience of drawing the child by the arme The practize The woman must be hartned The deliuery where both armes come formost is not so dangerous The practise What must be obserued concerning the child An obseruation when the two arms are stretched out A story A terrible kind of deliuerie Meanes to helpe the trauaile A surer way to draw forth the child The Authors opinion A dangerous situation Meanes to help the child Another consideration One may bee safely deliuered of two children How he must deliuer the woman when the twins come ill The way to deliuer a woman of two twins His Nauell must be tyed The afterburthen must bee taken away speedily Meanes to know whether the child be a monster or no. WheÌ„ the first is come hee must be taken away It must be knowen which is aliue The meanes to know it How you must draw him out The After-burthen may be stop't Causes of the retention of the after-burthen Other experiments Pilles Sneesing expels the after-burthen The manner of doing it Ill smells Bloud lettinâ— brings dowâ— the after-birth What must be done in thâ— suppurating of the after-birth A Cordiall Electuary Hip. lib. 2. Epidem A true story Lib. 4. Obseruat 185. Another storie Marcell Donat. Histor medic mirabil lib. 4. cap. 22. Lib. 2. §. Dâ— mortuo efferendo sepulchro aedificando What the Chirurgion must obserue An experiment The Methode of making the incision The womâ—â— is thicke The way tâ— open the wombe The Authâ—â—â— opinion oâ—
this practiâ—â— The Caesarian Section reproued Cold hurts the spermaticall parts Dyet The nurses must not bee alwayes harkned to She must see sparingly Her meats A drinke Capon water for Ladyes Another drinke Noise is hurtâ—full Sleepe The vse of Coleworts Sadnes to bee auoided Women tâ— are Virgins after child bearing An ointmâ—â—â— to keepe 〈◊〉 milke from curdling Fomentations for the parts First Bath 〈◊〉 Summer The manâ—â—â— of making How long she must stay in the Bath To make the skin smooth The manner of vsing the perfume Means to hâ—â—den the breâ—â—â— A Pultesse for the Belly and Breasts The vertue 〈◊〉 Myrrhe Tranchees The first cause The second The third Sentence of Hippocrates Fomentation A Drinke A powder Gripings The Cure of the Fundament fallen Foment Sâ—c morb Mulier Lib. 1. Why women are subiect to the Hemorrâ—â—des The differences of Hemorrhodes Vesicales or vuales Verrucales Morales Dyet An experiment of the Authors Rhasis medicine An approued remedy A fome 〈…〉 The belâ—â— must be 〈◊〉 â—e Morb. muli Comment in lib. j. Aphorism How long tâ— purgings should flow Hip. de Natuâ—pueri Leuit. chap. 12 Lib. de morbis Malier Signes to know whether a woman in child-bed be in health or no. Comment in 6. Epidemior De mor. Mulier Inward causes Hippocrat morbis Mulâ— The Cure Dyet Diuers remedies An experiment seen by the Authour Galen Lib. Exper. An Iniect 〈…〉 Porrhetic Sect. 2. What Lâ—câ—â—â— are A sentence of Hippocrat The stopping of the After-purging cause death Outward causes Lib. de Aâ—râ—lâ—cis Aquâ— Lib. 1. de morâ— Mulier Inward causes Hippoc. loco citato Dyet The meanes to set the wombe right Ligatures and frictions Opening a veine in the foote is the most soueraign remedy De Morbis mulier lib. 1. Epidem 6. Difference oâ— false conception A story Signes The prognosticke Hip. lib. de sterilibus Cure De Morbis mul. lib. 2. Hippocrat lib. 2. de morb mulier de natura mulieb et 2. Epidem Hippocrat Epidem 2 Plato How the matrice moueth Gal. in lib. 3. de Articul com How the matrice chaungeth place The first falling of the matrice Hipp. Lib. de natura Pueri Hipp. Lib. de natura Muliebri The second kind Hipp. Lib. de Sterilibus de morb Mulier The third kind Gal. lib. 14. de vsâ— partium Outward causes Inward causes Hippocrat Epidem 2. Hippocrat Epidem 6. Hipp. de Natura Mulier 2. Hippocrat de Eiectione Foeâ—us Gal. de facult Natur. lib. 3. A Comparison Both old and young may be cured hereof The Cure The way to put it vp A good obseruation The second meanes to help vp the matrice When astringent medicines are to be shun'd Hipp. de natura Muliebri Hipp. de morb Mulier lib. 2. Vomiting is necessarie Cupping glasses She must hauâ— sundry smels The third meanes to strengthen the mother Ill smels to be put into the Pessaries Hipp. Lib. de natura Muliebri The cause Gal. lib. de 〈…〉 sectione vter 〈…〉 Cure The practise Must take heed of leting it grow together againe A story Metrop Salisb. Epise 36. Scolion ad Tertul lib. 9. de Anim Aug. lib. 3. de ciuit Dei cap. 31 Metaph. 10. Martij Lipom. com 7. The difficulty of finding a good nurse 1. Her Lignage 2. Her Person Her Stature A red hair'd Nurse discommended Her Countenance A Nurses perfections Hipp. lib. 2. Epidemiar 3. Her Manners 4. Her Mind Gal. de Sanitat tuenda The qualitie of good Milke Quantitie of Milke The colour of good Milke The smell The tast A proofe of the goodnesse of Milke in quantitie A trial of the quantity The choice of a Nurse by her child Auicen What meat a nurse must refrain from What meates she shall vse Her Bread Her broth Her drinke A kinde of drinke which they vse in France which they call Bouchet Aristotle Her exercise Her sleepe How to fashion the childs head The childs eares must be cleansed The eyes clensed The nose must be clensed For the clensing of the mouth Care to bee had of the fundament For the armeâ— and legs A Precept of Galen de sanitat tuend Gal. de arte medica Inconuenience of hard swathing the hips Gal. decaus morber How to order the Cradle How to lay the child The place where the Cradle shall be set The manner how to giue the child sucke What quantitie of milke the child may sucke Hippocrat lib. de princip Gal. de Sanit tuenda Gal. lib. 1. de sanitate tuenda The childs foode That is in France where they haue not Ale or beere Hippocr lib. 3. aphoris 24. Lib. 3. aph 25. The Cause The cure of Phisocephalos Outward medicines Hydrocephalos Auicen The roofe of the mouth cleft The hare lip A hystoric Extraordinarie number of fingers A storie Of the diseases of the eies Of the nose Of the eares Aphthae or the vlcers of the mouth A Gargarism for the vlcers of the mouth An experimeÌ„t of the Author The Cure A Gargarism A medicine for the necke and iawes How to cut the string of the tongue Another way The causes of the cough The cough is dangerous for children Medicines against the Cough Means to stay the cough The cause of the swelling of the nauell The Cure The Cure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cure Rhasis opinioÌ„ Hippoc. lib. 3. Aphoris 25. The ill accidents which breeding of the teeth brings to children Aelius sem 4. cap. 9. An experimeÌ„t Auicen Aecius Auicen An experience of the Author Hip. de Aero loc Aquis Morbus puerilis Mater pueroruÌ„ An Aphorism of Hippocrates Diuers causes of a Convulsion The Prognosticke Hippo. de morbe Sacro Good sentences of the Ancients The Cure Vomiting good for the child Cupping glasses Dioscorides Balsamum Anserinâ—m A soueraigne medicine Hippoc. lib. 3. Aphorismor Whereby a child may be hindred from sleeping Signes that the child is amisse The Cure Diuers means to make a child sleep Gal. in Hip. lib. 3. Aphoris 24. The signes to know whether a childe be frighted in his sleepe Aristot de histâ—r anim lib. 4. cap. 10. The Cure The diet that the Nurse the child must keepe They must not sleepe presently after meate Medicines for the child The diuers kinds of ruptures The causes of ruptures The Cure Rest necessary for the child The dyes which the child must keepe His drinke How the child must be laid The cause why children can hardlie pisse Children must be often held out to pisse Hippocr lib. 3. Aphoris 26. The Cure A Diet for the Nurse An experience of the Author The childe must bee put in minde to make water Medicines of the Ancient Phisicions Fomentations for the Perinquin The cause of excoriation or galling The Cure Common medicines Diuers imperfections of the PraeputiuÌ„ Phimosis Paraphimosis An obseruation of Aristotle lib. 4. cap. 4. de generatione Animalium What happens when the Praeputium is closed The order of cutting the Praeputium The Paraphimosis of little children The Authors opinion The method of doing it An other way Cornelius Celsus appointeth this kind of Cure Aeginetas opinion A good obseruation The Cure Difference in figure Matter The Cure The order to do it Aristot lib. 4. cap. 4. de gene raâ— Animal The manner of doing it A pessary of Lead The fundament that is shut vp must be speedily remedied The Cure How the euen Cure must be performed A story Lactumen Lactitium Cerium The Cause The Cure Few children escape the small pocks What the measels and the pocks are Difference Cause A good comparison Signes Good signes Bad signes The signes of the Measels Hippocrates How the Pocks must be help'd The Cure The Place His Diet. Broths His Drinke A lenifying and soupling Drinke His sleepe Bloud letting To preserue the eies Auicen To preserue the Nose Eares Mouth and Throat The Lungs An approued medicine Diuers accidents To preserue children from the Measels small Pocks The Nurses and the childs dyet Their sleepe Purging Letting bloud Signes The Cure Her diet The vse of the Decoction Aqua Theriacalis The vse Morbus Pilaris
by the Matrice The qualitie of the bloud is cause heerof when it is too sharpe piercing thin watrie putride or venimous so that Nature desires to be rid of it As for the Cure you must fit that according to the cause and yet there be some generall remedies which may serue for all immoderate euacuations and of this kind is Diet which must be cooling and moderately drying Let her feed vpon good meats not salt nor spiced nor of strong tast rather roast then boiled and of boiled meats let her chuse to eat of the heads feet She may vse french Barley new laid Egges and Gellies made with astringent herbes If she take any Broth 's let them be prepared with Borage Buglosse Le tuce Purcelaine Barley and the cold seeds Let her shun anger melancholie griefe and other such passions of the mind Let her keep her selfe quiet not much stirring or troubling her bodie Let her drinke Barley water or water wherein Steel hath been quenched You may giue her also if she haue not an Ague a little Wine allaied with the said waters Let her make her abode in a temperate place not too hote Let her lie vpon a Mattresse or straw bed and not vpon a feather-bed It will be good to bind her armes hard toward the shoulders but not the thigh 's although Auicen prescribe it Cupping glasses applied vnder the paps and vpon the region of the Liuer will be verie sit as Hippocrates teacheth and likewise vpon the arme-pits and shoulders as Auicen counsaileth The most singular and presentest remedie is to let bloud in the arme which I haue seen tried by the most learned Physitions of our age with very good successe For there is no meanes that makes better revulsion and drawes the bloud sooner from the place to which it floweth then opening of a veine You shall applie vpon the raines the Os sacrum and the parts thereabouts a cloth dip'd in Vineger and water and likewise betweene the legs but first vse this Cataplasme A Cataplasme ℞ Bol. Armen sang Dracon an ℥ j. Gummi Tragacanth ℥ ss pul Myrtill Rosar an ʒ vj. succ Plantag Taps barbat vrtic mort an q. s. ad formandum Cataplasma adde vnguent Comitiss ℥ j ss Vnguentum Comitissae of it selfe is verie good as likewise this Ointment following which is approued An Ointment ℞ Succor Lactuc Plantag an ℥ j ss Gum. Tragacanth in aq Rosar Macerat ℥ iij. Muccagin sem Cydonior extract in aq solani ℥ ss ol Rosar Myrtill an ℥ j ss Corall vtriusque Sumach an ʒ j. far Hordei ℥ ss Cerae parum fiat vng adde Aceti tantillum You shall giue her to drinke a dram of Trochisques of Spodium with Plantaine water or a decoction made with Horse-tayle Roses Knotgrasse and Balaustia Hollerius giues this as a singuler medicine Hollerius h◠medicine ℞ Scoriae ferri crematae in aq Plantag sepius extinctae pul lapid aematitid triti an ℈ j. Terrae sigillat ℈ ss sirup Myrtillor Resar siccar an ℥ ss aq Plantag ℥ iij. fiat potus Another ℞ Sang. Dracon Corall rub vsti Terr sigillat an ℈ j. semin Rosar rub ℈ ss spodij Carab Citrin an gr xij aq Myrtillor vel Plantag ℥ iiij fiat potus Some in this case giue three or foure ounces of the iuice of Plantaine Galen affirmeth that he hath staid the immoderate flowing of the monthly sicknesse with the foresaid iuice of Plantaine when nothing else would do good Ludouicus Mercatus commends these two medicines aboue all other Mercatus his medicines ℞ far Hord. Oryz. Amili an q. s ad formandum panem ponderis ℥ vj. recent coct proijce in libr. viij aq Chaly beatae quibus adde Rosar rub siccar p. ij succi Plantag lb. j. Rad. consolid Maior ℥ ij Caudae equin m. j. carnis Prunor syluest Cidonior an ℥ ij Portulac m. ij Bol. Armen ℥ j. Balaust santal omnium an ℥ ss fiat omnium distilatio de qua cape mané ℥ ij addendo sirup Portulac aut Rosar siccar ℥ ss He likewise commendeth this medicine following as being verie certaine and approued and of great vertue to stay the sicknesse ℞ Rad. Filipendul ℥ ij fiat puluis cape ʒ j. cum vitello oui singulis diebus An Electuarie ℞ Cons Rosar antiq ℥ j. carnis Cydon cond cons Rad. symphit an ℥ ss pul Diamargar frig Trochis é Carab an ℈ j. Bol. Armen ʒ j. sang Dracon ℈ ij cum sirup Rosar siccar fiat opiata exhibenda ad ʒ j. per se vel cum aqua Plantag Galen teacheth vs this medicine which may be both iniected and also taken inwardly ℞ Mucag. gummi Tragacanth Arabic in aq Plantag extract ℥ iij. succi Plantag ℥ iiij fiat iniectio inijciatur in vterum ℥ j. potui praebe This iniection following may also be verie good Another ℞ Succ. Polygan ℥ iiij Mucilag gummi Tragacanth extract in aqua Centinod Chalybeat ℥ iij. Amyl ℥ j. misce fiat iniectio You shall also make vse of this pessarie if there be need An Astringent Pessarie ℞ Bol. Armen Terrae sigillat an ℥ j. Litargir ℥ ss cum albumine oui fiat astringens pessarium With this you may annoint your Pessarie made fit for the purpose either of cotton or linnen cloth Of the Retention and stopping of the After-purgings in Women newly deliuered CHAP. VIII AS a Woman newly deliuer'd is subiect to many accidents by the ouermuch flowing of her naturall courses So is she likewise subiect to more dangerous and deadly chances if they be suppressed and staid Galen saith that these after-purgings which he calleth Lechia are purgings of ill humors which haue been gathered in the bodie all the time that the woman went with child For the child drawing to it selfe the sweetest and most familiar part of the bloud leaues the worst which otherwise if the woman were not with child should be voided out euery Moneth And if the monthly sicknesse stai'd doth bring manie inconueniences to a woman then much more these Lochia being suppressed must breed much more danger Hippocrates in his first booke De morbis Mulier witnesseth this plainly saying That when the After-purgings come in lesse quantitie then is fit then the woman in child-bed fals into a sharpe Ague she is troubled with a paine in her stomacke she finds her selfe ill through all her bodie she feeles a paine in the ioints of her hands in her thigh 's and hips the places about her necke backe and groine are sore and there is a weaknesse in euery part She fals into a vomiting of fleame and also of bitter and sharpe matter and finally she is in danger to be lame and impotent of some of her members For the Matrice hath an affinitie and connexion with many parts of the bodie as with the head and stomacke And if this matter be transported and carried to the head breast and lungs and there make an abode
at euery birth haue of these false conceptions and amongst others Mistris Brague-longue hath shewed the proofe hereof For she going with her second child could assure me that then she had a false conception because she had one with her first child which shee came to know by reason of a certaine hardnesse which she had vpon her left side neere to her short ribs where she felt a great paine yea and her ribs seemed to be borne vp or thrust outward And indeed this Gentlewoman after she was deliuered brought foorth one bigger then ones fist and before she could be rid of it her belly was swoln with paine and murmurings about her Nauell and toward her loins she was often troubled with throws as if she should be deliuered againe by reason the nature did striue to put and send that forth which was vnnaturall Beside these simptomes women that haue false conceptions somwhat bigger and cleauing fast to the wombe are troubled with great paine about the nauell with vnquietnes watring of the mouth vomiting and heauinesse downeward The pulse is small and frequent and some women in this case haue the strangury because the false conception doth presse the necke of the bladder and to conclude almost the same accidents are here that happen when there is a mole or dead child Those false conceptions that are small though two three foure or more in number as there may be many they come forth easily are conuaied away with the ordinary purgings but if they be great and hard they are voided with much difficulty especially if they stick to the womb and then there is daunger that they will turne into a mole which must speedily be preuented although Hippocrates wisheth that this should be done with prediction Now this may be preuented as he saith by these three meanes first by the vse of resoluing bath's which haue power to moisten the whole body and so to dilate and inlarge the passage of the Matrice that it may come foorth the second is by Clisters and purgations which may purge foorth excrements and also bring downe the naturall courses afresh Thirdly by iniections which may prouoke and stirre vp the expulsiue faculty of the Matrice to expell the purgings and with them the false conconception contained in the wombe But because all these remedies haue beene handled in the last chapter I refer the Chirurgion thither Of the falling downe or precipitation of the Matrice CHAP. X. THe ancient writers haue obserued that the matrice moueth and changeth his place diuersly and as Hippocrates saith the Matrice causeth great paines in diuers places according as it setleth and placeth it selfe If it rise toward the head then the veines which are in the nose and vnder the eies suffer paine the head is heauy and sometime the woman fometh at the mouth If the said Matrice moueth toward the liuer presently the woman is depriued of her speech her teeth are set and her colour grows wan and pale If it incline toward the ribs then the woman falls into a cough with pain of her side and the matrice hard and painfull to be touched as if there were some vlcer shee is troubled also with shortnes of breath and sometimes with Convulsions and if she continue thus long she will grow lame Againe if the Matrice turne to one side there will be a paine felt right against the place to which it inclines together with a paine in the backe and at last shee becomes lame of that side as Hippocrates and Aetius do witnesse when it beareth down towards the groine and passage of the Vrine then the pain is more violent together with a dulnesse numnesse of the thigh and suppression of vrine as likewise if it be cast backe toward the great gut then the excrements of the belly are stopped If it fall downe lower euen to the thighs then there wil be a Convulsion or crampe of the great toe and the hips and thighs will be pained And therefore not vnfitly did Plato compare the matrice to a liuing creature which was as it were ingrafted vpon an other liuing creature For the Matrice hath voluntary motion toward euery part and certainly Scimus vterum naturaliter vt semen excipiat hiare et ipso suscepto constringi But these situations and changings of place must not be vnderstood in an exact sence For it is vnlikely nay impossible that the Matrice should so run from one side of the body to another that it should altogether leaue his owne place And this hath Galen very well noted saying that sometimes the matrice ascendeth vpward and sometimes it is turned aside not that of it selfe it leaues his naturall place but because it is drawne by some thing else that is by the ligaments which hold it vp and by the nerues arteries and veines to which it is annexed To this authority of Galen I will adde farther that the Matrice may be shut vp and gathered into it selfe and so draw with it those parts to which it is fastned offending affecting them by some spirits vapors or wind which it may communicate vnto thē But I will leaue this curious speculation to Physitions and will onely meddle with that which belongs to Chirurgions concerning the precipitation or falling downe of the Matrice of which there are three kinds The first when the necke thereof which is called Vagina sincketh and falleth downe euen to the entrance of the naturall parts and drawes a little with it the bodie of the Matrice And this we may easily learne of Hippocrates who saith that the Matrice commeth downe in such sort that you may applie a liniment thereunto And againe that it commeth nearer to the entrance than is needfull The second kind is when the bodie of the Matrice falleth into the outward necke called Vagina and is thrust a little out of the entrance of the naturall parts and then the inward necke which is sunke downe shewes it selfe to the light in the forme of the top of a mans yard Which Hippocrates also affirmes when he saith that the wombe commeth by little and little out of the naturall parts The third kind is when the bodie and necke of the Matrice is all sunke downe and turned the wrong side outward as one should turne the crowne of his hat and then it commeth cleane out of the naturall parts and hangs betweene the thigh 's in the bignesse of a mans fist or more not vnlike to the cod or purses of a mans priuie parts as Galen writes The generall cause hereof is because the ligaments which should hold and fasten it are resolued and broken which may proceed either of an inward or an outward cause The outward cause may be some fall or blow or for that the woman hath lifted some heauy burthen or hath been in some rage or choller or had a violent Cough running