bring vital bloud for the work of generation As to the Longitude and Latitude of these vessels they are narrower and shorter in women only where they are wrinkled they are much more wreathed and contorted then in men for the way being shorter in women then in men nature required that for stretching out of these vessels that they should be more wrinkled and crankled then in men that the bloud might stay there in greater quantity for the preparation of the seed These vessels The insertion of the vessels in women are carried with an oblique course through the small guts to the stones being wrapt up in fatter membranes but in the mid-way they are divided into two branches whereof the greater branch goes to the stone constituting the varicous or winding body and those wonderful inoculations the lesser branch ends in the womb in the sides of which it is scattered up and down and chiefly at the higher part of the bottome of the womb for nourishment of the womb and of the birth and that some part of the flowers may be purged out through those vessels Now because the stones of women are seated near the womb for that cause these vessels fall not from the peritoneum neither make they such passages as in men neither reach they to the share bone CHAP. VII Of the Stones in Women THe stones of women although they do perform the same actions and are for the same use as mens yet they differ from them in scituation Their scituation substance temperament figure magnitude and in their covering They are seated in the hollowness of the Abdomen neither do they hang out as in men but they rest upon the muscles of the Loynes and this for that cause that they might be more hot and fruitful being to elaborate that matter which with the seed of man engenders man In this place arises a question not trivial A doubt whether the seed of woman be the efficient or the material cause of generation to which it is answered that though it have a power of acting yet that it receives the perfection of that power from the seed of man The stones of women differ from mens also as to their figure Their figure because they are not so round and oval as those of men being in their fore and hinder part more depressed and broad the external superficies being more unequal as if a great many knots and kernels were mixed together There is also another difference as to the subject because they are softer and moister then those of men being more loose and ill compacted The bigness and temper Their magnitude and temperament do also make a difference for the stones of women are much colder and lesser then mens which is the reason that they beget a more thin and watry seed Their coverings also do make a difference for mens are wrapt up in divers tunicles because being pendent outward they were otherwise more subject to external injuries but the stones of women have but one tunicle which though it stick very close to them yet are they also half cloth'd over with the Peritoneum CHAP. VIII Of the deferent or ejaculatory vessels THe deferent vessels are two blind passages on both sides one nothing differing in substance from the spermatick veines They rise in one part from the bottom of the womb neither doe they reach from their other extremitie either to the stone or to any other part but are shut up and unpassable adhering to the womb just as the the blind gut adheres to the Colon but winding halfe way about the stones are every waies remote from them no where touching them onely are tied to them with certaine membranes not unlike the winges of Bats through which certaine veines and arteries being produced from the stones doe run and end in these passages where they begin at the bottom of the womb they are hollow and large but as they proceed further on they grow narrower till near their end they do again obtain a larger bigness these two passages thus running from the corners of the womb to the stones are taken only to be certaine ligaments by which the stones and the womb are strongly knit together and these ligaments in women are the same things with the Cremasteres in men CHAP. IX Of the Actions and Uses of the Genital parts in Women IN the privie part are seen the Pubes the mountaines of veins the two lipps the Orifice under which the two wings lye hid the little knobs of flesh resembling myrtle berries the passages of the Urin and the Clytories As for the pubes and the Mountains of Venus they serve for this use that the great Orifice might be the better shut and to avoyd compression in copulation for which cause they are beset with haire and are covered with a hard kind of fat the great orifice receives the yard and gives passage to the Urine and the birth The use of the wings or knobs of flesh like Myrtle berries are for the defence of the internall parts shutting the orifice of the neck least cold aire dust or any other annoyances should hurt it from without and while they swell up they cause titillation and desire in those parts Lastly the passages of the Urine being shut up by the knobs of flesh resembling myrtle berries hinders the unvoluntarie passage of the Urine CHAP. X. Of the action of the Clytoris THe action of the Clytoris is like that of the yard which is erection which erection is for the motion and attraction of the seed CHAP. XI Of the action and use of the neck of the womb THe action of the neck of the womb is the same with that of the yard that is to say erection which is occasioned divers ways First all this passage is erected and made streight for the better conveyance of the yard to the womb Then while the whole passage is erected it is repleated with spirit and vital bloud whereby it becomes narrower for the more streight embracing of the yard The causes of this erection are first because if the womb were not erected the yard could not have a convenient passage into the womb secondly it would hinder convenient affrication without which the seed could not be drawn forth Lastly it hinders any hurt or damage which might be done by the violent force of the yard CHAP. XII Of the uses of the vessels running through the neck of the womb FIrst it is required that there should be a concurrence of divers veins and arteries for the nourishment of that part and though that part it self being full of membranes does not require much nourishment yet by reason that it is to suffer erection that could not be done but by bloud and spirits which are contained in these vessels besides although the fubstance of this part be of a cold temperament being notwithstanding still heated by the act of copulation that heat would soon consume a slender nourishment
The belly waxes hard as happens to those who are troubled with the Dropsie and almost of an equal roundness with many pricking pains at the bottom of the belly which have scarce any intermission which is the cause that they can hardly sleep being encombered with a heavy and dead burthen It may be known also by other signs for in the conception the Male Infant begins to move at the beginning of the third moneth for the most part and the female at the beginning of the third or fourth moneth now where any motion happens the woman ought to observe whether she have any milk in her breasts or no if she have milk in her breasts it is a sign of true conception if she have not it is a sign of a false one Besides in true conception the mother shall perceive her child to move on all sides oftner though to the right flank then to the left sometimes up sometimes down without any assistance but in false conception although there be a kind of motion which is not enliven'd that proceeds from the expulsive faculty of the mother and not from the mole The mother shall also perceive it to tumble always on that side she lies not having any power to sustain it self beside as she lies on her back if any one do push gently downward the burthen of her belly she shall perceive it to lie and rest in the place where it was pushed without returning thither Beside that which will confirm it more is when after the end of nine moneths the woman shall not come to her travel but that her belly still swels and is puffed up more and more all the rest of the parts of the body growing thin and meager this is a sign of a mole notwithstanding that many women have been known to go ten or eleven moneths before their delivery The signs of the windy mole are these when the belly is equally stretched and swelled up like a bladder more soft then when it bears the fleshie mole and especially near the groynes and small of the belly if it be struck on it sounds like a drum sometime the swelling decreases but by and by it swels more and more the woman feels her self more light it is engendered and encreases swifter then the fleshie mole or the watry and it makes such a dissention of the belly as if one were tearing it a sunder For the watery and humorous mole the signs are almost the same the belly increases and swels by little and little as the woman lies upon her back the sides of her belly are more swelled and distended then the middle or the bottom of the belly which grows flatter then by reason that the water and the humours fall down to the sides of the belly moving up and down on the belly as if there were a fluctuation of water there This distinction is more to be observed in the watry mole that the flank and thighs are more stretched and swollen then the humoral because that the waters flow thither oftentimes and that which comes forth through natures conduite is as clear as rock water without any ill savour but that which flows out in the humoral distemper is more red like water wherein flesh hath been washed and is of an ill savour This is also to be marked in false conception that the flowers never come down and the navel of the mother advances it self little or nothing both which happen in true conception There are besides these above written certain other tumours which the women do take for moles These occasion a rotundity and swelling in the belly which are not discovered till the woman be opened and then there doth appear though the body of the womb be clean and neat without any thing contained in it at one or both corners of the womb a quantity of water contained as it were in little bags in others are to be seen a heap of kernels and superfluous flesh clustered up together in the womb which cause it to swell Yet in these women it hath been observed that their purgations have been very regular which hath been a sign that the womb it self hath been in good temper There is also another excrescency of flesh which may be termed a pendent mole The pendent mole which is a piece of flesh hanging within the inner neck of the womb which at the place where it is fastened is about a fingers breadth still increasing bigger and bigger toward the bottom like a little bell This flesh hanging in the interior neck of the womb possesses the whole orifice of the privy member sometimes appearing outward as big as the fist as hath been observed in some women Of the cures of all these we shall treat in due place CHAP. VI. How women with childe ought to govern themselves IN the first place she ought to chuse a temperate and wholsome air neither too hot nor too cold nor in a watry and damp place nor too subject to fogs or winds especially the South winde which is a great enemy to women with childe causing oft times abortion in them The North winde is also hurtful engendring Rhumes and Catarrhs and Coughs which do often force a woman to lie down before her time Likewise the winds which carry with them evil odours and vapours for these being sucked with the air into the Lungs are the cause of divers diseases For her diet Her Diet. she ought to chuse meat that breeds good and wholsome nourishment and which breeds good juice such are meats that are moderately drie the quantity ought to be sufficient both for themselves and for their children and therefore they are to fast as little as may be for abstinence unless upon good occasion renders the child sickly and tender and constrains it to be born before its time to seek for nourishment as the over-much diet stuffs it up or renders it so big that it can hardly keep its place All meats too cold too hot and too moist are to be avoided as also the use of salads and spiced meats and the too much use of salt meats are also forbidden which will make the childe to be born without nails a sign of short life Her bread ought to be good wheat well baked and levened Her meats ought to be Pigeons Turtles Phesants Larks Partrige Veal and Mutton For herbs she may use Lettice Endive Bugloss and Burrage abstaining from raw Salads for her last course she may be permitted to eat Pears Marmalad as also Cherries and Damsons she must avoid all meats that are diuretick and provoke urine or the termes and such meats as are windy as Pease and Beans Of Longing Yet because there are some women that have such depraved stomachs by reason of a certain salt and sower humor contained in the membranes of the stomach as that they will eat coles chalke ashes cinders and such like trash so that it is impossible to hinder them to such therefore we can only
taken cold which often times doth breed wind which is a great hinderance to the coming forth of the secondines The Midwife ought to chafe the womans belly with her hand which does not only breake the wind but causes the secondine to come downe If this failes the midwife may with her hand dilate the exterior orifice of the womb drawing it forth gently and by degrees CHAP. VIII What may be given to a woman in travaile In the first place hot and violent remedies are to be avoyded Hot things to be avoided but in cases of great necessitie for it many times happens that they are the cause of dangerous fevers Two other things are also very dangerovs to a woman in Travaile too much repletion As also emptiness and fulness and too much emptiness for the stomack of a woman with child doth not digest her meat in so short a time as women that are not with child doe Therfore the midwife ought to informe her self how long it was since she eat and in what quantitie and if it were long since she did eate and that she grow feeble they may give in the intermissions of her paines some warme cherishing and cordial broths or the yolke of a potched egg if her travaile endure long then to strengthen her and comfort her she may take a draught of Cinamon water not exceeding an ounce or at twice a dram of the confection of Alkermes dissolved in two spoonfulls of Claret wine and not more then one of these three things For if they take too much as is before said it causes fevers and heats the whole body of which follows many inconveniences for it stopps the purgations of which many strange diseases ensue CHAP. IX How to put the Womb again in its place SOme women newly brought to bed are many times afflicted with greater paines then those of their travaile by reason that the womb is not well put into its place or if it have the swath-band being loose it is apt to roule upwards in the belly This happens to women that are not well purged after their deliverie for remedie hereof having put the matrix right into its place roule up two linen swathes pretty hard bringing them also round the hipps then take whites of eggs beaten and a dram of Pepper in pouder which being spread upon Toe is to be applyed warme to the navil then let the bellie be well swathed this is the only remedy to ease the paine CHAP. X. Against the extreme loss of blood which happen to women immediately after their delivery THere are many women who immediately after their delivery doe suffer great losse of blood which proceeds from a great plenitude or fullness or by reason that in their travaile they took too many hot and corosive medicines or by streining themselves too hard over-heated the blood so that after travaile it runs from them in great quantitie To remedie this the woman ought to take often a small quantitie of wine in a spoon and if the weakness be much let her mix half a dramme of Alkermes with a draught of wine and take care that she be well swathed upward for that presses downe and streightens the vessels and hinders the violent flux give her also the yolke of an egg to take for that recalls the natural heat to the stomach which was dispersed through the whole It would be necessary also to spread a long the reines of the woman and all along the back-bone by reason of the hollow veine a napkin dipt in Oxicrat or water mingled with vinigre You may also lay upon each groin a skeine of raw silk moistened in cold water Take also of that well tempered earth of which they make the floor of an oven and steep it in strong vinigre then spread it upon a linnen cloath and lay it upon the reines this moderates the heat of the blood and stoppes the violent flux of it Great care must be also had that all the while the Blood comes from her she do not sleep for many times they are taken away in that weakeness when the people thinke they doe not take their rest but when you see this great flux moderated you may take away the astringent medicines by little and little that so the blood may cease running by degrees lest any bloud should be retained that may chance to doe mischeife CHAP. XI What is to be done to a woman presently after her delivery PResently after a woman is delivered if she have had a sore travail they ought to cast her into the skin of a sheep flead alive and put about her reins as hot as may be Upon her belly also lay the skin of a Hare flead alive having cut the throat of it afterwards and rubbed the skin with the bloud which is to be clapt as warm as may be to her belly This closes up the dilatations made by the birth and chases from those parts the ill and melancholly bloud These remedies are to be kept on two hours in Winter and one hour in Summer After this swath the woman with a napkin about a quarter of a yard large having before chafed the belly with oyl of St John's wort Then raise up the Matrix with a linen cloth many times folded then with a little pillow about a quarter of a yard long cover her flanks then use the swath beginning a little above the hanches yet rather higher then lower winding it pretty tight Lay also warm cloaths upon the nipples letting alone those remedies which are proper for the driving back of the milk which are not so soon to be applied for the body is now all in a commotion and there is neither vein nor artery which doth not beat wherfore those remedies that chase away the milk being all dissolving therefore it is not proper to put such medicines upon the breast during that commotion for sear that those medicines should make a stop of any thing hurtful in those parts and therefore it is better to give ten or twelve hours for the bloud to settle in as also for that which was cast upon the Lungs by the agitation of travail to distil down again into its place You may also make a restrictive of the white and yellow of an egg beaten togeiher with an ounce of oyl of St John's wort and an ounce of oyl of roses an ounce of rose water and an ounce of plantine water beat all these together very well in this you may dip a linen cloath folded double and apply it without warming of it to the breasts this comforts and eases the pains of that part She must not sleep presently but a matter of four hours after her delivery you may give her some nourishing broth or candle and then if she will she may sleep CHAP. XII Of women that have a great deal of bloud and purge not neither in their travail nor after SOme women have great superfluity of bloud and yet purge not at all neither
powder laid upon them Hemorrhoids of the VVomb are little protuberances like those of the fundament produced in the neck of the womb through the abundance of feculent blood the subject is the neck of the womb for where the veins end there do grow these extuberancies just as in the Hemorrhoids The signes are evident and easily seen by the help of the Speculum Matricis the women who are thus affected look pale and are troubled with a weariness The cause is a Feculent bloud which flowing to these veins before its season and setling there grows thicker so that it cannot pierce the orifice of the veins They are cured by a revulsion of the humor first by letting blood in the arm secondly by drawing it to another part as by letting blood in the heel Sometimes these Hemmorrhoids are very painful and are distinguishd from that menstruous effuxion by the pain which they bring they are cured by mitigating and asswaging insessions as also by opiates carefully applyed Others are without pain to which the foresaid Remedies may be applied Others are open and do sometimes run moderately and then nature is to be let alone or violently so that thereby the strength of the person is impaired in which case a vein must be opened in the arm two or three times purgation is also to be used by Myrobalans Tamarinds and Rheubarb and at length you must apply those things which cease the blood Others are termed blinde out of which there issues no blood they are cured by blood-letting the part is to be also softned and fomented with things that soften and open the orifices of the veins and dispel the humor such are an Ointment made of the pith of Colocynthis and Oyl of sweet Almonds or the juice of Capers mixt with Aloes neither is the applying of Hors-leeches amiss Of the Vlcers of the neck of the Womb. THe signes of these Ulcers is a paine and perpetual twinging which increases if any thing that hath an abstersive quality be cast in the issuing out of putrid humors and mattier with blood if the Ulcer be great or the flowers come down often making water and the water hot as also a paine in the fore part of the head toward the roots of the eyes as also some kinde of gentle Fever The cure of this is hard because of its being in a place of so exquisite sense and moist and having such a sympathy with other parts of the body for the easing of the paine Chalybeated milk is very much conducing to the drying of them up drying baths are the best and most prevalent Remedy These differ much coming either from external causes as rash physick hard labour and violent coiture or from internal causes as the corruption of the secundines the courses reteined and the uterine flux a virulent Gonorrhea the pox inflammations turned into Apostemes Humors flowing from other parts of the body and there setling all which must be duly considered in the cure Others are in the outward part and may be easily come at with medecines others deep and must be come at only with injection for which purpose use this following Take whites of four Eggs beat them wel and put to them an equal quantity of Rosewater and Plantain-water as much in quantity as they come to Camphire Ceruse Litharge of gold and Bole Armoniack of each a little quantity green Copperas half as much as of any of them beat all to powder mix it and strein it through a cloth and make your injection til the part affected be whole and if there be any paine sometimes inject a little new warm milk Others are more gentle with a little stinking mattier flowing from them For the cure of which gentle abstersives are profitable as hony of Roses with Barly-water whey with sugar and the decoction of Lentils after these gentle astringents must be applied Others are sordid with much mattier flowing from them In which case stronger medecines must be appli'd Others do eat into the flesh having a colour'd green stinking mattier flowing from them For the cleansing of which Aloes and wormwood are very much commended or the foresaid injection There are another sort of ulcers little and long which eat the skin of the neck of the womb they are known by the pain and blood which they produce immediatly after congression they are seen also by looking into the neck of the womb being much like Childblains that come upon the hands in Winter-time They are caused divers wayes either by a difficult lying in or by a violent coiture and cured by an astringent Clyster or they are produced by some inflammation or Flux of sharp humors purgations are here needfull before Topicks be applied among which is much commended the grease that fries out of wooden ladles much used in Kitchins being held to the fire as also the ointment called Pomada Of the diseases of the Womb. Of the Womb being out of temper THe intemperance of the womb is when it hath lost its natural temper and is affected with a preternatural intemperancy arising both from inward and outward causes The one of these is hot and is known by the womans pronenesse to Venery by the small Flux of the monethly courses by their adustnesse sharpness inordinate and difficult flux Hence in processe of time they are very hypochondriack by early growing of the hairs about the privities by rednesse of the face and dryness of the lips and frequent pains of the head and abundance of cholerick humors in the body it ariseth either at first from the birth which causes women to be Virago's and to be barren or after their nativity from outward causes as the use of hot things overmuch Venery and such medicines as bring the heat and blood to the womb The cure consists in a contrary diet and cooling medicines both internal and external which are to be applied to the back and sides which must be very moderate that the heat which is necessary for conception may not be weakened and the cold and membranous substance of the womb come to any harm or lest the vessels which serve for the carrying away of the courses should be thickned and the nerves of the back and sides be any waies mischieved The next way of cure is performed by evacuating medicines namely Rheubarb and solutive syrup of Roses Manna also profits much the flower of Vitriol of Venus and Mars taken from three grains to six and put in any proper syrup purges the womb There is another intemperancy which comes of cold which is known by a lesser pronenesse to Venery and little pleasure taken in it a setling in the courses with a slimy and phlegmy matter mixed and an inordinate flowing of them by reason of the plenty of humors collected in the womb which causes obstructions by reason of abundance of windy vapours in the womb crudity and watrinesse of the seed which causes it to flow without any pleasure a pale colour in
so firmly annexed to the right gut and to the privities it would necessarily follow that those parts should be also stretched And though it happen to be stretched and distended by the windy vapours yet it follows not that therefore it should be moved upward and whereas women do say that they do somtimes perceive a certain round body moving about the region of the navel that may rather be said to be the stones and that blind vessel then the womb Of the wounds of the Matrix this must be noted that they are very difficult to be cured Yet the cure is to be assayd five manner of wayes by the use of things which do evacuate the peccant humor which is done partly by a good order of dyet and living in a dry and temperate aire Longer sleep then ordinary and the avoiding of exercise in this case is to be observed and instead thereof to use moderate frictions all repletions and a loose Belly are naught the meat that she eats must be little and contrary to the humor that offends as reare eggs Milk Chicken Broths and the meat of them dry Raisins Almonds and Pistaches For her drink it ought to be chiefly the decoction of Barly or liquorice In the next place it will not be amiss to let blood in the Basilick vein let her take some convenient purge according to the humour which abounds Vomitings also and frictions may be used and the provoking of sweat by the decoction of Guaiacum Sarsaparil China root which are very proper to turn away the humors from the Matrix Sometimes this happens from an intemperancie of the womb which if it be cold the womb is not able to concoct sufficient quantity of nourishment and therefore heaps up together many excrements if it be moist it is not able to contain either the blood or the seed or the birth as it should do The cure of this is above touched in the chapter of Distempers There is another difference which is taken from the occult qualities which the womb is seen to have there being a sympathy and antipathy between that and divers things as to covet the seed of man and to love sweet things and then the affection arises from no evident cause there being no excesse of coldnesse or moisture to be apprehended The medecines which are to be applied for the cure of this must be proper in their whole substance Sometimes the difference ariseth in this that the naturall heat is either suffocated or dissipated this affection is something dangerous because it is a difficult matter to restore the naturall heat In the cure of this restoratives must be notwithstanding used such are Cinamom Nutmeg Species diaxyloaloes Aromaticum Rosatum Of the pain of the womb THere is no need to give other signes of this then the complaint of the woman it affects women that are both free and women that are with childe It happens sometimes from corroding humours especially caused by ulcers or vitious flowers The cure whereof is referred to these heads sometimes it happens from a distention caused either by some curdled blood sticking in the cavity of the womb and then there is a copious flux of blood out of the womb and the pain is fixed chiefly about the orifice of the womb the right gut and the bladder being affected by reason of the continuall desire of expelling forth the humor In the cure first you must seek to dissolve the clotted blood which is done by the use of Treacle dissolved in wine and then to evacuation which is performed with Agaric Aloes with the juice of Savine decoction of Rosemary with the flowers of Cheiri in wine Sometimes it is caused by the menstruous blood when the vessels are more open or the blood too thick which happens through the overmuch use of cold drink especially when the woman is hot The cure may be found in the cure of the suppression of the flowers Sometimes it is caused by other vitious humours collected in the concavity of the womb or adhering to the other vessels then these humours are to be removed with purging and evacuating medecines Sometimes windy vapours are the cause hereof arising from the heat of the vitious humours caused by copulation It is cured by things that discusse the winde to which purpose it may not be amisse to use a Clyster made of Malmesey and oyle of Nuts of each three ounces of Aquavitae one ounce of oyle of Juniper and distild Rue of each two drams applied warm or a mixture of spirit of wine and spirit of Nitre of each half a dram or two scruples exhibited in spirit of wine Sperma Coeti with oyle of sweet Almonds or a plaister of Caranna and Tachamahacca applied to the navel Sometimes it is occasioned by the retention and corruption of the seed For the cure look the Chapter of the suffocation of the Matrix Of the suppression of the Flowers THe suppression of the Flowers is the retention of the menstrual blood either by reason of the narrowness of the vessels or through some corruption of the blood The signes are evident from the relation of the woman yet if they are loath to confesse it may be discerned by this For in virgins the suppressed blood wanders up and down the veins and begets obstructions changing the colour of the body and causing Fevers In women because the blood is carried down to the womb where it begets many diseases it is distinguished from retention after conception because women with child find no alteration of affections of the minde and retain the native colour of their bodies and in the third moneth they shal perceive the motion and situation of the Infant and lastly the mouth of the Womb is closed up The causes of this distemper are the narrowness of the veins and the vitiousness of the blood The cure of this must be hastened because this suppression if it stay long begets many more diseases as Fevers Dropsies Vomiting of blood and the like the cure is hard if it be of any continuance and if it stay beyond the sixt moneth it is almost incurable especially if it happen through any perversion of the neck of the womb for then the Woman is troubled with often swooning and vomiting of blood and a paine seizes the parts of the Belly the back and the back-bone which is attended with a Fever and the excrements of the Belly and bladder are suppressed a weariness possesses the whole body because of the diffusion of the retained blood through the whole body and especially the hips and thighs because of the sympathy of those parts with the veins of the womb In the first place the letting of blood is commended for the blood which every moneth staies in the body sticks in the veins is to be provoked downward to the womb and therefore a vein is to be opened in the heel for so the plenty of blood is diminished and the motion of the blood is made
when the Woman is troubled with difficulty of breathing In the third place ligatures and frictions of the arms are to be used Another difference of this disease arises from a sharp blood which is known by the gnawing of the humor upon the vessels In the cure you must purge with syrup of Roses solutive or with leaves of Sene a pessary of sows dung and Asses dung which is made up with Plantain water and the muscilage of the seed of Quinces is here of use if need require Another difference arises from a serous and watry blood for either the liver is weakned or the veins so debilitated that it cannot attract the serous or wheyie humor in the blood in this case the blood flows not forth in such a quantity nor is easily curdled if a cloth be dipped in it and then dryed in the shade it presently discolours In the cure hereof you must look to the rectifying of the weaknes of the reins and liver with convenient remedies for which purpose the livers of Foxes Calves Hens c. are very good Sometimes from a rupture of the veins which proceeds either from a fulness of blood or from causes that do vehemently stir up the blood especially from hard labour if it be needful you must let blood and apply conglutinating medecines Or from a gnawing of the vessels which is known by this that sometimes there flows forth little blood and that purulent and full of the wheyie or serous humour It arises from a sharp and corrupt blood and sometimes from the use of sharp medecines Among the astringent medecines the root of Filipendula is much to be commended or a decoction of the same root Of the Whites Gonorrhea in women THe Whites is an inordinate eruption of an excrementitious humour collected together through some vitiousnesse of the blood It affects women chiefly and sometimes also Virgins of which there are examples yet it is more often in women especially if they be of a moist constitution and live an idle and delicate life eating such things as are cold and moist Old women also are affected herewith through the abundance of flegme and the weakness of the concoctive faculty If differs from the Gonorrhea because in that the seminal matter is white and thicker and flows by longer intervals and issues forth in a lesser quantity from a nocturnal pollution for that is joyned with venereal imaginations and onely happens in the time of sleep It differs from the discolouring of the flowers for they though not exactly do always observe their times of flowing Besides they happen not to women with childe or such whose courses are stopped It differs from the putrid humour that issues from the ulcers of the womb because that is joyned with the signes of an ulcer and the putrefaction is thicker and whiter if it be mattrie it is coloured with blood and issues forth with pain The cure of this must be hastened because in a short time it endangers the making of women barren causing them to be lean to fall into a consumption melancholy the dropsie fall of the womb swoonings and convulsions which is the cause that though it be not hard to be cured in the beginning yet it is afterwards very difficult for by this means the whole body accustoms it self to send forth its excrements this way and the womb being now weakned gathers excrements apace Sometimes it proceeds from the whole body and then you may perceive the signes of an ill humour through the whole body In the cure of this you must avoid blood-letting for that the bad humours must not be recalled to defile the blood besides that the disease is a sufficient weakning and consuming of the body The humour is discussed by the decoction of Guaiacum and China and Lentisk wood For the drying up of the humour the root of Filipendula doth very much conduce For astringent medecines you may use chiefly the powder of dead mens bones the ashes of Capons dung in rain-water The patient must avoid sleeping upon her back lest the heat of the Lungs should carry the humours towards the womb Frictions also of the upper parts for the diversion of the humour Sometimes it is caused by the womb it self and then there will appear signes of the affection of the womb and the flux is not so great For the cure of this suffumigations of Frankincense Ladanum Mastick and Santalum are very requisite Of the Green-sicknesse THe Green-sicknesse is a changing of the colour of the face into a green and pale colour proceeding from the rawnesse of the humors The signes of this appear in the face to which may be added a great pain in the head difficulty of breathing with a palpitation of the heart a small and thick beating of the arteries in the neck back and temples sometimes inordinate Fevers through the vitiousnesse of the humours loathing of meat vomiting distention of the Hypochondriack parts by reason of the reflux of the menstruous blood to the greater vessels a swelling of the whole body by reason of the abundance of humours or of the thighs and legs above the heels by reason of the abundance of serous humours The cause is the crudity and rawnesse of the humour and quantity withall arising from the suppression of the courses through the natural narrownesse of the vessels or through an acquired narrownesse of the vessels by the eating of oatmeal chalk earth nutmegs and drinking of vinegar or from the obstruction of the other bowels Hence arises an ill concoction in the bowels and the humours are carried into the habit of the body or become habitual thereto The cure is performed by the letting of blood especially in the heel if the disease be of any continuance by purgation preparation of the humour being first considered which is performed by the decoction of Guaiacum with Cretan Dittany purging of the humour is performed with Agarick Aloes Succotrin with the juice of Savine for the unobstructing of the humour prepared steel the root of Scorzonera Bezoar stone and oyle of Chrystall in diet vinegar is utterly to be avoided Of the Suffocation of the Matrix THe signes of the suffocation of the womb are a wearines of the whole body with a weakness of the thighs a palenes and sadness of the face a nauseousness though seldom vomiting oftentimes a loathing and distast of meat and that sometimes with a grumbling and noise in the belly and sometimes without The signs of the present disease are that when the vapours are carried up to the heart and do there stop the vital spirits a light swooning follows the pulse changes is little the body grows cold all the spirits flying up into the heart the vapour being thrust up to the head and chaps the chaps are many times set fast the Patient seeming to be stifled the motion of the breast and Diaphragme is disturbed and hindred so that the breath is almost stopt the Patient living only by transpiration
have to make water p. 89. of the inflammation of the Almonds of the eares p. 90. of vomiting ibid. of the Hicquet p. 91. of the pain of the belly in children ibid. of the small pox in children p. 92. Certain other instructions grounding upon practicall observations fit to be known by all Midwives and child-bearing women c. p. 95. A Second observation of a Woman that had been in Travail nine dayes p. 99. of a Woman here in Town that bare her Child eleven Moneths and could not be Delivered p. 101. of the common opinion that a woman seven moneths gone ought to walk very much and of the accidents that happen thereby p. 1â—3 of a child which they thought sick of the Epilepsie occasioned by the sicknesse of the Mother and of the cause p. 106. of a young woman who being struck upon the belly by her Husband with his foot was in great pain could not be brought to bed without the help of a Chirurgion p. 108. of two Deliveries of one Woman p. 109. of a Woman that because she would not be ruled in her Lying in died p. 111. of certain Women that bear children and lye in before their time and others at their full time who grow big and full of humors which causeth the death of the child presently after their Delivery their children being nourished in their Bellies like fish only with water p. 113. The observation of a woman who was thought unable to bear any more Children yet contrary to expectation was delivered of one and the reason thereof p. 114. A good observation in the choice of Nurses p. 115. of a Woman which I laid two several times and of the difference of her bearing of two children proceeding from several causes p. 117. Instruction of a famous and dying Midwife to her Daughter touching the practice of this Art p. 119. The natural forme of a child lying in the womâ— To be sold by N Brooke at the Angel in Cornhil G. F. 〈◊〉 THE COMPLEAT MIDWIFE HER PRACTICE Of the Genitals or vessels dedicated to Generation in Men and Women THe consideration of these things is so necessary for the purpose of this book that they require not onely a deep meditation but the praeeminence to take up the first thoughts of those who would arrive to the knowledg of a thing so much needful to all mankinde And it may be lawfully feared that many women do miss their design because they know nothing but the outside of things so that in matters of extremity because they are ignorant of the structure of the parts they cannot tell how to go about their work We shall therefore begin with an easie Anatomy of the privy parts both of men and women so far as shall be requisite to the gaining of so great a skill In the first place therefore we shall begin with man in whom those things which are called the vessels of preparation are first to be considered CHAP. I. Of the vessel of preparation AMong the Spermatic vessels are to be considered first two veins and two arteries these are carried downward from the small guts to the Testicles and are much bigger in men then they are in women The original of these veines is not alwayes the same for commonly the right vein riseth out of the hollow veine a little below the source or original of the Emulgent but the least takes his original from the lower part of the Emulgent it self Yet sometimes it hath a branch carried to it from the trunk of the hollow vein The middle part of these veines runs directly through the Loyns resting upon the Lumbal Muscle a thin Membrane only intervening and thus having gone about half its journey it branches out and distributes it self to the near adjoyning filmy parts of the body The uttermost part of these vessels is carried beyond the Midriff to the Stones yet do they not pass through the Peritonaeum but descends with a small nerve and the muscle called Cremaster through the Duplicity of the Midriffe when it approaches neer the stones it is joyned with an artery and now these vessels which were before a little severed one from the other are by a film rising from the Peritoneum closed up and bound both together and so twisting up like the young tendrils of a vine they are carried to the end of the stones fig 1. fig 2. CHAP. II. Of the Parastatae or vessels where the bloud is first changed THese four vessels after many ingraftings and knittings together seem at length to become onely two bodies full of little crumplings like the tendril of a vine white and in the form of a Piramid resting the right upon the right stone the left upon the left stone These are called Parastatae which as they stand pierce the tunicles of each stone with certain fibers or extraordinary small veines which afterwards dispearse themselves through the body of those stones The substance of these Parastatae is between that of the stones and that of the preparing vessels for they neither altogether consist of Membranes neither are they altogether Glandulous or kernelly CAAP. III. The use of the preparing vessels THe use of those vessels which are called the vessels of preparation is chiefly to attract out of the hollow vein or left Emulgent the most pure and exquisitely concocted bloud which is most apt to be converted into seed which they contain and prepare giving unto it a certain rude form of seed in those parts that lie as it were in certain pleights or folds which they do by a peculiar property bequeathed to them Another use of them is gathered by their scituation for as they are now scituated that is to say the right vein coming from the hollow vein and the left from the Emulgent this inconvenience is avoided that the left vein is not forced to pass over the great artery and so be in danger of breaking by reason of the swift motion of the artery Moreover there being a necessity that male and female should be begot it is fit that there should be seed proper for the generation of both sexes whereof some must be hotter and some must be colder and therefore nature hath so ordered it that the hotter seed should proceed from the right vein for the generation of man and the colder from the left for the generation of females The left vein hath also this property to draw from the Emulgent the more serous and less pure bloud to the intent that the serous humour might stir up venery by its salt and acrimonius substance and therefore it is observed that those who have the left stone bigger are most full of seed and most prone to venery The use of the Parastatae is this to contain the bloud and stay it in their windings and wrinkled bodies and by power received from the stones to change the colour of the bloud CHAP IV. Of the Testicles in general THe stones are in number two very seldome
from the place where it begins to the end of the spermatick vessels and the neck of the blader and the warty forestanders where There arises a thin and tender membrane which the Chirurgions ought to take a great deale of care least they break while they thrust their siringes toward those parts It is endued with an exquisite sense to stir up pleasure and venereal desire As to tbe substance of the Glans The use of the Glans it is the same with that of the yard only it is not envelop'd with any nervous body For this ought to be repleted and increased but not hardened lest it should injure the bone of the womb by rubbing too hard upon it The figure of the Glans is such that at the top where it is most acute it hath a hole for the issuing forth both of seed and Urine which part coming to the mouth of the wombe casts the seed into that concavitie at which time the neck of the wombe with her overthwart fibres seems to take hold and embrace the glans and that it might take the better hold nature hath framed a round Circle at the bottom of the yard for that purpose with a convenient jeting out round about from the body of the yard by the benefit of which circle the seed is kept in the womb and not suffered to flye out Lastly the Glans is so constituted as if all the actions of the yard consisted in the Glans whether in the act of erection or copulation or as to the pleasure which a man perceives that lies all in this place SECT II. CHAP. I. Of the Genitals of Women AT the lower part of the belly appears the pubes or the region of the hair Under this place are as it were lips of flesh which in women that are ripe for man are clad with hair at the upper part because of the heat and moisture of the place and this part is that which is most properly called the privy member being the exteriour orifice into which the yard of the man enters In the middle it hath a cleft on both sides of which are two fleshy protuberances beset with hair being two soft oblong bodies composed of skin and a spungy kind of flesh CHAP. II. Of those parts called Mymphs and Clytoris THe Nymphae or wings are a membraine or filmy substance soft and spungy and partly fleshy they are of a ruddy colour like the comb of a Cock under his throat they are two in number though in the beginning they are joyned together by an acute Angle where they produce a carneous substance like the preputium which cloaths the Clytoris Sometimes these wings so far encrease that there is many times need of incision a disease common among the Egyptians The Clytoris The Clytoris is a certain substance in the upper part of the great cleft where the two wings concur This in women is the seat of venereal pleasure It is like the yard in scituation substance composition and erection and hath something correspondent both to the prepuce and to the glans in men Sometimes it grows out to the bigness of the yard so that it hath been observed to grow out of the body the breadth of four fingers This Clytoris consists of two spungie and sinewy bodies having a distinct original from the bone of the pubes The head of this is covered with a most tender skin and hath a hole like the glans though not quite through in which and in the bigness it differs only from the yard CHAP. IV. Of the fleshie knobs and the greater neck of the womb PRresently behinde the wings before we go far inward in the middle of the cleft there do appear four knobs of flesh being placed in a quadrangular form one against the other they are said to resemble Myrtle berries in form In this place is inserted the orifice of the bladder which opens it self into the fissure to cast forth the Urine into the common channel Now lest any cold air or dust or any such thing should enter into the bladder after the voiding of the Urine one of these knobs is seated so that it shuts the urinary passage The second is right opposite to the first the other two collateral They are round in virgins but they hang flaging when virginity is lost The lipps of the womb being gently separated the neck of the womb is to be seen The neck of the womb in which two things are to be observed the neck it selfe or the Channel and the Hymen which is there placed by the neck of the womb is understood the Channel which is between the said knobs and the inner bone of the womb which receives the yard like a sheath the substance The substance of it is sinewie and a little spungie that it may be dilated In this concavitie there are certaine folds or orbicular pleights these are made by a certain tunicle so wrinkled as if a man should fold the skin with his fingers In virgins they are plaine in women with often copulation they are oftentimes worn out sometimes they are wholy worn out the inner side of the neck appeares smooth as it happens to whores and women that have often brought forth or have bin over troubled with their fluxes In old women it becomes more hard and grisly Now though this channel be somthing writhed and crooked when it falls and sinkes downe yet in time of the flowers and copulation or in time of travel it is erected and extended and this over-great extension in women that bring forth is the cause of that great pain in child-bed CHAP. V. Of the Hymen THe Hymen The Hymen is a membrane not altogether without blood neither so tender as the rest but more ruddie and scattered up and downe with little veins in a circular form it is placed overthwart and shuts up the cavity of the neck of the womb In the middle it hath a little hole through which the menses are voided This at the first time of copulation is broken which causes some pain and gushing forth of some quantity of blood which is an evident sign of virginitie for if the blood do not flow there is a suspition of a former deflowring CHAP. VI. Of the vessels that run through the neck of the womb BEtween the Duplicitie of the two tunicles that constitute the neck of the womb there are many veines and arteries that run a long arising from those vessels that descend on both sides to the thighs and are inserted into the side of the neck of the womb the great quantity and bigness of them deserves admiration The cause of the largness of the vessels for they are much bigger then the nature and openness of the place seems to require The cause of this is two fold first because it being requisite for the neck of the bladder to be fil'd with abundance of spirits to be extended and dilated for the
which nature hath supplied by the concourse of these vessels Another cause of the plenty of these veins is nourishment of the birth and the exclusion of the flowers CHAP. XIII Of the actions of the womb THe first use of the womb is to attract the seed by a familiar sympathy just as the load-stone draws iron The second use is to retain it which is properly called conception The third is to cherish the seed thus attracted to altar it and change it into the birth by raising up that power which before lay sleeping in the seed and to reduce it from power into act The fourth action of the womb is to send forth the birth at the time prefixed the apt time of expulsion is when the expulsive faculty begins to be affected with some sence of trouble that is when the birth afflicts and oppresses the womb with its own weight Besides these uses it hath these moreover to nourish the birth and to dilate it self which it doth by the help of veins and arteries which do fill more and more with matter as nature requires The chiefest action of the womb and most proper to it The proper actions of the womb is the retention of the seed without which nothing of other action could be performed for the generation of man CHAP. XIV Of the utility of the womb FIrst it is the most fit place for copulation as being in a place furthest removed from the senses near which it were not fit to be by reason of the inconveniencies which would necessarily arise It is most fit to receive the birth as being hollow in which concavity the birth may increase to its full proportion every way It is most fit for the exclusion of the birth as being placed downward whereby the birth might help its self with its own weight and also by reason of the muscles of the Abdomen which serve for compression and do help the endeavours of the mother CHAP. XV. Of the Utility of the preparing vessels in women THe Utilities of these vessels are taken first from their original and from their insertion the right vein rising from the hollow and the left from the emulgent as in men that the more hot and purer bloud might come from the right vein for the procreation of males and the more serous and watry bloud from the Emulgent for the generation of women The vessels also in women are shorter then in men because the way is not so far to the stones which brevity of the vessels is lengthened out by the many turnings and windings with which those vessels are endued In the middle way those vessels divide themselves like a fork the greater part going to the stones carrying the matter for seed the lesser is carried to the womb where it scatters it self all along the sides of it for the Nutrition of the womb As for the Arteries they afford the bloud which is more full of spirits to perfect the seed CHAP. XVI Of the Utility of the stones THe use of the stones in women is the same as in men that is to say to prepare the seed and to make it fit for procreation They are seated within that they should not want a continual heat to cherish them for the matter of the seed being colder in men then in women it requires a greater heat which it would of necessity want were the stones placed outward like those of men and for that cause are they covered only with one tunicle that the heat of those parts may more easily pass to them And therefore the stones of women are softer then those of men because they should not perfect so substantial a seed and that the heat of the adjacent parts should not be wholly taken up in the cherishing of them Their figure is not exactly round Their figure but depressed that the little Meanders of the veins dispersed through the membrane from the stones to the deferent vessels might have more roome to be inserted for the attraction of the seed out of the whole substance of the stone The inequality and ruggedness of them makes for the longer stay of the seed in those crooked and winding vessels SECT III. CHAP. I. Of the signes of Conception Signs of conception HAving thus shewed you the Anatomy and use of the parts it will be requisite to discourse of the conception it self which is the main and chief end of these vessels And first of the signs of conception The signes of conception on the mothers side are certaine and apparent first if after she hath had the company of her husband she hath received more content then ordinary Pains in the head vertigo dimness of the eys all these concurring together portend conception the apples of the eyes decrease the eyes themselves swell and become of a dark colour the veins of the eyes wax red and swell with blood the eyes sink the eye-brows grow loose various colours appear in the eyes little red pimples rise in the face the veines between the nose and the eyes swell with blood and are seen more plain the vein under the tongue looks greenish the neck is hot the back-bone cold the veins and arteries swell and the pulses are observed more easily the veins in the breast first look of a black colour but afterward turn yellowish the teats looke red if she drink cold drinke she feeles the cold in her breast she loaths her meat and drinke she hath divers longings but her naturall appetite is destroyed continual vomitings follow and weakness of the stomach sower belches wormes about her navel faintness of the loynes the lower part of her belly swelling inward griping of the body the retention of the seed seaven dayes after the act of copulation after which act there is a cold and trembling which seizes the external members the attractive force of the womb increases the womb dries up It is also a certain sign of conception if the Midwife touching with her finger the interiour neck of the womb shall find it exactly closed so that the point of a needle will not go between the womb waxeth round and swels the flowers cease to flow for the veins through which they come down carry the bloud to the nourishment of the birth the thighs swell with some pain the whole body grows weak and the face waxes pale the Excrements proceed slower out of the body the Urine is white a little cloud swimming at the top and many atoms appear in the Urine Take the Urine of a woman and shut it up three days in a glass if she have conceived at the end of three days there will appear in the Urine certain live things to creep up and down Take also the Urine of a woman and put it in a bason a whole night together with a clean and bright needle in it if the woman have conceived the needle will be scattered full of red speckles but if not it will be black and rustie CHAP. II.
Centinode a good big handfull the rind of Cassia the rind of Pomegranates Scarlet Graines of each three ounces the nature of a whale one ounce Myrrh water rose water and sloe water an ounce and a half thick wine and smiths water of each foure ounces and a half then make two little baggs of a quarter of a yard long causing them to boyle in the foresaid waters in a new pot using one after another as you have occasion leting it lye upon the bone of the Pubes passing in between the hipps chafing her often and holding her head and her reines low using in the morning somtimes a little mastick in an eg or somtimes plantaine seed if the disease be not too old it may be cured by this meanes but if it be of a long standing you must make a pessarie halfe round and half oval of great thick cork peirced through in the middle tye a little packthred to the end then cover it over with white wax that it may doe no hurt and to make it more thick this must be dipped in oyle of Olives to make it enter and it must be streit that it may not easily fall out and if it be too little to have an other bigger when the woman goes to do her necessary occasions she must hold it in least she should force it out the hole is made that the vapors of the womb may have a vent and to give way for her purgations to flow neither must it be taken away till after the purgations are passed the thicknes causes the matrix to mount up as long as it is very thick for the ligaments being close doe then retire If they be women that beare children the midwife ought not to suffer them to force themselves but as nature constraines her having her own hand ready after the throw to put back the Matrix with her finger and when she is brought to bed lay her low with her head and with her reines raising her up with pillows put under her hipps and for women that are troubled with this disease they ought not to lace themselves over hard for that thrusts down the matrix and makes the woman pouch bellyed and hinders the Infant form being well situated in her body causing her to carrie the child all upon her hipps and makes her belly as deformed as her wast is handsome Of a disease that happens by reason of the fall of the Matrix THere is somtimes a relaxation of the membrane that covers the rectum Intestinum when the head of the child at the beginning of the travaile falls downward and draws it low often-times it comes by reason of women with child lacing themselves which causes such a conflux of wind to these parts that it seemes to the woman to be the head of the child in so much that she is hardly able to stand upright neither can she goe For remedy hereof you must keep the woman soluble giving her Anise and Coriander seeds to dissipate the winds You must take Sage Agrimony Mother-wort balme White wormwood Margerome a little rue and a little Thyme and Camomile and having picked all the above written herbs you must cut them very small and having well mingled them put them into a maple platter and then put hot cinders upon them and upon those another handfull of herbes covering the platter with a close cloth that the woman may receive the smoake this is a remedie which hath been much approved and experimented To remedie the fall of the fundament in Infants TAke of the green shrub wherof they make broomes and cut it smal and lay it upon the coales and set the child over the smoake thereof and it will certainly cure it Of the diseases of women and first of the inflammation of the brest THe inflamation of the brests is a hard swelling together with a beating paine redness and shooting The cheif cause of this is the abundance of blood drawn up together in that place though there be somtimes other causes also as the suppression of the courses the Haemorrhoids or a blow received upon the breasts The signes of it are easie to be known that is to say a certain rednes and burning heat oftimes joyned with a fever For the cure of this there are four sorts of remedies first as the order of dyet which must be comforting and moistning as broth of pullets where endive borage lettice and purselaine may be boyled also she may drinke the juce of Pomegranates or barly water with aniseeds boyled in it the use of wine and all sorts of spices are very dangerous and if the woman goe not freely to the stoole there is nothing better then a lenitive glyster she may sleep much and must not disturb her selfe with any passion The next way of remedy is by diverting the humours which is done by frictions letting bloud in the foot scarification of the legs or vesicatories applied to those places especially if the flowers are stopped or ready to come down if not it will be expedient to open a veine in the arme You may also prepare the humour to void it out of the place affected by opening either the middle vein or the Basilic or the Vena Saphena which may be done two or three times if occasion serve after bloud-letting purge but let this be done with sweet medicines such are Cassia Manna Tamarind syrrup of Roses or Violets Solutive having a little before used certain syrrups which may asswage and temper the humours Take syrrup of Roses and Purslain of each one ounce Endive water and Plantain water of each an ounce give this to the patient Neither will it be amiss to give her syrrup of Succory or Endive or such like for these syrrups have a cooling and refreshing faculty especially being mingled with Plantain or Endive water or such like or the decoction of the said herbs now when the humour is thus prepared you may give her some gentle purges As for example take of the pulp of Cassia and Tamarinds of each six drams of this make a little bolus with some sugar and give to the patient or with this potion Take of the Leaves of Italian Orach three drams of Aniseed one scruple infuse these in four ounces of the foresaid waters Into this being strained infuse an ounce of Cassia and into the streining of this dissolve an ounce of solutive Roses of this make a potion and give it The fourth way of cure consists in Topicks such as may drive back and repress the humour though care must be had that they be not over strong lest you thereby do cool the heart too much and thereupon drive the humour upon the heart it self And therefore temperate medicines are chiefly to be chosen and such especially as are able to digest and dissolve the humour Wherefore it shall not be amiss to apply a linnen cloath dipt in white strong vineger and a little cold water which must be applied to the breasts and
toward the womb if necessity requires that it should be done more then once one day a vein must be opened in one thigh and another day in the other and that which is opened for evacuation must be first opened that which is opened in the hamm or heel must be done after purgation 3 or 4 or five dayes before the time that the accustomed evacuations of the Woman ought to come down Cupping-glasses also are to be applyed first to the more remote places as to the thighs and then to the neerer parts as to the hips ligatures or bindings and frictions at the time of the coming down of the flowers after purgation of the whole Body are not to be omitted In the second place the matter is to be prepared for which purpose in bodies troubled with flegme the decoction of Guaiacum with Cretan Dittany doth much avail without provoking sweat In the third place evacuation is to be made at several times Among evacuating Medecines are commended Agaric Aloes with the juice of Sabina and these pilâ— Take Aloes Succotrine three drams the best myrrh one scruple extract of Calamus Aromaticus Carduus Benedictus Saffron of each three drams roots of Gentian and Dittany of each five grains make them up with syrup of Laurel berries taking the quantity of one scruple at evening before supper In the fourth-place by an obstructing the humour by those things which provoke the flowers of which these are most to be commended the decoction of Rosemary with flowers of Cheiri Peny-royal water twice distilled and mingled with Cinamom water Extract of Zedoar Angelica and Castor and the earth which is found in iron mines prepared in the same manner as steel spirit of Tartar the fat of an Eele Colubrina with the distilled water of Savine and in the fift place by the discussion of the dreggs and relicks that remaine by sudorificks or things that provoke sweat with a potion made of a Chalybeat decoction with spirit of Tartar c. The differences of this disease arise partly from the obstruction of the veins of the womb caused by a cold and thick blood and thick slimy humors mixed with the blood and coming either from some hot distemper of the womb which dissipates the sharp and subtile humors and leaves behinde the gross and earthy parts or from the cold constitution of the liver and spleen especially if at the time of the menstrual flux at what time the flux of blood is more violent those subtile humors happen to be dissipated then at the time of the monthly purgation the party affected feeleth a great pain in the loyns and parts adjoyning and if any thing come down it is slimy whitish and blackish the whole Body is possessed with a numness the colour pale a slow pulse and raw urines The cure is the same with the former great care being taken of a gross and ill dyet There is another difference of this disease when it happens by compression which arises from external causes as the Northern wind and long standing in cold water which may be knwn from the relation of the sick person The blood in this case is to be drawn to the lower parts by Frictions and Baths or from internal causes as fatnes or swelling of the womb or of the lower parts in which case Medecines must be applyed that asswage the swelling There is another difference which is in the hardness of the skin which happens either from the first nativity and then the disease is not easily taken away or long after from some cold dry distemper concerning which look the former Chapters Another difference there is when there happens a closing up of the skin which is caused after cicatrising of an Ulcer or by reason of some skin or membrane growing to the vessels of the womb or by reason of frequent abortion after which these veins to which the secundines adhere do grow together so close that they cannot be afterwards opened Another difference of this disease there is when it happens through want of blood which is not generated either by reason of external causes as famine over much evacuation issues and such like or through internal causes as a frigid constitution of the principall parts old age and fevers or when it is converted to other uses as before full growth to the nourishment of the body in women with child to the nourishment of the birth in those that give suck to the increase of milk and in fat people to the augmentation of the fat or when it is consumed either by externall causes as overmuch exercise affrights terrors sadnesse bathes overmuch sweating which do consume the serous quality of the blood or through internall causes as are hot and dry diseases or over great evacuations in other parts of the body Sometimes another difference of this disease proceeds from the drynesse of the blood which happens to women who in the winter time do too much heat their lower parts by putting coals under their coats For the cure thereof you must use refrigerating and moistning medecines Of the dropping of the Flowers and the difficulty of their coming down THe dropping of the flowers is when they are coming down for many dayes together drop by drop This happens both from externall causes as over-hard labour c. And sometimes from the drossinesse of the blood the passage not being wide enough For the cure of this it is convenient to open a vein in the arm with gentle purging as in the former chapter Sometimes from the weaknesse of the retentive faculty there being at that time great plenty thinnesse and serosity of the blood In this case there is no pain Medecines that binde and corroborate the stomack here must have place The difficulty of the Flowers is when they come down with pain and trouble either through defect in the veins or in the blood The signes of this are gathered from the relation of the sick person who is then much troubled with pain in the head stomack and loyns and lower parts of the body And they do either flow altogether or drop by drop as in the former disease it is a disease more incident to maids then married women because the veins of the womb are lesse open in them then in those who have brought forth children It happens sometimes from a corruption of the blood that is from the drossiness and thickness thereof and then the blood clots together and there is great pain long before the flowers begin to come down The cure of this is performed by attenuating medecines Sometimes from the sharpnesse and acrimony of the blood which proceeds from a mixture of sharp humours with the body and then the genital parts do itch It is cured by those medecines that temper the sharpnesse of the humour as the four greater seeds violets and flowers of Nenuphar Sometimes from windy vapours and then the pain comes by intervals and is suddenly exasperated rumbling up and down
Midwives that handle me I wil change mine cries another for that trick also so that many out of a kind of fear have a greater desire and wil to be complacent then to do wel and so â—itting with their hands before them entertaine their Patients with discourse who for all that feeling their paines are constrained to thrust forward upon which the head of the Infant coming first for the most part the womb serves for a Head-band which comes forth before it whereas might the Midwife be permitted to touch the Patient they might put back the womb and prevent many accidents that happen in lyings in which happens sometimes to be a total relaxation of the Matrix of which when the Women complain to their complacent and flattering Midwives They reply why Mistress you know I did not touch and besides I am not in fault if you have been touched this is the fruit of their reproaches You will say there are abundance of Country Women that the Midwife never toucheth at all and they do not know scarcely whether a Woman lye in or no unless they see the Infant appear but they are not free from the disease whereof I speak for I have seen so great a company of them that I have been afraid to behold them This comes say the Midwives because they touched them not and that it is occasioned either because the Infant is too bigg or they say it is a burstness or the coming down of the great gut the most subtile put up a clew of thread the others a ball of wax which easeth a little while but comes out again every hour Of a Childe which they thought sick of the Epilepsie occasioned by the sickness of the Mother and of the cause ONe day there came to me a Gentlewoman to desire me that I would give her something for her Daughter that was sick of the Mother when her Mother related what she ailed I desired to see her I saw her and she had in one hour two several fits which was an affrightment attended with very much yawning after which she remained in a very great weakness all which time the mouth of the child was drawn more to one side then the other the eyes when she was out of the fit were open and fixed in one place I inquired of the Mother at what age her Daughter came to be first troubled with it who answered that she had been in this Town for something more then a year and that before that time she was never troubled with any such thing I gave her the best counsel that I could and first of all bid her to carry her again to the place where she was first nursed using some few Remedies that were convenient which prospered so wel that after she came thither she had but one fit though she had them so frequently before Of this no other cause can be given but that the place where she lived for that year being thicker then that where she was nursed caused in her a stirring of the humors with which the mother was continually afflicted she being disposed naturally to that kind of disease Of a young Woman who being struck upon the belly by her Husband with his foot was in great pain and could not be brought to bed without the help of a Chirurgeon I Will here relate a thing which I have seen in a young Woman that if the like accident should happen the same Remedies may be applyed There came a Woman to me to declare to me a disease with which she was troubled defiring me to do my utmost for that hitherto she could not lye in without the help of a Chirurgeon who had already killed two of her children I knowing what an ill Husband she had and that he had given her a blow upon the belly with his foot and had broken the Peritonaeum which was the reason that part of her guts hung down upon the share-â—bone like the bagg of a bagpipe to which place being bigg the Womb jutted out so that when the time came the Infant had not liberty to turn it self so that the Midwife seeing she could not have the child without losing the Woman was feign to make use of the Chirurgeon I considered her disease and ordered her to carry a swathe-band such a one as VVomen with child carry to support their bellies onely made a little more hollow and I caused her to wear it as they that are burst do wear half slopps lying smooth with cushionets within and never to fig 3 fig 4 Explanation of the third figure THis figure contains the birth at full maturity ready to come forth in the truest posture AAAA the parts of the midriff dissected BBBB the body of the womb dissected into four parts CCCC the Membranes or Filmes called Chorion and the Amnios dissected likewise into four parts D the Birth in its naturall posture Explanation of the fourth Figure This Figure contains the Navel vessels and the films or covering of the infant AAAA the muscles of the midriff the peritoneum and the skin it self dissected into four parts B the Liver of the Infant C the urinary vessels D the hole of the Liver into which the Navel veine doth passe E the Vmbilical or Navel vein it self FF the two Navel arteries tending downwards to the small gut arteries G the passage for the urine proceeding from the bottom of the bladder H the umbilicall vessels taken out of the body of the Infant to shew how they are joyned together I the membrane that involves the Navel vessels KKKK the guts or intrales of the Infant LLL the Navel vessels extended from the children to the birth M the place where the branches of the Navel vessels are first collected into one Trunk NN A branch of the Navel vessels scatterd through the fleshy part of the Chorion OOO A branch of the Navell arteries PPPP the conjunction of the umbilicall veine and artery QQQQ the extremities of the Navel veins and Arteries ending the fleshy parts of the Chorion RRRR the membraine called the Chorion rise without this whether bigg or no which she did and stil does and bears as fine children and lies in as wel as any other woman Of two Deliveries of one Woman THere was a Woman who being come to a sufficient age became big she causeth two of the best Midwives of the Country to assist her in her Lying in the hour being come they did as art commanded them which was the Child coming wel into the vvorld to keep her in a good situation to cause her to eat things vvhich vvere only to the purpose to keep her moderately vvarm then to bring her pains to a good issue I excuse the passion and impatience of Friends but I vvould not do any thing against my duty for complacency a fault that is soon committed but not so easily repented of This Woman vvas pretty long as most Women are of their first Children in vvhich time her Husband
thereon and renders them uncapable of conceiving One I have heard of who was afflicted with this disease and voided a great great deal of putrified blood by a certain fumigatio that I taught her was cured I can say this of a certainty that after this Woman had voided this putrefaction she came to see me with a very lusty child and was bigg of another for being discharged of the burden of putrified blood she found her self marvelously free for conception for the Matrix that began to be ulcerated was now fortified and strengthened again and the natural heat began to take possession there again A good Observation in the choice of Nurses THere be two sorts of Nurses which I have found the one is of such Women as are of an ill humor or juice which humors settle all in the milk for that is the place where these fluxes discharge themselves these Women are in a better condition being Nurses then when they are not Nurses and being not Nurses are subject to pains sometimes in the arms and sometimes in the shoulders sometimes in one of their leggs or Thighs or else they are subject to the watring of the eyes or swelling in the corner of the eye or nose these are good Nurses as long as children are fat but the fat is soft and the Infants dul sottish giving no great signs of vivacity coming to bear teeth are very sickly and do ordinarily dye by reason of the flux that pusheth out too great company of teeth at once The children that escape this are more il juic'd in their infancy then are their Fathers and Mothers in their old age If the flux that afflicts them be salt the milk is of a blackish and blewish colour if it be of choler it is more dangerous then the other for that is very dangerous and venemous to the children There is another sort of Nurses more dangerous then these I have now spoken of who presently after they have lain in that is three or four or five or six moneths are taken with their purgations a thing which never happens to good Nurses for this is the course of Nature that all the blood which is retained is dedicated to the nourishment of the Infants This is caused by an immoderate heat which is in their blood and to say truth as soon as ever this happens the Infant must be taken away for they are more apt to conceive then to nurse and if they continue Nurses they do but ruine the children this is too much experimented and I speak this to save the lives of a great many children when seeing them suck I have discovered their want of milk so that I may say there dies a third part of the children for want of taking care in this particular which seem fat and in good case This is the cause of great cholicks and vvindinesses in children vvhich kils them in a moment for the least Fever that takes them carries them avvay Bâ—side this there are some whose milk is so little but vvithall so thick that it sticks upon the tongue palate and throat which causes as it were a vvhite canker vvhich is more and more heated by reason of their forcible drawing in vain possesseth all the throat vvhereby they are hindred froÌ„ sucking These Nurses wil milk after this a drop or two out of their breasts crying look ye the child cares not for sucking I never knew more abuse in any thing then in Nurses for let them make vvhat excuse they vvill it is nothing but necessity that reduceth them to be such although the greatest part do say that it is to get acquaintance yet vvhen they have a childe vvhether they have milk or no yet they desire not to part vvith it no more then they do to drown themselves vvhereby the Parents are often deceived And therefore the mothers ought to have a great care and to make it their business to surprize the Nurses at their ovvn houses that if there be any miscarriage they may find it out And indeed it is very reasonable that the cause of these poor creatures that cannot complain should not be neglected and these she-murderers be made known that they may not go unknown Of a VVoman which I laid two several times and of the difference of her bearing of two children proceeding from several causes I VVas called to lay a Woman who said she was gone her ful time she had the same pains that Women are wout to have in the time of Travail but her waters came not down at one forcible throw she cast forth a great membrane like a hoggs bladder all united within and without only that it had divers branches of veins as you shal see in a bladder which I presently cut and found therein a little Infant wel shaped swimming in black waters it had gone its ful time and was so lean that it resembled a meer picture it had the Navel-string holding fast to the bladder where it is to be supposed those smal branches of the veins do end here as I guess as long as it found any bloud it lay languishing but that beginning to fail it dyed and presently voided those excrements that were contained in the Intestines which being mingled in the waters made them black and as for the Woman her self she was the fullest of humor that ever I saw in my life Another time I brought the same VVoman to bed who was delivered of a child that came the ordinary way into the world with the head formost now I perceiving her in Labour found nothing at first but a certain softness as if the waters were coming down afterwards I perceived a certain bag with hair a thwart which I saw certain great knobs or heads the Infant being come forth was not yet formed the face and the head were like vizards more then any face it had the form of a nose but it was soâ—t like wool the head was ful of water and those knobs which appeared were nothing but the futures of the head which the too great abundance of water had disjoynd in the hands it had nothing but hair in stead of bones and the toes were of the same the VVoman her self was said to be extreamly cholerick and moist Instructions of a famous and dying Midwife to her Daughter touching the practice of this Art DAughter if the excellencies of what is to be known in this world are to be found not in one but in several Countrics certainly they are most able to instruct who have had the greatest experience and longest travel in the world which is the reason that in this small Treatise I have not tyed my self up to the rules solely of my own Nation but have searched the studies also of other Nations that thou mayest be bettered not only by my experience but by the labour of others In the first place therefore I exhort thee to be diligent and to leave nothing unsearched that may tend to the