Application If we are apprehensive of their Degeneracy into a Cancer a Cataplasm of the Juice of Earthworms Pulp of rotten Apples Turneps Figgs and Saffron will not be improper But if the Swellings begin to shoot and cause pain they are not to be meddled with as being near akin to Cancers Cancers in the Breast generally take their Rise from hard Swellings and are much incourag'd by the Suppression of the Terms When the Swelling shoots and pricks without a tendency to Suppuration when it becomes hot and livid and the Veins are swollen we may reasonably conclude upon a Cancer Sometimes but very rarely it comes without any visible precedent Cause and appears first in the form of a little red Knot about the bigness of a Chiche which by derees increases becomes livid and black and the surrounding Veins swell up like so many Crabs-feet If a Cancer lies hid within its own Verge and dos not yet corrode the Skin and Substance of the Breasts it ought not to be tamper'd with For a palliative Cure we apply Liniments which partake of Ceruss and the Sugar of Lead or a Plate of Lead to the Breasts The Juice of the prick Thistle call'd Onopordon or of the Herb Robert and the Juice or Water of rotten Apples are also proper for external Applications Note all Compositions against a Cancer ought to be beaten and mix'd in a Leaden Mortar If a Cancer be ulcerated and void corrupt matter dispersing its Venom round all the neighbouring Parts it ought to be rooted out with a Knife and the bleeding stop'd with a fir'd Iron Allioth pretended to cure it with Alcali's mix'd with Sulphur But the former Method is most universally receiv'd Some apply a living Crab which dies upon the Breast while the Virulency remains and if it live signifies the temperance of the Ferment This Application they repeat till the Crab be able to live upon the Breast Soot and Lime-water are also recommended for washing the Ulcers as likewise the following Ointment Take of the Juices of Golden Rod Nightshade and Sow-thistle of each an Ounce Oil of Violets and that of Roses of each an Ounce and a half With Quick-lime make an Ointment in a Leaden Mortar The last Disorder relating to Suckling shall be that of the Nipples when they are small and not open or chop'd and â—lcerated The former Inconvenience is amended by applying a Cupping glass or a glass Instrument fit for the purpose and suckling a toothless Puppy The latter is prevented by fitting an excavated Nutmeg to the Nipple or anointing it with Hogs Tallow mix'd with common Bole some time before Delivery It s actual Cure is compass'd by anointing with Balsam of Peru or Oil of Balsamin Apple mix'd with the Oil of Eggs. The Oil of Sugar the fat of Cockles the Juice of the Herb Robert and above all the Juice of Wood-lice express'd in Wine are approv'd for the same purpose Some apply ston'd Raisins or the Leather of ones Shooe But when the Chops are large they ought to be washed frequently with warm Water to take off the stagnating Milk and Serum that corrupts and galls the Nipples and then fomented with Plantain-water in which Sugar of Lead is dissolv'd and afterwards cover'd up with a leaf of Ground Ivy. If they be ulcerated wash them with Quicklime-water and anoint 'em with a mixture of Litharge Allum Myrrh and Oil of Roses AN ABRIDGMENT OF ETMULLERUS HIS Practice of PHYSIC c. BOOK V. Of the Diseases of Children IN the foregoing Sections we conducted the Child from the first minute of Conception to the hour of Birth It remains now to view its Circumstances when just launch'd into the World and provide suitable Relief The first Alteration it undergoes is occasion'd by the free Air which rarifies and quickens the Blood and Spirits and by consequence provokes the Stomac Guts and Bladder to expulsive Contractions Now in imitation of Natures Efforts 't is the Duty of Art to promote these Evacuations by exhibiting small quantities of a Mixture of solutive Syrup of Roses Syrup of Cichory with Rubarb and Sala's Emetic Syrup and feeding it with the Beestings projected by Nature for that purpose For the Excrements lodg'd in the first Passages are the curdled acid nutritious Juice barr'd from Evacuation 'till Child-birth hence the voiding of 'em before Delivery is look'd upon as a Sign of a dead Child And their undue stay after the Birth taints the nourishment with a preternatural Acidity and is in good measure the Cause of all the tragical Symptoms that pursue our Infancy upon which account we ought to be diligent in endeavouring their early removal Nor is the insensible Transpiration or Evacuation by the Pores of the skin to be neglected as being so essential to Life Now the slimy Crust fasten'd upon the Skin by the Liquor in the Amnios deprives the Infants of this Benefit and by imprisoning the Steams under the Skin exposes 'em to cuticular Eruptions To remove this inconvenience the Nurse ought to bathe the Child very frequently in warm Water in which Soap or common Lye is dissolv'd and with a soft Cloth wipe off the impurities of the Womb. As the undue Retention of Excrements is frequently the Cause of Childrens Diseases so the Assumption of irregular Food is justly charg'd with the same Crime The most of their Food is Milk from the Breasts which is render'd disorderly several ways As 1. When 't is not the Mother's own Milk The nutritious Juice which the Child was acquainted with in the Womb being converted into Milk would be the most natural and easy nourishment since Customary Food is always most easy of Digestion But forasmuch as the temperament of every Woman varies the Milk that of a strange Woman must needs disagree with the nutritious Juice of the Mother which the Child was wont to digest and consequently causes several notable Alterations in its Body especially considering that our Hackney Nurses are generally poor and inur'd to coarse Food whereas the Mothers that hire 'em are intitled to a contrary Character 2. The Milk of a sickly Woman whether Mother or Nurse is improper 3. Fat thick Milk at first is pernicious to the Child and apt to curdle into an acid Crudity Nature has wisely provided against this Consequence by the thin purgative Beestings that prepare the Child 's Stomac and by degrees inable it to digest the thick elaborate Milk 4. Nothing is more apt to disorder the Child than suckling it too often since large quantities of Milk stagnating in the Stomac must needs corrupt and occasion Crudities especially if fresh Milk be pour'd in before the preceding be digested 5. The Nurse's irregular Conduct dos frequently vitiat the Milk The least Error in Diet tho inoffensive to her may taint the Milk and hurt the Child Upon which account she ought to eat roasted Meat and that moderatly and not over-charge her Stomac as many are wont to do when they 'r transplanted from their own
Diaphoretic Antimony Hartshorn not burnt and Salt of Carduus Benedictus of each twelve Grains Mix and make a Powder which is to be taken in the Morning fasting in a warm Vehicle Or Take of Simple or Chalybeat Diaphoretic Antimony one Scruple Salt of Carduus Benedictus half a Scruple Laudanum Opiatum one or two Grains Distill'd Oyl of Cloves two drops Make a Powder for one Dose Or Take of Hartshorn not burnt fifteen Grains Cinnabar of Antimony half a Scruple Of the Golden Antidot call'd Bezoardicum Solare four Grains Mix and use as above Or Take of unburnt Hartshorn Nitre Prepar'd with Antimony of each fifteen Grains Make a Powder as above For a Bolus Take of Conserve of Elder or Conserve of Juniper from a Dram to two Drams Hartshorn not burnt from a Scruple to half a Dram. Diaphoretic Antimony half a Scruple Syrup of Rasberries as much as sufficeth to make a Bolus Or Take of Conserve of Elder one Dram. Diaphoretic Antimony one Scruple Extract of Carduus Benedictus six Grains With a sufficient quantity of the Syrup of Fumitory Make a Bolus If the Patient desire Pills Take of Extract of Carduus Benedictus half a Scruple Laudanum Opiatum one or two Grains Distill'd Oyl of Aniseeds or Rectify'd Oyl of Tartar as much as sufficeth to make a Mass for Pills Or Take of Extract of Carduus Benedictus from half a Scruple to a Scruple Extract of Triacle five Grains With a sufficient quantity of the Oyl of Amber make Pills Or thus Take of the Extract of Woods fifteen Grains Extract of Saffron three Grains With stinking Oyl of Tartar rectify'd Make a Mass for Pills So much for the separat Prescription of fix'd Sudorific's But sometimes we joyn both the fix'd and Volatil together As Take of Chalybeat Diaphoretic Antimony one Scruple Volatil Salt of Vipers five Grains And if the Patient be Restless add a Grain or two of Laudanum Opiatum Mix and make a Powder If a Potion be more acceptable Take of Scabious-Water Elderflower-Water Meadsweet-Water of each an Ounce The Cold Saxon Cordial-Water six Drams Spirit of Triacle Prepar'd with Camphyr three Drams Diaphoretic Antimony a Dram and a half Hartshorn not burnt one Scruple Volatil Salt of Hartshorn half a Scruple Camphyr three Grains Syrup of Scordium one Ounce or an Ounce and a half Mix for a Potion Or Take of Elderflower-Water one Ounce Hartshorn not burnt half a Dram. Volatil Salt of Hartshorn five Grains Syrup of Clove-Gilliflowers two Drams Mix for a draught Or Take of Elderflower-Water one Ounce Triacle of Andromachus or Fracastorius's Diascordium one Dram. Volatil Salt of Vipers six Grains Camphyr one Grain Syrup of Rasberries half an Ounce Mix for a draught Or Take of Carduus Benedictus Water two Ounces Quintessence of Urine two Drams Fracastorius's Diascordium one Dram. Syrup of Carduus Benedictus half an Ounce Mix and make a draught Thus I have run over the Classes of the Medicines that â—estore the due Fermentation of the Blood and Correct the â—uices of the Body This may suffice for the Vital Faculty SECT IV. Of the Animal Faculty THE Animal Faculty lyes under the influence of the Animal Spirits and Nerves The Nerves are immediately nourish'd and supplyed by the Chyle which if it be Faulty or Acid Communicates a noxious quality to them Their structure consists of delicate fine fibres some of which are distributed into small Branches and some gather'd into a Body as the Brain the Membranes Tendons c. All motion depends upon the due Stretching of these fibres and regular incursions of the Animal Spirits The Spirits are disorder'd by any accident that either impairs their stock or irritates them beyond their wonted pace This may be occasion'd either by an External Cold or a Vicious Acid Reigning within The Oyly Volatil Medicines are at once qualify'd to subdue this prevailing Acid and Retrieve the Spirits Such are the Herbs commonly call'd Cephalic as Rosemary Mint Sage Marjoram Lavender c. Likewise the Sulphurs of Metals Spirits and Distill'd Oyls especially such as are drawn from Amber and the Parts of Animals The Artificial Sal Volatile Oleosum is admirably conducive to the Nerves But Sylvius who first discover'd it was not so generous as to gratify the World with the Secret Tho' after all 't is no difficult matter to Prepare it The best is from Soot 'T is easily drawn from Amber thus Take of Quick Lime and Sal-armoniac of each equal quantities add to them a third Part of Amber Mix them and pour upon 'em a few drops of Tartaris'd Spirit of Wine Distill thro' a Glass Retort in Sand. Separat the Spirit that comes over from the Oyl and Rectify it again 'T is a Noble Medicine for the Indispositions of the Nerves Or ye may make it with other Distill'd Oyls As Take Cinnamom or Cloves and pour upon 'em Tartaris'd Spirit of Wine Let 'em stand for Digestion and the Spirit of Wine becomes Red. Then take the Spirit thus Tinctur'd and Pour it upon equal quantities of Quick Lime and Salarmoniae Distil thro' a Retort as above and iâ— yields a Urinous Spirit ting'd with a Golden or Bloody 〈…〉 The Spirit of Hartshorn succinated is very proper 〈…〉 purpose 't is Prepar'd thus Take Volatil Salt 〈…〉 Volatil Salt of Amber of each equal quantitie 〈…〉 Salt of Amber be depurated by repeated 〈…〉 ter or Extractions with Spirit of Wine Mix those 〈◊〉 Salts with rectify'd Spirit of Hartshorn and in order to procure a stricter Union distil several times If ye be oblig'd to an Extemporary Prescription use the following Take of Mint Fennel and Baum Waters of each one Ounce Essence of Castor three Ounces Succinated Spirit of Hartshorn two Drams Spirit of Sal-armoniac one Dram. Laudanum Opiatum two or three Grains Syrup of the rindes of Oranges or of Cinnamom six Drams Mix and make a Potion Dose a spoonful at a time In exhibiting Sharp and Volatil Medicines we ought to have a special regard to the delicacy of the Nerves Especially those in the Mouth of the Stomach which lye more open and expos'd to the injuries of a fierce Medicine Therefore we see that Persons Obnoxious to Anxieties Swooning and such like disorders of the Spirits complain most of their Breast or Stomac And Women or Children whose Nerves are more delicate and fine than those of Men are apt to receive more sensible Impressions in the Stomac from an Active Medicine Besides If the Stomac be offended the other Parts will share in the Injury by reason of the sympathy maintain'd among 'em by means of the Nerves Sometimes one and the same Nerve Visits several Parts and Causes a mutual consent as the under Lip and the Mouth of the Stomach Sometimes when two Nerves are Contiguous the one influences t'other as when a Stone in the Bladder provokes the Intestinum Rectum Sometimes the Parts are Connected by Nervous Ligaments and so are render'd sensible of one another's Circumstances
are usher'd in by these Symptoms viz. an universal bruising tearing Pain and Weariness a sudden and unaccountable decay of Strength and a moderat Heat with little or no Sickness at first follow'd by heavy pains of the Back and Head Watchings Unquietness and anxiety towards the Evening they grow worse and continue so all Night In the Beginning of the Disease they Sweat easily during its further progress they Sweat but little or with great difficulty and in the height of the Disease none at all either naturally or artificially About the fourth seventh or tenth Day the Spots break forth in the Breast and Shoulders afterwards on the Belly and Legs and at length in the Arms the Face being for the most part free In the Declension or even in the height of the Disease sometimes there insues a comfortable salivation The Spots are distinguish'd from fleabitings by this Mark that these have a red point in their middle which the Spots have not and that they disappear by the application of the Meal of Beans with Vinegar If these Spots are many large broad and of a high Colour 't is a good sign But if they are few in number apt to retire or of a Yellow Green Blew or above all of a Black Colour 't is a desperat Case If they break out before we can discover any signs of Concoction or after their eruption are follow'd by a bleeding at the Nose 't is an ill Omen If during the first Days of the illness the Person walk'd about and expos'd himself to Cold 't is an aggravating circumstance In general all spotted Feavers are flow and less acute than others The cause is the same as that of other malignant Feavers as also the general Cure What peculiarly belongs to spotted Feavers is couch'd under the following Cautions 1. Vomits are of excellent use Purgation and oft-times injecting of Clysters is noxious if the Spots are already out 2. Blood-leting is fatal 3. In the Beginning and Increase Venice Triacle and such like conpositions may safely be exhibited But towards the height those of a fix'd Quality are preferable 4. If the eruption be Symptomatical it ought not be promoted by Sudorifics but rather moderated by Acid Antidots If 't is Critical following the signs of Concoction and affording some relief to the Patient it ought to be gently incourag'd by Emulsions of the expelling Seeds 5. A Looseness following the eruption ought to be cautiously handled 'T is not fit to stop it directly but only to persist in the use of sweating Medicines or if it occasion the retreat of the Spots then we may adventure to curb it gently 6. Blistering Plaisters are of Sovereign use especially if the Spots disappear unseasonably 7. Wine moderatly taken is not improper There is another sort of malignant Feaver call'd Purpurata which approaches to the nature of acute Feavers both in timing its Crisis and the Symptoms that usher it in Under the increase of the Disease the Person is seiz'd with a notable Heat and pricking Pains all round the Breast Shoulders Neck c. and the Skin becomes rough and red and sometimes itches and in the height of the Disease is cover'd with little miliar Eruptions which are apt to strike in upon the least Cold whatsoever And in the declension of the Disease fall off like Scales This Disease frequently attacks Women in Child-bed perhaps by reason of the suppression of their Lochias It seems to partake much of a Scorbutic nature and therefore Antiscorbutics mix'd with other Antidors are very proper In fine its Cure is the same as that of other malignant Feavers to which we may add that all Purgatives or Clysters or the least degree of Cold ought to be nicely avoided CHAP. VI. Of the small Pox and Measles THE small Pox are not always malignant as being only an effect of Nature's indeavours to purify the Blood from the vicious remains of Milk suckt from the Breasts in our infancy and curdled into an Acid. Some fancy them to proceed from the Corruption of Menstrual Blood with which the Child is tainted in the Womb. But the weakness of that thought is sufficiently evinc'd by the unequal propensity of Children to this Disease and their being nourish'd with Chyle in the Womb. That the corruption of the Milk and its degeneracy into an Acid is the cause of the small Pox may be infer'd from the Analogy that intercedes betwixt them and the Scurfy stinking Ulcers in the Heads of Children caus'd by vicious Milk This Acid causes the convulsions and tearing pains of the Back and other Membrans of the Body the piercing of the Skin suppuration and in short all the Symptoms of the small Pox whether common or uncommon Now the order of the common Symptoms is as follows A gentle shivering is follow'd by a violent Heat and heavyness of the Back and whole Body piercing beating pains in the Loyns a swelling redness and scorching pain of the Eyes and an aptness to shed Tears or void Serum and sometimes a weighty Pain in the Head or a dry Cough with a quick frequent vehement and hard Pulse The Respiration is oft-times difficult the Throat rough and the Voice hoarse The Person is disquieted watches much or dreams of uncouth things or doats and undergoes some epileptic motions Sometimes he vomits or bleeds at Nose which is a bad Symptom in the height tho' not in the beginning of the Disease or pisses Blood or is seiz'd with a Diabete or a Looseness The Urine is for the most part clear by reason that the Serum moves towards the surface of the Body Sometimes indeed when the Blood and Humors boil high within 't is muddy or white and drops a sediment like Bran. Of all these Signs there are three that are most certain viz. a Pain in the Loyns or Back and a distending Pain and watryness of the Eyes These Symptoms gall the Patient 'till the third or fourth day that little red Spots appear and then if they advance regularly the Symptoms disappear These Spots sometimes vanish insensibly in a few days and are call'd Measles sometimes they rise in the form of red Pushes and by degrees become white in the Center with a purple or livid Circumference Thus they come to suppurat tho' not without a sort of renewed Feaver and in the middle void corrupt matter and fall off like Scales under the denomination of the Small-Pox These Spots or Wheals chiefly possess the Hands and Face and bloat 'em up and frequently leave behind 'em Ulcers in the Head and other parts of the Body especially if they do not come duly forth or strike in unseasonably In which case an infinity of various Ills may insue As for the Prognostics they are accounted favourable when the Symptoms disappear or at least remit upon the Eruption when they break out speedily copiously and all together when the Pushes are large foft pointed at the Top round separated from one another of a red Colour becoming
exhibit forty or fifty drops a day towards the height of the Disease or when the Pusnes are well advanc'd and the Symptoms mitigateâ— After a sufficient eruption we ought to promote their suppuration and prevent Pits in the Skin by exhibiting a Compound Powder of Crabs-Eyes Harts-horn Myrrh and Salt of Carduus Benedictus Besides the direct indications of the small Pox and Measles we ought likewise to obviat their incident Symptoms as unquietness and inolination to vomit if it be proper to stop it by the Spirit of Harts-horn succinated and Extract of Treacle mix'd with Laudanum Opiatum a looseness towards the height accompany'd with a murmuring noise in the Belly and frothy Excrements by seal'd Earth or Laudanum Opiatum and Diascordium mix'd with other specifics Watchings Deliriums and Convulsions attended with a hardness of the Belly by exhibiting the Cinnabar of Antimony or Spirit of Harts-horn succinated or injecting Clysters anointing the Navel and pit of the Stomac with distill'd Oyl of Amber and in the beginning of the Disease injecting Clysters A bleeding at Nose ought to be promoted if needs be by squeezing or pricking the Nostrils or if it exceed measure restrain'd by applying dry'd Toads to the Arm-pits or mixing Narcotics with Absorbents and avoiding all volatil Ingredients A Cough or any disorder of the Breast ought to be repress'd by Scabious Water mix'd with Spirit of Sal-Armoniac anisated and Laudanum Opiatum adding before the eruption incrassating Syrrups such as those of Colts-foot Jujubes c. and after the eruption attenuating ones such as those of Tobacco Mint Hyssop c. A weakness and prostration of strength ought to be repair'd by exhibiting the Tincture of Coral mix'd with the Spirit of Stag's Heart or a Toast soak'd in Rhenish Wine These Symptoms last mention'd precede the Eruption Those which follow the Eruption are likewise to be accounted for As if the Pox or Measles retire unseasonably and fall upon the nervous System causing Deliriums and Convulsions apply blistering Plaisters to the Soles of the Feet and exhibit the Ashes of Scarlet Cloth in Wine If the sharpness of the Humour threaten Pits in the Face exhibit Crabs Eyes and Myrrh inwardly and apply outwardly with a Feather the Spirit of Wine tinctur'd with Myrrh or Rose-water in which Sugar of Lead is dissolv'd or the Plaister of Frogs Spawn with Sugar of Lead But all external applications before maturation are much suspected for fear of repressing the Matter Lime-water in which Sulphur is boil'd being mix'd with Rose-water or a Cataplasm of the Meal of Beans and that of Lupines and Ox Urine are of use for taking off the Scarrs If a Salivation succeed to the Eruption let the Patient drink plentifully of Barly Water or small Beer and likewise gargle his Mouth with it If the small Pox or Measles threaten Injury to the Eyes either by settling in the Apple of the Eye or distending the Eye-Lid let the Eye be wash'd with the infusion of the Glass of Antimony in Plantan and Rose-Water with Tutty and Sugar of Lead If the Eyes be red and itch apply a piece of raw Beef to the Eye renewing it every quarter of an Hour for some time Or let a healthy Woman chew Garlic and breath upon the Eye or wash the Eye with the juice of Chervil or Rue mix'd with Fennel Water or make a Collyrium of Plantan Night-shade and Rose Water in which Sumac and Plantan Seeds are boil'd or the Rinds of Pomgranats infus'd The mucilage of Marsh-mallows extracted with Fennel Water or the infusion of white Vitriol and Tutty in Eye-bright Water or Plantan-Water mix'd with Frogs Spawn and Sugar of Lead are also very proper Or Take of Plantan-Water an Ounce Eye-bright and Rose Water of each half an ounce prepar'd Emerald twelve grains prepar'd Pearls six grains Camphyr three grains Saffron four grains Mix and drop it into the Eye Some choose to drop into the Eye a drop or two of the Fat of Vipers If the Eye-lids are beset with the Pox and inflam'd notwithstanding all these Precautions apply the Decoction of Line-seed Fenugrec-seed and Mallows or that of Melilot-Flowers and Quince-seeds Some apply Milk but I cannot approve their Practice since 't is apt to become Acid. If after all the Eyes be injur'd and remain so after recovery of the Pox 't is proper to use Rulandus's Opthalmic Water and apply Blistering-Plaisters to the Nape of the Neck and when that Blister ceases to run apply two behind the Ears mixing one part of the Blistering Plaister with five or six parts of the Plaister of Frogs-spawn to keep the Blister open If the Pox injure the Nose or Ears the former is reliev'd by applying Vinegar of Roses impregnated with Camphyr and anointing the Crusts within the Nostrils if there be any such with fresh Butter wash'd in Rose-water The latter viz. The Ears are restor'd by putting into the Ears the Essence of Castor with Cotton or fumigating it with the Decoction of Castor Myrrh Coloquintida Fennel-seed and a little Saffron in Wine and applying Blistering Plaisters behind them The Throat is frequently infested by the small Pox and consequently respiration disturb'd To prevent this inconvenience let the Mouth and Throat be wash'd with Goats Milk and Plantan Water or the Tincture of Poppy-Flowers or with the common Gargles mix'd with Horse's Dung or the Juice of River Crabs and Nitre After the Wheals are open 't will not be improper to add Allum and Honey of Roses Plantan is also a noted Specific both against this Symptom and that of pissing Blood If the Tongue be ulcerated apply Honey of Roses sharpen'd with Spirit of Salt or the following Liniment viz. Take of the Flowers of Holyhocks half an Ounce Pomgranat Flowers two drams choice Myrrh a Dram Allum half a dram with Hony make a Liniment or Electuary If the Lips be much in trouble anoint 'em with the mucilage of the Seeds of Quinces Sometimes the small Pox leave most obstinate Ulcers in the Head Breasts and other parts which elude all common methods and yield only to Mercurial Salivations The Scarlet Feaver is generally referr'd to the Measles It invades for the most part Children and is occasion'd by an Ebullition of the Lymph and attended by the Symptoms of a Catarrh It is in some measure acute and after three or four Days from its beginning breaks out in the Neck Shoulders and Breast either in the form of an equal redness resembling a Rose or that of dispers'd red Spots which fall off about the seventh Day like Scales It is cur'd as the Measles or small Pox but has this peculiar property that 't is follow'd by soft swellings in the Face and Legs that last for eight Days after its disappearance CHAP. VII Of the Plague and Pestilential Feavers THE Plague is an exalted pitch of Malignity compatible with any Disease whatsoever In this place we take it for an epidemical catching and highly malignant Disease proceeding from poisonous Miasma's
Mesentery Arthritic melancholy and cholic Fits Pains of Childbirth c. When a Convulsion proceeds from any inferior part it resembles the Motion of a cold Vapor rising from the part towards the Brain But there is neither space for that Vapor to move in nor a sufficient force to put it in Motion Therefore 't is a false Imagination and ought to be rectified The plain case stands thus The Part being irritated by the offending Cause the Spirits repair in a disorderly manner into it and contract the Fibres these Spirits are follow'd by large Numbers of others that not finding room in the contracted part rebound this Convulsion is continued to the Original of the Nerve and creates a Disorder in the Brain which affects all the other Nerves and produces the universal Epilepsy So the gradual Contraction of the Part and the disorderly Incursions of the Spirits create a Sense not unlike to that of ascending Vapors and occasion the vulgar Error These imaginary Vapors are generally attended by a sense of Cold by reason that the Spirits have not a free admission into the contracted part Convulsions differ from Trembling in this that the former invade the part when resting whereas the other follows only upon attempting some voluntary motion In a Palsy the Part affected may be mov'd or extended without Pain but in a Convulsion it cannot In Swoonings or sleepy Diseases the Pulse is weak and low and the Fits observe no regular Periods nor are they easily carried off but in the first degree of an Epilepsy tho it resemble swooning the Pulse is strong and frequent and the Fit returning at set times is easily cured In acute burning Feavers Convulsions are foretold from a tingling in the Ears heaviness of the Head dulness of the Senses panting of the Heart Flashings of Light and strange Colors appearing before the Eyes If in the beginning of the Disease the Balls of the Eyes are seiz'd with Pain without any Inflammation or if the sick Person attempt as it were to catch Flies it betokens a Delirium and Convulsions But if he begin to pick at the Bedclothes or be sensible of the Contraction or twitching of any Member or of the seeming Ascent of Vapors to the Head the Convulsion is just at hand If the Patient dote and be uncapable to give an account of these Symptoms the Physician may put his hand to the Wrists or tendinous Parts and if he observe that the Tendons start or quaver 't is a sign of fatal Convulsions An Epilepsy may be also prophesy'd in other cases from frequent Swimmings of the Head and Nightmares If an Epilepsy proceed from Convulsions of the internal Membrans it discovers it self by a murmuring Noise in the Guts Swellings or Contractions or Hardness of the Belly drawing the Navel inwards violent throws in the Guts Pains in the Loins a Distention and Contraction of the Breast difficulty of Breathing an apprehension of being stifled c. If it be essential it surprises the Person without any preceding signs or sense of Pain but a symptomatical Epilepsy is usher'd in by the aching of some affected part and the apprehension of Vapors transmitted from thence to the Brain The Prognostics are variable according to the Circumstances of the Patient If an Epilepsy commence after the twenty fifth year of the Persons Age if it succeed Iliac Pains acute Feavers immoderat Watchings excessive loss of Blood over-violent Purging or the use of Hellebor if the Fits return frequently and the Lips Tongue Eyelids or Breast be much affected if the Disease be hereditary essential and inveterat if the Patient do's not sneeze after using Medicines for that purpose In all these cases there 's a great deal of danger If a Woman with Child be seiz'd with Convulsions they threaten Miscarriage If it commence from the Infancy or before the state of Manhood 't is curable If it return frequently it renders the Person stupid or delirious If a Chronical Epilepsy be follow'd by an unmalignant Feaver 't is a good Omen The Cure of Convulsions and the Falling Sickness of Children is accounted for elsewhere As for adult Persons the Physician must heedfully inform himself if the Cause be external or internal if the Disease be essential or symptomatical and if symptomatical in what particular Member the source of the Distemper lies And withal let him carefully observe the following Remarks which do not relate to the Paroxysm but the general method of Cure 1. That Chronical Convulsions arising from internal Causes do generally invade Hypochrondiac and Scorbutic Persons and are owing to a vicious Acid which for the most part is bred in the first Passages Therefore Evacuations and the use of testaceous Alcalin Pouders Spanish Soap boil'd in Milk and Chalybeat Medicines are recommended 2. That if the Disease arise from any particular Member the Medicines which properly regard that part ought to be join'd with Specifics but not exhibited till after the general Evacuations 3. That Antimonial Vomits are sovereign Medicines if the Disease proceed from the internal Parts They ought to be given every Month four days before the Full-moon 4. That all purging Medicines ought to be of the milder sort and mix'd with sweet Mercury thrice sublimated and exhibited before the Changes of the Moon 5. That if the source of the Disease be lodg'd in the Humors of the Body the Decoctions of the sudorific Woods together with proper Specifics are given with good Success after the first Passages are sufficiently cleans'd 6. That in a desperat case a Salivation with Mercury may be attempted 7. That sneezing Medicines ought to be us'd every Morning As for example Take of the Leaves of Marjoram and Rue of each two Drams Flowers of the Lilly Convally a Dram white Hellebor and Castor of each half a Dram. Make a Pouder 8. That if the Distemper proceed from the Disorders of any external part 't is proper to place a Ligature betwixt it and the Brain just before the Invasion of the Paroxysm Issues Caustics applied to the part especially in the puncture of a Nerve and opening the Scull with a Trepandiron are of good use 9. That if the Falling Sickness be attended by a Suppression of any wonted Evacuation of Blood 't is fit to open the Hemorrhoid Vein or a Vein in the Arm or in the Ancle of Women with Child or apply Leeches to the inside of the Womb when an Epilepsy follows Delivery 10. That Opiats ought not to be given before the general Evacuations nor too frequently repeated left they promote a Stupidity which generally insues Chronical Epilepsies They may serve to prevent and mitigate a fierce Paroxysm They ought to be mix'd with Specifics and Camphyr and given before the Invasion of the Fit The Temples Nostrils and Wrists may be anointed at the same time with Oil of Boxwood which has a peculiar Anodyn Virtue 11. That the Disorders of the Brain and Animal Spirits ought to be redress'd by the use of
her be plac'd on the Stool and incourag'd to a speedy Delivery If the Mother or Child be weak let her take a Glass of Cinnamom Baum Pennyroyal or the Compound hysteric Water mix'd with the Syrup of Orange-peel or of Mugwort c. When the Pains relent if the Child presents naturally and the Waters are broke and the Orifice of the Womb open'd we may exhibit aromatic and expelling Medicines but not otherwise The Aromatics are Dittany of Candy Sage Mugwort Saffron and especially Cinnamom which ought never to be omitted The expelling Specifics are a Draught of the Husband's Urine or of the Juice of Horse Dung mix'd with Wine Castor Oil of Amber given from ten to thirty drops in Pennyroyal Water with a few drops of the Oil of Cinnamom the volatil Salt of Amber given to fifteen Grains The Oil of Hazelwood given from fifteen to twenty five drops Troches of Myrrh or Pilulae Foetidae given to a Dram Borace given to a Dram the Pouder of the Liver of an Eel dry'd together with the Gall-bladder given to a Dram the Pouder of the Livers of Vipers or of Horses Stones given to a Dram Crude Mercury Fulminatory Gold and above all the Pouder of a dry'd human After-birth given to a Dram or its Spirit drawn from it when it has stood for a Month in a close Vessel in a Balneum Mariae given to forty Drops in the room of which we sometimes make use of the Spirit of Soot If the Pains recur frequently and the Woman be much fatigu'd we may add Laudanum Opiatum Take of the Pouders of an Eel's Liver and a human After-birth of each a Dram Myrrh or Borace two Scruples Make a Pouder for three Doses Take of the Water of white Lillies two Ounces Cinnamom Water half an Ounce Baum and Pennyroal Waters of each an Ounce Pouder of Horse Stones four Scruples Borace two Scruples Essence of Castor and that of Amber of each twenty Drops distill'd Oil of Nutmegs six Drops white Sugar two Drams Mix and give a Spoonful now and then Externally apply a Girdle of Snakes Cast-Coats or anoint the Belly with an Ointment made of them with Earthworms and the Juice of River-Crabs and the fat of a Fox or Hare Or Take of the Oil of Wall-flowers six Drams distill'd Oil of Amber a Dram. Make an Ointment for the same purpose Or Take of the fat of Vipers six Drams Oil of the Balsam-Apple three Drams distill'd Oil of Spike a Dram. Mix and anoint the Belly but be sure to wipe it off after Delivery Or Take of Galbanum dissolv'd in Vinegar an Ounce Myrrh two Drams Saffron half a Dram with Oil of Orris make a Pessary Some choose to apply a Cataplasm of the Decoction of Coloquintida Rue Myrrh and Meal of Barley If all these means prove succesless we must have recourse to sneezing Medicines made of Hellebor Marjoram Tobacco Pepper Castor c. and if these be ineffectual to Mercurius Vitae for a Vomit Sometimes Lusty Women accustom'd to drink Wine or that live in hot Climats are reliev'd by Blood-letting If the Mother be seiz'd by Convulsions or bleeding from within the Womb she ought to be immediately laid by a skilful hand If the Mother be dead and the Child alive in the Womb it ought to be cut out Ofttimes Child-birth is render'd difficult by the Death of the Child in the Womb in which case the same expelling Medicines are to be us'd but in larger Doses Besides the external Applications already injoin'd some recommend a Fumigation of the Womb with the Smoak of rotten Berries thrown into boiling Water or with the Smoak of Troches made of Myrrh Castor Snakes Cast-Coats Pigeon's Dung Madder-roots and Ox Gall thrown upon burning Coals If all the means above-mention'd fall short of expelling the dead Child it must be pull'd out either all in one piece by hooks or cut into several Pieces This Symptom of a dead Child ought to be carefully minded not only about the time of Delivery but during the whole Course of the Woman's being with Child for fear of Mistakes in giving Astringents to prevent miscarrying when 't is actually dead or of indeavouring its Expulsion as being dead while 't is yet alive Now to prevent such Mistakes the following Signs will be of use When the Child is quite dead neither the Mother nor Midwife are sensible of the least Motion The Mother's Share-bone Lips Face and extreme Parts are cold her Breasts that were turgid are now become flaccid and their Milk serous she is seiz'd with a violent Shivering and Yauning Swooning and sometimes a Feaver pain of the Head and Stomac and dismal Convulsions her pains intermit of a sudden the Membran of the Child's Head is flaccid and oft-times the Excrements come forth before the Child In process of time her Breath becomes fetid and Water or corrupt Matter drops from the Womb. If the Child be alive it will move when the Womb is fomented with volatil Liquors when the Mother holds her hand in hot Water for some time when a green Leaf of Marjoram bruis'd or ones hand wet with cold Water or Bread soak'd in Spanish Wine is applied to the Belly and a Vein open'd in the Leg. If it do not you may conclude that 't is dead SECT VIII Of the Management of Women in Childbed AFTER the Woman is laid let her be wrap'd up with a Swathe of Linen about the Ribs and carefully arm'd against Cold Anger Fear and strong Smells Let her abstain from sleep for some hours and take a Glass of warm Wine with a Toste for strengthening quenching Thirst and preventing the Symptoms that ofttimes insue After some hours she may take a potch'd Egg with Cinnamom or Zedoary or some Drops of the Tincture of Coral prepar'd with the Spirit of a Stag's Heart After three or four days if she be very Costive her Belly may be open'd with Balls of Civet or Clysters or Elixir Proprietatis taken inwardly The most material Circumstance relating to a Woman in Childbed is the separation of the Secundine for if any part of it remain it putrifies and produces tragical Effects The Causes of its retention are the Influence of cold Air the Tumour and straitness of the internal Neck of the Womb the Corruption or breaking of the Navel-string by which 't is generally pull'd out and the firm adhesion of the Secundine to the Womb. Sometimes indeed if it be united with the Womb and receive nourishment directly from it without the Foetus it may remain unputrify'd in the Body But for the most part its Nutrition is receiv'd from the Foetus and its Adhesion is occasion'd by the early Egress of the Child or want of due Motion in the Mother or by external Violence The Symptoms that attend it are an acute Feaver Pain and swelling of the Belly Gripings about the Region of the Womb a stinking Breath difficult Respiration and voiding of corrupt matter or Blood from the Womb. If
a Continuation of its Contraction and expulsive Endeavours occasion'd by the irritation of the Womb from cold Wind clotted Blood the Remainders of the After-birth c. or its being wounded by sharp humours or a violent tearing of the Secundine They are styl'd spurious when they 'r lodg'd in the Guts and assume the form of Colic Pains The genuin ones are confin'd to the lower Belly and move downward whereas the others are more floating and direct their Course upward especially towards the left Hypochondrium If these Pains proceed from Cold we order a Fumigation of the Womb with Nutmegs if from clotted Blood we administer the Decoction of Chervil and Sperma Caeti inwardly If they occasion a Suppression of the Lochia â—â—ro the Irritation and Constriction of the Neck of the Womb let the Tincture of Tartar and Essence of Myrrh be exhibited If the Excoriation of the Womb gave root to 'em the Oil of Sweet Almonds and vulnerary Decoctions mix'd with Chalybeats give relief In general the Decoction Spirit and distill'd Oil of Chamomil is universally approv'd as an admirable Specific against all after-Pains To which we add ofttimes Elixir Proprietatis Zedoary Mug-wort Castor the Pouder of a human After-birth and the Carminative-seeds are likewise proper Ingredients In the last Extremity we are oblig'd to have recourse to Laudanum Opiatum Externally we foment the Womb with the Decoction of Mugwort and anoint it with the Oils of Chamomil Wall-flowers Cumin Dill Earth-worms c. and apply the Plaister of Galbanum call'd Matricale or carminative Cataplasms As for spurious Pains we treat 'em as Colics Sometimes Women in Child-bed are seiz'd with a Drousyness Swooning and Anxiety about the Stomac and Hypocondria which in effect are the Symptoms of a hysteric Passion and are remov'd by volatil Salts as Castor Spirit of Sal Armoniac c. and Antihysteric Clysters But if these Symptoms are attended by a Difficulty of Breathing they threaten an acute Feaver which forbids Clysters and requires a much different Cure of which more anon The Convulsions of Women in Childbed are generally retainers to this hysteric Passion or the Suppression of the Lochia and are cur'd by Myrrh and Castor join'd to succinat Spirit of Hartshorn and absorbent Pouders Sometimes hard Labour causes Excoriations Tumors or Rents on the Privity The first and last are cur'd by applying a Liniment of the Oil of St. John's-wort Balsam of Peru and Yelks of Eggs the second by fomenting with the Decoction of Chamomil and Elder-flowers in Wine and Water and applying a warm Cataplasm of fresh Brook-lime and Chamomil-flowers beaten together If the Capacity of the Vulva be so inlarg'd that the Rent passes through the Perinaeum let the Woman avoid all motion of coughing and apply the following Glue to the Lips of the Wound Take of Comfry-roots two Drams Bole Armenic Mastic Dragon's Blood Sarcocol fine Flower and Pompholix of each a Dram. With Rosin of the Pine-tree and the Whites of Eggs make a gluy Substance If the Lips of the Wound are already cover'd with Scars we treat it the same way as a Hair Lip If it be inflam'd and tend to a Gangrene we cut off the corrupt part wash the sound Flesh with Lime-water and cover it with the Balsam of Sulphur If the Woman in Child-bed be Costive or troubled with the dry Piles exhibit a very gentle Laxative and foment the Anus with emollient Decoctions If a Looseness seize her while the Lochia are suppress'd it ought not to be stopp'd any other way than by administring Specifics for retrieving the Flux of the Lochia But if their Flux continues or if an acute Feaver attend the Loosness it ought to be curb'd betimes by exhibiting Sudorifics and proper Specifics against Loosnesses and applying to the Navel or Stomac the Oil of Amber mix'd with the distill'd Oil of Mace If the Sphincter of the Bladder be so relaxated by the distention of Childbirth or the roughness of the Midwife's Hands that the Woman cannot retain her Urine she must foment the Parts with aromatic and astringent Decoctions and hang the Pouder of Toads in a Bag over her Breast or have recourse to the natural Hot-baths If Clots of Blood collected in the Passage for Urine occasion its Suppression let the Pubes be anointed with Oil of Scorpions and the Decoction of Chervil Chamomil and Sperma Ceti be us'd both inwardly and outwardly If hard Labour occasion wrinkles in the Belly let it be anointed with a Liniment of the Oil of Nutmegs Sperma Ceti Saffron and Wax The remaining Disorders incident to Women in Child-bed are the Milk-feaver and acute Diseases The occasion of the former is this The nutritious Juice that was wont to be measur'd out for the Child in the Womb stagnats in the Blood after Delivery and about the fourth day raises a feaverish Thirst and Fermentation by virtue of which 't is precipitated into the Breasts and converted into Milk while the remaining Recrements are voided by a natural Sweat about the seventh day If this Feaver be troublesome 't is alleviated by promoting the Flux of the Lochia especially if the Woman do not design to suckle her Child as the fix'd Salts with Diaphoretic Antimony and Myrrh or gentle Sudorifics will answer those who make account to suckle In general there 's nothing more friendly to Women in Childbed than continued breathing Sweats If anxiety and difficulty of breathing attend this Feaver we must have recourse to the expelling Emulsions of the Seeds of Turneps Columbines c. If the Breasts be hard and molested with pain foment 'em with the Spirit of Sal Armoniac and the Essence of Saffron and apply a Plaister of Saffron and Galbanum The acute Diseases of Women in Childbed are for the most part malignant and usher'd in by malign Symptoms If a Feaver is occasion'd by a Suppression of the Lochia we must endeavour to recover their Flux If the Lochia continue to run we must be cautious of exhibiting strong Sudorifics against the Feaver for fear of occasioning an untimely Suppression But withal remember to keep it within bounds and restrain it if there be occasion lest the Malignity should gain force by the excessive loss of Blood In general the Cure is perform'd by avoiding the least degree of cold and taking Sudorifics such as Mineral Bezoar Diâ—phoretic Antimony Cinnabar of Antimony the â—olatil Salt of Hartshorn and the fixed Salts mix'd with Myrrh and Amber in case of a Supprestion of the Lochia or with Astringents when they exceed measure exhibited in the Water of Swallows with Castor for a Vehicle Purging Clysters Blooding and sweet Syrups are generally noxious especially if the Feaver be very malignant attended by a tingling of the Ears heavyness of the Head difficulty of Breathing c. Tho the Person be molested with Thirst Acids ought to be cautiously us'd by reason that they may provoke the Womb or stop the Childbed Flux The Gelly of Hartshorn and Juice
of Citrons or the Tincture of Columbine and Blewbottle-flowers and such like temperat Acids are the best If the Person be frequently seiz'd with slight Shiverings and little pricking Pains in the Back 't is a sign of miliar Eruptions which if they be white are dangerous Before their Eruption absorbent Diaphoretics are proper after their appearance Emulsions of the expulsive Seeds the antiscorbutic Tincture of Coral and the Essence of Myrrh ought to be added SECT IX Of the Disorders relating to Suckling THE nutritious Juice that was wont to be measur'd out for the Child in the Womb stagnats in the Blood when the Womb is empty'd and contracted This Stagnation is follow'd by a Fermentation or Milk-feaver and that by a Precipitation of Serum which being strain'd thro the Glandules of the Breasts and thicken'd by their acid Ferment is converted into Milk and fitted for the Nourishment of new-born Infants The Accidents which thwart Nature in this its Design are such as either impair or over-mulâ—iply the quantity of Milk or else deprave it Those which impair the quantity of Milk are the artificial Compression or preternatural Obstruction of the Glandules and Passages in the Breasts the meagre dry Constitution of the Woman's Body much sweating or voiding large quantities of white Serum in the Childbed Flux drinking of acid Liquors or austere Wine Grief Fear Anger and Childbed acute Diseases to which we may add the want of a sucking Force in a weak Child Now in order to supply Milk we order juicy Food and the Decoction of Elder-flowers in Milk or that of Earth-worms and Fennel-seeds for drink The Seeds of Anis Caraways and Dill or their distill'd Oils are also very proper Prepar'd Crystal and Marle from Rocks indirectly promote the increase of Milk by subduing the Acid that thwarts it Externally we order the Breasts to be rubb'd with a rough Cloth after eating and fomented with the Decoction of Fennel-seeds Marshmallows Mint and Elder-flowers in Milk or anointed with the Oil of Worms mix'd with a few Drops of the distill'd Oil of Anis and cover'd with a Cataplasm of the Meal of Barly Marshmallows and Yest Contrary to this Symptom is the Redundancy of Milk caus'd by the Laxity of the Glandules in the Breasts or the over-acting of a volatil Acid which promotes the Precipitation It is follow'd by a distention of the Breasts pain in the Back swelling of the Glandules under the Arm-pits and sometimes a Corruption of the Breasts if it stagnate there or by an universal Weakness if it be evacuated If it coagulat and distend the Breasts we endeavour to promote its Egress by sucking and applying the Plaister of Sperma Ceti and above that hot Bags quilted with Millet-seeds Rice and Barly If the Milk be free from Coagulation in the Breasts we foment 'em with the Decoction of Mint Hemlock Cumin-seeds and Allum in Water and Vinegar or apply Cataplasms of the Pouder of Mint Bread Vinegar and Salt Some commend the Juice of Plantane and the Plaister of Hemlock Internally we exhibit the cold Antivenereal Specifics Besides the Deficiency and Redundancy of Milk there remains yet another Disorder relating to the same Class viz. its Corruption or Curdling occasion'd either suddenly by the quick Retreat and Perturbation of the Animal Spirits through Grief and Fear or gradually by its mixing with acid Lymph in the Glandules of the Breasts and lingring beyond its due time The Symptoms of curdled Milk are the unequal Swellings of the Glandules of the Breasts at first free of pain but afterwards follow'd by a violent Heat Redness pinching Pain and Inflammation that perhaps degenerats into Imposthums Fistula's Schirrus's or Cancers The Cure which ought to commence betimes consists in discussing the Swellings and dissolving the curdled Milk or else promoting its Suppuration The Discussion is obtain'd by giving inwardly Sperma Ceti to a Dram or Crabs-eyes and Myrrh with Diaphoretic Antimony and fixed Salts or the Pouder of Woodlice to a Dram or the Spirit of Sal Armoniac to a Dram in order to sweat After sweating we apply a large quantity of the Plaister of Sperma Ceti and cover it above with hot Bags of Rice Millet-seeds and Barly or if that Plaister be ineffectual that of Galbanum with Saffron cover'd in like manner the Breast being bath'd twice a day with a Mixture of the Spirit of Sal Armoniac Essence of Saffron and ordinary Spirit of Wine If the Breasts be much inflam'd or seiz'd with St. Antony's Fire the Woman is molested with feaverish Shiverings and a beating Pain in the middle of the Swelling In this case let the Milk be forcibly suck'd let the Decoctions of Mint and Chervil with the above-mention'd Sudorifics be administred and Hony spread upon gray or blew Paper be apply'd to the Breasts The Phlegm of Vitriol strip'd of Acidity the Water of Frogs Spawn and especially that of Quick-lime are very useful for external Fomentation Some order River-Crabs bruis'd to be applied to the Breasts But above all a Cataplasm of the Meal of Beans Lentils and Lupins boil'd in Vinegar and Water and mix'd with the Whites of Eggs is most effectual For St. Antony's Fire let the Syrup of Elder spread upon a Linen Cloth be applied to the Breasts and renewed every hour If Discussives prove successless we must endeavour to ripen the Swelling by bathing it twice a day with Essence of Saffron and Spirit of Sal Armoniac mix'd and applying Mynsichtius's Plaister of Galbanum with Saffron mix'd with Diachylon 'T is usual to apply Cataplasms of the Juice of Smallage Juice of Sheeps-dung c. But they generally create pain Perhaps the following Cataplasm may not be amiss Take of the Roots of Orris rosted Onyons of each three Ounces Yest two Ounces Yelks of Eggs in number three fresh Hogs Tallow half an Ounce Oil of Roses Meal of Beans and Linseed of each two Ounces Make a Cataplasm When the Swelling becomes soft it ought to be open'd with a Lance because tho the Glandule and Fat be easily dissolv'd by the purulent matter yet 't is not able to break through the Skin without insufferable pains After 't is open apply Tents cover'd with Balsam of Peru or Oil of the Balsamin Apple Oil of St. John's-wort or the common Digestive of Turpentine Hony and Yelks of Eggs or above all the Oil of Man's Ordure In case of a Fistula wash it with the Decoction of Agrimony Allum and Myrrh and apply the following Ointment Take of the Juice of Agrimony an Ounce Aloes Myrrh Sarcocol and plumous Allum of each a Dram. With Hony make an Ointment Ofttimes these Swellings elude the Operation both of discussing and suppurating Medicines and become hard painless Scrofles or Schirrus's the former arising from curdled Milk the latter from clotted Blood fix'd by a powerful Acid after the Inflammation In this Case Gum Ammoniac Galbanum the Plaister of Hemloc and a Liniment of the Juice of Nightshade with Lytharge are proper for external
hungry Habitations to a fat Pasture In particular she ought to avoid Acids Sweetmeats Cheese Wine Summer-fruits or whatever is apt to curdle and clot the Milk And as her Diet ought to be clean and regular so she ought to preserve a calm dispassionat temper of Mind since Fear Anger and Grief clot the Milk by diverting and withdrawing the Spirits that should keep up its equal temperature Nay the influence of Fear and other Passions is visible in the natural Marks that are intail'd to Children in the Mother's Womb by the violent Motion of the Mother's Spirits determin'd upon one part and by the way these Marks are cur'd by applying frequently a hot bloody Secundine or Clouts dip'd in Menstrual Blood and the touch of a dead Child's hand Some apply Clouts dip'd in the Blood of Toads or Fernelius's Aqua Divina or in case of extremity cut 'em off If Fear or Passion actually prevail and cause the Coagulation of Milk let the deprav'd Milk be first suck'd out by a Puppy and the Medicines recommended against the same Symptoms in the foregoing Book be exhibited before the Child be admitted to suck In general the curdling of the Milk is best prevented by eating Anise and Fennel-seeds after Meals and abstaining from cold drink or avoiding any external Cold especially by diverting the menstrual Purgation and shunning the Emotions of Venery which by curdling the Milk in the Child 's Stomac frequently entail to it an Antipathy against Cheese as being a natural resemblance of the curdled Milk that was wont to annoy it After the Child has suck'd about a year it ought to be weaned especially a little after the Equinoxes during the increase of the Moon The chief Inconvenience Children are liable to is drinking in the Nighttime which swells up their Belly and occasions Loosenesses and many other bad Symptoms To prevent this let the Essence of Wormwood be mix'd with their drink or if these Evils prevail already exhibit a little Spanish Wine and apply Aromatic Bags to the Belly Besides as for the other Food of young Children it ought to consist of white Bread dry'd and beaten small Yelks of Eggs and Aniseed boil'd in Milk or Water to the Consistence of a thin Pulp That which is commonly made of Flower and Milk or Water is fitter for Paste than any thing else for it lies heavy in the Child 's Stomac and degenerats into a viscous tough Crudity whereas the Bread being already fermented is sooner and more easily digested 'T is customary among Nurses to attenuate the Child's Food in their own Mouths before they give it and indeed 't is true that a healthy Nurses Spittle is of use for promoting the quick Digestion But if scorbutic Salts be lodg'd in her Gums or if a Cacochymy prevail in her Body it is too apt a Vehicle for conveying a morbifical Tincture into the Child's Body These premises if duly weigh'd will furnish us with a distinct Idea of the Causes of Childrens Diseases The Excrements retained and vicious Milk or Pap receiv'd into the Stomac degenerat into an acid Crudity which if imprison'd in a viscid Vehicle displays its force within and if diluted with a thinner Serum breaks out upon the Skin in various Eruptions From this Source it were easy to derive all the particular Diseases of Children their violent Gripings and voiding of discolor'd Excrements the generation of Wind and distention of the Belly Vomiting and Inappetency Hiccough Watchings Convulsions and the numberless Train of cuticular Eruptions or aches on the Skin occasion'd partly by the Efflux of a ferous acid and partly by a want of due transpiration which obliges it to stagnat in the out parts Now forasmuch as all these Diseases of Children are deriv'd from one Cause and consequently demand the same Method of Cure 't will be needless to trace every distinct Symptom apart and therefore we shall content our selves with a general Account of the Method of Cure And indeed if the foregoing Hypothesis be duly considered and understood 't will be an obvious Consequence that the Basis of the Cure falls upon Alcalies or such Medicines as discuss a viscid Crudity and imbibe an acid These are first the volatil Alkalies especially the Spirit of Sal Armoniac succinat which tho dreaded by some is recommended by experience as an incomparable Medicine for Children 'T is given in the Mother's Milk or in Mint or Fennel-water To this Class we may join oily Aromatics as Aniseed given in Pouder to half a Dram Castor Myrrh and Elixir Proprietatis prepar'd without Acids In the second Rank we place the fix'd absorbent Alcalies viz. Coral Crabs-eyes Pearl Sea Horse-teeth Ivory Bezoar-stone To which we may add the Tincture of Tartar or that of the Dross of the Regulus of Antimony and Venice Triacle or Mithridate given to two Grains stronger Narcotics and more generous Medicines being improper As for example Take of prepar'd Crabs-eyes half a Dram Hartshorn prepar'd without fire half a Dram prepar'd red Coral half a Scruple choice Myrrh six or nine Grains Venice Triacle three or four Grains distill'd Oil of Anise three or six Drops Make a Pouder Or Take of Hartshorn prepar'd without Fire a Scruple Crabs-eyes and red Coral of each half a Scruple volatil Salt of Hartshorn six Grains Venice Triacle four Grains choice Myrrh three Grains Make a Pouder of which give a convenient quantity in Milk or Pap. Take of Elder-flower-water two Ounces Spirit of Sal Armoniac fifteen Drops Hartshorn prepar'd without Fire the Jaw-bone of a Pike and prepar'd Unicorn of each half a Scruple Syrup of Poppies two Drams Make a Potion to be given by little Spoonfuls Now the acid Crudity being thus subdu'd and prepar'd it remains only to make Provision for its Evacuation first by Clysters of the Decoction of Chamomil-flowers mix'd with Salt of Tartar Hony of Rue and Oil of Anise or those of Milk with Turpentin dissolv'd by the Yelk of an Egg or in a difficult Case thus Take of the Decoction of Carminative Ingredients with Salt of Tartar two Ounces Sala's Emetic Syrup two Drams Hony of Roses two Drams Make a Clyster If a viscid Slime stuff the Breast we may exhibit for a Potion three Drams of Hyssop Water half a Dram of the Syrup of Tobacco and a Scruple of Sala's Emetic Syrup mix'd or half an Ounce of Mint-water with half a Dram of the Emetic Syrup As for Purgatives take what follows Take of the Solutive Syrup of Roses two Drams prepar'd Crabs-eyes half a Dram prepar'd red Coral twelve Grains With a few Drops of the Spirit of Anis make a Mixture Or Take of the Pouder of Jalap six Grains Tartar vitriolat half a Scruple Make a Pouder Manna given to two or four Drams in Breast-milk or Pap is also a good Laxative But above all sweet Mercury is the most effectual Correcter and Evacuater of acid viscous Humours especially upon the approach of the Small Pox or Measles 'T is given
at the rate of a Grain for every year of the Child's Age. As Take of the Pulp of Raisins half a Dram sweet Mercury a Grain and a half Pouder of Jalap three Grains Make a Bolus If Mercury be insufficient Fulminatory Gold given to a Grain with Ivory and Pouder of Sea-horse-teeth is a notable Medicine especially if the first Passages be stuff'd It operats more fiercely in wean'd Children than those that suck by reason that the Milk tempers it These Medicines if discreetly manag'd will answer all Diseases in Children particularly the gripings they are so liable to which are attended by prodigious unquietness and voiding of clotted or green Excrements or at least such as are first yellow and afterwards become green by reason of the freer Effervescence of the curdl'd Acid with the Bile These we cure by the above-mention'd Clysters or those of Milk when the yellow Excrements are thin and sharp and Mixtures of aromatic Waters volatil Salts and fix'd Alkalies and when all prove ineffectual by exhibiting a Grain or two of Aurum Fulminans in black Cherry-water Externally we anoint the Belly with distill'd Oils of Mace and Anise mix'd with the express'd Oil of Nutmegs or if the matter be very viscous with an Ointment made of Gum Ammoniac Turpentin Aloes Hogs Tallow fresh Butter and distill'd Oil of Anise If the Belly be distended by Wind we exhibit the Pouder or distill'd Oil of Angelica-roots Aniseed red Coral and the Water of the Oak of Jerusalem and anoint the Belly with Oil of Chamomil and distill'd Oil of Anise If the Child vomit often 't is a Sign of a strong Stomac and ought not to be stopt especially if it proceed only from a Redundancy of Milk but if the Milk be corrupted and the matter discolour'd we exhibit a Pouder made of Nutmegs Coral and Cloves or Cinnamom-water and distill'd Oil of Cloves Externally we inject Clysters and anoint the Belly and Stomac as above Against the Hiccough vomiting is proper as also Aniseeds Venice Triacle and distill'd Oil of Cloves or Joel's Pouder of burnt Hartshorn and red Coral For Costiveness which frequently causes the Distention of the Belly difficult Respiration and many other bad Symptoms we order 'em Mouse-dung dissolv'd in Milk or in case of extremity Sweet Mercury and Aurum fulminans Externally we inject Clysters of Rape and Linseed Oils sharpen'd with Extract of black Hellebor or Suppositories of Venice Soap or apply to the Belly rotten Apples with Goose Fat and Oil of Coloquintida or in case of Extremity the Ointment of Sow-Bread mix'd with Bull 's Gall and Oil of Coloquintida Ofttimes the stagnation of sharp Sweat or the neglect of shifting of the Child galls the tender Skin under the Arm-pits or about the Genitals then we order the part to be first wash'd with warm Water and then sprinkl'd with the Precipitat of the Vitriol of Steel mix'd with Chalk Ceruse and Sugar of Lead Sometimes much crying or coughing will force the Caul or one of the Intestines into the Navel-string and so distend the Navel and relax at the Peritonaeum against which Inconvenience we exhibit Aniseed inwardly and anoint the Navel with Oil of Eggs or Bear 's Fat mix'd with the Seed of Thorowteasel and with a Roller fasten upon it a round Ball of Mastic and red Wax or Turpentin If the Navel be inflam'd we anoint with Oil of Roses mix'd with Ceruse and Sugar of Lead and apply the Plaister of Sperma Ceti Sometimes crying coughing or much Wind in the Belly occasions a Rupture which we cure by applying a Plaister of the Skins of pickled Eels boil'd to a Consistence in Lye and bathing with astringent vulnerary Decoctions Sometimes a watry Tumour distends the Scrotum and feigns a Rupture this is cur'd by fomenting with the Juice of Goat's Dung and applying the Dung it self as a Cataplasm A Tenesmus or Down-falling of the Anus is cur'd by Fumigations of Pine-tree-Rosin Sarcocolla Bay-berries and Fennel-seeds and applying Bags quilted with Mullein-flowers Bran Cummin-seeds and Bay-berries A Suppression of Urine caus'd by a pituitous Humour in the Passage is cur'd first by cleansing the Body with Mechoacan and solutive Syrup of Roses and then exhibiting the Decoction of Vetches and Fennel-tops with some Drops of the Spirit of Turpentine and Emulsions of Violet-seeds with the Water of Elder-flowers or of Restharrow and anointing the Pubes and Perinaeum with Oil of Scorpions and that of Wax or applying Cataplasms of Chamomil rosted Onyons and Oil of Scorpions An Incontinence of Urine is removed by fomenting the Sphincter of the Bladder with astringent Decoctions and giving inwardly Castor Myrrh and Oxymel The Thrush or Wheals that frequently beset Childrens Tongues Throat and Stomac and sometimes the Guts as appears by scaly Excrements are cur'd by washing 'em with Speedwel-water and Juice of Turneps or applying a Liniment of the Mucilage of Quinces extracted with the Water of Frogs Spawn mix'd with Juice of Houseleek and Allum or Hony of Roses mix'd with Spirit of Salt If the Gums be putrify'd gargle the Mouth with the Decoction of Chervil and Sage in Water mix'd with Hony and a little Vinegar Stubborn Watchings are frequently the Harbingers of an Epilepsy and therefore ought to be obviated betimes by exhibiting gentle Laxatives and Emulsions of Sweet Almonds with absorbent Pouders Perhaps Venice Triacle or Mithridate and the Rinds of Poppy-heads boil'd in Milk are not amiss but the Preparations from Poppies are to be cautiously us'd if the Children be very young Externally we bathe the Temples with the Nurse's Milk mix'd with Saffron and anoint the Breast and Pit of the Neck with an Ointment of express'd Oil of Nutmegs and the distill'd Oils of Rue and Amber An Epilepsy is also usher'd in by a starting and frights in sleep occasion'd by the violent Excursion of the Spirits which requires the same Cure as an Epilepsy Now an Epilepsy for the most part seems to proceed from a provoking Acid in the Guts and is cur'd by Alkalin Absorbent Pouders such as Cinnabar of Antimony Unicorn's Horn Crystal Sea-horse-tooth and especially Amber and Misletoe of Hazel-wood and the Pouder of the Moss call'd Wood Claw If these be insufficent we add to them the volatil Salt of Amber or which is yet better the Spirit of Hartshorn impregnated with Amber But above all the Sulphur of Antimony or Fulminatory Gold each of 'em given to a Grain are the most effectual Medicines Convulsions are frequently caus'd by the breeding of Teeth especially the sharp Eye-teeth whose original soft Pulp being harden'd about the sixth or seventh Month begins to force its Passage through the Gums and consequently irritates the nervous System contracts the salivating Glandules and occasions that observable Heat and Efflux of Serum to the Mouth and the Inflammation of the adjacent Parts This Symptom is cur'd by keeping the Belly open and applying to the Gums the Mucilages of Fleawort and Quince-seeds extracted with the Water of Frogs
but those of the Lungs Bronchia and Windpipe of the Middrif especially its tendonous part of the internal side of the Guller and Orifices of the Stomac of the Guts excepting that part of the streight Gut which may be reach'd from without of the Caul Sweetbread and Liver especially if they reach the large Vessels of the Gall Bladder and Branches of the choleric Passage of the Spleen which is full of Arterious Blood of the Conduit of the Breast the Navel-string Kidneys and the Neck of the Bladder of the Womb while the Woman is with Child of the Medulla of the Brain intercostal Nerve Cerebellum and Marrow of the Back-bone betwixt the Vertebrae of the Neck and those of the Back these I say are all mortal Those of the Mesentery are curable if the large Vessels be safe as likewise those of the cortical part of the Brain of the temporal Muscles of the bottom and muscular part of the Bladder and the inferiour part of the spinal Marrow if it be not cut acroâ—s A Surgeon's Duty with reference to Wounds is to remove the corrupt Blood and Juice that hinders Coalition to join the divided parts and apply such vulnerary balmy Ingredients as preserve their nutritious Juice from Corruption Now for so much as the natural Temperature of the nutritious Juice consists in a temperat oily volatil Salt surrounded with a Dewy Vehicle and consequently its Degeneracy is justly call'd Acidity we ought therefore to keep the Wound safe from the Injury of the Air which has a notable Virtue of creating Acids and to untye or open it as seldom as ever we can Some Surgeons being more amus'd with the Effect than the Cause choose rather to provide for the removal of the Gore and Filth than be so nice in exposing the Wound to the Air. But as their Practice is unaccountable so it ought not to be look'd upon as a Precedent The Surgeon's Breath especially that of drunken Persons or Women in their Terms is likewise prejudicial to a Wound and therefore ought to be avoided as well as the Influence of the Moon which stupifies and benums whatever is expos'd to it as appears by gathering its Rays with a Convex Glass Thus the Corruption of the natural Juice is prevented by applying temperat volatil balmy saline Medicines such as the Balsam of Peru Turpentin Oil of St. John's wort Balsam of Sulphur and especially Paracelsus's Balsam of Samech prepar'd from the Salt of Tartar volatiliz'd by the Spirit of Wine The common express'd Oils without they be further prepar'd are pernicious by reason of their latent Acid as also all sharp volatil Salts because they increase the Pain melt down and consume the Nourishment of the Part and hinder Consolidation But above all let Acids be strictly prohibited In the mean while we administer internally Medicines prepar'd from the vulnerary Plants Dog's Dung Earthworms burnt River-Crabs and the Blood of Goats Crabs-eyes mix'd with Wine are also of good use for they qualify and correct the Acid of the Wine which of it self is highly pernicious Nay the chief Virtue of all vulnerary Ingredients is that of subduing an Acid thus Mercury fix'd by Acids is reviv'd by boiling in the Juices of vulnerary Plants Some are wont to apply Digestive suppurating Ingredients to all Wounds but if the Wound be free of Contusion and no heterogeneous Substance be lodg'd in it they are noxious as causing a needless Afflux of Matter and converting the Wound into an Ulcer 'T is true that Wounds receiv'd by a Pistol which generally carry Contusion along with them or those of the Head which require to be kept open for some time or such as are already ulcerated require Digestives Such are Turpentin the Yelk of an Egg Myrrh Balsam of Peru Oil of Roses Camphyr Hony and in a word all oily Alcalies to which we add Absorbent Pouders as Chalk Lead Copper c. After Digestion we add some sharper Ingredients for cleansing the Ulcer The remaining part of a Surgeon's Office is to take out the heterogeneous Substance if any such there be and to join the divided parts either by convenient Ligatures or sewing 'em together The heterogeneous Substance is extracted by proper Instruments or by applying the fat of Hares with Amber and living Crabs or the dry'd Tongue of a Fox soak'd in Wine or a Plaister of Hony Yest and Misseltoe of the Oak and administring in the mean while the vulnerary Decoctions such as that of Dittany with Crabs-eyes For joining the sides of the Wound we use a Fillet of two ends meeting in one Body which joint Body we apply to the part opposite to the Wound and bring the two ends across upon it so as to join its Lips These Fillets will serve for joining simple Wounds that run along with the length of the Fibres but for large ones that come across the Fibres or the Joints or when any part is almost cut off to a very Point then 't will be needful to few up the Part with a Needle and Thread But we ought to take care not to attempt sewing up a nervous Part for fear of inlarging the Pain or pricking a Nerve as also when we few not to bring the sides of the Wound too close because they are apt to swell and besides the purulent matter if it have not a sufficient Vent left will recoil and create hidden Ulcers or corrode the Bones Wounds that come by Pricks rather than Cuts are plied with Tents which provide for the Incarnation of the remote bottom of the Wound before its surface be cover'd with Flesh But in applying Tents we ought to observe these Cautions 1. They must not be too long apply'd because they retard Consolidation 2. In nervous parts they ought not to be long or hard for fear of irritation 3. They ought not to be too large for fear of rubbing off the Gore which cements the sides of the Wound or hurting the growing tender Flesh and denying Reception to the purulent matter When the Wound is a closing we ought not to be too liberal in applying astringent Pouders because they straiten the Pores harden the Fibres and so occasion a Scar or Roughness especially in adult Persons whose nutritious cementing Juice is not so balmy as that of young People To prevent such Deformities let the Fat of a Graylin be frequently drop'd into the Wound when it begins to consolidate 'T is true that moderat Astringents are useful for drying up the thin serous Humor that accompanies the nutritious Juice of the part cramps its cementing Faculty and renders the part flaccid soft and overgrown with luxuriant Flesh But in simple Wounds where there is no loss of Substance they are not so very necessary To conclude we may justly infer from the foregoing Premises that vulnerary Medicines are enrich'd with a temperat volatil oily Salt and a gentle astringent Force as being such as do not of themselves create new Flesh but only preserve the natural