either in a marish or sandy ground cannot prosper well also a mola contained in the wombe the falling down of the wombe the leannesse of the womans body ill humours bred by eating crude and raw fruits or great or over-much drinking of water whereof obstructions and crudities follow which hinder her fruitfulnesse Furthermore by the use of stupefactive things the seminall matter is congealed and restrained and though it flow and be cast out yet it is deprived of the prolificke power and of the lively heat and spirits the orifices or cotylidones of the veines and arteries are stopped and so the passage for the menstruall matter into the wombe is stopped When the Kall is so fat that it girdeth in the wombe narrowly it hindereth the fruitfulnesse of the woman because it will not permit the mans seed to enter into the wombe Moreover the fat and fleshy habit of the man or woman hinder generation For it hindreth them that they cannot joyne their genitall parts together and by how much the more bloud goeth into fat by so much the lesse is remaining to be turned into seed menstruall bloud which two are the originals principals of generation Those women that are speckled in the face some what lean pale because they have their genitals moystned with a saltish sharp and tickling humour are more given to venery than those that are red fat Finally Hippocrates sets downe foure causes onely why women are barren and unfruitfull The first is because they cannot receive the mans seede by reason of the default of the neck of the wombe the second because when it is received into the wombe they cannot conceive it the third is because they cannot nourish it the fourth because they are not able to carry or beare it untill the due and lawfull time of birth These things are necessary to generation the object wil faculty concourse of the seeds and the remaining or abiding thereof in the wombe untill the due and appointed naturall time CHAP. XXXIX The signes of a distempered wombe THat woman is thought to have her wombe too hot whose courses come forth sparingly and with paine and exulcerate by reason of their heate the superfluous matter of the bloud being dissolved or turned into wind by the power of the heat whereupon that menstruall bloud that floweth forth is more grosse and black For it is the property of heat by digesting the thinner substance to thicken the rest and by adustion to make it more black Furthermore shee that hath her genitals itching with the desire of copulation will soone exclude the seede in copulation and shee shall feele it more sharpe as it goeth through the passages That woman hath too cold a wombe whose flowers are either stopped or flow sparingly and those pale and not well coloured Those that have lesse desire of copulation have lesse delight therein and their seed is more liquid and waterish and not stayning a linnen cloth by sticking thereunto and it is sparingly and slowly cast forth That wombe is too moist that floweth continually with many liquid excrements which therefore will not hold the seed but presently after copulation suffereth it to fall out which will easily cause abortion The signes of too dry a wombe appeare in the little quantity of the courses in the profusion of a small quantity of seed by the desire of copulation whereby it may be made slippery by the moysture of the seede by the fissures in the necke thereof by the chaps and itching for all things for want of moysture will soone chap even like unto the ground which in the summer by reason of a great drought or drynesse will chap and chinke this way and that way and on the contrary with moisture it will close and joyne together againe as it were with glew A woman is thought to have all opportunities unto conception when her courses or flowers doe cease for then the wombe is voyd of excrementall filth and because it is yet open it will the more easily receive the mans seede and when it hath received it it will better retaine it in the wrinkles of the cotylidones yet gaping as it were in rough and unequall places Yet a woman will easily conceave a little before the time that the flowers ought to flow because that the menstruall matter falling at first like dew into the wombe is very meet and fit to nourish the seede and not to drive it out againe or to suffocate it Those which use copulation when their courses fall downe abundantly will very hardly or seldome conceive and if they doe conceive the child will be weake and diseased and especially if the womans bloud that flowes out be unfound but if the bloud bee good and laudable the childe will bee subject to all plethoricke diseases There are some women in whom presently after the fluxe of the termes the orifice of the wombe will be closed so that they must of necessity use copulation with a man when their menstruall fluxe floweth if at lest they would conceive at all A woman may beare children from the age of fourteene untill forty or fifty which time whosoever doth exceed will beare untill threescore yeares because the menstruall fluxes are kept the prolificall faculty is also preserved therefore many women have brought forth children at that age but after that time no woman can beare as Aristotle writeth Yet Pliny saith that Cornelia who was of the house of the Scipioes being in the sixty second yeare of her age bare Volusius Saturnius who was Consull Valescus de Tarenta also affirmeth that he saw a woman that bare a childe on the sixty second yeare of her age having borne before on the sixtieth and sixty first yeare Therefore it is to bee supposed that by reason of the variety of the ayre region diet and temperament the menstruall fluxe and procreative faculty ceaseth in some sooner in some later which variety taketh place also in men For in them although the seede be genitable for the most part in the second seventh yeare yet truely it is unfruitfull untill the third seventh yeare And whereas most men beget children untill they bee threescore yeers old which time if they passe they beget till seventy yet there are some knowne that have begot children untill the eightieth yeere Moreover Pliny writeth that Masinissa the King begot a sonne when hee was fourescore and sixe yeeres of age and also Cato the Censor after that he was fourescore CHAP. XL. Of the falling downe or perversion or turning of the wombe THe wombe is said to fall downe and be perverted when it is moved out of its proper and naturall place as when the bands and ligatures thereof being loosed and relaxed it falleth downe unto one side or other or into its owne necke or else passeth further so that it comes out at the necke and a great portion thereof appeares without the privie
like wherein there is power to provoke the flowers as with scammony in powder let them be as bigge as ones thumbe sixe fingers long and rowled in lawne or some such like thinne linnen cloath of the same things nodula's may bee made Also pessaries may be prepared with hony boyled adding thereto convenient powders as of scammony pellitory and such like Neither ought these to stay long in the necke of the wombe lest they should exulcerate and they must be pulled backe by a threed that must bee put through them and then the orifice of the womb must be fomented with white wine of the decoction of pennyroyall or mother-wort But it is to be noted that if the suppression of the flowers happeneth through the default of the stopped orifice of the womb or by inflammation these maladies must first bee cured before wee come unto those things that of their proper strength and vertue provoke the flowers as for example if such things be made and given when the wombe is enflamed the blood being drawne into the grieved place and the humours sharpened and the body of the wombe heated the inflammation will be encreased So if there be any superfluous flesh if there be any Callus of a wound or ulcer or if there be any membrane shutting the orifice of the wombe and so stopping the fluxe of the flowers they must first bee consumed and taken away before any of those things bee administred But the oportunity of taking and applying of things must be taken from the time wherein the sicke woman was wont to be purged before the stopping or if she never had the flowers in the decrease of the moone for so we shall have custome nature and the externall efficient cause to helpe art When these medicines are used the women are not to bee put into bathes or hot houses as many doe except the malady proceed from the density of the vessels and the grossenesse and clamminesse of the blood For sweats hinder the menstruall fluxe by diverting and turning the matter another way CHAP. LIIII The signes of the approaching of the menstruall fluxe WHen the monethly fluxe first approacheth the dugges itch and become more swollen and hard than they were wont the woman is more desirous of copulation by reason of the ebullition of the provoked blood and the acrimony of the blood that remaineth her voice becommeth bigger her secret parts itch burne swell and waxe red If they stay long shee hath paine in her loynes and head nauseousnesse and vomiting troubleth the stomacke notwithstanding if those matters which flow together in the wombe either of their owne nature or by corruption be cold they loath the act of generation by reason that the wombe waxeth feeble through sluggishnesse and watery humours filling the same and it floweth by the secret parts very softly Those maides that are marriageable although they have the menstruall fluxe very well yet they are troubled with head ache nauseousnesse and often vomiting want of appetite longing an ill habite of body difficulty of breathing trembling of the heart swouning melancholy fearfull dreames watching with sadnesse and heavinesse because that the genitall parts burning itching they imagine the act of generation whereby it commeth to passe that the seminall matter either remaining in the testicles in great abundance or else powred into the hollownesse of the womb by the tickling of the genitalls is corrupted and acquireth a venemous quality and causeth such like accidents as happens in the suffocation of the wombe Maides that live in the country are not so troubled with those diseases because there is no such lying in wait for their maiden-heads and also they live sparingly and hardly and spend their time in continuall labour You may see many maides so full of juice that it runneth in great abundance as if they were not menstruall into their dugges and is there converted into milke which they have in as great quantity as nurses as we read it recorded by Hippocrates If a woman which is neither great with child nor hath born children hath milke she wants the menstruall fluxes whereby you may understand that that conclusion is not good which affirmeth that a woman which hath milke in her breasts either to be delivered of childe or to be great with childe for Cardanus writeth that hee knew one Antony Buzus at Genua who being thirty yeeres of age had so much milk in his breasts as was sufficient to nurse a child for the breeding and efficient cause of milke proceeds not onely from the engrafted faculty of the glandulous substance but much rather from the action of the mans seed for proofe whereof you may see many men that have very much milk in their breasts and many women that almost have no milke unlesse they receive mans seed Also women that are strong and lusty like unto men which the Latines call Viragines that is to say whose seed commeth unto a manly nature when the flowers are stopped concoct the blood and therefore when it wanteth passage forth by the likenesse of the substance it is drawne into the duggs and becommeth perfect milk those that have the flowers plentifully and continually for the space of foure or five daies are better purged and with more happy successe than those that have them for a longer time CHAP. LV. What accidents follow immoderate fluxes of the flowers or courses IF the menstruall flux floweth immoderately there also followes many accidents for the cocoction is frustrated the appetite overthrown then followes coldnesse throughout all the body exolution of all the faculties an ill habite of all the body leannesse the dropsie a hecticke feaver convulsion swouning and often sodaine death if any have them too exceeding immoderately the blood is sharpe and burning and also stinking the sicke woman is troubled with a continuall feaver and her tongue will bee dry ulcers arise in the gummes and all the whole mouth In women the flowers doe flow by the veines and arteries which rise out of the spermaticke vessels and are ended in the bottome and sides of the wombe but in virgins and in women great with childe whose children are sound and healthfull by the branches of the hypogastrick veine and artery which are spred and dispersed over the necke of the wombe The cause of this immoderate flux is in the quantity or quality of the blood in both the fault is unreasonable copulation especially with a man that hath a yard of a monstrous greatnesse and the dissolution of the retentive faculty of the vessels oftentimes also the flowers flow immoderately by reason of a painfull a difficult birth of the child or the after-birth being pulled by violence from the cotyledons of the wombe or by reason that the veines and arteries of the necke of the wombe are torne by the comming forth of the infant with great travell and many times by the use of sharpe medicines
of fore moneths old Caelius Rhodiginus tells that in a â—wn of his country called Sarzano Italy being roubled with civill warres there was born monster of unusual bigness for he had two heads having all his limbs answerable in grâ—ness tallnesse to a child of foure months old between his two heads which were boâ—h alike at the setting on of the shoulder 〈◊〉 had a third hand put forth which did not â—â—ceed the eares in length for it was not all â—…n it was born the 5. of the Ides of March 〈◊〉 14. The figure of one with foure legges and as manyarmes Jovianus Pontanus tells in the yeere 1529. the ninth day of January there was a man childe borne in Germany having foure armes and as many legges The figure of a man out of whose belly another head shewed it selfe In the yeere that Francis the first King of France entered into league with the Swisses there was borne a monster in Germany out of the midst of whose belly there stood a great head it came to mans age and this lower and as it were inserted head was nourished as much as the true and upper head In the yeere 1572. the last day of February in the parish of Viaban in the way as you goe from Carnuta to Paris in a small village called Bordes one called Cypriana Girandae the wife of James Merchant a husbandman brought forth this monster whose shape you see here delineated which lived untill the Sunday following being but of one onely sexe which was the female The shape of two monstrous Twinnes being but of one onely Sexe In the yeere 1572. on Easter Munday at Metz in Loraine in the Inne whose signe is the Holy-Ghost a Sow pigged a pigge which had eight legges foure eares and the head of a dogge the hinder part from the belly downeward was parted in two as in twinnes but the foreparts grew into one it had two tongues in the mouth with foure teeth in the upper jaw and as many in the lower The sexe was not to be distinguished whether it were a Bore or Sow pigge for there was one slit under the taile and the hinder parts were all rent and open The shape of this monster as it is here set downe was sent me by Borgesius the famous Physitian of Metz. The shape of a monstrous Pigge CHAP. III. Of women bringing many children at one birth WOman is a creature bringing usually but one at a birth but the 〈…〉 been some who have brought forth two some three some fouâ—… sixe or more at one birth Empedocles thought that the abundâ—…e of seed was the cause of such numerous births the Stoikes affirmâ—…e divers cells or partitions of the wombe to be the cause for the seâ—… being variously parted into these partitions and the conception divided there are more children brought forth no otherwise than in rivers the water beating against the rockes is turned into divers circles or rounds But Aristotle saith there is no reason to think so for in women that parting of the womb into cells as in dogs and sowes taketh no place for womens wombes have but one cavity parted into two recesses the right left nothing comming between except by chance distinguished by a certain line for often twins lye in the same side of the womb Aristotles opinion is that a woman cannot bring forth more than five children at one birth The maide of Augustus Caesar brought forth five at a birth a short while after she her children died In the yeer 1554. at Bearn in Switzerland the wife of Dr. John Gelinger brought forth five children at one birth three boies and two girles Albucrasis affirmes a woman to have bin the mother of seven children at one birth another who by some externall injury did abort brought forth fifteene perfectly shaped in all their parts Pliny reports that it was extant in the writings of Physitians that twelve children were borne at one birth and that there was another in Peloponnesus which foure severall times was delivered of five children at one birth and that the greater part of those children lived It is reported by Dalechampius that Bonaventura the slave of one Savill a Gentleman of Sena at one time brought forth seven children of which four were baptized In our time between Sarte and Maine in the parish of Seaux not far from Chambellay there is a family and noble house called Maldemeure the wife of the Lord of Maldemeure the first yeere she was married brought forth twinnes the second yeere she had three children the third yeere foure the fourth yeere five the fift yeere sixe and of that birth she died of those sixe one is yet alive and is Lord of Maldemeure In the valley of Beaufort in the county of Anjou a young woman the daughter of Mace Channiere when at one perfect birth shee had brought forth one child the tenth day following she fell in labour of another but could not be delivered untill it was pulled from her by force and was the death of the mother Martin Cromerus the author of the Polish history writeth that one Margaret a woman sprung from a noble and antient family neere Cracovia and wife to Count Virboslaus brought forth at one birth thirty five live children upon the twentieth day of January in the yeere 1296. Franciscus Picus Mirandula writeth that one Dorothy an Italian had twenty children at two births at the first nine and at the second eleven and that she was so bigge that she was forced to beare up her belly which lay upon her knees with a broad and large scarfe tyed about her necke as you may see by the following figure The picture of Dorothy great with child with many children And they are to bee reprehended here againe who affirme the cause of numerous births to consist in the variety of the cells of the wombe for they feigne a womans wombe to have seven cells or partitions three on the right side for males three on the left side for females and one in the midst for Hermaphrodites or Scrats and this untruth hath gon so far that there have bnene some that affirmed every of these seven cells to have bin divided into ten partitions into which the seed dispersed doth bring forth a divers and numerous encrease according to the variety of the cells furnished with the matter of seed which though it may seeme to have been the opinion of Hippocrates in his book De natura Pueri notwithstanding it is repugnant to reason and to those things which are manifestly apparent to the eyes and senses The opinion of Aristotle is more probable who saith twinnes and more at one birth are begot and brought forth by the same cause that the sixt finger groweth on the hand that is by the abundant plenty of the seed which is greater and more copious than can bee all taken up in the naturall framing of one body for if it all be forced
then stopped with the grossenesse of the vapour of the coales whereby it appeareth that both these parts were in fault for as much as the consent and connexion of them with the other parts of the body is so great that they cannot long abide sound and perfect without their mutuall helpe by reason of the loving and friendly sympathy and affinitie that is betweene all the parts of the body one with another Wherefore the ventricles of the braine the passages of the lungs and the sleepie Arteries being stopped the vitall spirit was prohibited from entring into the braine and consequently the animall spirit retained and kept in so that it could not come or disperse its selfe through the whole body whence happened the defect of two of the faculties necessary for life It many times happeneth and is a question too frequently handled concerning womens madenheads whereof the judgement is very difficult Yet some ancient women and Midwives will bragge that they assuredly know it by certaine and infallible signes For say they in such as are virgins there is a certaine membrane or parchment-like skin in the necke of the womb which will hinder the thrusting in of the finger if it be put in any thing deepe which membraine is broken when first they have carnall copulation as may afterwards be perceived by the free entrance of the finger Besides such as are defloured have the necke of their womb more large and wide as on the contrary it is more contracted straite and narrow in virgins But how deceitfull and untrue these signes and tokens are shall appeare by that which followeth for this membraine is a thing preternaturall and which is scarce found to be in one of a thousand from the first conformation Now the necke of the womb will be more open or straite according to the bignesse and age of the party For all the parts of the body have a certaine mutuall proportion and commensuration in a well made body Ioubertus hath written that at Lectoure in Gasconye a woman was delivered of a child in the ninth yeare of her age and that she is yet alive and called Ioane du Perié being wife to Videau Beche the receiver of the amercements of the King of Navare which is a most evident argument that there are some women more able to accompany with a man at nine yeares old than many other at fifteene by reason of the ample capacity of their wombe and the necke thereof Besides also this passage is enlarged in many by some accident as by thrusting their owne fingers more strongly thereinto by reason of some itching or by the putting up of a Nodule or Pessarie of the bignesse of a mans yard for to bring downe the courses Neither to have milke in their breasts is any certaine signe of lost virginity For Hippocrates thus writes But if a woman which is neyther with child nor hath had one have milke in her breasts then her courses have failed her Moreover Aristotle reports that there be men who have such plenty of milke in their breasts that it may be sucked or milked out Cardan writes that he saw at Venice one Antony Bussey some 30. yeares old who had milke in his breasts in such plenty as sufficed to suckle a child so that it did not onely drop but spring out with violence like a womans milke Wherefore let Magistrates beware least thus admonished they too rashly assent to the reports of women Let Physitions and Chirurgions have a care least they doe too impudently bring magistrates into an errour which will not redound so much to the judges disgrace as to theirs But if any desire to know whether one be poysoned let him search for the Symptomes and signes in the foregoing and particular treatise of poysons But that this doctrine of making Reports may be the easier I thinke it fit to give presidents in imitation whereof the young Chirurgion may frame others The first president shall be of death to ensue a second of a doubfull judgement of life and death the third of an impotency of a member the fourth of the hurting of many members I A. P. Chirurgion of Paris this twentieth day of May by the command of the Counsell entred into the house of Iohn Brossey whom I found lying in bed wounded on his head with a wound in his left temple piercing the bone with a fracture and effracture or depression of the broken bone scailes and mâ—ninges into the substance of the braine by meanes whereof his pulse was weake he was troubled with raving convulsion cold sweate and his appetite was dejected Whereby may bee gathered that certaine and speedy death is at hand In witnesse whereof I have signed this Report with my owne hand By the Coroners command I have visited Peter Lucey whom I found sicke in bed being wounded with a Halbard on his right thigh Now the wound is of the bredth of three fingers and so deepe that it pierces quite through his thigh with the cutting also of a veine and Artery whence ensued much effusion of blood which hath exceedingly weakned him and caused him to swound often now all his thigh is wollâ—e livide and gives occasion to feare worse symptomes which is the cause that the health and safety of the party is to be doubted of By the Iustices command I entred into the house of Iames Bertey to visite his owne brother I found him wounded in his right harme with a wound of some foure fingers bignesse with the cutting of the tendons bending the legge and of the Veines Arteries and Nerves Wherefore I affirme that he is in danger of his life by reason of the maligne symptomes that usually happen upon such wounds such as are great paine a feaver inflammation abscesse convulsion gangreene and the like Wherefore he stands in neede of provident and carefull dressing by benefit wherof if he escape death without doubt he will continue lame during the remainder of his life by reason of the impotency of the wounded part And this I affirme under my hand We the Chirurgions of Paris by the command of the Senate this twentieth day of March have visited Master Lewis Vertâ—man whom wee found hurt with five wounds The first inflicted on his head in the middle of his forehead bone to the bignesse of three fingers and it penetrates even to the second table so that we were forced to plucke away three splinters of the same bone The other was atwhart his right cheeke and reacheth from his eare to the midst of his nose wherefore wee stitched it with foure stitches The third is on the midst of his belly of the bignesse of two fingers but so deepe that it ascends into the capacity of the belly so that we were forced to cut away portion of the Kall comming out thereat to the bignesse of a wallnut because having lost its naturall colour it grew blacke and putrified The fourth was
situate above the Perinaum It hath connexion with the fundament the necke of the wombe and bladder by both their peculiar orifices It hath a middle temper betweene hot and cold moist and drie It hath the same use as a mans Praeputium or fore-skinne that is that together with the Numpha it may hinder the entrance of the aire by which the wombe may be in danger to take cold The lips of the privities called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Latines Ala containe all that region which is invested with haires and because we have falne into mention of these Nympha you must know that they are as it were productions of the musculous skinne which descend on both sides from the upper part of the share-bone downewards even to the orifice of the necke of the bladder oft times growing to so great a bignesse that they will stand out like a mans yard Wherefore in some they must be cut off in their young yeares yet with a great deale of caution left if they be cut too rashly so great an effusion of bloud may follow that it may cause either death to the woman or barrennesse of the wombe by reason of the refrigeration by the too great effusion of bloud The latter Anatomists as Columbus and Fallopius besides these parts have made mention of another particle which stands forth in the upper part of the privities and also of the urinary passage which joynes together those wings wee formerly mentioned Columbus cals it Tentigo Fallopius Cleitoris whence proceeds that infamous word Cleitorizein which signifies impudently to handle that part But because it is an obscene part let those which desire to know more of it reade the Authors which I cited The thirteenth Figure shewing the parts of women different from these in men A. B. C. D. The Peritonaeum reflected or turned backward above and below E. F. the gibbous part of the liver 〈◊〉 the cave or hollow part E. G. The trunke of the gate veine H. the hollow veine I. the great artery K. the rootes of the Coelicall artery which accompanieth the gate veine L. M. the fatty veine going to the coate of the kidneies N. O. the fore-part of both the kidneies T. V. the emulgent veines and arteries aa the right ureter at the lowest a cut from a part which neere to b sticketh yet to the bladder because the bottome of the bladder is drawne to the left-side c. the left ureter inserted into the bladder neere to r. dd the spermaticke veine which goeth to the left testicle marked with i. ee the spermaticke veine which goeth to the left testicle with i also f. the trunke of the great arterie from whence the spermaticall arteries doe proceed g. h. the spermaticall arteries ii the two testicles ll a branch which from the spermaticke vessels reacheth unto the bottome of the wombe mm. the leading vessell of the seede which Falopius calleth the tuba or trumpet because it is crooked and reflected n. a branch of the spermaticke vessel compassing the leading vessell oo a vessell like a worme which passeth to the wombe some call it Cremaster p. the bottome of the wombe called fundus vteri q. a part of the right gut r. s the bottome of the bladder whereto is inserted the left ureter and a veine led from the necke of the wombe neere unto r. t. the necke of the bladder u. the same inserted into the privitie or lap x. a part of the necke of the wombe above the privity yy certaine skinnie Caruncles of the privities in the midst of which is the slit and on both sides appeare little hillocks The Figures belonging to the Dugges and Breasts αα The veines of the Dugs which come from those which descending from the top of the shoulder are offered to the skinne β. the veines of the dugges derived from those which through the arme-hole are led into the hand γ. the body of the Dugge or Breast δδ the kernels and fat betweene them εε the vessels of the Dugges descending from the lower part of the necke called iugulum under the breast bone CHAP. XXXV Of the Coats containing the Infant in the wombe and of the Navell THe membranes or coates containing the infant in the wombe of the mother are of a spermaticke and nervous substance having their matter from the seede of the mother But they are nervous that so they may be the more easily extended as it shall be necessary for the child They are of good length and bredth especially neare the time of deliverance they are round in figure like the wombe Their composition is of veines arteries and their proper substance The veines and arteries are distributed to them whether obscurely or manifestly more or fewer from the wombe by the Cotyledones which have the same office as long as the child is contained in the wombe as the nipples or pappes of the nurses after it is borne For thus the wombe brings the Cotyledones or veines degenerating into them through the coates like certaine paps to the infant shut up in them These coates are three in number according to Galen one called the Chorion Secundine or afterbirth the other Allantoides the third Amnios I find this number of coates in beasts but not in women unlesse peradventure any will reckon up in the number of the coats the Cotyledones swollen up and grown into a fleshie masse which many skilfull in Anatomy doe write which opinion notwithstanding we cannot receive as true I could never in any place finde the Allantoides in women with child neither in the infant borne in the sixth seventh eight or in the full time being the ninth moneth although I have sought it with all possible diligence the Midwives being set apart which might have violated some of the coates But thus I went about this businesse I devided the dead body of the mother cross-wise upon the region of the wombe and taking away all impediments which might either hinder or obscure our diligence with as much dexteritie as was possible wee did not onely draw away that receptacle or den of the infant from the inward surface of the wombe to which it stucke by the Cotyledones but we also tooke away the first membrane which we called Chorion from that which lies next under it called Amnios without any rending or tearing for thus we powred forth no moisture whereby it might be said that any coate made for the containing of that humor was rent or torne And then we diligently looked having many witnesses and spectators present if in any place there did appeare any distinction of these two membranes the Allantoides and Amnios for the separating the contained humors and for other uses which they mention But when we could perceive no such thing we tooke the Amnios filled with moisture on the upper side and having opened it two servants so holding the apertion that no moisture might flow out of it into the
circumference of the Chorion or womb then presently with spunges we drew out by little and little all the humiditie contained in it the infant yet contained in it which was fit to come forth that so the coate Amnios being freed of this moisture we might see whether there were any other humor contained in any other coate besides But having done this with singular diligence and fidelity we could see no other humor nor no other separation of the membranes besides So that from that time I have confidently held this opinion that the infant in the wombe is onely wrapped in two coates the Chorion and Amnios But yet not satisfied by this experience that I might yet be more certaine concerning this Allantoides having passed through the two former coates I came to the infant and I put a quill into its bladder and blew it up as forceably as I could so to trie if by that blowing I might force the aire into that coate which we questioned as some have written But neither thus could I drive any aire from hence through the navell into the controvetted coate but rather I found it to flie out of the bladder by the privities Wherefore I am certainely perswaded that there is no Allantoides Moreover I could never finde nor see in the navell that passage called the urachus which they affirme to be the beginning and originall of the coate Allantoides But if it be granted that there is no such coate as the Allantoides what discommoditie will arise hereof specially seeing the sweate and urine of the infant may easily and without any discommoditie be received collected and contained in the same coate by reason of the small difference which is betweene them But if any object that the urine by its sharpenesse and touching will hurt the infant I will answer there can be no so great sharpenesse in the urine of so small an infant and that if that there be any it is tempered by the admixture of the gentle vapour of sweat Besides if you consider or have regard to the use of such an humor which is to hold up the child lest by its weight it breakes the ties by which it is bound to the wombe wee shall finde no humour more fit for this purpose than this serous as which by its thicknesse is much more fit to beare up a weight than the thinne and to liquide sweate For so we see the sea or salt water carries greater weights without danger of drowning than fresh rivers doe Wherefore I conclude that there is no neede that the urine should be kept and contained in one coate and the sweate in another The Ancients who have writ otherwise have written from observations made in beasts Wherefore we make but onely two coats the Chorion and Amnios the one of vhich seeing it containes the other they both so encompasse the child that they vest â—on every side Fallopius in some sort seemes to be of this opinion for he onely makes two coates the Chorion and Amnios but hee thinkes the infant makes the water into a certaine pat of the Chorion as you may perceive by reading of his Observations Both these cotes are tied betweene themselves by the intercourse of most slender nervous fibes and small vessels penetrating from the outer Chorion to the inner Amnios Wherefore unlesse you warily handle these coates you may easily teare the Amnios in seprating it They are of the same temper with other membranes Their use is different for the Chorion is made both for the preservation of the vessels which it receives from the wombe for the generating of the umbilicall veines and arteries as also to keep whole and safe the parts which it invests Bt the Amnios is to receive and containe the excrementitious and ferous humors which the child shut up in the wombe is accustomed to evacuate But this coate very thinne and soft but strong and smooth lest by its touch it might hurt the infant whereupon it is called the Lamb-kinne coate CHAP. XXXVI Of the Navell THe Navell followes these coates It is a white body somewhat resembling the wreathen cord or girdle of the Franciscan Friers but that it hath not the knots standing so farre out but onely swelling in certaine places resembling a knot onely lifted up on one side it arises and takes its originall from a fleshie masse which we expressed by the name of swelling Câ—…dones and goes into the midst of the lower belly of the infant yea verily into thâ—…idst of the whole body whose roote it is therefore said to be For even as a tâ—… by the roote sucks nourishment from the earth so the infant in the wombe draw its nourishment by the navell The greatnesse of it in breadth and thicknesse eqâ—…ll the bignesse of the little finger But it is a foote and a halfe long so that children 〈◊〉 brought forth with it encompassing their middle necke armes or legges The figâ—…e of it is round It is composed of two arteries one veine and two coates It hath â—…se vessels from that great multitude of capillary veines and arteries which are seen â—…ispersed over the Chorion Wherefore the veine entring in at the navell penetraâ—… from thence into the hollow part of the liver where divided into two according â—alens opinion it makes the gate and hollow veines But the arteries caried by thâ—…selves the length of the navell cast themselves into the Iliacae which they make as also all other that from thence the vitall spirit may be carried by them over all the infant It hath its two coates from the Chorion But seeing they are mutually woven and conjoyned without any medium and are of a sufficient strength and thicknesse over all the navell they may seeme to make the infants externall skinne and fleshie pannicle I know very many reckon two umbilicall veines as also arteries and the urachus by or through which the urine flowes into the coate Allantoides But because this is not to be found in women but onely in beasts I willingly omit it because I doe not intend to mention any parts but such as belong to humane bodies Yet if there be any which can teach me that these parts which I thinke proper to brute beasts are to be found in women I will willingly confesse and that to his credit from whom I have reaped such benefit The other things that may be required concerning the navell as of its number site connexion temper and use may easily appeare by that we have spoken before For we hove apparently set downe the use when we said the navell was made for that purpose that the infant may be nourished by it as the tree by the roote by reason of the continuation of the vessels thereof with the preparing spermaticke vessels made by God for that purpose to whom be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen The End of the third Booke THE FOURTH BOOKE TREATING OF THE Vitall parts contained in
these parts are of exact sence if there be necessity to open the tumor yet must we not doe it rashly or unconsiderately for feare of paine and evill accidents This kinde of tumor is oft times raised by winde contained there in which case the Chirurgion must bee very provident that hee bee not deceived with the shew of flowing of the humor which hee seemes to perceive by the pressure of his fingers as if there were matter and humor contained therein and so bee brought to open the tumor For the winde breaking forth in stead of the humor causeth evill symptomes by reason of the section rashly made in a part so sensible But if watrish humors shall tumifie the part the body shall first be purged with medicines purging flegme And then inciding attenuating rarifying discussing and very drying locall medicines shall be used Of which wee have abundantly spoken in the Chapter of the Oedema Yet this humor divers times lyes deepe betweene the whirle bone and the joynt which causeth it that it cannot be discussed and resolved by reason of the weakenesse of the part and defect of heate so that the adventitious humor often moves and excludes the bones from their seate As I have observed it to have happened to many In which cause Irrigations of red wine falling something high whereby the force of the medicine may enter and more easily penetrate are much commended CHAP. XXI Of the Dracunculus ICannot chuse but explaine in this place those things which may bee spoken of that kinde of tumor against nature which by the ancients is called Dracunculus The matter and reason of these hath beene variously handled by diverse Authours so that hitherto wee have nothing written of them to which wee may by right and with good reason adhere as a firme foundation of their essence For first for Galens opinion Lib. 6. de Loc. affect cap. 3. The generation saith he of those hayres which are evacuated by the Vrine is worthy no lesse admiration than the Dracunculi which as they say in a certaine place of Arabia breede in the legges of men being of a nervous nature and like wormes in colour and thickenesse Therefore seeing I have heard many who have sayd they have seene them but I my selfe never saw them I cannot conjecture any thing exactly neither of their origiginall nor essence Paulus Aegineta writes that the Dracunculi are bred in India and the higher parts of Aegypt like wormes in the musculous parts of mans body that is the armes thighes and legges and also creepe by the intercostall muscles in children with a manifest motion But whether they by creatures indeede or onely have the shape of creatures they must bee cured with a hot fomentation by which the Dracunculus raised to a just tumor may put forth it selfe and be pluckt away peece meale with the fingers also suppurating Cataplasmes may be applyed composed of water honey wheate and barly meale Avicen being various having no certainty whereon to rest inclineth one while to this and another while to that opinion for now he speaketh of the Dracunculi as of creatures then presently of a matter and humor shut up in a certaine place for the rest he rightly delivers the cure and essence of this disease as we shall afterwards shew Actius saith the Dracunculi are like wormes and that they are found sometimes great sometimes small and that their generation is not unlike to that of flat wormes which are bred in the guttes for they move under the skinne without any trouble but in processe of time the place becomes suppurate about the end of the Dracunculus The skinne openeth and the head thereof is thrust forth But if the Dracunculus bee pulled it causeth great greefe especially if it bee broken by too violent pulling For that which is left causeth most vehement paine Where fore that the creature may not runne backe the arme must bee bound with a strong threed and this must bee done every day that the Dracunculus going forward by little and little may bee intercepted by this binding but not broken off The place must bee bathed with Aqua Mulsa and oyle in which wormewood or southernewood hath beene boyled or some other of those medicines which are prescribed for the wormes of the belly But if the Dracunculus going forward of its owne accord may be easily drawne forth we must doe nothing else but if it bee turned to suppuration wee must not leave off the Cataplasmes the Aqua Mulsa and anointing with oyle It was usuall with him after the taking away of the Cataplasmes to apply Emplaslrum E Baâ—â—is Lauri but when it is come to suppuration the skinne must bee opened long wayes and the Dracunculus so layd open must be taken away but the skinne must be filled with lint and the rest of the suppurative cure used so that the creature being suppurated and drawne forth the wound may bee incarnated and cicatrised Rhasis writeth that when the part is lifted up into a blister and the veine hastneth its egresse it is good for the patient to drinke the first day halfe a dramme of Aloies the next day a whole dramme the third day two drammes and in like manner the place affected must bee fomented with Aloes for so that which lyes hid will breake forth that which shall come forth must be rolled in a pipe of lead which may equall the weight of a dramme so that it may hang downe for the veine drawne by the weight will come more forth and when that which shall come forth is growne much and long it must be cut off but not by the roote but so that a portion thereof may remaine and hand forth to which the leaden pipe may be fastned for otherwise it would withdraw it selfe into its skinne and its lurking hole and so cause a putrid and maligne ulcer Therefore wee must gently meete with this disease and the veine must be drawne by little and little out of the body untill it be all come forth that no worse thing happen but if by chance it shall happen that as much of the veine as shall bee come forth shall be cut off by the rootes then the ulcer must be opened long wayes with an incision knife and that so that whatsoever remaines thereof may bee wholy taken away Then for some dayes the part must be annointed with butter untill whatsoever of such a substance adheres being consumed with putrifaction shall flow away Then the ulcer must be cured with sarcoticke things Therefore Rhasis thus in the same text expresseth the same thing by diverse names and armed with Iron and Lead hee comes to the cure thereof as if hee meant to encounter with some fierce beast Soranus the Physitian who lived in the times of Galen was of a quite contrary opinion as Paulus Aegineta in the place being before cited relates of him as who denies the Dracunculus to be a living creature but
being present it is dangerous to draw the nerves and tendons too violently for hence would ensue an impostume convulsion gangrene and mortification Therefore Hippocrates forbids you to defer such extension untill the third or fourth day Fractures are thought dangerous whose fragments are great and fly out especially in these bones which are filled with marrow on the inside When broken or dislocated bones cannot be restored to themselves and their naturall place the part wasts for want of nourishment both for that the naturall site of the veines arteries and nerves is perverted as also because the part it selfe lyes immoveable or scarce moveable whereby it commeth to passe that the spirits doe not freely flow thereto as neyther the nutritive juice commeth thither in sufficient plentie When the dislocated or broken member is troubled with any great inflammation it is doubtfull whether or no a convulsion will happen if wee attempt to restore it or the parts thereof to their seat therefore it is better if it may bee done to deferre the reducing thereof so long untill the humor which possesses the part be dissolved the tumor abated and the bitternesse of paine mitigated CHAP. IV. The generall cure of broken and dislocated bones TO cure a broken and dislocated bone is to restore it to its former figure and site For the performance whereof the Surgeon must propose three things to himselfe The first is to restore the bone to its place The second is that he containe or stay it being so restored The third is that he hinder the increase of maligne symptomes and accidents or else if they doe happen that then he temper and correct their present malignitie Such accidents are paine inflammation a feaver abscesse gangrene and sphacell For the first intention you may easily restore broken or dislocated bone if presently as soon as the mischance is got or else the same day you endeavour to restore it for the bitternesse of paine or inflammation which may trouble the patient is not as yet verie great neyther is the contraction of the muscles upwards as yet very much or stubborne Therefore first of all the Patient with his whole bodie but especially with the broken or dislocated part as also the Surgeon must bee in some place which hath good and sufficient light Then let trusty and skilfull attendants be there good ligatures and also if need so require good engines His friends which are present let them see and hold their peace neyther say nor do any thing which may hinder the Worke of the Surgeon Then putting one hand above that is towards the center of the body and the other below as neare as hee can to the part affected let him stretch forth the member for if you lay your hand any distance from the part affected you wil hurt the sound part by too much compression neyther will you much avayle your selfe by stretching it at such a distance But if you only endeavour below with your hand or ligature assisting to make extension thereof it will be dangerous if there bee nothing above which may withstand or hold lest that you draw the whole bodie to you This being done according as I have delivered it is fit the Surgeon make a right or straight extension of the part affected for when the bone is eyther broken or out of joynt there is a contraction of the muscles towards their originall and consequently of the bones by them as it is observed by Galen Wherefore it is impossible to restore the bones to their former seat without the extension of the muscles But the part being thus extended the broken bones will sooner and more easily be restored to their former seate Which being restored you shall presently with your hand presse it downe if there be any thing that bunches or stands out And lastly you shall binde it up by applying boulsters and splints as shall bee fit But if the bone bee dislocated or forth of joynt then presently after the extension thereof it will be requisite to bend it somwhat about and so to draw it in The Surgeon is sometimes forced to use engines for this worke especially if the luxation be inveterate if the broken or luxated bones be great and that in strong and rustick bodies and such as have large joynts for that then there is need of greater strength than is in the hand of the Surgeon alone For by how much the muscles of the Patient are the stronger by so much will they bee contracted more powerfully upwards towards their originals Yet have a care that you extend them not too violently lest by rending and breaking a-sunder the muscles and nerves you cause the forementioned symptomes paine convulsion a palsie and gangrene all which sooner happen to strong and aged bodies than to children eunuches women youthes and generally all moyst bodies for that they are lesse hurt by violent extension and pulling by reason of their native and much humiditie and softnesse For thus skins of leather moystened with any liquor are easily retched and drawn out as one pleaseth but such as are dry hard being lesse tractable will sooner rend and teare than stretch further out Therefore the Surgeon shall use a meane in extending and drawing forth of members as shall be most agreeable to the habits of the bodies You may know the bone is set and the setting performed as is fit if the paine be asswaged to wit the fibres of the muscles and the other parts being restored to their former site and all compression which the bones moved out of their places have made being taken away if to your feeling there bee nothing bunching out nor rugged but the surface of the member remaine smooth and equall and lastly if the broken or dislocated member compares with its opposite in the composure of the joynts as the knees and ancles answer justly and equally in length and thicknesse For which purpose it must not suffice the Surgeon to view it once but even as often as he shall dresse it For it may happen that the bone which is well set may by some chance as by the Patients unconsiderate turning himselfe in his bed or as it were a convulsive twitching of the members or joynts whilest he sleepes the muscles of their owne accord contracting themselves towards their originals that the member may againe fall out and it will give manifest signes thereof by renewing the paine by pressing or pricking the adjacent bodies which paine will not cease before it bee restored to its place and hereof the Surgeon ought to have diligent care For if whilest the Callus is in growing one bone ride over another the bone it selfe will afterwards be so much the shorter and consequently the whole member so that if this errour shall happen in a broken legge the Patient will halt ever after to his great griefe and the Surgeons shame Wherefore the Patient shall take heed as
if they bee often rubbed therewith In stead here of many use the swathe of Bacon rubbed warme thereon also the distilled waters of beane flowers lilly roots reed-roots egge-shels and oile of egs are thought very prevalent to waste and smoothe the Pock-arres A Discourse of certaine monstrous creatures which breed against nature in the bodies of men women and little children which may serve as an induction to the ensuing discourse of worms As in the macrocosmos or bigger world so in the microcosmos or lesser world there are winds thunders earthquakes showres inundations of waters sterilities fertilities stones mountaines and sundry sorts of fruits and creatures thence arise For who can deny but that there is winde conteined shut up in Flatulent abscesses and in the guts of those that are troubled with the cholicke Flatulencies make so great a noyse in divers womens bellies if so be you stand neare them that you would think you heard a great number of frogs croaking on the night time That water is contained in watery abseesses and the belly of such as have the dropsie is manifested by that cure which is performed by the letting forth of the water in fits of Agues the whole body is no otherwise shaken and trembles than the earth when it is heard to bellow and felt to shake under our feet He which shall see the stones which are taken out of the bladder come from the kidnies and divers other parts of the bodie cannot deny but that stones are generated in our bodies Furthermore wee see both men women who in their face or some other parts shew the impression or imprinted figure of a cherry plumb service fig mulberry the like fruit the cause hereof is thought to be the power of the imagination concurring with the formative faculty and the tendernesse of the yeelding and waxe-like embxyon easie to be brought into any forme or figure by reason of the proper and native humidity For you shall find that all their mothers whilest they went with them have earnestly desired or longed for such things which whilest they have too earnestly agitated in their mindes they have trans-ferred the shape unto the childe whilest that they could not enjoy the things themselves Now who can deny but that bunches on the backe and large wens resemble mountaines Who can gainsay but that squalide sterility may bee assimulated to the hectick dryness of wasted and consumed persons and fertility deciphered by the body distended with much flesh and fat so that the legs can scarce stand under the burden of the belly But that divers creatures are generated in one creature that is in man and that in sundry parts of him the following histories shall make it evident Hollerius tels that a certaine Italian by frequent smelling to the herbe Basill had a Scorpion bred in his braine which caused long and vehement paine and at length death therefore I have here exprest the figure of that Scorpion found when as his braine was opened The figure of a Scorpion It makes Hollerius conjecture of the cause and originall of this Scorpion probable for that Chrysippus Dyophanes and Pliny write that of basill beaten betweene two stones and laid in the sun therewill come Scorpions Fernelius writes that in a certaine souldier who was flat nosed upon the too long restraint or stoppage of a certaine filthy matter that flowed out of the nose that there were generated two hairy wormes of the bignesse of ones finger which at length made him mad he had no manifest feaver and he died about the twentieth day this was their shape by as much as we can gather by Fernelius his words The effigies of the wormes mentioned by Fernelius Lewes Duret a man of great learning and credit told mee that hee had come forth with his urine after a long and difficult disease a quick creature of colour red but otherwise like in shape a Millepes that is a Cheslope or Hog-louce The shape of a Millepes cast forth by urine Count Charles of Mansfieldt last summer troubled with a grievous and continuall feaver in the duke of Guises place cast forth a filthy matter at his yard in the shape of a live thing almost just in this forme The shape of a thing cast forth by urine Monstrous creatures also of sundry formes are also generated in the wombes of women somewiles alone otherwhiles with a mola and sometimes with a child naturally and well made as frogs toads serpents lizzards which therefore the Ancients have turmed the Lumbards brethren for that it was usuall with their women that together with their naturall and perfect issue they brought into the world wormes serpents and monstrous creatures of that kinde generated in their wombes for that they alwaies more respected the deckling of their bodies than they did their diet For it happened whilest they fed on fruits weeds and trash and such things as were of ill juice they generated a putride matter or certainely very subject to putrefaction and corruption and consequently opportune to generate such unperfect creatures Joubertus telleth that there were two Italian women that in one moneth brought forth each of them a monstrous birth the one that marryed a Tailor brought forth a thing so little that is resembled a Rat without a taile but the other a Gentlewoman brought forth a larger for it was of the bignesse of a Cat both of them were black and as soone as they came out of the wombe they ran up high on the wall and held fast thereon with their nailes Licosthenes writes that in Anno Dom. 1494. a woman at Cracovia in the streete which taketh name from the holy Ghost was delivered of a dead child who had a serpen fastned upon his back which fed upon this dead child as you perceive by this following figure The figure of a serpent fastned to a child Levinus Lemnius tels a very strange history to this purpose Some few yeares agone saith he a certaine woman of the Isle in Flanders which being with child by a Sailer her belly swelled up so speedily that it seemed shee would not bee able to carry her burden to the terme prescribed by nature her ninth moneth being ended she calls a midwife and presently after strong throwes and paines shee first brought forth a deformed lumpe of flesh having as it were two handles on the sides stretched forth to the length and manner of armes and it moved and panted with a certain vitall motion after the manner of spunges and sea-nettles but afterwards there came forth of her wombe a monster with a crooked nose a long and round necke terrible eies a sharpe taile and wonderfull quick of the feet it was shaped much after this manner The shape of a monster that came forth of a womans wombe As soone as it came into the light it filled the whole roome with a noise and hissing running to every side to
whereby the poyson may arrive at the heart and principall parts For in such for example sake as have the passages of their arteries more large the poyson may more readily and speedily enter into the heart together with the aire that is continually drawn into the body CHAP. IIII. Whether such creatures as feed upon poysonous things be also poysonous and whether they may be eaten safely and without harme DUcks Storkes Hernes Peacocks Turkies and other birds feed upon Toads Vipers Aspes Snakes Scorpions Spiders Caterpillers other venemous things Wherfore it is worthy the questioning whether such like creatures nourished with such food can kill or poyson such persons as shall afterward eat them Matthiolus writes that all late Authors who have treated of poysons to be absolutely of this opinion That men may safely and without any danger feed upon such creatures for that they convert the beasts into their nature after they have eaten them and on the contrary are not changed by them This reason though very probable yet doth it not make these beasts to be wholly harmelesse especially if they be often eaten or fed upon Dioscorides and Galen seeme to maintaine this opinion whereas they write that the milke which is nothing else than the relented bloud of such beasts as feed upon scammonie hellebore and spurge purgeth violently Therefore Physicians desirous to purge a sucking childe give purges to the nurses whence their milke becomming purging becomes both meat and medicine to the childe The flesh of Thrushes which feed upon Juniper berries favours of Juniper Birds that are fed with worme-wood or Garlike either tast bitter or have the strong sent of Garlike Whitings taken with garlike so smell thereof that they will not forgoe that smell or taste by any salting frying or boyling for which sole reason many who hate garlike are forced to abstain from these fishes The flesh of Rabbits that feed upon Pennyroyall and Juniper favour of them Phisicians wish that Goats Cows and Asses whose milke they would use for Consumptions or other diseases should bee fed some space before and every day with these or these herbs which they deeme fit for the curing of this or that disease For Galen affirmes that hee doubts not but that in successe of time the flesh of creatures will be changed by the meats where on they feed and at length favour thereof Therefore I do noe allow that the flesh of such things as feed upon venemous things should be eaten for food unlesse it bee some long space after they have disused such repast and that all the venome bee digested and overcome by the efficacy of their proper heat so that nothing thereof may remaine in tast smell or substance but bee all vanished away For many dye suddenly the cause of whose deaths are unknowne which peradventure was from nothing else but the sympathy and antipathy of bodies for that these things cause death and disease to some that nourish othersome according to our vulgar English proverbe That which is one mans meate is another mans Poyson CHAP. V. The generall signes of such as are poysoned WEE will first declare what the generall signes of poyson are and then will we descend to particulars whereby we may pronounce that one is poysoned with this or that poyson We certainly know that a man is poysoned when as hee complaines of a great heavinesse of his whole body so that hee is weary of himselfe when as some horrid and loathsome taste sweats out from the orifice of the stomacke to the mouth and tongue wholly different from that taste that meat howsoever corrupted can send up when as the colour of the face changeth suddenly somewhiles to blacke sometimes to yellow or any other colour much differing from the common custome of man when nauseousnesse with frequent vomiting troubleth the patient and that hee is molested with so great unquietnesse that all things may seeme to bee turned upside downe Wee know that the poyson workes by the proper and from the whole substance when as without any manifest sense of great heate or coldnesse the patient sownes often with cold sweats for usually such poysons have no certaine and distinct part wherewith they are at enmity as cantharides have with the bladder But as they worke by their whole substance and an occult propriety of forme so doe they presently and directly assaile the heart our essence and life and the fortresse and beginning of the vitall faculty Now will wee shew the signes whereby poysons that worke by manifest and elementary qualities may be knowne Those who exceed in heate burne or make an impression of heat in the tongue the mouth throate stomacke guts and all the inner parts with great thirst unquietnesse and perpetuall sweats But if to their excesse of heate they bee accompanyed with a corroding and putrefying quality as Arsenicke Sublimate Rose-ager or Rats-bane Verdegreace Orpiment and the like they then cause in the stomacke and guts intolerable pricking paines rumblings in the belly and continuall and intolerable thirst These are succeeded by vomitings with sweats some-whiles hot somewhiles cold with swounings whence suddaine death ensues Poysons that kill by too great coldnesse induce a dull or heavie sleepe or drowzinesse from which you cannot easily rouze or waken them sometimes they so trouble the braine that the patients performe many undecent gestures and anticke trickes with their mouthes and eyes armes and legges like as such as are franticke they are troubled with cold sweats their faces become blackish or yellowish alwayes ghastly all their bodies are benummed and they dye in a short time unlesse they be helped poysons of this kinde are Hemlock Poppie Nightshade Henbane Mandrage Dry poysons are usually accompanied by heate with moisture for although sulphur bee hot and dry yet hath it moisture to hold the parts together as all things which have a consistence have yet are they called dry by reason that drynesse is predominant in them such things make the tongue and throate dry and rough with unquenchable thirst the belly is so bound that so much as the urine cannot have free passage forth all the members grow squallide by drynesse the patients cannot sleepe poysons of this kinde are Lytharge Cerusse Lime Scailes of Brasse Filings of Lead prepared antimony On the contrary moist poysons induce a perpetuall sleep a fluxe or scouring the resolution of all the nerves and joints so that not so much as the eyes may be faithfully conteined in their orbes but will hang as ready to fal out the extreme parts as the hands feet nose and ears corrupt putrefie at which time they are also troubled with thirst by reason of their strong heat alwaies the companion of putrefaction oft times the author thereof now when this commeth to passe death is at hand Very many deny that there can be any moist poysons found that is such as may kill by the efficacy of their
resembleth silver in the colour and is in perpetuall motion as if it had a spirit or living soule There is a great controversie amongst authors concerning it For most of them affirme it hot amongst whom is Galen Halyabas Rhases Aristotle Constantine Isack Platearius Nicholas Massa they maintain their opinion by an argument drawn from things helping and hurting besides from this that it is of such subtle parts that it penetrates dissolves and performeth all the actions of heate upon dense and hard mettals to wit it attenuateth incideth dryeth causeth salivation by the mouth purgeth by the stoole moveth urine and sweat over all the body neither doth it stirre up the thinner humours onely but in like sort the grosse tough and viscous as those which have the Lues Venerea find by experience using it either in ointments or plasters Others affirme it very cold and moyst for that put into emplasters and so applyed it asswageth paine by stupefaction hindring the acrimony of pustles and cholerick inflammations But by its humidity it softeneth scirrhous tumours dissolveth and dissipateth knots and tophous knobs besides it causeth the breath of such as are anointed therewith to stinke by no other reason than that it putrefies the obvious humours by its great humidity Avicens experiment confirmes this opinion who affirmeth that the bloud of an Ape that drunke Quicksilver was found concrete about the heart the carcasse being opened Mathiolus moved by these reasons writes that Quicksilver killeth men by the excessive cold and humide quality if taken in any large quantity because it congeales the bloud and vitall spirits and at length the very substance of the heart as may bee understood by the history of a cetaine Apothecary set downe by Conciliator who for to quench his feaverish heat in stead of water drunke off a glasse of Quicksilver for that came first to his hands hee dyed within a few houres after but first hee evacuated a good quantity of the Quicksilver by stoole the residue was found in his stomack being opened and that to the weight of one pound besides the bloud was found concrete about his heart Others use another argument to prove it cold and that is drawne from the composition thereof because it consists of lead and other cold mettals But this argument is very weak For unquencht Lime is made of flints and stony matter which is cold yet neverthelesse it exceeds in heat Paracelsus affirmeth that quicksilver is hot in the interior substance but cold in the exterior that is cold as it comes forth of the mine But that coldnesse to bee lost as it is prepared by art and heat onely to appeare and bee left therein so that it may serve in stead of a tincture in the transmutation of mettals And verily it is taken for a rule amongst Chymists that all metals are outwardly cold by reason of the watery substance that is predominant in them but that inwardly they are very hot which then appeares when as the coldnesse together with the moysture is segregated for by calcination they become caustick Moreover many account quicksilver poyson yet experience denyes it For Marianus Sanctus Baralitanus tels that hee saw a woman who for certaine causes and affects would at severall times drink one pound and an halfe of quicksilver which came from her againe by stoole without any harme Moreover he affirmeth that hee hath knowne sundry who in a desperate Cholick which they commonly call miserere mei have beene freed from imminent death by drinking three pounds of quicksilver with water only For by the weight it opens and unfolds the twined or bound up gut and thrusts forth the hard and stopping excrements he addeth that others have found this medicine effectuall against the cholick drunke in the quantity of three ounces Antonius Musa writes that hee usually giveth quicksilver to children ready to dye of the wormes Avicen confirmeth this averring that many have drunke quicksilver without any harme wherefore hee mixeth it in his ointments against scaules and scabs in children whence came that common medicine amongst the countrey people to kill lice by anointing the head with quicksilver mixed with butter or axungia Mathiolus affirmeth that many think it the last and chiefest remedy to give to women in travaile that cannot bee delivered I protest to satisfie my selfe concerning this matter I gave to a whelpe a pound of quicksilver which being drunke downe it voyded without any harme by the belly Whereby you may understand that it is wholly without any venemous quality Verily it is the onely and true Antidote of the Lues Venerea and also a very fit medicine for maligne ulcers as that which more powerfully impugnes their malignity than any other medicines that worke onely by their first qualities Besides against that contumacious scabbe which is vulgarly called Malum sancti manis there is not any more speedy or certaine remedy Moreover Guido writes that if a plate of lead bee besmeared or rubbed therewith and then for some space laid upon an ulcer and conveniently fastned that it will soften the callous hardnesse of the lips thereof and bring it to cicatrization which thing I my selfe have oftimes found true by experience Certainely before Guido Galen much commended quicksilver against maligne ulcers cancers Neither doth Galen affirm that lead is poysonous which many affirm poysonous because it consists of much quicksilver but hee onely saith thus much that water too long kept in leaden pipes cisternes by reason of the drossinesse that it useth to gather in lead causeth bloudy fluxes which also is familiar to brasse and copper Otherwise many could not without danger beare in their bodies leaden bullets during the space of so many yeares as usually they doe It is declared by Theodoricke Herey in the following histories how powerfull quicksilver is to resolve and asswage paines and inflammations Not long since saith hee a certaine Doctor of Physick his boy was troubled with parotides with great swelling heat pain beating to him by the common consent of the Physicians there present I applyed an anodine medicine whose force was so great that the tumor manifestly subsided at the first dressing and the paine was much asswaged At the second dressing all the symptomes were more mitigated At the third dressing I wondring at the so great effects of an Anodine Cataplasme observed that there was quicksilver mixed therewith and this happened through the negligence of the Apothecarie who mixed the simple Anodine medicine prescribed by us in a mortar wherein but a while before he had mixed an oyntment whereinto quicksilver entred whose reliques and some part thereof yet remained therein This which once by chance succeeded well I afterwards wittingly and willingly used to a certaine Gentlewoman troubled with the like disease possessing all the region behind the eares much of the throate and a great part of the cheeke when as nature helped by common
whereof come manifold issues whose time of birth and also of conception are different For as Pliny writeth when there hath bin a little space between two conceptions they are both hastened as it appeared in Hercules and his brother Iphicles and in her which having two children at a birth brought forth one like unto her husband and another like unto the adulterer And also in the Procomesian slave or bond-woman who by copulation on the same day brought forth one like unto her master and another like unto his steward and in another who brought forth one at the due time of childe-birth and another at five moneths end And againe in another who bringing forth her burthen on the seventh moneth brought forth two more in the moneths following But this is a most manifest argument of superfoetation that as many children as are in the wombe unlesse they bee twinnes of the same sexe so many secundines are there as I have often seene my selfe And it is very likely that if they were conceived in the same moment of time that they should all bee included in one secundine But when a woman hath more children than two at one burden it seemeth to bee a monstrous thing because that nature hath given her but two breasts Although wee shall hereafter rehearse many examples of more numerous births CHAP. XXXIII Of the tumour called Mola or a Mole growing in the wombe of Women OF the greeke word Myle which signifieth a Mill-stone this tumour called Mola hath its name for it is like unto a Mill-stone both in the round or circular figure and also in hard consistence for the which selfe same reason the whirle-bone of the knee is called of the Latines mola and of the Greeks Myle But the tumor called Mola whereof we heere entreate is nothing else but a certain false conception of deformed flesh round and hard conceived in the wombe as it were rude and unperfect and not distinguished into members comming by corrupt weake and diseased seed and of the immoderate fluxe of the termes as it is defined by Hippocrates This is enclosed in no secundine but as it were in its owne skinne There are some that thinke the Mola to bee engendered of the concourse or mixture of the womans seed and menstruall blood without the communication of the mans seed But the opinion of Galen is that never any man saw a woman conceive either a Mola or any other such thing without copulation of man as an hen laieth eggs without a cock for the onely cause and originall of that motion is in the mans seed and the mans seed doth onely minister matter for the generation thereof Of the same opinion is Avicen who thinketh the Mola to be made by the confluxion of the mans seed that is unfertile with the womans when as it because unfruitfull onely puffes up or makes the womans seed to swell as leaven into a greater bignesse but not into any perfect shape or forme Which is also the opinion of Fernelius by the decrees of Hippocrates and Avicen for the immoderate fluxes of the courses are conducing to the generation of the mola which overwhelming the mans seed being now unfruitfull and weake doth constraine it to desist from its enterprise of conformation already begun as vanquished or wholly overcome for the generation of the mola commeth not of a simple heat working upon a clammy and grosse humour as wormes are generated but of both the seeds by the efficacy of a certaine spirit after a sort prolificall as may be understood by the membranes wherein the mola is enclosed by the ligaments whereby many times it is fastened or bound to the true conception or child engendered or begotten by superfoetation and finally by the encrease and great and sluggish waight If all men were not perswaded that the conflux of a mans seed must of necessity concurre to the generation of the mola it would bee no small cloake or cover to women to avoide the shame and reproach of their light behaviour CHAP. XXXIIII How to discerne a true conception from a false conception or Mola WHen the mola is enclosed in the wombe the same things appear as in the true and lawfull conception But the more proper signes of the mola are these there is a certaine pricking paine which at the beginning troubleth the belly as if it were the cholicke the belly will swell sooner than it would if it were the true issue and will be distended with greater hardnesse and is more difficult and troublesome to carry because it is contrary to nature and voyd of soule or life Presently after the conception the dugges swell and puffe up but shortly they fall and become lanke and laxe for nature sendeth milk thither in vaine because there is no issue in the wombe that may spend the same The mola will move before the third month although it be obscurely but the true conception will not but this motion of the mola is not of the intellectuall soule but of the faculty of the wombe and of the spirit of the seed dispersed through the substance of the mola for it is nourished and encreaseth after the manner of plants but not by reason of a soul or spirit sent from above as the infant doth Moreover that motion that the infant hath in its due and appointed time differeth much from the motion of the mola for the childe is moved to the right side to the left side and to every side gently but the mola by reason of its heavinesse is fixed and rowleth in manner of a stone carried by the weight thereof unto what side soever the woman declineth her selfe The woman that hath a mola in her wombe doth daily waxe leaner and leaner in all her members but especially in her legges although notwithstanding towards night they will swell so that shee will bee very slow or heavie in going the naturall heat forsaking the parts remote from the heart by little and little and moreover her belly swells by reason that the menstruall matter resteth about those places and is not consumed in the nourishment of the mola she is swolne as if she had the dropsie but that it is harder and doth not rise againe when it is pressed with the fingers The navell doth not stand out as it will do when the true issue is conteined in the womb neither do the courses flow as they sometimes do in the true conception but sometimes great fluxes happen which ease the waight of the belly In many when the mola doth cleave not very fast it falleth away within three or foure moneths being not as yet come unto its just bignesse and many times it cleaveth to the sides of the wombe and Cotyledons very firmely so that some women carry it in their wombs five or sixe yeeres and some as long as they live The wife of Guiliam Roger Pewterer dwelling in S. Victors
can pierce it Of the land Crocodile resembling this both land and water one is made the medicine Crocodilea most singular for sore eyes being anointed with the juice of leekes it is good against suffusions or dimnesse of the sight it takes away freckles pustles and spots the Gall anointed on the eyes helps Cataracts but the blood cleares the sight Thevet saith they live in the fountaines of the river Nilus or rather in a lake flowing from the same fountaines and that he saw some that were sixe paces long and a yard crosse the backe so that their very lookes were formidable They catch them thus when as the water of Nilus falls the Aegyptians let down a line having thereto fastened an iron hooke of some three pound waight made very large and strong upon this hooke they put a piece of the flesh of a Camell or some other beast which when as he sees he presently falls upon it and devoures it hooke and all wherewith when he findes himselfe to bee cruelly pulled and pinched it would delight you to see how he frets and leaps aloft then they draw him thus hooked by little and little to the shore and fasten the rope surely to the next tree lest hee should fall upon them that are about him then with prongs and such things they so belabour his belly where as his skin is soft and thinne that at length they kill him and uncasing him they make ready his flesh and eat it for delicious food John Lereus in his history of Brasil writes that the Salvages of that country willingly feed upon Crocodiles and that hee saw some who brought into their houses young ones wherewith the children gathering about it would play without receiving any harme thereby True saith Pliny is that common opinion Whatsoever is brought forth in any part of Nature that also is in the sea and many other things over and above that are in no other place You may perceive that there are not onely the resemblances of living creatures but also of other things if you looke upon the sword saw cowcumber like in smell and colour to that of the earth that you may lesse wonder at the Sea feather and grape whose figures I have given you out of Rondeletius The sea feather is like those feathers of birds which are worne in hats for ornament after they are trimmed and drest for that purpose The fishermen call them sea-prickes for that one end of them resembleth the end of a mans yard when the prepuce is drawne off it As long as it is alive it swells and becomes sometimes bigger and sometimes lesser but dead it becomes very flaccide and lanke it shines bright on the night like a starre You may by this gather that this which wee here expresse is the Grape whereof Pliny makes mention because in the surface and upper part thereof it much resembles a faire bunch of Grapes it is somewhat longish like a mis-shapen clubbe and hangs upon a long stalke The inner parts are nothing but confusion sometimes distinguished with little glandules like that wee have here figured alone by it selfe The figures of the Sea Feather and Grape In the Sea neere the Island Hispaniola in the West Indies there may be seene many monstrous fishes amongst which Thevet in his Cosmography thought this most rare and observable which in the vulgar language of the natives is termed Aloes For it is just like a goose with a long and straight necke with the head ending sharpe or in a Cone not much unlike a sugar-peare it is no bigger than agoose it wanteth scailes it hath foure finnes under the belly for swimming when it is above water you would say that it were a goose The Sarmatian or Easterne Germane Ocean containes fishes unknowne to hot countries and very monstrous Such is that which resembling a snaile equalls a barrell in magnitude of body and a stag in the largenesse and branches of her hornes the ends of her hornes are rounded as it were into little balls shining like unto pearles the necke is thicke the eyes shining like to lighted candles with a roundish nose set with haires like to a cats the mouth wide whereunder hangs a piece of flesh very ugly to behold It goes on foure legges with so many broad and crooked feet the which with a longtaile and variegated like a Tiger serves her for finnes to swim withall This creature is so timerous that though it be an Amphibium that is which lives both in the water and ashore yet usually it keeps it selfe in the sea neither doth it come ashore to feed unlesse in a very cleare season The flesh thereof is very good and gratefull meat and the blood medicinable for such as have their livers ill affected or their lungs ulcerated as the blood of great Tortoises is good for the Leprosie Thevet in his Cosmography affirmeth that hee saw this in Denmarke In a deepe lake of fresh water upon which stands the great city or towne of Themistitan in the Kingdome of Mexico which is built upon piles like as Venice is there is found a fish of the bignesse of a Calfe called by the southerne Salvages Andura but by those of the place and the Spaniards the conquerers of that place Hoga It is headed and eared almost like a swine from the chaps hang five long bearded appendices of the length of some halfe a foot like the beard of a Barbell It hath flesh very gratefull and good to eat It bringeth forth live young like as the Whale As it swimmes in the waters it seemes greene yellow red and of many colours like a Chameleon it is most frequently conversant about the shore sides of the lake and there it feeds upon the leaves of the tree called Hoga whence also the fish hath its name It is a fearefully toothed and fierce fish killing and devouring such as it meeteth withall though they bee biggerthan her selfe which is the reason why the Fishermen chiefly desire to kill her as Thevet affirmeth in his Cosmography The monstrous fish Hoga Andrew Thevet in his Cosmography writes that as he sailed to America hee saw infinite store of flying fishes called by the salvages Bulampech who rising out of the water flye some fifty paces escaping by that meanes from other greater fish that thinke to devoure them This kinde of flying fish exceeds not the bignesse of a Mackrell is round headed with a blewish backe two wings which equall the length of almost all their body They oft times flye in such a multitude that they fall foule upon the sailes of ships whilest they hinder one anothers sight and by this meanes they fall upon the decks and become a prey to the Sailers which same we have read confirmed by John Lereus in his history of Brasil In the Venetian gulfe betweene Venice and Ravenna two miles above Quioza anno Dom. 1550. there was taken a flying fish very horrible and monstrous being foure