orders the Women to endeavour an expulsion and to stop her Breath when the Ligaments stick fast to the VVomb so that the VVoman is tired before the time of her Delivery Difficult Labour is known by the VVoman the By-standers and the Midwife And first if the VVoman continue a long time in Labour namely two three four or more Days whereas a natural Birth is finished in twenty four Hours Languid pains returning at long distances are a sign of difficult Labour also the Pains tending backward rather than forward But the causes of difficult Labour may be known by the Womans Relation and most commonly upon sight So the Weakness of the Woman or Leanness or over Fatness may be seen by the Habit of the Body The diseases of the Womb may be known by their proper signs The weakness of the Child by the weak and slow motion of it The bigness of the Child may be Judged of by the Stature of the Parents especially if a Gigantick man be Married to a Dwarfish Woman but when there are none of these Causes and the Womans and Child's endeavours are strong and yet the Labour is difficult they signifie that the Secundine is so strong that it cannot be easily broken and this will be confirmed if no Water or Moisture flows out in Labour The proposterous Figure of the Child may be perceived by the Midwife As to the Cure of hard Labour First all those things that retard it must be removed as much as may be Afterwards Medicines that further Labour must be given And first it is common with Women to give a spoonful or two of Cinnamon water or Cinnamon powdered with a little Saffron or half a dram of Confection of Alkermes in Broath or half a scruple of Saffron alone in some Brâ—ath or every Hour a little Wine If these things are not sufficient the following may be used which have been frequently very effectual Give five grains of extract of Saffron or five drops of Oyl of Cinnamon or thirty drops of my Cephalick Tincture in a Glass of Wine for it powerfully hastens Delivery Sneezing is also very Beneficial It may be provoked by the following Powder Take of white Hellebore half a dram of long Pepper one Scruple of Castor five grains Make a Powder Let the quantity of a Pease be blown up the Nostrils But difficult Labour must be helpt also by outward Remedies Let the Midwife frequently anoint the Womb with Oyl of Sweet almonds and let the Belly be somented with an emollient Decoction made of the Roots of marsh Mallows the Leaves of Mallows and Mugwort Linseeds Fenugreek Seeds and the Flowers of Camomile and Melilot And sharp Glisters must be injected Anoint the Navel with the Oyl of Amber If the Child begins to come forth preposterously as with one Arm or first with a Foot or the like the Midwife â—ust thrust them back and turn the Child right which may be done by placing the Woman in a Bed upon her Back with her Head low and her Feet high and then she must thrust the Child gently into the Womb and endeavovr to turn it right namely the Face towards the Mothers back and the Buttocks and Legs must be Elevated towards the Mothers navel to hasten a natural Birth Chap. XI Of Miscarriage MIscarriage is the exclusion of an imperfect or unripe Child The causes of Miscarriage are some inward some outward The inward may be reduced to four Heads Namely to the humours to the Child to the Womb and to the Disease of the Mother The humours may occasion Miscarriage when they offend in quantity or quality They offend in quantity either by way of excess or defect The quantity is excessive when there is more Blood than is requisite to nourish the Child for then it flows into the Veins of the Womb and is excluded like the Monthly Courses and so the Child comes away with it There is too small a quantity of the nutritious humour when the Child's nourishment is by any means lessened as by fasting and when the Woman with Child nauseats all sorts of of Food or Vomits it up again or the like In respect of the Child Miscarriage may happen if it be too big so that by reason of it's â—ulk it cannot be contained in the Womb. And for this reason little Women often Miscarry especially if they are Married to men bigger than ordinary Plurality of Children may also occasion Miscarriage as when one or two or three are contained in the Womb at one time The womb it self occasions Miscarriage if it be not large enough or if it be inflamed or impostumated or moist and slack so that it cannot contain the Child so well as it ought to do Miscarriage comes two ways from the Disease of the Mother First when her Diseaâ—es are communicated to the Child whereby it is killed or so weakened that it cannot receive due Nourishment or Growth such are continual Fevers and Agues the Frâ—nch Pox and many such like Secondly when the said Diseases of the Mother cause great evacuations or great commotions of the Body as large Bleeding from what part of the Body soever Fluxes of the Belly grievous Swooning Falling Sickness Vomiting and a continual endeavour to go to sâ—ool called Tenesms which above all other is wont to occasion Miscarriage Outward causes which further Miscarriage do some of them Kill the Child others draw away the nourishment and others dissolve the bands wherewith it is fastened to the VVomb The Child is Killed by great commotions of the mind by Anger Sadness Frights and the like by meats earnestly Longed for and not obtained by strong Purging medicines by things that provoke the Courses and by ill smells especially the stink of a Candle ill put out violent exercise as Dancing Running Riding Jolting in a Coach or Cart Carrying or Lifting from the Ground an heavy Weight a violent Fall a blow on the Belly vehement motion of the Belly Coughing Vomiting Loosness Sneezing Convulsions Crying out immoderrate or over wanton embraces Vehement motion of the Arms and the like occasion Miscarriage The signs of present Miscarriage are manifest of themselves but such as go before and shew the same are these an unusual heaviness of the Loyns and Hips an unwillingness to stir appetite gone Shivering and Shaking coming by Fits Pain of the Head especially about the Roots of the Eyes a straightening of the Sides and Belly above the Navel the Flaging or Falling and Extenuation of the Dugs But if frequent and almost continual Pains torment the Reins and Loyns with endeavours to Evacuate the Womb the Woman will certainly Miscarry in a short time If from violent external Causes as a Blow Fall and the like vehememt Pain and Disturbance arise in a Woman with Child she ought to Bleed presently and to keep her Bed three or four Days or longer The Cure of Miscarriage consists in Preservation for that which is past cannot be helpt But all the Symptoms which follow
A Plain and Short TREATISE OF AN Apoplexy Convulsions Colick twisting of the Guts Mother Fits Bleeding at Nose Vomitting of Blood Stone in the Kidnies Quinsey Miscarriage Hard Labour Cholora Morbus AND Several other violent and dangerous Diseases that come of a sudden and require present Help SHEWING The Sick or By-standers what ought presently to be done Together with proper Remedies for each Disease and plain Directions for the use of them By J. PECHEY of the College of Physicians in London London Printed for the Author and Sold at his House in Basing-lane near Bread-street 1698. THE PREFACE HAving often considered that there are several Diseases so surprizing and withal so very vioent that the Patient is often dead or past all hopes of recovery before a skilful Physitian in many places can be called or advised with I thought a plain English Treatise of such kind of Diseases might be of general use and that it may suit all conditions of Men all by the frailty of Nature lying open to one or other of these suddain Incursions I have reduced it to a small compass that it may be the easier read over and that each Disease may be the soon er turned to upon any suddain occasion Ordinary Readers being as often at a loss in a large Book as Travellers in a Wood and it is composed in a small Character that as every one may need it so every one may be able to buy it and I have Written it in a plain Stile that every one also may be able to understand it This little Book may be an assistant to Charitable Ladies and Gentlewomen in the Country who like the good Samaritan have never an Hand but what is ready to help their distressed Neighbours here they may find plain directions and the most celebrated Medicines such as the LondonPhysitians most frequently make use of in these Diseases The Traveller and Sea-faring Man when they are far distant from Physitians and destitute of all other help may here also find releif The Medicines prepared by my self that are often mention'd in this Treatise are of great Vertue and Efficacy and have bin found Successful to admiration in cureing several of these Diseases And they keep good many Years and will endure the excess of Heat and Cold in various Climates Therefore very proper for those that live in the country and in the Plantations abroad or go to Sea And indeed every one that has been once seized with any one of these Diseases will undoubtedly wheresoever he dwells think it no small comfort and Security to have an approved Remedy ready at hand in time of need Chap. I. of Sleepy Diseases Coma Lethargy Carus and Apoplexy THese Four sorts of Preternatural Sleep proceed from the same Causes and require the same Methods of Cure and therefore shall be treated of together in this Chapter When any Person is seized with a Sleepy Disease the By-standers must endeavour by all means to rouse him by offering violence to all his Senses and therefore you must expose his Eyes to the Sun-beams or to a clear Light his Ears must be filled with violent Noises and Clamours and you must be sure to call him aloud by his own Name sharp things are to be blown up his Nostrils the sence of Touching must be revived by Rubbings Vellications plucking of the Hair binding of the Members squeezing of the Fingers together and the like he must be presently Blooded if he has Strength but his strength is not to be judged of by the present Circumstances but by such as he was in before the Disease seized him You must first Bleed in the Arm and then in the jugular Vein presently after give the following Vomit Take of the Blessed Wine one Ounce and an half of Carduus water one Ounce of spirit of Juniper-Berries two Drams Make a Vomit Inject two or three sharp Glisters in a Day Take of the Carminative decoction with Bay-berries and Juniper-berries ten Ounces of the Electuary of Bay-berries â—ne Ounce of Blessed Wine and Brown-Sugar each three Ounces of Câ—ymical Oyl of Juniper ten Drops Mix them and make a Glister If a Glister be not rendred in an Hour's time provoke the Belly by a Suppository Take of Hiera â—iâ—ra half an Ounce of Sal Gemma one Dram of Honey a sufficient quantity Make Suppositories The Spirit of Sal Armoniack must be held often to the Nostrils or my Cephalick Tincture which is one of the best Midicines in the World for Sleepy Diseases and indeed for all diseases of the Head and Spirits Things of all kinds that cause Revulsion must be used not only Frictions and Ligatures but also Cupping-Glasses set on the Back Shoulders Arms and Thighs but in an Apoplexy you must not apply Cupping-Classes to the Back or Hypochondres left the Muscles of the Breast and Belly should be contracted and so Respiration more hindred Cupping-Glasses applyed to the Head are counted very proper apply a Blistering Plaister with Euphorbium to the Neck Some according to the custom of the Antients hold a red-hot Frying-Pan to the Head at such a distance as it may burn the Hair but not the Skin Take of the Waters of Rue Balm and Black-Cherries each three Ounces of Compound Peony-water and Compound Syrup of Peony each one Ounce and an half of Tincture of Caster one dram of Spirit of Sal Armoniack half a dram mingle them make a Julop Give four or five Spoonfuls often or ten drops of my Cephalick Tincture in two Ounces of Compound Peony-Water or in a small Glass of Canary In the general Cure of these Diseases you must take notice that in those which poceed from Blood Medicines that heat the least are to be used But Bleeding is to be used freely and afterwards a vein in the Forehead is to be opened and things that purge Choler are to be mixed with those that purge Flegm If the Brain be very much cooled the Sick after universal Evacuations may use Tablets made in the following manner Take of Ambergrease half a Scruple distilled Oyl of the Seeds of Anise Cinnemon and Nutmegs each three drops of Oyls of Cloves one drop of Sugar dissolved in Orange Flower-Water four Ounces make Tablets Let him take a Dram or two every Morning and let him be sure to take twenty drops of my Cephaclic Tincture in two Ounces of Compound Peony-water at Bed-time three Nights before the New Moon It is also proper to hold a Nutmeg often in the Mouth and to chew it and perfumes are often to be held to the Nostrils especially Apoplectick Balsam or my Cephalick Tincture Spices are to be used with Meats and the following digestive Powder after Meals Take of the Seeds of Coriander Sweet-Fennel Caraways each fifteen grains of White Amber one drâ—m of the yellow Peel of Citrons and Flowers of Rosemary each one dram and an half of Nutmegs half a dram of White Sugar three ounces Powder them grosly and give half a Spoonful after Meals
Miscarriage are the same which accompany Women duly brought to Bed The Preservation from Miscarriage consists principally in these two things the one concerns the Woman before she is with Child and the other when she is with Child Before the Woman is with with Child all Indispositions of the Body which are wont to cause Miscarriage must be removed as fullness of Blood ill Humours and peculiar Diseases of the Womb. If the Woman be too full of Blood when she is with Child she must be Blooded in the first Months twice or thrice if need be but much Blood must not be taken away at a time and if she be troubled with abundance of ill Humours gentle Purging must be repeated especially in the middle Months in the mean while astringent and strengthening Medicines must be used all the time the Woman is with Child Take of Conserve of Roses two Ounces of Citron Peel Candied six Drams of Myrobalans Candied and of the Pulp of Dates each half an Ounce of Coral prepaâ—ed Pearl prepared and Shavings of Harts-horn each one Dram with Syrup of Quinces make an Electuaery of which let the Woman take the quantity of a Nutmeg every other Night at Bed time But that the success of this Medicine may be good the Woman must keep her self as quiet both in Body and Mind as possibly she can and abstain from Coition But if by reason of the vehemency of the Cause whither Internal or External the Woman is ready to Miscarry you must do the best you can with the following Remedies And in the first place so soon as the Pain shall be perceived in the lower parts of the Belly we must endeavour to allay them both by Medicines taken inwardly and outwardly applyed for if Miscarriage be caused by Crudities and Wind which is most usual when it begins from an inward Cause a Powder must be given made of Aromaticum Rosatum and Coriander Seeds give of each half a Dram or three or four Spoonfuls of Dr. Stephen's Water if Flegm and Wind abound at the same time let carminative Medicine be applyed below the Woman's Navel such are Bags oâ— Anniseeds Fennel Seeds Fenugreek Seeds Flowers of Camomile Elder Rosemary and Stechas mixed together oâ— a Rose Cake fryed in a Pan with Rich Canary and sprinkled with Powder of Nutmegs and Coriander Seeds if by these means the Pains cease not inject a Glyster made of Winâ— and Oyl wherein halfe an Ounce of Venice Treacle must be dissolved and after the Glyster is come away you musâ— give sixteen of my Cordial Drops in a Spoonful of Stephen's Water But if Blood begins to come away you must Bleed immediatly and rub the upper Parts and tye thâ— Members and if the Flux of Blood continues give twâ— Ounces of the Juice of Plantain sweetened with an Ounce 〈◊〉 Syrup of Poppies to which add one Scruple of Bolearmeniâ—â— and apply hot a little bag full of Red Roses and Balaustineâ— Boyl'd in Smiths Water and Red Wine to the Womans Belly Chap. XII Of an immoderate Flux of the Courses AN immoderate Flux of the Courses invades either iâ— Child-bed or at other times as to the first that afflicts Women most on the first Days after a difficult Labour and is accompanined with a long train of Hysteriâ—â— Symptoms and as it happens only on the first Days so usâ—ally it do's not last long for if a thickning Diet be oâ—dered it soon abates The following Drink may be all used Take of Plantane Water and Red Wine each one Pint boyl them till a third part is consumed sweeten it with a sufficient quantity of White Suger let the Woman take half a Pint of it twice or thrice a Day But as to the Flux which happens out of Child-bed tho' it befalls Women at any time yet most commonly it invades a little before the time they leave them namely when they are about Forty five Years of Age if they have them Young and about Fifty if it were late before they begun to have them and by reason of the great quantity of Blood which is continually evacuated they are almost continually afflicted with Vapours In order to the Cure you must bleed in the Arm and eight Ounces of Blood must be taken away the next Morning the following Purge must be given Take of Tamarinds half an Ounce of Sena two Drams of Rhubarb one Dram and an half infuse them in a sufficient quantity of Fountain Water and in three Ounces of the strained Liquor Dissolve of Manna and Syrup of Roses Solutive each one Ounce make a Purging Potion which must be taken thrice three Days betwixt each Purge and every Night at Bed time through the whole course of the Disease twelve of my Cordial Drops must be taken in two Spoonfuls of small Cinnamon Water or the like Take of the Conserve of dryed Roses two Ounces of the Troches of Lemnian Earth one Dram and an half of Pomgranate Pill and red Coral prepared each two Scruples of Blood-Stone Dragons Blood and Bolearmenick each two Scruples with a sufficient quantity of simple Syrup of Coral make an Electuary whereof let her take the quantity of a large Nutmeg in the Morning and at Five in the Afternoon drinking upon it six Spoonfuls of the following Julep Take of the Waters of Oak Bud and of Plantain each three Ounces of Cinnamon Water hordeated and of Syrup of dried Roses each one Ounce of Spirit of Vitriol a sufficient quantity to make it pleasantly acid Take of the Leaves of Plantain and of Nettles each a sufficient quantity beat them together in a Stone Mortar and press out the Juice Clarifie it and give six Spoonfuls of it cold three or four times in a Day After the first Purge apply the following Plaster to the Loins Take of Diapalma and of the Plaster for tuptures each equal parts mix them and spread them upon Leather A cooling and thickening Diet must be ordered and a Glass of Claret may be allowed once or twice a Day to recover the strength This Method may be also used to prevent Miscarriages but the Juices and Purges must be omitted Chap. XIII Of a suppression of the Childbed Purgations THere is so great a Flux of Humours from all parts to the Womb when a Woman is with Child and during the Commotion in her Labour that in case there be not afterwards sufficient evacuation of them the Woman is in great danger of very ill Accidents and sometimes of Death it self because these Humours corrupted by their stay there will certainly cause a great Inflamation and this is the reason why the suppression of these Childbed Purgations is one of the worst and most dangerous Symptoms which can befall a Woman after Delivery especially if they be wholly and suddenly stopt the first three or four Days which is the time they should come down plentifully for then follow an accute Fever great pains in the Head Pains in the Breast Reins and Loyns Suffocation of the