Authors from whence you may gather that there is most commonly an abolition of the internal and external Senses and a stiffness of the Limbs But sometimes the Senses are not wholly abolished for sometimes they can hear and their Limbs may be moved by the By-standers The Cure is twofold one in the Fit the other out of the Fit In the Fit those things are proper which are prescribed for Sleepy Diseases Out of the Fit such things as are used for Cure of Melancholy are proper for from thence it most commonly proceeds But if it come from a Cold intemperies such things are proper as serve to mend such a Constitution if it proceed from abundance of Blood Bleeding is to be used CHAP. IX Of a Palsie A Palsie in Latin Paralysis is a privation of Sense and Motion by reason the influx of the Animal Spirits is hindred There are various differences of it for either it seizes all the parts of the Head then it is called Paraplegia or only half the Body then it is called Hemeplegia or it seises only one part then it is called a particular Palsie It is also called perfect and imperfect It is said to be perfect when Sense and Motion are wholly abolished imperfect when the Functions are weakned And then it is also called Numbness which is a fore-runner of a Palsie There is also another Species of an imperfect Palsie when Motion is hurt and the Sense remains perfect and so on the contrary The causes of a Palsie in general are all those things which hinder the influx of the Animal Spirits into the Nerves and Muscles the most frequent of all is a Flegmatick Humour which by obstructing compressing thickning or cooling the Nerves hinders the said influx of the Animal Spirits The Pituitous humour flows from the Brain into the Nerves and spinal Marrow so a small Apoplexy degenerates into a Palsie because the humour occasioning it is cast from the Brain upon the Marrow or beginning of the Nerves and so it either insinuates it self into the substance of them and shuts the insensible passages through which the Spirits pass or passing by the Vertebra's of the Back and spinal Marrow and following the Course of the Nerves compresses them and so hinders the passages of the Animal Spirits and the same Humour may thicken the substance of the Nerves by its Coldness so that it cannot make way for the Animal Spirits There are other Causes of a Palsie but they are not so common as taking Cold a Blow or Fall the frequent handling of Quicksilver tumors near the Spine or Nerves cutting of the Nerves dislocation of the Vertebra or other Joints The kind of the Disease is easily known for want of Motion and Sense may be soon perceived but the knowledge of the part affected is more difficult But it may be known by those that are skilled in Anatomy who know the Originations and Insertions of the Nerves For if the right part of the Face becomes Paralytick or the left the other parts being sound they know the Brain is only affected according to that part from whence the Nerves are carried to those parts But if the parts under the Head are also afflicted with the Face the Brain and the Spine of the Back are also affected and if the parts below the Head are seised and the Face well the fault is only in the Spine and in the beginning of it if all the Parts are affected But if only half the Body is Paralytick only half the Spine is affected When the Legs are Paralytick the seat of the Disease is about the end of the Spinal Marrow near the Vertebra's of the Os Sacrum and so in the rest the place is to be sought for from whence the Nerves arise And sometimes enquiry after the external Cause much helps to find out the Part affected of which there are two Instances in Galen one of a certain Man who in a Cold and Rainy Season wore a long while a wet Neckcloath about his Neck his Hands became Paralytick The other is of one who lost the Sense of three of his Fingers and when Galen understood that he fell out of a Cart upon his Back he conjectured that some Part was hurt by the Fall under the seventh Vertebra where the Nerve begins and therefore he applied the Medicine which was used before to the Fingers to no purpose to that part The knowledge of the Causes is to be fetched from the Procatarctick Causes the foregoing Diseases and the Constitution of the Sick and so the external cooling and moistening Causes going before Old Age a Flegmatick Constitution Winter cold and moist Diet An Apoplexy going before signifie that the Disease proceeds from a cold intemperies and a Flegmatick humour Feavers foregoing and sometimes a present Feaver Cholerick or Melancholy Constitution Summer-time or Autumn the use of Spices of Salt or hot Meats violent and long Passions of the Mind the excretion of Cholerick and Melancholy humours or of Acid or Acrid Serum hot defluxions upon various parts and Pains arising from thence And lastly when Pain and Convulsions accompany the diminution of Sense and Motion and when such as are so afflicted are injured by hot and drying Medicines and relieved by cooling and moistening Remedies the Palsie proceeds from Cholerick or Melancholy humours Tumors and luxations and Wounds causing a Palsie are easily known The Prognostick Signs A Palsie coming from a pituitous humour stuffing the substance of the Nerves is difficult to Cure A Palsie following an Apoplexy is seldom Cured and most commonly turns to an Apoplexy again A trembling coming upon a Palsie is good If the paralytick Part be hot there is hope of Recovery but if it be always cold it is hardly Cured A wasting of the Part and great Paleness renders it incurable If the Eye of the Paralytick side be lessened there is little hopes of a Cure A Palsie of the Legs or Feet is easier Cured than of the upper Parts A Palsie in old People is incurable A Palsie cannot be Cured in the Winter A violent Feaver coming upon a Palsie is good so is a Loosness coming upon a small and new Palsie The Cure of a Palsie is to be varied according to the variety of the Causes but because it chiefly comes from Flegm and a cold intemperies we must chiefly endeavour to remove this Cause and you must begin with an universal evacuation of the whole Body As to Bleeding that can scarce do any good for the Blood is not in the fault but Flegm and for the most part this Disease seises Old People such as are Flegmatick and naturally Cold But if an abundance of crude Blood should seem to produce the Flegmatick Humour and to nourish it a Vein may be opened in the Arm of the well-side But Blood must be drawn sparingly lest the languid Heat should be extinguished Therefore Bleeding being omitted or used as is said sparingly the Cure must be begun by removing the antecedent
Optick Nerve the Eyes are only affected But if there be a compression by Flegmatick Humours gathered together about the Roots of the Eyes and the mamillary processes that Matter will either seise other parts of the Brain and then the rest of the Senses or all of them will be injured But if it be seated only about the Optick Nerves a Flegmatick Matter will be evacuated by the Nostrils more plentifully than is usual and there will seem a weight to lie upon the forepart of the Head especially about the Eye-lids As to the Prognosticks if the Sight be quite taken away by an Obstruction of the Optick Nerves the Disease is most commonly incurable for we see that Obstructions of other Nerves whereby a Palsie is generated is seldom or never Cured especially in those that are Old But if the Obstruction be partial and the Sight be only diminished there is more hope of Recovery though a long course of Remedies and a great deal of time is requisite for the Cure But if this Disease proceed from Humours collected in the forepart of the Head it is easier Cured Fabritius Hildanus mentions an Observation of one that lost his Sight by taking a violent Vomit and recovered it again by taking another For the first by its Violence stirred the Humours too much and forced them upon the Optick Nerves but the other evacuated the Humours and so Cured There are other Observations of this kind but it is reasonable to suppose that in these cases where the Cure is so easily performed the Humour is not stopt in the substance of the Nerves but collected in the Brain about the Nerves For the Cure of this Disease the Matter impacted into the Nerves or adhering to them which causes the Obstruction or Compression is to be evacuated which cannot be unless the whole Body be first evacuated As Galen says the Eye cannot be Cured before the whole Head nor that before the whole Body That the Remedies may be described orderly a Diet convenient for thâ—â— Disease is first to be appoinâ—ed which ought to be attenuating and moderately drying And first an Air inclining to hot and dry ought to be chosen but thick cloudy cold and rainy Air must be carefully avoided Meats of easie Digestion and of good Juice must be eaten and such as breed a thick Juice must not be used as Pork Geese Pease Cheese and the like also those things that fill the Head with Vapours as things made of Milk and hot Spices as Pepper Ginger and the like The Bread must be made with Fennel-water or the Seed of it must be mingled with it But great Care must be taken that Darnel is not mixed with the Wheat wherewith the Bread is made which has been always accounted very injurious to the Eye In Sauces and Broths let the Sick use those things which have an attenuating Faculty as Hyssop Fennel Marjoram Bettony Sage Eye-bright and especially Nutmegs which strengthen the Brain and clear the Sight Turneps should be often eaten and also Sparrows and Pidgeons Cold Herbs must be avoided especially Lettice which is injurious to the Eyes The Sick must be moderate in his Diet and the Supper sparing and once or twice a Week let him go to Bed without Supper At Meals instead of Salt let him use the following Powder Take of common Salt two Ounces of Eye-bright dried two Drams of Nutmeg one Dram of Cinnamon two Scruples make a Powder After every Meal let him take one Spoonful of the following Powder Take of the Seeds of Coriander prepared half an Ounce of the Seeds of Anise and Fennel each two Drams of Cinnamon and Nutmegs each one Dram of Eye-bright dried three Drams of Sugar of Roses twice the weight of all Wine is not good in this Disease because it fills the Head with Vapours and promotes fluxion but a Decoction of Sarsaparilla sweetned with Liquorish and aromatized with Coriander Seeds is a proper Drink But all cannot abstain from Wine or strong Beer and therefore dried Eye-bright infused in small Wine or Beer may be used sometimes Sleep must be shorter than usual and lying on the Back must be avoided as much as may be and the Sick must not Sleep after Dinner He must be moderate in his Exercise and his Body must be always kept Loose These things being thus ordered the Cure must be begun with universal Evacuation and he must be first purged with the following Medicine Take of Senna cleansed half a Dram of the Seeds of Fennel one Dram of the Leaves of Bettony Eye-bright and Vervain each half an handful of Liquorish three Drams boil them in Fountain-water to three Ounces strain it and dissolve in it three Drams of Diaphaenicon and an Ounce of the Syrup of Roses make a Potion to be taken in the Morning After the first Purge the Physician ought to consider with himself whether Bleeding is to be used In Old People or such as are of a Flegmatick Constitution certainly it is not But in those that are young and of a hot Constitution especially if there be Signs of Blood abounding without controversie if it be used in time it may do much good and where there are such indications for Bleeding After Blood has been drawn from the Arm the particular Veins of the Head may be opened and those which are near the Eyes viz. the Forehead Vein the Vein of the Temples and in the Corner of the Eyes near the Nose But it is more proper to apply Leeches to the Temples and if they are set behind the Ears too they may do much good Some Practitioners relate that some blind People have been Cured by Wounds in the Forehead whereby the turgid Veins and Arteries have been emptied But if a suppression of the Courses has preceded this Disease Blood is to be drawn from the lower Veins or Leeches must be applied to the Hemorrhoids afterwards the Body must be purged more exactly with the following Apozem Take of the Roots of Fennel Sarsaparilla Florentine Orris Elecampane each one Ounce of the Leaves of Bettony Marjoram Balm Eye-bright Fennel Vervain the greater Celandine each one handful of Liquorish rasped and Raisins of the Sun cleansed each one Ounce of the Seeds of Anise and Fennel each three Drams of Senna cleansed two Ounces of Gummy Turbith and Agarick newly trochiscated each two Drams of Ginger and Cloves each one Scruple of the Flowers of Stâ—chas Rosemary and Lavender each one pugil boil them in Fountain-water to a Pint strain it and dissolve in it four Ounces of White Sugar make an Apozem for four Doses to be taken in the Morning Clarifie it and Aromatize it with two Drams of Cinnamon When all the Apozem is taken give the following Pills Take of the Pill Coch. minor two Scruples make six Pills to be taken early in the Morning Universal Evacuation being thus performed Revulsion of the antecedent cause is to be made and the conjunct cause is to be discussed and
whereby the Blood may be cleared from Serous and Cholerick Humours occasioning this Disease But they ought to be made of Rhubarb Myrobalans Tamarinds and the like which Bind as well as Purge and do not stir the Humours they may be given in the form of a Bolus with Syrup of Mirtles or dried Roses or in a Potion made of a Decoction of Sorrel Succory Purslain and the like When Purging is used which ought to be continued for three or four days at Bed-time after every Purge the forementioned Opiate Syrup of Coral or some other astringent and Corroberating Medicine must be used Lastly For Precaution aâ— dram of Rhubarb powdered must be given once a week for a long time CHAP. LXVII Of the Cholera Morbus i. e. Vomiting and Loosness THis Disease was most Epidemical in the Year 1669 says Doctor Sydenham than ever he knew it in any other Year it comes as certainly at the latter end of Summer as Swallows at the beginning of Spring and as Cuckows at the Heat of the following Season That Disease which is occasioned by a Surfeit comes at any time the Symptoms are indeed alike and the Cure the same yet it is of another kind The Disease is easily known for there are violent Vomitings and an Evacuation of ill Humours with great Difficulty and Trouble by Stool there is a violent Pain and Inflation of the Belly and Guts an Heart-burning Drouth and quick-pulse with Heat and Anxiety with great Nauseousness and sometimes a Colliquative Sweat Contractions of the Arms and Legs Fainting a Coldness of the extream Parts and such-like Symptoms which greatly terrifie the By-standers and kill the Patient in twenty four Hours There is also a dry Cholera from a flatuous Spirit breaking out above and below without Vomiting and Loosness I have found by diligent Application of Mind and by manifold Eperience that if on the one hand I should endeavour to expel the sharp Humours that are the Fewel of the Disease by Catharticks I should do just as he that endeavours to quench Fire with Oyl seeing the Operation of the most gentle Cathartick wou'd but give farther Disturbance and raise new Tumults And on the other Hand should I at the first restrain the primary Effort with Narcotick Medicines and other Astringents whilst I hindred natural Evacuation and detained the Humour against Nature the Patient would be undoubtedly destroyed by an intestine War his Enemy being inclosed in his Bowels For these Reasons therefore I thought I must go the middle Way that I might partly evacuate and partly dilute the Humour I â—ound out this Method several Years ago and have long experienced it and have by it many Times reduced this Disease to good Order A Young Chicken is boiled in about three Gallons of Spring-water so that the Liquor hath scarce any Relish of the Chick The Patient is ordered to drink several large Draughts of this a little warm at the same time a good quantity will serve for several Glisters to be given successively until all the Broths be consumed and rendred upwards and downwards an ounce of the Syrups of Lettice Violets Purslain Water-lilly may be now and then mixt with the Draughts and Glisters though the Broth may do very well without any such Addition So the Stomach being loaded with a considerable quantity of the Liquor and as I may say turned and the Injection of Glisters being reiterated the sharp Humours are either cast out or their Acrimony being taken off they are reduced to a due Temper the Filth being cast up by these means which require three or fours Hours Some Paragorick Medicine perfects the Cure I use this often Take of Couslip-water one ounce of Aqua-mirabilis one dram Liquid Laudanum fourteen drops Instead of which any Shop-Narcotick may be made use of and this way of diluting the Humours is much safer and more expedite than that which is most commonly taken to stop this most dangerous Disease viz. either by Evacuaters or Astringents because the Tumult is heightned by Evacuaters and all things are put in a Hurly-burly by them and the other on the contrary detain an Enemy in the Bowels and of a Stranger do plainly make him an Inhabitant To say nothing of the tedious Trouble created to the Patient when the Disease is protracted whereby at length the Bad Humours creep into the Mass of Blood and easily kindle a malignant Fever But it is to be diligently noted That if the Phisician be not called till the Voming and Loosness have continued many Hours suppose ten or twelve and the Patient is worn out so that the extream Parts wax cold I say in this case all other Remedies being omitted he must immediately fly to Laudanum the sacred Anchor in this Disease which is not only to be given when the Symptoms are urgent but also after the Vomiting and Loosness go off and to be repeated Morning and Evening daily till the Patient has recovered his Strength and Health Though this Disease be Epidemical yet it very seldom lasts longer than August in which it first began on which Account I have been induced to contemplate that most subtile and elegant Artifice which Nature uses in the Production of Epidemick Diseases for though the same Causes wholly remain so that many should be seised with this Disease as well in September as August by reason of eating too much Fruit yet we see the same Effect does not follow And he that has carefully collected the Phaenomena of a legitimate Cholera of which only we treat at present will confess that that Disease which invades at any other time of the Year though coming upon the same occasion and accompanied with some of the same Symptoms is quite different from this now spoken of just as if there were some secret and peculiar thing in the Air of this peculiar Month able to impress on the Blood or on the Ferment of the Stomach some such specifick Alteration adapted only to this Disease CHAP. LXVIII Of a Pain in the Stomach A Pain of the Stomach proceeds from something that distends and gnaws it and so causes a Solution of the Continuum But in the Stomach three very different Parts are to be considered viz. The upper and lower Orifice and the Body of it which makes its Cavity The upper Orifice is indued with an exquisite Sense because a great Nerve is placed there proceeding from the sixth Conjugation and therefore the Pains in it are very sharp and the Heart by reason of its nearness is also affected and therefore this Pain is called Cardialgia and Cardiogmos and so great is the Agreement of the Heart with the upper Orifice of the Stomach that the Ancients called this Orifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if the Membranes constituting the Cavity of the Stomach or if the lower Orifice be affected it is called a Pain of the Stomach or the Cholick of the Stomach especially when it is occasioned by Wind. The next cause of this
Genus Nervosum and of the genital parts by Childhood Age and a Flegmatick Cachexy and the like As to the Prognostick This Disease is incurable in old Age in a Feaver it is dangerous but it may be cured in Children by increase of Years for in time the superfluous Moisture may be consumed and the lax parts rendered firm and strong The Cure of Involuntary Urine must be directed to the correcting of the cold and moist Intemperies and to the Laxity of the Sphincter Muscle for that which is occasioned by Sympathy from other Parts primarily affected must be referred to the Cure of those Diseases and that which proceeds from a Wound Ulcer and other manifest Diseases depends on the Cure of them wherefore the following Method of Cure must be observed both for Children and grown People but in Children the most gentle Medicines must be used and they must be dosed accoding to their Age. First Bleeding is not of use in this case unless there be a Plethora of the whole Body in Youth but Purges are always necessary in this case they must be made of Phlegmagogue Medicines and astringent things may be mixed with them especially such as purge too as Rubarb Mirobalanes and the like Afterwards Electuaries medicated Wines and the like must be used to dry up the phlegmatick Matter and to constringe the relaxed part Take of the Nuts of Cypress and of Mirtles torrified of the Raspings of Ivory Coriander seeds prepared red Coral Ambar each two drams of Spodium one dram of the Roots of Cyperus and Galingal each half a dram with candied Citrons make an Electuary whereof let him take the quantity of a Chesnut Morning and Evening drinking upon it a little red Wine Take of the Roots of Comfry half an ounce of the Roots of Cyperus and Galingal each one dram of the Leaves of Plantane Horse-tail five leaved Grass with the Roots each one handful of Cypress Nuts and of the Cups of Acorns each four Scruples of the seeds of Rue and of the chast Tree of Frankincense and of the Raspings of Ivory each half a scruple of red Roses one Pugil of red Wine two quarts infuse them twenty four Hours then strain them and add to it half an ounce of Cinnamon and with a sufficient quantity of Sugar make a Claret whereof let him take three or four ounces twice a day Many Specificks are proposed by Authors for the Cure of this Disease as the Brains and Testicles of a Hare burnt also a Cockle in its Shell burnt and drank the Dung of a Hare the Ashes of a Mouse burnt the Hoof of a Boar torrified the Ashes of Date-stones the Powder of Egg-shells but above all the Powder of Agrimony and the inward Coats of the Stomach of a Hen dried which may be given a part or together in red Wine Solinander says he saw excellent Success by the use of a Cocks Throat torrified the Powder was taken before Supper in a little red Wine it was repeated for some Days In grown People Sudorifick Decoctions made of Guajacum and Sassafrass and used for twenty Days are proper to dry the Body So are also Bath-waters applied with Flannels The Sick must drink red rough Wine by it self or diluted with Chalybeat waters and he must drink but little at Supper he must make Water just as he is going into Bed in the middle of the Night and early in the Morning And outwardly Topicks must be applied to the Pubis and Perinaeum such as heat strengthen and dry Take of the Roots of Elecampane sweet-smelling Flag of Acorus and Cyperus each half an ounce of the Leaves of Mint Sage Wild-marjoram Calaminth and Wormwood each half an handful of the Nuts of Cypress Mirtles Galls and Balaustines each one dram of red Roses one Pugil boil them in equal parts of Smiths Water and red Wine to one quart in the strained Liquor dissolve of Salt and Allum each one ounce foment the Region of the Pubis and Perineum Morning and Evening hot Of the same Decoction the quantity of it being increased a bath may be made to be used for many days After the Fomentation or Bath the Parts may be anointed with a Liniment made of Oyl of Foxes rue Orrise Unguentum Martiatum Aregon and with the Powder of Mastich Cyperus and Mirtles or the following Plaister may be applied Take of Labdanum and Mastich each two drams of the Wood of Alces and of Storax calamite of Cinnamon and of Turpentine each one dram of Mirtles and of the Roots of Cyperus each half a dram of the Juice of Mint and Horsâ—-tail extracted with red Wine a sufficient quantity make a Plaister CHAP. XCIII Of a total Suppression of Urine and of the Strangury A Total Suppression of Urine is called by Authors Ischuria but when the voiding of Urine is lessened they term it a Strangury An Ischuria or total Suppression of Urine is twofold viz. true when the Bladder is full and false when the Bladder is empty and nothing comes from the Reins to it The true Ischury depends on three Causes the first whereof is Sense abolished in the Bladder by reason of a Palsie or Obstruction of its Nerve or because the Spirits are diverted another Way as in a Delirium or the like The second cause is a cold Intemperies of the Bladder The third Cause is a narrowness of the Neck of the Bladder and of this three Causes are assigned for the Muscle incompassing the Neck of the Bladder is so swelled that the Passage is stopt or a Caruncle grows in the Neck of the Bladder or a Callus is generated there the Passage is also obstructed by a Stone by a thick Humour a Clot of Blood or by Matter The Passage is also stopt by a Swelling of the neighbouring parts as by a large Child in the Womb by the Excrements hardened in the right Gut and by the Piles much swelled This Suppression also happens sometimes by too great a quantity of Water retained too long that so much distend the whole Body of the Bladder that it cannot be contracted to expel it first when any Person that is well retains his Urine for want of a Convenient Place to void it in or when the Nerves of the Bladder are affected so that the Bladder cannot be sensible of the Weight and Fulness A false ischury is occasioned by reason either the Serum is not put off upon the Reins or not conveighed through the Ureters they being stopt by a Stone or the like A true Ischury is known by a Weight and Tension of the Hypogaster and by a Swelling resembling the Bladder The causes of it are known by things that go before and accompany it for if it proceed from a large quantity of Urine which hinders a Contraction of the Bladder it is perceived by the Relation of the Sick he having omitted to make Water by reason of long travelling or by being in the presence of great Persons and if he never had
Difficult Labour is known both by the Woman by the By-standers and especially by the Midwife And first if the Woman continue a long time in Labour viz. two three four or more days whereas a natural Birth is finished in 24 hours Another Sign of difficult Labour is languid pains returning at long Intervals 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 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 But the signs of a dead Child may be known by the following Chapter 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 Childs endeavours are strong and yet the Labour is difficult it is a sign 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 preposterous figure of the Fetus may be perceived by the Midwife and other things as has been said by sight As to the Prognostick difficult Labour is of it self dangerous and sometimes the Woman and sometimes the Child and sometimes both are extinguished If a Woman continue in Labour four days she will hardly escape Sleepy Diseases and Convulsions coming upon hard Labour are most commonly deadly Sneesing coming upon hard Labour is good As to the Cure of hard Labour First all those things which retard it must as much as may be be removed afterwards Medicines that further Labour must be methodically administred 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 drachm of Confection of Alkerms in broath or half a scruple of Saffron alone in some broath or every hour in a little VVine Or Take of Oil of sweet Almonds and of white Wine each two ounces of Saffron and Cinnamon each twelve grains of Confection of Alkermes half a drachm of syrup of Maiden-hair one ounce and an half mingle them make a Potion If these things are not sufficient the following may be used which I have frequently found very effectual Take of Dittany of Crete and both the Birthworts and of Troches of Myrrh each half a scruple of Saffron and Cinnamon each twelve grains of Confection of Alkermes half a drachm of Cinnamon-water half an ounce of Orange-flower-water and of Mugwort-water each one ounce make a Potion Oil of Ambar of Cinnamon and extract of Saffron are very effectual in a small quantity viz. five grains of extract of Saffron four or five drops of Oil of Cinnamon twelve or fifteen drops of Oil of Ambar in VVine Broath or some other Liquor Sneesing hastens Delivery it may be provoked by the following Powder Take of white Hellebore half a drachm of long Pepper one scruple of Castor five grains make a Powder let the quantity of a Pease be blown up into the Nostrils But difficult Labour must be helpt not only with inward Remedies proposed but also with external let the Midwife therefore frequently anoint the VVomb with the Oils of Lillies sweet Almonds Linseed and the like and let the Belly be fomented with an emollient decoction of the Roots of Marsh-mallows Lillies the leaves of Mallows Violets Mugwort of Linseeds Fenugreek-seeds of the flowers of Camomile and Melilot Sharp Glisters are to be injected by the irritation of which the expulsive faculty of the VVomb will be stimulated and the Guts being emptied thereby there will be more room for the VVomb Anoint the Navel with Oil of Ambar and such things as are thought to help Delivery by a specifick quality are to be used as the Eagle's-stone the Load-stone Storax Calamint and the like bound to the Hips and if the Woman has any Gems about her as in Rings or the like they must be pull'd off for many Women think that such things retain the Child by a specifick Quality If the Child seem to be weak it must be refreshed by giving strengthening things to the Mother as hot Wine Confection of Alkermes Cinnamon-water and the like If the Child begins to come forth preposterously as with one Arm or first with the foot or the like the Midwife must thrust them back and turn the Child right which may be done by placing the VVoman in a Bed upon her back with her Head low and her feet high and then force the Child gently into the VVomb and then the Midwife must endeavour to turn it right viz. to turn the Face towards the Mothers back and the Buttocks and Legs must be elevated towards the Mothers Navel and so she must hasten a legitimate Birth But all hopes of Delivery being past or the Mother being near Death some Authors propose the Cesarian Section whereof Franciscus Rossetus wrote an excellent Treatise wherein he endeavours to shew by many Arguments that it may sometimes succeed But because this operation is dangerous and very terrible it ought rarely or never to be attempted by a prudent Physician if he values his own Reputation CHAP. CVIII Of a Dead Child WHen the Child is dead the Motion of it ceases which either the Mother felt before in the Womb or the Midwife with her Hand a greater sense of weight with Pain afflicts the Belly when the Woman turns from side to side she perceives the Child fall like a Stone from one part to another the Belly feels cold the natural Heat being extinguish'd and the Spirits dissipated which were contained in the Child the Eyes are hollow the Face and Lips pale the extream parts cold and livid the Breasts flaccid and at length the Child putrifying a fetid Ichor and Sanies flows from the Womb an ill and strong smell exhales from the Woman's Body and her Breath stinks If the Secundine be excluded before the Fetus it is a certain Sign that the Child is dead The whole Cure consists in the exclusion or extraction of the Child Take of the Leaves of Savin dryed of the Roots of round Birthwort of the Troches of Myrrh and of Castor each one drachm of Cinnamon half a drachm of Saffron one scruple Mingle them make a Powder whereof let her take one drachm in Savin Water In the mean while apply to the Pubes Privities and Perineum an emolient Decoction After the Fomentation anoint the Parts with the Ointment de Arthanita and let a Pessary be put up the Privities Take of the Roots of round Birthwort Orris black Helebore of Coloquintida and Myrrh each one drachm of Galbanum and opopanax each half a drachm With Ox-Gall make a Pessary It is also proper if the Strength be sufficient to give a Purge Angelus