to be taken away as much as may be with the aforesaid means Mollyfying Fomentations are also proper for this purpose while the woman sits over the fumigation CHAP. XIII For those who have but a little blood THose Women that have but little blood ought not to lie in their beds as those who have a great deal They ought to take good nourishment in a little quantity As Eggs well boyld in the shell in a Morning The juyce of Mutton and Veal squeezed out and Mutton broth and all these being mingled together nourish very much and make very good blood as also Pigeons Partridge Mutton Quaile and such other meats good for the stomach CHAP. XIV What is to be done to the Infant THE Midwife having tied up the Navel-string as is before said she ought next to cleanse the Infant not only in the face but also over the whole body anointing the groins hips buttocks thighs and joynts with Oyl of sweet Almonds or fresh Butter this makes the skin more firm and shuts up the pores of the skin so that the exterior air cannot come to hurt it and besides this it strengthens all the parts of the body It would not be amiss to make a bath or decoction of Roses and Sage in Wine and with that to wash the Infant every morning After the Infant is thus well anointed and after that well dried and wrapped up you may give to the Infant a little Sack and Sugar in a spoon or else the quantity of a Pease bigness of Mithridate or Treacle dissolved in Wine with a little Carduus-Water CHAP. XV. How to Govern Women in Child-bed THere is great difference in the governing Women in Child-bed for she that thinks to order an ordinary labouring or Country-woman like a person of quality kills her and she that thinks to govern a person of quality like an ordinary Country-woman does the same to her For the Stomach and Constitution of the one is tender and weak and the Constitution and Stomach of the other strong and lusty which will not be satisfied with ordinary Viands For if you give to one of these strong Stomachs presently after their delivery any strong Broth or Eggs or a draught of Milk they are like Mills that always grind and empty as fast as they pour in and that that gives one Woman a fever keeps another from it and therefore Women in Child-bed are to be governed by their several Constitutions As for Women that are delicate and have been accustomed to live delicately greater care must be taken of them giving them meats that breed good nourishment and do not clog the stomach forbearing also to give her those meats to which she has too great a dislike agreeing to her humour provided that the meat which she loves be not hurtful and giving her for the first eight days of her lying in boyled meats rather than rosted as gellies c. the juice of Veal or Capon but not Mutton it being too feverish giving her to drink Barly-water or else water boyled wherein is boyled a dram of Cinnamon to every pint and two ounces of Sugar dissolved or if she do not love Sugar Coriander-seed water if she drink wine let it be two thirds of water to one third of wine giving her in the morning white-wine and in the afternoon Claret taking care of eating any thing that may breed any crudities She may also take at the discretion of those about her Almond-milk now and then There are some women that cannot be kept from sleeping and others that cannot sleep at all It will not be amiss to give to those that cannot sleep French barley-water the way to make it well is to let it boyl well and to take the broth without straining it neither ought it to be taken after the eight days are past by reason that it nourishes exceedingly and does not a little obstruct the Liver CHAP. XVI Of the Bathings that a Woman is to use for the first eight days of her lying in TAke a good handful of old or new Chervil and boyl it in a sufficient quantity of water then taking it from the fire add to it a spoonful of Honey of Roses this draws down the Purgations cleanses and heals the part The herb it self may serve for a fomentation to take away any inflammation There are some that use milk to the purpose aforesaid affirming that it is a great asswager of the pain but that having been proved by others hath been observed rather to engender filth than to be any way a clearer by reason that the sharp humour causeth it to curdle CHAP. XVII How a Midwife ought to govern her self in case a Woman be to be Delivered of two Children TAE Travel of a Woman bringing forth two Infants is more tedious and it many times happens that one of the Children comes forth very well and the other comes forth very hardly and this is certain that that which comes forth first is always the strongest having the power to go before the other and to break the membranes that enveloped it And oft-times while the first is born the other remains behind wrapt in such membranes as the former was so that it remains a good space behind the other sometimes two hours and yet it hath been very well born Now knowing that that which came first was the strongest it would not be amiss to assist the other in coming forth by breaking the Membranes that contain the waters and if that fail by giving strong Clysters to excite the pain which were it not many times done the Child would never be able to endure the pain of coming into the World by reason of its extraordinary weakness which is so great sometimes that the bone of the Forehead is divided and separated down to the nose although the Infant being born it joyns together again and the Infant does very well Which if it happen you must have a great care to bind some kind of soft pillow upon the place that the air may not enter in If the second Child come forth ill you must not delay to break the Membranes and to draw the Infant gently out by the feet For having used all its endeavours to come forth to keep it there or to prolong the Travel any longer is more dangerous than profitable sometimes two come so suddenly the one after the other that there seems to be but one Delivery of both there being but a little Membrane that separates them In this case holding the first you must cut the Navel-string and bind it about and tye it about the Hip while they draw forth the other Infant which by a longer stay would be much weakned CHAP. XVIII Of the danger that a Woman hath to purge her self for the first days of her Lying in IT is an ordinary thing for Women that lye in by reason of their bed to lose the benefit of their bellies which hinders the evacuation of their Milk which causes Fevers by
draw it forth as quick as may be The second form of unnatural Birth is very dangerous and therefore requires the greater care of the Midwife First therefore let her well anoint the Womb of the Woman that the passage may be more slippery which being done let her take hold of the hands of one of the Infants and keeping them close to the sides direct the head to the orifice of the Womb that being born let her proceed in the same manner toward the other If she cannot come to take hold of either of the Infants Arms she must bring the Woman again to her Bed and try by the aforesaid Agitation of her body if the Infants may be brought to a more convenient form of delivery CHAP. XXIX Of ordering the Woman after she is delivered IN the first place she must keep a temperate diet having a great care not to over fill her self after so great an evacuation and indeed her diet must be like that of wounded persons neither are the tales of nurses to be believed who exhort them to fill after so great an emptiness telling them that the loss of blood must be restored for these are meer Fooleries for as for that blood which she hath lost it is but unnecessary blood such as is usually kept for the space of nine months which to void is much conducing to her Health Besides their nourishment for the first days must be but slender for fear of falling into a Fever besides the abundance of milk which it would bring into the breast where it might be in danger of curding or Apostematizing and therefore for the first five days let her use Broths Panada's potched Eggs Gellies abstaining from Flesh or French Barley In the morning Broth will be expedient at dinner Broth or Eggs or Panada and at supper the same with some Gellies for the second course If she intend to nurse her Child she may feed more plentifully and drink some Barlâ— water wherein some Corianders or Fennel◠〈…〉 be put In Italy the persons of 〈…〉 account do use this water Take two 〈…〉 the Feathers being well pulled off 〈…〉 â—he bowels wholly taken out which you led off boyl in a glaz'd earthen pot in a sufficient quantity of water till they be half boyled then must they be taken out of the pot together with the Broth and being cut to peices are to be put into a Lembick in manner following Take Bugloss Borage and Time two good handfuls and with that cover the bottom of the shell then lay upon that a row of flesh then upon that a rank of leaf-Gold with a dram of powder of Pearls and upon that pour the broth let all this be distilled in Balneo Mariae drawing forth a pint at a time which you shall re-iterate as often as you have any thing left to give to the Woman in Child-bed for the space of ten or twelve days This water must be drawn six weeks or two months before it be used if the Woman be not troubled with a Fever let her drink a little white Wine or Claret with twice as much hot Water If she have a mind to drink between Meals or at night it may be convenient to give her some syrup of Maiden-hair or any other Syrup that is not astringent with a little boyled water After the suspition of a Fever or heat of her breasts is over she may be nourished more plentifully and you may give her together with her Broth some other meat as Pullet Capon Pidgeon Mutton or Veal boyled After the eight day is past at what time the Womb is well purged and discharged it will be expedient to give her good meat in greater quantity that she may be enabled to gain strength during all this time she must rest very quiet and be 〈◊〉 from all manner of disturbance she must sleep as 〈…〉 the day time as may be If she go not well to stool 〈…〉 some such kind of Clyster as this Take of Mallows 〈…〉 mallows and Pellitory of the wall each one handful 〈…〉 â—f Camomile and Melliot of each a small handful A◠〈…〉 and Fennel-seeds of each two ounces boyl these in 〈…〉 â—â—coction of a Weathers-head take of this three quarters of a pint and dissolve in them of course Sugar and common Hony of each two ounces new fresh butter three ounces of this make a Clyster and if occasion serve add to this an ounce of Catholicon What is to be done to the Breast Belly and lower parts of the Woman in Child-bed IN the first place you may lay the skin of a Hare or Sheep for the space of four or five hours which being taken away you may then anoint it with this following Oyntment and then lay a linnen Towel all over her belly and hips which must be continued on for the first seven days looking after it and turning every Morning The Oyntment may be this Take the Oyl of sweet-Almonds Camomile and St. John's wort each one ounce and a half Sperma ceti two Ounces Goats fat one Ounce Oyl of Miriles half an Ounce melt all these and make an Oyntment to anoint the Belly Now before the Cerecloth be put on you must apply a little Plaister of Galbanum about the bigness of 2 or 3 fingers to the Navel in the middle of which may be put two or three grains of Civet yet so as that the Woman may not perceive the sent of it The Cerecloth may be this Take White Wax four ounces Pomatum without Musk Calfs-grease of each one ounce Sperma ceti an ounce and a half Oyl of St. John's wort and Sweet Almonds of each one ounce Venice-Turpentine washed in Pellitory-water half an ounce melt these in Balneo Mariae and spread them upon a cloath about the bigness of the belly and when it is cool apply it The next care is to be had of the Breasts upon these some put round Cerecloth made thus Take six ounces of new Wax Oyl of Myrtle Roses and Honey of Narbon of each two ounces melt these altogether and make a Cerecloth let them have holes in the middle for the Nipples to go through This Oyntment is also very good to keep the Milk from clotting Take Oyntment of Populeon one ounce Galen's refrigerating Oyntment half an ounce Oyl of Roses six drams Vinegar a small quantity melt them together and make an Oyntment This fomentation is also much commended Take Fennel Parsly Mallows Marsh-mallows of each a small handful Laurel and Camomile-flowers of each half a handful boyl these according to Art and make a Fomentation for the Nipples After this Fomentation anoint them with Oleum Rosatum Omphacium and then apply this following Plaister Take Venice-Turpentine four ounces well washed in strong wine and Rose-water adding to it two whole Eggs and a scruple of Saffron with as much wax as is sufficient spread this upon a linnen cloath and apply it As for the lower parts for the three first days they are to
upon them and upon those another handful of Herbs covering the platter with a close cloth that the woman may receive the smoak this is a remedy which hath been much approved and experimented To remedy the fall of the Fundament in Infants TAke of the green shrub whereof they make â—rooms and cut it small and lay it upon the Coals and set the Child over the smoak thereof and it will certainly cure it Of the diseases of Women and first of the inflammation of the breast THe Inflammation of the Breasts is a hard swelling together with a beating pain redness and shooting The chief cause of this is the abundance of blood drawn up together in that place though there be sometime other causes also as the suppression of the courses the Haemorrhoids or a blow received upon the Breasts The signs of it are easie to be known that is to say a certain redness and burning heat oft-times joined with a Fever For the cure of this there are four sorts of remedies First the order of diet which must be comforting and moistning as Broth of Pullets where Endive Borage Lettice and Purslain may be boyled also she may drink the Juyce of Pomgranates or Barley water with Anniseeds boyled in it the use of Wine and all sorts of Spices are very dangerous and if the Woman go not freely to the stool there is nothing better than a Lenitive Clysteâ— she may sleep much and must not disturb her self with any passion The next way of Remedy is by diverting the humours which is done by frictions letting blood in the foot scarrification of the legs or veficatories applied to those places especially if the flowers are stopped or ready to come down if not it will be expedient to open a vein in the arm You may also prepare the humour to void it out of the place affected by opening either the middle vein or the Basilic or the Vena Saphena which may be done two or three times as occasion serves after blood-letting purge but let this be done with gentle Medicines such are Cassia Manna Tamarind Syrup of Roses or Violets Solutive having a little before used certain Syrups which may asswage and temper the humours Take syrup of Roses and Purslain of each one ounce Endive water and Plantain-water of each an ounce give this to the Patient neither will it be amiss to give her Syrup of Succory or Endive or such like for these Syrups have a cooling and refreshing faculty especially being mingled with Plantain or Endive-water or such like or the decoction of the said Herbs now when the humour is thus prepared you may give her some gentle Purges As for Example take of the pulp of Cassia and Tamarinds of each six drams of this make a little Bolus with some Sugar and give it to the Patient or with this Potion Take of the Leaves of Italian Orach three drams of Aniseed one scruple infuse these into four ounces of the foresaid waters Into this being strained infuse an ounce of Cassia and into the streining of this dissolve an ounce of Solutive Syrup of Roses of this make a Potion and give it The fourth way of cure consists in Topicks such as may drive back and repress the humour though care must be had that they be not over-strong lest you thereby do cool the heart too much and thereupon drive the humour upon the heart it self And therefore temperate Medicines are chiefly to be chosen and such especially as are to digest and dissolve the humour Wherefore it shall not be amiss to apply a linnen cloth dipt in white strong vinegar and a little cold water which must be applied to the Breasts and often changed Or else you may dip linnen cloaths also in a decoction of Camomile-flowers and Violet-flowers with a small quantity of Oyl of Roses and a drop of vinegar or two or you may use this Fomentation Take of the juyce of Night-shade and Oyl of Roses of each an ounce and a half of the decoction of Fenugreek Camomile and Line-seed two ounces vinegar one ounce This Medicine you may use by dipping a spunge therein and so washing and fomenting the Breast therewith Or you may apply this Cataplasm take of the leaves of Night-shade and Mellilot half a handful of each let them be boyled and extracted through a course cloth then add to them Bean-meal two ounces Oxymel and Oyl of sweet Almonds of each one ounce of this make a Cataplasm and apply it If the Disease be be more prevalent you must use more forcible Remedies and among the rest this Fomentation Take of the leaves of Mallows Violets Dill of each one handful flowers of Camomile and Mellilot of each a small handful and a half boyl these together adding to them a little Wine and Oyl of Dill or Mustard first let the Breast be fomented with this and afterwards with an Oyntment composed of equal parts of new butter Oyl of Violets and Hens fat But if these things avail not to dissipate the humour you must observe whether the inflammation tend either to a suppuration or induration If you find that it tends to a hardness you must try all means to hinder it by the way of mollifying Plaisters among which this is not a little experimented Take the Marrow of a Calves leg two ounces Sheeps-grease one ounce Saffron four Scruples Cumin-seed bruised two Scruples mingle all these and make a Plaister If the inflammation doth not harden but doth altogether tend to a suppuration which may be known by these signs that is to say the increasing of the tumour the beating and excessive heat and pain which rages about those parts so vehemently that they do not admit them to be touched But now the suppuration is to be hastned with hot and moist Medicines which have an Emplastick faculty for which purpose this is much commended Take the leaves of Mallows one handful roots of Marsh-mallows one ounce boyl these together and when they are mashed draw them out and add to them Bean-meal and Fenugreek of each one ounce the whites of two Eggs Myrrh and Assa faetida of each one dram Saffron one scruple mingle all these together and make a Cataplasm for your use to this you may either add Capons-grease Hogs-grease or fresh butter If these Remedies do not suddenly bring the inflammation to a suppuration you must then take of the shels of Snails bruised and lay them upon the Cataplasm in such a manner that the Snail-shells may come to touch that part of the tumour which is most elevated and pointed whence it appears that the matter will first issue if these Remedies avail not it will be necessary to open the said Aposthume with a Lancet and this must be done when you are sure that the matter is ready to come forth which may be known by these signs when the beating ceases when the Fever the pain and the Heat of the part do begin to diminish when you perceive the
usual in Dropsies In this case the natural heat is not able to concoct the nourishment and to drive out that which is superfluous for this sort of swelling make a bath of Camomile Melilot and Lavender and the Ashes of Vines afterwards foment with Aromatic Wine and in it dip compresses to be laid on and to be repeated three or four times a day But usually these swellings go off of themselves when the Woman is delivered the whole Body being cleansed by the Child-bed purgations Many big bellied Women are subject to the piles because the courses that were wont to be evacuated monthly are collected in a great quantity and flow back upon the Body They are also occasioned by the Costivness of the body they are painful Swellings and Inflamations occasioned by a Flux of humours to the Fundament Some are internal some external some small and with little or no pain and some very big and painful It is easy enough to prevent their further growth by remedies which hinder and turn the Flux from those parts when they are small and without pain but the greatest care is to be taken when they are large and painful First therefore you must endeavour to ease the pain for as long as that remains the Flux is ever increased and if Bloud abounds she may be blooded in the Arm-once and again if the case require it to divert the humours and to lessen them If Costiveness be the cause an emollient Glister must be injected made of the decoction of Mallows Marshmallows Violets and sweet Butter or Oyl of Almonds but you must be sure to add nothing that may fret or provoke the parts least the disease should be increased thereby especially when the piles are within Some put the small end of a pullets gut upon the end of the Glister-pipe that it may be the easier injected You may else anoint the swellings with Galen's cooling Oyntment mixed with an equal part of Populeon or you may use the hot stroakings of a Cow or you may foment with a Decoction of Marshmallows and linseed Oyls of sweet Almonds Poppies and water Lillies well beaten together with the Yolk of an Egg and ground in a leaden Mortar give great ease A cooling Diet must be ordered and the woman must keep her Bed till the Flux of the Humours is gone If the Swelling do not abate upon the use of these things Leeches must be apply'd But it is to be noted that in Women with Child the bleeding of the Piles may be beneficial if the Bleeding be moderate and without pain But if it flow in too great quantity the Mother and Child will be weakened thereby therefore if so it will be necessary to apply an astringent Fomentation made of a Decoction of Pomgranate Peel Province Roses Granat Flowers and a little Allom and to turn the Blood bleeding in the Arm is requisite Women with Child are subject to several Fluxes viz. a Looseness the Flux of the Courses and Floodings There are three sorts of Loosenesses a Lientery wherein the meat passes through raw and undigested a frequent Ejection of Excrement and Humours Lastly the Bloody Flux which together with the Evacuation of Humours and Excrements voids Blood with violent pains But whatever sort of Flux it is if it be much and of long continuance the Woman is in danger of miscarrying for in a Lientary the Mother and Child are much weakened that being cast out by Stool which should be the Nourishment and the Strength and Spirits are much weakened by a common Looseness but the bloody Flux is most dangerous because the frequent endeavours to go to Stool greatly disturb the Womb. As to the Cure of these Fluxes whereof great Care ought to be had in time for they occasion Miscarriages the Woman afflicted with a Lientery ought to use meat of easie digestion and little at a time that so her Stomach may be able to concoct it and she ought to drink Claret mixed with water wherein Iron hath been quenched and before and after Meals a little burnt Wine or good Canary may be drank or a little Marmalade of Quinces may be eat If it be only a loosness and is gentle and is not of long continuance it needs not be much regarded and therefore ought to be left to Nature but if it continues five or six days some gentle purging Medicine ought to be used as Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb or the like But great care ought to be taken in the bloody flux lest by its continuance it should cause miscarriage In this case the ill humours must be first purged off with Syrup of Succory and Rhubarb or the like and Broaths made of Veal and Chicken with cooling herbs in them must be used to qualifie the Acrimony of the humours and she must drink Claret wine and Water wherein Iron has been quenched or half a Spoonful of Syrup of Quinces may be mixed with Water and every other Night at Bed time after purging she may take fifteen or 20 Drops of liquid Laudanum and Glisters may be injected made of Calves Head or Sheeps head Broath and to prevent the frequent Endeavours of going to Stool a Glister made of Milk and the Yolk of an Egg mixed may be now and then injected When a Woman is with Child generally speaking she ought not to have her Courses because their ordinary passage is stopt and also because the Blood is then employ'd for the Nourishment of the Child yet some big bellied Women have their monthly purgations till the fifth Month and yet go out their time and do very well A Woman having her courses thought she was not with Child and because she found her self indisposed she advised with a Physician who by Bleeding and purging her made her miscarry after she had bin three Months gone with Child It is to be noted that when Women with Child have a Flux of Blood you must carefully consider whither it be the ordinary Courses or a real Flooding if if it be the ordinary Courses the Blood comes at the accustomed times and flows by degrees from the Neck near the inward Orifice of the Womb and not from the Bottom of it as may be perceived if trying with a Finger you find the inward Orifice quite closed which could not be if the Blood issued from the Bottom It must be likewise considered whether the Courses flow by reason of the Superfluity of the Blood the Acrimomony of it or the weakness of the Vessels If abundance of Blood be alone the Cause there being more than enough for the Nourishment of the Child it injures neither Mother nor Child but is a Benefit to both provided it be moderate But if there be not abundance of Blood and if the Woman use to have but a small quantity of her Courses before she was with Child it is a sign that the Flux proceeds from the Heat and Acrimony of the Blood or the Weakness of the Vessels To prevent this Flux when
sending gross vapours to the head yet can they not be freed by any Purgation taken in at the mouth but it would be much to the purpose to take pertinent Clysters which hinder the foresaid evils causing their breasts to become full and to become stiff taking them as occasion requires once in two or three days There are some unskilful women that not understanding the ill consequences which may follow do give Sena to Women in the first days of their lying in of which some have been very ill and others have died For Nature being now weakned by the Travel and while it is labouring to restore the body to its former Estate is not to be disturbed with violent Purgations And therefore Clysters are always most proper Neither are laxative broths nor the broth of prunes nor baked apples fasting for these do engender wind but rather some good Suppositories would be more useful CHAP. XIX Of the second washing for Women THE second washing for Women ought to be with Province Roses put into little bags and boiled in water and wine of each a like proportion and this is to be done for the second eight days CHAP. XX. What is to be done to Infants as soon as they are born IT is an approved Maxim that as soon as a Child is born you ought to give it a spoonful of pure wine for that assists and helps the Child to regain its spirits Another advantage is this that the wine cuts the flegm which the Child has in its throat besides the spirit of the wine rising up to the head comforts and strengthens it and it hinders also from the Epilepsie which proceeds from the debility of the brain This being done and the Mother fully delivered you must tye the Navel-vein with a silk well twisted and many times doubled and if there be any blood in the vein you must be sure to empty it for fear if it should be left it should turn into corruption then it must be well dried with powder of rotten wood You must tye it two fingers breadth from the belly and leave it long three fingers breadths above the tying place and if it be fat you must close it over and above that the vein may be well closed then wind the string twice about it knitting as many knots But if the Child be come afore its time you need not tye it so strong for fear of cutting it with the silk but if the Navel-vein be full of water and wind you ought then having tied it one time and wrapt a linnen cloth about the end of it which is still to be held upward to uncover it again about half an hour after and then to tye it and wrap it about again still keeping the end up for fear that if the vein were not fully closed there might be some danger in the bleeding Some people give to the Infant Treacle dissolved in Wine but this must be done warily in a very small quantity and that not commonly neither The Infant must be washed with water and wine luke-warm to cleanse it afterwards wash the face as also chafe the throat the arms and hands with Oyl of Walnuts drawn without fire which some say will keep them from Sun-burning then put one hand upon the bone of the Fore-head and another upon the bone called the Coronal bone and softly close up the gap which was made during the time of travel closing also the Sutures one against another exactly then gently put your finger under the tongue to see if the Infant have the string or no and if it have it may be clipt away with the point of a pair of sharp Cizzers without danger There are some that think they can shape the head and nose of a Child as if it were of Wax But let such take notice that have flat nosed Children rather to let the nose alone than by squeezing and closing it too much to render the nose obstructed for that compressing the Gristles of the nose renders the Child liable either to speak alway in the nose or to lose his smelling There are some Children that are born with their noses awry for the help of which you may with your finger moistned in fair water gently stroke the nose but lay no stress upon it That happens by reason that the nose of the Child lights upon some bone of the Mother as it was coming into the World CHAP. XXI Of the last washing for Women THE last washing for Women is to be for four days with Province Roses boyled in Wine and myrrh-Myrrh-water CHAP. XXII Of an Astringent for Women when they shall have occasion TAke Galls Cypress-nuts and Pomgranate-flowers Roch-Allome of each two ounces Province Roses four ounces Knot-grass a good handful the rind of Cassia the rind of Pomegranates Scarlet berries of each three ounces the nature or Sperm of a Whale one ounce rose-Rose-water myrrh-Myrrh-water and burnet-Burnet-water of each an ounce and a half Wine and water of a Smiths forge of each four ounces and a half then make two little bags about a quarter of a Yard long and half a quarter of a Yard broad then boil all these in the foresaid water in a new Pot using the bags one after another as occasion serveth CHAP. XXIII To make Cere-cloaths for Women TAke white Wax half a pound the sperm of a Whale and Venice-Turpentine well washed in Rose-water and Plaintain-water of each an ounce and a half then melt all these together then mingle with them an ounce of Venice white Lead then order your Cloath as you please making some for the Belly and some for the nipples having first rubbed it over with Oyl of Acorns or the sperm of a Whale CHAP. XXIV To cleanse a Woman before she rises TAke bitter Almonds and peel them make thereof a Paste with the Powder of Orris and the yolk of Eggs and put it in a little bag of Tammy and temper within the bag with black Wine luke-warm and afterwards use it upon the places where the sear-cloaths had been laid then wash the places with black Wine mingled with Orange flower CHAP. XXV How a Woman lying in of her first Child may avoid the gripings of her belly THere are some women lying in of their first Child who are troubled much with gripings in the belly and these Women commonly endure Pains when their Terms come down by reason of the smalness of the Veins which conveigh the blood into the Matrix such women have Gripings in their bellies when they lie in of their first Child which other women are not troubled with by reason that they have larger Vessels yet although they have them not in their first lying in it would not be amiss to use some proper remedies that so they may be never troubled with them which if they receive not at their first lying in they will be uncapable of receiving them ever after for though they may take remedies afterwards to lessen the pain yet they can
never cure it wholly Now that which is ordinarily done to women is as soon as ever they are brought to bed to give them two Ounces of Oyl of sweet Almonds drawn without fire with two ounces of Syrup of Maiden-hair 't is true this is good to make her purgations part away but not to remedy the griping Some there are that do take two drops of the blood which comes out of the Navel string of the Infant and give it mingled to the Woman in the foresaid Syrups though there is much fault to be found with this by reason of the nastiness of it Others do boil a white Chicken in the which they do put two ounces of Sugar a dram of â—â—neâ— Cinamon half a Nutmed grated two or three Dates five or six Cloves the Fowl being boiled you may put into it a small quantity of Claret then boyl it altogether again letting it boil till the Fowl be well soaked then strain it and give it to the Woman as soon as she is laid down for want of a white Hen you may take a Pigeon or a red Partridge for want of either Only take heed to give her this if she be feverish because it is something hot The Seed of Savory taken in warm broth is very good and it is also very good for those that have the Cholick The Queen of France her Receipt Take a dram of the root of the great Comfrey one of the kernels of Peaches Nutmegs of each two scruples yellow Amber half a dram Amber-greece half a scruple mingle all these together and give to the woman as soon as she is laid down the quantity of a dram mingled in White-wine or if the Woman be feverish in some good warm broth CHAP. XXVI Certain precepts concerning the delay and difficulty of bringing forth BEing now come to talk of the impediments of the Birth you may know that the Birth is hindered by a two-fold manner the one natural the other not natural of the unnatural we shall treat in its place for the natural take these following directions But in the first place let the Midwife be very skilful that she may decline as much as in her lies all the Impediments that may be avoided If the Birth be hindered by the driness and streightnes of the neck of the Womb take a little beaten Hellebore or Pepper and blow it into the nostrils of the Mother Her Mouth must be held close her Breath kept in and sneezing must be provoked as much as may be whereby the Spirits being forced to the lower parts may be the more available to force down the Child You may also give her Shepherds purse dried in a little Broth or Wine also a little quantity of Honey mingled with twice as much luke-warm water and given her will not be unprofitable The milk also of another Woman mixt with Maiden-hair and applyed warm to the Navel She may take also Oyl of Laurel in Wine or warm Broth two Grains of Pepper being taken inwardly do not only force out the Birth but also drive out the Secondines This is also an excellent remedy against a difficult Travail Take Trochischs of Myrrhe one dram grains of Saffron ten Cinnamon one Scruple mingle all this with two ounces of Penny-royal-water and give it the Woman to drink Let her drink it warm and let her go to her Bed for an hour till she finds the Operation of the drink moving her to her Labour If this profit and that the Infant coming with his head foremost stick in the Womb you may use these pills of which she may take seven and then rest Take Gum Bdellium Myrrh Savin-seed Liquid Storax Agaric of each half a scruple Diagridium six grains mingle all these with Cassia extracted as much as suffices and make up Pills about the bigness of a Pea. You may also use a pessary as long and as thick as your finger of pure wool which must be covered over with silk and dipt in the juice of Rue where Scamony hath been dissolved and so used If these things prove without effect she may use this ensuing Bath above her Belly Take of the Root and Herb Marsh-Mallows six handfuls Mallows Camomile Melilot Parsley of each four handfuls Line-seed and Seed of Fenugreek of each two pound Lavender and Laurel Leaves of each two handfuls Let all these things be boyled together in Water wherein the Woman is to sit or else to have those parts well wet and moistned with Spunges which being done and the Woman well dried with warm Cloaths let her be brought to the Bed and anointed with this Ointment Take Oyl of sweet Almonds Hens Fat Oyl of Lillies Muscilage of Marsh-mallows of each half an Ounce Mingle all these with as much wax as is sufficient and make an Oyntment This being done give her this little Dose Take two Yolks of Eggs and boil them in old Wine then mix with them these Spices Cinamon half an Ounce rind of Cassia 2 drams or you may leave out the Cassia and instead thereof put in the more Cinamon Saffron half a Scruple Savine Betony Venus-hair Dittany Fenugreek Lawrel-berries Mint of each one dram The bone of the Heart of a Hart Pearls prepared mingle all these with Sugar and make a thick Pouder and give it If the Secondine come before the Child and hinder the Egress of the Child is to be cut off and this following Pessary to be put up Take Marsh-mallows with the Roots two handfuls Mother-wort one handful Rue one ounce and an half Fenugreek Line-seed of each an ounce ten Figs make of these a decoction with as much water as is sufficient and when you have strained it add this to it Oyl of Lillies Oyl of Linseed of each two Ounces Musk one grain In this decoction let the pessary be dipt and put up she may afterwards use this Electuary Take Myrrh Castor sweet smelling Flag of each two drams Cinamon one ounce Saffron half a Scruple Mace Savin of each a Scruple clarified Honey half a pound You may also make an Electuary with the water of Thyme and Mother-wort wherein have been boiled Fenugreek Linseed grains of Juniper of each one spoonful Now after that the Woman hath been weakned with these Impediments you may give her in Broth Species Laetificans or Manus Christi or Diamargariton CHAP. XXVII How the Secondines are to be hastned out THE Secondines after that the Infant is born may be many ways hindred first by the debility or weakness of the Matrix which happens by the frequent motion and endeavouring of the Infant as also by reason of the difficulty of the Birth or by reason that the womb doth not continue distended or because it is many times streightned by which the womb is so weakned that by its own force it is not able to expel the Secondines Besides the Secondines may inwardly stick close to the womb which happens many times through the abundance of superfluous Humours that are retained in the
handful of Chervil bruised a little and boyled in a sufficient quantity of water about a dozen seethings to which you must add a spoonful of Vinegar when you have strained it you must put to it an ounce of Honey of Roses then you must have a little hooked stick with a little piece of Scarlet tied at the end then putting the water in a Sawcer dip the end of the stick where the Scarlet is tied and then rub the place affected gently and you shall find the Canker 〈◊〉 aâ—swage by little and little What is to be done to Children whose Intestines are falleâ— THERE are a great many Infants whose great gut falls which is a thing very easily remedied at the beginning and therefore you must put it up again First lay the Child with the Head lowermost then you must have a thick Cushion soaked in Smiths Water then you must have an emplaister made of the Roots of great Comfrey scraped and put upon it as an Ointment then looking to it every day taking care that it cry but little and never unbind him but as he lyes lest the Gut tumble down again and so the Cure be delayed as the Child grows big the Hole lessens and the Intestine grows big This is an experienced way To make an Oyntment to strengthen the Thighs and legs of the Child and make him go TAKE Sage Marjoram Dwarf-Elder bruise them a good while together 'till you have beaten out a good deal of Juyce then put it into a Glass Vial 'till it be full and stop up the Hole with paste and round the sides also of the said Paste put it then in an Oven to bake as long as a good big Loaf then draw it forth and suffer it to cool then break the Paste which is round the Vial break the Bottle and keep up that which is within which you shall find turned to an Oyntment And when you would use it you must add to it some of the Marrow of the Hoof of an Ox melting it altogether and when ye have so done you must rub the hinder part of the legs and thighs of the Child This hath been done to a Child whom a famous Physician after 3 Years having in hand gave over saying that it would never go Of the relaxations of the Matrix and the cause THere are many causes of the relaxation of the Matrix the one proceeding from great Fluxes which fall down upon the ligaments thereof causing them to wax loose Others come to this Disease by some falls others by reason of carrying in their womb too great Burdens others by straining themselves in travail before their time and because the Orifice of the Womb is not open sometimes and very often by reason of the Midwifes who putting up their Hands into the Womb tear down they know not what which is oftentimes a part of the Matrix to the bottom of which the Secondines adhere drawing down part of the womb which they take to be the Secondines which is oftentimes brought also to a worse condition when the unskilful Women force her to the Remedies for bringing down the Secondines as holding Bay salt in her Hand streining to Vomit and the like For remedy whereof all these telaxations of the Matrix are by the same Remedies except those which are occasion'd by strong Fluxes for in this case other Remedies are not sufficient being that you are to take away the cause of those defluxions before you can proceed to the Cure of the relaxation Among the rest I will relate one that hath been found very profitable and experienced which is this astringent Take Gall-nuts Cypress nuts and Pomgranate Flowers Roche-Alum of each two Ounces Province Roses four ounces Knot-grass a good big handful the Rind of Cassia the Rind of Pomegranates Scarlet Grains of each three Ounces the nature of a Whale one ounce mirrh-Mirrh-water rose-Rose-water and sloe-Sloe-water an ounce and a half thick Wine and Smiths-water of each four ounces and a half then make two little bags of a quarter of a Yard long causing them to boil in the aforesaid waters in a new pot using one after another as you have occasion letting it lie upon the Bone of the Pubes passing in between the Hips chafing her often and holding her Head and her Reins low using in the Morning sometimes a little Mastick in an Egg or sometimes Plantain Seed If the Disease be not too old it may be cured by this means but if it be of a long standing you must make a pessary half round and half Oval of great thick Cork pierced through in the middle tye a little Pack-thred to the end then cover it over with white Wax that it may do no hurt and to make it more thick this must be dipped in Oyl of Olives to make it enter and it must be straight that it may not easily fall out and if it be too little to have another bigger and when the Woman goes to do her necessary occasions she must hold it in lest she should force it out the Hole is made that the Vapours of the womb may have a vent and to give way for her purgations to flow neither must it be taken away 'till after the Purgations are passed the thickness causes the Matrix to mount up as long as it is very thick for the Ligaments being close do then retire If they be Women that bear Children the Midwife ought not to suffer them to force themselves but as Nature constrains her having her own hand ready after the throw to put back the Matrix with her finger and when she is brought to bed lay her low with her head and with her reins raising her up with pillows put under her hips and for Women that are troubled with this Disease they ought not to lace themselves over hard for that thrâ—sts down the Matrix and makes the Woman pouch bellied and hinders the Infant from being well situated in her Body causing her to carry the Child all upon her Hips and makes her Belly as deformed as her Waste is handsome Of a disease that happens by reason of the fall of the Matrix THere is sometimes a relaxation of the Membrane that covers the rectum Intestinum when the head of the Child at the begining of the Travel falls downward and draws it low oftentimes it comes by reason of Women with Child lacing themselves which causes such a conflux of wind to these parts that it seems to the Woman to be the head of the Child insomuch that she is hardly able to stand upright neither can she go For remedy hereof you must keep the woman soluble giving her Anise and Coriander seeds to dissipate the winds You must take Sage Agrimony Motherworth Balm white Wormwood Margerom a little Rue and a little Thyme and Camomile and having picked all the above written Herbs you must cut them very small and having well mingled them put them into a maple platter and then put hot Cinders
Midwife that they are utterly wanting of Let us therefore consider of the things required in a Midwife in relation both to her Person and her manners As for her Age she ought to be neither too young nor too old in a good habit of Body and not subject to Diseases nor mis-shapen in any parts of her Body peculiar in her Habits and in her Person her Hands must be small with her Nails pared close without any Rings upon them in the time of her Duty nor Bracelets upon her Wrists she must be chearful pleasant strong laborious and used to travel it being required that she should be stirring at all Hours and abiding a long time together with her Patient For her Manners she ought to be Courteous Sober Chaste not repining Cholerick Arrogant or Covetous nor apt to talk of what she sees in the Houses where she hath to do For her Spirit she ought to be prudent wary and cunning oft-times to use fair and flattering words She ought moreover to know that God hath given to all things their Beginnings their Increasings their Estate of Perfection and Declination Therefore the said Midwife nor any of her assistants must not do any thing rashly for to precipitate or hasten Nature CHAP. II. What ought to be observed when the Woman is near the time of her lying down THE Hour of the Womans lying down approaching the Woman with Child ought to prepare her self in this manner she must presently call her Midwife and Assistants to her it being requisite to have them rather sooner than later She ought to prepare a little Bed or Couch of a moderate heighth as well for the covenience of the Midwife as for the ease of her self and others that shall be about her to assist her in her Travel This must be situated in a place convenient for the People to pass up and down near the fire and far from Doors It will be requisite for her to have change of Linnen as also a little Cricket for her to rest her feet on having more force when her Feet are bowed When she finds her Pains growing it will be necessary for her to walk leisurely up and down the Chamber afterwards she may lye down warm and then rise and walk again expecting the coming down of her Waters and the opening of the Womb. For to keep her self long a-bed is very troublesome Though when she is a-bed notwithstanding that she hath some certain pains sometimes yet she may lie and rest her self and now and then take a nap By which means both the Mother and the Infant do with greater strength endure their succeeding hardship besides that her waters do come down better If her Travel be long she may take some broth or the yolk of a porched Egg with some bread or a cup of wine or distilled water yet she must have a care lest she over-charge her self either with meat or drink It is certain that all women are not delivered alike for some lie in their bed others sit in a chair being supported and held up by others or else resting upon the side of the bed or chair others upon their knees being upheld under their arms but the best and safest is to lie in their beds and for her good and convenient delivery let the Midwife and others observe what follows First the woman that is in travel ought to be laid upon her back her head being lifted up a little higher with a pillow having also a pillow under her reins to sustain her back under her buttocks she must have a larger pillow to raise them a little and that her rump may be elevated for a woman that lies low in those parts can never be well delivered for the avoiding of which this situation is very convenient Her thighs and knees must be a good way separated the one from the other with her legs bowed and drawn up towards her buttocks the soles of her feet and her heels being fixed upon a board laid thwart the bed for that purpose Secondly to some women they do use a swath-band four double this swath-band must be a foot broad or more which being put under her reins is to be held up streight by two persons standing on each side just at the time of her pains both of them at the same instant heaving up both ends with an exact eveness for otherwise it does more harm than good It is also requisite that two of her friends should hold the upper part of her shoulders that she may be able to force out the Birth with more advantage And it will not be amiss for some of her friends to press the upper parts of her belly so to thrust down the Infant by little and little Such a soft compression will much facilitate the travel and give ease to the womans pains Thirdly as for the woman her self she must be of a good heart and force her self by striving as much as possibly she can stopping her mouth and keeping her breath as if she were doing the ordinary deeds of nature As for the Cholick if it seize Women in Travail you may read the Remedies in the following Chapter CHAP. III. How to expel the Cholick from Women in Child-bed THere are some women who at the same instant that they are in travel are taken with fits of the Cholick which is often caused by the crudities and indigestions of the stomach which do torment women so extremely that it exceeds the pain of their Travel and while this pain lasts a woman advances nothing toward the end of her Travel the pain of Travel being hardly to be distinguished from it For her ease therefore the woman ought to take these Remedies two ounces of oyl of sweet Almonds with an ounce of Cinnamon water or else some wind dispelling Clyster and if the first time suffice not you may re-iterate it and sometimes fomentations that are proper for the dispelling of wind are very necessary for this purpose CHAP. IV. How the Midwife may know when the pains of Travel do seize upon a woman WHen the Woman begins to cry out and hath sent for her Widwife the first thing that the Midwife is to ask is when she did conceive 2. Then is she to look diligently upon the belly of the Woman and to mark it well for if she do behold the upper parts of the belly sunk and hollow and the lower parts of the belly full and big she may then conclude that the Child is fallen down 3. She ought then to ask her some questions concerning her pains for if they be quick and strong begining at the Reins and sliding down all along the belly without ending at the Navel but still falling down upon the groins and inwardly at the bottom of the belly below which is the interiour neck of the womb these are certain signs that the woman begins to be in Labour 4. But for more certainty the Midwife may put up
her hand being anointed first with fresh butter and if she perceive the inner neck of the womb to dilate it self 't is a certain sign that the pains of Child-bed are upon the woman or if she perceive any thing to push forwards her travel is also undoubtable CHAP. V. Of the falling down of the waters a good while before the woman travels THere are some women who have their waters come from them a long time before their travel sometimes twelve days sometimes eight Days sometimes six and sometimes four though the ordinary time be not above three Hours before her travel they remaining for the most part not above twenty four Hours This is caused by some Ruptures of the Membranes where from the beginning of the formation of the Child the Humour is contained rather than by the abundance of Humours and therefore though a Woman that hath abundance and that the Membranes containing them are so strong that they will not break suddenly though the Woman shall not travel 'till they break yet the Midwife ought not to break them but rather hold the Voman over a Vessel of warm Water and also use some softning Liniment to soften the Membranes that so the Mother straining the Head or other Member of the Child may break them more easily But for those Women that have these evacuations so long before they travel they must refrain going into the Air for fear of injuring themselves the passages being open for though the Air cannot hinder the Child from coming forth by reason of its weight yet oftentimes getting within the Secondine it not only streightens the Vessels and Mouths of the Veins that are at the bottom of the Womb but also causes several Convulsions to the great danger of the Woman But it is an easie thing to remedy these accidents by keeping close in her Chamber having also a special regard to distinguish whether they be the Waters of the Birth or any Hydropick humour of the Matrix CHAP. VI. What the Midwife ought to do in time of Travel THE Midwife seeing the Birth come naturally the Pains now coming thicker and thicker the Womb also opening to be deliver'd of its Burden and the endeavours of the Child being seen to come forth the Midwife must now encourage her Patient admonishing her to shut her Mouth and to hold her breath and to strain and endeavour with her lower parts Neither ought the Midwife to be too hasty either to widen or force the passage of the Infant or to break the Membranes but to stay 'till the Membranes do burst of their own accord And here is to be noted the ignorance of some Women who for haste to be gone to other Women do tear the Membranes with their Nails to the danger both of the Woman and of the Child which then remains dry without that moisture which makes the passage slippery which must of necessity augment the pain of the Woman When the Head comes forth of the Womb the Midwife must take it gently between her two Hands and then when her Pains encrease slipping down her Hands under the Arm-holes gently drawing forth the Infant yet staying her Hand always but when the Pains come upon the Woman This must be done with a very delicate and tender Hand lest the Child by any rude or harsh handling should receive any deformed shape of Body When the Child is come into the World which is commonly with his Face downward it must be suddenly turned upon his back lest it should be stifled for want of Air. Then let her cut the Navel-string leaving the length of four Fingers tying it with a silk Thread as near the Belly as may be Which done the Child if it be well may be laid aside only care must be had that the Head and the Stomach be well covered and that nothing come upon his Face CHAP. VII How to draw forth the Secondines THE Child being thus drawn forth and in safety the Midwife must now apply her self to the drawing out of the Secondines which must be done by wagging and stirring them up and down and then gently drawing them forth causing the Woman to take Salt in both her Hands and to shut them close and then to blow in them whereby you shall know whether they be broken or no It may be done also by causing her to put one Finger in her Mouth to provoke a desire of vomiting or else by stirring as when she is doing the ordinary deeds of Nature or as Nature it self constrained her to do before the Head of the Child was come forth All this must be done speedily yet if this be not sufficient she may take the Yolk of an Egg raw or she may take a small draught of raw Elder-water or you may cause her to smell to a piece of Assa Foetida If she be troubled with Wind-Cholicks or have taken Cold which oftentimes doth breed Wind which is a great hindrance to the coming forth of the Secondines the Midwife ought to chafe the Womans Belly with her Hand which doth not only break the wind but causes the Secondine to come down If this fails the Midwife may with her Hand dilate the Orifice of the womb drawing it forth gently and by Degrees CHAP. VIII What may be given to a Woman in Travel IN the first place hot and violent Remedies are to be avoided but in cases of great necessity for it many times happens that they are the cause of dangerous â—eavers Two other things are also very dangerous to a Woman in Travel too much repletion and too much emptiness for the Stomach of a Woman with Child doth not digest her meat in so short a time as Women that are not with Child do Therefore the Midwife ought to inform her self how long it was since she eat and in what quantity and if it were long since she did eat and that she grow feeble they may give in the intermissions of her Pains some warm cherishing and Cordial Broths or the Yolk of a poached Egg If her Travel endure long then to strengthen her and comfort her she may take a draught of cinnamon-Cinnamon-water not exceeding an ounce or at twice a dram of the Confection of Alkermes dissolved into two spoonfuls of claret-Claret-Wine and not more than one of these three things For if they take two much as is before said it causes Fevers and Heats in the whole Body of which follow many inconveniencies for it stops the Purgations of which many strange Diseases ensue CHAP. IX How to put the Womb again in its place SOME Women newly brought to Bed are many times afflicted with greater Pains than those of their Travel by reason that the womb is not well put into its place or if it have the Swathe-band being loose it is apt to roul upwards in the Belly This happens to Women that are not well purged after their Delivery for remedy hereof having put the Matrix right into its place rowl up two linnen
Swathes pretty hard bringing them also round the Hips then take whites of Eggs beaten and a dram of Pepper in Powder which being spread upon Tow is to be applied warm to the Navel then let the Belly be well swathed This is the only remedy to ease the Pain CHAP. X. Against the extreme loss of blood which happens to women immediately after their delivery THere are many women which immediately after their Delivery do suffer great loss of blood which proceeds from a great plentitude or fulness or by reason that in their travel they took too many hot and corrosive medecines or by straining themselves too hard over-heated the blood so that after Travel it runs from them in great quantity To remedy this the woman ought to take a small quantity of wine in a spoon and if the weakness be much let her mix half a dram of Alkermes with a draught of wine and take care that she be well swaithed upward for that presses down and streightens the vessels and hinders the violent flux Give her also the yolk of an Egg to take for that recalls the natural heat to the stomach which was dispersed through the whole It would be necessary also to spread along the reins of the woman and all along the back-bone by reason of the hollow vein a napkin dipt in Oxicrate or Water mingled with Vinegar You may also lay upon each groin a Skein of raw Silk moistned in cold Water Take also of that well tempered Earth of which they make the Floor of an Oven and steep it in strong Vinegar then spread it upon a linnen Cloath and lay it upon the Reins this moderates the heat of the Blood and stops the violent flux of it Great care must be also had that all the while the blood comes from her she do not sleep for many times they are taken away in that weakness when the people think they do but take their Rest But when you see this great Flux moderated you may take away the astringent Medicines by little and little so that the Blood may cease running by degrees lest any blood should be retained that may chance to do mischief CHAP. XI What is to be done to a woman presently after her Delivery PResently after a woman is delivered if she have had a sore Travel they ought to cast her into the skin of a Sheep flead alive and put about her Reins as hot as may be upon her Belly also lay the Skin of a Hare flead alive having cut the Throat of it afterwards and rubbed the Skin with the Blood which is to be clapt as warm as may be to her Belly This closes up the dilatations made by the Birth and chases from those parts the ill and melancholy Blood These remedies are to be kept on two hours in Winter and one hour in Summer After this swathe the Woman with a Napkin about a quarter of a yard large having before chafed the belly with Oyl of St. John's-wort Then raise up the Matrix with a linnen Cloath many times folded then with a little pillow about a quarter of a yard long cover her Flanks then use the Swathe beginning a little above the Hanches yet rather higher than lower winding it pretty tite Lay also warm Cloaths upon the nipples letting alone those remedies which are proper for the driving back of the Milk which are not so soon to be applied for the body is now all in a commotion and there is neither vein nor artery which doth not beat Wherefore those Remedies that chase away the Milk being all dissolving therefore it is not proper to put such Medicines upon the Breast during that commotion for fear that those medecines should make a stop of any thing hurtful in those parts and therefore it is better to give ten or twelve hours for the Blood to settle in as also for that which was cast upon the Lungs by the agitation of Travel to distil down again into its place You may also make a restrictive of the white and yellow of an Egg beaten together with an Ounce af Oyl of St. John's wort and an ounce of Oyl of Roses an ounce of Rose-water and an ounce of Plantain-water beat all these together very well in this you may dip a linnen cloath folded double and apply it without warming of it to the Breasts This comforts and eases the pains of that part She must not sleep presently but a matter of four hours after her delivery you may give her some nourishing Broth or Caudle and then if she will she may sleep CHAP. XII Of women that have a great deal of Blood and purge not neither in their travel nor after SOme women have great Superfluity of Blood and yet purge not at all neither in their Travel nor afterwards to which if remedies be not applied the Women do run great Hazards and Dangers in their lying in great Suffocations of the Matrix and continual Feavers this may be remedied being first informed of their natural disposition before they were with Child knowing that when they had their purgations they had them in great quantity and for a good while together as also when they came being a gross and thick Blood and therefore seeing that now they do not purge in great quantity and that they have divers unquietnesses weaknesses of the Stomach and pains of the head wherefore you may give her in the Morning a little Syrup of Maiden-hair and hysop-Hysop-water mingled together and Syrup of Wormwood with white-White-wine in their broths you may boyl Jacines and opening Herbs keeping the belly soluble with Clysters she must eat no solid Meat she must be well chafed from the Groins down to the very Ankle-bone always strokeing and carrying the hand down-ward Blood-letting also in the Foot in the morning is not amiss as also fome Fumigation that cleanses the Matrix and draws down the Blood Yet care must be had that these last Remedies be not used before the Matrix be put into its place for fear that these remedies should draw it down too low but about eight or ten Days after the Matrix was put into its place For cleansing the Matrix you may use this Receipt Take Pellitory Sanicle Camomile Melilot Greenbalm Red-balm white Mullein Mallows Marsh-mallow Betony Margeram Nipp March-violets Mugwort take of each a like quantity and cut them small and let them boyl in a new pot with three pints of good White-wine let the Woman take the fume of this Receipt three times in a day if she have any gross Blood in the Matrix it will undoubtedly bring it down You may also chafe the Womans Belly with Oyl of Violets this helps the Purgations being once dissolved The reason why this thick Blood stays in these parts is because the Woman having it before she was with Child the heat of the Womb when she is with Child redoubling thickens it more so that when she comes to lie down it cannot flow so that it is
Matrix by reason of which glutinous Humours the Secondines stick to the Matrix These are no way else to be pulled away but by the Hand of the Midwife Thirdly the Secondines are hard to come away if all the waters come away with the Infant for then the Secondines being left without moisture cannot come away by reason of the driness of the womb besides that the Matrix and the Neck of the womb are rougher by reason of the driness thereof for these waters render the way slippery and easie both for the Infant and for the Secondines which being slipped away the womb is to be anointed with Juices and Oils Fourthly when the Mouth of the Matrix by reason of the pains of Child-bearing swells as often happens unless there be a provident care taken to prevent it Fifthly when the Neck of the Matrix is streighter and more close and for that reason fat Women travel with much more difficulty Therefore when the Secondines do make any extraordinary stay the Midwife is to use all her endeavour to make way for them for that retention causes suffocation and divers other Evils for being long detained they putrifie and cause an evil smell which ascending up to the Heart Liver Stomach Diaphragme and so to the Brain cause pains in the Head and Lungs shortness of Breath Faintness cold Sweats so that there is great danger and also Apoplexies and Epilepsies are not a little to be feared Now in all the time of their stay the Women are to be refreshed with convenient Food to add strength to them giving them sometimes the Yolks of Eggs boiled in old wine with Sugar and sprinkled over with Saffron and Cinamon or some Broth made of Capon or Hen seasoned with Cinamon and Saffron It may not be amiss to make certain Perfumes for the Woman to receive up into her womb made of Saffron Castor Myrrh and Cinamon of each the quantity of a Bean and care must be had that the Fume pass no further than the Matrix and this may be done till the Fume of these Spices shall cease After this a little sneezig Powder is to be put into to her Nostrils composed of Hellebore or such like the Woman shutting her Mouth hard and keeping her Breath If these things prevail not give her this following Potion Take Trochisch of Myrrh ten grains of Saffron one Scruple of Cinamon Penny Royal waters two ounces make of this one draught and give her after she hath taken this and rested a little while let a Pessary of Hellebore and Opoponax wrapt up in pure wool be thrust up into the neck of the womb This will certainly bring down the Secondines for it is of so great vertue that it is efficacious in expelling the Child which is dead together with the Secondines Take Mallows Hollihock Wormwood Mugwort Calamint Origanum each one handful make a Bath and let her sit therein up to the Navel and stroke ever downwards with her Hands and give her inwardly Myrrh a Scruple Cinamon poudered in nutmeg-Nutmeg-water or wine or drink Calamint or Penny-Royal in wine Neither will it be amiss to anoint the Matrix with the Ointment called Basilicon if this doth nothing avail toward the bringing down of the Secondines and that the Woman is in great danger of her life then with the Consent of her Husband and Kindred give her seven of the following Pills which being taken let her lie still 'till the vertue of them do provoke new Pains for they are of so great Vertue that they also do expel the dead Child together with the Secondines yet herein it will not be amiss to consult the skilful Physician The Pills are these Take of Castor Myrrh Liquid Storax of each a scruple the bark of Cinamon or Cassia and Birthwort of each half a scruple Agaric half an ounce Diagridium 6 grains Saffron Siler of the Mountain Savin of each 3 gr Thebaic Opium Assa faetida of each one gr mingle all these with as much extracted Cassia as is sufficient and make of them certain Pills as big as pease and give them to the Woman in a small quantity of Penny-Royal water It may be also expedient to apply this ensuing Plaister Take one part of Coloquintida boiled in water and as much of the juice of Rue with these mingle Lineseed Fenugreek Barly meal of each a spoonful let them all boil together and the Plaister made of these must be laid upon all that part from the Navel to the Privities CHAP. XXVIII Of cases of Extremity and first what is to be done to a Woman who in her Travail is accompanied with a flux of blood and with Convulsions IN the first place great care must be had as to the situation of the Woman The Woman in this case must be laid cross her Bed where she must be held by some one that hath strength that she may not slide or move her self in the operations of the Chirurgion Her thighs must be held hard and wide abroad with her legs bent backwards towards her Hips and her Head leaning upon a Bolster the reins of her Back and her Crupper being a little elevated with certain pillows put underneath her Thighs besides this she must be well cover'd with linnen Cloaths laid upon her stomach Belly and Thighs to defend her from the cold and wind Being thus situated the Chyrurgion ought to put up his Hand being first well opened within the neck of the womb to remove all those clots of blood which may lie there to obstrust the passages of the blood He may then try if the interiour neck of the womb be sufficiently dilated that he may put in his hand and move the Infant if it be needful which must be done as gently and with as little violence as may be He must anoint it on all parts with sweet-butter or good Pomatum and so opening it by little and little he may put his hand quite in and if the waters are not yet come down he may without any difficulty let them forth and then at the same instant if the Infant comes with the head forwards he shall gently turn it to find out the feet and when he hath found one of them he shall gently draw it forth and immediately tye a riband about it with a knot hanging downward then let him put it in again suffering part of the riband to hang out that he may more easily be able to find out the other foot which he shall quickly do by thrusting up his hand along the thigh of the Infant when he hath found it he shall take the other foot and draw them both together at an even length giving the woman now and then some leisure to breath but urging her still to strain her self when she feels the pains coming on her Then shall the Chirurgion or Midwife take a fine linnen cloth and wrap about the thighs of the Child lest by taking it naked his fingers should slip in that manner drawing
Precipitat and the Eschar was dressed with Basilicon and the other openings with Diapompholigos and the Cerate of Marsh-mallows over all After a more full-separation of the Eschar observing the Fungus to rise more large a Stupe was applied wrung out of a decoction of the tops of Worm wood Rue Mint the Flowers of red Roses and Balaustines made in Wine and Water and Chalcanthum was applyed upon the Fungus and pledgets of the Ointment of Tutty over the Ulcerated parts The second day after the Dressings were took off and the Eschar was found to be made by the Catheretick which was thrust off and it was dressed again with the same and the use of the Escharoticks was continued during these applicationss a Plaister of Bole was applied over the Breast to restrain the fluxion yet notwithstanding the fungus encreased and raised the swelling between that and the other Orifices and therefore a large Caustick was applied upon the swelling which laid some of the Orifices into this the Eschar was divided and dressed up with lenients and the Fungus was cover'd with escharoticks wherever it began to thrust out by which it was kept down But after the separation of this latter Eschar the Fingus appeared great and the way of extirpating it by Escharoticks being slow the Surgeon thrust his Finger under it and at once broke it and pulled it out in pieces and then filled up the place with Parâ—celsus's mundificative upon Pledgits sprinkled with red Precipitat and the foresaid Plaister being applied over the whole Breast it was bound up The second day after it was opened again and by this method often repeated the remainder of the Fungus was subdued and a firm basis raised on which to incarn with an addition of powders of the roots of orris myrrh and Sarcacoll to the fore-mentioned Mundificative and Agripa's Cerate was applied over the breast and in a few days it was cicatrized with a smooth Cicatrix the lips falling in by the benefit of Nature which was assisted the while by traumatick decoctions and the like When one of the Breasts has been Cured it happens often that the other swells from the abundance of Milk and grows hard and apostuntats sometimes both Breasts are thus diseased at one time A Gentlewoman had both her Breasts swelled a long time and afterwards they apostumated by reason of the pain several abscesses were made and the matter discharged by such openings In process of time the Ulcers became sinuous and callous with hardness of the glands the Cure was begun by Fomentations and discussing and resolving Pultesses made of the roots and leaves of Marsh-mallows henbane the tops of hemlock mint rue the flowers of elder the seeds of fenugreek flax and the like and with the meal of lentiles barly hogs-lard ducks and goose grease and the like and dilating the orifices and cleansing with paracelsuses mundificative red precipitat and allom while the Surgeon was endeavouring by the methods abovesaid new troubles arose within which forced him to lay such places open by caustick as might best serve for the discharge of matter after separation of the Eschar he again cleansed and healed them Of windy Tumours in the Breasts THE flatuous Tumour of the Breasts is caused by a thick vapour which rises from the menstrual blood which is retained or corrupted in the Matrix The causes of which are first the suppression of the flowers or when the flowers are not discharged into their proper place and in their proper time as also from the corruption of the humours by which are ingendered divers bad fumes and vapours for this being received into the Breasts causes a distention much like a true swelling The sign by which it is known is the pain which it brings along with it which is sharp and prickling causing a distention of the part The heart is not a little out of order by reason of the windinesses which lye so near it and commonly the left Breast is mow swoln communicating its pain to the arm shoulder and ribs of the same side And the signs differ from those of a Cancer for in this distemper the Breast is white and shining by reason of the distention and if you touch it it sounds like a drum And if you press it with your hands you will find that it is swelled in all parts alike and not in one more than another This is Cured first by a good order of diet taking little victuals whereby crudities may be avoided that do afford matter to the obstructions and increase windiness For which cause she must also drink little and that water boyled with Cinamon Aniseed and rind of Citrons The next remedy is by using things which are good to provoke the Courses among which use this Receit strain Celandine stampt into posset-ale and drink it four days before the new-moon and four days after And it will not be amiss to let blood three or four times in the year about the time that the Courses ought to begin For by this means you may provoke the flowers and hinder the increase either of a Scirrhus or of a Cancer to which purpose baths and frictions are not a little to be used In the next place you must prepare the humours that foment this windiness both in the Matrix and in the Veins and that by Syrups which do expell flegm and melancholly after which you must purge your Patient for which purpose you may use this gentle Apozem Take of the root of Tamarinds Cypress Bugloss of each an ounce and a half flowers of Borage Epithymum Sena of each half a handful flowers of Balm one handful Raisins one ounce Prunes in number twelve boyl them in a sufficient quantity of water and then in a pint of the water dissolve four ounces of the syrup of Violets make of this an Apozem clarified according to Art and sweeten it with a sufficient quantity of Sugar giving four or five ounces at a time In the next place you may use Topicks to attenuate and resolve to which purpose you may bathe or foment the Breast with a Sponge dipt in Lye and then lay upon it a linnen cloth dipt and moystned in Aqua-vitae and dryed in the shade or else dipt in fresh butter that hath boyled a good while or in oyl of Lillies or in oyl both of the root and seed of Angelica or you may foment the Breast with this Decoction Take wheat-bran two handfuls leaves of Dill and Melilot of each half a handful Aniseed Fennel and Cumin-seed of each two drams Camomile-flowers one handful boyl all these in a sufficient quantity of water and white-white-wine and let them boyl to the consumption of the third part In this decoction you may wet a sponge and wash or foment the Breast therewith After you have fomented the part you may put this Oyntment upon the part affected Take oyl of Lillies and Elder of each an ounce and a half of the best Balsom half an ounce powder
loins and hips yet she was not sick or pained but eat her dinner well she at length grew weary of Medicine and with patience endured the remaining accidents of her disease 'till it killâ—d her She was seiz'd with this Scirrhus in May and died the August following Of the Cancer in the Breast THE Cancer is a venomous tumour hard and very much swelled hot and durable more exasperated oftentimes by remedies than asswaged The Cancer proceeds from a feculent and gross humour which being gathered together in the spleen is chased away from thence after it grows too hot which when Nature cannot void it most commonly in Women empties it self upon the Breasts by reason of their cavernous and spongy nature the matter of it is a hot melancholy blood and it is known by the crooked windings and retored veins that are about it stretching out long roots a good way from it being sometimes blackish and sometimes inclined to black and blue It is soft to see to but it is very hard to the touch extending the pain as far as the shoulders It will sometimes remain for two years together no bigger than a Bean afterwards it grows to be as big as a Nut then to the bigness of an Egg and after that increasing to a larger size When the skin breaks there issues out a great deal of pestilent matter thin and blackish and having a very bad smell The Ulcer it it self is very unequal the lips and orifice thereof being swell'd with hardness and inverted a light Fever possesseth the body and often swoonings And many times the pestilency of the humour having corroded a Vein there issues out a great deal of blood If the Cancer be ulcerated or in any inward part of the body no Medicine can prevail for remedies do more exasperate than help it To burn it with Iron is pestilent and if it be cut with a Pen knife it returns again as soon as it is but skinâ—d over But if it be an exulcerated Cancer which is easily known and arises from a more sharp matter for then the flesh is corrupted sending forth a very noysom matter being very irksom to the sight and accompanied with a gentle Fever and swooning and issuing out of blood The cure of this is to be done by drying and refrigerating Medicines or by incision to the quick and expression of the corrupted blood afterwards after which the wound must be well cleansed For which purpose the powder which is called Hartman's blessed Powder is very prevalent The diet must be of meats that moisten and refrigerate blood letting also is profitable as also preparation of the Humour with the juyce of sweet smelling Apples and extract of Ellebore and often purgation with Lapis Lazuli pills and particularly if the Cancer be not ulcerated you may apply this Ointment Take Litharge one ounce beat it in a marble Mortar with a leaden Pestle incorporating into it two ounces of Rose-water and Oil of Roses In case the pain be great use this remedy Take white Poppy-seed one ounce Oil of Roses four ounces Henbane seed and Opium of each a dram and a half Gumme Arabick half an ounce a little Wax of which you may make an ointment If the Cancer be already ulcerated take this water Take of the juyces of Night-shade Housleek Sorrel Scabious Honey-sucles Mullein Figwoâ—t Dropwort Plantain Toads flax Agrimony of each half a pound juice of green Olives one pint the Flesh of Frogs and River-Crabs of each a pound and a half the whites of six Eggs Alum three ounces Camphire one dram let all these be distilled in a leaden Limbeck and with the distilled water foment the part affected Take also Allum as much as a Nut Honey two penniworth red Wine a pint seeth them together 'till the fifth part be spent strein it through a cloth and wash the Cancer therewith A Woman having a pain in her Breast advised with a Surgeon who felt one of the Glands swell'd he advised her to forbear handling it and to forbear lacing her self too strait It lay some Years quiet but then the death of her Husband happening and one affliction following another and the Courses stopping the humours â—omented in this Gland and afterwards the breast swell'd and seemâ—d to apostumate Some assured her it was a simple aposthumation and requir'd digestives and she was perswaded to follow their advice 'till she became extreamly pained It was without inflammation but swell'd very big and seem'd to be full of matter it was not without hard tubercles and other symptoms to shew it would end in a Cancer whensoever it should break therefore a skilful Surgeon refused to open it but advised the best he could to give her ease and promised to come to her if after it brake she would send for him Some Months after she sent for him and shew'd him a great quantity of curdled matter newly burst forth the Breast was lank but very hard Glands lay within and in the circumference of the tumour there were some tubercles that required to be eradicated to which purpose he design'd to have slit open the abscess and to have pull'd away the Cancerated Glands but she would not permit him so much as to enlarge the orifice upon which consideration he left her and she died within half a year after Of the greatness of the Breasts THE greatness of the Breasts is very unsightly the cause of their greatness is often handling of them store of windy Vapours and retention of the monthly Courses The cure of them is not to be neglected because the lesser the Breasts be the less subject they are to be cancered they are cured by diet first wherein the use of astringent meats is to be recommended so that they be not windy by repercussion of the humours and blood which flow to that part such are the juyce of Hemlock and the anointing of the place with Partridge Eggs Or you may use this following Cataplasm Take of the juyce of Hemlock three ounces of white lead Acacia and Frankincense of each three drams of Vinegar one ounce mingle all these together to which you may add powder of Spunge burnt Alum burnt Lead bole Armoniack and of these with a sufficient quantity of Wax and oyl of Myrtle make a very profitable Ointment Thirdly by the discussion of that which is gathered together in that part for which purpose you may make an Ointment in this manner take of the mud or lome found in molis Tonsorum two ounces Oil of Myrtle one ounce Vinegar half an ounce or thus take of the same lome and Bole Armoniack of each an ounce white Lead two drams Oil of Mastick two ounces and a half of the Emulsion of Henbane-seed one dram and a half anoint the Breast with this and then upon that put a linnen cloath dipt in the decoâ—tion of Oke-apples Fourthly by compression of the part which is done by using a kind of plate of Lead upon the Breast anointed
within side with Oil of Henbane-seed Of the defect abundance and coagulation of the Milk THE defect of Milk arises from a double cause for either it is a defect in the blood which is dried up by reason of some hot maladies of the body either through intemperancy of the Liver through fasting or too much evacuation If the deficiency of milk come from these causes it may be increased again either by prepared Crystal The leaves also root and seed of Fennel do avail much in this particular and the powder of Earth-Worms prepared and drunk in Wine as also the Electuary called Electuarium Zacuthi There is another cause which proceeds from the Lactifying quality which is many times so weak that it can neither attract nor concoct the Blood by reason of some outward refrigerating and astringent qualities or by reason of some other Diseases The Cure of which being looked after in their respective places much conduceth to the restoring of that defect The redundance of milk proceeds from too great a plenty of blood and a strong lactifying quality In the cure of which the increase of blood is to be impeded which is done by drying up that humour and diversion to which blood-letting conduceth much Medicines also that drive it back are to be put upon the Breasts towards the Arms to which purpose Hemlock boiled in Chervil-water and Vinegar avails Curdling of the milk is when the thinner part of the milk exhales and the more gross and heavy part stays behind which many times is the cause of tumours kernels and Aposthumes In this case the Infant is not to suck the part affected though that Breast is also to be suckt for fear lest the milk which is newly generated should be curdled and knotted by that which is there already and so that part of the coagulated milk may be hindred from putrifying To the dissolving of the Milk it much conduceth to wash the Breast with Water Wine and Vinegar mixt together as also a Fomentation made of the decoction of Marsh-mallows Fenugreek and Melilote and then anointing them with a liniment of Oil of Roses Oil of sweet Almonds juice of Parsley and Vinegar wherein let the Gall of a Hare be first dissolved Hemlock water in this case also is not a little commended Of the Diseases of the neck of the Womb and first of the Disease called Tentigo TENTIGO is a Disease in Women when the Clitoris increases to an over great measure the subject of this Disease is the Clytoris or nervous piece of flesh which the lips or wings of the privities do embrace and which suffers erection in the act of Venery The signs of it are evident for it hangs below the orifice of the Privities as big as the neck of a Goose The causes hereof are a great concourse of Humours or nutriment by reason of the laxity of it which happens by often handling The Cure is performed by the diminution of the blood and drawing out of the other humours A slender and refrigerating diet is also necessary and such things as have a discussive faculty as the leaves of Mastick-tree and the leaves of Olive-tree In the next place by taking away the excrescence to which purpose gentle Causticks may be first applied as Allum and the Aegyptiack Ointment and that Lie whereof Sope is made being boiled with Roman Vitriol to which at last you may add some Opium and form the composition into Trochisques which being afterwards made into a powder is to be sprinkled upon the fleshy excrescence At length the flesh is to be out away either by binding hard or by section care being taken that you avoid an inflammation There is another Disease which is called Cauda which is a carnous substance proceeding from the mouth of the Womb which sometimes fills up the privy parts and sometimes thrusts it self outwards like a tail The Cure of this is the same with the former only if it come to Section it may be done either with a Horse-hair or a silken thread wound about it being first dipt in Sublimat water or else with a Knife Of the narrowness of the neck of the Womb. THIS narrowness is either of the Womb it self or of the Orifice of the Womb the signs are the stoppage of the Courses followed with a depressing and weighty pain The cause is partly natural from the Nativity and partly varies according to the differences of the Disease The difference is in this it hapning sometimes that this streightness consists in the exterior orifice whereby neither the Flowers have free passage neither can she enjoy coition or conceive with Child because she cannot receive either the Man or the Seed Sometimes the narrowness is in the interior orifice of the Womb into which the flowing retires back again to the absolute hindrance of Conception sometimes it is occasioned by way of compression when the Caul being fatter than ordinary lies upon the neck of the Womb. Sometimes the splaying of the thighs stone in the Bladder or some tumour in the straight gut Sometimes it happens by the clinging of other parts together which happens either from the Birth and then either the Flesh which appears red and is soft to the touch intercepts the passage or else the Membrane which seems white feels hard being touched In the Cure of this the use of moist Fomentations is very prevalent and an insection is to be made perpendicularly great care being taken for fear of hurting the neck of the Bladder The Humour is next to be provoked forth and a Tent dipt in some suppurating Plaister is to be put up the next day it is to be washed with water and Honey and cicatrizing Plaisters to be applied if it come after the Birth it is either occasionâ—d by an Ulcer and then either the sides of the neck cling together in which case either incision or cauterization is to be used or else there is a brawny substance which is to be cut away with a Pen-knife or else some spongy and luxuriant flesh in which case drying and dâ—â—cuâ—â—ng Medicines â—re to be used as Birthwort Frankincensâ— Myrrh and Mastick afterwards you may apply things to eat it away and last of all to cut it away by incision Of Wheals Condyloma's of the Womb and of the Hemorrhoids THE Wheals of the Womb are certain risings in the neck of the womb which by their acrimony excite both pain and itching The signs of them are an itching pain and full of scurf from that part for the better searching of which the Instrument called speculum Matricis is to be used The Causes of this are certain cholerick sharp and adust humours and thick Among the preparing Medicines Syrup of Fumitory is much commended and Chichory with a decoction of Lupines Topicks also are useful that discuss and mitigate the humour as Baths and insessions and the washing of the place with Wine and Nitre which is often to be used These Wheals are divided into gentle and
venemous which are said to be contagious they are to be washed in a water thus made Take of Aloes the quantity of a Pea of the flower of brass the quantity of half a Pea powder these and mingle them in an ounce of white-white-wine Plantain-water and Rose-water of each an ounce which is to be kept in a glass vessel Condyloma's are certain swelling wrinckles in the neck of the Womb with pain and heat There is no need to tell the signs of these for they are apparent to the eye the wrinkles are like those which appear in the hand when you close the first but are much bigger when the courses flow they are caused by adust and thick humours some of these are with an inflamation which have more pain and heat and the swelling is hard In the cure of which you must use insessions and fomentations that ease pain sometimes they come without any inflammation which if they be new come are to be dried up if they be old they are first to be softned afterwards to be digested and dried up for which purpose you may use powder of Egg-shels burnt or this Oyntment Take of the Trochisques of Steel one dram powdered mixt with a little Oyl of Roses and Wax with half an ounce of the juyce of Mullein if this profit not the Warts are to be shaved away with a knife and an astringent powder laid upon them Hemorrhoids of the Womb are little protuberancies like those of the Fundament produced in the neck of the Womb through the abundance of feculent blood the subject is the neck of the Womb for where the Veins end there do grow these extuberancies just as in the Hemorrhoids The signs are evident and easily seen by the help of the Speculum Matricis The women who are thus affected look pale and are troubled with a weariness The cause is a feculent blood which flowing to these Veins before its season and setling there grows thicker so that it cannot pierce the orifice of the Veins They are cured by a revulsion of the humour First by letting blood in the Arm. Secondly by drawing it to another part as by letting blood in the heel Sometimes these Hemorrhoids are very painful and are distinguished from that menstruous effluxion by the pain which they bring they are cured by mittigating and asswaging inâ—eâ—â—ions â—s also by Opiates carefully applied Others are without pain to which the foresaid remedies may be applied Others are open and do sometimâ—s run moderately and then Nature is to be â—et alonâ— or violentâ—y so that thereby the strength of the person is impaired in which case a Vein must be opened in the arm two or three times purgation is also to be used by Myrobolans Tamarind and Rheubarb and at length you must apply those things which cease the blood Others are termed blind out of which there issues no blood they are cured by blood-letting the part is to be also softned and fomented with things that soften and open the orifices of the Veins and dispel the humour such are an Oyntment made of the pith of Coloquintida and Oyl of sweet Almonds or the juyce of Capers mixt with Aloes neither is the applying of Horseleaches amiss The Cure of these Excrescences at their first budding forth may be attempted by drying and astringent Medicines as with the tops of Brambles and Horse-tail with the Leaves and Berries of Myrtles and Sumach with the rind of Pomgranats Balaustins scales of Brass wash'd Lime Allom and the like made into fomentations or powder'd and mixed with Oyntments and applied upon Tow. If these do not check their growth you may cut them off with a Knife or Scizers and consume the remaining roots by Escharoticks or actual Cautery and then proceed in the cure by digestion and Epuloticks accordingly To prevent their growing again Authors commend the ashes of Vine and Bean-stalks mix'd with Vinegar to apply upon the part The Cure of Chaps or Fissures consists in removing the Callosity and Cicatrizing them smooth if moisture abound things that are dry must be used To which purpose Take of the flowers of Red-Roses of Myrtle-Berries of the tops of Brambles each one handful of the roots of Tormentil and Bistort each one ounce of Allom one dram boyl them in a pint and an half of steel-Steel-water towards the end of boyling add four ounces of red wine wherewith foment the part then apply what follows Take of Litharge and Ceruse each three drams of Sarcocoal Mastick and Frankincense each one Scruple of Sealed-earth two Scruples of Oyl of Roses four ounces of Wax a sufficient quantity mingle them over the fire then beat them in a leaden Mortar for use If dryness be the fault you must dress them with Medicines that are moistening as Take of Calves fat of Ducks and Hens-grease each two drams of Litharge of Gold one dram mingle them in a leaden Mortar according to art The material cause of all these sorts of Excrescences is flegmatic or gross clammy blood thrust forth by the strength of the expulsive faculty out of the Pores of the skin and dry'd up into these forms in which you see them All these species of Excrescences are for the most part Symptoms of the French Pox. Of the Ulcers of the neck of the Womb. THE signs of these Ulcers is a pain and perpetual twinging which increases if any thing that hath an abstersive quality be cast in the issuing out of putrid humours and matter with blood if the Ulcer be great or the Flowers come down often making water and the water hot as also a pain in the fore-part of the head toward the roots of the eyes as also some kind of gentle Fever The Cure of this is hard because of its being in a place of so exquisite sense and moist and having such a sympathy with other parts of the Body For the easing of the pain Chalybeated milk is very much conducing and to the drying of them up drying baths are the best and most prevalent remedy These differ much coming either from external causes as rash Physick hard labours and violent coiture or from internal causes as the corruption of the Secondines the Courses retained and the Urine flux a virulent Gonorrhea the Pox inflammations turned into Apostems humors flowing from other parts of the body and there setling all which must be duly considered in the Cure Others are in the outward part and may be easily come at with Medicines others deep and must be come at only with injection for which purpose use this following Take whites of four Eggs beat them well and put to them an equal quantity of Rose water and Plantain-water as much in quantity as they come to Câ—mphire Ceruse Litharge of Gold and Bole-Armoniâ—ck of each a like quantity green Copperas half as much as of any of them beat all to powder mix it and strain it through a cloth and make your injection 'till the part infected be whole and if there be
Sick has vomited a great while you must give Laudanum without delay and such a dose as is not only equal to the violence and duration of the symptom but such an one as is sufficient to vanquish it Of Barrenness BArrenness is an impotence to conceive coming from defect either of the Genitals or of the blood or of the menstruous blood First through the defect of the Genitals either by the closing up of the Orifice of the womb which may be cut and opened by Art or through the narrowness of the parts for so they will not admit the Yard or by reason of some Ulcers or Excrescencies in the neck of the womb Or by reason of some fault in the seed either the woman being too young or too old or through some distemper in the Vessels dedicated to generation and then the woman perceives very little or no pleasure in the act of Copulation The Cure of this is referred to the Chapter of the distempers of the womb Or when there is not that due proportion of seed which ought to be in both parties which chiefly arises from the use of those things that extinguish barrenness as Mint Rue Camphire Or from Inchantments and then the man cannot lye with his wife or though he should yet cannot emit the seed Against which it is affirmed that the drinking a draught of cold water that drops from the mouth of a young Stone-horse as he drinks and saved in a little vessel is very potent Or when the womb doth not draw the seed which is ejected and that by reason of some cold and moist distemper in which case all sorrow anger and much sleep are to be avoided as also the eating of Milk fresh Cheese and any thing that is made of dough Neither is she to eat Endive Spinage Beets Lettice Nuts Cherries Purslane Onions Garlick or such like nor much broth vinegar and fat flesh In the next place the womb must be cleansed from over-abundance of moisture with syrup of Wormwood with the decoction of Harts-tongue Fennel Cumin and Aniseed After this take once every 14 days a dram of blessed Pills fasting five hours after them Take also of these following Pills Take of Labdanum Agaric Wax and Sheep suet tryed of which you may make Pills to take two or three of them every morning or use this confection Take shaven Ivory Ash keys yellow and wild Rape-seed Siler mountain with red and white Behen of each one dram Cinamon Galingale long Pepper Cloves and Mace Balsam-wood Rosemary-flowers Blatrae Byzantiae Marjoram Penny-royal of each four scruples Baulm Bugloss Citron Pils of each two scruples Pearls one scruple Musk 2 grains white sugar twenty four ounces seeth this with Malmsey and make thereof a Confection Or because of some Diseases in the parts where note that too much fatness of the Call doth close the mouth of the womb such women must not sleep much especially in the day time they must use strong Clysters that are warm and dry and purge often Or when the Womb doth not attract the seed when it is cast in which proceeds from a moist intemperance which is by the looseness of the fibres of the Womb so that the Womb cannot contract it self which is cured as in the moist distemper Or by reason of the thickness of the Womb for then the blood that increases the seed doth not slide down to that place The cure hereof requires a thin diet purging and sweating or by reason of the slipperiness thereof which happens by reason of the running of the whites in women The cure whereof consists in the stopping of the whites which hath been already treated of or by reason of the gaping of the Orifice which hath been occasioned either by difficult birth or by some abortion The cure is performed by astringent Medicines among which the chiefest are the fomentation of Lentisk and Myrtle or by reason of some sudden cough or sneezing immediately after copulation by which the seed is shaken forth Or when the Womb doth not alter the seed that is cast in through an immoderate cold distemper Sometimes through heat and then it would be requisite to avoid hot air and to keep the part about the womb cold the eating of hot meats and spices must be avoided Purge after blood-letting in the Basilick vein of the right hand with Electurium de Epythymo and juyce of Roses of each two drams and a half whey four ounces mix them well together and take them in the morning sleeping on and fasting four hours upon Purge also with Triphera Saracenica and Rheubarb with potions prepared and mixed with syrup of Roses Violets and Endive Take Pistacia Eringo's of each half an ounce of Saffron a dram Lignum Aloes Galangal Avens Mace red and white Behen Baulm-flowers of each four scruple shavings of Ivory and Cassia rinds of each two scruples syrup of Ginger confected twelve ounces white Sugar six ounces seeth these together with the syrup in 12 ounces of Baulm-water untill it be all boyled away when it is cold put some more water to it and stir them together and at last of all mix with it a scruple and a half of Musk and Amber of this Conserve let the woman take thrice a day to wit in the morning an hour before supper and an hour after dinner Or it proceeds from obstruction of the Flowers in which case first let blood in the Basilick vein then purge with Opoponax and Hiera Composita of each half a dram to be made up into seven Pills to be taken in the morning sleeping upon them an hour and a half with a draught of sugar'd water five hours after or with a potion of syrup of vinegar compounded syrup of Hemp agrimony of each three quarters of an ounce Feverfew Mugwort and Elecampane roots of each an ounce and mix them together Then she may put up into the Womb a pessary of Musk Amber Aloes-Wood and Ash keys of each three grains Saffron half a scruple Hares rennet as much as suffices which being made up like a good big Tent she must keep a whole day in her Body Of the bringing up of Children and of their Diseases Of the Diseases of the Head THE Diseases common to Children are first certain little ulcerous risings chiefly in the Head sometimes in the whole Body they arise from some vitious humour either collected in the Womb or out of the Womb by reason of the badness of the milk containing a serous salt and nitrous quality If there be no ill to be suspected the humour may be driven forth by giving the Child some Syrup of Fumatory or Harts-horn burnt The Nurse is to be purged and the matter offending to be tempered with Syrup of Borage or Fumary If there be much corruption under the Crust of the Scab the Head of the Child is to bo bathed with some softning decoction and then to be anointed with some drying Ointments Sometimes they are troubled with an inflamation of
the Head with which is joined a hollowness in the forepart of the Head and in the Eyes it may arise from the milk if the Nurse be subject to drink overmuch strong drink in the Cure you must beware of applying things which are too refrigerating They are also many times affected with a kind of Epilepsie which proceeds sometimes from extraordinary frights from Milk that lies corrupted in the stomach and sometimes from Worms moving themselves in the guts and sometimes it is the consequent of other Diseases The Cure is to be observed partly in the Fit and partly after the Fit The Smaragd-stone and the Hoof of a wild Elk put into the left Ear are very profitable and take good effect vomiting also and this Emplaister of white Amber Frankincense and Mastick of each a dram and a half Galbanum Opopanax of each a scruple Misleto of an Oak two drams Ambergreece six grains Musk three grains seed of Male Peonie half a dram Labdanum one dram and a half a little Oil of Nutmeg and sprinkled with the dust of Cubebs the forepart of the head may be also anointed with Oil of white Amber Fears and starting in the Child's sleep are occasioned from the putrid Vapours which are carried up with the animal Spirits and arise from the Stomach therefore they happen to Infants that suck greedily In the Cure care must be taken that the Child do not fill it self too unreasonably and provide that good and sound Milk may be generated and that the Children be not put to sleep upon a full stomach The stomach of the Child anointed near the orifice with Oil of Quinces and Mastick and Oil of Nutmegs Before sleep dissolve a little roll of Diamosch in Milk and give the Child unless the Child be over-much troubled with heat you may give it a little Treacle once in a week over-much watching or weakness is occasioned by sharp Vapours which arise out of the stomach by reason of the badness of the Milk sometimes it is occasioned by Feavers and pain of some peculiar parts there is nothing better than to anoint the soles of the Childs feet with Marrow which hath no danger in it rather than to give the Child stronger Opiates A looking asquint in new born Children is cured by putting a Candle opposite to the place where the Child casts its Eyes Moistness of the Ears by reason of the moistness of the Head gathers quantity of humours together The Cure of this must not be over-hasty yet the Urine of Children distilled and dropt into the Ear is a very approved Remedy Bigness and swelling of the Head in little Children SOmetimes in Children that are newly born the Head grows to an extraordinary bigness which come to pass either by reason of abundance of water contained in the same which water is contained either between the skin and the Pericraneum or between the bone and the Pericranium or between the bone and the Membranes called the Dura Mater and the Pia Mater Or by reason of abundance of Vapours gathered together between the bones and the skin of the head which cause the head to grow to such an extraordinary bigness that it causes oftentimes the death of the Child If water be gathered together between the bone of the head and the Membranes of the Brain it causes a giddiness and Epilepsy to the Infant without being able to take any rest For the Cure of the windy affection you may use fomentations in case the wind be contained only between the skin and the Pericranium for which purpose you may take of the leaves of Sage Betony Agrimony sweet smelling flag and wild Margerom of each a handful Aniseed and Fennel seed of each two drams Camomile flowers Melilot and red Roses of each one handful boil all these in common water adding to it a little Wine and thereof make a Fomentation for the part affected which may be assisted with a plaister made of Oil of Aniseeds and bitter Almonds of each one Ounce Oil of Camomile an Ounce and a half Laurel and Juniper Berries of each two drams Aniseeds and Fennel-seeds of each one dram and a half of the best Wine a pint boyl them to the consumption of the Wine adding to the rest half an ounce of Venice Turpentine and as much Wax as is sufficient As for the watry distemper though it be difficult to Cure yet you must try this Fomentation to digest this Humour Take Wormwood Betony creeping Time Pennyroyal leaves of each a handful red Rose leaves and leaves of Stoechas a little handful Cypress Nuts Orange-flowers and Florentine Orrice of each two drams boil them all in a Lye made of Vine-twigs and stalks after which you may use this Plaister Take the powder of Bettony Sage and Wormwood of each two drams Oil of Camomile and Roses of each two Ounces Unguenti Comitissae one ounce as much Wax as is sufficient But if these Remedies profit nothing the only means left is to open the Head Of the Diseases of the Eyes Ears and Noses in Children MANY times Children are troubled with a light inflamation in their Eyes with a certain gum and thickness which hinders them from opening the eye-lid The most present remedies are either for the Nurse to wash the Eyes with a little of her Breast milk or else with a little Plantain and Rose-water mixt together Sometimes the Nostrils are so stopt that they are not able to draw their Breath but with much pain For the Cure of which the Nurse must moisten a linnen Cloath in a little Ointment of Roses or a little very good Pomatum 'till the hard matter within be dissolved Many times there flows a moist humor from their heads which happens to those who have moist brains in the cure of this it must be the care of the Nurse to cleanse the ears both within and without afterwards let her drop into them a little oyl of bitter Almonds and Honey of Roses mixt together Of certain Ulcers in Childrens mouths THere do many times grow a certain kind of Ulcers in Childrens mouths For the cure of which the Nurse in the first place must use a good and sound diet then must the Ulcers themselves be rub'd with a little Honey of Roses and syrup of Violets with a drop or two of Plantain-water or you may wash them with half an ounce of Rose-water or Plantain-water in which put half a dram of Vitriol if they be very red and inflamed take Brambles flowers of Pomgranates Roses Sanders of each two drams Allum half a dram boyl them in water afterwards strain them to the quantity of three ounces in which dissolve half an ounce of syrup of Mulberries If they be white take Amber Frankincense-wood Cypress-Nuts Pomegranate flowers of each two drams flowers of Roses and Myrtles of each half a handful boyl them in water to the consumption of four ounces wherein dissolve an ounce and a half of Honey of Roses Of certain other Tumours called
ever it be spreading it upon soft leather such as Childrens gloves are made of About fifteen days or three weeks before she lyes down she must begin to use mollifying oyntments anointing therewith the lower part of the belly her thighs and genitals The Oyntment of Sheeps trotters will serve for fifteen days but some eight days before she lyes down let her use one which is more mollifying such as this which follows Take of roots of Lillies two ounces Marsh-mallow-roots two ounces leaves of Marsh-mallows Mallows and March-Violets of each one handfull of Hemp-seed and seed of Fenugreek of each one ounce two Sheeps trotters with their Wooll on cut and bruised boyl all these together in a great quantity of water till all be boyled to a mash then strein them hot then set the streined liquor over a soft fire let it consume and evaporate 'till there be nothing left but the fat and something of a viscous matter beside To this add eight ounces of oyl of Hempseed drawn by expression like Oyl of Almonds and eight ounces of Hogs-Seam This Oyntment mollifies very much and renders the passages very slippery and easie to extend upon any occasion While the party is with Child if she happen to be bound in body let her use this following Clyster Take one Sheeps trotter Hempseed and Fenugreek-seed of each one ounce Melilot-flowers two handfuls boyl these in Cows milk then strein it and take six ounces thereof and put thereto four ounces of Oyl of Hempseed if she be near the time of her Labour but if not Oyl of Roses and if the excrements be very hard you may add thereto one ounce of Catholicon At the time of Child-bearing it is good to take the above-said Clyster if it may be done possibly for that after the Woman is delivered she is to be four or five days without a stool as well because of the great evacuations which she hath so lately had as also that being to be kept continually hot in her bed the excrements do thereupon harden and afterwards putrifie and then generate putrid vapours and many times a feaver There happens also another inconvenience from the said excrements being kept in the body and not emptied before delivery and that is this that when the Patient endeavours to deliver her self of the Infant the excrements do also forthwith come out which many ways give annoyance as well to the Child the Midwife as to the other Assistants by reason of the change of linnen and the troublesome smells Beside the foresaid inconveniencies the Child will not come forth so easily because the Intestines being full do compress the Matrix and by consequence cause the passages to be more close and difficult In the mean time that is to say when the woman is in pain and that all the signs of Child-bearing do appear then let her take about two ounces of Cinamon-water this will fortifie her spirits and hasten the coming forth of the Infant If the water alone do not suffice you may give it her the second time adding thereunto the weight of a half crown of counterfeit Borax made of Roach-Allum such as the Goldsmiths use it is neither offensive to the taste nor any way dangerous as some Physicians think mistaking it for Chrysocoll of the Greeks for it is a soveraign medicament both to cause the Child to come forth and to expell the Secondines if they come not forth in their due time If you cannot have the said Borax then take two scruples or forty grains of Date-stones powdered very fine and drink it in Cinamon-water or for want of that in a draught of good Hypocrass The weight of a Crown of the powder of the leaves of Cretan Dittany drank in Cinamon-water worketh the same effect Or else take of Venetian Borax one dram Saffron three grains drink this in one spoonful of water of white Lillies Or else take this following powder Take Cretan Dittany half a dram Savin yellow Amber of each two scruples make it into powder and drink it in water of Cinamon Hysop or Rue Or else Take of the powder of leaves of Cretan Dittany half a dram of Penny-royal half a scruple a little Cinamon Myrrh one scruple mingle these powders well and drink them in Hypocrass Or take this following water Take Water of Cinamon four ounces of Hysop and Thyme of each two ounces of Rosewater one dram in these waters dissolve half an ounce of Confectio Alchermes let them stand a whole night then distill them in Balneo the dose to be taken at a time is two drams you may add if there be necessity a drop or two of Oil of Savin Or you may use this powder Take of Myrrh of Cinamon and Saffron of each the weight of the third part of a Crown mix them well together and put them into a raw egg and cause the party to sup it up and let her drink after it a draught of Hypocrass Or else take this potion Take of the juyce of Savin two ounces Cinamon-powdered two drams Saffron half a Scruple water of Radishes four ounces and a little Sugar of this make a potion for the woman to drink in time of travail There be many other Remedies but these are the most certain and easie to take where the danger nor the pain is excessive but in cases of urgent necessity you may use these following remedies Take of Mugwort one handful Butchers Broom and Fennel of each one handful of salt three drams of Assa foetida two drams of bran one handful of water and white-white-wine of each eight pints boil them to the consumption of the third part Or take this which never failed Take of the root of Gentian powdered one or two drams take this in white-wine or honey it never hurts the Infant To accelerate and hasten the labour before the time of Child bearing use this following ointment Take of the muscilage of the seed of Fenugreek and the root of Marshmallows with water of Mugwort two ounces oil of Lillies and sweet Almonds and Hens-gerase of each one ounce and a half of Saffron half a scruple of Wax as much as suffices Of this make an ointment to anoint the back belly and privy parts for fourteen days together before the birth Or else take this following Ointment Take oil of white Lillies with hens grease of each an ounce and a half of Saffron half a scruple of these make an Ointment with as much Wax as suffices to anoint the Back Navel and privy Parts for fourteen days together Note that all those things which we have said to be good to be given at the time of delivery must never be given before for that otherwise they will be of little use they serving only to facilitate the Birth without endangering the Child or Mother The Woman ought also to walk about the Chamber as much as she can being held by other Women Neither let any person whether Man or Woman against whom she
Dittany of each two drams Cinamon four scruples Sugar the weight of the other ingredients Make them into pouder and let the Patient take one dram thereof in white-wine or Mugwort water An Oyntment for the Midwifes hands TAke Oyl of Hempseed one ounce and a half Oyl of Castor half an ounce Gall Moschate half a scruple Labdanum one scruple make of this an Oyntment with which let the Midwife often anoint the neck of the womb After Delivery WHen the Infant is well cleansed by the Midwife let her give unto it in the Winter nothing but a little Mithridate but in the Summer let her mingle therewith a little conserve of Roses and Bugloss If the Mother have not yet taken any thing let the Midwife give to her the juyce of a Capon pressed out in a press with a little Saffron and the yolk of an egg Then let her take this following powder against gripings of the belly or after throws which indeed she ought to take before any meat presently after Delivery Take of the greater Comfrey dryed one dram and a half kernels of Peaches Nutmegs of each two drams yellow Amber one dram Amber-greese two scruples or this Take kernels of Peaches and Dates of each one dram and a half Nutmegs four scruple Pulv. Elect. Diamargarit Calid two drams Aniseed condited one dram of the best Cinamon two scruples Saffron half a scruple Sugar as much as suffices drink two drams of this powder in white-wine twice or thrice a day if the pains be very great If the pains cease not with these remedies use that which follows TAke the whites of twelve eggs rosted under the embers Cummin-seed and Hempseed of each one ounce and a half flowers of Camomile and Melilot of each two drams boyl these in oyl of Dill 'till they come to the form of an oyntment apply it warm to the belly still changing it as it grows cold Or thus Take the flowers of Dill Rosemary Melilot and Camomil of each one handful Fennelseed Aniseed and Cummin-seed of each two drams boyl them in part wine and part water and make a Cataplasm for the whole belly To streighten the Womb. TAke of the leaves of Myrtle and Starwort of each three handfuls green Medlers green Prunes and the sharpest wild Pears of each one little handful and a half the Stomacks of three Cocks newly taken out distill all these together then take Cotton and dip therein and then put it into the womb and let it continue there a good while To streighten the Womb without the help of Swathe-bands TAke the white of an Egg and meal as much as is sufficient make thereof a Cataplasm to cover the lower part of the belly where it lies upon the belly there must be a hole made and that hole must be covered with moss You must cover the plaister also with powder of Frankincense This plaister profits more in a little while than a Swathe in many weeks A Fomentation to provoke the after-birth TAke the Birth-worts of each of them one ounce or a handful Carduus Feverfew and Mugwort each one handful Dwarf Elder half a handful ground Ivy one handful boyl them together in Wine or Water or Ale especially if there be any Fever for then you must by no means meddle with Wine adding to it one handfull of the leaves or half a handful of the roots of Master-wort For the same TAke Savine one scruple rind of Cassia half a scruple Saffron ten grains Assa-faetida two grains juyce of Wall-Ivy half an ounce Snakeweed one ounce Pulvis diagar five grains Syrup of Mugwort half an ounce mingle all these together and make a potion to drink at once Or else take four drops of the distilled oyl of Savin in white-wine A Pessary for the same TAke the leaves of red Coleworts and bruise them and put them into a little piece of linnen cloth in the shape of a finger then bruise them again that the juyce may come through and dip the cloth in a mixture of oyl of Lillies Camomil and sweet Almonds For the same TAke long and round Birthwort Assa-Faetida of each half an ounce Myrrh one dram Spike two drams make them up with the decoction of Parsley and Apple-tree leaves For the same TAke of Borax one dram Cinamon one scruple Saffron three grains make a powder and let the woman drink it in four ounces of water of Mugwort To expell the Child and after-birth in time of great necessity TAke of the water of Mugwort Agrimony and Penny-royal of each one ounce Syrup of Mugwort one ounce and a half powder of Castor round Birth-wort Myrrh Asarabacca of each one scruple mingle them together make a potion Or else take Origanum Calaminth and Hysop of each two drams roots of Orrice Asarabacca Savin each one dram Myrrh Olibanum Galbanum Sagapenum one scruple dissolve them and make a Pessary To expell the after-birth another TAke one stone of a Castor and distill it with strong Vinegar when you have so done let the Patient take four ounces of this distilled liquor Or you may take of the Oyl drawn out of the stone of a Castor with a soft fire mingle it with a sufficient quantity of this Oyl a little of the waters of Penny-royal and Dittany and a little strong Vinegar To expell the Birth whether alive or dead TAke the milk of a woman that nurses a male child and dissolve it with a little Saffron that it may not be known then boyl an egg rear and take out the white and in the place of that put in the milk and let the patient sup it up if it prevail not in a quarter of an hour prepare another egg and fill it with milk as aforesaid Or take of the juyce of Bugloss four ounces sweetned with Sugar Against pains of the heart TAke of the roots of Fennel Bugloss and Cicory each two ounces boyl them in three pints of white-wine to the consumption of two parts then add Fennel-water and Cicory-water each six ounces then boyl them again till there remain but a pint and a half take one spoonful morning and evening To dry up the Milk TAke Honey newly drawn out of the Hive and dissolve it in water and wash the breasts therewith For the same TAke of the juyce of Mint and Shepherds-purse of each half an ounce mix them together and drink them a mornings with the broth of a hen or chicken A Fomentation for the same TAke of the juyce of Parsley and the strongest wild Turnep equal parts and moisten therein a linnen cloth and apply the said Cloth to the Breasts Another TAke Oyl of Violets three ounces juyce of Mint and Parsley three ounces white Vinegar one ounce Rose-water two ounces boyl all these over a gentle fire to the consumption of the juyces then add a little wax and make an oyntment Or Take of the tops of Elder Sage and Mint one little handful boyl them in common water and make thereof a Cataplasm
to be applied to the breasts If you would increase the milk foment the breasts with the decoction of Fennel or else give her the decoction of Mint and lay the Mint boyled upon her breasts Or if these things prevail not use this following Powder Take of Anise Fennel Cummin-seed two drams Ginger half an ounce Carui of both sorts of Pepper Coral each one dram Cinamon three drams seed of Daucus one dram Siler montan half an ounce Cardamom Long pepper each three drams Seselos half an ounce seed of Sesamum one ounce white Poppy half an ounce mingle them and make a powder thereof and take one dram at pleasure in broth made of red Coleworts Or you may use this following oyntment Take of Venice-Turpentine oyl of Roses Vinegar of Roses equal parts add to this a little new wax and therewith anoint the breasts But if the Milk do curdle and harden in the breasts First chafe the breasts well with raw honey then take of new wax two ounces new oyl of nuts and vinegar two or three spoonfuls melt them together and dip that in little round linnen clothes with holes in the middle to lay upon the breasts Now if there be any tumour or hardness caused by the coagulation of the milk then Take of the leaves of Parsley Hemlock Uinca pervinca Box and Chervile and let them boyl in the strongest Vinegar and then strain them then take oyl of Roses Lillies and sweet Almonds each one ounce of the foresaid Vinegar four ounces mingle them in a marble mortar for an oyntment adding one scruple of Camphire dissolved in part of the oyl and toward the latter end of your stirring it add the white refrigerating Ceratum of Galen Unguent of Roses of Messu one ounce and a half mingle them all well together and apply them to the hard swelling part it asswages the tumour and causes the milk to flow through the Teats If the Tumor be painful and enflamed you must not use the Camphire for it encreases the pain till that the pain be asswaged An Oyntment against the curdling of the Milk in the Breast TAke of the roots of Marsh-mallows half a pound boyl them well in Vinegar and strain them thro' a hair sieve add to this Bean-meal one ounce powder of Rue and dried Mint one dram Oyl of Mastick as much as suffices Against Fissures in the Breasts TAke Gum-Arabick most finely powdered one ounce Rose water and Aqua-vitae a sufficient quantity prepare them together till they come to a just thickness make thereof an oyntment and apply it to the said Fissures Or else anoint the said Fissures with Ointment of Roses then apply the inside of the leaf of Ground-Ivy changing often this cures within six or eight days Another of the same TAke Lytharge of Silver Myrrh Ginger and oyl-Olive as much as suffices mix them to the thickness of an oyntment before you apply this moisten the Fissures themselves with spittle but no part of the breast beside Pain in the Breasts after Delivery TAke new Wax two ounces oyl of Nuts half an ounce oyl of Rape-seeed or Turnep seed half an ounce first melt the Wax then add the Oyls dip therein the clothes cut fit to the breasts if there be any pain after delivery the application of these cloaths will with great success asswage the same An Opiate to be given to Childern newly born TAke Mithridate of Alexandria three drams Conserve of Bugloss and Roses of each one dram mingle them well together and keep them in a glass Vessel well stopt an hour or half an hour after the Child is born before it hath suckt give to it of the foresaid opiate to the quantity of a Filberd let it not suck till five hours after continue thus doing for a month giving the Child this opiate once in a week and then it will be sufficient that the Child abstain but an hours space from the Teat It will not be amiss to anoint the Navel of the Child with an ointment made of Ambergreece and Suet equal parts with a little oil of sweet-Almonds This will preserve the child from Epilepsies and Convulsions Against Barrenness TAKE of Pine-nuts first well washt in Rosewater six ounces sweet Almonds washed in like manner and bruised each two ounces Citron pill condited root of Satyrion Erythranion one ounce Pulp of Sebesten Prunes of Damascus fat boiled in Sugared water each one ounce and a half Coriander prepared three drams Pulveris Diambre one dram Penidium one ounce and a half the inner rind of Cinamon half an ounce true Amber of an Ash-colour one dram Moso one Scruple refined Sugar boiled in Rose-water one pound and a half take all these things and beat them and powder them well and make thereof a Paste so dried at a gentle fire Let the woman take this at pleasure after dinner and three hours before at pleasure abstaining from liquid meats The man also may eat of this paste but let him not use copulation at the time of the Womans Purgations nor when she bathes her self but presently after Those mornings that he abstains let him take one spoonful of the water of Cocks-blood with three or four spoonfuls of the best Broth. For the same A Syrup Take Syrup of Hempagrimony Simple Oxymel Syrup de rad each one ounce and a half waters of Nipp Betony and Mugwort of each three ounces make thereof a syrup perfectly boiled strein it and let it he aromatized with Cinamon for three doses morning and evening A Potion Take Agarick infused in Honey of Roses and a little white-white-Wine for a whole night one ounce Diacatholicon half an ounce Diaphenicon Elect. Ind. major each one dram and a half Syrup of Roses Solutive with Agorick one ounce with a decoction of red Chiches make a Potion thereof and give it after the Syrup is all taken for ten days and ten days before the coming of the monthly purgations Three days after the operation of the said potion let blood in Vena Saphena of the right foot and take away three ounces of blood at evening An Opiate Take of the great Triphera without Opium two ounces Methridate three ounces mix these well together and let her take thereof the quantity of a Walnut after she is let blood drinking upon the said Bolus a spoonful of Aromatick Wine white or Claret let the Patient take this when she is clean from her Purgations only in the morning while she hath them upon her only at night and then let her also make use of this Pessary Take of Spike Myrrh and Agarick and Colocynth each three drams Benedict one ounce and a half mix them well together with the juyce of French Mercury and wrapt in fine red silk make thereof little Pessaries and put one of them into the Womb in the day and another at night But from the time that she is let blood until her Purgations let her use but one in the day but from the time that they
begin until the time that they end let her use two as is before said Let her withal take this following Clyster two or three days before her purgations Take Feverfew one handful Penny-royal Calamint and Savine of each half a handful seed of Juniper one ounce flowers of Melilot and tops of Dill of each one handful make a decoction of nine ounces of water add thereto oil of Lillies four ounces two whites of eggs and one dram of common salt Lastly one day before her monthly purgations let her take three Pills of those which are called Pillulae Rufi then after she is clean from her Purgations let her lye with her Husband For the same AN Injection Take Cypress one ounce Myrrh half an ounce Pulp of Colocynth one dram Bdellium one scruple water a pint boil them altogether to the consumption of the third part then strein them make an injection of four ounces of the streined liquor into the Womb three days before the Bath and let the Patient keep it as long as she can A Fumigation Take juyce of Bistort Schoenanth Cypress nuts red Storax and Mastick one ounce Hares-dung mix them and pound them well together and make a Fumigation let the patient receive it sitting on a stool with a hole in it Then let her use this following Bath Take Basil Calamint Betony Melilot Roses each two handfuls Thyme Elder Germander Mugwort Savin Balm of each two handfuls Feverfew leaves of Laurel and Lavender each one handful bruise them together and when the water boyls throw them in when they have boiled sufficiently let her take the waters off and bath therein A Plaister Take of the mass of Emplaister of Mastick one ounce of Plaister for the Womb two ounces mingle them together and extend them upon a round piece of red cloth in the middle whereof put one Trochisch de galla Moschat and six grains of Amber-greece the last day of her bathing when she goes to bed let her apply that plaister to the region of her Matrix That Night after due concoction let her lye with her Husband To increase Lust and to help Conception TAKE of the juyce of the Herb Mercury and clarified Honey of each one ounce of meal of Nigella two ounces make thereof a mass and let the Patient take two or three every night An Opiat for the same TAKE Conserve of Eringo-roots and Satyrion each three ounces green Ginger condited Citron rind one ounce and a half sweet Almonds Pistaches Pine-Apples Filberds Chesnuts Dates the Pulp of Cocus's of each one ounce of the reins and loins of the beast called a Skink of the pizzle of a Bull of the stones of a Hare or Boar of each half an ounce seed of Parsnip Rockquet and Nettles each three drams white Pepper Galang and cinamon each half a dram all these things being well provided and beaten mix them together with Wine sweetned and boiled to a thickness and make an Opiate add thereto of the powder of Glow-worms killed in the steam of Vinegar one scruple For the same TAKE Pine-Apples new Filberds peel'd of each one ounce and a half brains of Cock-sparrows two drams new Satyrion rosted under the ashes in wet tow three drams Stones of a Ram roasted half an ounce Indian Nuts one dram pound them all with the broth of young Pigeons then mingle therewith six ounces of refined Sugar and boil it to a thickness and add thereto the following pouders Take seed of Bombax cleansed the best Cinamon each two scruples seed of Rocket Onions Nettles and Parsnips each half a dram the reins of Skinks Long Pepper Galang White Ginger of each two scruples shavings of the pizzle of a Hart four scruples make a Confection and take the quantity of a Walnut after the first sleep and two hours before you eat An application to be made upon the Privities presently after Delivery TAKE the whites of two Eggs and oil of St. John's wort of each one ounce and a half oil of Myrtles one ounce dip therein flat stoups of Hemp and apply them to the lips of the Privities do this three or four times a day but take heed that it touch not the neck of the Matrix because it hinders its purgation The next day foment these parts with this following Fomentation TAKE of Wine and water half a pint of Madder Rose-mary and St. John's-wort of each two little handfuls let them boil for a Fomentation which is to be applied hot with the Hempen stoups aforesaid This is to be done the second day The third day take wine a pint water half a pint Myrrh two drams Cinamon two drams and a half Allum two drams and a half of the stones of Grapes two drams the rind of Granates one dram flowers of red Roses one little handful and a half make of this a decoction to foment the Womb until the ninth day twice a day Take oil of St. John's wort one ounce and a half Sperma Coeti three drams with a little wax make of this an ointment to use at the beginning with the aforesaid Fomentation to the lips of the Privities When you have taken away the sheeps-skin as is before said you may not only do as is there set down but also use this following method First take Sperma Coeti two ounces oil of sweet Almonds Camomile and St. John's wort of each an ounce and a half Goats suet one ounce oil of Myrtles half an ounce Saffron half a scruple with this ointment being lukewarm let the belly be well anointed once every day then lay over the whole belly this following Cerecloth Take of new wax four ounces Sperma Coeti one ounce and a half Turpentine washt in Rosewater two ounces and a half oil of Almonds and St. John's-wort of each one ounce Saffron half a scruple Let them melt and boyl together when all the ingredients are well mixed take them from the fire and put into it the hempen cloth and when it is cool make it smooth and apply it let it be bound on with swathes and do this for eight or nine days together The Woman being thus duly and rightly purged and being free from any Fever or other bad symptoms she may make use of these following Baths She shall go into the Bath three mornings together the first being luke-warm staying therein but a very little The second a little hotter with something longer continuance therein But in the third let her stay as long as she can The Bath in Summer TAKE a very clean Tub wherein wine hath for sometime been put therein a quantity of the best Wine and fill it with River-water and the second day after you have filled it put therein Marjoram Mug-wort Agrimony Penny-royal of each two handfuls then let them boil and as they boil now and then quench a hot piece of Iron therein then add flowers of red Roses two ounces and a half Camomile Dill and Melilot of each one ounce and a half strein them all and
so make the first Bath out of which let her come out as soon as she feels any pain When she comes out let her take as follows Of the rind of Pome-citron and Conserve of Bugloss of each two scruples let her take this going into her bed then let her sweat and the sweat being wiped off let her eat some good and wholsome meat Take the water of the first bath and add thereto Bean-meal and Oat-meal of each two pound and a half meal of Tares one pound and a half of Lupines one pound Roach-allum and Salt of each four ounces Cloves and Nutmegs of each one dram let them be aromatized with Benjamin and Storax then put them all together in a bag and let them boil in the foresaid water When she comes forth let her take the aforesaid Bolus The third part FILL the Tub emptied of the Wine with River water then add thereto a quantity of white-white-wine then take of Rosemary Mint Marjoram Mugwort Savin Ground Ivy of each two handfuls Scarlet grains four ounces flowers of Rosemary Camomile Mint of each two ounces Bean-meal Oat-meal of each one handful and a half meal of Lupines and Tares of each one pound Cloves Nutmegs and Cinamon of each half an ounce bruise all these things together and let them boil in a little bag adding thereto a pint and a half of Aqua vitae and let burning Iron be often quenched therein This is the third Bath wherein she is to stay as long as she can When she comes forth let her take the same Bolus as before After she hath bathed let her foment for one or two days the lower parts of her Belly TAKE of red Roses two handful and a half Shoenanth half a handful Myrtle-berries two drams and a half Allum one dram and a half Mastick three drams let them be bruised and then boil together in sower red wine Add also two drams of Nutmegs with this being taken lukewarm let fomentation be made for eight days together The fomentation ended let her receive this following Fume in a Chair with a hole in it Take Lignum Aloes raw half an ounce Nutmegs and Cypress nuts of each two drams and a half yellow Amber one dram and a half make all these into powder and let her sit over the Fume A Fomentation for the Womb the second day after the Bath TAKE Galbanum and Cypress-nuts of each half an ounce rind of Granates two ounces red Roses dryed one ounce Marjoram a handful Schoenanth one handful Allum a dram and a half Thyme half a handful let them be boiled in sharp wine for a Fomentation To cause the swelling of the Belly to fall SOme women have their bellies as much swelled after Delivery as it was before when any such thing happens do as followeth Take half a pound of Figgs Barley-meal and Bean-meal of each four ounces powder of Brick two ounces Cypress nuts one ounce let them boil all together in Smith's water 'till it come to a thickness then spread it upon a linnen cloth and apply it warm to the Belly re-iterate this often and the belly will fall to its wonted shape Or else Take meal of Beans Rice and Almonds of each two ounces powder of Brick one ounce and a half Bole-Armoniac two ounces and a half Dragons blood one ounce and a half of Cypress-nuts ten drams Scarlet grains three ounces Galls half an ounce oil of Myrtles six ounces wild Prunes Rosewater each a pint and a half boil them to the thickness of a Pultess and apply them as aforesaid to the belly Pain after Delivery TAke heed that when you find the Patient in pain after Child-bearing especially on the right side that the redness or high colour of the Urine do not deceive you whereby you may be induced to give refrigerating medicines finding the whole body to be hot for such urine proceeds from the greatness of the pain and commotion in the body and the hot lying in bed Therefore if you find the Patient to be full of pain in her belly and sides and likewise perceive a retention of humours that should be voided more fluently Take of Sweet-smelling Flag one ounce and a half Zedoaory half an ounce Mace eight scruples Cinamon four scruples make thereof a powder and give her one dram at a time in powder Now though there be a Fever which seems burning yet refrain not at all to give this powder for it doth not for all that augment the Fever but causes the Womb which was so lately and violently moved to return to its former estate and the pain of the Matrix being ceased the Fever will cease of it self Or else take sweet-smelling-Flag one dram Dittany half a dram make thereof a powder Or take root of Dittany one dram Seed of Hartwort and leaves of Rue one scruple and a half make them into powder and give it as is before said Against the swelling of the belly after Delivery TAke Origanum Night-shade Mastick of each one scruple Sagapenum as much as suffices make of this seven Pills let her take them all at once and let her drink upon them four ounces of the water of the flowers of white Lillies Against wrinckles in the skin after Child bearing TAke oyl of sweet-Almonds two ounces Capons-grease half an ounce liquid Storax half a dram Muscilage of Tragacanth extracted with Rose-water two drams Wax as much as suffices make thereof a Cerecloath and apply it to the belly Oyl of sweet-Almonds with the marrow of a Hart is good also for this purpose This following oyntment may be used before a Woman lyes down TAke the marrow of the fore foot of a weather in the full of the Moon set it on the fire and let it melt in Rose-water by degrees you may conveniently add to this Hens-grease or oyl of Lillies Another TAke the Seam of a Goat a Kid and a Weather of each three ounces wash them diligently in Rose-water adding Sperma Caeti Rose-water as much as is sufficient and as you beat them and mix them together add powder of Mastick with the white of an egg and so make an oyntment A Pomatum for the same TAke Oyl of sweet-Almonds eight ounces Sperma Coeti Capons-grease marrow of a Hart and the bone of a Weather four ounces melt them all together between two dishes in water of Lillies then in Rose-water An Oyntment for the same TAke of the Muscilage of the Seed of Fenugreek and Hempseed extracted in water of Lillies one ounce oyl of sweet Almonds and Lillies of each half an ounce the blood of a Hog fryed the fat of a Capon and a wild Duck of each six drams with a little new wax make thereof an oyntment and keep it in a glass covered with wax Another TAke white Wax four ounces melt it and add thereto the marrow of fifty feet of black weathers gathered in the full of the moon when they are melted add thereto oyl of sweet Almonds six ounces wash them