in the Tenth or Eleventh Month For the Matrix and Muscles of the upper Belly being extended beyond measure do inlarge the Fibers which cannot be Easily drawn together again having lost their Natural Strength and force To help this defect the cause being rightly understood such Medicines must be used as are proper to Mollifie and Strengthen the parts especially the Membranes that they may further dilate and stretch themselves by being made more supple and Gentle Anointing the Cartilages that Joyn the Os Pubis Sacrum Coceygis and Ilium at the time of Delivery And let the Woman take of Pellitory-Water two ounces Oyl of Sweet-Almonds one ounce well mingled together and pretty warm and after this some strengthening Cordials And this likewise much avails where there is any Calosity or hardness in the passage of Nature There are also other Accidents which must be provided against as the Flux of Blood and Convulsions in time of Labour These are very dangerous to the Mother and Child and often destroy both especially the former if of long continuance Because the Blood being the treasure of the Life the Spirits and Heart are carried away with it And again the Convulsions hurt the Brain that it cannot Communicate so much Spirit as is needful in this imergency for the Respiration of the Mother and the Child who Breathes only by the means of the Spirits that are Imparted by the Arteries of the Mother for want of which it is many times suffocated And these happen single or both together Make what haste you can to Deliver the Woman after having fortified her with strengthening Cordials which cannot however be conveniently done but by a Skilful Midwife of Courage and able Body or Chirurgion For if it be not soon done the Child will be brought forth Dead or if Alive hardly it lives long after But it must in this Case be considered whether the Woman be at her full Time and a necessity of Delivery requires it for some have Fluxes of Blood at four or five Months and then it is not practicable but rather to divert it by breaking a Vein or using such Medicines that may turn the course of it But at the full time though some are of Opinion to let Blood in such Cases is requisit yet what I propose always proves much more effectual the Woman being happily Delivered of either the one Birth or the other there yet remains a great deal more to be Considered in order to restore her to an Uprising Dyet in this Case must be prepared that may be suitable to the Weakness of the Womans Constitution For soon after Labour the Stomach cannot suffer or at least well Digest strong Meats and many that unadvisedly Eat such fall into Feavours and from them to the Grave Broths Panada's Jellys Poached Eggs and Gruels are the most proper for the first four or five days Then Barly-broth and so to stronger things by degrees as Gellys Chickens or small Birds And take a Drink between whiles viz. French Barly Corianderseeds and Cinamon boiled in spring Water straind and Sweetned with Sugar And for a Strengthening Liquor or Cordials Take a Capon parboile it then cut it in pieces and take of Baum Borrage and Bugloss each a Handful Put them with the Flesh of the Fowl into a Glass-Alimbec sprinkle them over with a dram of the Powder of Pearl and break in small pieces two or three Leaves of Gold then pour in some of the Water the Capon was sodden in Distil these in a double Glass or Balneo Mariae till there Issues a quart of distilled Water and let the Woman take an ounce of it twice or thrice a day This strengthens the Heart and Brain prevents fainting cold Sweats and much fortifies Nature If she be not Aguish or Feaverish she may Drink a little White-wine or Clarret wherein Borrage and Limon-Peel have been infused mixing with them some Syrup of Maiden-hair or other Astringent Syrups At eight days end the Womb being well Purged and Cleansed she may take stronger Meats But must be kept quiet from great Noises and close from too free an Air avoiding all Sadness and Grief that may afflict or depress the Spirits CHAP. XV. How her Belly c. must be Ordered after Delivery And what Physick and Cordials are proper from her Lying down to her Vprising Which many other things needful to be known and Practiced CAre also must be taken of her Breasts and Belly for the first anoint them with Oyl of Cammomile and Mirtle and Roses well mixed together Swathe or bind them up gently and beside a strengthening Sear-cloath layed to the Back apply to the Navel a Plaister of Galbanum two or three fingers broad And to keep the Milk from Curdling anoint the Stomach and Breasts with Oyl of Roses and Populeum A Bath upon this account is very convenient to strengthen the Delivered Woman which you may make by boiling Mother-wort Penny-Royal Agrimony Rose Leaves Cammomile Mallows and flowers of Mellilot in three parts Water and one of White-wine in which she may Bath herself all over or the Liquor warm applyed with Linnen Cloaths to her Body and before she may take conserve of Roses Bugloss and Candyed Citron Peel finly bruised and mixed in a Glass of Wine Griping Pains are many times troublesome to Women after Delivery To Remedy this let her take an ounce of the Oyl of Walnuts and half an ounce of Sweet Almonds drawn without fire in warm Ale or Wine And foment the Stomach Belly and lower parts with the Decoction of Cammomile Marsh-mallows Melilot Pelitory Linseed and Mugwort boiled in Milk and apply the Herbs warm Poultis-wise If the Matrix fall down Bath and Foment the Parts with the Decoction of Red-Roses Cammomile and Lavender boiled in Milk put it up gently followed by a Pessary dipt in Red Wine wherein Plantain white Muller and red Roses have been concocted If Hurts or Excoriations happen in the lower parts by Child bearing take Oyl of St. John's-wort and Oyl of Roses beat them up with the White of an Egg and apply a Linnen-cloath diped in this mixture to the afflicted part and lay a strengthening Plaister of Mirrh Mastick and white Bees-wax to the lower Region of the Belly If the after Purgings come not away kindly or in over abundance they must be helped or Restrained and by these a Womans Health or Sickness is guessed at during the time of her Lying-in For if they be of the Natural Colour and soon congeal it is in a sign she is in good Health and will continue so to her Uprising But being little in quantity I 'll coloured and do not congeal suddainly then Nature is out of order and proper Remedies must be given to prevent or remove Sickness If the Purgings be excessive then moderate letting Blood is held necessary and taking such astringents as may in some degrees restrain them for there is no means that makes better revulsions and draws the Blood sooner from
herb Mercury shread into Veal Broth. Great Noises are very hurtful as sound of Trumpets Bells beating of Drums and shooting of Artillery Also Thunder or the violent roaring of Water for upon any Frights or suddain Starts a Woman may easily Loose her Burthen especially the first Month for then the Embrio is not firmly fastened and tyed to the Womb and though in the succeeding Month it grows faster and bigger yet the weight may so press it on the Neck of the Womb that it may come forth untimely CHAP. VIII Of Purges to be Taken And of the Passions of the Mind A Gentle Purge may be convenient given on any occasion that requires it from the Fourth to the Seventh Month but after that it is neither Practicable nor by many held safe All things that violently provoke Urin and consequently will have an Influence in provoking the Courses are forbidden As also Phlebotomy or Blood Letting unless some great Necessity require it as the Woman being so full of Blood that it is feared it may stifle the Child with the over great quantity or in dangerous Diseases as the Plurisie c. For otherways the Blood being taken away when the Child is grown it causes a Leanness and decay of it for want of a due Nourishment it requiring now much more than when it was very little The Passions of the Mind are in this Case to be considered as either Good or Hurtful therefore the Childing Woman must prevail with herself as much as possibly she can to be Pleasant and Merry avoidding Melancholly Musing Thought or Vexing Grieving Freting falling into a suddain Anger Scolding or Exclaming neither ought she to be too violently Transported with Laughing Coughing Sneezing with suddain Joy at any surprizing News or Accident Or on the contrary Fear she must therefore have a setled and quiet Mind not subject to any Passions or Surprize that may be Injurious to what she carries in her Womb. She must not give Ear to Lamentable Tales sad and frightful Stories c. Nor see Fighting Fencing Bear-Baitings Executions or any Cruel and Unnatural Sights Avoid the Company as much as may be of Deformed Persons Antick Pictures c. Least the Imagination prove Strong and make some Impression or Similitude on the Faetus or Embrio And lastly as to these particulars when a Woman perceives herself with Child she must let out her Lacing and lay aside her Busk not only for her own ease which is proper enough but least the Child being straightened in the Womb become Writhed Crooked or Mis-shapen CHAP. IX How to prevent Diseases and other Griefs in a Childing Woman by Oyles Oyntments Fomentations and Internal Medicaments with the several Receipts to make and apply them HAving layed down Rules how a Childing Woman in sundry respects ought to mannage herself I now come to other particulars of as near a concern requisite to be taken notice of and done in the Ninth Month viz. To preserve Health Beauty and give a safe and easie Delivery In the first place then that her Breasts after her Delivery may not be too much puffed up and hang down like Bags hang during her Childing a little piece of Steel between them by a String or Chain fastened about her Neck and wash them with this Decoction or Fomentation pretty warm and often Take Sage Perriwinkle the herb Ground Ivy of each a handful Hemlock as much as you can hold between your fore-finger and Thumb bruise them and boil them in two quarts of water and one of Whitewine till a fourth part be consumed then put thereto a little Rose Vinegar and wash your Breasts This prevents them from Soreness and breaking after Delivery and from many other ill conveniencies That the Belly when the Child Quickens may be kept in order from Swelling or growing too Unweildy a Swathe is requisit made fit for the purpose to support it and to keep the Skin from Furrowing growing Knottey or full of broken Veins wrinkled Anoint it with this Pomander Take the Suet of a Young Kid and Hog's-Lard each three Ounces Goose-Grease and the Grease of a Capon each an Ounce and a Half melt them in an Earthen Vessel strain them when very hot into fair Water and Temper them in it till they become very White then melt them again adding an Ounce of Stags Marrow or Suet wash them in Rose-water and Anoint the Belly warm with it Or take Oyl of Roses an ounce and a half Oyle of St. John's Wort and sweet Almonds each two ounces May-butter and Oyl of Jessamin each half an ounce Sperma Ceti a quarter of an ounce melt these together and take a soft wash'd Leather Skin either Dog or Sheep made fit for the Belly Anoint it with these Oyntment This is usually required to be begun in the Fourth Month. In the Ninth Month The Woman being Healthy it is convenient that she walk gently before Meals for the first twelve or fifteen Days and after that undertake some moderate Business or convenient Exercise and if any Pains or Weakness happen make the following Bath viz. Take Marshmallows with their Roots and Motherwort each two handfuls white Lilly Roots three ounces Cammomile and Mellilot flowers each a handful Linseed Quince-seed and Fenigreek-seed each an Ounce Boil them in runing Water till a fifth part be consumed and let the Party Pattle in it and being well dryed put into a warm Bed her Belly about an hour after being supled with Oyl of Roses Cammomile and sweet Almonds CHAP. X. Of unreasonable Longings Hicup and Vomitings their Cause and Remedy Also Pains in the Stomach Belly Flanks c. Back Hips and Groin Difficulty of making Vrin Palpitation of the Heart and Swoonings Cough Sore Throat Costiveness and Laxativeness Swellings in the Legs and Thighs c. UNreasonable Longings are allayed frequently by eating Olives or Capers boiled Sallads Meats that are Fat and Sweet with Verjuce Orange Pomgranet Citron or any sharp Juice in their Sauces Some commend much Toasted Cheese and dryed Amillium and hot Spices in Meats or Drinks but no great quantity for then they are hurtful as also is much Drinking And for Drinks a Glass of Wormwood-Wine or Hidromel is very good And for this a gentle Purge may be given of Senna or Rhuebard boiled in White-wine about a quarter of a Pint being drunk warm Fasting The Hickup and distastefulness of Meats are very Incident to Women with Child and prove uneasie to the Child especially by weakening the Mother and thereby it being deprived of sufficient Nourishment causing her either to be Delivered Untimely or produce a Weakly Child Take to Prevent or Remedy these the Yolks of Eggs Veal Broth or Chicken Broth wherein Endive Succory and Lettuce have been shred with Beets and Winter-savory Anointing the Stomach and Belly with Oyl of Sweet Almonds and Oyl of Violets If the cause proceed from a sharp bitter Humour a gentle Purge is requisit to carry it downward that may occasion no
great Straining and an hour after take Syrup of Violets an Ounce in a quarter of a Pint of warm new Milk Vomiting is another defect but must not however be too suddainly stopt because if it be not violent it doth some good by avoiding the abundance of humour amassed together in the Stomach which is indeed the cause of it or else some sharp and biting humour that does stir and provoke it But it happeneth oftentimes that this Vomiting is so violent that even the Sustenance that should Nourish the Mother and Child cannot remain a convenient time for digestion but is cast up and therefore to Remedy this Let the Person so afflicted see that she use wholesome Diets eat Moderately and by degrees not much nor over-hastily Take a gentle Purge but in it neither Diagridium nor Colloquintida but rather Rhue or Rhuebarb infused in White-wine over a gentle fire The compound Syrup of Cichory with Syrup of Rhuebarb which not only Evacuates but Strengthens or the Syrup of Damask Roses with Manna dissolved in it These are so harmless that the Niceness of the Dose need not be disputed Pains in the Stomach Flank or Belly often happens to Childing Women and therefore let them know these are in this case much occasioned by Windiness the parts being Lax or sometimes the Wind is shut up in the Womb. To take away this cause therefore the party must shun all manner of Moist and Windy Meats Take a grentle purge if it be requisite and then apply this Fomentation viz. Flowers of Cammomile and Featherfew each two handfuls Red-Roses half a handful Anniseeds and Fennelseeds each two Drams Lawrel-bark and Bay-berrys each a dram Bruise these grosly and Boil them in three Pints of Clarret till a fourth part be Consumed dip into the Liquor a Linnen Cloth and Foment the parts grieved as hot as may be and lay on the sollid matter Poultis-wise and let the Party chew Fennel Anniseeds and eat first in a Morning a Toast soaked in Hypocras or Drink a little Dram of the distilled Water of Citron or Limmon-Peels infused in good Spirits Pains of the Back Hips and Groine and difficulty of making Urin are likewise incident to Childing Women and this happens many times according to the carrying the Child in the Belly viz. High or low more backward forward or sidelings and indeed the carrying very low is the occasion of most of these Pains especially in the Hips and Groine they proceeding more from the heavyness of the Children than from any humour for the Womb then being great and thick on which side soever it resteth it draws and strains the Ligatures on the other Parts To prevent which the Party must not be extraordinary stirring especially not Jolted nor attempting to Jump Eat but little at a time though the oftener and of such Meats as are light and easie of Digestion for the Stomach being overpressed by fulness presses the Matrix by stretching the Belly In this Case Swathes Anointed with Oyl of Marsh-mallows and Cammomile are proper to shrink and keep up the Belly Anointing her Back with Vnguentum Comitissae or take Mastick and Mirtle-Berrys half an ounce each Powder of Red Corral a dram sealed Earth two drams beat them unto fine Powder then add three ounces of melted Bees-Wax and Oyl of Roses with Deers-Suet as much as will make them up into a Plaister and lay it to the Reins of the Back so that it may a little encline upon the Flaâ—ks and Bathe the Thighs and lower part of the Belly with the Decoction of Marsh-Mallows Water-Cresses Pellitory of the Wall Pimpernel and bruised Linseed each a little handful boild in a gallon of Water to the Consumption of a third part Palpitations of the Heart and Swoonings are to be considered in the next Place The first of these being extraordinary many times proceeds from Vapours arising from the Womb and other parts nearer inclosed in the Arteries and through them conveyed to the Heart whose offensiveness disorders the pure Spirits and causes those Unnatural Palpitations the Heart Labouring by motion to expel those Vapours that make it Sicken and occasion many Evils if not timely prevented or removed And this is to be perceived by laying your hand on the Womans Breast for if it rise strongly and the Ribs as it were are lifted up with it keeping time to the Palpitation then it proceeds from Vapours To remove them take a gentle Purge and Bleed moderately take such Powders or Cordials as fortifie the Heart fasting in a Morning as Aqua Mirabilis Dr. Stephens's Water Powder of Bezars-stone and the Powder of the Bone of a Stags Heart mixed together half a dram at a time and these will not only dissipate the Vapours but prevent Swoonings Faintings cold Sweats The Heart must likewise be outwardly Fortified by laying a soft quilted Stomacher to the Stomach and Region of the Heart and lay a cooling Cataplasme as Mallows Grounsil Cammomile and Orpin beaten together with Oyl of Roses and the white of an Egg. Then for a Fomentation let her use the Water of Bugloss Burrage Baum Orange-flower Roses Cardus Benedictus and Scordium infusing in them Saunder Coriander or Angellica seeds or any Cordial Flowers The Cough is a very troublesome thing to Women with Child and very dangerous if it be violent causing Pains in the Head Flanks Sides and Belly Vomitings Unrest and many other Miseries with frequent Miscarriages and Abortions And to keep from this Grievance all Salt Meats Spiced Meats and all sharp and biting things especially if the Cough be caused by Vapours or distillation of a thinn or serous Humour To Remedy this boil a quart of Ale that has well worked and setled till a third part be consumed then fill it up again with White-wine and put into it four or five slices of Licorice as many Blew-Figgs a few Cammomile Flowers Anniseed and Coriander seeds each a quarter of an ounce let them seeth about a quarter of an hour strain and press out the Liquid part and Drink a quarter of a pint three times a day very hot And to make it more Pallatable it may be sweetned with white-Sugar Candy If the Throat be Sore or Swelled with it take Oyl of sweet Almonds an ounce White-Sugar in Powder half an ounce Rose Water half an ounce mingle these over a gentle Fire with a quarter of an ounce of Allum disolved in the Rose-water Sleeping well without any Medicines to enforce it mainly contributes to the staying the Defluxion of Rheums that occasion the Cough And after you have taken the former going to Bed take of the Syrup of Jubebs and Violets each a quarter of an ounce mixed with two drams of Diascordium Costiveness is another accident afflicting Childing Women causing them to strain themselves and put themselves thereby in danger of Miscarriage To prevent or Remedy this a good Diet must be had eating Meats that moisten and keep the Bowels slippery and open But this must
Child in it's Dressings Lying Sleeping Diet c. WHen the Child is opened to be Dressed before a Fire Rub and chafe the Back Belly and Hips gently with your Hand sometimes rubing your hand over with Oyl of Roses or sweet Almonds This loosens the Skin and supples the Flesh stirs the Humours from setling too much in the Joynts or any of the outward parts and makes it grow And above all beware not to Swathe it too hard yet so that it may not Lax or warp in any of it's Members And when it is placed in the Cradle take care it lies not too long on the Back or on one side but shift and turn it the Head being kept a little raised that the Excrements may more easily flow from the Brain through the Emunctories Let the Cradle be placed in a convenient warm Room or Chamber not subject to too great a Light or too much Gloomyness for a great Light is offensive to the Eyes Brain of a Child they being but weak for a considerable time after the Birth and too much dark keeps them so and oppresses it by stiring up the Melancholly Humour Too much Heat is apt to make it catch cold when it comes into the Air. And cold cause flegmatick Humours which glutination occasion stuffings or stopping in the Head and therefore the Medium is to be preferred Set not the Cradle or Bed too near a Window or Fire least the Light of either attract its Eyes and by straining awry to look at it becomes squinting But let it be placed rather right against the Light that it may look directly forward And as for Sleeping untill he be two Years Old there need be no restraint of it but rather when it is Froward or Restless means used to provoke Sleep unless imoderate Sleep as sometimes it happens be occasioned by a defect in Nature as too great a Moisture or Wateryness of the Brain c. Then such Remedies must be used as may Remedy it viz. Boil Cinamon Mace or Nutmeg in the Milk or give it some of the distilled Water of these in a little Wine Suckling the Child must be had a regard to as to the Manner and Quality As to the first of these sometimes spirt some Milk either upon its Lips or into its Mouth and if it 's drawing be strong gently squeez the breast with your finger that the Milk may flow and become more easie so that it may rather seem a Pleasure than Pain but so that it may not swallow too fast for fear of a suffocation or too great an oppression of the Stomach As to the second the quantity cannot easily be set down some Children according to their stronger or weaker Constitutions requiring more than others and therefore the Nurses discretion must proportion it for too much is almost as bad as too little for this breeds gross Humours as the other on the contrary causes a Pining or Wasting And it is held for the first five days Suckling twice a day is sufficient and so as it gathers strength the times may be increased but not too many as many Foolish Nurses do claping the Child to the Breast every time it Cries and seems froward Sweetness and Cleanlyness about Children much contributes to their Health and Growth and this must be observed often especially when it Wakes or is taken up And above all avoid Frighting them for that makes them many times fall into Fits and Epilepsies or falling Sickness and indeed intimidates their Spirits by making so early an impression on them that growing up with them they are apt to suddain Frights Startings and fears at the fancy of Goblings Spectres and such Old Wives Tales as they have been Bug-bear'd with in their Infancy But not to dwell longer upon what every Skillful Nurse cannot but understand I shall proceed to what is more Material viz. To Treat of the Diseases incident to Children and prescribe proper Remedies which a Nurse by these directions may give them for the restoring Health c. CHAP. XVIII Of the Diseases Incident to Children With their Cure HUrts and Bruises often happen to a Child coming out of the Womb especially in hard Labour and when any such appear immediately make a Fomentation of Roses Melilot Cammomile Flowers and St. John's wort in White-wine and bathe the parts with it warm Anointing it afterward with a mixture of the Oyl of these Give it a little Black-Cherry-Water or Canary wherein Saffron has been tempered and let it rest laying a Lenitive Plaister of White-bread and Bole-Armoniack boild in Milk Swelling of the Head has sometimes it's beginning from the Womb for the Mother being with Child and not careful of her Diet Crudities and Raw Humours are thereby gathered and breed a Waterish Blood which the Child feeding on and not able to digest or evacuate during it's being in the Matrix it settles in the Head and causes Swellings and sometimes from other Causes viz. Windyness c. If it proceeds from Water it subjects the Child to Vertigo's and Epilepsies little Sleep much Fretfulness and Crying Wind causes Pains and Drowsiness for these let the Child have pleasant Scents to refresh the Brain as Flowers or Spices but not any strong Perfumes Give not any thing that breeds much moisture or Phlegme or any ways subjects it to Windyness Wash the Head with the decoction of Sage Bettony Agrimony Calamint Anny-seeds Fennel-seeds Flowers of Cammomile Red-Roses boiled in spring Water And lay to the Crown of the Head and Temples a Plaister viz. Bees-wax an ounce Oyl of Cammomile and Roses and Vnguentum Comitissae each half an ounce Sage and Bettony Dryed to powder each two dreams and give it a little Manna disolved in Milk that may gently move the Humours Children have sometimes excrescences of Flesh on the Roofs of their Mouths The Lips cleft commonly called a Hare-Lip And to Remedy these it is properly a Surgeons business and beyond the Sphere of Nurses by reason they require Incision and therefore I forbear to give directions in them and require the Nurse or Parents as soon as the Child is of strength to endure the operation to send for an ingenious Artist to Remedy these defects Diseases in the Eyes Ears and Nose often happen and for the first if there be a Dullness of Sight Redness or Watery Rheums in the Eyes wash them with Plantain and Eyebright Water Morning Evening beat up a Yolk of an Egg with some Oyl of Roses a Rotten Apple some Crumbs of White-bread and a little Bole-Armorick spread it thinn upon a fine Cloath and clap another very thin Cloath upon it to prevent it's going into the Childs Eyes and so bind it over them when it is layed down to rest and renew it every six hours and the effects will answer your Expectation If the Nose be stoped with Slimy or Tough Matter so that there is a great difficulty in Breathing then dip a Lint in Vnguentum Rosatum and thrust up
the Nose and when it is taken out spurt up a little White-wine to make it sneze and keep it very warm If the Eares run or are stoped up drop in a drop or two of the Oyl of bitter Almonds once or twice a day cleansing them with Lint twisted at the end of a small Bod-kin or Wyer diped in Bettony-water If the Eares be Fretted behind or Galled take Nut Oyl half an ounce the like quantity of White Bees-wax and a little of the Juice of Housleek temper them over a gentle Fire till they may be spread like a Plaister and apply it to the Sore part If an Vlcer or Thrush happen in the Childs Mouth disolve a quarter of an ounce of Allom in an ounce of honey made thin with White-wine and Gargle the Mouth with it Then Cool the Mouth with Honey of Roses Syrup of Violets and Plantain Water well mixed together Inflamation or Sweling in the Gums to Remedy it Rub the Nape of the Neck the Jaws and Temples with Oyl of Roses as also the Gums with Honey of Roses and then the Juice of St. John's-wort well Incorporated over a gentle Fire laying a hot Figg flit in sunder to the Swelled place The string under the Tongue sometime comes from the bottom and reaches to the tip This requires only to be cut with a very small Instrument to a convenient proportion that the tongue may neither be straightned nor loll out to hinder the utterance of words and to cure the pain it may occasion rub it with honey The Cough is dangerous to little children by making them Strain cast too much To remedy it take a little Licorice Aniseeds Figs and a blade or two of Mace boil them well in Ale sweeten it with white Sugar-Candy and give the Child a spoonfull or two at a time pretty warm The Navel swelling is another Grief Incident to Children wherefore when it is any ways Inflamed anoint it with Vnguentum Rosatum and Populeon mixed together and give it cooling things so the swelling will abate by swathing gently with a Linnen Cloth and laying on a Poultis of Mallows Cammomile and Hoggs-Lard Griping and Fretting of the Bowels occasioned by too much Moistness or Saltness is not only Painful but Dangerous to Children For this a Clister of cooling Herbs boiled in Milk and seasoned with Sugar is a seasonable relief taking immediately after it a dram of Venice Treacle disolved in a spoonful of treacle-Treacle-water Worms are very frequent and troublesome in Children Taints their Breath and makes them Pine away whether in the Belly or Stomach Therefore to remove them with the slimy cold Humour they are bred of Boil some Tops of Rhue in White-Wine sweeten it and give the Child Morning and Night very warm Then Cummin-seed Navel-wort mix with them a little Ox-gall and grated Nutmeg lay them between two thin Cloaths and apply them warm to the Belly and Stomach Teeth in Breeding cause Pain and many times Feavours To make them breed easily beat Corral to Powder mix it in a little dissolved Allom and Honey rub the Gums hard with it and it will make way for the Teeth to come out the easier And if notwithstanding they come not forward kindly an incision may be made in the Gums And to asswage and ease the Pain in breeding Teeth string the small Roots of Smallage like a Neck-lace and tye it about the Childs Neck Convulsions or Fits of the Mother are very dangerous and troublesome For this anoint the Stomach and Temples with Oleum Ireum or with Oyl of Lillies give it agrain of Bezor in a spoonful of Plantain-water and Bathe the Forehead with the distilled Water of sweet Marjorum Ruptures or the falling down of the Tail-gut must be taken speedy care of This happens sometimes to come into the World with them To remedy this the parts swelling Out or falling Down may be bathed with the Decoction of Roses Melilot Flowers of Cammomile Knot-grass in fair-water Then apply this Plaister to the Part or as near as may be viz. Take Powder of Mastick Olibanum and Sarcocol each a dram Syprus-Nuts two drams bees-wax and Oyl of Mastick each half an ounce make them into a Plaister over a gentle fire by well mixing bind and keep up the parts and let the Feeding for sometime be sparing especially give nothing that causes Windyness or Cold afflicting Humours that Lax the Parts and mainly occasion these defects but rather take such things as are Drying and Restringent To retain Urin and not Piss a Bed Take the Powder of a dryed Acorn and that of the Inner Skin of the Gizard of a Capon give a dram at a time in a spoonful of White-wine CHAP. XIX Of the Small Pox in Children It 's Cause Symptoms and Cure THe Small Pox is a Disease very incident to Children and is so generally known that I need not use many words to describe it It proceeds from adust Blood mixt with Flegm and Choller and always beginneth with a Fever soon after which there ariseth small Pustula's upon the Skin throughout all the Body which do not suddenly come forth but by intermission in some more or less according to the quality of the Body infected therewith If these Pustula's appear red with general pain and great heat in the Body it is a sign it proceeds from Blood If they come from Choller they will appear of a Yellowish Red and Clear Colour with a Pricking Pain in all the Body But if they come of Flegm they will appear of a Whitish colour and scaly And if they come of Melancholy they will appear Blackish with a pricking Pain When they appear in a short time and look red in their coming out and white after they are come forth growing speedily to Maturation and that the Child draws its Breath easily and the Fever leaves it there is great hopes of its recovery But when the Pox lies hidden within and appears not outwardly or if after they are come out they strike in again and Vanish away or if they look of a Black Blewish and Green colour and are attended with difficulty of Breathing and a Flux or Lask also when the Pox run together in Blisters like scalding Bladders and then on the sudden do sink down and grow dry with a hard black Scar or Crust as if it had been burnt with a hot Iron all these are very ill signs and denotes Death In the Cure of this distemper the usual way is to let Blood in the Basilica Vein in the right Arm But in Children and those that are very weak I hold it better to let it alone and leave the work to Nature especially in Sucking Children For when we see Nature endeavouring to expel the Malignity we ought not to use any means at-all but leave the whole Operation to Nature which we must only help by keeping the Body in a reasonable heat But if the Pox is slow in coming forth you must help Nature with Cordials
the Baking continue firm and very close if the Milk of a Boy if not it will be Spungy The Right Side of the Belly will be bigger and more Coppid than the Left The stirring of the Womb is oftener and more lively The Male Child lieth above the Navel by reason of it's heat The Mother will be quick and Nimble and of a healthful Constitution in her condition c. If it be a Girl it lieth low in the Belly as it were at the bottom because of the Coldness and Weight of the matter that forms it The Mother at sundry times has a Pale Heavy and Dusky Complexion her Eyes not bright and sparkling or Lively She is Froward Fretful and often Pained in the Back and Shoulders Her Left Breast bigger than the Right the Milk thin and blewish her Belly often flatting and the Motion lieth on the Left side and is seldom quick till the fourth Month The Veins of her Thighs and Groin are bigger and knottier on the Left side than on the Right To make a further Experiment take an equal quantity of Claret and the first Urin in the Morning put them in a Urinal and let them stand twelve hours and if a gross Cloud appear in the middle it denotes a Girl but if at the bottom a Boy if nothing that she is not with Child CHAP. V To know whether a Woman shall have Two Children at a Birth THe Signs of having two Children at a Birth seldom appear before the third or fourth Month and then the Motions must be carefully observed as also the Swelling of the Belly For if the Motion be strong and forcible on either Side at one Instant it denotes two Children in the Womb. Likewise if the Belly appear more swollen and bigger than in other Child-bearing and the Sides rise higher than the Middle of the Belly so that there seems a kind of a valley or Line of separation from the Navel downwards if the Burthen be born with difficulty and the Belly often fall on the Thighs and Hips there is no great doubt of giving Judgment as to the premises and whether they be Boys or Girls or both I refer you to consider and compare the former observations CHAP. VI. How a Woman during her going with Child ought to be Dieted and what kind of Meats and Drinks are most proper and conducing to her Health and safe Delivery THIS much concerns childing Women to be careful in observing if they would enjoy perfect Health and bear strong and healthful Children and in this I shall observe what things are particularly required and what to be Avoided In the first place let her Dwell in a good and temperate Air neither too hot cold or waterish not subject to Foggs Mists cold North-Winds or to moist South ones For Hippocrates is of the Opinion That bad Airs or Cold or Moist Winds blowing strongly frequently cause Miscarriage especially to those of nice and tender Breeding by afflicting them with Rheums Distillations troublesome Coughs All ill Scents and Noisome Vapours are subject to do the like so that Aristotle forbids Women with Child to come within the smell of the Snuff of a Candle newly put out lest it cause Abortion Miscarriage or untimely Labour Dyet must be so chosen as it may be seasonable and properly nourishing on this occasion breeding good juice and moderately drying the Quantity sufficient for more than her own proper Nourishment at other times Nor must she give her self to Fasting especially to any Considerable degree for if the Child wants it's due Nourishment in the Womb it will either not encrease to the purpose or dwindle away when it is increased and being Born will become Weakly and subject to Diseases Too great a Quantity is however to be avoided for that many times stifles a Child through too much abundance of Nourishment or makes it so unweildy it cannot keep in its Place and therefore is constrained to come forth before it's time or grow Sickly in the Womb. All Meats which are eitheir too Hot too Cold or too Moist must be avoided especially in the beginning of Meals Salt Meats and those heated with Spice are hurtful Aristotle forbids all manner of Baked Meats to Childing Women Her bread must be good Wheat well Kneaded and Baked and the most agreeable Meats are Pullets Chickens Capons Young Pidgeons Pheasants Turtle Doves Partridges Larks Veal Mutton and Broth with a mixture of Hot and Cooling Herbs For Sallads Lettuce Endive Borrage Bugloss Sorrell or in lieu of these to close the Stomach after Dinner and temperate the Heat cooling moderate Fruits as preserved Pears baked Wardens Quinces or Marmalades Damisons Plumbs Apricocks Ripe Grapes Goosberries Currants but of none of these too much least they Create Phlegmes and they cause offensive Coughing c. And tho' I may here prescribe notwithstanding all a Woman with Child has sometimes such a disorderly Appetite by reason of a full and sharp Humour which is contained within the Membranes of the Stomach that many times they desire things against Nature as Couls Chalk Charcole white-wall c. that can be no manner of Nourishment but certainly offensive These tho' unruly Appetite Crave or make them as they say Long for them yet be ruled by Reason Let a Woman consider she is a Rational Creature and ought to be guided by Reason and not run into Extravagancy to hurt her self where that contradicts it When any Impatient Longings happen for things that are hurtful the Mind must by degrees be turned from that to something that is more agreeable and so by degrees they may wean themselves from all Extravagancies As to Drinks good nourishing Wine not too strong nor too much at a time as Canary Malago Sherry Claret also Ale that is not Foul or Mudy Beer not too Stale Rasberry Cherry or Currant Wines new Milk but very little either of Whey Cyder or Gooseberry Wine or any sharp things by reason they cause Gripings and do much harm to Childing Women CHAP. VII Of Sleep Exercise Labour and great Noises as they tend to the Advantage or Prejudice of Women with Child AS for Sleep it must be Moderate and in seasonable times in the Night lying soft and easie shifting sides as often as she wakes Exercise Moderately performed helps the Birth by Loosing the Cotiledons or vessels of the Matrix whereby the Infant acquires it's Nourishment going a moderate Pace or riding softly is well but Jolting in Coaches Waggons or on Horse-back is very much to be avoided by reason they frequently occasion Abortion Too much Labour is hurtfull Yet as Aristotle observes moderate Labour contributes to a safe and easie Delivery because thereby those Excrements are Consumed which Sloath and Idleness would retain or rather Ingender And to keep her Belly soluble which in this Case is required she may take some Broth wherein Pruins are boiled stewed Apples Sugar with a little Butter Buglos Borrage Purslain Lettuce with a little of the