seven or eight Ounces of Blood from the Arm If she be weak I would recommend to her the following Prescription which I value as a Jewel and have always found very successful in such Cases Take a Quart of fine Caraway Water two Ounces of fine Rhubarb an Ounce of the Syrop of Clove-Gilliflowers Mix altogether in a bottle and shake it three or four times a Day for one Week then strain it off as ye make use of it take two or three Spoonfuls Some that are very weak may take it once in two Days all the time of their being with Child I value it as an incomparable Medicine If ye please ye may distil the following Water Take of fresh Eringo Roots one Pound Dates half a Pound Sweet Almonds four Ounces bruise and pound 'em all to a Pulp Then add Nutmegs three Ounces Mace half an Ounce Barly and Cinnamon water of each a Quart Canary and balm-Balm-water of each a Quart mix and distil adding to every Quart when drawn off four Ounces of fine powder'd Sugar This daily taken nourishes the Child in the VVomb and prevents Miscarriages The following Decoction of Rhubarb is very good in such cases Take two Ounces of Rhubarb four Ounces of Corants bruis'd three Ounces of the Roots of Sorrel half an Ounce of sweet Fennel-seed three Pound of fountain-Fountain-water boyl all to two Pound then strain and add of white Sugar clarified three Ounces You may take from two Spoonfuls to three in Milk Water or White-wine or Ale If in case of a sudden Indisposition ye prove Feaverish and Bound and cannot get the abovementioned things made ye may send to the Apothecaries for one Ounce of Diaprunum Lenitive and ten Grains of Sal Prunellae and take the one half of it going to Bed and the other half next Morning drink warm Ale after it 'T is a delicate thing to cool and loosen the Belly to quench Thirst and refresh the Body in Consumptions Hectick Feavers c. if taken often On the other hand 't is as bad to have too great a Looseness as to be Bound too long For once or twice a Day is sufficient If therefore ye be subject to be over loose you may at Night take half an Ounce of Conserve of Red Roses with half a Dram of Diascordium and qualify your Drink with a piece of Steel made red hot I would recommend the following Electuary for stopping of Vomiting expelling Wind removing the Cholick and in general against all cold Diseases in the Head which is also very effectual in stopping a Looseness and strengthening the Child in the Mothers Womb. Take Conserve of Red Roses Green Ginger preserved of each two Ounces Spirit of Vitriol two Drams Work 'em very well in a Mortar then add half an Ounce of the Powder of Cinnamon one Dram of the Powder of Cloves and as much of the Syrup of Violets as is necessary for the Consistency of an Electuary Take one Dram of it as often as ye have occasion now and then a Draught of cinnamon-Cinnamon-water upon it is extraordinary good If the Woman with Child be troubled with a Singultus or Hickup Take three Grains of Musk powder'd in a Glass Mortar Add to it two Ounces of strong cinnamon-Cinnamon-water and ten or fifteen Grains of the Oyl of Cloves and take a Spoonful of it at a time till it be stop'd The Sugar of Tormentil is extraordinary good for strengthening and fastening the Foetus in the Womb if taken twice or thrice a Day in half an Ounce or more of Distill'd Milk-water 'T is made after this manner Take of Tormentil Roots powder'd one Ounce and a half Cinnamon Powder half an Ounce of white Sugar-candy one Pound Cinnamon-water one Pint add all together put 'em in an Earthen Pan over the Fire stirring it gently with a Silver Spoon till it become dry Keep it for use in a Gallypot ty'd down close If you will you may take a Dram of Confectio Alkermes with it or the Syrup of the Juice of Alkermes The following is also very useful 't is call'd Pulvis Griseus or the Gray Powder Take Crabs-Eyes Sage of each two Ounces finely powder'd white Chalk one Ounce Nutmegs powder'd two Drams Mix all very well in a Mortar and tie it down in a Glass 'T is an admirable thing against Looseness pains of the Stomach tho never so vehement and Heart-burning You may take half a Dram or a Dram in Barly Cream or Milk twice a Day Ye may give to a Child as much as will lie upon a Six-pence If she be troubled with Swooning or Fainting Fits the following Corallated Powder is admirable good Take of Red Coral finely powder'd Sugar treble refin'd of each two Ounces Oyl of Cinnamon ten Drops or Powder of Cinnamon two Drams finely powder'd and mix'd in a Mortar very well Then take half a Dram or a Dram in any Cordial Water If she be troubled with Coughs Asthma's Obstructions of the Lungs c. which are all very apt to procure Abortion she may make use of the following Powder Take fine Benjamin an Ounce and an half Sulphur Vive three Ounces Anniseeâ—s one Ounce Sugar of Roses two Ounces powder all very finely then mix 'em The Dose is half a Dram twice a Day in a soft boil'd Egg Morning and Night Or ye may take it three times a Day in Syrup of Hyssop or Liquorice Or Take Spanish Juice of Liquorice slic'd thin three Ounces put it in two Pound of Canary let it be shak'd three or four times a day then add Elecampain-Roots slic'd one Ounce After one Week ye may take from three to four Spoonfuls often If ye please ye may add to it some Syrup of Hyssop or some Syrup of Jujubes I have seen wonderful success with it Sometimes Women with Child are very subject to Pains in the Stomach and loathing of Meat I use to give on such occasions the following Electuary Take Conserve of Clovegilliflowers and Conserve of Red Roses of each two Ounces Syrup of Citron one Ounce Cloves in gross Powder one Ounce mix it in a Mortar for an Electuary You may take the quantity of a Nutmeg in a morning and as much at Night As to the Fluxes of whatever sort that may occasion Abortion or Miscarriage I advise you to take fifteen or thirty drops of Laudanum Liquidum Cydoniatum in a Glass of Canary going to Bed and repeat it often It wonderfully eases all Pains procures Sleep stops all Fluxes in a short time removes Colick Pains or any sort of Disturbance in the Body and comforts the Spirits Or she may take two or three Spoonfuls of a Pearl Cordial or the same quantity of the Syrup of Corals which I choose to prepare after this manner Take of Juice of Limons or Lime-Juice or extraordinary good Vinegar one Pint white Sugar-candy finely powdered one Pound gently melt it over the Fire and add of the Powder of Red Corals finely powder'd two Ounces then continue still to keep it
her Pains come quick and strong beginning at the Reins and sliding down forwards to the Navel and then to the Groins and also inwardly at the bottom of the Belly down to the Neck of the Womb 't is a certain Sign that the Woman is in Labour or will miscarry But for more Satisfaction the midwife may put up her Hand after having annointed it with fine Oil Lard ot Butter and if she perceive the Inner Neck of the Womb to dilate it self she ought to look for the Delivery for that puts it beyond all doubt that Nature is pushing the Child forwards Therefore if she see the Birth come naturally and the Pains grow thicker and faster and feel the Womb opening its Orifice to make way for the Child endeavouring its Exit she ought to assist Nature and withal encourage the Mother to strain and press with her Lower Parts but with all possible Caution so as not to over-act her part or anticipate Nature for if she be so hasty as to widen the Passage with her Fingers or to break the Membranes before the Birth be advanced she creates a great deal of Mischief in making the Waters to break and spend themselves before the Child be come up to be benefited by it The just consideration of such a Consequence ought to oblige all Midwives to wait till the Membranes burst of their own accord Some I warrant you are in haste and want to be gone to another Womans Labour and if the Membranes linger in bursting of their own accord they 'll tear 'em with their Nails rather than dance Attendance upon one Woman Thus these unchristian Women endanger both the Life of Mother and Child which is not half so much in their View as the Money The preserving the Passages slippery and moist facilitates the Birth and lessens the poor Womans Pain which cannot but receive Encrease when the Waters design'd for moistning the passage are unseasonably let out If the Child present naturally the Head comes first then the Midwife must take it gently between her two Hands and when the Pains return slip down her Hands under the Arm-holes and gently draw the Infant forth by degrees but she must observe always to stay her Hand when the Pains begin to relent This must be perform'd by a delicate tender Hand lest the Child by any rough or harsh handling should receive a deform'd shape of Body CHAP. IV Containing Directions to a midwife what to do when the Child is just come into the World WHen the Child is come into the World which is commonly with his Face downward it must be suddenly turned upon its back to prevent its being stifled for want of Air. Then let the Midwife pull out the Navel-string leaving the length of Four Fingers and tye it with a silk Thread as near the Belly as may be laid aside while this is a doing all Care must be had that the Head and Stomach be well cover'd and that nothing come upon the Face The Midwife's next task is gently to draw forth the After-birth If the Navel-string be not broken it will easily conduct the Hand by following it to the place where the After-birth lies which is generally between the Navel and Small of the Woman's Belly And indeed 't is a great Conveniency to have this guide upon which account I would advise all Midwives to be very cautious in handling the Navel-string for fear they break it As soon then as you have introduc'd your Hand into the Womb towards its Fund or Bottom you will find the Burthen which you may know by a great number of little unequal Risings which are always made there by the Roots of the Umbilical Vessels on the one side where they terminate which makes it to be easily distinguishable from the Womb. If it still adhere to the Womb you must put some of your Fingers between it and the Womb endeavouring by little and little to squeeze 'em in till ye find it quite loose and then draw it forth very carefully But in all this Operation you must carefully take notice not to scratch or scrape the least part of the Womb for fear of creating a Flooding Inflammation Gangrene or Ulcers which generally prove very fatal As likewise not to draw it out till it be wholly or most part of it separated for fear of drawing forth the Womb along with it Besides the Company is generally curious to see it and if it be whole not torn or rent it redounds to the credit and reputation of the Midwife Therefore I would advise all Midwives never to extract the Burthen without putting up their Hand to separate it cleanly from the Womb. This done the Child may be held in a good Mothers Lap and kept warm whilst the Midwife is busied in taking Care of the Woman to get her into Bed and her Skirt ready and her Closures putting five double up to the Womb to prevent the cold Air 's entring in Then she must lay her Legs a-cross and so be left to fall asleep by degrees If she be very Faintish she may take a Dram of Confection Alkermes in cinnamon-Cinnamon-water or Wine or fine Oyl and Sugar-Candy or Nutmeg and Sugar or Oyl of Sweet Almonds and Syrup of Maidenhair or a little Gruel or Cawdel The Woman being thus taken Care of she must turn next to the Child and having tyed up the Navel-string she ought in the next place to cleanse the Infant not only in the Face but over the whole Body then anoint the Groins Hips Buttocks Thighs and Joints with Oyl of sweet Almonds or fresh Butter and Beer or Water and Lard warm'd This makes the Skin more firm shuts up its Pores securing 'em from the offence of the Circumambient Air. After the Child is thus well anointed dried and wrapt up she may give it in a Spoon a little fine Oyl and Sugar with a little cinnamon-Cinnamon-water or Sack and Sugar and Oyl or Mithridate taking the quantity of a Pease in Wine with a little Spirit of Lavender After that let it rest half an hour then let it go to the Breast or if you please you may first give a Pap Spoonful of Gruel or Cawdel to make the Mouth slippery It many times happens that the Mother having two Children in her Belly the one comes forth very well and the other with a great deal of Difficulty in which case that which comes first is the strongest The Midwife's Duty upon such Occasions is when the first is brought forth to Cut the Navel-String as was above directed and tye it fast to the Womans Thigh with Tape or Filleting and then set about drawing forth the other Infant which must be gone about very Cautiously observing all the Rules already mentioned CHAP. V. How to manage the Woman when Delivered Having now conducted you through the different Circumstances of Labour and Delivery my next Business is to shew how you are to treat the Woman when laid in the Straw You must apply a
Bound give it a Clyster of Milk with half an Ounce of Maâ—â—â—s dissolv'd in it Ye may give it inwardly some Mint-water dissolving in it five or 〈◊〉 Grains of Mithridate with some drops of Spirit of Hartshorn This is good also against all kind of Worms if ye add a sufficient quantity of the Spirit Outwardly ye may anoint the Back-bone with Oyl of Amber from the Head quite down to the Hips every Night If the Fits continue ye may give two or three drops inwardly elder Persons can take more Let the Nurse boil Water and Bread very well then add Milk to it and give it to the Child sometimes she may add a little Câ—â—â—ry and at Night if the Child prove very froward add a little Diascordium every other Night Now and then if the Child prove Restless the Nurse that gives Suck may drink a good Draught of White-wine Posset with a Dram of Diascordium mix'd with it She ought to keep her self stirring and bustling up and down that the Milk may be the steâ—r A moderate Exercise and a temperate way of Living are very useful Companions for a good Nurse We see that Persons of Quality and Honour generally Bury two or three out of four Children whilst the Country Labourer sayes seven out of eight The reason of the Dâ—â—â—â—â—ence is too evident Whâ—â— the Child is New Born it is sometimes extreamly afflicted with Throws and Violent Pains To remove so dangerous a Symptom I counsel you immediately upon its coming into the World to rub 〈◊〉 all over with hot Canary or White-wine and fresh Butter or Lard and dry the Child with hot Flannel To some â—hildren if their Circumstances require ye must presently give a Clyster of 〈◊〉 Milk with a Spoonful of the Syrup of Cowslips and a Spoonful or two to the Mother as soon as she is in Bed After that she may take in her Mouth a Spoonful of Sugar with some Nutmegs And sometimes a little of the Tincture of Saffron 'T is made thus Take Saffron two Drams Cochineil powder'd a Dram treacle-Treacle-water half a Pint shaking it three or four times a Day at first then let it stand in your Closet as the best of Cordials It chears the Heart resists Melancholy expels Poyson and carries off a Feaver if ye take two or three Ounces of it It may be given also to such Children as are troubled with Phlegm You ought to have Syrup of Violets by you and put up a Violet Comfit for the Child 's Gripes or a Suppository of a Marshmallow Root dipt in Oyl or fresh Butter or Lard stroaking the Stomach Sometimes Infants are troubled with a Sore mouth or as some will have it a Cancer in their mouths In this case take of Borax finely powdered a little in a Quill and blow it into the Child's mouth Let it take often of the Syrup of Mulberries Barberries or Slows or of the Syrup of Woodsorrel If the child be troubled with Fits as it frequently happens take Syrup of single Piony one Ounce Spirit of Castor a Dram Treacle Water two Ounces mix all very well and let the child take it often And ye may add sometimes five drops of liquid Laudanum If the child be afflicted with Worms or be Pot-belly'd let it take 3 of the following Powders every change of the Moon The Pouder is to be kept in a Glass and is to be taken in Broth in the morning 'T is as follows Take Crabs Eyes Scammony finely pouder'd of each an Ounce of Sweet Mercury half an Ounce They must be first well levigated and then mix'd The child may take according to its strength from ten Grains to fifteen or sixteen Sometimes children are born with their Cods full of Wind then ye must bathe them with hot White Wine and Fresh Butter then truss up the child with hot Flannel and give it a spoonful as often as ye will of this Infusion Take one Ounce of Anniseeds one Ounce of Ginger steep 'em in one pint of good Canary and keep it for use If the Infant be troubled with the Fall of the Fundament ye must take the upper Leather of an Old Shooe cut it small and lay it upon the coals in a chafing dish in a close stool and set the child right over the smoak of it and keep the part warm with hot Flannel This will certainly cure it Sometimes the Thighs and Legs of children are so weak and feeble that they ought to be artificially strengthned I can be very positive in commending the following Ointment on such occasions Take Neatsfoot Oyl one Gallon fine Brandy two Pound Fresh Butter eight Pound Green Wheat in Iune twenty Pound Bay Leaves one Pound Bruise all in a Mortar very well then put it into a large well-glaz'd Pot and stir it very well then cover it with Paste very close all round the top put it into an Oven to bake as long as a good big Loaf then draw it out before it be cold strain it out into a good Pot and if ye will add one pound of the Marrow of Oxe Bones it will be the better You must rub the hinder parts of the Thighs and Legs by a fire morning and night 'T is a wonderful strengthener of the Legs I have cured a child in three months with the bare using of it after it had been given over by an Eminent Physician that had it in hand three years and at last said it would never be able to go in this world This Ointment has a wonderful Vertue in asswaging the hardness of Breasts or curdling of the Milk if ye add to every ounce of it two Drams of Sperma Coeti I anoint 'em with it twice a day and draw the Nipple very well and meet with extraordinary success in it For sore Nipples it is incomparable Dry the Nipple with a Rag before ye anoint and after anointing keep the Rag close to the Nipple Whilst I am discoursing of Young Children I 'll take occasion to communicate to you the Composition of another Ointment that is of extraordinary Service in healing all manner of out-breakings in childrens Faces or Heads The Composition is this Take the Fat End of the best Breast of Mutton you can get spit it and roast it all the while it is at the fire baste it extraordinary well with Tar and put one ounce of Cinamon and half an ounce of Cloves grossly pouder'd into the Dripping-Pan so let it drop on the Pouders while it roasts Let it stand all night the next day strain it out into a Pot for use And withal give the child every day of the Syrup of Rhubarb in Drink or Broth with Syrup of Violets The Woman that observes these Rules and manages her Infants neatly is in a fair way of having Lusty Children Some Women are over-careless in not giving the child to suck when it needs it though by the bye 't is as great a Fault to over-suckle a child and choak it with crude raw
both but before I proceed any further there are some accessory qualities besides that of Knowledge and Dexterity which are very graceful and desireable in a Midwife which I cannot well pass by She ought to be neither too young nor too Old of a good habit of Body her Hands small and gentile with her Nails pared close and without Rings in the time of her Duty She must be chearful pleasant strong laborious and inur'd to Fatigue it being required that she should be â—tirring at all hours and abiding a long time together with her Patient She ought to be Courteous Sober Chaste of an even patient Temper not apt to repine or quarrel she ought to be Wise and Silent not apt to talk foolishly of what she sees in the Houses where she hath to do to observe the Humour of her Patient and endeavour to divert her with what she finds most agreeable She ought to be a Woman of Understanding capable to counsel advise and Comfort the Person in Labour to bear her up under despondency to fortify her against Fear or Immoderate Repining Lastly she ought to be a Religious Pious Woman as the fittest Person to be about People in that Extremity of Danger Women of no Principle are generally biass'd by Interest or an imaginary Reputation They love to engross all the Credit and Honour of an Operation to themselves rather than any body should share with them in a Creditable Performance they 'll endanger the Life both of Mother and Child But such Women who are either tender of their own own Souls or of their Patients Lives will be more willing to yield to any thing that may contribute to their Benefit If the assistance of a Man-Surgeon be necessary to accomplish the work they 'll give 'em timely notice to send for him One would think that it would justifie a Midwife's Knowledge and Honesty to send for an Assistant in case of danger more than if she confided too much in her own Capacity To suffer either Woman or Child to die under her Hand is a tarnish upon her Reputation But to advise or counsel a poor Woman in case of Extremity to be Laid by a Man and so save her Life is a Laudable Action Suppose she wav'd her imaginary Reputation to save their Lives she 'll be valued and esteem'd the more amongst all the good and Wise. The cases in which they ought to call for Assistance are when the Child presents amiss or the Birth comes wrong either with or without Pain When Floodings happen with Blood tho' there be little or no Pain When the Waters are broken and the Child does not follow whether at full time or not In this last Case 't is absolutely necessary for Convulsions and many other dismal accidents may happen upon retarding the Delivery There are some froward and self-conceited Midwives that stand not to perswade the poor Women that whenever a Man comes one or both must necessarily die By this means it sometimes comes to pass that a Man is not sent for till the last Gasp till the Woman be just a dying or the Child dead already But such as have ever experienc'd the benefit of being Laid by a Skillful Man-Midwife won't be so easily scar'd by such inconsiderable Bugbears A Man expert in his Galling if timely sent for will deliver the Woman in a Moment save her a great deal of Trouble and Pain and by successful Operations justifie the Merits of his Profession We have some Instances of publick Punishment inflicted on such Midwives in the Neighbouring Kingdom of France for being accessory to the murther both of the Mother and Child I remember a particular Example when the King of France called a Midwife in Question for not calling for a Man's Assistance in a case of extream danger the Crime was lookt upon as but one remove from murther and the barbarous Woman forbid publick Practice for ever CHAP. II. What preparatory offices are incumbent on the Midwife when the Woman is near the time of her Delivery WHen a Woman with Child is apprehensive of her approaching Labour she ought to have her House and Family in Order lest any occasional Disorder should disturb her in the time of her Lying-in she ought to have hâ—r own Room clean and sweet the Linnen about her Body clean and what Linnen is necessary for other occasions got ready and in its proper place that when her Pains come they may not be hurrying and shuffling about from Room to Room crying Where is this or Where is that When all things within doors are put to rights they ought to be quick in calling the Midwife rather sooner than later Some Women have a trick of putting it off as long as ever they can before they send for the midwife but the safer way is to send for her as soon as they find the least motion to a Delivery for fear of a Surprisal Her midwife being call'd the next thing is to send for the Assistance of some sober wise Women among her Neighbours such as have gone through the like hazard before but above all take care there be no frightful whimsical resolute head-strong drunken whispering talkative sluttish Women amongst them Any of these Extreams is not not only unsuitable and unbecoming but highly pernicious One of such Women may do more harm than three modest wise Women can do good CHAP. III Explaining a Midwife's Duty in time of Travel First know if she is in her full time by asking her and when you find her Pains growing let her walk leisurely up and down the Chamber for some time afterwards she may lye down keeping herself warm then give her the following Draught which may be repeated every hour or two Take three or four Spoonfuls of Cinnamon-water twenty drops of Spirit of Hartshorn and half a dram of Borax finely powder'd mix all together and give it her to drink when lying upon the Bed After that she may rise and walk again expecting the coming down of her Waters and the opening of the Womb and after a hour or two take the like quantity again if her Pains don't prevent it As to the Posture of her Body 't is certain all Women are not alike easie in the same Posture Some are best Deliver'd lying in their Beds others sitting on a Chair or Stool or on the side of the Bed others on their Knees being supported by People under their Arms. But if she be Delivered in her Bed which I take to be the best way let her be laid upon her Back her Head lifted up a little higher with a Pillow 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 held by two strong Women Her own Personal Duty is to be of good Courage to force her Pains down as much as she can by stopping her Mouth and keeping her Breath And when