ounce melt all these together in a double vessel and let the skin lie and soke in it three or foure daies mouing stirring them together daily then take it foorth and spred it in the aire and let it lie there two or three daies till it haue sok't in all the oile become drie then cut it to the forme bignesse of the belly and so apply it The daintie and curious may vse the former liniments and skin they that haue not the meanes to do either let them Take of fresh Butter well wash't in common water and then in Rose-water three ounces oile of sweet Almonds one ounce Spermaceti halfe an ounce and with these melted together rub their belly These Ointments must be kept in a gally pot and couered with Rose water to keepe them from being mustie When the Woman is come to the ninth Moneth hauing been in good health all the time of her going with child she must continue the vse of the aforesaid Ointments and must begin to vse more exercise then she did before walking gently before meales the first twelue or fifteene daies and then afterward it will be good to vse stronger exercise It will be very profitable for her especially after the ten or twelue first daies of the ninth moneth be past to sit in the decoction following after the maner of a halfe Bath some quarter or halfe an hower in the morning and then being well dried and laid to bed let her be annointed behind all along the lower part of her backe and before from the Nauill downward and chiefly vpon Os Pubis and the groine with the ointment following Take of Mallowes Althaea with their roots Motherwort of each two handfull white Lilly roots three ounces Chamomill and Melilot flowers of each a good handfull Lin-seed Quince-seed and Foenigreeke of each an ounce Boyle them all in sufficient quantitie of running water for the Bath Take of Hensfat three ounces Duckes fat an ounce and a halfe fresh Butter two ounces Linseed oile an ounce and a halfe Melt them all together then wash them verie well in Parietarie and Mugwort water adding thereto two ounces of the Muccilage of Althaea Roots In which space let her take this drinke euery morning fasting Take of Oile of sweet Almonds newly drawen without fire an ounce white Wine halfe an ounce Parietarie water one ounce mingle them together Some haue found good by taking the yelke of an Egge and drinking a draught of Hypocras after it Others take a little Wine and water wherein lin-Lin-seed hath been stieped Let this or the like order and gouernment be obserued for a Woman that is of a good habit of body and who in her going with Child hath not been subiect to any sicknesse or accident of moment bearing her Children well without much paine But because there be many which are troubled with diuers accidents which happen in their Child-bearing I thought good heere to treat thereof briefly before I speake of their Deliuerie Of many infirmities which trouble Women while they are great with Child CHAP. VII IT becomes a Woman well at all times and chiefly in her Child-bearing and after her Deliuerie to haue a care as much as she can possiblie of the preseruation of her Beautie since there is nothing that sooner decaies and spoileth it then the often bearing of Children But as Health is more precious and recommendable then Beautie and seeing that a woman with Child may be troubled and oppressed with many accidents and infirmities during the nine Moneths she beares her child it will be therefore verie necessary and profitable to seeke out the meanes to free and deliuer them thereof For in loosing the Mother the life of the Child is also hazarded Aristotle in his booke De generatione Animalium is of opinion That bruit beastes going with young are not subiect to any diseases and contrariwise that Women are verie often sicke Hippocrates saith That they be pale and wan to shew that they are subiect to many infirmities In times past when men and women were sold like slaues if there were any found that were with child she was not warranted for whole and sound by him that fold her as Vitruuius writes in his second book because they were troubled and subiect to so many diseases In the first three or foure Moneths such infirmities chiefly happen for many causes First because they liue as Aristotle saith for the most part in idlenesse and eate ill meates which are turned into excrements and breed many obstructions the fountaine and beginning of all diseases the second is the great suppression and stopping of bloud whereof they were wont to be purged euery Moneth before their being with Child which runs to the Matrice to be voided find that accustomed passage which it had woont to haue but being not able to get forth and much lesse to be spent and digested by the Child which is as yet but little it returnes backe into the vaines chiefly those which are neere the stomacke and through the long continuance is there corrupted and changed to be of a bad qualitie whereof proceeds this depraued and disordinate appetite which the Latins call Pica or Malacia Loathing of meat Hicket Vomiting Paines of the stomacke Flanckes and Belly Ache of the backe Hips and Groine difficultie of making water Panting and beating of the heart with Sounning the Cough binding and Fluxe of the belly swelling of the Thighs and Feet and sometimes Abortment not being able to beare their Children the full time together with many other accidents whereof we will speake hereafter beginning with the Pica which troubleth them oftnest and longest Of the disordinate longing called Pica CHAP. VIII WEe commonly say the appetite is depraued when beyond measure we couet to eate and drinke too much in respect of what hunger naturally requireth Or when we desire or long after meats which are vnusuall and offend in qualitie and are not drest and prepared as they ought Of this depraued Appetite there be diuers sorts The first is called Boulimos of the Greeks and of the Latins Fames vaccina appetētia immodica When they eate more then is requisite not being able to satisfie themselues And if hunger vrge them farther and grow greater then it is called of the Latins Appetitus caninus or Fames insatiabilis and the partie eates till he be full euen to the throat that he is constrained to vomit his stomacke being so ouercharged But then presently he is driuen to eat againe and then to vomit from whence the Prouerbe is taken He is returned like a Dog to his vomit The like hapneth for drinking as for eating which the Latins call Sitis immodica which is so great that the tongue cleaues to the roofe of the mouth not being able to eate or speake except the mouth be first moistned and the
dried in women with child through the great heate that is in the intrailes which makes them that they cannot easily flow The sedentary life also that women leade is cause that their excrements are stayed and gather themselues together by little and little and at the length stoppe vp the passage This accident brings vnto them flushing in the face headach beating of the Arteries yea and oftentimes an Ague For the curing of this disease a good order in dyet is verie needfull vsing meates that doe moisten and keepe the guts supple and slipperie and withall soften the excrements which must bee done with very great discretion for too much moysture may at length ouer much relaxe the ligaments of the the wombe and of the child and thereby hasten the deliuery Notwitstanding a woman with child being too costiue may vse tender meats as Veale wherewith they may make Brothes with Lettuce Purcelane Sorrell Spinach Beets Buglosse Violet leaues and sometime a little of the herbe called Mercurie Let them vse Prunes and bak't Apples Some take two or three gulps of fresh water before their meales but let them vse gentle exercise to make their excrement follow the more freely It is also verie fit for a woman with child in the morning when she riseth and at night when she goeth to bed to make proffer to vnburthen nature without straining her selfe but verie gently If for all this her belly will not be correspondent it will not be amisse to giue her Clysters Clyster â„ž Malu Bismal Parietar Matric an m. ij flor Chamoem Melilot an p. ij sem Anisi Foenicul an Ê’ ij coquantur in iure pulli vel capit veruec aut vituli in colatur ad quart iij. dissolue Sacch albi olei Violat Butyr recent an â„¥ j. ss vitell ouor numero ij fiat Clyster this may be giuen at twise She may also take some broth wherein is put a spoonfull or two of the water or wine of Seny which is made after this maner Seny wine Take halfe an ounce of Seny well cleansed sixe cloues brused put them into a dish and poure vpon them halfe a pint of wine or water redy to boyle and so let them soke all night and in the morning take two or three spoonfull which must be put into your broth keeping the rest to serue you afterward at your need Of the Fluxe or loosenesse of the Belly which troubleth women with child CHAP. XVI THe Laske in what maner soeuer it be doth put the woman in danger of comming before her time and that for diuers reasons First because thereby the meat they take for their nourishment is voided too soone which should haue staied and been turned into bloud for the nourishing and sustaining both of the Mother and the child And therefore they both remaine weake and feeble which compelleth the child to come foorth and seeke for food else where For as the Prouerbe saith Hunger makes the Wolfe come foorth of the wood Beside the Mother is so troubled with rising out of her bedde as also with much straining her selfe especially if it bee the bloudie Flixe that the wombe oftentimes is ouerturned and relaxed and causeth the childe to bee cast foorth of his place by reason of the moistnesse which runneth continually along the great gut vpon which the wombe is placed Women with great bellies are commonly subiect thereto because of the meats they eat which are of ill iuice whereby the stomacke being weakned and not able to concoct them the expulsiue faculty is compel'd to thrust them downward halfe concocted and indigested otherwise they are corrupted and turned into some maligne sharpe and biting humours as into fretting choller rotten flegme or melancholie which doe corrode and stir vp the bowels and so cause the fluxe of the belly Concerning the cure of it many considerations must be had And first it will be verie fit to know of what kind the fluxe is and what may be cause thereof Now all Fluxes of the belly must needs be one of these three either Diarrhaea Lienteria or Dysenteria which soeuer it be of these if it proceed of a maligne and putride humour it must not be suddainly stopped by astringent medicines least it happen vnto the woman with child as it did vnto Smyrnia as Hippocrat saith who hauing a fluxe of the belly suddainly stopt was deliuered in the the fourth moneth Now to know what kind of fluxe it may be the stooles will shew and testifie If it be not violent it may be suffered to flow gently and for a good while not omitting in the meane time the vse of some Clysters that may asswage the paine if there be any But if it continue that it bee bred of some sharpe and biting humours which knaw the guts and prouoke the expulsiue facultie of which kind are fretting and biting choller or salt flegme and that the Mother seeme to grow weake and faint then must it be remedied with as much speed and care as may be otherwise the woman hauing diuers pangs and prouocations is in danger to be deliuered Wherefore the humour offending must be purged with Rubarb compound sirup of Cichorie and the like which haue been alreadie prescribed in the former Chapters as also the like humours hindred from breeding And therefore she must abstaine from all vnholsome meats especially if the cause thereof proceed from thence Besides the said humors must be allaied and made more gentle that they may not any more prouoke or stir vp the expulssiue vertue the which may be easily done by a good dyet which shall breed as little choller or other bad humours as may be vsing broths made with Purcelance Sorrell Buglosse and the cold seeds adding thereto a little Rise or French Barley The vse of new laid Egges is much commended which must be poched in water Her meat must be rather rost then boiled All spices are to be eschewed Let her drinke be red Wine or steeled water wherein a piece of bread hath been soked This drinke is verie fit and pleasant Take of French Barly dried in a pan a handfull fennill-Fennill-seed coriander-Coriander-seed and Licorise of each two drams boile them in a quart of water adding thereto an ounce of Berberis or two ounces of the iuice of Pomgranats A little before meales let her eat a slice of Marmilade And seeing there often happens paine and gripings together with pangs and throwes because the guts are moued and prouoked therefore they must be washed and the paine mitigated with this Clyster Clister â„ž Hord. integ m.i. chamâ—mel melilot an m.s. Plantag Borag Buglos an m.i. Bulliant in iure capâ—t veruec aut vituli de quo cape quart iij. in quibus dissolue ol violar â„¥ iij. vitell duor ouor sachar rub â„¥ is fiat clyster But if the woman bee further molested with gripings and that she haue great and often prouocations then this Clister will be very fit
that onely which they call simple but also that which hath a contusion ioyned with it For in that great striuing and passing of the child many membranes are not onely bruised and hurt but also broken and torne as it hapneth in young women and in others that are farre in yeares and neuer had any child before Nay sometimes in these the passage of the Matrice and that of Anus are brought into one yea and some suffer great excoriations and hurts in those parts which beeing neglected in some haue come to putrifaction and Gangrenes And heere I must admonish women in childbed not to regard the words of their nurses or keepers which continually preach to them to make much of themselues saying that they had need to fil their bellies which haue been so much emptyed telling them how much bloud they haue lost and do daily loose and that at last they will grow so weake that they will not be able to helpe themselues But these are friuolous reasons for the greatest part of the bloud which a woman voideth then and all her month is but superfluous bloud and is good for nothing which hath beene kept in the body a long time euen the nine moneths that she hath gone with child it beeing now necessary for her health to haue it voided out of her Matrice that so her belly which is swolne and puft vp with the aboundance of bloud like a sponge that is full of water may be quitted discharged and returne to the naturall proportion and bignesse And therefore for their healths sake they must not feede so plentifully the first daies as the vulgar thinke that by this abstinence may hinder the Ague which may happen vnto them and likewise keepe downe the aboundance of bloud which would flow to their breasts and be conuerted into milke and by reason of the store there of grow clotty and curdle and in the end apostumate Wherefore the fiue first daies let her vse Broths panades new egges and gelly not glutting her selfe as commonly they doe either with flesh or Almonds In the morning let her take a supping or broth and so likewise at dinner with a couple of new laid egges and some panade and again at supper let her haue the like closing her stomacke with a little gelly but yet if she mean to nurse her child herselfe shee must feede more plentifully Let her drinke barley water wherein a little Cinamon and a few coriander seeds haue been boyled The great Ladies of Italy doe vse a water made of Capons which is this Take two Capons ready pul'd and dressed boyle them in an earthen pot with a sufficient quantity of faire water till they bee halfe sodden then take them foorth and cut them into small peeces to be vsed as followeth Take of Buglosse Borage and Balme of each two good handfuls whereof you must make a lay in a glasse Limbicke and vpon that another of the saide Capons flesh and so vppon that a lay of leafe gold with a dramme of the powder of pearle then poure in some of the broth on the top which you shall do vntill all be bestowed in the same manner This being done you must distill it in a double vessel or Balneo Mariae and draw a quart of water or thereabouts which must be reitterated so often till you thinke that you haue enough to serue the woman in child bed for tenne or twelue daies But this Curiosity is for Princesses and great Ladies The saide water must bee drawne sixe weeks or two moneths before it bee vsed and set in the sunne in sommer and ouer an ouen in winter to take away the rawnesse that remaines in it If the woman haue not an ague in my opinion she may drinke a little white or claret wine with twice as much boyled water But there bee some women that cannot endrue wine and therefore let them drink water and hony boiled together or else boiled water if they desire to drink in the day time between their meals or else in the night giue them a little syrop of Maiden haire with boiled water or any other syrop so it be not astringent because of their purgings When her paines the feare of the ague and the burning of her breasts bee past then may she feed more liberally and then she may eat at dinner a little meat with her broth as Capon Pullet Pigeon or a bit of Veale and at supper beside her broth a slise of Veale Mutton Chicken or any other good meate The eight day beeing past about which time commonly the wombe is well purged and cleansed it will not bee amisse to nourish her better giuing her more solide meat and in greater quantity that she may grow strong againe the sooner All the which time she must keepe her selfe very quiet not much mouing or stirring herselfe nor so much as once looking into the Aire Let her speake as little as may be and haue no noise made about her nor suffer her to be much visited but by her friends and kinsfolks excluding all such tatling Gossips as may tell her any thing to trouble her or make her sad Let her sleepe rather in the night then in the day time yet if she haue not rested in the night by reason of some paines then let her sleepe when soeuer it comes vpon her And because most women in that case are Costiue and cannot void their excrements therefore it will bee very fit to giue her some such gentle Glister A Clyster â„ž Fol. Malu Parietar Bismal totius an m. i. flor Chamemel Melilot an p. i. sem Anis foenicul an Ê’ ij Coquant in decoct Capitis veruec de quo accipe quart iij. in quibus dissol sacchar rub Mel. Mercurial an â„¥ ij Butyr recent â„¥ iij. fiat Clister You may also adde thereto sometimes an ounce of Diacatholicon If she dislike Clisters let her take a little broth or decoction of Sene. I am of opinion that the Athenian women while they were in Child-bed did take the broth of Cabbage or Coleworts rather to be loose bellied then to driue away witchcraft as Athenaeus would haue it For heretofore the Cabbage was Catoes Phisick and all his houshold And therefore when the Romanes banisht the Phisitions Cato saide that the Cabbage alone was Phisicke enough to cure all their diseases and besides hee made a little Commentary vpon that subiect Let her banish all griefe and heauinesse hauing regard only of her health and to be merry praising God for her deliuery What must be done to the Womans Breasts Belly and nether parts that is newly deliuered CHAP. II. NOW I haue set downe the manner of dyet a Woman in Child bedde should obserue it will not be amisse to shew what is fit to bee done vnto her before she sit vp or rise endeauouring heerein to bring all the parts of her body which haue beene strayned and as it were quite changed
by the Matrice The qualitie of the bloud is cause heerof when it is too sharpe piercing thin watrie putride or venimous so that Nature desires to be rid of it As for the Cure you must fit that according to the cause and yet there be some generall remedies which may serue for all immoderate euacuations and of this kind is Diet which must be cooling and moderately drying Let her feed vpon good meats not salt nor spiced nor of strong tast rather roast then boiled and of boiled meats let her chuse to eat of the heads feet She may vse french Barley new laid Egges and Gellies made with astringent herbes If she take any Broth 's let them be prepared with Borage Buglosse Le tuce Purcelaine Barley and the cold seeds Let her shun anger melancholie griefe and other such passions of the mind Let her keep her selfe quiet not much stirring or troubling her bodie Let her drinke Barley water or water wherein Steel hath been quenched You may giue her also if she haue not an Ague a little Wine allaied with the said waters Let her make her abode in a temperate place not too hote Let her lie vpon a Mattresse or straw bed and not vpon a feather-bed It will be good to bind her armes hard toward the shoulders but not the thigh 's although Auicen prescribe it Cupping glasses applied vnder the paps and vpon the region of the Liuer will be verie sit as Hippocrates teacheth and likewise vpon the arme-pits and shoulders as Auicen counsaileth The most singular and presentest remedie is to let bloud in the arme which I haue seen tried by the most learned Physitions of our age with very good successe For there is no meanes that makes better revulsion and drawes the bloud sooner from the place to which it floweth then opening of a veine You shall applie vpon the raines the Os sacrum and the parts thereabouts a cloth dip'd in Vineger and water and likewise betweene the legs but first vse this Cataplasme A Cataplasme ℞ Bol. Armen sang Dracon an ℥ j. Gummi Tragacanth ℥ ss pul Myrtill Rosar an ʒ vj. succ Plantag Taps barbat vrtic mort an q. s. ad formandum Cataplasma adde vnguent Comitiss ℥ j ss Vnguentum Comitissae of it selfe is verie good as likewise this Ointment following which is approued An Ointment ℞ Succor Lactuc Plantag an ℥ j ss Gum. Tragacanth in aq Rosar Macerat ℥ iij. Muccagin sem Cydonior extract in aq solani ℥ ss ol Rosar Myrtill an ℥ j ss Corall vtriusque Sumach an ʒ j. far Hordei ℥ ss Cerae parum fiat vng adde Aceti tantillum You shall giue her to drinke a dram of Trochisques of Spodium with Plantaine water or a decoction made with Horse-tayle Roses Knotgrasse and Balaustia Hollerius giues this as a singuler medicine Hollerius h◠medicine ℞ Scoriae ferri crematae in aq Plantag sepius extinctae pul lapid aematitid triti an ℈ j. Terrae sigillat ℈ ss sirup Myrtillor Resar siccar an ℥ ss aq Plantag ℥ iij. fiat potus Another ℞ Sang. Dracon Corall rub vsti Terr sigillat an ℈ j. semin Rosar rub ℈ ss spodij Carab Citrin an gr xij aq Myrtillor vel Plantag ℥ iiij fiat potus Some in this case giue three or foure ounces of the iuice of Plantaine Galen affirmeth that he hath staid the immoderate flowing of the monthly sicknesse with the foresaid iuice of Plantaine when nothing else would do good Ludouicus Mercatus commends these two medicines aboue all other Mercatus his medicines ℞ far Hord. Oryz. Amili an q. s ad formandum panem ponderis ℥ vj. recent coct proijce in libr. viij aq Chaly beatae quibus adde Rosar rub siccar p. ij succi Plantag lb. j. Rad. consolid Maior ℥ ij Caudae equin m. j. carnis Prunor syluest Cidonior an ℥ ij Portulac m. ij Bol. Armen ℥ j. Balaust santal omnium an ℥ ss fiat omnium distilatio de qua cape mané ℥ ij addendo sirup Portulac aut Rosar siccar ℥ ss He likewise commendeth this medicine following as being verie certaine and approued and of great vertue to stay the sicknesse ℞ Rad. Filipendul ℥ ij fiat puluis cape ʒ j. cum vitello oui singulis diebus An Electuarie ℞ Cons Rosar antiq ℥ j. carnis Cydon cond cons Rad. symphit an ℥ ss pul Diamargar frig Trochis é Carab an ℈ j. Bol. Armen ʒ j. sang Dracon ℈ ij cum sirup Rosar siccar fiat opiata exhibenda ad ʒ j. per se vel cum aqua Plantag Galen teacheth vs this medicine which may be both iniected and also taken inwardly ℞ Mucag. gummi Tragacanth Arabic in aq Plantag extract ℥ iij. succi Plantag ℥ iiij fiat iniectio inijciatur in vterum ℥ j. potui praebe This iniection following may also be verie good Another ℞ Succ. Polygan ℥ iiij Mucilag gummi Tragacanth extract in aqua Centinod Chalybeat ℥ iij. Amyl ℥ j. misce fiat iniectio You shall also make vse of this pessarie if there be need An Astringent Pessarie ℞ Bol. Armen Terrae sigillat an ℥ j. Litargir ℥ ss cum albumine oui fiat astringens pessarium With this you may annoint your Pessarie made fit for the purpose either of cotton or linnen cloth Of the Retention and stopping of the After-purgings in Women newly deliuered CHAP. VIII AS a Woman newly deliuer'd is subiect to many accidents by the ouermuch flowing of her naturall courses So is she likewise subiect to more dangerous and deadly chances if they be suppressed and staid Galen saith that these after-purgings which he calleth Lechia are purgings of ill humors which haue been gathered in the bodie all the time that the woman went with child For the child drawing to it selfe the sweetest and most familiar part of the bloud leaues the worst which otherwise if the woman were not with child should be voided out euery Moneth And if the monthly sicknesse stai'd doth bring manie inconueniences to a woman then much more these Lochia being suppressed must breed much more danger Hippocrates in his first booke De morbis Mulier witnesseth this plainly saying That when the After-purgings come in lesse quantitie then is fit then the woman in child-bed fals into a sharpe Ague she is troubled with a paine in her stomacke she finds her selfe ill through all her bodie she feeles a paine in the ioints of her hands in her thigh 's and hips the places about her necke backe and groine are sore and there is a weaknesse in euery part She fals into a vomiting of fleame and also of bitter and sharpe matter and finally she is in danger to be lame and impotent of some of her members For the Matrice hath an affinitie and connexion with many parts of the bodie as with the head and stomacke And if this matter be transported and carried to the head breast and lungs and there make an abode
take away such things as shall offend him playing with him kissing him dancing him gently in her armes and singing withall and she must likewise open him often to lay and keep him drie and cleane Of the conditions which are required in good Milke THe choise of good Milke is that it be of a middle substance that is to say such as shal be neither too watrish nor too thicke For that which is too watrish and thin may cause the child to haue a scowring and besides it yeeldeth no good nutriment And the Milke which is too thicke is easily crudled and not so soone digested and so causeth obstructions from whence the matter of the stone is bred As for the quantitie of Milke a Nurse should rather haue too much then too little because when there is but little it will be hard for the child to draw it when as if there be plentie it will come the easier and euen thrust out it selfe Moreouer if the child should sucke the breast drie then that which shall come in the roome of it cannot be well concocted so soone Besides if the child should chance to haue an Ague then would he sucke and consume a great deale Againe the Nurse besides a sufficient quantitie for the nourisâ—ing of the child must haue some to milâ— to 〈◊〉 eyes if he should chance to haue any iâ—â—feâ— toâ— there as either heat pimples or itchâ— that so it may be cooled As for the colour it must be white according to the common saying As white as Milke for the Milke which is blewish makes shew of Melancholy as the yellow doth of Choller and the reddish that it is not well concocted and signifies either that there is a weaknesse in the breasts or else an ill qualitie of the bloud whereof it is made which hath not been concocted and corrected by the naturall heat of the paps Besides good Milke ought not to haue any strong smell but rather a sweet sent which smelleth neither hote nor sower nor yet adust for such smels shew that the bloud of which it is made is ouerheated or putride And concerning the Tast that Milke which hath a sweet sauour is much commended as contrarywise that which is either sharp sower or bitter is to be refused and therefore not chosen for good Now the triall there of may be made in this sort as to know whether it be of a good substance let the nurse milke some few drops of it vpon a looking glasse or other sleeke thing and if in holding it gently aside it flows and runs presently and keepe not together a little then it is a signe that the milke is watrish and too thinne If it stand still and will not runne at all then it shews that the milke is too thicke and fat But if it runne leasurely not staying eyther too long or flowing too soone vpon the said smooth body it sheweth that the milke is of a middle substance and ought to bee reckoned and chosen for the best The quantity of the milke may be knowne thus if there remaine some in the breast after the childe hath done sucking and againe if in opening the child you find him bepissed But you must haue an eye that your nurse be none of these Cooseners for there be some that giue the child water to drinke in secret and others which wet the childs bed But such Nurses deserue to be whipt and their knauery may be easily descried both by the eye and the sent and likewise discerned by the tast Now the obseruation which is taken from the Nurses child for the choice of a fit Nurse is concerning his age For if her child be aboue seuen or eight months old then her milke will bee too stale afterwards and besides it would be a doubt whether shee would haue milke enough to nurse him that should be put vnto her Againe if the childe be but fifteene daies or a moneth olde that shews that her milke is too new and that it is not as yet well purified because the mother is not wholly purged and clensed So Auicen commands that a child should not be put to sucke a Woman till at least two moneths after her deliuery and at the farthest not after eight And because the sexe of the Nurses child must likewise bee obserued Aegineta wisheth that it should be rather a man child then a maid child because the milke is hotter better concocted and not so excrementitious And he addeth farther that it is fit whether it be a boy or a wench that the mother haue born her burthen the full time For those that are commonly deliuered before their time for the most part are not sound but sickly though there be many healthfull women which goe with their children but seuen Moneths How a Nurse ought to order her selfe concerning her Dyet and manner of life CHAP. II. IT is not enough that a Nurse be indowed with the conditions and qualities aforesaid but it is very fit also that shee maintaine and preserue them wherefore wee will set downe briefely how and in what manner she ought to gouerne her selfe First of all therefore let her shun and auoide all bad ayre and all kind of ill and stinking smels for such sents as are too strong are naught and hurtfull for her because they infect and ouer-heat the spirits and bloud whereof the milke is made Shee must likewise auoide all meats that are eyther too much salted or spiced or of a strong tast as Onions Leekes Garlicke Mustard and all kind of Baked Meates and old cheese Let her eate Veale Mutton Chicken Kid Partridge and such like meates which are of good iuice and of easy digestion and she must vse them in moderate sort without glutting her selfe All sorts of fish are hurtfull for her except it bee in small quantity shee may eate Iacke Sole and Quauluer and if she eat no fish let her vse new laid egges Her meate must be rather boyled then rosted but yet there must be had a respect to the habitude and complexion of the child For if hee bee very moist and flegmaticke then the Nurse shall rather vse rostmeat and so of other complexions Her bread shall be of good wheate well made light and baked as it ought to be Let her put into her pottages Lettuce Sorrell Purcelaine Borage Buglosse and Succory Shee shall refraine from all kind of raw fruits For her drinke let her take Ale or Beere and where that cannot be had Barley water or water sodden or else a small kind of Hydromel or meade which hath but a little Cinamon in it But I would rather counsaile them to drinke Wine and Water together Aristotle forbids wine both to the nurse and the child except it be as they say well christned She must vse moderate exercise and chiefly before meales For moderate exercise doth strengthen the naturall heate and consumeth all superfluities
℞ Rad. Buglos ℥ is Plantag Agrimon an m. i. Hord. integ p. i. Rosar Rub. m. s. Balaustior ʒ ij Dactilos n. iiij glycyrrhiz ʒ is fiat decoctio in Colatura dissolue syrup Granator è Rosis siccis an ℥ i. fiat Gargarismus After they haue vsed this let them touch the part often with the medicine following ℞ Succi Granator Cydonior an ℥ s. succi Berber Portulac an ʒ ij cum tantillo decoctionis lentium Rosarum Rubrarum fiat Medicamentum This medicine hath power to bind and strengthen the part and to make the tumor resolue Oftentimes the said Epoulis groweth so big that we are constrained to tye it not being able eyther to resolue it or bring it to suppuration Some of them also are of an ill malignant quality which must not bee touched or medled with but with great discretion Of the two strings or ligaments that a child hath vnder his tongue CHAP. XVIII IN Children that are newly borne there are commonlie found two strings the one comes from the bottome of the tongue and reacheth to the very tip and end therof This string is very slender and soft and it hindreth the childe from putting it out at length and from taking the nipple as they say that he cannot sucke well This string must be cut with a sizzer within a few daies after he is borne and then the nurse must thrust her finger vnder the childs tongue and lay there at the first a little chaw'd salt to keepe it from growing together againe There is also another string which is both harder bigger and more firme then the former which begins at the root of the tongue and stretcheth it selfe almost through the middle thereof the which string is oftentimes so short that it hinders the child from stretching it and putting it foorth of his mouth and also from turning and wagging it therby to bring backe the meat hee hath chaw'd that hee may swallow it This may easily be perceiued for if you bid the childe to put out his tongue hee cannot doe it for when he goes about to doe it it binds and folds double in his mouth hee not being able to make it come farther then his lips which much hindereth him in his speech and in the deliuery of his words making him commonly to stammer The cure of this is onely to bee done by the Chirurgian and that after two manners the first is thus you must cause the childes tongue to bee lifted vp and held stiffe on both sides as well by your owne finger as by some others which shall hold the other side of the tongue to keepe it stiffe and then let the string be cut with a sharpe instrument thrusting in the point as deepe as shall be fit The second way also is by lifting vp the tongue and holding it fast as hath beene already saide and then with a needle with a double thred in it you shall draw the thred crosse the said string or ligament to wit as farre as you would cut it and tye it hard cutting away the ends of the thred somwhat neere the knot and so let it stay there till it hath separated that part of the string or ligament thus tyed But this way in my opinion is more painfull then the former But whether it be cut or tyed it will leaue an vlcer which must be healed as wee haue shewed before taking care that the string grow not together againe Of the Cough which happeneth to little Children CHAP. XIX WE see that little Children are often troubled with a Cough which happens vnto them because their lungs are weake and tender which for euery little thing that troubleth them they endeuour to discharge and rid themselues of it with some striuing agitation They may also catch this disease by lying vncouered or by being carried abroad in the cold or in the euening which makes them to cough bringing vp little or nothing They may also cough with sucking too eagerly drawing the milke faster then they can swallow it and so some few drops by chance get into the Trachaea Arteria which makes them neuer leaue coughing till they haue brought it all vp againe The cough may likewise proceede from the distillation of some sharpe thin humor which commeth from the braine and falleth downe vpon the lungs by the Trachea Arteria There may also bee gathered some humor in the Pipes or Passages of the lungs which Nature at length striueth to expell and thrust foorth Of what occasion soeuer it proceede it is very dangerous especially if it be of long continuance For feare least through continuall reaching and coughing the child get a rupture or bursting or else an Ague by reason hee cannot sleepe nor take his rest onely some headach paine of the sides and stomacke and vomiting Concerning the cure of it we must haue a respect to the cause so accordingly it must be remedied If the Cough proceed of Cold let the little one bee kept reasonable warme and giue him a little oyle of sweet Almonds mingled with suger Candy let his breast be rub'd all ouer with fresh butter and oyle of sweet Almonds and then lay vpon it some warme cloth if his nose be stuffed let it be vnstopped with a little ointment of Roses or some of the liquor you boyle your meate in whereof you may put a little vp into his nose for that purpose If it proceed of some sharpe humor then it must be mitigated and thickned by giuing him a little syrup of Violets and of Iuiubes mingled together As also let him vse Iuice of Licorise Oile of sweete Almonds and suger Candy and Lozenges of Diatragacant hum frigidum If the childe bee any thing big you may giue Barley Cream with a few white Poppy seeds and let him drink a Ptisane made with Barley and Licorise Let all his brest and throat bee annointed with Oile of Violets washed in Barley water Apply to the nape of his necke a tost of bread hot or else halfe a loafe new out of the ouen If the Cough hinders him from sleeping you may giue him a little Sirup of Iuiubes and Violets with asmuch Diacodium sine speciebus mingled altogether Let him also vse Conserue of Roses If the Cough come by reason of some fleagme or grosse and slimie humour that is gather'd together in the breast You must giue the child a little Sirup of Maidenhaire with as much Sirup or Licorise and Hyssope or Hony of Narbone mingled together Rasis addeth in this case a little Fennell water Annoint his breast also with this Ointment An ointment for the breast ℞ Ol. Amygdal dulc ℥ j. Vnguent Resumpt ℥ ss axung Anseris Gallinae an ʒ ij liquesiant simul lento igne pro litu vt dictum est I haue already set downe diuers other medicines in my former booke speaking of the Cough which hapneth vnto women with child to which place I refer you for
vse in France cleere water and also kept from eating so much raw fruite and moist meats and the like which prouoke Vrine You must also endeuour to keepe children alwaies loose bellied which will make them pisse the lesse as well in the night time as in the day And you must warne them to make water before they go to bed and somtimes also you may waken them out of their sleepe to put them in minde thereof You must also threaten them that you wil whip them and likewise make them ashamed of doing it But yet for all this you must not correct them too much for I haue knowne some children fearing to bee beaten if they pissed a bed that haue tyed their yard themselues whereof hath followed a Gangrene which hapned to Mons Paraeus when he was a child as he himselfe hath told me When the child is growne somwhat big let him eate rosted Chestnuts Filberds and A cornes and drinke stil'd water and a little Claret wine well allayed Auicen commendeth the braines of a hare boyled with thicke Wine Some hold that the inner skin of a Capons gizzard dryed and made into pouder is singular good Rhasis sets it downe for a secret that the combe of a Cocke dryed and made into powder as also the bladder of a Bull or a Goat is very good which Gordonius approoueth of You may giue him a little water of Mirtills with Conserue of Roses and sirup of drie Roses It wil be very fit to bath the part of the child called Perinaeum with astringent Fomentations such as we haue set downe for the Rupture or Hernia Of the Gallings and fretting of the skin which happens in the groine and betweene the thighs of little Children CHAP. XXX LIttle children by reason of the sharpnesse of their vrine and lying in their excrements are much troubled with galling and fretting which weares away the thinne skin called Epidermis and chiefly about their thighs and groyne which vnlesse the nurse take the better heede may grow to some foule and malignant vlcer Which that it may be the better helped it will bee very fit that the Nurse keepe the little one as cleane as shee can and that in making him cleane and shifting him she wash his buttocks and thighs gently with a little water of Plantaine Roses or Nightshade Some adde thereto a little wine Others make a decoction of Barley Roses and Plantaine I vse to prescribe a little Pomatum wherewith I mingle sometimes a little Lime well quenched and powdered Vnguentum Refrigerans Galeni wel washed in Plantaine and Rose water is much commended Both these medicines by reason of their oylines doe hinder the Vrine and excrements from making the place to smart Women doe commonly be sprinkle those parts with meale dust or with Barley or Beane flower Some vse the powder of a rotten post or else a little Ireos and Roses beaten into fine powder Rhasis vseth this medicine â„ž Amyl spoelij Rosar Mirtillor farin Hordei an fiat omnium pul subtiliss asperge excoriationes post Balneum Of the accidents which happen to the childs yard either before or after his birth CHAP. XXXI THere may happen seuen accidents about the top and end of the childs yard euen from his birth to witte three in the Praputium or foreskin and foure in the Glans or top thereof Touching those of the Praeputium the first is when it is so straight and the hole so little that the vrine beeing come foorth of the Glans cannot passe through the skinne but drop by drop by reason it is shut so close together which makes part of the Vrine remaine betwixt the top of the yard and the Preputium The second is when the passage of the Preputium is not altogether so narrow but yet it cannot be put backe neither can the Glans bee vncouered which the Ancients haue called Phimosis The third is when the Praeputium cannot couer the Glans because it is slipped ouer and drawne backward called by the Ancients Paraphimosis Concerning these of the Glans the first is when there is no passage at all in the end thereof the second is when there is a passage but the hole is too little The third is when the hole is not in the place where it ought to be which is at the end but is placed at the bottom or lower part of the Glans The fourth is when the top of the yard bendeth downward and makes the yard stand crooked and awry Aristotle hath obserued another kinde more strange then those where he saith that there haue beene some male children which naturally haue had no passage made at the end of the yard but the hole hath bene lower in the Perinaeum so that they were constrained to pisse as it were sitting when they held vp their Cods or Scrotum they seemed to be both man and woman I haue heeretofore for all the other accidents aboue named aduised the Nurse to haue a care and looke to them But because the cure of these belong properly to the Chirurgion to haue set it downe more at large and specified it more particularly in this place that they may the better helpe it considering the inconueniences that may follow as we will shew you For the first which is when the skin of the yard is so straight that the water cannot come foorth but drop by drop this imperfection causeth a great deale of filth to be gatherd betwixt the Praeputium and the Glans whereof proceedeth many troublesome and dangerous vlcers yea and sometimes a Gangrene I haue obserued it in some young children that the top of the yard hath become blacke and blew with pissing through the very paine they endured The best way to remedie it is to cut off the verie top and end of the Praeputium thereby to take away a piece of it as they doe in the Circumcision For the performance whereof there be diuers meanes but the safest and least painfull way is this First it is to be consider'd that the Praeputium is double so that when one thinks to cut both the skins he cuts but one for the second leaps away especially from betweene the Sizzers Besides in cutting them both together oftentimes you may cut more of the vppermost skin then of the nethermost which is next to the Glans which causeth it to remaine bare and vncouered whereof followeth great paine it being fitter for that occasion to cut away lesse of the first then of the second I haue learned this manner of practise of Mons de Maverne the Kings Physition in Ordinary who hath caused it to bee done after this fashion and it is the order and Methode which the Iewes at this day doe obserue in their circumcision If you haue not such an instrument you may take two little flat peeces of wood and tye them both together at one end and then put the
we see oftener then we would that the small Pocks do fall euen vpon the bones and corrupt them The signes to iudge of the euent of them are these If the Ague be but little and diminisheth as the Pocks come foorth if they be but few in number and those scattered here and there if they come foorth easily without much paine and that the child is not much disquieted if they grow white and ripen quickly these are signes of recouerie But if the Ague continue and increase at the comming foorth of them if they thrust foorth in great quantitie one vpon another and if they run as it were all into one scab not ripening speedily if the child be verie hoarse and not able to speake or fall into a bloudie flixe these are ill signes The first sheweth that it hath seized vpon the Lungs and the second that it fretteth the guts Againe the small Pocks is verie dangerous when it comes foorth with paine and griefe though they be white When they be small greene blewish or blacke and that they sinke downe and grow drie on the suddaine not comming to maturation and suppuration if the child pisse bloud and then by and by after his vrine turnes to be blacke it is signe of death Concerning the Measels if they be but reasonable red and haue no ill accidents ioined with them but go away suddainly they are not to be feared But when they are high colour'd or if they be blewish or greenish accompanied with vomiting paine of the heart weaknesse the bloudie Flixe and the like they are verie dangerous Of the cure of the Measels and small Pockes CHAP. XXXVI IN all diseases that happen vnto little Children and especiallie in the cure of this present sicknesse the Chirurgion must not be too hasty nor do any thing rashly For there be many oftentimes deceiued which think that the child will not haue the Pocks or Measels because at the first they haue but a little Ague or Head-ach or some other light signe of it seeing that this disease lyeth long in the bodie before it makes any shew And therefore not without good cause haue the ancient writers obserued that sometimes it is better to do nothing than to begin amisse oftentimes altering thereby natures course Neuerthelesse you cannot do amisse in giuing the child some little preseruatiues as Vnicornes horne Bezoard stone and Cordiall waters causing him to be kept quiet without taking the aire especially if it be cold weather But as soone as the Chirurgion perceiueth that the child is taken with an Ague and that he hath the signes heretofore mentioned he must proceed in this manner to the cure of them First he must haue a care in what place the child is laid seeing that this disease doth partly proceed of a maligne and contagious aire which after that it hath beene drawne and carried by the Lungs to the hart and other parts of the body it leaues there an impression of his bad quality in that part of the menstruall bloud wherewith the child was nourished in the mothers womb wherefore let the child be kept in good aire that is neither too hot nor too cold For being too hot it may cause the childe to haue faintings and swounings and being too cold as the Pockes or Measels are comming foorth it may keepe them backe and driue them in againe and so hinder nature from expelling and putting foorth the impurities that are in the body And therefore he must be kept warme in his bedde and reasonably well couered Such as are more nice and curious doe hang the bed round with red couerlets If it be winter it will be good to haue a fire in the Chamber to rectifie the Ayre which perhaps is of the coldest and also to correct some ill quality which it may haue as Rhasis and Auicen write If it bee in heate of Summer it will not bee needfull to make so much fire nor to keep the child couered so warme Concerning his meate and drinke if the childe sucke then must the Nurse keepe a good diet as wee haue heeretofore prescribed and as if she her selfe had an Ague If the child be weaned he must absteine from eating all manner of flesh no not so much as of a little Chicken till the pocks be whollie come foorth But as Auicen saith he may vse Broths made with Capons or Chickens wherein you must put good store of Sorrel Cichory Buglosse Borage and Lettuce Hee may also vse the strained broth of Pease Lentils and Barley waters made with Figs Dates Raysings of the sunne also Gelly Prunes and rosted apples well sugred For his drinke let him vse a Ptisane made of Barley and Licorise adding thereunto some Raysings of the sunne Figs and Dates but in small quantity If that drinke please him not then let him vse this drinke following An excellent Drinke Take of French Barley a handfull shauings of Iuory and Harts horne tied in a little linnen cloth of each two drammes Boyle them in a quart of water and when it is almost sodden put to it halfe an ounce of Licorise halfe a Citron peal'd and cut in slices then straine it and let him drinke of it at his Meales and when hee is thirsty When the Pockes are quite come foorth and begin to looke white and that the Ague grows lesse lesse then he may eate a little stronger meate and drinke a little water and Wine his meate and drinke must not be actually cold And because the pockes do come in the mouth tongue and throat as also all along the wind-pipe you may put to his drinke a little suger or sirup of Violets Iuiubes or Cherries and chiefly to that he drinketh betweene meales This drinke lenifieth suppleth the roughnesse and excoriations it is good for the Lungs and the hoarsenesse wherewith they are troubled and also it cleanseth gently For his sleepe that must be moderate if at the first hee bee very drowsie and heauie he must bee wakened forfeare least his head be filled with vapors But it is also fit if he cannot take his rest to giue him somwhat to make him sleepe For sleepe doth well concoct the humors and maketh the Pockes come foorth the better And for this purpose you may giue him some fine Barley waters and put into his Broths some Lettuce and the cold seeds and at night you may giue him a little spoonfull of sirup of Iuiubes Nenuphar and Violets mingled together absteining from all Narcoticall or stupifying medicines If he be bound and cannot go to the stoole you may giue him inwardly a little Oile of sweete Almonds newly drawne or a little Hony as Auicen appointeth which Auenzoar allows not of because he had taken some of it as he saith when hee had the Pockes where with he thought he should haue died It will not be amisse to giue him a spoonfull of Cassia and if his belly be
been deafe and dull of hearing Others haue had their nose and mouth shrunke together or else puffed vp and some haue been hoarse afterwards all their life time The least accident of all is that many haue remained disfigured with pits and holes in their faces So that if they could be preserued from them it would both be a great contentment to their Parents and an ease to themselues Now as this disease is caused as we haue said of the reliques of the menstruall bloud wherewith the child hath been nourished stirr'd vp by the malignitie of the aire which it is impossible to shun or auoid So to go about to preserue a child from it we must do two things The first shall be to shun and auoid this corrupted Aire and to rectifie it the best we can possiblie The second is to euacuate and purge away the reliques of this humour and to make them lesse hurtfull Wherefore both the Nurse and the child must liue in a house that stands in a good aire far from any sinkes priuies or Church-yards from whence there arise many vnholsome vapours and exhalations Her chamber must haue a good aire rather standing high then low Let the window looke rather toward the North or the East then to the South or the West If the weather be not too cold let the casements stand open to aire the chamber If it bee verie colde they must bee shutte and you must make a good fire burning some Iuniper Rosemarie or Cypres vsing also sometimes a little sweet perfume If the chamber be too hote you must strew it with Rushes a few Vine leaues Violet leaues Nenuphar and Roses sprinkling it with coole water and a little Vineger The Nurse must keep a good diet such as we haue heretofore prescribed she must drinke water a little coloured with wine and if the childe bee weaned he must keepe the same kind of diet His meate must bee seasoned with the iuice of an Orenge and you shall also put some iuice of Lemons into his Broths but you must parboyle it a little that it hurt not his stomacke Both the Nurse and the child must sleepe moderately she must not sleepe after dinner vnlesse she haue not rested in the night by reason her childe hath beene froward who may sleepe a little in the day time after dinner if he be not weaned The Nurse also and the child if he be any thing big may be gently purged with Cassia Rubarbe Senay sirup of Cichory with Rubarbe and sirup of Damaske Roses If you perceiue that both their bodies bee plethoricall or full it will be fit to draw a little bloud which must be vnderstood if the child be three or foure yeeres old And concerning medicines either Generall or Topicall I refer you to the former chapter which haue as much power and vertue to preserue one from the disease as to cure it after it is come Of the French Pocks which happeneth vnto Children CHAP. XXXVIII THe French Pocks may happen to a child either from his mothers womb or else by the Nurses fault who may be defiled and infected with it The signes are like vnto those which are obserued in elder persons but the most common are Pustules Vlcers and Excoriations which appeare chiefly about the childs buttockes and thighs As for the Cure we must haue a respect both to the nurse and the child If the child hath taken it of the Nurse shee must be put away and hee must haue another who must take such a dyet as is commonly prescribed for those that are infected with this disease First shee shall bee purged and let bloud shee must keepe a good diet and eate rather boyled meat than rosted because the decoctions she must vse will dry her the better to breed sufficiently as also milke to nourish the child Let her drinke euery morning of this or the like decoction hauing a care to make it either weaker or stronger according to her temper and the time of the yeare But before shee takes it you must giue her some of the Opiate following Both of them haue power to make her milke medicinall and to hinder the child from imparting the disease vnto her so soone as otherwise he might do if she tooke no preseruatiue The Decoction â„ž Rasur interior lign sanct â„¥ i. radic sarsae Chinae an â„¥ i ss lign sassafras â„¥ i. sem Cardui â—ened Ê’ ij Trium flor Cordial an m. i. rasur Eboris Cornu cerui an Ê’ iij. Macerentur omnia in Balneo Mariae spatio xxiiij horar. in aq fontan lib. x. deinde fiat Colatura per manicam Hippocraticam dulcoretur sacchari albi lib. ss ad vsum The Opiate â„ž Opiatae Fernel â„¥ i ss Cons. Rosar Boragin Buglos seorzoner an â„¥ i. spec Diamargarit frigid Ê’ i. eum syrup Conseruation Citri fiat Opiata Capiat Ê’ ij ante decoctum vt dictum est She must first take the Opiate and then drinke some of the decoction or infusion after it and keep her bed and sweat an howre or two without forcing her selfe After she hath sweat she must not giue her child sucke presently but shee must rest and coole her selfe a little and then giue him the teate But first she shall rub it with a little Aqua Theriacalis to resist and hinder the infection If you cannot find a Nurse that will venter to giue the child sucke in stoede thereof you shall cause him to sucke a Goate which I haue caused some to doe A Treacle water for the little child â„ž Theriac veter â„¥ i. Cons. Rosar anthos Borag Buglos an â„¥ ij Rasur interior lign Indi â„¥ i. Rad. sarsae par Chinae an â„¥ ss Rad. scorzoner Ê’ vi flor Cordial Calendul Genist an m. ij Aquar Cardui Benedict Scabios Borag Buglos Melissae an lib. 3. ponantur omnia in Alembico vitreo posteà macerentur spatio xxiiij horar. deinde fiat destillatio vt artis est Let the child take a spoonfull of this water three times a day in the morning at noone and at night adding thereto a little suger Candy or sirup of Limons The nurses may also take two ounces of it in the morning And because the true Antidote against this disease is Quicksiluer therefore will it be very fit to annoint the childs pustules with some such Ointment not bringing him to a fluxe of the mouth The Ointment â„ž Vng. Rosat Mes. â„¥ iiij Hydrargiri cum succo limonum extincti â„¥ s. misce fiat vng pro litu If the child bee elder let him bee purged twice with a little Sene and sirup of Cichory with Rubarb neither will it be amisse if hee be bigger and stronger to open a veine and take away a saucer full of bloud He may also vse the foresaid decoction and Opiate some eight or ten daies onely diminishing the doses of the Ingredients Of the breeding and comming foorth of Haires on childrens
time The First Booke Written by IAMES GVVILLEMEAV the French Kings Chirurgion in Ordinarie and sworne at PARIS THE PREFACE I Haue purposed only in this Worke to handle the gouernment of a Woman with childe and the meanes to helpe her in her trauaile together with the order which is necessarie for her in her childe-bed But because this gouernment is particular and proper to a Woman with childe before we giue order thereunto wee must first finde out whether shee be with childe or no. The signes to know whether a woman be with childe or no. CHAP. I. A Chirurgion must bee very circumspect in determining whether a woman be conceiued or no because many haue preiudiced their knowledge and discretion by iudging rashly hereof For there is nothing more ridiculous then to assure a woman that shee is with childe and afterward that her naturall sicknesse or store of water should come from her and in stead of a childe some windie matter should breake from her and so her belly fall and grow flat againe which hath hapned vnto many men that haue beene well esteemed both for their learning and experience And wee haue seene the experience hereof in some women which were without all question thought to be so great that the Midwife was euen ready to receiue the child who notwithstanding haue beene freed and acquitted heereof either by their naturall purgings and euacuations or by voiding of water or else expelling of winde The which hapned vnto Mad. P. to her great griefe who was deliuered of certaine gallons of water when she thought assuredly that she had beene with childe I saw the contrary happen to the daughter of M. Marcel who was iudged by foure of the chiefe Physitians and as many Chirurgions and two Midwiues not to haue beene with childe and yet being dead there was found in her body a child betweene six and seuen months old And of late memorie some of the most expert Physitians and Chirurgions of our time vndertooke the cure of an honest woman and from the third vntill the eighth moneth of her time administred vnto her infinite many Clisters Apozemes Potions Fomentations and Iniections and yet could not they prouoke her naturall sicknesse much lesse cause her to be deliuered At length in the ninth moneth she thinking that she had had the Chollicke was brought a bed of a faire daughter being verily perswaded euen then when she was in trauaile that she was not with child as she had assured vs all the time that she went So that a Chirurgion being called to giue his opinion of the conception of a woman whether it be in a iudiciall or priuate case must be very warie and circumspect what iudgement he giues herein The ancient and moderne writers haue left some signes whereby we may foretell it which are collected from the Husband from the Wife from the Child and from the Midwife As for those signes which are taken from the Man they are these If he finde an extraordinarie contentment in the companie of his Wife and if he feele at the same time a kind of sucking or drawing at the end of his yard if he returne from the field of nature not ouer-moyst these are signes that a woman may haue conceiued And by these obseruations I haue knowne men which haue assured their Wiues that they haue got them with child as soone as they haue had their company The signes which are taken from the Woman are more manifest and certaine and although the greatest part of them bee found in Women and Maids which cannot haue their naturall courses yet neuerthelesse all these signes ioyned together a man may presume as farre of them as arte wil permit and they be these If she receiued an extraordinarie delight in the companie of her Husband if from her naturall parts whether they continue dry or moist there issue or flow nothing forth because it is no necessarie consequence that those parts should alwaies remaine dry since the Matrice retaineth onely that which is fit for the conformation of the child Likewise if at the same time she hath a kind of yawning and stretching and feeles within her a shaking or quiuering such as we commonly find presently vpon making of water which runneth through the whole body with a kind of chilnesse and is felt chiefely betweene the shoulders and the backe with some paine about the Nauell and a rumbling or disquietnesse in the neather belly which hapneth because the Matrice shrinks it selfe together to entertaine and embrace the matter of generation which it hath drawne and suckt in feeling thereby a kind of tickling Againe if within few dayes she falles a vomiting and spitting distasts her meate groweth dull carelesse and qualmish longeth after strange things finding her belly fallen and growne flat according to the French prouerbe Au ventre plat enfant ya In a belly which is flat Ther 's a child be sure of that Which makes them oftentimes to complaine and say they be quite fallen away Then not long after her belly swells and growes bigger her hips and raines are inlarged her courses appeare not which should flow at certain times although some haue them wheÌ„ they be with child Likewise if towards the second month her eyes grow hollow wan her eye-balls shew lesse the lids be loose limber and soft the veines in the corners of her eyes more swollen and bigger then ordinarie For as Hâ—ppocrates saith if thou canst not finde by any meanes whether a woman be with child or no her very eyes wil tell thee for their eyes be more hollow and sunke inward and the white is turned bluish the veines and arteryes of their neck are pust vp and more apparent then vsually their brests grow big and hard with some paine and pricking hauing also milke within them the nipple waxeth firme and hard red if it be a boy and sometime blackish if it be a wench which hapneth about the third or fourth moneth when they begin to quicken Some iudge of their being with child by the vrine as if it be white and clearely mingled with little moates and that at the top there is perceiued as it were a little cloud like to the Rainebow or of an Opall colour At the bottome there appeares a certaine thicke sediment which beeing shaken spreads it selfe into little flocks like to carded wooll Towards the end their vrine is thicke and reddish by reason of the long retention of their naturall courses Fernelius makes this triall which is to take equall quantities of the womans vrine and of white wine and to shake them well together if this mixture looke like the broth of Beanes it is a signe she is with child Hippocrates sets downe diuers experiments as to giue the woman Hydromell to drinke made with raine water at night when she goes to bed or else Hony and Annisseed beaten and dissolued in water If she be
purgations with Diagredium or Coloquint and also from such as do much soften and moisten as Cassia Electuar Lenitiuum and the like because through their moisture they relaxe the stomacke and so consequently all the meanes which haue correspondence and traficke with the Matrice for the similitude of their neruous substance Their purges therefore must be of Rubart infusion and also in substance of the compound syrup of Cichory with Rubarbe which besides that they euacuate doe likewise coroborate and strengthen as also of the Syrup of Damaske Roses Maâ—na and other which with drawing away the water doe dry withall But aboue all pills are very fit for them because they dry both for their forme and also for the drying ingredients whereof they are compounded as those of Rubarb and Sene made with a little conserue of roses adding thereto if there be any suspition of some maligne or bad quality a little of the confection of Hyacinthvs This rule must be obserued in the purging of women with child and hereof must be had the counsel of the learned Phisitian If some maligne vapour be the cause they must vse cordials as a little confection of Hyacinthe the electuary of Gemmis these cordiall Lozenges or the like Cordiall Lorenges â„ž Corali vtriusque Ê’ s. lapid bezoard rasura vnic an ℈ s. pulu electuar diarrh abbat ℈ i. confect de Hiacintho Ê’ s. saccar cum aqua card bened dissol â„¥ ij fiant tabellae ponder Ê’ i. capiat singulis dicbus vnam mane alteram à prandio longe à pastu While they shall vse the aforesaid remedies it will be very necessarie to comfort the stomacke as also if the vomiting proceed through some weakenesse the stomacke not being able to retaine and hold the meate the fore mentioned Lozenges are very good as also Lozenges of Diarrhodon if they should prooue distasteful let them vse Codigniack or some Citron pill condited They may likewise take some digestiue powder after meales Let there be prouided some such fomentation for their stomacke as this Fomentation â„ž Mentae Ab sinthij rosar rub an m. s balaust Ê’ ij gariophilor santalor an Ê’ s. carnis cidoniorum â„¥ i. corticis citri Ê’ i. fiat decoct in vino austero profotu Then let them haue this ointment Liniment â„ž Olei mastich cidonior an â„¥ s. olei de absinthio Ê’ ij pulueris coralli rub gariophil an ℈ i. croci parum fiat litus admoueatur praemisso fotu This Emplaster is very fit which must be applied after the ointment and remain there a good space â„ž crustae panis assati â„¥ iiij macerent in vino rubro succo cidonior pul rosar rub absinthij an Ê’ i. ligni aloes gariophilor an Ê’ s. pul coralli rubri ℈ iiij olei de absinthio â„¥ i. fiat cataplasma If all these forenamed medicines helpe not the patient Master Mercator doth set downe a remedy very easie to be practised and of incredible vertue as he saith which cannot bring hauing often tried it any danger nor cause the woman to be deliuered out of her time which is to let her blood in the Saluatella of the right hand CHAP. X. Of the paine of the sto acke stancks and belly which happens to a woman with child THere is great store of grosse winds bred not onely in the stomacke and guts but also about the Liuer Spleene Mesenterium and Nauell by meanes of a weake and feeble heat which is not able wholly to consume and scatter them from whence proceedeth a great distention of the belly and other parts neere and chiefly about the Nauell which in some oftentimes stands out and is as big as a goose egge The which winds being thus inclosed and not hauing free passage cause such intollerable paine that euen the breathing is thereby hindred and the pulse almost lost which at length might cause the woman to be deliuered Sometime also the wind is shut vp within the womb for I haue knowen some women that haue voided them with such a sound noise as though it had bene by the fondament and this must be remedied after this sort First shee must shunne all manner of moist and windy meats liue after the order before prescribed If it bee needfull to purge her let it be done as is already set down Then let there be applied some dry fomentations to the place affected as this Quilt â„ž flor camo anethi an m. ij rosar rub p. ij se minis annisi foenicul an Ê’ ij baccar lauri Ê’ i. fiat omnium puluis grossus de quibus fi aut sacculi duo irrorati cum vino rub tepide admoueantur parti affectae The same quilts may be boyled in wine and fomitations made of the said wine with soft spunges But you must obserue that the too long vse of moist fomentations oyles and fats is forbidden women with child for feare least by too much moisture and oylinesse the ligaments and vessels of the matrice bee made too loose and soft which at length may cause the woman to abort Apply vnto her belly and to me parts pained in forme of a Pultesse this that followeth Pultesse â„ž Vitell. ouorum n. iiij puluis anisi foeniculi dulcis an Ê’ s. pul absinthii Ê’ s. cum oleo anethino camomil q. s fiat fricatum Let them chaw Fennil or Anniseed or a little Cinamon and take a tost dipt in Hippocras Some haue tolde mee that the distilled water of Citron Pills drunke is very singular good And it will not be amisse sometimes to take a spoonfull or two of this water A Claret water â„ž Aquae vitae â„¥ s. cinamo Ê’ i. macerent spatio xiiij hor. deinde affunde aque rosar â„¥ iii. saccari candi â„¥ s. fiat aqua clareta capiat coclear vnum If ye perceiue that shee is much troubled with paine you may giue her a Clister as this A Glister â„ž Folior maluae matrica an m. i. flor camom meliloti et summitat aneti an M. ss seminis anisi foenic. an Ê’ iii. bulliant in iure capit veruec vel vituli de quo accipe quart iij. in quibus dissolue Ol. Aneth Chamamel an â„¥ ij Sachar eub. â„¥ j. s Butyr recent â„¥ j. Vitell. duor ouor fiat Clyster Neuerthelesse I am of opinion if it may be done possibly that they should abstaine from Clysters because I haue seene women sometimes through as small a Clyster as this fall into great torments yea and euen into throwes nature being thereto prepared and ready which turned to the Chirurgions disgrace Wherefore let her vse these Lozenges following Lozenges â„ž sem Anis foenic. dulc an Ê’ s nucis Mosch ℈ j. spec Diacumin Diarrhod Abbat ana ℈ s sacchar in aq Cinamon dissolut â„¥ ij fiant tabulae capiat vnam singulis auroris She may vse Sugar of Roses which to euery ounce hath two or three drops of the oile
good iuice Contrariwise she that is too leane must vse good meates and such as breed good iuice and that in good quantity If too much eating and drinking or the vse of bad meates that breed ill iuice be the cause then must she absteine from them And when it doth proceed from the fulnesse and aboundance of humors water as it happeneth in full bodied young women or which before their being with child were subiect to some euacuations as bleeding at the nose Hemorrodes or abundance of ordinary purgations and whites then will it also be very needful to purge and let them bloud and before their beeing with child to make them vse the dyet and especially those that haue the ligaments of the womb loose and soft and the vessels full of thicke and slimy matter to whome likewise may be administred cleansing strengthening iniections drying perfumes Baths with sulphur and emplasters for their backes which shall heereafter be set downe And when they shall be gone about foure moneths and a halfe it will be very fit to purge them gently let them bloud the which may be done more plentifully and boldly not all at once but at sundry times in those who before their being with child were vsed to more copious and frequent euacuations For experience doth shew that by this meanes those which were wont to be deliuered before their time haue not onely born their children to the ordinary time but thereby also haue beene brought a bed more easily and with lesse pain and trouble So that the child shall neither be in daunger to bee stifled by drawing more food then is needfull for his nourishment nor of growing too big by turning it into his owne sustenance which might bee a meanes through his exceeding greatnesse to breake and teare the ligaments that support him or else though he stay his ful time being thus big that he should not be able to come easily into the world To helpe the abortment whereof the child is cause being naturally either weake or sickly it will be very necessary that the mother put to her helping hand as much as she can possibly Wherefore she must be merry quiet as well in body as in mind not fretting or vexing her selfe and especially about the time she was wont to bee deliuered shee must keepe her bed vsing meates of easie digestion and distribution and drinke good claret wine let her take euery two houres a good space from her meate some of this opiate Opiate ℞ Cons. Borag Buglos an ℥ i. Cons. Rosar Anthos an ʒ vi Cort. Citri cond Myrobal condit an ℥ s. Margarit splendid Coral rub an ʒ i. ossis de corde cerui ʒ s. Cum syr Conser Citri fiat Opiata capiat ʒ i. vt dictum est If shee like not this Opiate let her vse these Lozenges Lozenges ℞ Sp. Diamarg frig ℈ ij Corall rub Corn. cerui vsti an ʒ s. priapitauri ℈ iiij Sacchar in aqua Buglos dissolut ℥ iij. fiat electuarium per tabellas ponderis ʒ s. vel ℈ ij pro dosi capiat vt dictū est Let her belly bee annointed with this ointment as well to comfort the Matrice as also to giue strength vnto the child ℞ Olei Mirtill Cydonior Mastich an ℥ s. Coral rub santal rub an ʒ i. maioran Absynth an ℈ iiij vng Rosat Mes. ℥ s. Cerae q. s fiat Linimentum Let there bee laide vpon her backe and os sacrum some such emplaster Some women haue found good by applying vpon their Nauell a tost dipt in good red wine strowing vpon it the powder of Roses Grana tinctorum Coral and a little Cinamon The Emplaster ℞ Gallar Nuc. Cupress sang Dracon Balaust mirtil Ros rub an ʒ i. s. Mastic Myrrhae an ʒ ij Thur. Hypocist acaciae gum Arabic Bol. armen an ʒ i. ladani ℥ i. Terebinth venet ℥ is picis Naualis ʒ v j. Cerae ol Mastich an q. s vt fiat secundum artem emplastrum The emplaster must be often taken off for feare of the itching and put on againe and if there happen any heate to the part annoint it with Mesues ointment of Roses If you perceiue that the child be too great and big to the end that he receiue not so much nourishment whereby he may grow bigger and larger the mother must absteine from all meates that are so iuicy and nourishing and keepe herselfe quiet hauing her belly stayed vp with a fit roler that it hang not downe and least the ligaments which hold the child might stretch and so by the waight be torne and broken a sunder The like may bee obserued and practized in the causes annexed ioined to the mother as if there bee any Scyrrhus Mole Dropsie Warts Impostums excrescence of flesh or other indisposition of the wombe The which must bee cured before the woman bee with childe according as the disease doth require it beeing very hard for a Woman to proue with child when she is troubled with any of the aforesaid accidents And in regard of outward causes wherin we did comprehend the Ague Laske Fluxe of bloud vomiting and the like These accidents must bee preuented according as the case doth require taking the aduice of the learned Phisitian as we haue said before But concerning medicines which must bee more particularly applied to outward causes as falls blowes and violent exercises let them haue recourse to the medicines described for the childe that is weake and sickly to which these following may be added as beeing profitable for both causes As if there appeare any bloud or red waters that begin to flow and come forth by then naturall passage this medicine is excellent ℞ Granor. tinct ʒ s. Coral rub margarit elect an gr vi germina duor ouor misce exhibeatur cum vitello vnius oui vel ℞ Mastich subtil pul ʒ s. seric subtiliter incisae ℈ s. germina duor ouor capiat cum vitello oui She may likewise take in the morning a Lozenge of Diarhodon of the waight of a French Crowne This powder also is very commendable ℞ Sp. Diamarg frigid ʒ s. Coral rub vst lot in aq Rosar pryap Tauri sic an ℈ ij Eboris Bol. Armen terrae sigillat an ℈ iiij Sachar rosat tabulat ℥ is Capiat mane sero ʒ ij pro vnaquaque dosi Of this powder also may bee made Lozenges Let there bee applied to her backe the former Emplaster or this that followeth Emplaster to retaine or keepe in the child ℞ Mastich Mirrh gum Arab. an ʒ ij Menth. sicc Absynth rad Bistort Nucum fol. Cupress an ʒ i s. Cortic. granat ʒ ij s. Styrac calam Colophon picis Naual an ʒ iij. Cerae Citrin ℥ j. Terebinth von ℥ s. Ol. Mirtill q. s fiat emplast extendat super alutam ad vsum If the emplaster breed any inconuenience let them vse this ointment Ointment ℞ Ol. Cydonior Mastich Mirtill an ℥ i s. Bol.
they haue taken vpon them authority to iudge of the virginity of maids Neuerthelesse all the famous Vniuersities of Italy haue reiected and condemned the opinion of such Mid-wiues who say they can iudge thereof And Master Cuiacius hath done the like for the French saying that it is very difficult yea impossible to know whether a maide be a virgin or no And that this power was neuer giuen vnto Midwiues by the Ciuill Law to iudge thereof What manner of Woman a Midwife ought to be MAny things are requisite and needefull in a Midwife but they are all referred to her person to her Manners and to her mind First concerning her person she must bee of an indifferent age neither too yong nor too olde well composed of body not being subiect to any diseases nor mishapen or deformed in any part therof neat in her apparell and person especially hauing little hands not thicke cleane and her nailes pared very neere and euen neither must shee weare rings vppon her fingers nor bracelets vpon her armes when shee is about her businesse She must bee pleasant merry of good discourse strong painfull and accustomed to labour that shee may bee able if neede bee to watch two or three nights by the woman Concerning her behauiour she must bee mild gentle courteous patient sober chast not quarrelsome nor chollericke neither proud or couetous nor a blabber or reporter of any thing she shall either heare or see in secret in the house or person of her she hath deliuered For as Terence saith It is not fit to commit her into the hands of a drunken or rash woman that is in trauaile of her first child As for her mind she must bee wise discreet and witty able to make vse sometime of faire and flattering speeches as Plato reporteth Midwiues were wont to doe in times past which was done to no other end but onely to busie and beguile the poore apprehensiue women And it is a commendable deceipt allowed also in a Chirurgion when it is done for the patients good For as the same Terence saith Deceipt doth serue oftentimes for a good medicine in extreame diseases Now aboue all things the said Midwife ought to know that nature the handmaid of this great God hath giuen to euery thing a beginning increase state perfection declining which he doth manifestly and chiefely shew saith Galen in the birth of a child when the mother brings him into the world For Nature surpasseth all and in that she doth is wiser then either Art or the Midwife whosoeuer shee bee yea then the best or most cunning workeman that may bee found as Galen witnesseth For it is she that hath set downe the day of the childs conformation and the houre of his birth And certainly it is a thing worthy of consideration to see how in a little space yea euen in the twinckling of an eye the necke of the wombe which all the time of the nine moneths was so perfectly and exactly closed and shut that the point of a needle could not enter therin how I say in an instant it is dilated and inlarged to giue passage and way for the child the which cannot bee comprehended as the same Galen saith but only wondred at and admired The same Author in his fifteenth booke de vsu partium desirous to shew the prouidence of Nature saith that the faults of Nature are very rare and that she worketh alwaies and in such order and measure that of a thousand births there is scarce one found that is amisse Wherefore neither the Midwife nor any of the Womans kinsfolkes or assistants ought to doe any thing rashly but suffer nature to worke helping her notwithstanding in that which shall bee needfull as heereafter shall be declared deuiding the worke of their deliuery into three seueral times and seasons What must bee obserued when the woman feeles her selfe neare her time CHAP. III. THe time of deliuery being at hand the woman is to prepare her selfe in this manner She must presently send for the Midwife and her keeper it being better to haue them about her too soon then too late for there be some women that are deliuered sodainely without the helpe of any one although they haue beene long in their first labour In the meane time she must haue a little bedde prouided her like a pallet which must bee of a reasonable bignes strong and firme and also of an indifferent height as well for her owne commodity as the Midwiues and others that shal be present about her to helpe her in her labour and it must be so set placed that they may conueniently come and go round about her it must be placed far from any doore and somwhat neere the fire Let it also be conueniently furnished with beds good store of linnen that they may be often changed as neede shall require And likewise there must bee laid crosse the beds feete a peece of wood for the woman to rest her feete vpon that so she may haue the more strength when she bendeth her legs as we will shew heereafter As soone as she feeles her selfe stirred and prouoked with throwes and paines which are vsuall in this case it were good for her to walke vp and down the chamber and then lay her selfe down warm in her bed and then again afterwards to rise walk vp and downe the chamber and then lay her down warme in her bed and then againe afterwards to rise vp and walke expecting till the water bee gathered and the Matrice be opened for to keep her selfe so long in her bed would bee very tedious and painfull Yet it may chance that being in bed shee may take some rest and haue a little slumber and so by this meanes the mother may gather more strength the child be the better inabled to come at the time which God hath appointed it and also the waters will be the better prepared gathered They may giue her if the labour be long a little broth or the yelke of an egge with some butter and bread and also a little wine and water It is very certaine that all women are not deliuered after one fashion for some are deliuered in their bed others sitting in a chaire some standing being supported and held vp by the standers by or else leaning vpon the side of a bed table or chaire others kneeling being held vp by the armes But the best and safest way is to be deliuered in their bed the which I aduise them to the midwife and assistants as her kinsfolkes friends and keepers obseruing this that followes First the woman must be laid flat vpon her back hauing her head raised somwhat high with a pillow vnder her backe that it bow not and vnder her buttocks and os sacrum let her haue another pretty big pillow that thereby those parts may bee somewhat lifted vp for a woman that sinketh
as followeth Take a great tub or hogshed and fill it full of riuer water made somewhat hot adding thereto as much white Wine as you think fit wherein you shall stiepe the space of a day and a night of Fennill Marierom Mugwort Motherwort Penny-royall Agrimonie Chamamill and Meliot flowers of Rose leaues of each two handfuls put them into a strong linnen bag that is large enough quenching oftentimes in the said liquor a barre of Iron red hot Then ouer-night you shall take out three or foure kettels full of the said water and set them ouer the fire to seeth and then poure it into the tub againe and couer it close that it may keep in the heat all night and warme the tub then in the morning you must put in more hot water vntill you haue made the bath temperate which must be neither too hot nor too cold In the morning when the bath is thus prepared the woman shall go into it sitting vpon the bag of herbes aforesaid and stay there an howre or two without forcing her selfe and a little before her comming foorth let her take this Electuarie An Electuary â„ž Cons Bugloss Rosar an â„¥ ss cortic Citri condit Ê’ ij fiat Condium capiat vt dictum est Some women cannot away with this Electuarie but content themselues with a little Citron pill canded She may also sweat a little in her bed and then cause her selfe to bee gently rub'd with linnen cloths to take away any spots or staines that haue hapned vpon her skin in the time of her child-bed Her sweat being past and she somewhat cool'd her selfe in her bed then she must not eat any meat but such as is easie of digestion and that breeds good bloud Now this first Bath doth but only serue to prepare her for a Second which shall be made as followeth Take riuer water and quench in it hote Iron as you did in the former baths wherin you shall boile two great Bags which shall containe these Ingredients Second Bath for Summer â„ž Farin Orob Fabar. Lupinor an lb. ij Farin glandium lb. ss Rosar rub flor Chamaemil Melilot an pug iiij Alumin glacial Roch. crud an â„¥ iij. cortic Querc Nucum Cupress an â„¥ ij Balaust â„¥ j. Caryophyl Nucis Mosch an Ê’ vj. Granor. Tinctor â„¥ ij s. conquassantur omnia simul fiant sacculi cum panno lineo bulliant in aqua Balnei primi vt dictum est sit Balneum secundum This second Bath must be made as the first without being either too hot or too cold Wherein she shall stay an howre or two sitting vpon the bags and before her going foorth let her take the former Electuarie or a piece of Citron pill condited This Bath will serue for twice it being onely new heated againe In Winter time you shall make these Bath's Bath for wâ—â—ter â„ž Maioran Artemis Menth. Rorismar Heder terrest an M. iij. farin Hord. fabar Auenac Orobi Lupinor an lb. ij flor Rorismar Chamaemel Melilot Lauandul an M.i.s. Rosar rub m. ij Caryophil Nucis Mosch Cinamon Benzoin styrac calam an â„¥ i. Alumni lb. s. granor tinctor Balaust an â„¥ iij. omnia conquassentur fiant sacculi duo Coquantur in aqua Chalybeata in qua sape extinctum sit ferrum candens fiat Balneum vt praecedens In winter the woman in Child-bed shal vse this in stead of the former hauing washed her selfe in the first bath that was prescribed for summer and taking it her comming forth the electuary formerly set downe And besides while she is in the bath whether it bee in summer or winter it will be very fit and conuenient to rub all her body ouer with little bagges filled with Almonds beaten very small thereby to make her skinne smooth and slicke After she hath beene thus bathed she shall vse below such Fomentations as may close and strengthen those parts and bring them to their former state A fomentatioÌ„ for the lower parts â„ž Fol. Plantag Tapsi Barbat CeÌ„tinod Caudae equin an M.i. Fol. Cupres m.i.s. Rosar â—ub flor Chamaem Melilot an P.i. Balaust Sumach Nuc. Cupressi Gallar an â„¥ i. Maioran Thym. Puleg Origan an m.s. Alumin Ê’ vi fiat decoctio in aequis partibus vini austeri aquae Calibeatae profotu partium inferior When she hath done with the fomentation she must receiue beneath this perfume A perfume â„ž Benzoini styrac calam ligni Aloes an â„¥ s. Cortic citri Nuc. Cupressi Balaust an Ê’ iij. Nucis mosach Caryophil an Ê’ ij Carab Mastich an Ê’ i s. Rosa rub P.i. fiat omnium puluis excipiatur cum muccagine gummi tragacanthi fiant trochisci The Woman must sit in a hollow chaire that hath a hole in the bottom and vnderneath it a chasing dish of coles whereupon there shall bee put one or two of the said Trochiscks and so shee must receiue the fume thereof And because not onely the said parts doe continue limber and wrinkled but likewise the belly and breasts doe also remaine almost as big as they were before she was deliuered It will therfore not bee amisse to take some order that this exceeding greatnesse of her belly and breasts may bee diminished and they hardned withall endeuouring by all meanes to bring them againe to their naturall constitution And since that this swelling and puffing vp proceeds commonly from some humors or wind that is got in and gathered together in those parts hauing beene too much relaxed therefore it will bee very necessary before you apply any outward thing thereto that shee bee purged keeping a good diet and auoiding all meates that shall breed any ill humors or windines Which being done you may apply this that followeth â„ž Farin fabar Hord. lupinor an â„¥ ij farin Oryz. Glandium an â„¥ ij s. Coquantur perfectè in aequis partibus Aq. Mirtillor Caudae equin Centinod Plantag Rosar addendo Pul. Nuc. Cupres Balaust Mirtil. an â„¥ i. Pul. flor Camaemel melilot sem foenicul an â„¥ s. Sang. dracon Alumin an Ê’ ij Ol. Mirtillor vng Rosat Mes. an â„¥ iij. Mellis â„¥ i s. fiat Cataplasma ad formam pultis satis liquidae post coctionem poteris addere Albumina ouor Ventri applicentur mammis This Cataplasme must lye on xxiiij howers and then bee renewed In steed of a second Cataplasme you may vse this water A water for the brests c. â„ž Prunor. syluest Mespilor Cor. nor Nuc. Cupress Balaust Glandium cum suis cupulis si desint fructus sume cortices arborum an lb. s. flor Rosar syluest rubrar an â„¥ iiij Albumin duor ouor Aluminis Crud â„¥ ij Caryophil Nucis mosch an â„¥ s. BeÌ„zoini styrac Calamit an â„¥ i. Calam. Arom Frid. flor an Ê’ vi Macerentur omnia in lb. xij aquae fabrorum post infusionem 4. dierum ponantur omnia in Alembicum plumbeum fiat distillatio seruetur ad vsum In this water you shal dip and soak
then the woman dyes presently but if it be voided by the mouth or nose then she may escape The causes of this suppression are of two kinds either inward or outward The outward causes are sadnes griefe suddain apprehension of some ill newes feare frighting and such like passions of the mind Likewise cold which the woman hath taken which shutteth vp the veines of the Matrice a bad dyet and amongst other things drinking of colde and raw water which hath beene noted by Hippocrates to be very hurtfull vnto women with child Now concerning the inward causes the same Author writes that the vlcers which happen by reasen of a long and troublesome deliuery doe cause an inflammation and swelling which makes the side of the wombe come together and shuts vp the orifices of the veines thereof from whence proceedes suppression of the after-Purgins Likewise the ouer great quantity of thicke and grosse bloud may bee the cause as also the weakenesse of the Matrice the which because it hath beene sore wearied and troubled in the deliuery and thereby lost all strength is not able to disburden and free it selfe of the bloud whereof it is full Hippocrates also in the same place giues another cause which is when the mouth of the said womb is shrunke or turned awry or else because the sides of it are sunke downe shut together and inflammed For the Cure heereof shee must obserue an order of dyet which shall be moistning and opening Her meate and drinke must be such as we haue formerly prescribed for one newly deliuered Shee shall take operitiue Broths thereby to open the orifices of the veines which are much stopt and according to the cause so the remedies must be fitted as if it come by any sudden apprehension griefe or anger then must she be plasant and make her selfe as merry as she can If it proceed of any inflammation or heate that hath thickned the bloud then must she vse medicines that shal moderately cool moisten as Apozemes made with the leaues and rootes of Succory Burnet Endiue Agrimony Maydenhaire Couchgrasse or Gramen Hoppes rootes of Persely and Asparagus Violet flowers with the sirups of Maydenhaire and de quinq radicibus If it be needfull to attenuate and cut or to euacuate any grosse and clammy humors which shut vp the orifices of the veines it will not be amisse to vse this fomentation so that there be no great inflammation of the part A. somentatiō ℞ Malu Bismal Parietar Matricar an m. i. Abrotan Origan Aneth Calamint Artemis an m. s. Flor. sambuc Chamaemel Melilot an P. i. sem Linifoenugraec an ʒ ij fiant sacculi duo Coquantur in aq Communi addendo sub finem vini albi parum pro fotu Of the foresaide ingredients you may likewise prepare fumes halfe baths and also iniections for the Matrice If the said after-purgings are suppressed because the inner orifice of the matrice is closed or turned aside then will it be very necessary for the Chirurgion after he hath considered that there is neither paine nor distemperature to set it right againe by putting vp pessaryes which shal prouoke and bring downe the after purgings as this following A Pessary ℞ Cerae nouae ℥ iiij Mell. ℥ i. styrac liq ℥ s. Ol. muschell ʒ ij liquefiant omnia simul addendo Myrrh Aloes an ʒ is farin Lupinor ʒ vi auferendo ab igne impone telam ex Canabe de qua cooperiatur pessarium ad vsum You shall first frame a pessary and then it shall be couered with the said cloth or else dipped and couered with the said medicine You may also make little round bags of a fingers length in the forme of a pessary which you shall fill or stuffe with the herbe Mercury first brused or beaten and this may serue for a pessary this herb is very much commended If it be needful to haue the pessary stronger you may put thereto a little Mugword Sauine and Balme It will be very profitable to bind the thighs hard and to rub the legges and thighs especially on the inside all along the crurall veyne you may also apply great Cupping glasses in the saide places Let her legges and thighs be washed with that decoction which was set downe before for the fomentation The same decoction also may serue for Clysters dissoluing therein Hiera or Benedict Laxatiua and mel mercuriale But we must preferre before all these medicines that which is the most soueraigne which is letting of bloud in the foote out of the Saphena or in the Poplitica which is in the bending of the gartring place For by this meanes we shall manifestly meet with the cause of the sicknesse And heerein wee shall follow the example of Hippocrates who caused the woman seruant of Stymargus to be let bloud be cause her sicknesse or purgings were stayed after she was deliuered and by this meanes she was well discharged of them although before she had bene in great and generall Convulsions The same Author saith that a woman that hath these purgings staide must haue present helpe for feare least there happen some great inflammation to the part so that except she be presently let bloud she is in danger of death Her belly also must be kept loose by Clisters and if she can vomit easily she must be helped that way also Galen saith that hee hath brought downe these purgings in women that was pale leane and weak by letting her bloud in good quantity I haue not heere set downe any medicines to bee taken by the mouth because I haue written many of this kind in the Chapters going before wherein I haue treated of the meanes how to make the child or after-birth come foorth when they bee staide which medicines haue power also to prouoke the courses or after purgings Of the false Conception stayed and abiding in the woman after her deliuery CHAP. IX IT may happen to some women that after they haue been well deliuered of their children there may stay with them one or more false conception Some of these false conceptions sticke fast to the wombe some are vnfastned and loose If they be small they come foorth together with the purgings but if they be big they oftentimes stay and abide within And in this case the Chirurgion must be carefull for if they bee bigge and cleaue to the wombe they may bring much inconuenience to the woman by their long staying behind So then it will be necessary for him to know whether there be any of this kind and of what nature it is which he shal learne of the Mother by demanding of her how she found her selfe all the time shee went with child First then let him enquire of her whether she were very big at that time and if she had any hardnesse in any part of her belly whether shee hath beene vsed to any such accident with her other children for there are women which
and too greedily It is verie hard to set downe the quantitie of milke that a child should take But therein the nurse must haue a respect to the age complexion temper and to the desire which the child hath to sucke increasing it as the child groweth or according as he is thirstie either through some sicknesse or when his teeth come foorth for at those times he is more drie then otherwise Now to know how often the child should sucke in a day Paulus Aegineta appoints that it should be twise a day or thrise at the most which he meaneth for the first foure or fiue daies that he may be acquainted therewith by little and little and also because there is then no great need I haue seen children that haue not sucked in two or three daies after they were borne for they know not then whether they are yet in their Mothers belly or no where they suck'd not at all although that Hippocrates saith that the child receiues some nourishment by the mouth while he is in his Mothers belly It can neither be told nor limitted how often he ought to sucke in a day because it is fit he should haue the teat as often as he crieth yet let it be but a little at a time because the stomacke at first is but weake And if he wrangles but a little it will be best to still him either with rocking or singing And though he be not quieted or stilled a little crying can doe him no great harme but rather may serue for some good vse For it makes him runne at Nose shed teares and spit it purgeth his braine yea and stirreth vp his naturall heat and also dilates the passages of the breast But if he cry too violently and eagerly it may do him much harm and cause him to be bursten or breake some vessell in his breast or else bring the head-ach How the child must be made cleane after he is awake and vnswathed CHAP. VII AFter the Child hath well suck'd and slept the Nurse must shift him and make him cleane For which purpose the Nurse or some other must sit neere the fire laying out her legges at length hauing a soft pillow in her lap the dores and windowes being close shut and hauing something about her that may keep the wind from the child And when she is thus accommodated she shall vnswath and shift him drie If he be verie foule she may wash him with a little water and wine luke warme with a spunge or linnen cloth The time of shifting him is commonly about seuen a clocke in the morning then againe at noone and at seuen a clocke at night and it would not be amisse to change him againe about midnight which is not commonly done But because there is no certaine howre either of the childs sucking or sleeping therefore diuers after he hath slept a good while do euery time shift him least he should foule and bepisse himselfe And surely there be many children that had need to be shifted as soone as they haue foul'd themselues which I would counsaile you to doe and not to let them lie in their filth When you change his bed you shall rub all his bodie ouer with an indifferent fine linnen cloth and then his head must be rub'd and made cleane and when he is foure or fiue moneth old his head may be cleans'd with a fine brush and when he is growen bigger let it be comb'd What cloths and coats the child must haue and at what time CHAP. VIII AS soone as the childe is somewhat growne and that hee cannot well keepe his hands swathed in and hid any longer which is commonly about the twentieth or thirtieth day according as he is in strength then must hee haue little sleeues that hauing his armes and hands at liberty hee may vse and stirre them and then the Nurse shall begin to carry him abroad so that it be faire weather to sport and exercise him not carrying him out into the raine or into the hot sunne nor when there is any rough wind And therfore he must be kept in the shade auoiding all ill ayres as of sinkes and the like And if he should chance to bee frighted with any thing the Nurse shal endeuor to take away the apprehension thereof and harten him without making him afraid I haue seen some children that with a fright haue fallen into the Epilepsye or falling sicknes the Physitions not being able to giue any other reason thereof but onely the feare he had taken If by chance he doth cry and weepe then shall you endeuour by all meanes to still him and not let him cry obseruing diligently what it is he cries for and what may be the cause thereof that as Galen saith he may haue that he desireth or else be ridde of that which offends and troubleth him But the same Author saith that children generally are stilled and quieted by three meanes by giuing them the breast by rocking and by singing to them They may be also stilled by giuing them something to holde in their hand or by making them looke vpon somwhat that pleaseth them as also by carrying them abroad About the eighth or ninth month or at farthest when the child is a yeare old he must haue coates and not be kept swathed any longer And if it bee Sommer he must be coated sooner because of the heate which makes the body oftentimes to be full of wheales and pimples And some may haue coats sooner according as their strength will suffer it of which an especiall care must be had And chiefly the Nurse must let him haue a hat that may be easie and large enough which may couer all the forepart of the head without beeing curious as they say commonly to make him haue a goodly high forhead At what age the child may take other sustenance beside Milke CHAP. IX THe childe must bee nourished with milk only till his foreteeth be come forth both aboue and beneath as Galen writeth for beeing nothing else yet but as it were milke it is very fit and probable that hee should bee nourished with no other foode Besides the teeth are chiefly ordained by nature onely to chaw and therefore when he hath none he ought not to be fed with any solide meat But as soone as they are come forth it sheweth that Nature hath giuen him those instruments to make vse of them and therefore hee may then take more solide meate if you thinke he can digest it For to giue him any other nourishment then milke or dish-meate before hee haue teeth it might breede great store of crude humors and winds which oftentimes as Auicen saith doe cause the child to haue bunches or contusions about his backe bone and ribs Neuerthelesse though his teeth bee come yet must you not giue him meat that is too solide or in too great quantitie but at the beginning you may giue him sops of bread or Panado
or Gruell afterward he may suck the leg of a Chicken the greatest part of the flesh being taken away that he may the better pull and gnaw it and this is but once or twice a day that too when he is almost ready to be weaned as Rhasis saith And this also doth serue to whet and rub his gummes which about that time begin to itch And when hee is fifteene moneths olde or a little more then may you giue him the flesh of a Capon or of Partridge minced and mingled with some broth made either of Veale Mutton or Chicken adding thereto some sops of bread For the Ancient writers forbid that wee should giue them any store of meate before they are two yeares old because they are not able to chaw and digest it and also for that they haue not so much neede of nourishment And therefore you must stay till you haue weaned him before you feede him more plentifully When the child ought to he weaned CHAP. X. IT is a very hard thing to set downe a certaine time when a child ought to be weaned Notwithstanding if we wil beleeue Paulus Aegineta and Auicen he must be weaned when he is two yeares old and hath all his teeth come foorth Now in some they come foorth sooner and in others later and to weane him before they are come foorth might be an occasion to make him haue many diseases Wherefore to know certainely when a childe should be weaned and that he should wholy feed vpon other meat it must first be obserued whether he take his meat well and if hee be able to chaw it thoroughly whether he be sickly or else strong and lusty Concerning the time and season of the yeare it must be when the wether is neither too hot nor too cold and therfore the fittest time will be the spring or in Autumn But somtimes there is necessity to wean him at another time yea before two yeares by reason that his nurse may chance to bee sickly and that he being come to some knowledge will not sucke another It may also happen that the child is to be weaned before he be two yeares old for that the milke although otherwise it bee good doth curdle and grow sower in his stomacke which requireth stronger meate Now to weane a childe well let them obserue this methode following First the teat shall not be wholy taken from him but hee shall sucke a little and eate a little meate and so continue for a few daies then afterwards hee shall not sucke in the day time though in the night they may giue him a little Neuerthelesse it will be very fit in the morning when he is awake and hath been shifted and dressed to giue him sucke a little and then to let him stay two or three houres before hee take any thing afterward to giue him somwhat to dinner as some pottage or panade with a little flesh minced or cut very small and then let him stay two houres without giuing him any thing at which time you may giue him a little sucke and lay him to sleepe And when hee is wakened and hath beene made cleane then the Nurse shall carry him abroad into the aire if it be faire wether and giue him sucke and then lay him to sleepe againe without letting him eate any solide meate or very little At his dinner they shal giue him to drinke a little boyled water and this order shall bee kept a whole moneth and when hee shall bee accustomed to eate solide meate then the teate shall bee quite taken from him It happens oftentimes that the child will not forsake the breasts but still cryeth and is very eager after it and then you must make him loath it annointing the Nurses breast with Mustard or else rubbing the top of the nipple with a little Aloes and likewise make him ashamed of it Of the diseases which happen to a child CHAP. XI HItherto we haue shewed what manner of Woman a Nurse ought to be and how she should Nurse and giue her child sucke it now resteth that wee speake of some diseases which happen vnto children in their first age which is from their birth to the seuenth month in which time they commonly haue their first teeth then afterwards those which happen in their second age which is from the seuenth month to the end of two yeares at which time they commonly are weaned and their teeth are almost quite come foorth leauing the third age which is from two yeares to seuen and the fourth also which is reckoned from seuen years to fourteene Hippocrates hath obserued in his Aphorismes that children when they are young are subiect to these diseases to a sorenes of the mouth with little whelks which doe rise theron and vpon the tongue called by him Aphthae to vomiting the Cough watchings or forsaking of sleepe inflammation of the Nauell and moisture of the eares And in their second age which is when their teeth begin to come they are troubled with itching of the gums and chiefely when the dog teeth come foorth and those are most troubled therewithall which are more fat and fleshy and which are bound in their belly But because there are many other diseases that they are subiect vnto whether it be that they bring them from their mothers wombe with them or that they happen to them afterwards therefore I will briefly speak of them all beginning first with those that doe most trouble them How some diseases may happen vnto little Children in comming foorth of their mothers wombe CHAP. XII THere be diuers accidents which happen vnto little children and at their time of comming into the world Some receiuing bruises and hurts either in the head or other parts of their body through striuing and straining in the deliuery as Aches or breaking of an arme leg or thigh which I haue often seene in a difficult trauaile The latter must be helped by setting the bones againe in their right place whether it bee that they were out of ioint or else broken and then bind them and keepe them so till they be well grown together and haue taken firme hold As for hurts and bruises they must bee bathed with some fomentation made of Roses Melilot Chamomil flowers and then annointed with Saint Iohns Wort and Roses mingled together Mad. Maheu was deliuered of a childe so bruised and torne that euery one iudged him to bee dead hee was so blacke whom I dressed and looked vnto with the foresaid medicine I healed him perfectly But the worst is when there happeneth any hurt about the childs head by meanes whereof there comes some great swelling tumor full of bloud which may be taken improperly for the Hydrocephalo If it be but small then it may bee resolued with the former fomentation and liniment and some plasters of Diacalciteos and Diachilon Ireatum mingled together But if the swelling be much and big then must we not think to heale it
by Aristotle who saith that young infants are not subiect to dreames experience teaching vs that those who as yet haue not discretion to know good from bad are not feared with terrible and fearefull sights but contrariwise doe laugh at them and are well pleased For the Cure of this accident both the Nurse and also the child when he comes to eate must auoide all meates which do corrupt the stomacke and such as are apt to breede grosse and malignant vapors such as Pease Beanes Leekes Onions Coleworts which as Dioscorides reporteth doe procure sadde and Melancholike dreames Let them feede vpon good meates and in a moderate quantity that so the stomacke may not bee ouercharged and that the concoction may bee the more easie Rhasis wisheth the Nurse to drink a cup of good wine After that the child hath sucked and the Nurse hath eaten they must not according to the precept of Auicen go to sleepe presently because the meate can not descend so soone to the bottome of the stomacke there to bee embraced and perfectly concocted And when part thereof stayes at the vpper Orifice of the stomacke then the fumes and vapours thereof doe easily rise and ascend to the braine If there be any bad humors abiding within the stomacke guts or mesentery let them be purged out Auicen giueth to the child a little hony fasting If hee bee somwhat big you may giue him a little Cassia a spoonefull of sirup of Cichory and sirup of Damaske roses or some Manna in broth If his stomacke be weake let it be strengthened with this Liniment A liniment for the stomacke ℞ Olei de absynth et mastich qu. ʒ s. puluer ganophyl gr vj. cerae ʒ s. liquefiant simul et fiat litus But especially let the Nurse and those that come about the child embolden him taking heede that they put him not in feare of any thing by shewing him any picture or beast or other thing which may breed any feare or terror Of the rupture or falling downe of the gut in young Children CHAP. XXVII CHildren and chiefly male-Children are much troubled at this day with the rupture of which though there be many kinds yet will I treat at this present onely of the falling downe of the gut and caule and of the watery and windie rupture for those which are called Camosa and Varicosa doe seldome or neuer happen to young children I haue obserued that many children are born with these ruptures which happen because the child beeing in the Mothers wombe doth often striue in turning and winding himselfe or else doth so straine himselfe that the guts and caule do beare downe vppon the production of the Peritonaeum which beeing inlarged giueth occasion of a rupture As for those which are called Hydrocele and Physocele which is the watery and windy rupture it cannot be denied but that the child before hee be borne if he draw bad humors from the mother breedes these waters and winds which may flow downe into the purses of the cod Neuerthelesse most commonly these kindes of ruptures are bred after the child is borne and come into the World which happens vpon diuers occasions either because the child hath cryed much or through a long Cough or by filling himselfe too full of milke or victualls or by leaping stretching or straining himselfe too much going to ride astride vpon somthing As for the watry and windy ruptures they proceede for the most part of the bad nourishment which the child takes either of his Nurse or else of himselfe after he is wained whereupon grows infinite Crudities and Winds which steale by the production of the Peritonaeum into the cods For the cure of the falling downe of the gut if the child bee very young keepe him quiet and still him from crying and if he eate pap put into it this powder A pouder ℞ Radic consolid maior ʒ ij radic sigilli beatae Mari. et salomonis an ʒ is herniar ʒ ij puluer limacum rubror ʒ i. fiat omnium puluis Euery time that you make him pap put a dram or thereabout into it and when you vnswath him to make him cleane vse this fomentation to the part Afomentatiō ℞ Radic consolid maior osmund regal cortic vlmi fraxini an ℥ s. folior plantag tapsi barbati centinodiae herniariae caudae equinae flor chamom meliloti rosar rubr an m. i. s balaustor nucum cupressi calic gland an ℥ ij fiant sacculi parui coquantur in aequis partibus vini austeri aquae fabrorum pro fotu partis After that you haue vsed this fomentation a quarter of an houre dry the part and then lay vpon it this plaster following An emplaster ℞ Vnguentum de siccat rubr ℥ ij puluer Mastich olibani sarcocollae nucum cupressi an ʒ i. cum tantillo cerae et olei Mastich fiat Emplastrum satis molle Let this Emplaster be laid vpon the part and vpon that a little bolster to keep all fast together that nothing slip of you shall bind it on or else vse a trusse but it will be fitter for the child to haue it bound on and then to be swathed vp This fomentation and plaster must be vsed for the space of thirtie or fortie daies and if the child be somewhat big let him be kept quiet in his bed for fortie daies together taking the powder before discribed with broath or with a little water of Myrtels or else making the said powder into small Lozenges The fomentations must be made for him as is alreadie described wherewith he must be bathed halfe an houre euery morning and then the plaster laide on and fastned with a trusse or cloth bound on it He must forsake all windie meats as Pease Beanes raw fruits Salades and white meats feeding vpon good meats that are rosted and of them but in small quantitie Let him drinke a little Red wine mingled with boyled water if his bellie be bound giue him a little clyster or else some broaths with Sene in it And you must remember that the Fomentation must not be vsed nor the plaster laid on nor the trusse or swathes applied before the gut or caule be put vp if so be that they be fallen downe And especially you must haue a care that his head be laid somewhat low and his buttockes high as he lyeth in his bed that by this meanes nothing may come downe Concerning the watrie and windie ruptures the child must keep the same Diet as hath been alreadie prescribed And as for locall medicines they must be such in both as haue power to attenuate drie vp discusse and resolue the waters and wind which is within the purse of the cod For the watrie rupture I haue often tried this medicine A Plaster ℞ Vnguent comitiss desiccatiui rubr an ℥ ij stercor Columbi ℥ ss Sulphuris viui ʒ iij. puluer baccar Lauri semin Sinapi an ʒ j. olei Aneth
Terebinth Venetae an Ê’ iij. Cerae q. s fiat Emplastrum This Emplaster also is of good vse for a windie rupture vnlesse you can heal it with this fomentation A Fomentation â„ž Rosar rubr flor Chamaemel Meliot Aneth an m. j. semin Foenicul Anis an â„¥ s folior Origani Calamenth an m. j. baccar Lauri Ireos florent pulueris an Ê’ ij fiant sacculi duo Coquantur in aequis partibus vini albi aquae pro fotu But when these watrie ruptures grow so hard that they cannot be dissolued by the medicines aforesaid then must they be opened Which I haue practized vpon young Infants and amongst others vpon a child of Mons de Vilantry being not aboue two moneths old and this I did by the counsaile of Mr Hautin and Mr Duret the Kings Physicions in ordinarie and Physicions of Paris The maner of making this Incision I haue set downe in my booke Of the practizes of Chirurgerie to which I refer the Reader where he may find all the particularities set downe Of the difficultie of making of Water wherewith young Children are troubled CHAP. XXVIII IT happens oftentimes that young Children can not make water and that vpon diuers occasions but chieflie through the fault of vrine which offends either in quantitie or qualitie The ill qualitie of the Vrine is when it is hote sharpe and pricking which makes the child afraid to pisse because of the paine which they feele when their water comes The Vrine offends in quantitie when it is in so great abundance and doth so ouer-charge the bladder that the Fibres being ouer-stretched can not draw themselues together to expect the vrine which happens to them which haue kept their water too long And for this cause children must oft be called vpon to pisse both when they awake and when they are changed to be laid downe to sleep And when they grow bigger let them make water both before and after they eate for since they abound with moistures and haue their bladder but small they must in no wise keep their water long and therefore if some-times they bepisse themselues in their sleep they must not be much chidden or beaten for feare least if they hold their water by force they fall into this difficultie of voiding it If there be any fleagme or slime or bloud mingled with the water or if there breed any sand or stone this may be the cause to hinder the childs vrine And this may happen to young children as Hippocrates noteth because they eat much which procures much cruditie and breeds the matter of the Stone For the Cure heerof you must proceed according to the cause which if it be because the vrine is sharpe and pricking or too hote then if it be a sucking child it will be good to prescribe the Nurse a dyet to temper her bloud which it may be is too hote Let her also be purged let bloud and bathed and let her vse broaths made with coole herbes If the child be somewhat big you may giue him this medicine A medicine for the grauel in the bladder â„ž Ol. Amygdal dulc â„¥ j. ss aquae Parietar â„¥ j. succi Limo Ê’ j. fiat potus Set him also in a little bath Galen and Auicen do much commend the water of Rapes or Turneps which you may giue with a little decoction of Parsley roots Dogs tooth and Dandelion But it happens oftentimes that the child can not pisse by reason of some slime that stickes in the passage of the yard which makes it swell and puffe vp and shew as cleare as a bladder For the help heerof you must bring foorth the stone by the help of a little instrument like to this heere described in the fashion of an eare-picker which you shall vse in this maner You must hold downe the child fast that he stir not and then the Chirurgion must take the yard betweene the fore-finger and the thumbe with his left hand by that part which is next toward the groine that is beyond the stone for feare least in the performance of the worke it slip vp and goe backe againe Then holding the little instrument in his right hand let him put it vp into the passage of the the vrine so far till he meete with the stone which when he hath found let him beare downe the instrument to make it slip vnder the stone for to catch hold of it behind and when he hath hold of it let him draw it foorth in such maner as shall be needfull And it will be necessarie to draw it out somewhat strongly because oftentimes it stickes verie hard Sometimes it happens that the Stone is so big that it cannot be taken away by this meanes and then we are constrained to make an incision in the yard which must be done in this manner You must hold the yard fast with the left hand taking it by the midst so that halfe the thicknesse of it may be betweene you finger and thumbe and the other halfe out that so the Stone may rise and swell vp the more on that side Then on that side that the Stone swels vp right ouer and against the Stone let an incision be made so deep till you come to the Stone which when you find you shal put vnder it such a small instrument as hath been before described therewith to draw it foorth And afterward let the wound be healed as an other ordinarie wound taking care that there grow no little excrescence of flesh in the passage of the water I haue practized this with verie good successe and amongst others vpon the sonne of Mons Robert of Chartres The meanes to helpe children that pisse in their bed in the night and cannot holde their water CHAP. XXIX LIttle children doe commonly pisse a bed that for many reasons As because they breed and abound as wee haue already shewed with store of Vrine which commeth downe into the bladder and that is so little that it is not able to retaine and keepe it being in so great quantity besides the Sphincter muscle is very soft and weake by reason of the childs tendernesse Againe they doe so go about all the day long that when are laid to bed they sleepe so soundly that they cannot easily be wakened wherto may be added that they vse to dreame often in the night which makes them pisse thinking that they are awake Some thinke that wenches are more subiect heereto then boyes Now for the deliuering and freeing them of this accident diuers Phisicions are of opinion that it is best to let them alone til they are grown bigger and not to trouble them with many medicines For the fibers of the Sphincter muscle which keepe the necke of the bladder shut together grow dry and stronger and besides then the child abounds not so much with moisture and by consequence neither with vrine but yet they must be hindred from drinking so much as they