the Spleen be stopt Take Steel prepared a pound wash it with Vinegar then strain it and lay it on a Clout and add powder of Cloves half an ounce Let them stand so a day and a night then put them in a glassed Vessel and ten ounces of white Wine Diarrhodon Harts-tongue Senna and Caper-bark then stir them then set them in the Sun for a day or in an Oven Do this ten daies till the Steel be melted in the Wine and little or nothing at the bottom Give two ounces of this in the morning after purging and exercise Or Take Steel prepared an ounce Cinnamon Aniseeds each two drams Diamoschu without Musk a dram Sugar an ounce make a powder give a dram drink white Wine and mugwort-Mugwort-water after it Steeled Wine Take Steel in powder three ounces Cinnamon half an ounce white Wine three pints Set them in a close glass eight daies in the Sun stir them every day Give six or eight ounces four hours afore dinner for fifteen or twenty daies and walk after it At first give a Steel-medicine to prepare As Take Steel-filings four ounces put it in an Iron Crucible or Ladle then cast it into two pints of water of Hops Grass Madder Borage or Spring-water strain it and do so seven times Then Take so many ounces of new Steel and cast it into water as before strain and add Syrup of Violets Borage or Honey of Roses four ounces give three ounces in the morning after exercise Prepare thus three or four times and then use stronger After Steel use Scorzonera steept all night in Wine give it in the morning This hath cured Obstructions in many Mercatus Bezoar-stone saith Mercatus opens Obstructions in my Experience and resists Venom give six or seven grains Steel is best Spring and Fall purge and exercise before and after it that it may be better dispersed Use Preparatives Purges and strengthners often and for a long time and change the forms lost the Patient loath them If water spread about the body cool the body and make it heavy Use sweats as Baths natural or artificial of Mugwort Calamints Nep Danewort Sage Bayes Rosemary Mercury Ivy Briony-roots Orris Elicampane After purging and opening Obstructions all the Symptoms will vanish if not see for the Symptoms of the Womb. The Diet. Let the Air be temperately hot The Meat of good juyce and easie digestion Pot-herbs and green Fruits must be avoided Fish Milk Lettice Make Sauce with Sage and Cinnamon Drink Wine Let Bread be well leavened with fennel-Fennel-seed Drink no Water nor Broaths at first and in the declination of the disease use Exercise and Venery Let sleep be moderate Question 1. Whether may the Woman in this Disease be allowed the absurd things they long for They are Virgins or Women with child that long for such things Virgins must not be allowed them as Chalk c. For they will increase the disease Women with child must be pleased with fair words to abstain from them but if the appetite will not be allayed rather grant them then suffer an abortion or mark upon the Child Question 2. Is Motion and Exercise good in the Green-sickness They are better then idleness which heaps up crudities they raise the languishing heat in the Bowels and help the nourishment to be destributed therefore they are to be used before the disease be great and in the declination they discuss the humors But use moderation lest you weaken the body or choak them First therefore use Frictions then watching then more exercise after convenient purging Question 3. Whether is Venery good for Maids in the Green-sickness It is probable and agreeable to Reason and Experience that Venery is good Hippocrates bids them presently marry for if they conceive Hippocr lib. de morb virgin Lib. 1. ep 2. they are cured John Langius saith This disease comes in the ripeness of age or presently after Venery heats the womb and the parts adjacent opens and loosens the passages so that the terms may better flow to the womb But if there be a great Cacochymy take that away before she be married and then Venery may do more in Physick But use it not in the vigor of the Disease nor in weakness Question 4. Whether is Blood-letting good in this Disease A Cachexy beginning with coldness of the whole Body seem to deny bleeding and because the crude humors are in fault rather then blood Lib. de morb virg But Hippocrates adviseth bleeding at the first If it be a new disease and comes from stopt terms and blood abound that is stopt and not turned into another humour you may boldly bleed provided the strength permit and the passages be open But in an old disease when crude Flegm abounds bleed not for it will increase the Disease Chap. 3. Of Symptomes from the Womb and Mother-fits in general IT is not to be expressed what miserable diseases Women are subject to both Virgins and others from the womb and its consent with other parts For when terms or blood are stopt there are great Symptoms and while they putrifie or get evil qualities the Symptoms are grievous and almost unexpressible One woman may have divers Symptoms from the womb at the same time when the seed and terms are mixed with other humors after they are corrupted and there is more sometimes and such noble substance as seed and terms being corrupted are like poyson Gal. 6. de loc aff c. 5. The consent with other parts is from likeness of parts nearness or connexion of Vessels And because the womb is membranous it hath a great consent with the Membranes and Nerves Also the parts adjacent are easily infected And thirdly it hath consent with all the Body by Veins Arteries and Nerves It consents with the Brain by the Nerves and Membranes of the Back-marrow It consents with the Heart by the Arteries with the Liver by the Veins which are great in the Womb and therefore the blood and bad humors go back to the Liver It consents with the stomach by Anastomosis in the Veins of the Mesentery and by the Arteries through foul humors and vapors go from the womb to the Mesentery and Stomach It consents with the Spleen by the Arteries therefore many Women that had not their terms enough in their youth and have hot blood are after Hypochondriack and a Physitian can scarce distinguish these diseases of the Womb and Spleen nor cure them severally It consents with the Paps by Veins and Nerves and the Heart Diaphragma Head Brain and all the Organs of sense and motion with the Liver Spleen Stomach Belly Mesentery Bladder strait Gut Back Hips Arms and Legs and causeth Symptoms As Galen saith the Mother and Histerical passions in one name Gal. de loc aff c. 5. but hath under it innumerable Symptoms Chap. 4. Of Suffocation of the Womb. IN this they seem to be strangled And there are so many Symptoms at once that it is impossible to define
with it to the veins of the womb and stops them This thick blood comes from a cold distemper of the stomach liver and spleen from thick and gross food and drinking cold water when the Terms flow Lib. de venae sec adversus Erasistrat So thought Galen in his time of the Roman women that drank snow-Snow-water and had few or no courses Straightness is when the body of the womb is made thicker either by Nature or other causes as a cold and dry or hot and dry distemper Thirdly Straitness is from compression of the vessels by a Scirrhus or hardness of the parts adjacent as the straight gut or by the stone in the bladder and the womb displaced Fourthly The flesh may grow together by a membrane that grows to the vessels or a scar after a wound Or after a mischance when the veins annexed to the Secundine grow so together that they cannot be opened of which in the first Question They are not the same in women and Virgins The Signs for blood stopt in Virgins goes to and fro changeth the colour and brings Feavers especially the white Feaver or Green-sickness But in women it goes more to the womb and brings Symptomes loathing vomiting and Pica Galen hath other signs as heaviness 8. De lo. aff c. 5. a lazy pain in the loyns neck and behind in the head that reacheth to the roots of the eyes from the spreading of the blood stopt through the whole body This laziness is chiefly in the thighs and leggs by reason of the veins there consenting with the womb And are of a green complexion and hairy with a beard and shrill voice You may know women with child from such as want their Terms only by proper signs First the women with child keep their colour but the other are pale and ill-coloured they are merry the other sad 2. Their Symptoms daily grow milder but in the other they daily grow worse 3. You may feel the child move 4. It is perceived in a month You shall know from what causes the terms are stopt thus If the Liver be cold there is no blood made that is superfluous and there are signs of a cold Liver and you may know that blood is not sent to the Womb when there is no heaviness pain or tumor about the Womb the Liver or Spleen are stopt The Prognostick If it be from Flegm or Melancholy which is often there are signs of their abounding as laziness paleness seldom pulse crude urin Hippoc. de morb mulier Gal. 6. de loc aff c. 5. Hippoc. 5. aphor 23. Hippocrates saith That if the Terms stop there are diseases in the Womb Tumors Imposthumes Ulcers and Barrenness and diseases in the whole Body Green-sickness Leucophlegmacy Dropsie Vomiting of blood Heart-ach Cough And the longer they have been stopt the harder they are to be opened If the blood stopt go out at the Nose it is good If it have great Symptoms there is fear of death You must not give Medicines to move the terms to extenuate lean persons nor to such as want blood and have a weak Liver but they must be fed high Com. in 6. epid 3. c. 29. First see if blood abound and then after a Lenitive open a Vein and let that blood which is in the Veins be drawn to the Womb. Galen took three pints of blood at three times from a lean Woman and cured her of an old stopping of the Terms You must open the Ankle-veins the first day the right the next the left four or five daies before the time Or you may cup and scarrifie the Legs And bind the parts below and rub them after general Evacuation opening of the Haemorrhoids doth hurt and so do Issues because they draw from the Womb. Hiera picra half an ounce or Pills de Tribus or Hiera simple are good first Then prepare As Take water of Mugwort Calamints Maiden-hair each three ounces Syrup of the five Roots and of Mugwort each two ounces make it for two Doses Or Take opening Roots half an ounce Madder Burnet each three ounces Mugwort Bettony Germander Calamints each a handful red Pease half a handful flowers of Bugloss Dill each a pugil boil and sweeten it with Sugar For flegmatick Bodies take the Decoction of Guajacum Sassaphras Dittany for fifteen daies without sweating Then evacuate with Agarick Mechoacan Turbith Scammony Coloquintida black Hellebore As Take Agarick two drams infuse it in Mugwort-water two ounces Oxymel an ounce strain and the Extract of Mechoacan a scruple Or Take opening Roots half an ounce Mugwort Bettony each two pugils Senna half an ounce Agarick two drams Fennel and Aniseed each a scruple Galangal half a dram Rosemary-flowers a pugil infuse them to three ounces and half add syrup of Senna an ounce and half cinnamon-Cinnamon-water half a dram Or if they drink Wine Take Turbith Mechoacan Agarick each two drams Senna an ounce and half Maiden-hair Balm Rosemary each two pugils Cinnamon Galangal each a dram hang them in Wine give six ounces with half an ounce of Manna Or Take Diaturbith with Rhubarb half an ounce Mechoacan two drams Agarick a dram Diarrhodon Cinnamon each half a dram Steel prepared a dram with Raisons make an Electuary give as much as a Walnut Or give Pills of Agarick foetida and so continue purging and preparing if the matter be stubborn Or Take Agarick two drams Madder a dram with Syrup of Mugwort make Pills Or Take Aloes three drams de Tribus one dram with juyce of Savin make Pills If the stomach is foul give a Vomit lest it get into the veins Par. 1. sec 2. ca. 2. Then give provokers of the Terms which are hot and thin about the time they used to flow they are three degrees in strength and many sorts of Medicines are made of them A Powder Take Cinnamon a dram Amber a scruple Saffron half a scruple Or Take Troches of Mirrh of Wall-flowers each a scruple Saffron five grains Or Take Castor Penny-royal each a scruple with Wine or proper Waters Physical Wine Take Madder-roots an ounce Orris half an ounce Balm Penny-royal Mugwort Rosemary each a handful Wall-flowers half a pugil Cinnamon an ounce Galangal half an ounce with Wine give four ounces Or Take the Decoction of red Pease Or Take Smallage Fennel-roots each half an ounce Mugwort Bettony Penny-royal Balm each a handful red Pease half an handful Juniper-berries half an ounce Wall-flowers a pugil boil and sweeten it Or Take ten ounces of it with three ounces of Mugwort for three doses Quercetan commends this Take Gromwel-seeds Anise Misleto of the Oak each three drams Dittany a dram Saffron a scruple bruise and keep them twenty four hours in Wine then boyl them give four ounces for three daies together Or make the Womans Aqua vitae Or Take Balm Bettony Penny-royal Mugwort Nep Motherwort Dittany each four handfuls Wine thirty pints distil them add three handfuls of each herbs and distil them again
it by one Sometimes there is only short breath sometimes the animal actions are hurt the whole Body is cold from a malignant vapor sent up from the Womb. The Causes The immediate Cause is a vapour malignant and venomous sent up by the Arteries Veins and Nerves that hurt the actions of the parts it goes to This vapor is like air or wind thin and little but very strong to get presently through the whole Body It chiefly ascends to the Gullet and causeth choaking as eating of Mushrooms Hellebore and other poysons There is often short difficult breathing with Heart-ach Vomiting and Loathing If the vapor go first to the heart the motion of it ceaseth and there is swounding and she falls down If it go to the Brain the animal actions are hurt When seed and terms corrupt in the Womb with other bad humors they breed this evil vapor because they are the best substance and the beginning of generation they are worst when corrupted especially seed to hurt the whole Body Gal. cit 1. Sometimes it is in Women with child when they have not their after-purging but evil humors are left and corrupt in the Womb. The chief cause of this humor is in the trumpet of the womb and stones the body of which is hollow and loose the stones being in Bladders and have hollowness full of water which in hysterical women is yellow and thicker then ordinary Vesal de corp human Fabr. lib. 5. c. 15. This trumpet and the stones are often taken from the womb it self when they are swollen with corrupt seed and humors and wind and reach to the Navel of which in the Chapter of Ascent of the Womb. This disease is breeding sooner or longer as the matter is more or less sometimes corrupt humors lie still and if they be stirred they send a venom or vapor to the whole body Now in women subject to this disease sweet scents to the Nose or taken in or anger will move these humors and vapors They are according to the variety of the Symptoms and efficient cause or venomous humors The Differences for corrupt blood especially seed puts on another Nature That Suffocation is at hand The Signs it appears by laziness weakness of the Legs paleness sad countenance and the motion of something like a Ball in the Belly with noise like Frogs Snakes or Crows so that some think it is devillish There is also Belching Yawning Yexing short Wind Heart-beating Loathing Dulness Laughter at the coming of the fit from the vapor getting into the Membrane of the Breast that tickle them some cry some both laugh and cry These Symptoms increase when the fit comes and the Jaws are closed that she seems to be choaked and sense and motion is gone or depraved Some have Convulsions some hear what is done about them but cannot speak the pulse is less the whole body is cold and the Eyes shut as if they were dead When the fit declines humors flow from the Privities the Guts rumble the Eyes open the Cheeks grow red and the body warm the animal actions return and the Patient sighs and comes to her self It is known to be from corrupt seed if the terms are in order and short breath and low voice Suffocation and Convulsions and all Symptoms are then more vehement and at the end of the fit there flows a humour like seed out of the privities It is from the terms if they be stopt or flow not orderly and if there be a disease in the womb it is neither from the seed nor the terms The Prognostick 1. If there come Swounding or a great Convulsion or quenching of natural heat it is deadly 2. Suffocation from corrupt seed is more dangerous then that which is from the terms mixt with melancholick humors 3. The longer it lasts and the worse the Symptoms the more is the danger It ceaseth in young Women when they begin to bear children 4. The oftner the fit comes the more you may fear the quenching of the natural heat by weakning of the Heart often and if she foam at the mouth she dies The Cure of the Fit In the fit you must discuss the malignant vapors that rise from the womb and turn it from the principal parts and you must evacuate the matter that breeds it and prevent its return Call upon her loud pluck the hairs of her privities and Ears make strong Ligatures and Frictions cup the Legs and Thighs and Groyns hold stinks to the Nose as Partridge-feathers burnt hairs Leather Horn Castor Assa-foetida Galbanum Oyl of Amber Rue the warts on Horses legs dried and the powder upon coals burnt makes a Fume which if taken in the nose suddenly raised them Apply sweet Scents to the Privities as Civet Musk Gallia and Alipta moschata or powder of Cloves Or Take Storax calamita Benzoin each a dram Gallia moschata half a scruple make Troches with Gum traganth and let the Fume be taken into the VVomb by a Fennel A Liniment Take Storax Benzoin each a dram Gallia moschata half a scruple Civet four grains liquid Storax half a scruple with Cotton put it into the Womb. Clysters to discuss wind draw down the matter Take the Carminative Decoction a pint Electuary of Hiera six drams Benedicta laxativa an ounce Oyl of Rue and Bayberries each a dram Use VVomb-clysters and Pessaries to women that have known man Take Electuary of Hiera and Diaphaenicon each two drams Turpentine half an ounce Honey of Mercury an ounce Castor half a dram with Wooll make a Pessary Oyl of Tin applied to the Navel doth remove the fit Or Rue Castor and sneesing Powders As Take white Hellebore half a scruple long Pepper and Ginger each half a dram or put Oyl of Amber into the Nose and Ears Apply to the VVomb this Take Oyl of Rue Bayes each two ounces Cummin-seed Castor dissolved in Vinegar each two drams with Wax make a Liniment Or use a Plaister of Galbanum Castor and Assa-foetida A Compound distilled VVater Take Zedoary parsnep-Parsnep-seeds Lovage-roots each two ounces Mirrh Castor each half an ounce Piony-roots four ounces Misleto of the Oak gathered in the wain of the Moon three ounces and water of Motherwort four ounces and half Spirit of Wine a pint and half steep them eight daies distil and give a spoonful with Tile-flower or Mugwort-water or Oyl of Amber some drops Or Take Castor Assa-foetida each a scruple Pepper half a scruple with syrup of Mugwort make Pills give three The Cure out of the Fit First prevent the seed from corrupting in the womb and if it be corrupt evacuate it presently with Womb-Clysters and Pessaries then disperse the reliques and strengthen the womb But first give a general Purge that is gentle often and use things that prevent the breeding of Seed Strengthen with Plaisters and Oyntments to the Region of the Womb. As Take liquid Storax two drams Avens Agnus castus seeds Angelica each half a dram
Alipta moschata a scruple Oyl of Nard Lillies and white Wax make an Oyntment Or Take seeds of Agnus castus a dram all Sanders each half a dram white Rose-powder a dram Tacamahacca a scruple Amber two scruples Alipta moschata half an ounce with Turpentine Labdanum and Wax make a Plaister If she be a Virgin let her be married If it be from Terms stopt see in the Chapter of that This disease is neither from seed nor blood nor humors if they be not corrupted after a peculiar manner If it be from the womb distempered give the Infusion of an ounce of Briony root in white Wine once in a week for a year at bed time or this Hysterical Water Take Lovage-roots Piony Angelica Zedoary each an ounce Misleto of the Oak gathered in the wane of the Moon two ounces Mints Balm Calamints Bettony each a handful Carrot parsnep-Parsnep-seed Castor each half an ounce distil them in white Wine and water of Motherwort after eight daies infusion Or Take Briony Valerian Spignel Angelica-roots each half an ounce Balm Calamints Penny-royal Bettony each half a handful boyl them in Wine add Syrup of Mugwort an ounce give it at thrice Vitriol of Iron one grain with two grains of Sugar given in Wine some weeks is excellent Or Take Cummin-seed wild Parsnep-seeds each a dram give a dram in powder Or Take Faecula Brionae two drams Cummin-seed Parsnep-seed each a dram Amber half a dram Cloves two scruples Cinnamon a scruple make a powder Pills Take Castor a scruple Assa-foetida half a scruple Mirrh Galbanum Sagapenum each a scruple with Honey of Mercury make Pills take half a scruple or a scruple often Or Take Treacle or Mithridate Apply Plaisters or Liniments to the region of the Womb thus Take old Treacle half an ounce Agnus castus seeds a dram Oyl of Angelica and Cummin-seeds each two drams with Plaister of Bayberries Or make Oyntments of the same Question 1. What preternatural disease is the Suffocation of the Womb properly Some say it is a cold distemper in quality changed they say right but coldness is not the chief Symptom Others say it is respiration hurt by Syneope or Convulsion But it cannot be defined by one Symptom For sometimes the animal actions are hurt and there is a Megrim Delirium Convulsion and sense and motion are gone Nor is it strange that so small a vapor should bring such Symptoms for it hath an occult venom in it which is strong Gal. 6. de lo. off c. 5. for it goes many ways and to many parts Question 2. What is the true Cause of the fits of the Mother I say it is the malignant vapors that flie up from the womb for it doth not work by a manifest quality 4. De lo. aff c. 5. but by a venom which Galen saith is like that of a Torpedo or Phalanx or Scorpion which are little in bulk but do great mischief being enemies to the vital spirits and heart by which there is a coldness all over and short breath from the actions of the heart hurt For when the heart is hurt or the vital Spirits either suffocated or corrupted there are no good animal Spirits bred and they not flowing to the nerves and muscles hinder the motion of the breast Also this malignant vapor is an enemy to the animal Spirits and makes doting and Convulsions when it gets to the brain The Cause of these vapors are corrupt seed and terms for while they are in their proper vessels they change not their nature And the seed is not alwaies pure but mixed with evil humors and the seed vessels are sometimes swollen and distempered Moreover the corruption is from the womb in a peculiar manner for as Fernelius saith The place from whence comes life is also the breeder of the most deadly poison Question 3. It is good to give Wine in a fit of the Mother Hippocrates and Avicen quarrel about this 1. De nat mulierum The first allows Wine because they are weak and nothing sooner refresheth But Avicen is for water and forbids flesh for they increase Seed and Blood But in the time of the fit Wine is proper and Avicen doth not speak of the fit but of the diet out of the fit when it comes from plenty of seed and blood nor will a little Wine in the time of the fit get presently to the Womb. Chap. 5. Of the Frenzie of the Womb. IT is a great and foul Symptom of the Womb both in Virgins and Widdows and such as have known man These are mad for Lust and invite men and lie down to them and it differs from salacity because in that there is no Delirium It is an immoderate desire of Venery that makes women almost mad or a Delirium from an immoderate desire of Venery it is without a Feaver and with heat and tends to madness There are degrees in it for modest women have it but will not for shame declare it and die of Consumptions Others will not conceal it but speak their thoughts bawdily and follow men and sollicite them shamelesly as Hippocrates writes in his Book of Virgins Diseases The immediate Cause is plenty of hot and The Causes sharp Seed against Nature but next unto that which is natural it is a little biting swelling and forcing Nature to let it out by lechery The brain is only hurt by consent and the animal actions by an external error or too vehement object The part first affected is the womb in the Nymphae which grows hot and swells but the Nymphae are not properly the seat of Venery but the Clitoris which was called by the same name anciently The heat and sharpness of Seed is from the heat of the womb that breeds it from hot humors in the womb and hot blood The outward Causes are hot meats spiced strong wine and the like that heat the privities idleness pleasure and dancing and reading of bawdy Histories The Signs They find their lust to boyl at first and for shame will not declare it they are sad and silent and their eyes turn to and fro with lust and if any speak of Venery they blush and the pulse changeth when the brain consenteth reason is perverted and modesty is overcome then they prate are lustful and angry sometimes they cry or laugh without a cause they follow men and sollicite them for copulation Some will lie with any one they meet The Prognostick The Cure It is a sordid disease curable at first but if neglected it turns to madness Let Virgins that have it before reason is subverted be in company with chast Maidens or be married And be let blood to abate heat of blood and sharpness of Seed very often there is no better remedy Then temper and evacuate the humors if they be adust and there be madness use stronger Then have a Bath of Lettice Willow Water-lillies Vine-leaves Purslane Venus-navel red Roses Violets Water-lillies Let her sit twice a
Conserve of red Roses two drams red Coral and Mastich each a scruple give it presently Use the Countesses Oyntment outwardly to the Loyns Reins Pecten and Perinaeum Or Take Oyl of Roses Mirtles Mastich Quinces each two ounces Oyl of Mints an ounce Bdellium dissolved in Vinegar liquid Storax each two ounces Oyl of Nutmegs by expression a dram with Wax make an Oyntment Of the same with Pitch Rosin Colophony you may make Plaisters Let her hold a Load-stone in her hand or tie it to her navel or wear an Eagle-stone under her Arm-pits or Coral Jaspar Smaragds Diamonds If these will not keep the Child up you must give over Astringents and use Lenitives Question Whether the straitness of the Womb is the cause of Abortion Hippocrates 1. de morb saith Lib. de super lib. de steril That the Womb may cause Abortion if they be windy thick great or little And he shews in another place That Abortion may be from the straitness of the womb And in another place he saith 3. De nat fac c. 12. If a woman in the third fourth or fifth month miscarry often and at the same time it is because the womb will not stretch And Galen confirms the same and it stands to reason for natural birth is when the womb cannot contain the child for its growth Therefore if it be preternaturally too little it is the cause of Abortion And though Nature hath made the womb to hold the child yet if it be not made large enough it cannot contain it so the stomach is sometimes so strait that it cannot hold an indifferent quantity of meat as others can Chap. 3. Of the Signs of Natural Birth and the manner and government of such as bring forth AT her time of her being to be delivered let her take heed of astringents and thickners but let her eat meat of easie concoction and of good juyce and sit every fourth day in a hot Bath Of Mallows Foenugreek Linseed Mugwort and Chamomil-flowers and after let her back loyns belly and privities be anointed with the Mucilage of Althaea-seed and Oyl of Lillies and let the child be strengthned But when she hath pains from the navel to the groyns and in the back then the ligaments and vessels are broken by which the child grows to the womb And because the Womb violently strains to discharge it the membranous fibres are extended and commonly there are very great pains and throws or the child will not be born and it is an evil sign when throws cease because the expulsive faculty is weakned And let not the Midwife provoke throws till the time When the Membranes are broken the water flows out that comes from the urin and sweat of the child first little then more then waterish blood and the orifice of the womb begins to open to let out the child And before this time you must not provoke throws Then let the Midwife put her finger into the orifice of the womb and she shall perceive something round and hard as an Egg. Let her not lie on her back flat but with her back up that she may breathe more freely After the child is born you must press the blood in the Navel-vessels towards the navel of the Infant and take heed that you lose not much blood in cutting of the Navel-string for it hath destroyed weak children and you must labour to fetch out the Secundine with the child and if it be in the womb anoint your hands with warm Oyl and put them into the womb and fetch it out Chap. 5. Of Natural hard Travel THough Child-bearing since Eves sin is ordained to be painful as a punishment thereof yet sometimes it is more painful then ordinary The first is from the mother The Causes and the expulsive faculty 2. From the Child 3. From the passage From the mother as when the womb is weak and the mother is not active to expel from weakness or diseases or want of spirits of which Hippocrates It is from the Birth when they are Twins or more and both strive to go forth at a time 5. Aphor. 55. or if the child stick to a Mole or be so weak that it cannot break the membrane or if it be too big all over or in the head only or if the Navel-vessels are twisted about his neck It is from the passages when the membranes are thick the orifice too strait Fabric cent 3. obs 57. and the neck of the womb is not open sufficiently as in such as labour of the first child or are very fat The passages are pressed and straitned by tumors in the adjacent parts or when the bones are too firm and will not open then the mother and child are both in danger or when the passages are not slippery or when they are broken too soon by reason of the thin membranes or the water flows forth sooner then it ought You may know hard travel by faint throws The Signs that come at a great distance And you must consider all things concerning the Mother Womb and child The Prognostick In hard Travel the mother and child are in danger and the Perinaeum sometimes breaks with the skin from the Privities to the Arse-hole If a woman be four dayes in Travel the child scarce escapes The Cure All things that move the Terms are good to make easie delivery As Myrrh white Amber in white Wine or Lilly-water two scruples or a dram some give a drop of Oyl of Amber in Vervain-water or a scruple of mineral Borax or half a dram but begin with gentle things as a spoonful of Cinnamon-water Or Take Cassia Lignea Dittany each a dram Cinnamon half a dram Saffron a scruple make a Powder give a dram Or Take Borax mineral a dram Cassia Lignea a scruple Saffron six grains give it in Sack Or Take Cassia Lignea a dram Dittany Amber each half a dram Cinnamon Borax each a dram and half Saffron a scruple give half a dram Or give some drops of Oyl of Hazel in convenient Liquor or two or three drops of Oyl of Cinnamon in vervain-Vervain-water some prepare the secundine thus Take the Navel-string and dry it in an Oven Take two drams of the Powder Cinnamon a dram Saffron half a scruple with juyce of Savin make Troches give two drams or wash the Secundine in Wine and bake it in a pot then wash it in endive-Endive-water and wine Take half a dram of it long Pepper Galangal each half a dram Plantane and Endive-feed each a dram and half lavender-Lavender-seed four scruples make a Powder Or Take Labdanum two drams Storax calamite Benzoin each half a dram Musk and Amber-grease each six grains make a Powder or Troches for a fume Or use Pessaries to provoke the Birth Take Galbanum dissolved in Vinegar an ounce Myrrh two drams Saffron a dram with Oyl of Orris make a Pessary An Oyntment for the Pecten and Navel Take Oyl of Keir two ounces juyce of
prevent Symptomes To take away pain and strengthen the parts foment with the Decoction of Mugwort Mallows Rosemary Wormwood Mirtles St. Johns-wort each half an ounce Sperma Ceti two drams Deers-suet an ounce with Wax make an Oyntment Or Take Wax four ounces Sperma Ceti an ounce melt them dip Flax therein and lay it all over the belly In some Countries women will not permit these but leave all to God Chap. 9. Of the Caesarean-Birth THe belly and womb are cut sometimes to take out the child and this is called the Caesarean-Birth and they that live are called Caesar It is done in three cases 1. When the child is dead and the woman alive 2. When the woman is dead and the child alive 3. When both mother and child are alive This is seldom because either Medicines do it or it is taken out by other Chyrurgery or the work is left to Nature Enchirid. consul medic p. 188. Mathias Cornax hath a History of one that carried a dead child in her belly four years it was taken out by cutting the womb and belly and the mother lived and conceived with child after she fainted not at the time and the wound grew together without stitching and her terms after came in good order and she had a lusty Boy till the second of June The Surgeons that had cut her afore were sent for and the old orifice was open and the mother and the women present would not yield to the second cutting Therefore her strength failed and the Chyrurgion took out a compleat child but it was dead There are more Histories of live children cut out of their mothers bellies being dead And Roderick à Castro saith Pin. lib. 7. hist. nat c. 90. Rod. à Castry lib. 4. de morbis mul. c. 1. Augen lib. 5. epit 2. 11. That an Infant cannot live in the Mothers womb being dead except it be taken out at the very time of her departure or while there are vital Spirits because when the motion and life of the mother ceases the life of the child also ceaseth yet is his Argument of no force because the child hath its proper Soul and if it be well it may live a while in the womb without benefit from the mother as it doth when it is delivered But take heed it be not suffocated in the womb and keep the mothers mouth open and let the Midwife never move her hand from the Privities Lib. 3. de disect part cor hum c. 1. till the Chyrurgion have taken it out and you may know that the child is alive when the mother is dead by its leaping Charles Stephens shews the way of taking out a dead child When a live child is cut out of the belly of a live mother it is done only lest the mother or child or both should die And this may be done and both preserved alive which is plainly demonstrated by Francis Rousset in his Book of this subject so that there is no doubt of it For first he shews the necessity of the Operation and next the possibility of it shewing that the muscles of the belly the Peritonaeum and Womb may be cut without hazard of life Thirdly He confirms by History what he proved by reason and shews that many wounds of the muscles in the lower belly Peritonaeum and Womb have been cured Fourthly He propounds many more dangerous cases then the Caesarean Section which were not deadly in themselves And then he shews the manner of the operation and how it is to be done Therefore have recourse to his works if thou wilt learn it THE FOURTH BOOK THE SEVENTH SECTION Of the Government of Women in Child-bed of the Diseases that come after Travel Chap. 1. Of the Government of Women in Child-bed PResently after she is delivered labour to make the After-birth follow of which in the Chapter following then compose her in Bed and give her good Food Let the Air be temperate rather hot then cold Let her beware of Cold that it get not into the Womb it will cause torment and inflammations If Travel be hard anoint the belly and sides with Oyl of sweet Almonds Lillies and warm Wine Let her meat be of a good juyce and easie concoction Hen-broath and Chickens and Capons Kid Mutton Veal let her drink thin Wine if there be no Feaver or Cinnamon boyled in water the first daies drunk warm Let there be no noise about her and let her not rise too soon avoid passions lest the humors be stirred and fall into some part If she cannot or will not suckle her child turn the milk from the breast by repellers under the Arm-pits as Unguent of Roses Cerot of Sanders dissolved in Vinegar and to the breasts apply a Cataplasm of Bean and Orobus-flour with Oxymel or foment the breasts with the decoction of Mints Dill Smallage or lay the leaves bruised upon them Before she goes forth let her bathe with a Decoction of Lilly-roots Elicampane Mugwort Agrimony Borage Rosemary Chamomil-flowers Stoechas Faenugreek Linseed Citron-peels Chap. 2. Of the Secundine or After-birth or a Mole that is left after Child-bearing THese stick in the bottom of the womb or like a ball to another part the mouth of the womb being open or closed It is not safe to cut the After-birth from the The Causes Navel till both be come forth therefore draw it out with breaking of the Navel-string this is retained because it grows to the sides of the womb or is swollen by hard travel or because the Navel-string is broken by the Infants straining or from cold air got in or from a fright or from her not having throws fit to exclude it or because she is impatient and will not continue in a due posture The Signs The Midwife will declare it and the purgation is not the belly swells there is a Feaver and heaviness and pain in the belly there is a stink and loathing from stinking vapors difficult breathing Suffocation and Convulsion The Prognostick Many die from the retaining of it if it cannot come forth when matter flows from the womb there is hope that they will rot and come away in sixty daies The Cure First let the Midwife draw it gently with her hand and use sneesing then burn Partridge-feathers to the nose and Goats-hoofs as in the suffocation of the Womb. Then use things that expel a dead child Dittany Oyl of wood Heracleon after Preparatives Or Take Marjoram Chervil Penny-royal each a handful Savin half a handful Anise and Fennel-seed each half a dram Lovage and Parsley-roots each three drams boyl them in water for three draughts Or Take Dittany Troches of Myrrh Borax each half a dram Saffron Castor each a scruple make a Powder Or Take round Birthwort two scruples Myrrh a scruple make a Powder give it in Wine Make Pessaries of Mugwort Mercury Sage Orris in Powder with Oyl of Keir Or Take round Birthwort Savin Briony Ox-gall and Honey and
make a Pessary The stronger are of the Decoction of wild Cowcumber Coloquintida Staphisacre Hellebore Honey and gall of an Ox. Fumes are made of Cassia lignea Nard Mugwort Savin Penny-royal Dittany Or Take Myrrh Castor Galbanum each half a dram Opopanax Cinnamon each a dram with Honey make Troches for to be burnt Then foment the Belly with the Decoction of those Plants Or Take Lupine-meal an ounce powder of Wormwood half an ounce Mirrh Rue each three drams with Ox-gall and Honey make a Cataplasm If it come not forth give a Womb-clyster of the Decoction of Sage Mugwort Mercury Calamints Penny-royal If all fail inject things to suppurate into the womb and let it be turned to matter and come out by degrees and inject strengtheners into the womb Of the Mole left after Child-bearing You may know it by the signs of a Mole mentioned she hath no ease after travel there is pain in the navel back and groyns and much clotted blood comes away and yet she hath no ease the Cure is mentioned before in the Mole Chap. 3. Of the Purgation after Child-bearing diminished or detained THis is not alike in all women for in some women the blood is fresh in others it is waterish cholerick or melancholick And some bleed more then others according to the constitution and Countrey It is either not at all or too much or too little The Causes When they are stopt or lessened the vessels are too strait or the blood flows another way or it is too thick or the vessels of the womb are pressed from its position the blood is drawn away by passions fears or goes hastily to the breasts The Signs The just quantity is not to be defined when it is stopt the belly swells the pain is in the bottom of the belly and groyns there is chilness and a Feaver after it fainting weak swift unequal pulse there is soot in the urin Sometimes the belly inflamed or she voids blew or black clodds or blood The Prognostick Gal. 1. epid com 3. t. 21. The Cure It is bad of it self to have any thing left after Child-bearing and worse if it staies long and grows melancholick therefore it is a cause of many diseases First endeavor to evacuate the blood from the womb by Frictions Ligatures and Cupping if they will not do open a vein in the foot Then open the passages with external and internal meats anoint the Belly with loosning Oyls or foment thus Take Lilly-roots Birthwort Briony Angelica each half an ounce Mercury Mugwort Penny-royal Savin Calamints each a handful Tansey Chamomil and Elder-flowers each half a handful Faenugreek and Linseed each two drams bruise them grosly and put them in a bag and boyl them in Water and Wine lay it to the Privities and bottom of the Belly Give emollient Clysters and if some dayes are past purge with Agarick Rhubarb Senna Or Take Lilly-roots Althaea each half an ounce Birthworts two drams Pellitory Mercury Althaea each a handful Calamints Chamomil Elder-flowers each two pugils Foenugreek and Linseed each two drams boyl them to ten ounces strained add Oyl of Dill Lillies each an ounce Hiera simple half an ounce Oyntment of Sowbread three drams make a Clyster Or give Pessaries that provoke the Terms Give things to melt and attenuate the blood As Take opening Roots three drams Bettony Maiden-hair Endive Schoenanth each two pugils Anise Fennel-seed each a scruple red Pease a spoonful boyl them to a pint and half add Cinnamon-water two drams syrup of the five Roots three ounces give four ounces Chap. 4. Of too great a flux of blood after Child-bearing THat is too much which makes weak It is blood abounding which hath been gathered nine months in the womb The Causes It is thick or spends the Spirits and weakens The Signs There is loathing of meat pain the Hypochondria belly-ach weak and often pulse dark sight noise in the ears fainting and Convulsion It is dangerous when long The Prognostick Hippoc. 9. aphor 55. The Cure and with fainting and Convulsion Therefore observe the Pulse lest she dye suddenly See what strength she hath and stop it not suddenly If it be not very great order a dyet of roasted Hens basted with red Wine or Pomegranate of Starch Almonds Rice Quinces Conserve of Roses steeled Water and make Revulsions use gentle things and strengthen the loose passages Anoint the belly with Oyl of Roses Mirtles cup under the breasts and sides without scarrification Apply a Cataplasm of red Roses Bole and Rose-water to the Liver Then use stronger and give a higher diet often in small quantity and give Syrups to stop blood As Take old Conserve of Roses two ounces of Tormentil an ounce of Quinces without species half an ounce Bole red Coral each half a dram with syrup of Currans and Coral make an Electuary Anoint the belly with the Oyntment of the Countess and other Astringents or use Astringent Fomentations or let her take into the womb a Fume of Mastich Frankincense red Roses c. Then open a vein in the arm and let blood by degrees See Sect. 2. Chap. 6. Of Overflowing of the Terms Chap. 5. Of the pains after Travel and torments in the Belly THese are not in the body and bottom of the womb but in the vessels and membranes by which the womb hangs and that goes to the sides and belly The Causes They are from a constant labour in travel when the bottom of the womb is pricked to send forth from cold air let into it or clotted blood detained or sharp blood sticking to the womb and pricking it The Signs They are in the womb it self you may know if they came from cold by what hath been done and clotted blood will manifest it self The Prognostick The Cure They weaken much and are very troublesome therefore they must be abated First take away the cause or abate the pain and make that which hurts the womb fit to be evacuated by these Pills Take Cinnamon a dram Saffron a scruple Diacymini Diagalangal Zedoary each half a dram make a Powder give a dram in Penny-royal or cinnamon-Cinnamon-water Or Take of cummin-Cummin-seed steept in Spirit of Wine and dried again a dram ameos-Ameos-seed and Ginger each half a dram Cinnamon a scruple Castor half a scruple make a Powder If she faint add Cordial Waters As Take Diacyminum a dram Diamargariton frigid Citron-peels Zedoary each half a dram make a Powder If she be cholerick or the humor thin and sharp cure it as a Cholick from Choler As Take Syrup of Violets Borage each an ounce Mucilage of Quince-seeds made with Violet-water half an ounce water of Borage Scorzonera each two ounces give it at twice Extenuate the humors and loosen the passages outwardly Take Bean-flour Faenugreek and Linseed each an ounce Chamomil-flowers and Cummin-seeds each half an ounce boyl them in Oyl of Lillies for a Cataplasm You may fume the womb with Decoctions of Herbs Chap.
to Lust have few Courses yellow or black or burnt or sharp they have hairs betimes upon their privities they are subject to the Headach and there are signs of much Choler their Lips are dry When this distemper is strong The Prognostick they have few terms and out of order they are bad and hard to flow and in time they are Hypochondriacks and for the most part barren and there is sometimes a Frenzy of the Womb. Use Coolers The Cure so that they offend not the Vessels that must be open for the Flux of the terms therefore Use inwardly Succory Endive Violets Waterlillies Sorrel Lettice Sanders and Syrups and Conserves made thereof As Take Conserve of Succory Violets Waterlillies Borage each an ounce Conserve of Roses half an ounce Dâ—amargariton frigid Diâ—trio santalon each half a dram with Syrup of Violets or Juyce of Citrons make an Electuary Outwardly use Oyntment of Galens Cooler Oyntment of Roses Cerot of Sanders Oyl of Roses Violets Waterlillies Gourds Venus-navel to the Back and Loins or make Cataplasms of Barley meal Roses powdered Violets Waterlillies Sanders with Juyce or water of Plantane Waterlillies Succory Lettice Oyl of Roses Violets Waterlillies Baths are good to sit in and cooling Fomentations and after let her take some of the Coolers mentioned In great heat use this cooling Pessary Take Opium a scruple Goose grease two scruples Eras de pass mulic cap. 7. Wax and Honey each four scruples Oyl at ounce whites of two Eggs. This was from an opinion the Ancients had that Opium was cold but take heed of the using it too much lest the narcotick quality hurt Let the Air be cool her Garments thin let her meat be with Lettice Endive Succory Barley give no hot meats nor strong Wine except it be waterish and thin Rest is good both in body and mind She must not copulate but she may sleep much Chap. 3. Of the cold Distemper of the womb THis causeth many Evils and Barrennesse They are contrary to those of a hot Distemper The Causes cold Air Rest and Idlenesse and cooling Medicines The Signs It is known by their not desire of Lechery not receiving pleasure in the time of Copulation when they spend their Seed The terms are flegmatick thick and slimy and flow not rightly there is wind in the womb the Seed is crude waterish with a Gonorrhoea The Prognostick The Cure It is the cause of Obstructions and Barrenness and is hard to be cured Use things proper to heal the womb as this Water Take Galangal Cinnamon Nutmeg Mace Cloves each two drams Ginger Cubebs Zedoary Cardamoms each an ounce grains of Paradice long Pepper each half an ounce beat them and put them in six quarts of Wine for eight dayes then add Sage Mints Balm Motherwort each three handfuls let them stand eight dayes more then pour off the Wine and beat the Herbs and the Spices and then pour on the Wine and distil them Ano her Take Cinnamon Nutmegs Cloves Mace Ginger Cubebs Cardamom grains of Pa adice each an ounce and half Galangal six drams long Pepper half an ounce Zedoary five drams bruise them and add six quarts of Wine put them in a Cellar nine dayes daily stirring them then add Mints two handfuls then let them stand fourteen dayes pour off the Wine and bruise them and then pour on the Wine again and distil them Quercetan hath an Hysterick Extract In phar doc restit cap. 25. a greater and a less use outwardly Fomentations Baths Baggs of hot Roots as Birthwort Lovage Valerian Angelica Burnet Masterwort Calamus Madder Elicampane Orris and Herbs as Mugwort Balm Motherwort Savin Penny-royal Calamints Organ Dittany Marjoram Rue Bettony Rosemary Lavender Sage Stoechas flowers Seeds of Smallage Parsley Rue Carrots Anise Fennel Cummin Lovage Parsley Anoint with Oyl of Lillies Rue Angelica Bays Cinnamon Cloves Mace Nutmeg Or Take Labdanum two ounces Frankincense Mastick liquid Storax each half an ounce Oyl of Cloves Nutmegs each half a scruple Oyl of Lillies Rue each an ounce with Wax make a Plaister A Fume Take Frankincense Mirrh Mastich each a dram Bayberries a dram and half Labdanum two drams Storax Cloves each a dram Gum Arabick and Wine make Troches or Pessaries of the same Let the diet be warming and the air the meat of easie concoction seasoned with Anise Fennel Thyme Avoid Milk-meats and raw Fruits Chap. 4. Of the moist Distemper of the Womb. THis is commonly joyned with a cold Distemper and causeth Barrenness and is from the same causes as a cold distemper for commonly cold things do moisten It is commonly in women that are idle The Signs They that have moist wombs abound in Courses but they are waterish and thin the privities are wet they have the VVhites and desire not Copulation much and delight not in it they retain not the seed and if they conceive when the child is big they abort or miscarry The Prognostick The Cure If it last long it is hard to be cured If it be much they conceive not It is by Driers and things that cure the cold distemper are good against the moist because all Healers have a drying power Use Sulphur Baths and Injections Beware of Astringents lest the evil humors be stopt and the disease increased Chap. 5. Of the dry Distemper of the Womb. IN this the womb is hardned of it self it is fleshy and soft and moistned by blood for Conception It is sometimes from the birth or old age when they are past child-bearing If it be from drying causes they are barren before they are old The Causes Diseases and Medicines dry the womb as Inflammations Feavers and when blood flows not to it nor goes to the bottom of it by reason of the straitness of the Veins or Obstructions as in Viragoe's and such as never conceived and if they void any blood it is from the neck of the womb and not from the bottom The Signs They void little seed and are slow in Venery the terms are few the mouth of the womb is dry and they are slender of a dry Constitution their lower Lip is alwayes chapt and blackish red This distemper is hard to be cured in any part especially if it be old The Prognostick The Cure Use Moistners as Borage Bugloss Mercury Mallows Althaea Violets sweet Almonds Pistachaes Pine-nuts Jujubes Dates Figs Raisins Of which are made Syrups Conserves Emulsions Candies c. Outward Remedies are made of the same adding Time Fenugreek-Seeds Lillies Brank-ursine Pellitory c. Fomentations are made with Milk and after bathing anoint the region of the womb and the belly to the privities with oyl of sweet Almonds Lillies Lin-seed Jesamin fresh Butter Hens and Goose grease Let the Diet be moistning the Air moist the meat fatning of much nourishment and small excrement Leet sleep be a little longer than usual Great labour anger sadness fasting do hurt Chap. 6. Of Compound Distempers and first of
Cold and Moist THere is seldom a simple Distemper in the part and commonly there is matter which feeds it It is usually cold and moist which gathers excrements of that sort either in the whole body or in the womb after the terms The Causes Are all things that breed cold and flegmatick humors in the whole body or the womb The Cure They conceive not and are of an ill habit of body the terms seldom flow right and they have sometimes the whites The Prognostick The Cure It is harder to cure than a simple distemper The cold humor is in fault therefore prepare it with Syrup of Mugwort Mints Bettony Hysop with a Decoction proper As Take Fennel roots an ounce Valerian Elicampane Masterwort each half an ounce Penny-royal Mugwort Motherwort Nep Marjoram each a handful Rosemary and Sage-flowers each two pugils Siler Montane Fennel Anniseed Parsnep-seed each a dram boil them to ten ounces strained add Sugar syrup of Mugwort two or three ounces Cinnamon-water half an ounce make a Portion for three doses Then purge it with Agarick Mechoacan Turbith and if other humors be mixed with Flegm add Senna and the like or use Pills de tribus Aloephanginae Mastich of Hiera with Agarick Sine quibus Or Take Agarick a dram and half Senna two drams infuse them in Mugwort-water to three ounces strained add Diaphoenicon or Diacarthaemum two drams strain and add syrup of Mugwort half an ounce Cinnamon-water half a dram After universal Evacuation use Pessaries As Take Mercury bruise it and put it in a bag of white Silk anoint it with Butter or Honey of Roses Or Take Benedicta laxativa three drams Agarick two drams Gith seed a dram Pease meal six drams with juyce of Mercury make Pessaries in a Sarsnet Bag. Or Take Hiera a dram Agarick half a dram Bdellium a dram with Honey make a Pessary or make it with powder of Agarick and Troches of Coloquintida or five sweats of Guajacum China and Sarsa As Take Guajacum a pound and eighteen ounces infuse them in twelve pints of water twenty four hours then boyl them to the consumption of the third part give six or eight ounces hot in the morning and let her sweat Pour water to the reliques and boyl them to the consumption of the third part for an ordinary drink You may use China and Sarsa the same way and because in a decoction some strength is lost and so great a quantity is tedious for women you may distil them and give a less quantity with things proper for the womb As Take Guajacum a pound or Sarsa eight ounces Angelica Elicampane each an ounce Mugwort two handfuls Dittany half a handful add six pints of water or wine steep them two dayes then distil them and give two ounces of the water Let her meat be roasted Birds Hens Capons Partridges Mutton sweet Almonds Raisins Let her abstain from salt and sharp things If these sweats are unpleasant give them in the third and fourth Chapter internal and external As Take Conserve of Marjoram Rosemary Bettony each two ounces of Balm an ounce Diamoschu dulcis Diamargariton calid each a dram â—â—ndied Eryngus and Citrons each half an ounce with furup of Mugwort make an Electuary and use Baths to sit in mentioned Drying spaw-Spaw-waters are good to drink or to sit in Let the diet be as in Chap. 3. and 4. give the flesh of wild Mountain fowl Pidgeons Hens Capons Mutton roasted and spiced and old wine and let her exercise Of the hot and dry Distemper of the Womb with Choler Do as in Chap. 5. purge the Choler whether it be from the whole body or from the Liver with Syrup of Roses Manna Tamarinds Rhubarbs Senna c. Chap. 7. Of the ill shape of the Womb and first of the straitness of it and its vessels THis is a Disease of evil conformation from Nature when it can be stretched out no further this makes an abortion in the fourth or fifth month But it is wonderful in its natural shape when it will stretch according to the proportion of the child and after child-bearing be as small as at first Of straitness of the vessels of the Womb. This is usual and hinders the flux of the terms and conception it is in the vessels of the womb and of the neck thereof The Causes Are thick tough humors that stop the mouths of the veins and arteries these are bred of gross or much nourishment when the heat of the womb is so weak that it cannot attenuate the humors these either flow from the whole body or are gathered in the womb Sometimes vessels are closer by inflammation or Schirrhus or other tumor 3. They are stopt by astringent Medicines 4. By compression 5. From a Scar or Flesh or a Membrane that grows after a wound Stoppage of the terms shews straitness The Signs which hinders conception and this stoppage is known by crudities abounding in the body which are known by their signs Sometimes thick flegm comes from the womb if there was a wound before or the Secundine was pulled out by force Stoppage of terms from an old obstruction by humors is hard to be cured The Prognostick if it be from disorderly use of astringents it is more curable if it be from a Schirrhus or other tumor that compresseth or closeth the vessels that cannot be cured the disease is incurable Obstructions are taken away by the means mentioned in the cold and moist Distemper of the Womb flegm must be purged The Cure and she must be let blood as in stoppage of the terms After Universals come to the obstruction with Medicines that move the terms these take away the cause as in the Chapter of the cold distemper of the Womb. Or Take Asparagus roots Parsly roots each an ounce Madder roots half an ounce red Pease half a handful Penny-royal Calamints each a handful Wall-flowers Dill-flowers each two pugils boil strain and add syrup of Mugwort an ounce and half Or Take Birthwort and white Dittany roots each an ounce Costus Cinnamon Galangal each half an ounce Rosemary Penny-royal Calamints Bettony-flowers each a handful Anise and Fennel seeds each a dram Saffron half a dram with Wine Or use Topicks as Take Mugwort Marjoram Calamints Mercury Penny-royal each two handfuls Sage Rosemary Bays Chamomil-flowers each a handful boyl them in water foment the groins and the bottom of the belly or let her fit in a Bath up to the Navel and then anoint about the groins with Oyl of Rue Lillies Dill c. Or use Pessaries and Fumes mentioned If straitness be from other diseases cure them first Chap. 8. Of the opening of the Vessels of the Womb besides Nature THis when there is great bleeding The Causes The vessels are opened preternaturally three wayes by Anastomosis Diaeresis and by Diapedesis as in the Lungs Anastomosis is from much blood which the Liver doth produce and send out by the womb as in some
half an ounce with good Wine distil them give a spoonful or two Apply outwardly a Cataplasm of Rue Mugwort Chamomil Dill Calamints Nip Penny-royal Thyme with Oyl of Rue Cheir Chamomil and make Baths of the same Bags of Milium Salt Chamomil-flowers Melilot Bayberries Cummin Fennel-seed or lay a Plaister of Bayberries Let Clysters to expel wind be put into the womb As Take Calamints Agnus castus Rue each half an handful Anniseeds Costus Cinnamon each two drams boil them in Wine for half a pint Apply a Cupping-glass with much flame to the Breast and over against the Womb. Use Sulphur-baths and spaw-Spaw-waters inward and outward for they expel wind If it come from cold after Child-bearing and she is not well purged by her Terms heat the womb and purge and give strong Wine Let the Diet be hot cutting and attenuating The Diet. with things that expel wind and little at a time Question Whether the wind is in the Cavity when there is Inflation of the Womb It is so by Experience though some deny it nor is there any cause why wind should not be bred in the womb as well as in any other part both by reason of the Excrements that come thither and the natural heat that turns them into wind these also stretch the womb though it be thick as in Dropsies and Conception Also the retentive or altering faculty of the womb is never idle so that when it receives diseased and unfruitful seed it suffers it not to corrupt but turns it into wind As Hippocrates writes When the Womb is stretched by wind from the Belly Lib. de nat pueri women think they have conceived Chap. 11. Of the Dropsie of the Womb. THey are also deceived and think they are with child when there is water that swells the womb Ves lib. 6. de corp hum Fab. Mar. Do de hist me mira l. 4. c. 21. Tetrab 6.4 ser 4. c. 79. this is a Dropsie of the womb This water is either in the Cavity or between the Coats of the womb or in its Vessels Vesalius Marcellus Donatus shew that water is in the Cavity for it doth not presently by its plenty or quality force its passage out because the Orifice is not alwaies open and Nature gathers it by degrees and is used to it Aetius saith There are sometimes Bladders of water in the womb And Christopher Vega saith that Leonora thought that she had gone 6 months and then voided sixty Bladders of water and seven pieces of flesh like that of the Spleen in Membranes Lib. 4. obser cent 2. obser 56. The Causes There is sometimes a Dropsie of the Womb with Conception as Schenstius and William Fabricius saith of his own wife Are gathering of water from moistness mixed with the terms and from an evil Sanguification in the Liver and Spleen from their weakness or from errors in Diet or from weakness of the womb from hard travel or often mischances cold air or water or whatsoever hurts the heat of the womb Also stoppage of the terms doth cause gathering of water for the water useth to be evacuated with them Many take this for the only cause Sometimes the tunicles of the womb may be divided in some place and water may be gathered between them Hippocrates saith the terms are fewer The Signs 1. De morb mulier and cease before the time the bottom of the Belly swells and the Paps are soft without Milk and she thinks she is with child By these you know it is a Dropsie But because Doctors and Midwives are often deceived you must distinguish this from other Swellings When a woman is sound and useth a sound man the womb by degrees swells and the child moves in its time but often there is a Dropsie with Conception before or after therefore in a Dropsie the tumor is equal according to the largeness of the womb and belly and not pointed as in a woman with child Secondly If the woman be in years and hath not conceived before and hath a good colour it is a sign of a Dropsie rather then a Conception If the tenth month be past and the child moves not nor the Breasts swell but are soft say there is Dropsie of the womb Thirdly In a true Conception women are better after some months and the Symptoms abate but in a Dropsie they increase still It is distinguished from a Mole by the weight in the bottom of the Belly From an inflation because the Belly is stretched in that and sounds being stricken but is soft in a Dropsie It differs from the Dropsie of the Belly because the Face is pale or wane in that from the distemper of the Liver there is thirst but in the Womb-dropsie she is of a good colour except the Liver be also bad It differs from Inflamation in the womb for that is with a constant Feaver and the Symptoms of it and from other tumors which are harder but in a Dropsie of the womb if the Belly be pressed it yields You shall know whether it be from the fault in the womb principally or from some other part thus If the Woman be of a good colour and there were only some diseases and causes that might hurt the womb as abortion hard travel stoppage of terms or too many of them then the womb is chiefly affected But if there be signs of a distemper in the whole body or in the Liver or Spleen and the colour is bad it is consent from other parts You shall know whether the water be in Bladders or in the Cavity of the womb thus If you find the Orifice of the womb closed and there is little pain it is in the Cavity But if the Orifice be open and there is great pain it is in Bladders or without the Cavity The Prognostick If the humor in the womb be not corrupt this disease is of long continuance but may be easily cured It is easier cured in the cavity then when it is in bladders and between the tunicles A woman after Conception having a Dropsie of the womb her child dieth and she is in danger The Cure When it is from stoppage of terms and new and the strength firm open a Vein in the Legs otherwise bleed not Purge according to the Humor with respect to the Womb as in Chap. 6. of a cold Distemper Then purge Water Take Angelica and Madder roots each half an ounce Calamints Penny-royal Mugwort Lovage each a handful Savin a pugil boil them in Wine and sweeten it with Sugar Or make Broaths with the same Take Dianisum Diagalangal each half a dram Oyl of Aniseeds Cloves each five drops Sugar three ounces make Rouls Inject into the Womb as in Dropsies Take Asarum roots three drams Penny-royal Calamints each half a handful Savin a pugil Mechoacan a dram Aniseed Cummin each half a dram boil them and take six ounces strained Oyl of Elder and Orris each an ounce make a Clyster Or use Pessaries Take
the liver-veins on the right side or the spleen on the left as they are filled more or less It also falls down by the loosning of the parts to which it is fastned but how that can be it is not clear 1. 2. De morb mulier Hippocrates saith It comes from external causes as from cold of the feet or loins from leaping or fear cutting of wood or running down a hill and the like these make the ligaments moist and loose Also it may be from cold after child-bearing getting into the womb when the terms flow sitting upon a cold stone and the like Platerus Others say It comes from the solution of the connexion of the fibrous neck and the parts adjacent and that is from the weight of the womb descending this we deny not But when the ligaments must be loose or broken But women in a dropsie could not be said not to have the womb fall down if it came only from loosness But the cause in them is the saltness of the water which dries more then it moistneth The Signs If there be a little tumor within or without the privities like a skin stretched or a weight felt about the privities it is only a descent of the womb but if there be a tumor like a Goose-Egg and a hole at the bottom there is at first a great pain in the parts to which the womb is fastned as the loyns the bottom of the belly and the privities and the Os sacrum from the stretching or breaking of the ligaments but a little after the pain abateth and there is an impediment in walking Sometimes blood comes forth from the breach of the vessels and the dung and urine are stopt and a Feaver and Convulsion When it is near it is easily cured when old The Prognostick it is hard to be cured but not deadly only it is troublesom and nasty It hinders conception and keeps terms from flowing orderly If it be with pain Feaver or Convulsion it is deadly especially in women with Child That which comes from corrosion of the ligaments is dangerous First put it up before the air alter it The Cure or it be inflamed or swollen Therefore first give a Clyster to remove the excrements Then lay her upon her back with her legs abroad and thighs lifted up her head down and take the tumor in your hands and thrust it in without violence If it be swollen by alteration and cold foment it with the Decoction of Mallows Althaea Line Foenugreek-seed Chamomil-flowers Bayberries and anoint it with oyl of Lillies and Hens-grease If there be an inflammation Roder a. casuo de morb mul. 1. 2. c. 17. put it not up yet It may be frighted in by shewing of red hot iron and acting as if you would burn it First sprinkle upon it the powder of Mastich Frankincense and the like As Take Frankincense Mastich each two drams Sarcocol steept in Milk a dram Mummy Pomegranate-flowers Sanguis Draconis each half a dram When it is put up let her lie with her leggs stretched one upon the other for eight or ten dayes and make a Pessary like a Pear of Cork or Spung put into the womb dipt in sharp wine or juyce of Acacia with powder of Sanguis Draconis Bole Mastich or the Countesses Oyntment with Galbanum and Bdellium Apply a Cupping-glass with great flame under the navel or paps or to both kidnies and lay this Plaister to the back Take Opopanax two ounces Storax liquid half an ounce Frankincense Mastich Pitch Bole each two drams with Wax make a Plaister Or Take Labdanum a dram and half Frankincense Mastich each half a dram wood Aloes Cloves Spike each a dram Ash coloured Amber-greece four grains Musk half a scruple make two round Plaisters to be laid on each side the Navel Make a Fume of a Snail skin salted or of Garlick and let it be taken in by a Funnel Use astringent Fomentations of Bramble leaves Plantane Horstails Mirtles each two handfuls Wormwood two pugils Pomegranate-flowers half an ounce boil them in wine and water Or inject this with a Syringe Take Comfrey-roots an ounce Snakeweed Pomgranate-flowers each half an ounce Rupture-wort two drams Yarrow Mugwort each half an ounce boil them in red Wine Then use Sulphur Baths To strengthen the Womb Take Harts-horn Bayes each a dram Mirrh half a dram make a powder for two doses give it with sharp Wine Or Take Zedoary Parsnep-seeds Crabs eyes prepared each a dram Nutmeg half a dram give a dram in powder but use astringents warily lest you stop the courses and cause worse mischief If it fall out from evil humors that flow to the womb and loosen the ligaments purge the body and then use dryers as the decoction of China Sarsa and Guajacum To keep it in its place make Roulers and Ligatures as for the Rupture and use Pessaries into the bottom of the womb that may force it to remain Lib. de partu Caesar sect 6. cap. 3. 4. of which Francis Rousset hath written at large and shews that they neither hinder Conception nor bring any inconvenience nay that they help Conception and retain it and cure this disease perfectly And Gaspar Bauhinus confirms the same in his Appendix to Rousset You may use Circles or Balls instead of Pessaries As Take roots of wild Vine make round Circles or Balls of them greater or less as the neck of the womb is Then Take Virgins Wax melted with white Rosin or Turpentine dip the balls in till they are fit put one in the neck of the womb that will hold in being just fit let it not be taken out till it fall out and then put in another if she be not cured If it gangrene and sphacelate cut it quite off Lib. de partu Caes sect 4. cap. 5. hist 6. Ibid. sect 4. cap. 5. if she fear cutting take it off by Ligature of which Rousset who shews the way and saith that it may be cut off without danger of life He tells also of the place where you must cut and in Sect. 4. de partu Caesareo where the Ligature is to be made Let the diet be drying and astringent and glewing as Rice Starch Quinces Pears green Cheese Avoid Summer-fruits Let the Wine be astringent and red The Cure of the inclining of the Womb. When it inclines to the sides after Universals apply Cupping-glasses to the other side and let her still lie on the other side and let the Midwife anoint her finger with Oyl of sweet Almonds and draw it a little by degrees to the other side Chap. 17. Of the Rupture of the Womb. FEw Physitians have seen this I never read of any but once I saw it of which in my Institutions lib. 2. part 1. cap. 9. Chap. 18. Of Wounds and breaking of the Womb. The Signs IT is seldom wounded by reason of the divers defences it hath but sometimes the Chirurgions wound it in
cutting out of the Child of which Hollerius inter rara no. 8. He speaks of a woman with child in Paris that her childs hand put forth at the Navel and was so in travel 15 dayes and both child and mother were safe The Prognostick It is evident if it be made by the Chirurgion in cutting out of a Child and you may know it by the place if it come otherwise There is blood and matter that flow out at the neck of the womb There is more pain when it is in the neck of the womb then when it is in the bottom These wounds are cured as appears by the Caesarean Birth or cutting but they are dangerous by reason of the strange Symptoms and the consent of the parts The Cure Use Consolidates or Healers and if there be pain Anodines or Pessaries made of Wax-candles dipt in Wound-Oyntments Or Take Wax Turpentine Goose-grease Butter each a Dram Honey Deers-marrow Oyl of Roses Bulls-grease each two drams Or Take Frankincense Mastich Ceruss Galbanum each half an ounce mix them all with white Wine then add Pompholix an ounce and with Wax and Oyl of Roses make an Oyntment Make Injections or Clysters for the Womb of the Decoction of round Birthwort Cypress boiled in steeled Water and sharp Wine with a little Hydromel Agrimony Mugwort Plantane Roses Schaenanth Horehound Chap. 19. Of Ulcers and Rottenness of the Womb. THough the neck of the womb be only subject to Ulcers as we shewed yet the substance of the womb hath been ulcerated and it hath been observed to rot when it hath fallen out and to fall away As we said of a Woman at Avinion that after lived some time And the Examples of Rousset shew that it may be safely cut off Also a child dead in the womb Lib. de part Caesar chir c. 76. may cause an Ulcer and divers Histories witness in Abucasis and Alexander Benedictus Mauritius Cordaeus and many others How these ulcers and rottenness of the womb are cured is said in sect 1. cap. 8. where we spake of Ulcers of the neck of the Womb and cap. 10. of Fistulaes of the Womb. Chap. 20. Of the Diseases of the Stones and Vessels of Procreation in VVomen IT is apparent by Histories written by grave and learned Men that the Stones of Women and their Seed-vessels are many times grievously distempered when the womb joyned to them is not Sometimes water is gathered about the stones In apprend ad Roussetum 2. de partu Caesar as Gasper Bauhinus John Schenkins write and he hath another History Lib. Obser 3. from John Heintz of a Maid that desired a little before she died that her body might be opened to testifie her innocency In which besides other things remarkable the stones were found swollen as big as a head of a young child blewish and spungy much water came out of them and that made her Belly swell and she taken to be with child but the truth appeared and her Chastity testified THE FOURTH BOOK THE SECOND PART Of the Symptoms in the Womb and from the Womb. Chap. 1. Of Weakness in the Womb. THere are many Symptoms from the Womb. Of those in the Womb the first is weakness so that it cannot perform its actions The action of the womb is twofold private and publick By its private action it makes its nourishment of blood that comes to it By its publick action it serves for generation If the private faculty be hurt and the nourishment not well made there is a superfluous moisture and then weakness without other faults of the Organ or unity divided The Causes The first Cause is distemper when the manifest qualities are changed or when the natural heat is suffocated or dispersed or when the occult qualities are changed Heat in the womb makes a distemper if it be too much by which the womb sucks more then it can concoct this is not properly weakness but that distemper is weakness when the action is either not done or weakly done But cold rather makes weakness in the womb by which it cannot make the sufficient quantity of nourishment hence excrements are heaped up and it cannot perform its actions Also a moist distemper makes weakness by which it can neither keep seed nor child It is also weak from loosness The Signs Little desire of Venery and no pleasure therein argue weakness of the womb flux of Seed often abortion Part 1. sect cap. 2. 3. pain in the Loins and Pubes when the Terms are coming farts from the Womb Head-ach and the like The signs of a cold and moist distemper with or without matter are already declared The Prognostick It is a great disease by reason of the divers Symptoms in women that have conception hurt It is worst when it comes from dispersing and extinguishing of the natural heat The Cure We have shewed how distempers of the womb are cured but the dispersing of the Spirits and natural heat is cured by things that hinder the loss of Spirits and strengthen the womb as Spices Cinnamon Cloves Nutmeg Mace Diacalaminth Aromaticum rosatum Diaxilaloes rosata Novella Treacle Mithridate Outwardly by Oyl of Lillies Nard Lavender and Astringents when the womb is loose Things that help the womb in the whole substance are in the Chapter of the cold and moist Distemper as Aqua vitae for Women Or thus Take Castor three ounces Saffron two ounces extract them singular add to both Extract of Mugwort two ounces of Angelica a dram Magistery of the mother of Pearl a dram Oyl of Cloves a scruple of Angelica and of Amber and of Nutmegs each half a scruple Let her eat meat of much nourishment and drink good Wine Chap. 2. Of the Itch of the Womb. THis is more in old then young women and must be distinguished from the Frenzy of the womb for here is only a desire to scratch the Privities so that they cannot sleep Nor is it with desire of Copulation as in the Fury of the Womb. It is a salt humor that is serous and adust that causeth it that is sent to the neck of the womb The Causes and the privities How it comes there I shewed in Ulcers of the Privities It is known by her Relation and often putting her hand to the Privities The Prognostick The Cure It is more troublesome then dangerous because it hinders sleep First purge the whole Body and if there are signs of Plethory and strength permits bleed in the Arm. Then qualifie the sharp salt humors with cold and moist means and remove them from the Privities Foment with a Decoction of Lettice Plantane Willow Dock-roots and then anoint with Galen's Cooler Or dip a Pessary in this Oyntment and put it in Or Take Allum Niter Sulphur each six drams Staphisacre an ounce with Rose-vinegar and fresh Butter make a Liniment If these will not Cure use stronger as the Oyntment of Elicampane with Quick-silver Or Take black
Sope Stavisacre each a dram quick Brimstone half an ounce Quick-silver 2 drams with Rose-vinegar and Hens-grease make an Oyntment Let the meat be of good juyce cooling and moistning Take heed of Spices sharp and salt meats Chap. 3. Of pain in the Womb. THere is pain in the body of the womb with other diseases sometimes as the Colick-pains woven in the bottom of the Belly and in the Loins and Hips and is called the pain of the Womb. It is often in women with child as the inflammation of the womb It is burning and beating it binds the Belly and stops the Urin. The Causes Solution of unity is the cause of all pains and this is from the stretching of the Womb and its Vessels or corrosion Stretching is from wind or clotted blood in the cavity of it and when Nature cannot expel it by reason of the straitness of the part there is pain Also pain is from stretching of the vessels before the terms flow when they are close and the blood thick and this pain is increased by external cold especially after heat Sometimes there is a gathering of humors about the womb when the terms flow and are foul and they get into the membranes and stretch them The same may be from corrupt Seed that stretcheth the vessels Or from sharpness and corrosion in the neck of the womb The Signs when sharp humors flow through it and twitch it The pain is manifest but let us look at the signs of the causes If it be from clotted blood there was a flux of the same and the pain is fixed about the orifice of the womb If there were external causes the patient will relate If it be from Seed there is suffocation of the Womb. The greater the cause is The Prognostick The Cure and the more vehement it works the more is the danger If there be pain and fear of fainting look to that before the cause with Anodynes and Narcoticks if need be If it be from wind see inflation of the Womb. If it be from clotted blood dissolve and evacuate it with hot and attenuating Medicines made into Fomentations Baths and Oyntments It is good to apply Treacle to the region of the Womb or put it in with Rue and Honey Or give a Clyster to the Womb of Rue Foenugreek-seed and Oyl of Rue and Orris Or give Treacle and Cinnamon-water If the vessels of the womb are not open enough for the terms See in the stoppage of the terms If there be wind make a Clyster thus Take Mercury Mugwort Calamints Penny-royal each a handful Chamomil and Melilot-flowers each half a handful Faenugreek and Linseed each an ounce boyl them in a pint strained dissolve Hiera Benedicta laxativa each half an ounce make a Clyster Give Mugwort zedoary-Zedoary-water Essence of Castor Treacle or Womans Aqua vitae of which before Make a Clyster for the Womb thus Take Mugwort Calamints Bettony each half a handful Gith Cummin Carrot Aniseeds each a dram Spike Schoenanth Nutmeg Cinnamon each a dram boyl them in Wine Then fill an Ox bladder half full with Oyl of Lillies and Dill and apply it to the belly Or Take Oyl of Lillies Orris each an ounce distilled Oyl of Angelica a dram Goose and Hens grease each half an ounce Mucilage of Line and Faenugreek-seed made with Mugwort-water each three drams seeds of Cummin Carrots Caraway each a dram with Wax make a soft Oyntment Or Take Pellitory two handfuls Mercury a handful beat them add Chamomil-flowers Cummin Anise Carrots-seeds each a dram two yelks of Eggs and Oyl of Lillies make a Cataplasm for the Belly Apply Plaisters to the Navel and Cupping-glasses with great flame to the Region of the womb or dry Fomentations of Oats Milium Anise Cummin Carrot-seed in a Bag. And use Pessaries as Take Harts Marrow Turpentine Wax Goose-grease each three drams Saffron a dram yelks of Eggs seven with Oyl of Lillies make Pessaries If the humors and wind is malignant mix Scorronera Bezear seeds and roots of Angelica water of Zedoary Treacle Mithridate and the like in Suffocation of the womb Chap. 4. Of the Diseases of the Womb that come from sweet scents and stinks THere is a particular Symptom in the womb which breeds great admiration that it delights in sweet scents and is offended with stinks And it is certain for if Musk Civit or the like be but put to the Nose of the woman that is subject to fits of the Mother they grow sick and if the same be put to their privities and stinks to the Nose the fit of the Mother ceaseth It is hard to give the reason of this many wise Men have given their opinion but they disagree among themselves and satisfie me not neither do I promise to satisfie others But it is probable to me that the womb is not delighted with scents as scents for the privities have no smelling and the sense of smelling doth not reach so far but the quality by which it is well or ill is occult and not to be explained and to be separated from the odours If any ask what the quality is I answer There are many qualities in Nature that are hid from our senses and yet we cannot deny them because we see their effects as the quality in a Dogs Nose we cannot apprehend but the Dog perceives it But how these qualities come to the womb Quomodo uterus bene olentia recipiat is by no other way but by the open way by the privities by which Spirits get into the womb and in the suffocation of the womb sweet things profit because they strengthen it by a peculiar quality to disperse the venemous air and draw down the spirits and humors But if they be put to the Nose Quomodo bene olentia hystericis noceant the womb consents by the Sympathy of the organ of smelling and the brain with it This is by the Nerves and Arteries for the heart is presently refreshed with a sweet scent because it presently pierceth into it being spiritual and there is a great consent of the womb with the brain and the smelling as is seen by the tryal of Barrenness by a Fume from Hippocrates 5. Aphor. But we must observe that sweet scents are acceptable to all Wombs and stinks are not but the same Symptomes are not in all Women from them for they who have a Womb of a good constitution with no evil humors in it endure sweet things well and delight in them but they who are unclean hate sweet things and osten fall into fits by them because while the womb is delighted with that sweet and hidden quality with which it hath a peculiar Sympathy the evil humors that lie in the Womb especially if there be any corruption from Seed and the Seed also are stirred and when the Spirits flie up they take the bad humors with them and send bad vapors to the heart which cause suffocation and others Symptoms But when the
we spake at large If blood be superfluous loose it not nor open the Ankle-vein lest you draw it more to the Womb but take away the Cacochymy If it be from weakness of the retentive Faculty strengthen the womb with Dryers and Astringents Chap. 6. Of the overflowing of the Terms IT is when it is too much or too long and hurts any Woman and brings diseases but a certain proportion of bleeding is not to be defined but too much is lost when the actions are hurt The Causes Gal. 3. de symp Causis c. 2. 5. aph com 57. The immediate Cause is the opening of the Vessels and the immediate Cause is the blood in quantity or quality offending or by its force or disorderly motion Vessels are opened by Anastomisis Diapedesis Diaeresis or ruption or by Diaurosis or corrosion Anastomosis is from a moist distemper of the Vessels which loosneth the Orifices or from external causes as Baths hot and moist or use of Aloes The flux is seldom too great from a Diapedesis for it is but a sweating through Ruption is from Plethory when the terms have long been stopped and then break out and when the blood is hot by Air Baths c. The outward causes are falls strokes hard travel great burthens lifted Erosion is from sharp blood or humor or from Medicines that corode as Pessaries long kept For this great Flux is chiefly from the Veins in the bottom of the Womb. The Signs The Flux of Blood is too great when the strength abateth and Cachexy follows with paleness swollen feet and the blood that comes from the bottome of the Womb is blacker and clotted That from the neck redder and thinner The signs of the causes If it be from much blood there are signs of plethory and it easily clotted together If the blood be sharp and cholerick it is putrified in the womb you shall know waterish blood by its colour and the signs of that humour abounding and if you dip a clout in it and dry it in the shade you may see it If the womb be too moist such causes went before If it be from breaking of Veins they will tell you of violence If it be from corrosion it is little and slow sometimes pure sometimes serous It weakneth the whole Body The Prognostick the Liver and Bowels there is Swounding the Whites and paleness and Dropsie sometimes That which hath been long is hard to be cured and causeth death and in an old woman it is deadly If there be fulness abate the blood Indications and keep it from flowing to the womb revel it repel cool and astringe it that it may not flow so fast and then amend the blood If it is from plenty of blood The Cure open the Liver-veins in the right Arm bleed little and often because it makes better revulsion and weakens not open the Salvetella if there be weakness Gal. 5. aph com 50. and cup the Back and Breast against the Liver beneath the Paps where are Veins from the womb cup not beneath but in the Shoulders or Back and Arm with Scarification but scarifie not under the Breasts Bind and rub the arms and shoulders and temper and thicken the sharp thin humors with Decoctions and water of Plantane Purslane Sorrel Knot-grass Shepheards-purse Pomegranate-Syrup and of dried Roses Sorrel Purslane Coral Conserve of Roses Bole sealed Earth If it be urgent use Narcoticks Syrup of Poppies Treacle Philonium Laudanum If it still continue it is fed with Choler therefore purge it with Syrup of Roses Manna Rhubarb Senna If it be fed with serous blood help the Reins that do not their duty and the Liver and sweat with China You must not provoke urin but use astringents As Take the juyce of Ass-dung Syrup of Mirtles each half an ounce Plantane-water an ounce Give it her and let her not know what it is Decoctions Take Comfrey-roots Tormentil each two drams Purslane Plantane each a handful boil them add to six ounces Syrup of Currans Quinces Mirtles each six drams give it at twice Or Take Syrup of Purslane juyce of Nettles each two ounces Purslane-water four ounces Troches of Amber of sealed Earth each a dram Blood-stone half a dram give two spoonfuls every day A Water Take eight pints of water with Starch Barley-meal and Rice dried Roses a handful juyce of Yarrow Plantane each half a pint Comfrey-roots and all three ounces Horstail Blood-wort each half a handful Pears and Quinces Pomegranate-flowers all Sanders each half an ounce Mastich an ounce Distil them and give two ounces with half an ounce of Syrup of Roses or Purslane Electuaries Conserve of Roses two ounces Quinces an ounce and half Troches of burnt Ivory and sealed Earth each a dram Crocus Martis Bole red coral prepared Mastich each half a dram with Syrup of Mirtles make an Electuary Powders Take Mastich red Coral prepared each a dram Pearl Smaragds prepared each a scruple Blood-stone half a scruple Bole half a dram make a powder Michael Paschal cured many with this Powder Lib. de curat morb cap. 55. Take two Egg-shells burnt Frankincense Mastich each half an ounce Pearl red Coral and Amber each two drams Blood-stone Smaragds prepared each half a scruple Barley-flour two pugils whites of four Eggs with steeled water make Cakes Give from half a dram to a dram in powder with Trotter-broath in the morning Or give every day a dram of the powder of Mulberry-tree roots Or Ex petrafores to Take plump Turtle drawn and pluckt wash it in rose-Rose-water and red Wine put an ounce of Mastich in the belly of it stick it on and roast it and bast it with Vinegar of Roses Then put it into a glass close luted to be dried in an Oven then beat all of it to powder Give a spoonful with Plantane-water or an astringent Decoction Anoint the bottome of the Belly Reins and Groyns with the dropping of it Or make Rouls thus Take Bole half a dram Magistery of Coral a dram Pearl prepared a scruple Sorrel and Plantane-seed each half a dram Aromatiacum rosatum Traganth each half a dram with Sugar dissolved in Plantane-water make Rouls In the use of cold Astringents take heed you stop not the Veins and the heat be cooled If these help not use Narcoticks as Troches of sealed Earths and Amber with Opium these astringe also Use no Pessaries except the Veins in the neck of the Womb be open As Take Snakeweed Tormentil each half an ounce Pomegranate-flowers Plantane-seed each two drams Comfry-roots half an ounce Frankincense Mastich each a dram Acacia Sanguis Draconis each two scruples Blood-stone Starch each a dram and half with the white of an Egg and Gum traganth dissolved in Rose-water make Pessaries with red Silk Womb-Clysters Take juyce of Yarrow Solomons-seal each two ounces Mucilage of Gum Arabick made in Plantane-water two ounces make a Clyster A Fume Take Frankincense Mastich each two drams Mirtles Labdanum each a
we shewed concerning a Wench that was married and to appear a Virgin she used a Bath of Comfrey-roots Question 4. Whether is Milk in the Breasts a sign of Virginity lost Some say That there can be no Milk in the Breasts till a woman hath conceived and Virgins have neither the cause nor the end why milk is made And the terms stopt do rather corrupt then turn to milk And though there be alwayes in the Breasts a faculty to make milk yet doth it not shew its power but upon an object and for some end Some say That Virgins may have Milk 5. Aph. 39. Gal. in com Lib. 3. anat c. 4. com in aphoris lib. 5.39 and urge this saying of Hippocrates If any have Milk when she is neither with Child nor Breeding their terms are stopt Galen is of the same opinion and thought it be seldom yet he saith it is possible And Alexander Benedictus and Christopher de Vega saw it We shall not contradict Hippocrates and Experience but there is a twofold milk The one of Virgins the other of those that have brought forth or conceived The first is made of blood that cannot get out at the womb but goes to the Breasts and this is nothing but a superfluous nourishment of the Breasts that turns milk by the faculty of the Breasts without the company of a man or conception The other is only when there is a child of this Milk it is true what Hippocrates writes It is a certain sign of a Mole Cit. loc de morb mulierum when great bellied women have no milk in their Breasts And true milk in the Breasts is a sign of a live child in the Womb. These Milks differ in respect of the blood and diversity of the veins that bring it to the Breasts and though both are white yet that of Virgins is thinnest nor is it so much nor so sweet this may breed in the Veins according to Aristotle from the superfluous nourishment of the Breasts and if Virgins have it 1. De hist. ani c. 12. they are not to be termed unchast Chap. 2. Of the Green-sickness or white Feaver THis is in Virgins fit for a man it is called the Virgins Disease and the white Feaver not that there is alwayes a Feaver but because their Face is like people in a Feaver It is thus defined The Virgins Disease is the changing of the natural colour into a pale and green with faintness heaviness of body loathing of meat palpitation of Heart difficult breathing sadness swelling of the Feet Eye-lids and Face from depraved nourishment The â—auses The first Cause is stoppage of Terms the next is the gathering of bad humors For when the way to the womb is stopt the blood returns to the great Vessels and Bowels and choaks their heat and stops the vessels and spoils the making of blood and then there are crudities which being brought to the habit of the body cannot be united perfectly to the parts and cause a Cachexy which is the way to a Dropsie and Leucophlegmacy and divers Symptoms The causes of the obstructions of the Vessels of the Womb are crude humors and flegmatick slimy blood from evil diet and drinking of Vinegar or eating raw Corn Chalk Ashes Lime Earth Clay and the like There is a pale and green colour The Signs the Face is swollen and the Eye-brows in the morning after sleep especially the Ankles swell and the whole Body is loose and moist from much water the Legs are lazy the Pulse is little and often in the Neck Temples and Back The heart beats the breath is short when they go up stairs they loath meat Some have the Pica or desire to eat absurd things The terms are stopt the Hypochondria are swollen Sometimes they vomit If vapors fly to the Head there is thirst and head-ach and if Melancholy be mixed the animal actions are hurt These are not all in all people but most are in most and in some all It it often turned to a Dropsie The Prognostick Some after death have had a Scirrhus hard Liver Some die suddenly the Heart being oppressed If the stomach be much afflicted it is dangerous and they loath meat much If it come from the womb alone it is easier cured It is best to begin in the Spring or Summer The Cure after a Clyster open a Vein in the Ankle Then heat the thick cold humor and make it thin and because it is too much to be purged at once prepare and purge often and mix attenuaters and cutters with your purges When the humors are above the stomach and Mesentery it is good to vomit those that can easily vomit and to give Liver-Physick or Spleen or Womb-Physick even as in Leâ—cophlegmacy see the Chapter of Terms stopt But in this Disease alwayes consider the Liver Spleen and Mesentery the obstructions of which are cured with things mentioned At first open the obstructions of these parts with some few things that provoke terms and after give more Thus Take opening Roots an ounce Madder Eryngus Orris Elicampane Citron-peels dried Sarsa each half an ounce Mugwort Agrimony Germander each a handful Savin two pugils Carthamus-seeds an ounce Senna two ounces Mechoacan Agarick each half an ounce Stoechas-flower two pugils Fennel Aniseed Galangal each two drams boil them to a pint and half sweeten it and add Cinnamon-water three drams Or infuse them all with Sea-wormwood half a handful common Wormwood two pugils Or Take Agarick Pills of Rhubarb each a dram Quercetan 's Pills of Tartar and of Ammoniacum each half a dram Spike a scruple Oyl of Cinnamon three drops Extract of Wormwood half a scruple make Pills give a scruple an hour before meat Or Take juyce of Mercury clarified Honey or Sugar each an ounce add Gith-seed Senna each two drams Mechoacan a dram make a Mass or give Conserve of Marigold-flowers Steel is an excellent Remedy after Preparatives with proper Drinks or Ingredients And if the Vessels of the stomach are stopt give a Vomit and then gross powder of Steel Hoc laudat Mercatus If the Mesentery be stopt Take Diarrhodon Diacurcuma Agarick each a dram Carthamus seeds two drams red Dock-roots Carrot-seed each a dram and half Cloves a dram Steel prepared two ounces with clarified Honey make an Electuary give two or four drams If she vomit stop it not If the Liver be chiefly stopt let the Steel be finely powdered And take of it half a pound add eight ounces of Wine in a glass set it in the embers stir it and let it boil twelve simmers till you see it froath and grow a little thick then pour the froath and all into another Vessel Do thus four times and then let it be gently boiled till it be thick as Honey Then Take Parsley Carrot-seed Diacurcuma Diarrhodon each a dram and half Cinnamon a dram Steel prepared six drams with Honey make an Electuary give three drams or five after excercise If
prevent take heed of Venery in the terms or before the terms or when the body is soul or obstructed or the womb When it is 1. De morb mulier take it away presently with things that send forth a dead child Hippocrates sheweth the Cure in few words First foment the whole body c. Therefore if she be plethorick let blood largely in the foot at divers times Then purge often with strong Physick Take Althaea Lilly-roots each half an ounce Althaea Mercury Pellitory Brank-ursine each a handful Chamomil Melilot-flowers each half a handful Faenugreek and Lin-seed each six drams boyl them in Broath to a pint add sweet Butter Oyl of sweet Almonds Lillies each an ounce make a Clyster repeat it often To Conquer all Infirmities Study my Sennertus Platerus Bartholinus and Riolanus of the last Editions Make Baths Liniments Fomentations then move the Terms with Dittany Birthwort Briony c. Take Briony Birthwort each half an ounce Asarum two drams Rue Savin Mugwort Dittany Penny-royal Motherwort each half a handful Elder and Chamomil-flowers each half a handful Line and Foenugreek-seeds each half an ounce boyl them to a pint add Hiera an ounce and half Troches of Alkandal a dram Oyl of Rue and Keir each an ounce and half make a Clyster of the residents make a Cataplasm for the belly Or this Pessary Take Troches of Mirrh Galbanum Opopanax dissolved in Wine each two drams Sowbread-roots a dram white Hellebore half a dram with juyce of Rue Fab. cent 2. obs 52. If these will not do let the Midwife take it out with her hand if it be half rotten Or leave it to Nature which doth it in time To stop the flux of blood after a Mole is taken out use strings against overflowing of the Terms As Take Plantane Shepheards-purse Brambles Oak-leaves red Roses each a handful boyl them in steeled Water then take Barley-bran two ounces Pomegranate-flowers Cypress-nuts Pomegranate-peels red Roses Comfrey-roots in powder each an ounce Frogs burnt Bole Sanguis Draconis each half an ounce with the Decoction aforesaid and a little Vinegar make a Cataplasm for the Region of the Womb. Take away pain with Anodynes mentioned in pain of the Womb keep up the strength with meat of a good juyce Question Whether a Mole may be without the company of a Man and without his Seed To speak freely of this which many doubt I suppose that many are made of a weak mans seed mixed with the woman seed and much blood But Histories confirm that Widows have had them without mans seed but not of the shape with the others And being voided they melted being in the air into water I think Virgins cannot have them but from wantonness or in sleep they may spend their seed but because it is weak and the blood necessary for formation neither is drawn by the womb nor flows to it of its own accord as it doth in those that have had children and the vessels of the womb in Virgins are straiter than in Widdows and others that have had children Therefore though the seed of Virgins flow into the womb yet they cannot have a Mole for want of blood which is necessary for the forming of the same This is to be understood of Moles which are not vital for vital Moles that have some life cannot be got in Virgins or Widdows without the seed of Man Chap. 10. Of Monsters HIstories tells of many Monsters brought forth by women We spake of Worms Sect. 2. Chap. 8. They are like Toads or Mice or Fish Par. 7. cap. 12. lij Gordonius saith it is usual in Lumbardy Lycosthenes saith and others also That Serpents Dogs and other Monsters with parts like brute beasts have been brought forth In appen Franc. Ros de par Caes Gasper Bauhin speaks of one Anne Troporim which 1575. brought forth two Serpents with her child In Harvest hot weather she had drunk water in a Brook in a Wood near Basil where she thought she drank the Spawn of a Serpent for a little after that her belly swelled and three months after she was big with child and the Serpents grew as the Child did Her belly was so big that she carried it in a swathing band She was delivered at last of a lean male child and because they suspect Worms or Snakes from the gnawing and strange motion she felt that year they put a bason of milk under her and when they expected an after-birth out came a Serpent which she saw and perceived another coming forth they were an ell long and as thick as a childs arm Thus Bauhin and he speaks of others if you please to peruse him A Monster is that which is either wholly or in part like a beast or that which is ill shaped extraordinary Histories witness that a Monster may be from humane seed The Causes and the seed of a beast It is seldome for the forming faculty doth not err of it self but is seduced by the imagination or frustrated of its ends from a fault of the Spirits the heat or matter Therefore imagination is the cause of Monsters For Histories mention That women with child by beholding men in vizards have brought forth Monsters with horns and beaks and cloven feet The same is when Spirits or heat seed or blood are weak or little And though Doctors cannot cure Monsters yet they are to admonish women with child not to look upon Monsters and to strengthen their spirits and heat and to keep the seed and blood right and not to allow copulation in time of their terms lest any monstrous Birth should be from much and impure blood Chap. 11. Of false Conception and Swelling FAlse Conception or Gravidation is when the terms are stopt and the belly swells and there are signs like those of a true Conception then they think themselves with child and as Hippocrates saith They believe not to the contrary till ten months are past The causes are wind in the womb or water Causae p. 1. s 2. c. 10. matter or thick flegm These are bred from sickly seed retained upon which Nature works in vain or from a fault in the terms that corrupts the seed and breeds bad humors The like appears in Virgins when they begin to have their terms but it is discovered by pain The terms flow not as in a true Conception The Signs but in this there is pain of the head loyns belly and groyns of which Hippocrates saith thus 2. Prorrhet They have a false Conception without terms appearing with a swollen belly have the head-ach and there is no milk in their breasts but what is like water and very little Morveover the belly swells sooner then in a true Conception their colour changeth their face and feet swell they loath meat faint and have a depraved appetite The surest sign is the time of child-bearing being past The Prognostick The Cure They are commonly barren or have ulcers in their Privities
month especially if they have no Feaver and are strong As Celsus saith A strong Child and a lusty old Man and a healthy Woman with Child Lib. 2. c. 10. may be safely let blood And Hippocrates forbids bleeding only lest the child should want nourishment Question 3. Whether may a Woman with Child be purged You must not give strong Purges lest their force which moveth the humors should reach to the womb and cast out the child Therefore you must not purge women with child in all diseases nor at all times but only in the fourth month till the seventh and that sparingly And if the matter swell and abound 4. Aph. 1. as Hippocrates shews For the danger from the turgent matter is easily avoided thereby for it will be purged with more ease then when it is fixed and quiet 1. Therefore only purge in an acute disease 2. From the beginning of the fourth only to the end of the sixth 3. Use no vehement Medicine nor very bitter as Aloes which is an enemy to the child and opens the mouths of the vessels nor Coloquintida nor Scammony nor Turbith but use Caffia Manna Rhubarb Agarick and Senna but Diacydonium purgans is best with a little of the Electuary of the juyce of Roses If there be a chronick disease she may also be purged safely especially if she be used to it and strengthners be applyed to the navel Question 4. Whether Purging or Bleeding is most dangerous for a Woman with Child We shewed in the last Question the necessity of purging and its danger by the great motion of humors which if it reach to the womb causeth abortion because it causeth pain in the belly and provokes the terms But bleeding disturbs the humors less nor doth hurt any way but by taking nourishment from the child And this you need not fear if there be too much blood Therefore purging is more dangerous then bleeding Question 5. Whether it is lawful to cause an Abortion to preserve the Mother A Christian may not cause an Abortion for any cause for it is wicked and the Gentiles in Hippocrates his time never allowed it they would not hinder Conception much less would they destroy it when made Nor must the mother be preserved by the loss of the child For we must not do evil that good may come thereby But if to preserve the mother the Physitian purge or bleed and the abortion follow the fault is not in the Physitian that intended it not but in the weakness of Nature and of the Child and is better to preserve the Mother then by neglecting the lawful means let both die Also the dead child must presently be thrown out Question 6. Whether are Clysters Diureticks and Sweats proper for a Woman with Child Though women deny Clysters to them yet if they have been used to them they may be given in a small quantity such as only mollifie and supple nor do they more hurt then Lenitives Diureticks or things that provoke Urine are not safe because they provoke the Terms You may not give gentle Sweats for Nature will receive strength by the casting off of her enemies You must use Alterers that are proper as this Syrup Take the juyce of unripe Grapes about the beginning of September three galons add Pomecitrons or Lemons bruised half a pound boil them till they are soft and strain them and with half a pound of Sugar make a Syrup Chap. 4. Of the Symptoms that befal Women with Child in the first Months THey are loathing meat Pica or evil appetite pewking vomiting belly-ach flux of the belly tooth and head-ach giddiness These all come from the stoppage of the terms especially in a Cacochymy or evil juyce for it goes to the stomach and so to the head First They loath meat 5. Apho. 45. which Hippocrates saith is a sign of Conception And this is when the child takes the purest blood and leaves the impure which gets into the mouth of the stomach and infects it and hence comes the loathing of some sorts of meats Sometimes this ceaseth of it self but if there be danger of a Consumption in the mother lest the child should be in danger for want of food give a gentle Vomit or Stomach-Pills with things that strengthen the Stomach As Take Conserâ—â— of red Roses half an ounce of Bettony an ounce preserved Quinces three drams Aromaticum Rosatum half a dram Pearl prepared half a scruple with Syrup of green Ginger and Quinces make an Electuary Anoint the stomach with oyl of Mastich Mints Quinces Wormwood Mirtles c. Give astringents and powerful things with meat and let it be roasted rather then boyled Pica is when they desire strange and absurd things as Coals Ashes c. As she that longed for her husbands flesh and though she loved him very well she killed him eat part and powdered up the rest Of this disease we spake in the third Book Juyce of young Vine-leaves with Syrup of Quinces is good against this or the water that drops in May from the Vines This keeps the child from suffering by the mothers appetite Or this Spirit Take Citron-peels Oranges Piony-roots as much as you please and Malmsey digest them some dayes then beat the roots and peels add more Malmsey and distil them The third is loathing and vomiting from an evil vapour or humour in the stomach from blood retained If vomiting give her ease stop it not but leave it to nature it will cease after a month or two If it be with trouble give a gentle Vomit or strengthen the stomach or give a little Rhubarb The fourth is pain of the belly from wind and humors about the womb that go to the guts discuss them as in Chap. 3. Of the Cholick Avoid moist Fomentations give cinnamon-Cinnamon-water or spiced wine The fifth is a loosness which must be suddenly stopt lest it cause an abortion First Hippocr 5. Aphor. 34. give a gentle cleanser and strengthener as Rhubarb with syrup of Roses solutive then Quinces at the first course at meals and Rice Starch Almonds Conserve of Roses Quinces Apply to the navel a Pultis of Quinces Mastich Nutmegs Mace Cloves The sixth is the Tooth-ach from a sharp humor from retention of the terms that goes to the root of some tooth and hurts the membranes It ceaseth commonly of it self yet if it be great use a Plaister of Mastich and Tacamahacca to the temples and hold in the mouth the decoction of Fern-roots Cinquefoyl Snakeweed Sage Mulberry-barks c. The seventh is Head-ach when the vapors from the terms stopt ascend and twitch the membranes of the brain it must be repelled and abated with Lenitives of which in Lib. 1. Part 3. Sect. 1. Cap. 3. Of Head-ach The eighth of the Megrim from the vapors disturbing the Spirits that go to the head by the veins and arteries or by the gullet If it cease not discuss vapors and strengthen the brain inwardly and outwardly as in Vertigo
often handling of the Breasts by which the blood and the heat is drawn to the Breasts The Cure It is easier to keep them from growing great then to abate them when too big with good dyet and Topicks that repel by cooling and binding and drying As Take Mirtle-leaves Horstail Plantane Mints red Roses each a handful Pomegranate-flowers two pugils boyl them in red Wine and Vinegar and with a Spunge apply it to the Breasts and let it dry or apply Hemlock bruised with Vinegar Or Take Powder of Comfrey-roots two drams Pomegranate-flowers red Roses Frankincense Mastich each half an ounce Barley-flour red Oaker each an ounce and half with Rose-water the white of an Egg and a little Vinegar make a Cataplasm These may be laid to the Breasts and under the Arm-pits to astringe the Vessels and hinder the blood from flowing to them Hemlock Henbane and other Narcoticks are forbidden because they weaken the natural heat and hinder the breeding of milk Dryers and Discussers are good in women that have great Breasts after weaning to consume the moisture As Take Bean and Orobus-meal each two ounces and half Comfrey-roots in powder half an ounce Mints three drams Wormwood Chammomil-flowers and Roses each two drams boyl and add two ounces of Oyl of Mastich make a Cataplasm The Breasts are too little when the Flux of blood to the Breasts is hindred diminished intercepted revelled or turned another way or when the blood is not drawn by the Breasts as in a dry Liver-famine much Labour or in Watchings Feavers and other diseases that consume the body The same is when the radical moisture of the Breasts is consumed You must remove the cause that breeds it and often friction will attract blood and foment with warm water in which Emollients have been boyled with white Wine and then anoint with Oyl of sweet Almonds or of Indian-nuts Loosness of the Breasts is cured by Astringents Chap. 2. Of Sweelling of the Breasts with Milk WHen the milk-carrying veins are too full the Breasts swell all over or in part and are pained by stretching and red Sometimes the milk congealed and is a hard Tumor The cause is abundance of milk or blood that makes it or the weakness of the child that cannot suck or because he is weaned It often ceaseth without Remedies Sometimes it is an inflammation or the milk hardens to a tumor The Cure You must hinder the breeding of much milk of which hereafter and consume that which is bred in women that give suck the child will draw them or a Puppy Or use a Glass to suck with they which will not give suck may use this Take Barley-meal of Lentils Althaea-roots Chamomil-flowers and Mints each half an ounce Agnus-castus-seeds two scruples boyl them in Wine add a little Vinegar Oyl of Dill two ounces make a Cataplasm Chap. 3. Of Inflammation and Erysipelas of the Breasts SOmetimes the tumor in the breast is inflamed from blood for though plenty of milk cause an inflammation blood is the immediate cause for milk as it corrupts and grows hot increaseth pain and so the blood staying in the small capillar veins being out of the vessels is hot putrid and inflamed There are other causes as strokes falls straitness of cloaths and other hurts of the Breasts The Signs A hard and red swelling shews inflammation with beating pain and a Feaver The Prognostick These inflammations are commonly without danger but because the Breasts are so loose and have many kernels and little heat they turn to Cancers and Scirrhus The Cure If you fear a great flux of blood that will increase the inflammation let blood in a Plethorick body But if it come from stopping of the terms or after-flux first open the vein in the ankle and scarifie the leggs then if need be open the arm If bad humors coming to the Breasts nourish the Inflammation give a gentle Purge of Manna Senna and the like If the blood be too hot or mixt with hot humors that help the motion of the blood Use Alterers as Lettice Endive Purslane Plantane Water-lillies and the like Use Repellers after these To be a skilful Physitian study my Sennertus Platerus Riverius Bartholinus and Riolanus of the last Editions but such as are weak and not too cold as a clout dipt in Water and Honey with Oyl of Roses applied to the Breasts Or Take Lettice Purslane each a handful red Roses half a handful boyl them in Water add Vinegar two ounces make an Epithem Or Take Nightshade Lettice each a handful boyl them stamp them and add Barley-meal two ounces powder of Chamomil-flowers half an ounce Oxymel Oyl of Roses each a dram make a Cataplasm When the beginning of the Inflammation is past add Discussers with your Repellers As Take white Bread crums Barley-flour each an ounce and half Bean and Foenugreek-flower each half an ounce powder of red Roses and Chamomil-flowers each two drams boyl them add Rose-winegar an ounce Oyl of Roses and of Chamomil each an ounce make a Cataplasm At length use only Discussers As Take Bean-flower and of Lupines and of Foenugreek and Linseed and powder of Chamomil-flowers each an ounce make a Cataplasm If the matter grow hard use Emollients and Attenuates As Take Mallows a handful boyl them till they are soft add powder of Linseed Althoea and Chamomil-flowers each an ounce boyl them again add Oyl of Jesamine an ounce make a Cataplasm If it tend to suppuration lay a Plaister of Diachylon Or Take Mallows and Althoea each half a handful boyl them till they are soft stamp them and add powder of Althaea-roots two ounces powder of Line and Foenugreek-seeds each an ounce Leaven half an ounce add Oyntment of Althaea two ounces make a Cataplasm When there is matter and the Imposthume breaks of its own accord it is well otherwise open it with a Lancet or some sharp Medicine and let out the matter and then cleanse it thus Take Turpentine Honey of Roses each an ounce Mirrh a scruple The ulcer will be hard to be cured except you dry up the milk in the other Breast by reason of much blood that will flow thither to breed milk Question Whether the Inflammation of the Breasts be from blood alone or from milk also The inflammation and swelling in women in Child-bed upon their Breasts is from the afflux of too much milk and it is with redness and pain and beating or pulsation and it is not only from blood for tumors as in other parts are seldom pure or unmixed but there are other humors with it Therefore it is certain that when blood is drawn by heat or pain or comes of it self to the Breasts and begins to corrupt the milk also may be corrupted Of the Erysipelas of the Breasts This Erysipelas is from fright or anger and it turns presently to a Phlegmon and is cured as the Inflammation of the Breast Lay no cold astringent Repellers or fat things but things
The strong children must be sooner weaned than the weak some in the twelfth some in the fifteenth month It is good to wean them at a year and half or two years old but give it not suddenly strange food but bring it to by degrees while it sucks It is best to wean in the Spring or Fall in the increase of the Moon and give but very little Wine Chap. 7. Of Childrens Dyet after Weaning FOr seven years the Dyet must be such as nourisheth and causeth growth 1. Aphor. 13. for Hippocrates saith They cannot endure to fast especially if they be â—itty Keep them from passions sorrow and fear and cocker them not but keep them to reason Let them play to temper the affection but so as not to hurt the body THE SECOND PART OF Diseases and Symptomes of CHILDREN Chap. 1. Of Infants Diseases in General 5. Aphor. 24. HIPPOCRATES divides their Diseases according to their Ages In new born Children there are Ulcers in the Mouth Vomiting Coughs Watchings Fears Inflammation of the Navel Aphor. 25. Moistness of Ears At Breeding of Teeth the Gums Itch and there are Feavers and Convulsions and a Loose Belly when they Breed the Eye-teeth Aphor. 26. When they are older the Tonsils are Inflamed the Vertebrae in the Neck are luxated inwardly they Breath short they have the Stone or round Worms or Ascarides Warts Satyrism or standing Yards Strangury Struma's and other Swellings They have other Diseases at other times as Meazles small Pox the Ligament of the Tongue is too short chafing In the Cure use not strong Remedies nor bleeding not purging but Suppositories and Clysters As Take Violet leaves Mallows each a handful flowers of Chamomil and Violets each a pugil boyl them to four or five ounces strained add Syrup of Roses half an ounce or six drams Oyl of Violets half an ounce make a Clyster If it need other Physick give it to the Nurse 6. Epid. c. 6. for the purging force is sent to the milk as Hippocrates saith If a Woman take Elaterium or wild Cowcumbers the Child is purged but you must not give these to the Nurse but gentle things will purâ—e the Infant if the Nurse take them Chap. 2. Of Feavers in Children Meazels and Small Pox. THey are subject to all sorts of Feavers but they have chiefly a Feaver from milk which putrifies and turns to choler and inflames the humors And when the teeth break forth the gums are inflamed they have watching and itching pain in the mouth and then Feavers When Feavers come from corrupt milk The Signs they expel no teeth and there are signs of corrupt milk belly-ach many stools yellow and green A Feaver from breeding of teeth hath its proper signs These Feavers cease when the cause is removed but if corrupt milk last long The Prognostick it is dangerous A Feaver from corrupt milk is commonly from choler The Cure therefore give cold moist things to the Nurse as Lettice Endive Emulsions of the four great cold Seeds Barley-cream Give no Wine while the child is in a Feaver Purge the Nurse gently with Manna Cassia Lenitive Electuary and Syrup of Roses Give Alterers to the Infant as Syrup of Violets Sorrel Citrons Succory Endive-water and of Violet with Sugar Anoint the Back-bone with Mucilage of Quinces Fleabane with Oyl of Violets and a little Wax lay Astringents to the Stomach As Take Oyl of Roses Mastich each half an ounce red Sanders Coral each a scruple with Wax mix it If the Feaver come from breeding of it abate the pain and give the Alterers of which Chap. 14. Of Bleeding of Teeth Of Meazles and Small Pox. Lib. 4. De fabr c. 12. There are Epidemical Feavers at certain times that cast out Meazles and small Pox of which before The cause is not only from the impurity of the Terms but from the malignity of the Air for they are more or less as the Air is purer or impurer Sometimes it is infectious and the humors are so corrupt that worms breed under the scabs and corode the bones and internal parts as hath been seen in Bodies opened dead of this Disease If the Disease be very infectious before there is a Feaver it is good to preserve by change of Air and Antidotes when many die of it but when few die it is not amiss to let them alone lest they have it in a more dangerous time for most will have it only give a gentle Purge and fortifie Nature that she may expel them If there be a Feaver use no more Preservatives but labour to get them forth by Medicines mentioned and defend the eyes and throat and prevent deformity of which before Chap. 3. Of the Milkey Scab Achores and Favi THe Milkey Scab is at the first sucking the Achores are after The Achores are scabs not white and the white scab is not only in the face but all over the body The Achores are only in the head but they are cured alike They are all ulcers chiefly in the head with holes that run with matter constantly They come from excrementitious humors The Causes waterish and sharp mixed of thick and thin very salt Therefore they are sometimes yellow 2. De com po med sec lo. c. 8. or white or red or black but alwayes salt and biting and itching that makes them scratch They are gathered in the womb and from corruption of the milk The Vulgar think they are healthful The Prognostick Hipp. lib. de sacro morb when they run because Nature sends them forth and if they strike in they causes Diseases and Epilepsies They cure in time of themselves but if the matter be very bad it pierceth the skull Dry these not rashly The Cure so they disfigure not the face nor hurt the eyes But drive them forth with Scabious carduus-Carduus-water and Cordials Use no Coolers nor Astringents lest the matter be struck in Let the Nurse forbear salt and sharp and spiced things and strong Wine Prepare the humors with Borage Succory Bugloss Fumitory Hops Polypody and Dock-roots Then purge with Senna Polypody Epithymum Rhubarb and strengthen the Bowels As Take Conserve of Borage Bugloss Violets Fumitory Succory each an ounce Succory-roots and Citrons candied each half an ounce Diarrhodon Diamargariton frigid Harts-horn each a scruple with Syrup of Gilly-flowers make an Electuary Let the Nurse take every day two drams Or Take Harts-horn prepared two drams Magistery of Coral a dram Diamargariton frigid half a dram give half a dram or a dram of this Powder Let the child be purged with Manna or Raisons laxative If you fear great putrefaction under the scabs and that will turn to a scald head or eat the skull wash the head with Decoction of Mallows Barley Celandine Wormwood or with Althaea-roots boyled in boyes Urine and Barley-water And then anoint with Oyl of Roses bitter Almonds and a little Litharge Or Take ashes of Mirtles and Nut-shells each
are better then many and small then great white are better then those of other colours The other Prognosticks are mentioned in other places Preservation It is better to prevent the breeding of worms then to expel them by eating of meats of good juyce with Oranges and Pomegranates and avoiding sweet fat and slimy meats fish milk and Summer-fruits and figs. Drink thin Wine and Grass and sorrel-Sorrel-water with it and with powder of Harts-horn Let the belly be kept loose with Clysters for children or give the Decoction of Sebestens before meat or of Wormwood and Scordium but children will not take bitter things therefore give Grass-water and juyce of Lemmons or Citrons or a drop or two of Spirit of Vitriol When you know by the signs The Cure that there are worms kill and repel them with Powder of Coralline Wormseed Harts-horn or eight grains of Mercurius dulcis Infuse them a night in Grass-water and cast away the substance of the Mercury and give the Water Or Take Wormseed two drams Coralline Harts-horn prepared each a dram roots of Piony Dittany Magistery of Coral each a scruple make a Powder or give the Essence of Peach-flowers or the Decoction of Fern-water half an ounce or an ounce If there be a Feaver use colder as juyce of Lemmons Pomegranates Oranges Vinegar Harts-horn Bezoar Confection of Hyacinth or this Portion Take Grass-water four ounces Syrup of Juyce of Citrons an ounce of Violets half an ounce Spirit of Vitriol two drops give two spoonfuls Give bitter things at the mouth and sweet at the fundament as a Clyster of Milk Or Take Raisons ten Figs seven boyl them in water take of it four ounces add Sugar an ounce and half make a Clyster Use varieties that the worms may not be too familiar with one Apply Peach-leaves to the Navel bruised or a Cataplasm of Ox-gall Wormwood and St. Johns-wort Or Take Powder of Wormwood Gith Centaury Wormseed Lupines each half an ounce with Oyl of Wormwood and Wax half an ounce make an Oyntment Or Take Treacle half an ounce with juyce of Wormwood apply it to the Navel or make a Bath of Peach-leaves and Wormwood put the child into it up to the Navel If there be a Feaver use colder things mentioned Chap. 24. Of the Rupture IT is from the Peritonaeum loose or broken when the small guts fall into the cods from crying cough straining at stool and from vehement motion or a fall Sometimes the Peritonaeum is well and a water falls from the belly into the cods The tumor is visible if it be from a gut The Signs it is in one part only as the right or left and it may be felt and the hole also through which it fell If from water it is even all over and there was no cause of other Rupture It is easier cured in Infants then in elder persons for it is safer The Prognostick but worse then that of water which goes away of it self when the water is consumed Let the belly be kept open The Cure let not the child cry Avoid vehement motion lay him upon his back and thrust it up gently and apply this Plaister Take Lambs-tongue Sanicle each half an ounce Lentills and Lupines and red Roses in Powder each two drams Frankincense a dram Allum half a dram with the white of an Egg. Or Take Frankincense Cypress-nuts Aloes Acacia each two drams Mirrh a dram with Izing-glass make a Plaister Or apply Gum Elemni steept in Vinegar till there be a Cream at the top and with Oyl of Eggs make a Cerot Inwardly Take Sanicle Lambs-tongue each half a handful Agrimony a handful Comphry the greater half an ounce boyl them to a pint strained add Sugar give it often Or give Powder of Mouse-ear or Moonwort with Wine If it be from water anoint with Oyl of Elder Bayes Rue or apply a Cataplasm of Powder of Beans Foenugreek Linseed Chamomil-flowers Cummin-seeds with these Oyls Chap. 25. Of sticking out of the Navel IT is without Inflammation 1. When is was not well tyed and too much left that sticks out 2. When the Peritonaeum is loose and hath water or wind in it from crying or coughing 3. When the Navel is ulcerated and the guts fall into it this is called properly Exomphalon The Navel yields to the touch but in an inflamation it is hard there is neither heat nor redness and it lasts longer than an Inflammation The Signs If the Navel was not well cut there will be too great a quantity if the Peritonaeum be not broken but loose the Navel starts not much out and is not greater by crying if it be broken the tumor scarce appears when he lyes upon his Back but it increaseth by crying or walking The Prognostick If the Midwife did not cut the Navel well it is more troublesome then dangerous If it be too large or ulcerated at first it is easily cured but afterwards it may cause a deadly Iliack passion when the guts that fall in are inflamed The Cure When the Peritonaeum is loose wind stretcheth the Navel then use a Cataplasm of Cummin Bayberries and Lupines powdered in red Wine or a Bag of Cummin and Spike boyled in red Wine Then lay on an Astringent and roul it If the Peritonaeum be broken first put in the gut then bind it close after you have laid on astringent Powders Or Take powder of Cypress-nuts Frankincense Mirrh Mastich Sarcocol Allum Izing-glass each a dram with the whites of Eggs make a Pultis and give Medicines against Ruptures Chap. 4. Of Inflammation of the Navel IT is from pain when it is not well tied that draws blood to it There is redness hardness heat and beating If it turns to an Imposthume and breaks The Prognostick The Cure the guts come forth and the child usually dies First abate pain Take Mallows boyled and stampt two ounces Barley-meal half an ounce Lupines Foenugreek each two drams with Oyl of Roses make a Cataplasm To repel Blood Take Frankincense a dram Acacia Fleabane-seed each half a dram with the white of an Egg make a Cataplasm Hinder Suppuration as much as may be but if it doth suppurate Take Turpentine half an ounce the yolk of an Egg and Oyl of Roses two ounces Chap. 27. Of Falling out of the Fundament WHen the muscle that shuts the Arse-hole is loose the Fundament comes forth the cause is moisture of the muscles after a flux or straining at stool in Tenesmus or Needing or when the belly is bound The people will tell you the causes The Signs and you may see it The Prognostick It is easily cured when it is from straining at stool if it have not been long out If it be from great store of moisture it is hard to be cured especially if there be a loosness of the belly for then Medicines cannot lie on The Cure First put it up if it be swollen foment it with the decoction of Mallows
and Althaea or anoint with Oyl of Lillies then keep it in with astringents As Take red Roses Pomegranate-peels and flowers Cypress-nuts each half an ounce Sumach Frankincense Mastich each two drams boyl them in red Wine foment with a Spunge then sprinkle on this Powder Take red Roses and Pomegranate-flowers each half a dram Frankincense Mastich each a dram allay it upon a clout and lay it to the Fundament See Lib. 3. Part 2. Sect. 1. Cap. 6. Chap. 28. Of the Stone in the Bladder Lib. 3. par 3. sec 1. c. 6. par 8. sec 1. c. 1. THe stone in the bladder is usual in Infants as that of the kidnies is in elder people How it is cured we shewed before In Infants it is from gross unclean milk made of tough meats this too much taken in causeth crudities fit to breed the stone or pap of Barley-meal and milk may cause it There is also a weakness in the Liver and Stomach when they do not separate unprofitable food but much earthy juyce remains in the chyle that breeds stones Also a hot distemper in the reins by which the chyle is drawn to the bladder and if there be a native hereditary disposition to breed the stone an earthy part is in the humor which makes the urine thick this is in bigger Boyes more then in Infants They piss by drops with itching and pain the urine is stopt often and that which is pissed is like clear water white or like milk or whey sometimes blood is pissed and the yard often stands It increaseth daily if it be not opposed The Prognostick and cannot be cured without cutting which is dangerous for young or old Prevent the breeding of it when you see the least disposition to it The Cure Let the belly be alwaies kept loose and the Nurse eat no gross slimy food make a bath of the decoction of Althaea Mallows Pellitory Parsley Dill Foenugreek Lineseed then anoint the bladder with Althaea Oyl of Lillies and Scorpions and apply a Cataplasm of Pellitory boyled with Oyl of Lillies A Powder Take Magistery of Crabs-eyes Lib. 3. pra decal ves white Amber Goats-blood prepared each a scruple with Parsley-water give it often Or give two drops of spirit of Vitriol with half a dram of Cypress Turpentine Chap. 29. Of Difficulty and Stoppage of Urine THere are many causes in ripe age that are mentioned but in Infants they are chiefly two causes the thick humor that breeds the Stone that makes a Strangury and Dysury and the Stone that stops the bladder It is voided by drops and the child cries The Signs and the Urine is thick you may try with the Catheter if there be a Stone If it be not presently cured The Prognostick it turns to the Stone and all natural evacuation in Children being stopt is dangerous The Cure It is as in the Stone you must evacuate humors from the first passages with Honey of Roses Cassia Turpentine foment and anoint as before with grass-Grass-water Rest-harrow dropwort-Dropwort-water and decoction of red Pease Or Take the blood of an Hare an ounce Saxifrage-roots six drams calcine them give from a scruple to half a dram with white Wine or Saxifrage-water Chap. 30. Of not holding the Urine SOme piss not only in their sleep but alwayes because the muscle that should close the orifice of the bladder is weak and when much water pricks it it suffers it to come forth sometimes a stone in the Bladder hurts the Sphincter so that it cannot do its duty The cause of weakness is a cold humor and moist from gross tough meats from gluttony and the like The Signs It cannot be known in Infants but it may in elder children that know they ought not piss a bed The Prognostick If it come by custome it turns to an habit or a disease and is hard to be cured in ripe years if it be from distemper is easie to be cured The Cure Alter the cold and moist distemper dry and consume the flegm let the Nurse have a hot drying diet with Sage Hysop Marjoram let not the child drink much keep the Belly Outwardly anoint the Region of the Bladder with Oyl of Castus Orris and other driers make a Bath of Sulphur Allum and Oak-leaves or use Sulphur or Allum-baths give this Powder Take Hogs-bladders burnt roasted stones of a Hare Cocks throats roasted each half a dram Acrons two scruples Nip Mace each a scruple give half a dram with Oak-leaves-water See Lib. 3. Part 8. Sect. 2. Cap. 6. Chap. 31. Of chafing in the Hips called Intertrigo IT is the separation of the Scarf-skin from the true in the Hips that causeth pain and unquietness It is from sharp Piss The Causes when the clouts are not changed often in such as are fat to whom filth sticks easily The skin is off and it looks red The Signs The Prognostick It is troublesome by reason of the pain and causeth want of sleep and ulcerateth if it be not cured Change the clouts often The Cure wash and cleanse the child often sprinkle on this fine Powder Of Litharge of Silver seeds and leaves of Roses burnt Allum and Frankincense or anoint with white Oyntment and Diapompholigos Chap. 32. Of Leanness and Fascination SOmetimes children and men grow lean the elder from Feavers Consumptions and other diseases but children pine away and the cause is not known and though they eat and perform other actions they are not nourished nor grow The Causes The causes of Consumption in Infants are little or bad milk by which no blood is bred fit to nourish the body so that they thrive not till they change the Nurse The second is worms that sucks away the nourishment The third is worms about the body without as in the Back Arms or Legs and all parts these are very small and breed in musculous parts and stick in the skin and never come wholly out but after rubbing in baths they put forth their heads like black hairs and run in when they feel the cold air they breed of slimy matter shut up in the capillar veins which turns to worms from transpiration hindred The fourth cause in the opinion of people is fascination or witchcraft either from the eyes of Witches or by vapors or by touch or by words from a Witch these are alledged by many Authors I neither allow nor plainly deny all these waies of fascination though it is not credible that a child should suffer by words or looks only I deny not but diseases may be sent from sick bodies to others as the Leprosie the French Pox Consumption and the like and many infect Infants And I believe that they may be hurt by Witches and malitious persons by the help of the Devil and Gods permission Bas in hode invidia as Basil the Great writeth for wicked people make a league with the Devil that they may hurt such as they look enviously