danger because the Medicines we vse in these dayes as Rubarbe Manna Cassia and Tamarinds are not so violent as those that were vsed by our Ancients which were Hellebor Scammony Turbith Coloquintida or the like and wee must take especiall care of giuing them any opening things which may either prouoke vrine or their naturall courses for as the same Author saith It is impossible for the child to be healthfull if the mother haue her naturall sicknes Bloud-letting is forbid them vnlesse it be very needefull especially if the child be growne any thing big because he hath more neede of foode and nourishment then at the beginning when he was little for take away his sustenance and he will waxe leane and feeble being oftentimes driuen for want thereof to seeke a passage forth Notwithstanding there are some women so sanguine and full of bloud that we are forced to take some of it away least the child be stifled with the ouer-great quantitie thereof or when they fall into diseases where it is necessary to open a veine The fittest time if it be not in case of necessitie is from the fourth to the seuenth moneth I haue seene a woman with child who for a Pleurisie was let bloud eleuen seuerall times and yet stayed her full terme and was well deliuered Now concerning the passions of the minde a woman with child must be pleasant and merrie shunning all melancholike and troublesome things that may vexe or molest her mind for as Aristotle saith A woman with child must haue a setled and quiet mind which Auicen also counselleth that those which haue conceiued ought to be preserued from all feare sadnesse and disquietnes of mind without speaking or doing any thing that may offend or vexe them so that discreet women and such as desire to haue children will not giue eare vnto lamentable and fearefull tales or storyes nor cast their eyes vpon pictures or persons which are vglie or deformed least the imagination imprint on the child the similitude of the said person or picture which doing women shall be sure to be well and happily deliuered and that With the help of God they shall beare their burthen to the full terme which shall be sent into the world without much paine promising them a happie and speedie deliuerie To conclude they must leaue off their Busks as soone as they perceiue themselues with child not lacing themselues too straight or crushing themselues together for feare least the child be mishapen and crooked or haue not his naturall growth and their garments must be rather light and thin then heauie and cumbersome How a woman must gouerne her selfe the nine moneths she goeth with child CHAP. VI. NOw I haue prescribed what manner of life a woman ought to leade while she is with child she may obserue if it please her this that followeth though not so necessary yet commodious and profitable both for the maintaining of her health and preseruation of her beauty To the end then that her breasts after her deliuery be neither too big and pust vp nor yet hanging downe like bags and to preuent the danger that might happen vnto her by the too great quantity of bloud that is turned into milke which may be curdled and so suppurate and putrifie As soone therefore as she knowes her selfe to be with child as in the second or third moneth let her weare a chaine of gold about her necke Some preferre a chaine of steele or else a little gad of steele put betweene the two breasts as likewise to put a piece of corke there and to weare vnder her arme-pits two little pieces more of the same This Fomentation also is very good Take of Periwinckle Sage and ground-Iuy of each a handfull Hemlocke halfe a small handfull boyle them in wine and water and when you haue taken it from the fire put thereto a little rose-rose-vineger And with this decoction warme bath your breasts in the morning with a cloth or spung dipt therein a quarter of an houre wiping and drying them afterwards with reasonable warme clothes The like may be done with the waters of the same hearbs and about the third or fourth moneth when she feeles her selfe quicke about which time her belly begins to swell and grow big she must weare a Swathe made fit for the purpose to support her belly being first annointed with this Liniment or Pomade which she shall continue till the ninth moneth to keepe her belly from being full of knottie and broken vaines furrow'd and wrinckled making it grow deformed vnseemely and hanging downe lower then is fit which hapneth by reason of the great burthen and weight of the child that stretcheth and inlargeth the skinne thereof and causeth them to indure great paine in their belly and groine The Pomade or Liniment approued Take of Kids sewet and the fat of a Sow of each three ounces of Capons and Goose-grease of each an ounce and halfe cut them small and melt them in an earthen pot putting thereto as much water as will suffise then straine them through a cloth and wash them in water till they waxe very white and haue lost their sauour Afterward melt them againe in a double vessell adding thereto anounce of the marrow of a Hart or Stag then wash it againe with Rose-water or other sweet smelling water mingling therewithall if you thinke fit or that it will not be hurtfull to the wombe two or three graines of Muske or Ciuet. Some vse this oyntment Take dogs grease and the fat about a sheepes kidney of each two ounces Spermaceti one ounce oyle of sweet Almonds an ounce and a halfe the fats must be melted prepared and washed as before then melted againe with the rest and washed with rose or sweet water Some take good store of Sheepes-feet well brused and broken in pieces to the number of thirty or forty and boyle them well in water then taking off the fat and marrow that swimmeth on the top which they wash well in common water and take therof two ounces of Ducks-grease as much Spermaceti one ounce white Waxe sixe drams melt them altogether in a double vessel and wash them in the aboue named waters Some Ladyes and Gentlewomen which loue not to rub their bellies euery morning with any of these liniments weare thereon a Dog-skin or some other wel prepared and dressed as followeth and change it euery fifteene dayes or according as it will last and continue not taking it off except it shriuell and grow wrinckled Take a Dog-skin or some other skin ready dressed to make gloues of wash it often in common water afterward in Rose-water and dry it in the shade and being thus drest and dryed lay it in soke in these oyles and fats following Take of Mesues oyntment of Roses an ounce and halfe oyle of Saint Iohns wort and of sweet Alamonds of each an ounce fresh Butter and Spermaceti of each halfe an
ounce melt all these together in a double vessel and let the skin lie and soke in it three or foure daies mouing stirring them together daily then take it foorth and spred it in the aire and let it lie there two or three daies till it haue sok't in all the oile become drie then cut it to the forme bignesse of the belly and so apply it The daintie and curious may vse the former liniments and skin they that haue not the meanes to do either let them Take of fresh Butter well wash't in common water and then in Rose-water three ounces oile of sweet Almonds one ounce Spermaceti halfe an ounce and with these melted together rub their belly These Ointments must be kept in a gally pot and couered with Rose water to keepe them from being mustie When the Woman is come to the ninth Moneth hauing been in good health all the time of her going with child she must continue the vse of the aforesaid Ointments and must begin to vse more exercise then she did before walking gently before meales the first twelue or fifteene daies and then afterward it will be good to vse stronger exercise It will be very profitable for her especially after the ten or twelue first daies of the ninth moneth be past to sit in the decoction following after the maner of a halfe Bath some quarter or halfe an hower in the morning and then being well dried and laid to bed let her be annointed behind all along the lower part of her backe and before from the Nauill downward and chiefly vpon Os Pubis and the groine with the ointment following Take of Mallowes Althaea with their roots Motherwort of each two handfull white Lilly roots three ounces Chamomill and Melilot flowers of each a good handfull Lin-seed Quince-seed and Foenigreeke of each an ounce Boyle them all in sufficient quantitie of running water for the Bath Take of Hensfat three ounces Duckes fat an ounce and a halfe fresh Butter two ounces Linseed oile an ounce and a halfe Melt them all together then wash them verie well in Parietarie and Mugwort water adding thereto two ounces of the Muccilage of Althaea Roots In which space let her take this drinke euery morning fasting Take of Oile of sweet Almonds newly drawen without fire an ounce white Wine halfe an ounce Parietarie water one ounce mingle them together Some haue found good by taking the yelke of an Egge and drinking a draught of Hypocras after it Others take a little Wine and water wherein Lin-seed hath been stieped Let this or the like order and gouernment be obserued for a Woman that is of a good habit of body and who in her going with Child hath not been subiect to any sicknesse or accident of moment bearing her Children well without much paine But because there be many which are troubled with diuers accidents which happen in their Child-bearing I thought good heere to treat thereof briefly before I speake of their Deliuerie Of many infirmities which trouble Women while they are great with Child CHAP. VII IT becomes a Woman well at all times and chiefly in her Child-bearing and after her Deliuerie to haue a care as much as she can possiblie of the preseruation of her Beautie since there is nothing that sooner decaies and spoileth it then the often bearing of Children But as Health is more precious and recommendable then Beautie and seeing that a woman with Child may be troubled and oppressed with many accidents and infirmities during the nine Moneths she beares her child it will be therefore verie necessary and profitable to seeke out the meanes to free and deliuer them thereof For in loosing the Mother the life of the Child is also hazarded Aristotle in his booke De generatione Animalium is of opinion That bruit beastes going with young are not subiect to any diseases and contrariwise that Women are verie often sicke Hippocrates saith That they be pale and wan to shew that they are subiect to many infirmities In times past when men and women were sold like slaues if there were any found that were with child she was not warranted for whole and sound by him that fold her as Vitruuius writes in his second book because they were troubled and subiect to so many diseases In the first three or foure Moneths such infirmities chiefly happen for many causes First because they liue as Aristotle saith for the most part in idlenesse and eate ill meates which are turned into excrements and breed many obstructions the fountaine and beginning of all diseases the second is the great suppression and stopping of bloud whereof they were wont to be purged euery Moneth before their being with Child which runs to the Matrice to be voided find that accustomed passage which it had woont to haue but being not able to get forth and much lesse to be spent and digested by the Child which is as yet but little it returnes backe into the vaines chiefly those which are neere the stomacke and through the long continuance is there corrupted and changed to be of a bad qualitie whereof proceeds this depraued and disordinate appetite which the Latins call Pica or Malacia Loathing of meat Hicket Vomiting Paines of the stomacke Flanckes and Belly Ache of the backe Hips and Groine difficultie of making water Panting and beating of the heart with Sounning the Cough binding and Fluxe of the belly swelling of the Thighs and Feet and sometimes Abortment not being able to beare their Children the full time together with many other accidents whereof we will speake hereafter beginning with the Pica which troubleth them oftnest and longest Of the disordinate longing called Pica CHAP. VIII WEe commonly say the appetite is depraued when beyond measure we couet to eate and drinke too much in respect of what hunger naturally requireth Or when we desire or long after meats which are vnusuall and offend in qualitie and are not drest and prepared as they ought Of this depraued Appetite there be diuers sorts The first is called Boulimos of the Greeks and of the Latins Fames vaccina appetētia immodica When they eate more then is requisite not being able to satisfie themselues And if hunger vrge them farther and grow greater then it is called of the Latins Appetitus caninus or Fames insatiabilis and the partie eates till he be full euen to the throat that he is constrained to vomit his stomacke being so ouercharged But then presently he is driuen to eat againe and then to vomit from whence the Prouerbe is taken He is returned like a Dog to his vomit The like hapneth for drinking as for eating which the Latins call Sitis immodica which is so great that the tongue cleaues to the roofe of the mouth not being able to eate or speake except the mouth be first moistned and the
drops of oile of bitter Almonds with a little Honey of Roses a little warm'd And if there be any fretting or excoriation behind and about the eares then the nurse shal lay on them handsomely fine linnen plasters handsomely fine little plasters made with an ointment composed of white waxe and oyle of Nuts Towards the hinder part of the eares about the bottome of them there happens oftentimes swellings which the Ancients call Parotides and the French Orillons when these happen they must bee rub'd with oyle of sweet Almonds laying vppon it a little quilt made of carden cotten or fatty wooll basted betweene fine linnen clothes And the better to resolue the said swelling you may adde to it a little oyle of Chamomile and Lillies If these swellings come to suppuration they must be dressed as other impostumes be not vsing thereto any repercussiue medicines Of the soares and vlcers which happen in the childs mouth called Aphthae CHAP. XVI MOst commonly in the mouths of children there arise little pustules and vlcers which possesse not only the sides of the mouth the tongue and the gums but euen the very almonds pallet of the mouth and they were called of the Ancients Aphthae Of these vlcers there bee some that are malignant and creeping which spread abroad as the Herpes doth and according to the malignity of the humor which breeds them they are eyther the easier or harder to be cured those which come of some salt flegme which are neither deepe nor painfull nor of an ill colour nor placed at the bottome of the throat But are onely about the gums the tongue and the sides of the mouth which neyther grow bigger nor spread farther they are easie to be healed But those which creep farther are very painful blackish and which possesse the bottome of the throat hauing an Ague ioyned with them they as Hippocrates saith are malignant and hard to be cured I haue seene some that for all the care and diligence that could be vsed to them haue fallen into a Gangrene Which hath happened to diuers and of late to a Cutlers child who was looked vnto by Mons Habigot a Master Barber Chirurgion of Paris although hee had sought and vsed all the meanes both skilfully and faithfully that Art could require For the helping of them that are curable it is fit that the Nurse keepe a good dyet let the vlcers be gently rubbed a little with Hony of Roses and syrup of Violets But if they will not yeeld to this then the Chirurgion shall touch them with a little Aqua fortis but to euery drop of the said water he must adde twelue of Plantaine water according as he would haue it to be in strength then with a little clout tyed to the end of a sticke the vlcers shall be touched gently They may also vse this Gargarisme The vlcers must be dried vp ℞ Hord. integ Pug. j. Agrimon Plantag Rosar rub an m. j. Coquantur perfect in aqua commuri in colat ad ℥ vj. dissolue Mellis Rosat ℥ i s. Piamor ℥ s. Alumni ʒ s. fiat gargarismus vtatur vt dixi After they haue vsed this Gargarisine a while let there be added to it of Berberis flowers of pomgranats and a little of the iuice of the said pomgranates For the vlcers of the mouth require medicines to dry them vp which do their operation speedily But if you perceiue that they spread or creep farther abroad vse this medicine which I my selfe vse very often and find it to be very singular good which is to take halfe an ounce of Rosewater or Plantaine water adding thereto halfe a dragme of oyle of Vitroil and to touch the sores with it And this medicine did neuer deceiue mee but the Chirurgion ought to tast it first with his tongue to see that it be neither too strong nor too sharpe Of the Inflammation swelling and superfluous flesh which happens in the Gums called Paroulis and Epoules CHAP. XVII IT is seene oftentimes that the gummes of little Children are swolne and inflammed though their teeth bee not ready to come foorth which accident the Ancients called Paroulis and Epoulis The Paroulis is a little swelling red and angry which is either bred of a cholericke hot and adust bloud or else of some sharp and salt flegme which falleth out of the brain vpon the gums It may proceede also from some vapor that riseth out of the stomacke which causeth not onely the gums to be swolne and inflammed but oftentimes the iaw the cheeke and the necke to be also affected with it bringing also with it an Ague and paine which is the occasion that these tumors doe often suppurate and chiefly when there is any grosse bloud mingled therewithall otherwise it will resolue and be digested well enough For the Cure of it you must vse at the beginning gentle Lotions and Gargarismes that are cooling and not much repelling adding thereto towards the end some things that may resolue You may vse this Gargarisme ℞ Hord. integ m. j. Plantag Portulac Acetos Agrimon an m. i. Flor. violar p. i. fiat decoctio in colatura ad ℥ vj. dissolue syr violac ℥ j. syrup è Rosis siccis ℥ s. fiat Gargarisma Herewith shall you cause the child to wash and Gargarise his mouth if he be able if not then you must often rub his gummes therewith Or else you shall annoint his gummes with the Mucilage of Psyllium and Quince seeds drawne with Rose and Plantaine water adding thereto a little syrup of Iuiubes If the iaw bone cheekes and necke be inflamed the Ancients counsaile vs to rub them with a little oyle of Roses warmed adding thereto some iuice of Nightshade Mesues Ointment of Roses is also very good for it If the child bee any thing big let him take this drinke ℞ Rasur Eboris in nodulo inclus ʒ ij sem Portulac ℥ ss fiat decoctio ad lb. ij in colatura dissol syr Granat è Limonibus an ℥ j. vtatur If the tumor cannot bee resolued but rather grows to suppuration then you shall make him a Gargarisme with Figs Raisings Iuiubes Licorise and french barley well boyled Let him hold in his mouth a little warm milke and sometimes lay halfe a fat figge hot to the gummes When it is come to suppuration the tumor shal be lanced yet sometimes it breakes of it selfe then let it be mundified with Mil Rosatum syrup of dry Roses or Cherries or the like As for the Epoulis it is a little excrescence of flesh rising like a blister vpon the gums and most commonly betwixt the teeth but chiefly among the hindermost sometimes it is painfull and causeth an Ague The cause therof is almost the same as we haue said of the Paroulis For the cure at the beginning you must vse some such Gargarisme as followeth because it is needfull to vse more astringent medicines in this then in the Paroulis A Drinke A Gargarism for the Epoulis
for her Another Clister â„ž Plantag Bars Pastor Portulac an m.j. flor Chamoemel melilot hord integ an p. 1. sem anisi â„¥ s. Bulliant in iure pulli gallinacei de quo accipe qu. iij. seui caprill â„¥ i. s. olei omphac â„¥ iij. vitell vnius oui cum album sacchar rub â„¥ j. misceantur fiat clyster Clisters that are made onely with oyle of Violets and the broth of a sheepes or calues head bee singular good If the disease doe increase and the paines grow more violent then we must proceed euen to stupifying or Narcoticke medicines as Laudanum or Pilulae de Cynoglossa which may be giuen either by the mouth or in a Clister wherein the Physitians counsell must be asked I haue seene giuen with good successe one or two drams of new Triakle dissolued in a clister It will be very fit to annoint the bottome of her belly and about the ossacrum with this ointment Ointment â„ž Ol. Rosar Mirtil. an â„¥ i.s. olei Mastich â„¥ j. vitell duor ouor croci ℈ s. misce omnia simul fiat litus pro pectine osse sacro They may likewise vse Vnguentum Rosatum Mesues The paine still continuing with pangs throws let there be made for her this Suffumigation SuffumigatioÌ„ â„ž folior matric plantag bursae pastor verbasci Arnoglossae an m. i. rosar rub flor cham melilot balaustiorum an m.s. coquantur in aequis partibus vini austeri aquae chalyb. fiat insessio ibi per dimidiam horam se contineat Then she beeing well dryed annoint all the bottome of her belly and about os sacrum with this ointment Liniment â„ž seui caprilli veruec an â„¥ s. olei rosati mastich an â„¥ ij s. olei cydonior â„¥ i. liques simul addendo pul rosar rubr verbasci mirtill an Ê’ s. pul terrae sigillatae coralli rub Ê’ ji ceraeq s fiat litus Of the swelling of the legs and thighs which happeneth vnto women with child CHAP. XVII IN those women which were woont to haue great quantitie of naturall purgations before they were with child the bloud after they haue conceiued which was vsed to flow beeing stopt and suppressed and not being conuerted into nourishment by the Mother and much lesse by the child most commonly though it doth not breede the former accidents yet is it altered and conuerted into waterish humors Moreouer the liuer through the aboundance of bloud wherwith it doth ouerflow breeds a serous or waterish bloud and beeing not able to digest it it is thrust downward by the expulsiue vertue of the vpper parts and at length rests itselfe vpon the legges feet and thighs the which makes them all swelled and oedematous This swelling oftentimes doth continue both day and night and somtimes it is so resolued in the night that in the morning it is scarce perceiued at all but presently al the day the tumor is renewed at the euening doth much appeare and then againe in the night it is resolued through rest and the heat of the bed Such as are much subiect to the whites before their being with child are commonly troubled with this infirmity which was obserued by Hippocrates in chollericke people and those that abound with serous sharpe and biting humors Beside the said oedematous swelling there happens an inflammation which doth cause the skinne to go off and somtime breedeth filthy vlcers But this must bee remedied before these vlcers happen These accidents continue commonly but the first foure moneths yet with some they stay till their lying in and so soon as they are deliuered the swelling vanisheth of it selfe If this disease doe not much offend the woman with child it shall not be needfull to vse many medicines but it is sufficient that she keep a good dyet and chiefly if it resolue of it selfe in the night But if she be much troubled therewithall let her vse these remedies Let the swollen parts be rubbed with this medicine Liniment â„ž Olei Rosat Omphacin â„¥ iij. Aceti â„¥ ss salis Ê’ ij agitentur omnia simul fiat litus pro parte affecta And if there be any inflammation adde to it a little vng Populeum The swollen parts must be wrapped with clothes and swathed beginning at the bottome and so going vpward Some find good by laying thereon a Cabbage lease and binding it as before Others vse the lye of Vine ashes adding thereto a little Allom Fullers earth then dipping therein a linnen cloth doubled or else a spunge and so applie it I haue made proofe of this fomentation and cataplasme when there hath been no inflmmation Fomentation â„ž Fol. salu Maioran Ebul Rorismarâ— an m. j. flor Chamoemel Melilot Lauand Rosar rub an p. j. Baccar Laur. Iunip. Balaust an â„¥ ss coquantur omnia in lixiuij Cineris sarment â—r lb. xij addendo Alum crudi â„¥ j. fiat fotus cum spongijs deinde admoneatur sequens cataplasma Cataplasma â„ž Farin fabar hord Orobi an â„¥ iij. coquantur perfectè in decocto superiori addendo faecis vini rub â„¥ iij. Terebinth coÌ„is â„¥ j. s vnguent Rosat Mes ol Rutac Chamoemel an â„¥ ij pulu Rosar rub Ireos florent an â„¥ s admoueatur parti calidè praemisso fotu I haue likewise vsed in steed of the foresaid fomentation before the applying of the Pultesse to take a quantitie of Danewort a little Sage with a few Chamomile and Melilot flowers and heat them in a skillet laying it round about the leg and couering it quite with tyles which couer the tops of houses being a little heated to keepe the hearbs gently warme the space of an howre or two Some vse Snayles with their shels beaten together and applie them like a pultesse Beside the former swelling of the legs and feet there hapneth to some a puffing vp or windy swelling in the entrance of the wombe so great and swollen that I haue seen it in some women bigger then halfe a childs head which doth so grieue and trouble them that they are scarse able to bring their legs together but are faine to stand stradling This swelling is verie cleare and shining and to say the truth there is nothing but water contained within it the which must be cured before her lying in There are not any Cataplasmes or the like in this case that can do much good as I my selfe haue oft made triall But onely the manuall practize making many long and deep scarifications of all sides which will cause great store of water to flow and issue from the part the which I haue practized vpon many And it is to be noted that oftentimes this tumor doth returne and is fill'd againe therefore it will be necessarie to make new scarifications And to the end that it may not come so soone againe applie thereto both within and without fine lint moistned in the oyle of sweet Almonds and laying vpon it an emplaster made
Gasselin who not hauing help in time dyed euen as it was foretold it would come to passe hauing lost all her bloud before she would giue her consent to be deliuer'd which will be a good occasion to admonish a young Chirurgion neuer to defer this worke when he is called and sees a great euacuation of bloud It is now fiue and twentie yeares since I saw this practized by the late Mr Pareus and Mr Hubert of whom we are bound to acknowledge and willingly confesse that we haue learned both this and many other experiments Mad. de Mommor being about fiue and twentie yeares of age and neere her time of deliuerie one day found her selfe ill about foure or fiue a clocke in the morning neuerthelesse she rose and went to Church which was neere her house her paine by fits began againe and she fell into a continuall flux of bloud At three daies end she was deliuered with great ease without any help of the Midwife and presently after followed the after burthen Neuerthelesse she died the same day at night and was kept a prettie while by her friends who could not perswade themselues that she was dead At last being opened by Mr Pineau the kings sworne Chirurgion at Paris in the presence of Mr Faber and Mr Baillou regent Doctors of the facultie of Physicke at Paris her wombe was found broken and rent right in that place where the veine and arterie hypogastricke ascend toward the mid'st thereof which likewise were dissolued and gaue way to all that issue of bloud As for the convulsions which commonly happen through the childs great striuing when hee desires to come forth and not being turned aright doth so extend the womb that the said convulsions follow thereupon here it is to be feared least all within wil be torne and broken and therefore it is conuenient to deliuer the woman with all possible speed which hath beene practized both by my selfe and of late by Master Binet a sworn Chirurgion of Paris a man of great experience who being sent for by Doctor Bouuart to deliuer Opportune Guerreau the wife of Siluester the Printer which had beene in labour from eight a clock in the morning till nine at night and finding her pulse very weake and small as also the woman depriued of all sence and motion at the first he was somwhat fearefull But being intreated by her Husband and fearing least shee might either die suddenly or else fall into convulsions he putting his hand into her wombe found the childs head the water not being broke which he let out and presently deliuered her with much ease and shee is yet liuing Therefore wee need not expect till the said convulsions grow stronger for fear least the wombe be broken and torne through the great striuing of the child when hee is not able to come foorth as wee may plainely see by the stories following The yeare 1607. the said Master Binet was sent for together with de le Moine and Alton Master Barber Chirurgion at Paris to cut vp the dead body of Ione du Boys and hauing opened her nether belly found the child vpon the guts who had brused broken the wombe and passed quite through it there being store of bloud shed in the capacity of the said belly Master Pineau Guerin and Launay sworne Chirurgians of Paris can beare me witnesse that in opening a poore woman that died in the Hospitall of the Citty we found her child swimming among the guts in her belly the bottome of her Matrice being rent and torne The meanes to helpe a woman when her after-burthen comes for most CHAP. XII IF the after-burthen offer it selfe formost the most sure and ready way to helpe the Woman is to deliuer her speedily because most commonly there follows a continuall fluxe of bloud For that the orifices of the veines are opened which are spread in the sides of the wombe and there meet with the vessels of the afterburthen and when the Matrice doth strain and force it selfe to put forth the child then doth it thrust out both the bloud that is contained therin and that which is drawne thither either by any heat or paine Besides when the child is inclosed in the wombe and the orifice thereof stopt with the after-birth then hee cannot breath any longer by his Mothers Arteryes and so for want of helpe he will be quickly choked and euen swallowed vp in the bloud which is contained in the wombe and which issueth from the veynes that are open therein But before you attempt any thing these two points must be obserued First whether the after-burthen bee come foorth but a little or else very much if it bee but little when the mother is well placed it must be thrust and put backe againe with as much care as may possibly be And if the head of the child come first let it bee placed right in the passage thereby to helpe the naturall deliuery but if you find any difficulty or if you perceiue that the childs head cannot easily bee brought forward or that the child or his mother or both together bee weake foreseeing that the trauaile will bee long then without doubt the best and surest way is to search for the feete as we haue said and to plucke him forth gently by them The other point to bee obserued is that if the said after-birth be much come foorth and that it cannot bee put backe againe as well by reason of the bignes of it as also of the fluxe of bloud that commonly companies it and likewise if the child follow it close staying onely to come into the world then must the after-burthen be puld away quite and when it is come forth it must be laide aside without cutting of the string that cleaues vnto it For by the guiding of the said string you may easily find the child who whether hee bee aliue or dead must be drawn out by the legs with as much dexterity as may be And this must be done onely in great necessity that the child may bee quickly drawne forth as it may be easily iudged by the sentence of Hippocrates who saith that the after-burthen should come forth after the child for if it come first the child cannot liue because he takes his life from it as a plant doth from the earth Sometime it chaunceth that a part of the after-birth as also the membrane which containes the waters doe offer it selfe like a skin and comes forth sometimes the length of halfe a foote which happens to such women as haue the skin wherein the waters are contained swelling out to the bignes of ones fist and more which breaking foorth of themselues leaue the skinnne hanging forth and yet the child not following it which happening it must not be violently puld away because the afterburthen oftentimes is not wholly loosened from the sides of the wombe So that in drawing that you shall likewise
Carab an Ê’ ss Cinamon Nuc. Mosch an ℈ ij Ambrae chrys gr iiij folia auri nu vj. fiat omnium puluis capiat Ê’ j. cum ouo sorbili vel vino Hippocratico vel iusculo pulli Some in this case take halfe a spoonfull of Cinamon water with the yelke of an egge others with the saide yelke of an egge take two graines of Amber greese If the paines continue vse the Cataplasme following A Pultesse â„ž Vitellos ouor nu xij Pul. sem Anis Fenicul an Ê’ ij Farin sem Lini â„¥ ij Pul flor Chamaemel Meliot an Ê’ j. ss Calamint Ê’ j. ol Aneth q. sa fiat Cataplasma Applicetur ventricalidé auferatur antequam refrigeretur iteretur saepius Of the falling downe of the Fundament and Matrice CHAP. IIII. THere are some Women which are deliuer'd with so much difficultie and are so long in trauaile that to free themues from this miserie and anguish they are constrained to straine and force themselues in such sort that the Fundament or the end of the great gut commeth foorth for a woman in her deliuerie must straine and force her selfe euen as one doth at the stoole It may happen also that the Matrice may follow the child and after-birth which is the precipitation or comming downe of the wombe the ligaments being loosened and sometimes broken either through much striuing or because that the Midwife or Chirurgion in drawing foorth the child or after-birth draw the Matrice together with it which may be done and yet not they in fault When the Fundament commeth foorth it is to be put vp after this manner First the Chirurgion must put vp the gut with a fine linnen cloth warme as gently as possiblie he can But if he find any difficultie herein because of some humour with is come to it by abiding in the Aire all the time of the trauaile or by any fluxe of humours which the paine hath caused then must he bath and foment it with a little Milke wherein Red Roses white Mullen Camomile and Meliot haue been boiled and when he shall see that the swelling is gone and it is come to it selfe then by little and little he shall put it vp not vsing any force or violence at all He may also if the paine be asswaged foment it with red Wine in which Plantaine white Mullen Red Roses and Balausts haue been boiled and then presently he shall gently put it vp The Matrice also being fallen downe shall be put vp after the same manner but we will speake more at large of this and of the causes thereof in an other place Of the hurts and Excoriations which happen in the lower parts by Child-bearing CHAP. V. ALthough neither the Midwife in the naturall birth vse any violence in bringing the child into the world nor the Chirurgion either in turning or drawing foorth the child handle or touch the woman but with all gentlenesse and tendernesse that may be yet oftentimes do some contusions or other hurts happen in the lower parts of the woman yea and excoriations together with chaps and clifts about the part called â—inaeum in respect that so great a morsell hath â—s'd through so narrow a place Besides that some women are verie straight and close either being verie young or verie old or because they haue vsed medicines to make those parts straite and narrow besides that in some women the child proues verie big For all these accidents it is good to vse at first as we haue said before Oile of St Iohns wort and Oile of Roses beaten with whole Egges all together If the sides of those parts be brused you may vse this Fomentation which will resolue it gently A Fomentation for the contusion of the lower parts â„ž Maluae Bismalu an m. j. Matricar m. ss Rosar rub flor Chamaem Melilot an m.j. fiant sacculi duo parui coquantur in aequis partibus vini aquae fontis admoueatur parti This Fomentation must be applied onely to the entrance and orifice of the Matrice lest the ordinarie courses be hindred and the foresaid medicine of Oile of St Iohns wort shall be prepar'd without the whites of Egges and applied vpon fine lint or cotton leauing the passage of the wombe open both to giue way to the purgings and venâ— to such vapors as may proceed out of the Matrice For the excoriations and chaps you may vse this Ointment â„ž Cerae alb â„¥ ss ol Amygd dulc â„¥ j. ss liquefiant simul fiat linimenium Although these kind of vlcers are easilie healed as being but small as Hippocrates noteth notwithstanding they must be carefully handled being in a part of delicate and exquisite sence and full of Nerues Of the medicine last described you shall make small plasters and applie them fitly vpon the excoriations and chaps And because as I haue noted there often happens a rent or breach about the Perinaeum neare to the fundament and that when the woman makes water she feeles there a great pricking and paine it is necessarie that her Nurse or keeper applie to that part two or three little linnen clouts spred with the aforesaid Ointment to keep the vrine from touching and galling there But if the breach or clift be great you shall applie there little boulsters of lint dipt ' and dress'd with this baulme A balme foâ— the lower parts â„ž Ol. Hyperic â„¥ s. Axung porc recent â„¥ ij Ol. é vitellis ouor Ê’ iij. Terebinth venet Ê’ i. fiat Balsamum ad vsum After that you haue applied this Balm you shall lay vpon it the plaster before described of waxe and oyle of sweet Almonds Somtimes it happens that the whole Perinaeum is diuided and rifted euen vnto the fundament and that both the passages are brought into one which accident I haue seene and for want of help the sides of the wound being hardned with a scarre both the passages haue continued as one For remedy wherof I being once called and finding the Woman to bee with child I gaue her counsell to stay till shee were brought a bed and about sixe weekes after she was deliuered being sent for to cure her I proceeded in this manner First with a crooked rasor very sharpe I cut away way the scarre and skinne which was growne on both sides as the common practise is for an hare lip which I haue showne in my workes of Chirurgery which worke I began from the naturall parts and so went on to the fundament not taking away much flesh but onely the skinne which beeing taken off and as it were flead away I suffered the part to bleed well both to shun an inflammation and also to make the stitches with my needle more conueniently About the midst of the clift or diuision I passed my needle through both sides thereof hauing first laid them euen as well aboue and below as in the middle and I tooke good hold of the flesh on both sides there leauing my needle about which I did turne
been deafe and dull of hearing Others haue had their nose and mouth shrunke together or else puffed vp and some haue been hoarse afterwards all their life time The least accident of all is that many haue remained disfigured with pits and holes in their faces So that if they could be preserued from them it would both be a great contentment to their Parents and an ease to themselues Now as this disease is caused as we haue said of the reliques of the menstruall bloud wherewith the child hath been nourished stirr'd vp by the malignitie of the aire which it is impossible to shun or auoid So to go about to preserue a child from it we must do two things The first shall be to shun and auoid this corrupted Aire and to rectifie it the best we can possiblie The second is to euacuate and purge away the reliques of this humour and to make them lesse hurtfull Wherefore both the Nurse and the child must liue in a house that stands in a good aire far from any sinkes priuies or Church-yards from whence there arise many vnholsome vapours and exhalations Her chamber must haue a good aire rather standing high then low Let the window looke rather toward the North or the East then to the South or the West If the weather be not too cold let the casements stand open to aire the chamber If it bee verie colde they must bee shutte and you must make a good fire burning some Iuniper Rosemarie or Cypres vsing also sometimes a little sweet perfume If the chamber be too hote you must strew it with Rushes a few Vine leaues Violet leaues Nenuphar and Roses sprinkling it with coole water and a little Vineger The Nurse must keep a good diet such as we haue heretofore prescribed she must drinke water a little coloured with wine and if the childe bee weaned he must keepe the same kind of diet His meate must bee seasoned with the iuice of an Orenge and you shall also put some iuice of Lemons into his Broths but you must parboyle it a little that it hurt not his stomacke Both the Nurse and the child must sleepe moderately she must not sleepe after dinner vnlesse she haue not rested in the night by reason her childe hath beene froward who may sleepe a little in the day time after dinner if he be not weaned The Nurse also and the child if he be any thing big may be gently purged with Cassia Rubarbe Senay sirup of Cichory with Rubarbe and sirup of Damaske Roses If you perceiue that both their bodies bee plethoricall or full it will be fit to draw a little bloud which must be vnderstood if the child be three or foure yeeres old And concerning medicines either Generall or Topicall I refer you to the former chapter which haue as much power and vertue to preserue one from the disease as to cure it after it is come Of the French Pocks which happeneth vnto Children CHAP. XXXVIII THe French Pocks may happen to a child either from his mothers womb or else by the Nurses fault who may be defiled and infected with it The signes are like vnto those which are obserued in elder persons but the most common are Pustules Vlcers and Excoriations which appeare chiefly about the childs buttockes and thighs As for the Cure we must haue a respect both to the nurse and the child If the child hath taken it of the Nurse shee must be put away and hee must haue another who must take such a dyet as is commonly prescribed for those that are infected with this disease First shee shall bee purged and let bloud shee must keepe a good diet and eate rather boyled meat than rosted because the decoctions she must vse will dry her the better to breed sufficiently as also milke to nourish the child Let her drinke euery morning of this or the like decoction hauing a care to make it either weaker or stronger according to her temper and the time of the yeare But before shee takes it you must giue her some of the Opiate following Both of them haue power to make her milke medicinall and to hinder the child from imparting the disease vnto her so soone as otherwise he might do if she tooke no preseruatiue The Decoction â„ž Rasur interior lign sanct â„¥ i. radic sarsae Chinae an â„¥ i ss lign sassafras â„¥ i. sem Cardui â—ened Ê’ ij Trium flor Cordial an m. i. rasur Eboris Cornu cerui an Ê’ iij. Macerentur omnia in Balneo Mariae spatio xxiiij horar. in aq fontan lib. x. deinde fiat Colatura per manicam Hippocraticam dulcoretur sacchari albi lib. ss ad vsum The Opiate â„ž Opiatae Fernel â„¥ i ss Cons. Rosar Boragin Buglos seorzoner an â„¥ i. spec Diamargarit frigid Ê’ i. eum syrup Conseruation Citri fiat Opiata Capiat Ê’ ij ante decoctum vt dictum est She must first take the Opiate and then drinke some of the decoction or infusion after it and keep her bed and sweat an howre or two without forcing her selfe After she hath sweat she must not giue her child sucke presently but shee must rest and coole her selfe a little and then giue him the teate But first she shall rub it with a little Aqua Theriacalis to resist and hinder the infection If you cannot find a Nurse that will venter to giue the child sucke in stoede thereof you shall cause him to sucke a Goate which I haue caused some to doe A Treacle water for the little child â„ž Theriac veter â„¥ i. Cons. Rosar anthos Borag Buglos an â„¥ ij Rasur interior lign Indi â„¥ i. Rad. sarsae par Chinae an â„¥ ss Rad. scorzoner Ê’ vi flor Cordial Calendul Genist an m. ij Aquar Cardui Benedict Scabios Borag Buglos Melissae an lib. 3. ponantur omnia in Alembico vitreo posteà macerentur spatio xxiiij horar. deinde fiat destillatio vt artis est Let the child take a spoonfull of this water three times a day in the morning at noone and at night adding thereto a little suger Candy or sirup of Limons The nurses may also take two ounces of it in the morning And because the true Antidote against this disease is Quicksiluer therefore will it be very fit to annoint the childs pustules with some such Ointment not bringing him to a fluxe of the mouth The Ointment â„ž Vng. Rosat Mes. â„¥ iiij Hydrargiri cum succo limonum extincti â„¥ s. misce fiat vng pro litu If the child bee elder let him bee purged twice with a little Sene and sirup of Cichory with Rubarb neither will it be amisse if hee be bigger and stronger to open a veine and take away a saucer full of bloud He may also vse the foresaid decoction and Opiate some eight or ten daies onely diminishing the doses of the Ingredients Of the breeding and comming foorth of Haires on childrens