Halfe an ounce of syrup of Quinces Two ounces and a halfe of Plant ane water Mingle them and let her drink it Divers Authors as Rondeletius Hollerius Amatus Lusitanus and others condemn thâ— boiling of Rubarb and the reason is this as things say they become more milde and weake in their operations when they have past the fire so those things which arâ— gentle become more vehement having acquired a new kinde of faculty by the forcâ— of the fire this I grant most willingly buâ— in the meane time they purge lesse anâ— binde more which we desire and as foâ— any corrupt quality which the power oâ— the fire may have contributed to it that iâ— easily washt away by the help of Plantanâ— water or the juice of Quinces if you demand whither this humour should be prepared I answer evacuate it without any delay for you must not expect or waiâ— the concoction thereof Binding Glysters will be very usefull you may make them after this manner Take foure drams of the roots of Consolida major The leaves of plantane and horsetayle of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of red Roses Two drams of shaled Pease Boile them in a sufficient quantity of plantane water to nine ounces to the strained liquor add a dram of the Trochischs de Carabe two ounces of syrup of Roses made with dried Roses The whites of two Eggs. Mingle them and make a glyster Or Take foure drams of the greater Comphrey roots The leaves of knotgrasss and plantane of each a handfull As many red Roses as your thumb and two fingers can take up Sumach and Quince seeds of each two drams Three drams of barley parched and beaten to a grosse powder Boile them in a sufficient quantity of plantane water to nine ounces To the strained liquor add two ounces of syrup of Myrtles A dram of terra sigillata Mingle them and make a glyster After these glysters are injected anoint the Matrix with astringent oyntments Take as many plantane leaves as you can grasp between your thumb and two fingers at twice Red Roses Mulberry leaves Oake leaves of each halfe the quantity aforesaid A dram of Sumach seeds Boile them gently in foure pints of oyle of Quinces Straine and presse the liquor hard and then put in True Bolearmanick Trochischs de Carabe of each a dram With a sufficient quantity of white wax make a soft oyntment according to art or Take two ounces of unguentum Comitisse Oyle of myrtles and oyle of quinces of each two drams Mingle them and make a liniment You must likewise bath the Matrix with fomentations made after this manner Take the leaves of plantane Knotgrasse Oake leaves Red Roses of each a handfull The seeds of plantane Sumach Quinces of each three drams Boile them in a sufficient quantity of red wine or water wherein steele hath been quenched to three pints use the strained liquor as was said above That which remaines after the straining may be kept for a Poultis unto which you may add oyle of quinces and unguentum Comitisse of each two ounces and mingling them together you have an excellent Poultis But if the disease yield not to these Remedies you may exhibit half a dram of new Treacle or Philonium Persicum or a scruple of the masse of Pils de Cynoglossa if the Patient incline to a Consumption give her Cowes milk prepared rightly with steele to drink in a morning fasting if the evill still persevere and you suspect the heat of the Liver to be the Cause of the disease make an issue in her leg that the Liver may exhale at that vent and the other bowells may evaporate or else let her goe into a Bath the waters whereof run from an iron Mine for these naturally binde and thicken CHAP. IV. Of the coming away of the Courses by Drops of the vehement Symptomes thereof and of the Whites AS the urine irritates the expulsive faculty so many times doth the Menstruum for as that when it is too hot doth prick burn and is frequently pist out so the Menstruum being vehemently hot doth cause an itch and an irritation and produceth a Disease which the Doctours call Stillicidium Vterinum which we may english to be a coming away of the Courses by drops The Disease proceeds from the same Causes as doth the immoderate flowing of the Courses therefore the same Remedies will be also proper to overcome them yet in this present cure you need not prescribe so many Remedies nor so often When any notable Symptomes accompanie this Disease as a vehement burning torments in the Matrix a paine about the secret parts it is called the Stillicide or Dropping of the Matrix from a sharp humour arising through the hot distemper of the Liver and the Kidneys and whereas it takes beginning from a hot distemper from whence sharpe hot and fiery humours are generated your Method must be first to root out the Cause and then to cure the distemper wherefore her body must be cooled her bloud must be thickned and the Flux must be drawn back to the upper parts this is done by a coole Ayre by giving her whey to drinke wherein steele hath been often quenched and lastly you may prescribe for her the cold thickning Dyet which we have set down above You may let her bloud in both armes and appoint the opening of the veine called Salvatella Leeches must be applied to the Hemorrhoids that the adust and melancholly bloud may be drawn out Purge her often with Rubarb and Cassia Syrupe of Violets Citron Myrobalaus Manna Tamarinds Diaprun sumpl and the like Simples which gently bring away choler Cooling and thickning Juleps will be very necessary which you may make after this manner Take twelve ounces of plantane water Foure ounces of Rose water Two ounces of Syrupe of the juice of Quinces Mingle them and make a Julep or Take the waters of Plantane Purselane of each eight ounces Syrup of Poppy Syrupe of restharrow of each an ounce and a half Mingle them and make a Julep If the chiefest fault lie in the Kidneys Take ten ounces of Bean water distilled The waters of Plantane Mallowes of each two ounces Syrupe of Myrtles Syrupe of Poppy of each an ounce A scruple and a halfe of Lapis Prunelle Mingle them and make a Julep But note if the Patient have a hot Liver and a cold stomack it will be convenient to lessen the quantity of the distilled mallow water or to prescribe an equall part of Rose water the vertue whereof strengthens the inward parts Baths made with binding Simples are highly profitable in this Disease for they doe not onely attemper the sharpnesse of the humours but they drive the humours to the outward parts and so defend and fortifie the Matrix from that annoyance which they threatned unto it and in a while the Flux is stayed Whey although it be Diureticall and provoke urine yet when steele is quenched in it it is wonderfull wholsome for her
inflammation 't is a certaine signe that the inflammation shortly will be dissolved but if after the universall administrations the fever still continue vehement it is a true signe of suppuration and the rather if the paine be increased according to that Oracle of Hippocrates whilest Matter or Corruption is ripening the paines and the Fevers are more importunate then when it is full ripe The proper signe of suppuration is a most vehement paine upon the privie parts and therefore to humour the evill and to hasten the suppuration prescribe this Poultis following Take the heads of white Lillies The roots of marish mallowes of each two â—unces The leaves of mallowes Marish mallowes of each a handfull Bran Camomile flowers of each half a handfull Twelve fat figs. Boile them all to softnesse pulp them thorough a haire sieve and add to the pulp Two ounces of the meale of line seed Unsalted butter The oyle of sweet almonds of each halfe an ounce Hogsgrease The fat of a hen of each half an ounce A dram of Saffron Mingle them and make a Cataplasme A Fomentation made of these things and with sponges applied to the secret parts are of knowne vertue but then note that when you use it it must be hot or luke-warme for the Matrix being a part full of Nerves is easily offended with cold things When there is an itching in the Matrix by reason of an influx of some cholerick and biting humour usually there follow chinks chaps and clefts all which require one and the same manner of cure with an inflammation If the Itching continue long give whey or an infusion of Ruharb to driâ— lay cooling Epithems upon her Liver â— then wash her Matrix with this Injectioâ— Take a dram of Trochisch All. Rhasis Mallow water Breast milk of each three ounces Mingle them together for an injection From hence if there be occasion proceâ— to issues CHAP. IX Of a Cancer and an Vlcer in the Matrix A Cancer is an uneven blewish swellinâ— with paine and filthy to behold thâ— is twofold either with or without an Vâ—cer the one hath â—ordid lips from whence issueth a black corruption unsavory anâ— stinking but the other namely that without an Vlcer is called almost by all Antiquity a hidden Vlcer The cause of this is the menstruous bloud detained in great abundance and afterwards dried and burnt up to adustion sometimes it is produced by a dry humour falling down from the upper parts upon the Matrix from whence that accumulation of â—did and blackish bloud floweth away You may discerne the signes by a paine â—ut the groine the abdomen the bottome the belly and in the loines of her back is a stubborne disease both in respect of â—e incommodiousnesse of the place which the sinke of all the humours and also in â—gard of her frequent desire and indeaâ—ur to make water which render the meâ—cines so moist that they cannot stick to â—e part moreover light remedies it conâ—mnes and vehement medicines make it â—orse wherefore Hippocrates in one of his â—horismes most wisely adviseth us not to â—re a hidden Cancer because they who â—e cured quickly perish they who are not red live so much the longer and we say â—e same of a Cancer which is exulcerated â—e paines whereof are greater and doe â—ore torment the woman when the Cure â—f the Vlcer is attempted We must therefore content our selves with palliative Cure that the Patient may live â—e longer for in the midst of misery life sweet this may be done by appointing good Diet and forbidding the use of Meâ—ncholy meats Upon the approach of the Spring and about the end of Autumne let her blâ— from the basilick veine but if she have nâ— her Courses open a veine in the ankle Prescribe such simples as are good â— purge Melancholy as Sena Hellebore myâ— balans epithymum and annise seeds Soâ— of these must be infused a whole night â— whey and so strained and dranke but â— hibit not stronger Physick because the hâ—mour is so apt to be outragious Locall remedies which are moderately cold and binding may be applyed to â— privie parts as roses myrrhe the juice of uâ— ripe grapes mingled with rose-rosewater bred milke and the white of an egg or Take Cerus wash't Tutia of each an ounce and a halfe Burnt Lead Frankincense of each two drams With foure ounces of oleum Omphaciâ—â—â— stirred much and long in a marble morter and Three drams of white wax make an oyntment or Take foure ounces of Litarge of silver wash't in the juice of Pomegranets and for two whole dayes worne to dust in a marble morter Frankincense Burnt Lead Auripigment of each two drams Hogsgrease The grease that is gathered from sheeps wool New butter of each halfe an ounce Foure ounces of oyle of roses Foure drams of wax According to the rules of Art make an oyntment If any filthy matter or bloudy corruption run from the Vlcer beat the shells of Crab fishes to ashes having first dried them in an oven and strow the ashes upon the Vlcer and anoynt it twice a day with oyle If the paine increase and grow insufferable inject this decoction into her Matrix with a Syringe Take an ounce of the sperme of Frogs The leaves of mallowes Marish mallowes Violets Mercury of each a handfull Coriander seeds Poppy seeds of each two drams Boile them in a sufficient quantity of whole barley water to eighteen ounces to three ounces of the strained liquor add Syrup of the juice of Pomegranets Hony of roses strained of each an ounce and a halfe Mingle them together and make an injection for six times to be injected twice every day Purge her body once a moneth with this Medicine following Take three drams of Sena A dram of Agarick Trochischated Halfe a dram of black hellebore A dram of annise seeds Macerate them a whole night in a sufficient quantity of fumitary water to three ounces in the morning set them upon the fire and after one or two bublings add to the liquor which you presse out halfe an ounce of Syrup of the juice of fumitary Two drams of Confectio Hamech Mingle them for a draught If her body be sufficiently strong open a veine yet be sparing of her bloud the Surgeons worke which may be profitable when the breasts or the other parts are infested with a Cancer must in this case be omitted first because he cannot have a full view of it and secondly being irritated by his administrations it would cast the Patient into Convulsion Fits in regard of the consent which it hath with the braine which by this meanes would presently perish Vlcers happen in the Matrix severall wayes either upon the coming down of the whites proceeding from an acrimonious and sharp humour or else from clefts and chaps which are not easily curable because of the humour which insinuating it selfe corrodes and exulcerates the part The signes of an Vlcer in the Matrix are a pricking paine about
flesh of Partridges and sheeps feet or sheeps-heads or broths made of them pease beanes quinces Services and the like are not unwholsome for her and for her drinke let it bee beere or water wherein steele hath often been quenched Let her bloud immediately to divert the humour but in what part there is indeed a great controversie among the Physitians about it but to promote the Revulsion of the humour if the Patient be strong enough we tye ligatures about her legs and boldly open a vein in her arme or if she be very strong we apply Cuppinglasseâ— with scarification to her shoulders When the veine is opened give her thickning Syrups as Syrup of poppies Myrtles quinces or Syrupe of restharrow Juleps also made with the distilled waters of plantane and roses and mixt with the Syrups aforesaid will be convenient for her or you may mingle Conserve of roses or Conserve of acacia with Bolearmenick and the Trochisch de Carabe which will be an excellent mixture to thicken and stay the bloud but however forget not to prescribe this Purge Take two scruples of Rubarb gently boyled Ten grains of the myrabolans called chebule Syrup of dried roses or Syrupe of sowre Pomegranets halfe an ounce Three ounces of plantane water or a decoction of tormentill roots Mingle them and make a Potion Procure some sleepe for her with Opiates as Athenasia Requies Nicholaâ— Philonium Persiâ—um new Treacle or Philonium Romanum yea with pills de Cynoglossa or foure or five graines of Opium all these things doe wonderfully thicken the bloud straighten the passages fatten the body concoct the bloud provoke sleep and therefore are very proper for women thus affected Note that the Opium restraines and stops all superfluous evacuations sweat excepted which it provokes besides by inviting sleepe it refresheth the body for by sleep the aliment is soonest concocted the naturall heat retiring to the inward parts whereas when the Patient waketh the heat is distributed and diffused all over the outward parts Lay this plaister which followes the oyntment to the reines of her back and with the oyntment anoynt her privie parts and the region of her Kidnies Take the powder of Gyprus Nuts The roots of Comphrey Bistort of each two drams Red Sanders Red Corall Bolearmenick Mastick of each a dram With foure ounces of Vnguentum Comitissâ— make an oyntment After the oyntment apply this Plaister as was said above Take a pound of loom and beat it to powder with ten drams of gum-arabick tosted by the fire and the whites of foure Egs incorporate them and make a plaister CHAP. X. Of water flowing away from the Matrices of women with Childe MOst certaine it is that Women with Childe by reason of their depraved appetites and continuall intemperance in their diet abound with crude and unconcocted juices which nature not knowing how to digest nor being able to expell them by her monethly Courses are accumulated in a large measure pollute the body and introduce a cold distemper from whence that water comes which is the intended subject of our present discourse they who live a sedentary and an idle life are very obnoxious to this disease in such women this waterish humour comes away at the Matrix cold to the touch slow in motion slimy in substance and white to the eye and voide of all manner of sharpnesse these women look pale their skin is lanke or loose they are lazy and loath to use any exercise they are troubled with winde and loud rumblings in their bellies Account this a difficult Cure especially when it happens in the last moneths when we dare not administer convenient remedies fearing to destroy or hurt the childe because such kinde of remedies dissolvâ— and exhaust the spirits and when the body is extreamely weakned they precipitate the Patient into a Dropsey which is scarce curable or else she miscarries by reason that the retentive faculty is too much weakned by excesse of moysture You must therefore indeavour the cure by a drying Diet as Bisket made with annise seeds and with flesh meat rather rosted then boiled forbid windy meats salt meats such as breed a thick juice and yield too much moisture almonds chesnuts pine kernells and boyled rise are very wholsome all hearbs and fruit beside quinces and medlars are unwholsome For her drinke give her binding red wine or wine wherein steele hath been quenched for this comforts the spirits a decoction of china and Salsaparilla may be profitable because it dries up the descending moisture and cleanseth the body from it this potion following will doe her much good Take two drams of Cyprus nutâ— The leaves of wormewood Mint Red roses of each halfe a handfull The seeds of quinces Services of each two drams Parcht rise Mastick of each a dram Halfe a dram of gum dragon Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been quenched to two pints to the strained liquor add Syrup of dried roses Syrup of the juyce of quinces of each an ounce Halfe an ounce of honey of roses Mingle them and make a Potion Let her take three ounces of it early in the morning it evacuates the waterish humour and not onely strengthens but also bindes the parts dryeth the Cotyledons and retaineth the childe in the Matrix that it come not into the world before its due time after the Potion the next day lay this Plaister to her privie parts Take two drams of Loadstone beaten to powder Spikenard Mastick Red corall of each a dram Two ounces of oyle of quinces Six drams of white wax Mingle them and make a Plaâ—ster A gentle laxative Decoction cannot be inconvenient and therefore we shall here set down that which hath often purchased sweet ease to the Patient and credit to our selves Take a handfull of plantane leaves A pugill of red roses Foure drams of rubarb Two drams of agarick trochischated Mastick Spikenard of each a scruple Macerate them together in two pints of water wherein steele hath been infused upon hot coales the space of six houres afterwards set them upon the fire and when they begin to bubble presse out the liquor with a strong hand and add to it Two ounces of Syrup of Fumitary Mingle them according to Art Give her every other morning fasting three ounces of this decoction for it gently strengthens the parts diverts the waterish humour from the Matrix and with much benignity evacuates it When the woman is almost ready to be in labour a wheyish or waterish humour floweth leasurely and by degrees from the Matrix either because of some dilatation of the Membranes in which the childe is enwrapped or else because those membranes are burst asunder and although it descend leasurely yet a large quantity comes from her if this happen when she is in labour suspend all helps of art for it is a good omen that she will be safely delivered but if it should fall out in the fifth sixth seventh or eigth moneth in
dram of Opium dissolved in burnt â—ine Mingle them for a Liniment Between the suppression of the Courses and the staying of the menstruum after a womans delivery there is little or no difference for there is one cause of both and that accompanied with the same signes and thereâ—ore we shall not diversifie the Cure but direct the Reader to the second chapter of our first book where she may furnish her selfe with convenient remedies CHAP. VI. Of the immoderate coming down of the Courses after the birth VVE have sufficiently handled the Causes of the immoderate flowing of the Courses in our first book we have also related unto the signes wherefore now we shall tell you further from an Aphorism in Hippocrates that if Fainting and Convulsion fits befall a woman in Child-bed 't is a bad signe because they argue a great weaknesse after which follow inexpressible tortures with paine in the Hypochondriacall parts by reason of the clotted bloud a small frequent and swift pulse yea and death it selfe sometimes the woman is surprized with dotage a quinsey or a Lethargie wherefore you must labour to stop the Courses with all your best premeditation and caution and the most expedite meanes you can use are a thickning bindiug and cold diet as broth made with trotters in which you may also boile rise quinces or pease but abstaine from wine for it opens the parts thins the humours and provokes the Courses as on the contrary cold things bind thicken and stop up Rub her hands and tie Ligatures about her upper parts and according to the injunction of Hippocrates in his Aphorismes lay Cuppinglasses to her Breasts Finally if the womans strength will bear it there is not a surer remedie then letting bloud and you must open the Basilick vein twice or thrice Thickning things are very necessary and of great moment in this cure Take true bolearmenick The species Diatragacanth frig 1. of each a scruple Halfe an ounce of Syrupe of Quinces Halfe an ounce of plantane water Mingle them for a Draught or Take terra sigillata Red corall prepared Troch de carabe of each a scruple Halfe an ounce of Syrup of pomegranets Three ounces of a decoction of red rose leaves Mingle them for a Draught or Take the leaves of plantane Knotgrasse of each a handfull Red roses Pomegranet flowers of each half a handfull Myrtle seeds Sumach seeds of each two drams A dram of the juice of hypocystis Boile them to six pints in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been quenched give the strained liquor for a fomentation or Take the powder of Cyprus nuts The roots of Tormentill Dragons bloud of each a dram and a half A dram of mastick Halfe a dram of right bolearmenick Two ounces of unguentum Comitissae Oyle of mastick Oyle of myrtles of each two drams With a sufficient quantity of wax make an oyntment If these get not the victory a scruple of the masse of pills de Cynoglossa Make five pills and guild them or Take halfe a dram of new Treacle Halfe a scruple of Requies Nicholai Two drams of Syrup of poppy Three ounces of plantane water Mingle them for a Draught If any fault in the Liver as sometimes it hapneth is the cause of this evill apply cooling Epithems unto it or instead thereof you may adhibit Ceratum Santalinum mixt with the powders of Corall Roses and Camphire CHAP. VII Cures of such Diseases as usually befall a woman after she is delivered VVe are taught by Hippocrates that those Diseases which happen after the Birth are more dangerous and venomous then the rest because they are produced by agrosse impure thick and feculent bloud for the Childe in the wombe sucketh away the sweetest part of the bloud for its own nourishment which it purifies and reserves the melaneholy and thicker portion thereof being separated and forsaken which if the providence of Nature doe not duly evacuate and purge away the woman in Childe-bed will without all doubt be invaded by strong and vehement Fevers by reason of the boyling and putrifying of the bloud in the veines of the Matrix which according to Galen are very large in the first place therefore let the Patient be carefully attended and begin the Cure by opening a veine by Cuppinglasses applyed to the calfes of her legs with Scarification and laying Leeches to the Hemorrhoids But the Controversie will be what vein must be cut for if she bleed from the arme you draw the bloud upwards if from the ancle you weaken the body and contribute no ease but if you will follow my direction tie strong Ligatures about her thighes and legs having first well rubbed them and then open the Cubit veine without any discouragement for this cleanseth the very Minerall sinke and puddle of the putrified Humours Galen indeed affirmeth that if a veine be opened in any part of the body it will exhaust and emptie all the Vessells but not equally and in all respects alike for we deliver it for an undoubted truth that the whole masse of bloud will soonest flow away if the Basilick veine be opened which is greater then any of the rest and of the same Judgement is Fernelius who saith if the menstruum flow away from women in Childe-bed thorough the vehemence of a Fever you must cut the Cubit veine At the beginning you must refraine the use of purging medicines for although you should make choice of such as are most gentle in their operation yet they stir the humours and doe not expell them from convenient places Againe should you prescribe strong purges they would draw back the menstruum from the Matrix to the stomack and disturb Nature when she is labouring to expell it and that this were no rationall and well-grounded meanes of Cure but rather a rash and preposterous adventure any sober judgement will acknowledge because the expedition the Art and the Mystery of the whole Cure consisteth in the provocation of the Menstruum If it be a violent burning Fever prescribe such things as will qualifie and temper the heat of the bloud but avoide cold Simples because they keep in the menstruum by binding up the parts neither may you be too bold with hot things for they inflame the bloud These Glysters following will be of excellent use for the purpose aforesaid Take nine ounces of some softning Decoction An ounce and a halfe of the Electuary called Diacatholicon An ounce of hony of roses Butter and oyle of sweet Almonds of each halfe an ounce A dram of salt mingle them and make a Glyster or Take nine ounces of mutton broth well boiled The leaves of Motherwort Violets and Pellitory of the wall of each a handfull Pellitory of the wall of each a handfull Two ounces of honey of roses The yolkes of two eggs An ounce of oyle of Violets mingle them and make a Glyster You may make a Ptisan of Raisins Barley and Licorish which will be very profitable for the sick
as Hippocrates affiâ—meth concerning the Son of Erotelaus lying sick of a bloudy Flux for when he had drunk whey in which red hot flints were quenched his evacuations were more moderate although they were bloudy and in a short time they ended here is to be noted that whey although upon a slight consideration it may seeme to be Diureticall and â—o to provoke rather then to stay the flux yet if steele be frequently quenched in it till the thin and fiery parts thereof be wasted away it stayeth the Flux If these Remedies prevaile not to perfect the Cure I shall counsell you to make an Issue upon the knee for this being kept open the corrupt humours are evacuated without any decay of the spirits which otherwise doe many times produce grievous and vehement Symptomes we have spoken of the coming away of the Menstruum by Drops with the terrible Symptome which accompanies it namely a vehement and insupportable paine but because this paine proceeds from divers causes the Cure must be also diversified Women therefore which are of a cold Constitution especially if they be young prone to Venery Black and Hairy must be purged that the Cause may be taken away and therefore their bodies must be first prepared before you can hope to appease the paine You may evacuate the humour with Diaphenicon Benedicta laxativa or with Pills of Hiera and you may prepare the humour with smallage and fennill roots with agrimony and Motherwort leaves boiled in water wherein steele hath been quenched with Rhodomel The paine must be appeased with unguent Populeum unto which you may add a few graines of opium or else you may apply fomentations to the head A vein also must be opened as we have shewed you above If a woman or Virgin have the whites which come away of a thick and fattish substance you must proceede as in the former Cure but you must be exceeding cautious how you let bloud for such bodies are full of raw humours by reason whereof the spirits are much exhausted and her body is weake and infirme according to the Judgement of Galen in his book de Sanguin missione chap. 11. wherefore in such cases I counsell the Patient to goe to the Spaw waters or some other of the like Nature for they purge away the thick humour both by siege and by urine but especially the melancholy juice which is the cause of this disease A Decoction of China and Saâ—zapavilla cannot be improper nor Leeches applied to the Hemorrhoids Note that the Caul of a Ram or Weather newly killed must be laid to the affected part being first anointed with oyle of Castor for as the skull of a man is good against the Falling Sicknesse and the Lungs of a Fox against the stoppage of the pipes by a specificall vertue or hidden similitude so is this good for the stomack and the Loynes The Whites are defined to be a lasting distillation from the Matrix however it be affected for Nature indevoureth to expell that superfluous moist and excrementiâ—ious bloud thorough the Matrix and even at the same time disburtheneth the body from this unprofitable and offensive humour This evill is reckoned among the Symptomes of those things which are immoderately expelled out of the body the Causes whereof are divers for sometimes a predominancy of choler sometimes a phlegmatick juice many times melancholy and very often bloud is evacuated this is easily known because a snottie kinde of humour drops and distills continually from the Matrix which if it be red it proceeds from bloud if white from phlegme if yellow it takes beginning from choler The sick woman complaines of a general weaknesse over all the parts of the body her legs and eyelids are swelled she cannot digest her meat her stomack failes her she is lazie and loves no exercise and cares not to stir up and down so that at length her strength decayeth and her spirits faile through the abundance of bloud which hath come from her wherefore this disease calls for early help least it degenerate as not seldome it doth into a Dropsey or a Consumption or the like terrible Diseases If the body therefore abound with much bloud let a veine be opened in the arme to draw back the course of the humour which is hastening from all parts of the body to the Matrix Thus we read that Galen cured the wife of Boetius unto whomâ— other Physitians had preposterously prescribed Medicines without opening aâ— veine Afterwards you must prepare the phlegmatick humour with a decoction of wormewood unto which add Syr. of Roses or Syr. de artemisia the cholerick humour must be prepared with a decoction of endive sorrell unto which may be added Oxysaccarum or Syrup de succo Cichorii if it be a Melancholy humour prepare it with a decoction of Fumitary Buglos unto which add Syr. of Fumitary and Syr. Lupuli Then expell the humour with some gentle purge if it be phlegmatick Take three scruples of white agarick Trochischt Two scruples of the root of Mechoacha A dram of Annise seeds Macerate them the space of a night in a sufficient quantitie of fennill water in the morning to two ounces and a halfe of the liquor which you presse out add Three drams of Diacarthamum Halfe an ounce of Diacnicum Mingle them together for a Potion If Cholerick humours abound in the body Take two drams and a halfe of the best Rubarb Citron myrobalans Cinamon of each a scruple Macerate them a whole night in a sufficient quantity of endive water presse them with all your might and add An ounce and a halfe of Syrupe of roses laxative Mingle them and give it her to drinke in the morning If Melancholy humours be predominant Take two drams and a halfe of Sena A dram of Annise seeds Macerate them over night in a sufficient quantity of fumitary water in the morning presse out the liquor and add To two ounces and a halfe of the liquor strained and prest Two drams of Confectio Hamech Halse an ounce of Syrup of fumitary Mingle them for a Potion If the Disease yield not to these Medicines expell the humour by an Epicrasis that is by some Decoction that by degrees will digest open and evaâ—uate the humour and also mightily provoke urine this Apozem following hath all these vertues Take the roots of Parsly Fennell Buglos Polypody of the Oake of each halfe an ounce The leaves of Maidenhaire Agrimony Motherwort of each a handfull Six drams of Sena Two drams of rubarb One dram of agarick As much Epithymum as you can graspe between your thumb and two fingers Two drams of Annise seed Macerate them together a whole night in two pints of barley water upon hot embers in the morning allow them one or two gentle bublings and when you have strained them add Syrupe of fumitary Syrupe of roses laxative of each an ounce Mingle them for an Apozem Every other morning let her have foure ounces of it fasting If all these
thinke upon that Oracle of Hippocrates and obey his words as a sacred Law when he saith the true way to provoke them is by drawing bloud from the ankle provided that there be no reason to oppose this injunction having so done and laying Leeches to the Hemorrhoids thâ— use whereof is exceeding profitable in thiâ— disease if the body be full and the diseasâ— be found to be common to the whole body open the Basilick veine on the righâ— side from whence if an earthy and blacâ— bloud flow away Galen adviseth you tâ— take out a large quantity If the Patient be young leane black anâ— hairy adventure upon deep scarification made in her back and fasten great Cuppiâ— glasses to her arteries These universall administrations beinâ— premised and the humour being rightlâ— prepared it will be convenient to prescribe a Purge to cleanse her body froâ— melancholy to this purpose Take three drams of Sena A dram of the roots of black Hellebore Two scruples of agarick Trochisht Halfe a dram of fennill seeds Macerate them in a sufficient quantitâ— of fumitary water for a night and when iâ— the morning you have prest out the liquor take three ounces of it and add Three drams of Diacatholicon Two drams of Confectio Hameâ—h Halfe an ounce of Syrup of Violets Mingle them and make a Potion She must not take any Pills for they are too great driers both in respect of their forme and also in regard of the ingredients whereof they are compounded But by all meanes let her have somewhat to dispose her to sleep as this or the like emulsion Take the seeds of Gourds Melons Citruls Cucumbers of each an ounce Six sweet Almonds blanched Two drams of white Poppy seeds With ten ounces of a decoction of Lettuce and Poppy heads and an ounce of Syrupe of Poppy make an Emulsion to be taken about nine a clock at night and at two a clock in the morning Embrochations also may be prepared for the head you may make them of a decoction of poppy heads barley roses violets waterlilles nightshade lettuce coriander and mandrake roots Anoynt her nose and her Temples with this oyntment following Take halfe an ounce of unguent Populeum Two drams of unguent rosarum Half a dram of Opium dissolved in vinegar of roses Mingle them for the use aforesaid Let her have cooling Lotions to bath the palmes of her hands and the soles of her feet if the cruelty of the disease be such as to deprive her of all sleep prescribe this draught following yet suspend the use thereof till you have tried other meanes to procure rest for the sick Creature Take a scruple of Philonium Romanum Three ounces of Lettuce water Mingle them and let her drink it when she goeth to bed or Take Philonium Persicum Requies Nicholai of each a scruple Two ounces of a decoction of poppy Mingle them for a Draught Sometimes we use to exhibit two or three graines of laudanum opiatum yet forbear this remedy unlesse an urgent occasion prompt you to it Baths are most wholsome if they be made of the decoction before prescribed or else you may follow this example Take two ounces of Barley The leaves of Violets Vine leaves Lettuce Willow leaves Mallowes of each two handfulls The leaves of red rose water lillies of each a handfull Boile them altogether in a sufficient quantity of broth made with a sheeps-head and let her bath her selfe in the strained liquor A Bath prepared of oyles and sweet waters is very effectuall so also is a Bath of Asses milke for these things temper the earthy humour mitigate the acrimony thereof correct the drynesse and parchednesse of the skin render the bloud more apt to descend provoke sleep qualifie the furious motions of the spirits and nourish and fatten such bodies as are dryed up and consumed You must also comfort the heart with Cordialls and to the same purose Take the waters of Borage Balme of each six ounces Syrupe of the juice of Borage Syrupe Regis saboris of each an ounce Two drams of Cinamon water Mingle them and make a Julep or Take Conserve of rhe flowers of Violets Borage Oringes of each an ounce Confectio Alkermes Confectio de Hyacyâ—tha of each a dram and a halfe Species Diamargarit frigid Species Diambrae of each a dram With a sufficient quantitie of Syrupe de pomis Regis saboris adding two leaves of gold make a mixture or Take the species Letificant Galeni The species Diambra of each halfe a dram Pearle prepared Bezoar stone of each a scruple Two ounces of Sugar dissolved in Rose-water Make them into Lozenges according to Art If these remedies get not the victory we counsell you to make deep issues upon the knee and if the disease be inveterate prescribe an extract of black Hellebore and apply Causticks to the region of the spleen by the force and strength whereof the black and cloudy humour which sticks so close to the bowell may by degrees be brought away CHAP. IV. Of a cold Distemper or a swelling in the Matrix THe Matrix is sometimes swelled either because the Courses are stopped or else in regard of a continuall suppeditation of cold aliment which generates a cold distemper in those parts which because it cannot be simple or solitary therefore it presently consociates it selfe with moisture and from thence arise thick slow and cloudy windes in the very cavernes or hollow parts of the Matrix tormenting the woman with unspeakable paines The signes are a swelling below the Navell neare the privie parts slow windes with rumbling and murmuring of the guts forsaking of meat sadnesse slothfulnesse heavinesse in the head and about her secret parts This is a grievous disease because many times it turnes to a Dropsey in the Matrix for in regard that those windie humours are bread and increased by the diminution of the naturall heat as Galen hath observed in his book de Sumpâ—om Causis it comes to passe that the feeble heat now generating winde proceeding from a cold distemper in the Matrix doth so weaken it that instead of winde water or a waterish humour is produced This disease is cured by an extreame thin and drying diet wherefore let the ayre incline to hot and dry but if the place be such as doth not naturally afford such an ayre prepare it by art sprinkling aromaticall things about her chamber as sage nip betony rosemary â—â—echas thyme origanum and lavender Let her choise be of those dishes which will be of good nourishment to the body â—asie to digest and soon distributed to all the parts as thrushes young sparrowes partridges pheasants and pigeons she may not eat the flesh of goats Kids hares cowes sheep nor Deer meats made with milke are unwholsome for her so are roots sallads and pothearbs new laid egs raisins and figs may be allowed her but command a forbearace of chesnuts and almonds for they are thick and windy let her eat the whitest bread baked with
much moisture in that part whereby the Matrix becomes soft and loose 't is needlesse to set down any signes whereby to know this disease for of it selfe it is conspicuous Yet in the meane time you must not let passe any opportunity of help because it is accompanied with a diuturnall Fever many times with Convulsion Fits and a trembling of the parts Wherefore if the disease proceed from an excesse of moisture prescribe a drying dietâ— and open the basalick veine for Revulsion sake A purge must by no meanes be granted her for 't is exceeding hurtfull because it precipitates the humours to the part affected and there breeds an inflammation but a Vomit is very proper in this case because by drawing the humours to some other part it doth derive them from the Matrix When you have done these things labour to settle the Matrix in its former place and to this purpose the woman must be laid upon her bed with her legs stretched out then the Matrix must be gently bathed with mollifying fomentations afterwards to the end it may not fall down againe rub the parts well tye ligatures upon her armes yea apply stinking things to her Matrix as assa faetida galbanum Castor and stinking pisse but to the nose hold sweet things as musk civet and amber When you have thus done dry up the moisture digest the slimy humour and expell the winde with this Fomentation Take half an ounce of tormentill The leaves of wormewood Mint Sage Penniroyall of each two handfulls The flowers of Camomile Red roses of each a handfull Burnt alum Live Sulphur of each three drams Boile them in sowre red wine to three pints and with the strained liquor bath her secret parts After the fomentation lay on this plaister Take two ounces of Emplastrum pro matrice Pitch Gummi laranne of each a dram Two drams of the Trochischs de Gallia Moschata The powder of red roses Red Corall Acornes of each a dram and a halfe With a sufficient quantity of wax make a Masse and spread it upon a piece of leather cut into a convenient forme If it cannot be reduced to its naturall site and position by the dexterity of the hand but begins to mortifie by the inclemency of the ayre cut it off and afterwards fasten it by actuall Cauterizing onely be carefull of some ligaments and feare not the incision because it is none of those principall parts without which we can live no longer but it is a part intended by Nature for Conception onely and generation Avicen reports of some women who lived eighteen yeares without a Matrix and the possibility hereof we affirme to be true upon our owne experience CHAP. VIII Of an Itch Clefts Chaps and an Inflammation in the Matrix AN Inflammation in the Matrix is a preternaturall swelling arising from a hot bloud or from the suppression of the Menstruum in the hollow parts thereof The Causes of this swelling are either inward or outward the inward Causes are a great plenitude or fulnesse of the whole body begot by a hot distemper of the Liver and the veines By the vehemence of this distemper the bloud it selfe is compelled in a large proportion to the Matrix and thus the retained bloud being no wayes able to get out either putrifies or else without putrifying produceth an inflammation sometimes also an Vlcer in the Matrix or clefts or chaps or the Piles doe most speedily draw the bloud unto them by reason of the paine and heat The outward Causes are a fall a blow a stroke a hard labour immoderate coition and the like which weakning the Matrix the bloud flowes unto it and settles there without resistance after this inflammation in the Matrix there followes an acute Fever bred of the putrifaction of the bloud which Fever Galen saith must be numbred among the continuall Fevers She complaines of a great paine in her head by reason of vapours ascending from her Matrix also her eyes ake and her neck is drawn to one side her stomack is affected by consent with nauseating vomiting and a griping paine and from hence many times proceeds a paine in her back and idle talking the excrements are suppressed by the compression of the straight gut and from hence comes a difficulty to make water or a pissing by drops Every one knoweth how dangerous and mortall this disease is by reason of the consent which it hath with the parts aforesaid wherefore you must presently addresse your selfe to the Cure first prescribing a thin and cold Diet which Hippocrates enjoynes to be observed in all Fevers and inflammations and afterwards opening a veine Many Physitians have been puzled to finde out Galens meaning who first commands the Basilick veine to be cut Secondly the Saphena or veine in the ankle but the reason is obvious for whereas in the beginning of the disease the body is full he prescribed the opening of the basilick veine to expedite the Revulsion otherwise he had drawn the humours by a precipitate motion to the part affected and so superinduced an inflammation When this is done he proceeds to lessen the predominancy of the bloud by cutting a veine in the ankle and not without sound reason for by the proximity or nearnesse of that part the labouring parts are soonest disburthened A Purge is in this case inconvenient by reason of the inflammation of the part and the drawing faculty of the purging simples Glysters may be profitable both to bring away the antecedent cause and also to free the afflicted part from the peccant matter Make them by this example Take the leaves of Violets Mallowes Beet of each a handfull The flowers of dwarfelder Violets of each a handfull Roses Prunes ten in number The seeds of Melons Cucumbers Citrons Gourds of each two drams Boile them in a sufficient quantity of whole barley water to nine ounces to the strained liquor add Two ounces of Electuarium lenitivum Oyle of Roses Oyle of Violets of each an ounce Mingle them and make a glyster To appease the paine you may mingle Topicall remedies with the Anodynall and apply them Take the leaves of Mallowes Violets of each a handfull Boile them to softnesse then set them into an oven and dry them beat them to powder sift them and to the sifted matter add The whites of two eggs beaten together The meale of marish mallowes Unsalted butter Oyle of Violets of each an ounce Two drams of Opium dissolved in wine vinegar Mingle them and make a Poultis or Take foure ounces of the crums of whitâ— bread The whites of two egs Oyntment of Roses Oyntment of Poplars of each an ounce Two scruples of Saffron Mingle them and make a Poultis This Inflammation will either be dissolved or hasten to suppuration you may guesse by the vehemence of the fever when it will dissolve for seeing that the greatnesse of the fever doth accompany the greatnesse of the inflammation if the fever remit which depends upon the
distribution potentially cold and moist that is cold and moist in their qualities and operation though they be actually hot when she eats them it would be superfluous to name them having already sufficiently spoken of them in the precedent chapters of a hot dihemper in the Matrix and an inflammation in the Matrix It will be convenient to draw bloud from the basilick vein in the right arme and if the hot dishemper be the cause that the Patient hath not her Courses cut a veine in her ankle Moreover you may prepare cooling and moistning Juleps after this manner Take Syrup of Violets and water lillies of each two ounces Twelve ounces of Endine water Six drops of Spirit of 〈◊〉 mingle them or Take Syrup of horage and Syrupe of purselane of each an ounce and a halsâ—â— A decoction of letâ—uce wash â—â—cumber citrull gourd and melon feeds of 〈◊〉 a diam and a halfe take a pint and alhalfe of the decoction mingled with the Syrups and 〈◊〉 her drink it at three doses Prescribe a Purge also to evacuate â—holer Take three drams of the best rubarb A scuple and a halfe of citron seeds Macerate them a night in a sufficient quantity of a decoction of tamaâ—inds to two ounces and a halfe in the morning straine and presse them and to the liquor add three drams of the Electuary Diaprun laxative Halfe an ounce of Syrupe of Violets by infusion mingle them and give it in the morning Whey of it selfe is exceeding wholsome or else you may thus compound it for your Patient Take an ounce of borage roots Two handfulls of sorrell leaves with the roots Endive and borage leaves of each a handfull Six drams of tamarinds Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of whey to a quart and in the strained liquor infuse for a whole night Halfe an ounce of choise rubarb Two scruples of Cinamon In the morning let them bubble a little over a gentle fire and when you have prest them hard add Three ounces of Syrupe of roses laxative Mingle them together for an Apozem Which is of most excellent vertue to correct the heat and distemper of all the veynes and principall parts this Bath also will be very effectuall to coole the body Take foure handfulls of vine leaves The leaves of mallowes violets and endive of each two handfulls A handfull and a halfe of bran A handfull of salt Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of water to eight quarts let her hold her feet in the strained water two or three houres together You may likewise prepare fomentations of the hearbe aforesaid and bath the privities the Liver and the Reynes of the back and afterwards you may make use of this oyntment Take two ounces of unguent infrigidantis Galeni An ounce of Cerat Sautalin Oyle of roses and oyle of violets of each halfe an ounce Two drams of the powder of red corall Halfe an ounce of vinegar of roses With a sufficient quantity of white wax make an oyntment according to Art Take the liquor which is distilled out of Cockles Snailes or Frogs mingle it with Saccharum perlatum and give it her to drink as a most effectuall remedy against this Disease A decoction of young Chickens boiled with prunes and borage leaves and taken every morning upon an empty stomack doth refresh the body strengthen the spirits moisten the Matrix cleanseth away the foulnesse that groweth in those parts and very powerfully resists the causes of barrennesse When unfruitfulnesse proceedoth from a cold distemper you must observe a contrary method of cure as for example The ayre must incline to hot and dry the meat must be also potentially hot and dry and because this cold distemper in perpetually consociated with moistuâ—â— whereby cloudy and grosse vâ—pours get into the Matrix which is cold and neâ—vous therefore it will be requisite to correct this coldnesse to take away the moisture and to consume and dissipate those windy vapours from hence you may gather that this is a very frequent cause of barrennesse and abortivenesse and so likewise are flatulent and windy humours for they extreamely swell the Matrix so that the seed cannot be perfectly retained neither can the child be held fast by the Cotyledous When you attempt the Cure abstaine from Phlebotomy unlesse it be preparative onely to disburthen the oppressed vessells when the Patient is in the spring of her yeares and at the Spring of the yeare least by taking away the bloud the spirits should be wasted the humours should become more cold and indigested which otherwise were not the bloud prodigally let out might be seasonably concocted and this you may observe with the learned Fernelius to prescribe a Purge before you open a veine in crude bodies that the first region may be cleansed if any man shall rashly proceed to a contrary course doubtlesse with great disadvantange to the Patient he shall pervert the right order of Nature for when as he hath emptied the veines by Phlebotomy he will fill them again with that filthy accumulation of corrupt humours which they suck in with greedinesse from the first places and so he shall not lessen but double the disease the Purge may be made as followeth Take a dram and a halfe of the whitest agarick Two drams of bastard Saffron seeds A scruple of Ginger Halfe a dram of Anniseeds Macerate them a whole night in a sufficient quantity of marjoram water to three ounces in the morning presse them hard and add Diaphenicon and Diacuicum of each halfe an ounce Mingle them and let her drink it in the morning If her body be not sufficiently open give the same potion every third day or else prescribe this Glyster following Take nine ounces of a mollifying decoction made with marjoram and groundpine or germander of each a handfull Diacarthamum and Diaphenicon of each an ounce An ounce and a halfe of honey of roses strained Mingle them and make a Glyster When you have thoroughly purged the body and taken away the cause the parts must be strengthned and the distemper must be corrected with these pills Take a dram of right lign aloes beaten to powder Two scruples of aloes ro sat Musk and amber of each a scruple With a sufficient quantity of alkermes make thirty five pills Let her swallow five of them or fewer every morning they are exceedingly provocative and withall they strengthen the braine the heart the liver and the Matrix when the man and the woman intend conjunction let him anoint his yard with oyle of mastick and wormewood mingled with a few graines of musk and civet and let the woman also anoynt her privie parts therewith as well within as without for by this meanes there is raised a mutuall inclination to Venery and the seed is received with a greater pleasure and is more duely retained and elaborated reason it selfe will convince us that sweating remedies made of ebony and Salsapaâ—illa will mightily help and prepare the Matrix for they expell
which hath both a purging and a strengthning faculty for if we may adventure our beliefe to the assertions of the best Physitians Rubarb may be safely given to old men infants and women with childe and Fallopius in his booke of purging Simples and in the chapter where he speaketh of Rubarb saith it dries up all superfluous moisture contained in the vessells of the Matrix it is a gentle cleanser it strengthneth the Heart and the stomack by its astringent faculty neither need you to entertaine the vaine feares of some who suspect that the bitternesse thereof may destroy the childe for the taste of it is not horrible to nature and besides the bitternesse quickly vanisheth There remaines another doubt to be answered namely whether it be more proper and advantagious to prescribe an infusion of Rubarb or to give it in the substance I answer that it purgeth most in the substance or body of it expelling the humours by siege which it doth not in an infusion at least not so powerfully because then it evacuates onely by the purgative vertue which is in it and of the same opinion is the Author before named CHAP. IV. Of a bad stomach proceeding from Vomiting IT is a known truth that most dangerous direfull and pernicious Symptomes invade women with childe from which also forsaking of meat and Vomiting doe afterwards follow all which things proceed from those noysome and soggy exhalations which are distributed into the severall parts from the corruption of the bloud for whereas there is a sympathy and consent between the stomack and the Matrix when any poysonous or malignant vapour ascendeth from the latter it immediately invades and overcomes the stomack which being weakned in the conflict or indeavour to resist and keep out those vapours the functions of it are depraved it refuseth all comfort or nourishment or if at any time it admit any 't is no sooner swallowed but vomited up againe these are the signes of this disease and to cure it proceed according to the Method following In the first place prescribe a cleansing potion Take three drams of Elecampane roots The leaves of wormewood and Century the lesse of each halfe a handfull Boile them in a sufficient quantity of whole barley water to a pint and a halfe to the strained liquor add three ounces of honey of roses strained mingle them for a Potion against the next morning prepare this purge following Take three drams of rubarb Two scruples of agarick Trochischt A dram of annise seeds Macerate them a whole night in a sufficient ' quantity of mint water to two ounces and a halfe in the morning presse them hard with all your strength and add three drams of the Electuary Diaphenicon if she cannot take down a Purge let her swallow these Pills following Take a dram of the mass of Pills de Hiera cum agarico Make nine pillâ— and guild them The next day following give her this strengthning mixture which doth not purge at all and every morning let her eat the quantity of a Nutmeg Take Elecampane roots candied Marmalade of Quinces of each an ounce Halfe an ounce of Conserve of red Roses Foure scruples of aromat rosat in powder Two scruples of mastick in powder With a sufficient quantity of Syrup of â—int make a Confection After the use of these things make this plaister following and lay it to her stomack Take lignum aloes Yellow Sanders And the round Cyperus of each two drams Galangale mace cloves And calam aromat of each a dram Common wormewood roman wormewood Spikenard dried mint Of each as much as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers Mastick Storax calamitu Red Corall of each two scruples Amber Musk of each a scruple Pure ladanum Turpentine of each an ounce Foure ounces of white wax Make a Masse whereof let him take a sufficient quantity and spread it upon leather and lay it to her stomack Bisket steeped in muskadine is excellent good for her because it refresheth the spirits and mightily strengthneth the stomack CHAP. V. Of a Pain in the Belly the Passion of the Heart and of sounding Fits VVOmen with Childe doe often feele a pain in their bellies and this also proceeds from winde and the malignant vapours aforesaid neither are the swounding Fits or the Passion of the heart produced by any other causes because the heart when it is shaken with this fuliginous and grosse spirit doth frequently stretch and contract it selfe and endeavouring to expell the evill which annoyes it it falls into an inordinate and strange motion like unto trembling Under these diseases the woman languisheth is full of feares and frights prone to despaire subject to faint can obtaine no sleep but wasteth away daily and waxeth leane and meager To take away her paine you may administer such remedies as will expell the winde and strengthen the bowell of which sort you may furnish your selfe with plenty above in the chapter of a cold distemper and windy humours in the Matrix You may likewise anoynt the stomack with this oyntment following Take an ounce of unguent Altheae Oyle of wormewood Oyle of Camomile And oyle of rue of each three drams The power of lignum aloes Mastick Wormewood And both sorts of Corall of each a dram Halfe a dram of aromat rosat in powder Six drops of oyle of annise seeds With a sufficient quantity of yellow wax according to art make an oyntment This or the like fomentation may likewise be very usefull Take halfe a dram of elecampane roots Two drams of lignum aloes The leaves of Rue Motherwort Sage Wormewood Mint of each a handfull Mastick Cloves of each two drams Boile these Simples in a sufficient quantity of water to three pints and prescribe the strained liquor for a fomentation After the use of the fomentation clap to the stomack the caul of a sheep newly killed In Spaine the greatest persons and those the wisest also take hot bread from the oven afterwards they soake it in Muskadine and having sprinkled upon it the powders of red and white corall and aromat rosatum they lay it to the heart others instead thereof use Treacle Alkermes and Confect Hiachytorum to all which may be added if the evill yield not to the remedies aforesaid a little bag to be worne upon the left pap and made after this manner following Take two drams of lignum aloes Bezoar stone Muske Red corall of each a dram Red and yellow Sanders of each two scuples The Specie Diamosch And Diambr of each a scruple and a half With a piece of red taffata and cotton make â— quilted bombast for the use aforesaid Mingle cordialls with her drinke and cordiall conserves as for example Take two ounces of conserve of red roses Two drams of alkermes Macerate them a night in two pints of â—â—antane water and red wine in the morning straine it thorough Hippocrates his sleeve that is a woolen bag and give her now â—nd then the quantity
of a small wine â—lasse If these remedies overcome not the disâ—â—se apply an exceeding great Cuppinglasse â—o the heart by the force whereof the winâ—y vapour will evaporate for although â—lysters doe draw back the humour from â—â— affected part yet in reference to great bellied woman you ought to suspect the event of them because they raise too great a disturbance by provoking nature down wards and many times cause abortivenesse yet if the paine be insupportable then inject carminative glysters and omit all bitter ingredients as Hieâ—a benedicta Laxativa or Scammoniata but to prevent all errour prescribe this following Take a handfull of mallow leaves The flowers of melilot The tops of Dill of each halfe a handfull Two drams of fennill seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of barley water to nine pints to the strained liquor add two ounces of Syrup of â—â—seâ— Laxative An ounce of red Sugar Mingle them and make a glyster Or Take the flowers of melilot And mallowes of each a handfull Annise and Fennill seeds Of each two drams Boyle â—them in a sufficient quantity â—â— broth made with an old Cock to niâ—â— ounces to the inward liquor add Calabrian Manna And red Roses of each an cunce and halfe An ounce of oyle of rue Mingle them and make a glyster It might doe much good if you gave her a draught of balme water in the morning in which water you may sâ—eep lignum aloes the space of a night and afterwards put to the strained liquor a sufficient quantity of Syrup of mint for this expells the winde cleanseth away the phlegme and powerfully strenghthens the stomack You must frequently and laboriously rub her lower parâ—s tye ligatures about them and apply Cuppinglasses to them if there be no imaginable cause to feare abortivenesse but if there be the least suspicion of that omit all such applications as may procure a revulsion of the bloud nay let me give you this caution absolutely to forbeare them unlesse she be taken with desperate trembling and fainting fits or swounding in the spring time too when her spirits require them You must cause her Basilick veine to be opened if she be young fleshy and strong for this Remedy besides that it letteth out the thick dreggish and black blood it refresheth the childe also and the heart is sweetly easily and safely delivered from that burthensome humour which 〈◊〉 presse and almost overwhelme it CHAP. VI. Of a Cough in Women with Childe MOst certaine it is that great-bellied Women by reason of their being with childe have not sometimes a free vent for their crude and indigested aliments either by Stoole or by Urine or by any other Eâ—unctories of the body these being unduly kept in the body putrifie wax hot and communicate noysome fumes and vapours to the spiritous parts which by their clamminesse thicknesse and sharpnesse together with the bad quality that is in them gripe and twitch the Woman and force her to cough Some perhaps may demand why doth this Coughing happen in the last months the answer is obvious namely because in those moneths a greater plenty of excrements are lodged in the body then were accumulated at the first The cause of the Cough according to Hippocrates iâ— a viscous thick and tough homour impâ—cted in the Pipes of the Lungs which humour sometimes also thorough that consent which is between the Matrix and the Chest invadeth that part and raiseth a Coughing and these are these are set down as the true signes of this evill As for the Prognostick's you must know that a Cough befalling a woman with childe is a bad Symptome seeing that by the least stretching and shrinking the Cotyledons or vessells of the wombe are many times loosned yea sometimes burst asunder and from thence comes abortivenesse The Cure is perfected with sweet wine mild beere and the frequent use of a Ptisaâ— sharp sowre and cold things must be avoided meats also must be forborne which breed a thick nourishment and are hard to digest vehement evacuations likewise are not good wherefore having given order for the observation of a good Diet prescribe some gentle lenifying medicines to provoke her to spit as manna Syrup of roses laxative Diacnicu and the like These things being administred proceed to Electuaries and expectorating medicines and especially to this Apozem following Take an ounce of cleansed Barley The roots of Aristolochy Licoras scraped of each two drams The leaves of Asarabacca Nettles White Maidenhaire of each a handfull Two drams of raisins pickt The flesh of Dates Fat Figs of each three drams Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of water to two pints and to the strained â—â—quor add Two ounces of Diacodium Mingle them and make an Apozem or You may prescribe Lozenges after this manner Take a dram of the species Diatragacâ—nâ—â— frigid Diaireâ—â— Poppy seeds of each a scruple Two ounces and a halfe of Sugar dissolved in rose water according to arâ— make them into Lozenges Then prescribe this Conserve Take Conserve of red Roses Elecampane candied of each an ounce Conserve of Violet flowers Rosemary flowers of each halfe an ounâ—â— Two drams of meale of beanes A dram of Diaireos Ten graines of Sâ—lphur With Syrup of Colt's foot make a Conserve Meale of â—eanes according to Galen doth cleanse and mundifie the Chest digests the crude spittle contained in the pipes and makes it easie to be excerned beanflower water is exceeding good for the Lungâ— especially if she drinke it with Syrupe of Maydenhaire or Oxymel Sâ—iâ—â—iticum the same faculties hath the distilled waters of red Poppies The yolke of an egg taken in the morning with Sugar and the oyle of sweet Almonds is a most incomparable remedy and hath done good to thousands Anoynt her Breast with this Oyntment which is good to prepare the crude and thick matter which stops her pipes Taken an ounce of the oyntment of marish mallowes The axungia of a hen Of a Duck of each halfe an ounce Oyle of sweet Almonds Oyle of Violets of each two drams Ten graines of Saffron Mingle them and according to art make an oyntment heat it when you use it and anoynt the whole region of her Chest therewith CHAP. VII Of the swelling of the Legs in Women with Childe FRom the same cause namely from abundance of phlegme and crude humoâ—rs especially in the last moneths proceed the swelling of the legs face and eye-browes and when I have told you that the flesh of the whole body groweth soft and that she looketh white and wan in the face I have discovered unto your consideration the fignes of this disease Women in this condition cannot be restored to perfect health till she be delivered yet may we not delay our helps least a worse evill happen unto her for whereas the legs and feet are outward parts and at a great distance from the fountaine of heat they are quickly affected with cold and mortified through the abundance of crude humours which many times
and of no lesse efficaciâ— is this Julep following Take Endive and Borage water of each six ounces Syrup of Betony and Pomegranets of each an ounce Mingle them together for a Juleâ— or Take twenty graines of Mithridate Ten graines of Alkermes without Musk or Amber Three ounces of Buglos water Mingle them and let her drinke it at one draught If the Disease yield not to these remedies wee judge it expedient to let her bloud againe but in the Ankle if you suspect that Obstructions occasion the disâ—ase as commonly indeed they are to be suspected you may observe the same way of Cure as is approved in a Fever arising from Obstructions and Take halfe an ounce of parsley roots The leaves of betony and carduus Benedictus of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of white Maidenhaire The flowers of Bâ—rage Buglos Violets or Roses of each as many as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers at twice Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Barley water to a pint and a halfe in the strained liquor infuse foure drams of the choicest Rubarb the space of a night setting the vessell upon hot ashes with foure scruples of agarick Trochiscated and a scruple of cinamon all put in together In the morning boile them a little and when you have strongly prest out the liquor add three ounces of Syrup of roses laxative and make an Apozem or a Decoction Let her drinke three ounces of this Decoction every other morning Hereupon ensueth a Lask or Loosenesse in the belly but without any paine acrimony or griping and so long as it continueth free from any of those bad qualities you may by no meanes stay it but if it last longer with the Fever the most prudent course will be to open a veine in her Ankle having alwayes a diligent regard to the strength of her body for this evacuation is Symptomaticall as Physitians speake and according to the Prognostications of Galen it is either mortall or very difficult to be judged his words are these when any disease beginneth if any thing be evacuated it is not evacuated by any help or curtesie of Nature but all such things happen by chance in regard of those dispositions which are in the body besides nature for it is impossible that any thing should be well purged out when Nature is oppressed as then she is with the crudenesse of the humours with those causes which did produce the disease for that the Crisis and Judgement upon this disease may be sound and good it is requisite that those crudities must first be concocted and afterwards duly purged out wherefore if the Loosenesse happen at the beginning you must neglect that and be intentive to cure the Fever yet with an eye to the loosenesse by letting her bloud but very sparingly least the spirits should be wasted if the loosenesse continue so long as to weaken the body and bring the sick creature very low then stay it but with caution and tender warinesse but above all things avoid the use of such things as will thicken the humours for thus indeed you might stop the Loosenesse but then withall you should stay the menstruum which inconvenience you ought chiefly to feare Your safest way therefore will be to apply strengthning Fomentations and Plaisters that will moderately binde and with such you may furnish your selves above It would not be unprofitable to purge away the cause of the Loosenesse that so one Flux might be cured by another therefore Take halfe a dram of tosted Rubarb Ten graines of that sort of Myrobalaâ—â— called Chebule Halfe an ounce of Syrupe of dried roses Three ounces of plantane water Mingle them and make a Potion Many times this Loosenesse turnes to the Bloudy-Flux with cruell paines want of sleep a continuall Fever and frequent going to stoole This must be helped with Glysters of a binding qualifying and cleansing faculty as for example Take the roots of Comphrey and marsh-mallowes of each three drams A handfull of plantane leaves Halfe a handfull of red roses Boile them in a sufficient quantity of barley water to nine ounces and to the strained liquor put in Two ounces of honey of roses strained An ounce of red Sugar The yolke of an egg Mingle them and make a Glyster Or Take violet leaves plantane and pellitory of the wall of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of red roses Halfe an ounce of whole barley Boile them in a sufficient quantity of broth made with sheeps feet to nine ounces to the strained liquor add Two ounces of honey of roses strained The yolke of an egg Mingle them and make a Glyster You must not neglect to open the Basilick veine and the Salvatella a veine which brancheth out of the â—ephalick veine on the outside of the elbow for these administrations will be wonderfully helpfull to cure a flux of bloud arising from a distemper in the Liver those astringent fomentations also with the oyntments and Epithems whereof we have spoken at large in the precedent chapters will be of singular use The next Disease unto which women are subject after their delivery is a Lientery so called because the meat passeth thorough the body as it was chewed in the mouth without any change or alteration this is a most dangerous disease and therefore all diligence imaginable must conspire to stop it no lesse terrible and perillous is that other named by the Doctors Iliaca Passio when the guts are so bound up or inflamed or enwrapped one about another that whatsoever is swallowed down is presently cast up againe by vomit this also requires a seasonable and prudent use of remedies least the Patient should pine away and perish for want of sustenance besides it is so much the more dangerous because by those frequent Vomitings Nature is interrupted and distracted and that menstruous matter is driven upwards which should have been purged out from beneath But note that these Vomitings proceed from severall causes First from a certaine contagious vapour ascending from the Matrix and with the noysome odour thereof irritating and pricking the stomack so that it suddenly parts with all the aliment that was contained in it You must be exceeding industrious with all convenient speed to free the woman from this infirmity the vapours must be opposed and forced downwards that so by the discreet helps of art Nature may be assisted to expell those faulty and offensive humours by the Matrix This may be accomplish't by tying Ligatures about the lower parts and by rubbing of them till she complaines you hurt her by putting Pessaries up into the Matrix and applying Cuppinglasses to her thighes also by holding things of a strong and unpleasâ—nt odour to her nose and by opening a vein in her Ankle When her body is duely nourished and well refresh't give her this Glyster Take the leaves of violets pellitory of the wall and beares-breech of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of red rose leaves Two drams of fennill
seeds Boile them to nine ounces in a sufficient quantity of a decoction of an old hen and to the strained liquor add Two ounces of honey of roses strained An ounce of new butter Make a Glyster This being given you must strengthen the stomack with the stomachicall Plaister already prescribed and with these Lozenges Take a dram of aromaticum rosatum in the species Red corall and pearl prepared of each half a dram With two ounces and a halfe of white Sugar dissolved in a sufficient quantity of rose water make little Lozenges according to Art or Take old Conserve of red roses Roman wormewood The Conserve of Quinces of each an ounce Halfe an ounce of the Conserve of Acacia A dram and a halfe of aromaticum rosatum in the species A dram of the Trochichs de carabe Two scruples of red corall prepared With a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Pomegranets make a mixture Sometimes the Vomiting is accompanied with yexing and they both proceed from the same causes and therefore may both be cured with the same remedies but if it be of long continuance the most rationall and best grounded proceeding is to apply a Cuppinglasse to the mouth of the stomack with a mighty flame After all these follow two more namely spitting of Bloud and a Cough the former whereof is cured by cutting a veine in the Ankle which kinde of remedy is approved by Hippocrates in the thirty two Aphorisme of his fifth book saying a woman is freed from spitting or vomiting bloud if the menstruum breake forth and frequent experience justifies this truth for divers women by the omission hereof as Galen hath observed in his booke of Letting Bloud fell into the Tissick and other most lamentable diseases But the Cough is twofold either dry or moist the cause of the former is a certaine contagious vapour communicated to the spiritous parts provoking the Midriffe the Lungs and the other instruments of breathing to expell whatsoever is faultie and offensive the cause of the latter is a crude and raw humour ascending up from the Matrix to the Chest and sticking fast unto it This is cured by rubbing the parts and tying straight Ligatures about them by Pessaries Glysters Cuppinglasses opening a veine in her ankle by Electuaries Ptisans expectorating Potions to cleanse away the bad humour by laying on Emplâ—strum Resumptivum Pectorale or Vnguentum de Althaea among which you must mingle Cummin seeds and Saffron After the same manner Women in Child-bed are troubled to fetch their breath because by a mutuall and frequent stretching and compression of the Chest the vapours are transmitted to the Lungs and they who feele themselves molested with such vapours do seldome escape that Cough we last mentioned Moreover to this Catalogue belongeth the Pleurisie which is a most acute and therefore a most dangerous disease this you may discerne by these signes following an acute and burning Fever a Cough difficultie to fetch breath a pricking paine and a hard pulse Open a veine and you overcome this without any further remedy but the question will be in what part of the body I answer if it be a most violent Pleurisie that torments the sick if her Courses come down after a right manner and yet the evill abates not then cut a veine in her ankle but if this availe not so as the Patients life is now in danger then open a veine in her arme especially if she be full of bloud that the vitious humour may be drawn away from the inflamed place and seasonably evacuated this advice of mine is justified by the approbation of Mercurialis Mercatus Alphonsus a Castro Meschius Valeriola and the leared Zacutus Lusitanus neither will it be incovenient if you interchange this administration of phlebotomy namely first to draw bloud from the ankle then from the arme then from the ankle againe and so keeping turnes as need shall require for thus you will give ease both to the part inflamed and likewise to the Matrix which is the part mandant or that from whence the evill is communicated and distributed to the other regions This being carefully performed your next designe must be to mitigate and take away the paine with fomentations liniments Electuaries and Ptisans Take an ounce of the roots of marish mallowes The leaves of mallowes marish mallows and white Maidenhaire of each a handfull Halfe a hundfull of the flowers of dwarf-elder Annise and Line seeds of each halfe an ounce Boyle them in water to a quart and give her the strained liquor to drinke at severall times then Take a dram of unguentum de Althaea The Axungia of a hen and new butter of each halfe an ounce Two ounces of oyle of sweet Almonds Mingle them and make an oyntment then Take Syrup of Violets compound and Syrup of Maidenhaire of each an ounce and a halfe Mingle them and make a mixture to be licked from the point of a knife Afterwards Take two ounces of cleansed barley An ounce of raisins pickt stoned and washt Two drams of the best Licoras Boile them in raine water to a quart and give her the strained liquor to drinke Note that in all diseases of the Membranes the upper part of the throate and the Jawes yea and in the Falling-Sicknesse the Apoplexy the Palsie and the Convulsions you must begin the Cure by letting bloud if plentie of bloud give occasion to the Disease The swelling of the feet is the last of all those Symptomes which invade a woman after her Delivery and this proceeds from a disorderly and negligent Diet during the time of her being with Childe for by that meanes raw humours are bread in her body which after her Delivery settle in her legs as being cold parts full of nerves and far distant from the Liver which is the fountaine of bloud in which places you shall perceive soft kinde of swellings which being crusht down retaine the print of your fingers This must be cured with strengthning administrations and such medicines as are good to expell the raw humours and likewise with such as will moderately binde for should you give her strong binders you would thereby allure the humours towards the upper parts therefore to avoide that errour prepare this Bath following Take two ounces of marish mallow roots The leaves of mallowes Mint Wormewood Sage Rosemary of each two handfulls The leaves of red roses and camomile Of each a handfull An ounce of Laurell Berries Saltpeter Sulphur of each half an ounce Boile them to eight pints in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been often quenched and let her put her feet into the strained liquor Then take the dreggish substance which remaines after the straining of the said liquor and add to it The meale of Orobus And Lupines of each three ounces Foure ounces of Oxymel With a sufficient quantity of brine made with the juice of Lemmons reduce them into the forme of a Poultis and lay it to the swelled feet But
is also lessened and the crude humours become so much the more crude this was Avicens feare as is manifest by these words of his beware least you precipitate your Patient into one of these extreams either into an ebullition of chollerick or an indigested abundance of cold humours this we confesse to be true yet not so but that sometimes all other administrations being rightly and duely premised with Galen we may take away bloud by fits then exhibit Mellicratum Then againe open a vein either the same day or the day following as the disposition of the matter shall dictate to your reason we leave much also to nature her selfe who many times concocts the thick humours the veine in the ankle must be opened if women are thus affected but wheâ— men are troubled with these windy humours the Basilick vein is the most propeâ— to be opened CHAP. V. A Schirrhus in the Matrix A Schirrhus in the Matrix is a hard and stony swelling bread of earthie humours and of a thick and melancholy bloud retained in the body This is either produced by a cold distemper in the Matrix or else it proceeds from a weaknesse in the upper parts from whence thick humours doe arise This disease is very easie to be known because in those who languish under it the Matrix appeareth hard in the circumference like unto some great bowle or a round Spheare It differs from a swelling which is caused by winde because in this winde is heard within which yieldeth to the touch and is moved from place to place but a Schirrus is a hard unmoveable swelling of a black colour and sometimes of a palish wan colour if any phlegmatick humour be mixed with it It differs from an inflammation in the Matrix because in this there is a burning Fever conjoyned and other signes which manifest an inward fiery Disposition This is a Chronicall Disease continuing many times beyond the space of a yeare for the Matrix not being numbred among the more noble parts doth better endure these molestations it is also a contumacious affect despising ordinarie remedies and if you oppose such as are vehement it degenerates into a Cancer After this sometimes followes a Dropsey in the Matrix which when it is much hardned becomes void of sense incurable drawing the neighbouring parts into consent with it and so weakning them that many times the Creature perisheth for lack of wamrth and cherishing heat She must forbeare all those things that yield a thick juice and what these things be we have already in good part told you for her drink allow her a mixture of wine and water in which tamarisk roots or the barke of the Caper tree have been boiled The first regions of the body must be gently cleansed and then that humour which nourisheth the swelling must be rooted out with some peculiar and elective medicine if it proceed from a suppression of the Courses or Hemorrhoids open a veine in her ankle or open the hemorrhoidall veines with leeches but if it arise from some fault in the Liver or the Spleen cut the basalick veine Having thus shewed your selfe carefull of the whole body you must in the next place be solicitous of the affected part first by applying such things as will gently mollifie it as the fat of a hen the marrow of a deare or of a calfe with ammoniack Storax or bdellium or with discutient fomentations after this manner Take an ounce of the roots of Polypody of the Oake The barke of the root of the Caper tree The barke of the tamarisk tree of each halfe an ounce The leaves of wormewood Sage Savine Penniroyall of each two handfulls Balme Motherwort Hops of each a handfull The seeds of broome Fennill of each halfe an ounce Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been quenched to six pints and bath the affected part with the strained liquor This oyntment following hath a like efficacy Take unguent Agrippe Vnguent Martiatum of each an ounce Halfe an ounce of unguent de althea Oyle of wormewood Capers Dill of each three drams Mingle them and make an Oyntment Plaisters also are very profitable Take Diachylon cum gummis Emplastrum de meliloto of each an ounce Mingle them for the use aforesaid or You may make ready this plaister following Take ammoniack Sagapenum of each an ounce Opoponex Bdellium of each halfe an ounce Dissolve them in strong wine vinegar thicken them to the forme of a hard oyntment and then add The powder of ireos Ceterach Auripiguentum of each a dram With oyle of Capers make a masse of plaistering stuffe and spread it upon a piece of leather cut into a convenient forme If these medicines availe not prescribe sweating drinks for her made with Guaiacum China and Salsa parilla for as Fallopius an Author of good account saith Salsa parilla hath a soveraine faculty to dissolve a skirrhus or any hard knotty swelling Sulphureous Baths are also most excellent in their operations Some commend a poultis made of Goats duâ—â— for this draweth away the winde strengthens and mollifies the part afflicted and consumes the thick matter whereof the schirrus is bred I usully made it after this manner Take three ounces of Goats dung Meale of Lupines Fitches or Vetches of each two ounces An ounce of Bran. Half an ounce of Sulphur in powder With the sharpest and strongest vinegar wherein steele hath been ten times infused make a Poultis Steele is commended by all Authors it mollifies and opens the Matrix quickens the naturall heat of the upper parts and brings down the Courses the stoppage whereof is the undoubted cause of this disease this as hath already been declared at large is taken many wayes either in water or in the forme of a Bolus or in Lozenges or in powder or in some conserve as it shall seeme good to the Physitian and most acceptable to the sick womans palate Issues will be profitable for whatsoever slimy or clammy humour doth daily fall downe more and more from the upper parts into the Matrix findes a passage out of the body againe so long as these are kept open CHAP. VI. Of the Dropsey in the Matrix VVE affirme with Galen that an universall Drosey can by no meanes be generated without the fault of the Liver seeing that the first instrument of sanguification is the author of the bloud which if it faile in its action 't is no wonder if water and winde be generated in the body instead of laudable and pure bloud But we confesse with Hippocrates that a particular Dropsey may be produced without any fault in the Livâ—r thus there is a Dropsey of the Chest in the Foot the Finger the Arme the Matrix which we our selves have often seen the Cause thereof is a waterish swelling rising in the hollow parts of the Matrix partly by reason of the suppressed Menstruum and partly by some violent labour or some vehement Abortivenesse or by
some cold distemper and winde â—n the Matrix The swelling is discernable by the touch and if you lay your fingers upon her Matrix the print of them remaines if the Patient turne her selfe from one side to another the waterish humour immediately falls down on that side within you may perceive a rumbling noise of waters her Courses are stopped she falsly surmiseth that she is with Childe the breasts grow lank and there is no appearance of milke She feeles some difficulty to fetch her breath she is troubled with passions of the minde she is tormented with thirst complaines of heat in all the parts of the body is apt to nauseate subject to a paine in her heart and all other things molest her that usually accompany a true Dropsey and that in regard of a salt and waterish phlegme retained in the hollow parts of the Matrix and communicated thorough the common wayes to the upper provinces of the body It differs from an inflammation in the Matrix because this is consociated with a Fever continually burning all the parts of the body but in a Dropsey of the Matrix the heat is more gentle and temperate all things are lockt up in the Matrix that is nothing worth the mentioning comes from thence in an inflammation but in a Dropsey a waterish slimy and stinking excrement floweth away This is a Chronicall Disease and doth not quickly either destroy or take leave of the Patient It differs also from the windinesse which swells the Matrix for in that the swelling is not so great the flesh is not so pale and shining neither is there so much winde and it is easily differenced from a Schirrus for in this you may feele a great hardnesse but in the Dropsey the slesh is soft and lanke The Dropsey in the Matrix is a direfull disease whereby the upper parts being vitiated sometimes the whole body is drawn into consent and then the naturall heat of the Matrix is diminished and indeed the oeconomy of this part onely is not disturbed but the universall strength of the influent heat is by degrees extinguisht Wherefore you must begin the Cure without any procrastination or carelesse delayes by a heating and drying diet the forme quantity quality and manner whereof we have set down already at large in the Chapter of a swelling in the Matrix Allow her pure wine for her drinke that is sincere wine or else wormewood wine or if it seeme pleasant to her boile china roots with Annise seeds Cinamon and Agrimony in water for her to drink or alter her beer with China or wormewood or Century All moist things must be avoided and the ayre must be artificially heated unlesse you can settle her in an ayre which is naturally hot Among the universall remedies you must Ornit Phlebotomy for this exhausts the hot substance and weakens the naturall heat cooleth the body extinguisheth the inborne preservative yet this rule is not so strict or so generall but that sometimes it may be lawfull yea necessary to cut a veine when her Courses are supprest or when the Piles are stopt yea if she be young and in the flower of her youth it may be requisite to let her bloud in the spring of the yeare especially if the constitution of the weather be agreeable and the constitution of her body temperate and sanguine but otherwise never or at least very sparingly and that in the Ankle Purge the first regions of her body with Diasenua Mechoaca or Diaphenicon the thick viscous and waterish humours neverthelesse being first prepared specially with such remedies as we have commended unto you above and although the waterish humours may be purged out without staying for their concoction because water neither concocts nor waxeth thick according to Galen in his book de purgand Med. Facult yet to expell the winde and to open the obstructions wherewith the upper parts are infested I praise those things which are good to break winde to unlock the passages and to purge out the humours this is commodiously performed with wormewood agrimony fennill Maidenhaire the juice of the Florentine Flowerdeluce Sena the roots of Parsly Fennill Sparagus Butchersbroom and Alexander boiled after this manner Take the last named five roots of each half anounce Three drams of danewort roots The leaves of wormewood Water agrimony Maidenhaire of each a handfull Six drams of Sena An onnce of the juice of Ireos roots Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Barley water to two pints unto the strained liquor clarified with the white of an Egg add Two ounces of Syrupe Byzant simpl An ounce of Syrupe of wormewood Mingle them and make an Apozem When the humor is prepared exhibit pills de Hiera cum agarico to the quantity of a dram Antimony warily administred is a divine medicine and so are the Trochischs Alhandal for these irresistably bring away those thick and clammy humours which stick so fast to the Matrix afterwards the Matrix must be strengthned and the windy humours must be expelled with Lozenges made according to this manner Take the Electuary Diacinnamomum Diagalanga Dialacca of each halfe a dram Two ounces of sugar dissolved in Cinaâ—on-water According to Art make them into Lozenges or Take an ounce of old Treacle Two drams of aromaticum rosatum With a sufficient quantity of Syrup of wormewood make a mixture The Oyntments Plaisters and Poultisses which are mentioned above must be applyed to the secret parts issues also and scaâ—ifications will be convenient as we have already taught Pessaries likewise may bee made after this forme following Take Troch Alhandal Troch de agarico The best Aloes of each two drams A dram of Elaterium which is the juice of the wilde Cucumber inspissated The yelke of an Egg Unsalted Butter The juice of Mercury of each three drams With a sufficient quantity of wax a piece of Cotton and a piece of taffata make a pessary This being administred apply the Fomentation following to her privie parts Take danewort roots newly gathered The roots of the Florentine Flowerdeluce The roots Cucumer asiâ—rin of each six drams The flowers of Camomile Melilot of each two handfulls A handfull of the tops of Dill Juniper berries Laurell berries of each halfe an ounce Boile them in a sufficient quantity of wormewood water distilled to foure pints to the strained liquor add Oyle of Lillies Laurell berries of each three ounces Use it as was said above CHAP. VII Of the falling down of the Matrix THe Matrix sometimes falleth down upon the lower parts and this disease the Physitians call the Descent of the Matrix this is resembled to a pare or a gooseegg as it is small or great as there are many Causes of this disease namely a hard labour and a frequent bringing forth of children miscarrying a bringing away of the dead child some fall from on high hard riding or immoderate dancing yet there is one in my judgement more common then any of the rest namely too
the morning early If her Courses be stopped cut a veine in her ankle Leeches also may be applyed to the Hemorrhoids but with caution and warinesse least thereby you more and more weaken such women whose bodies are full of raw and indigested humours afterwards you must purge her body again with a scruple of extract Catholic and as much of mass pillul faetidar and lastly prescribe an Apozem or Decoction to cut asunder and evacuate the grosse and tough humours to provoke urine to open the obstructions of the Matrix and to bring down the Courses all which vertues meet together in this Composition following Take the roots of smallage Eryngos And Fennill of each halfe an ounce The barke of the root of the Caper And Tamarisk tree of each two drams The leaves of penniroyall and birthwort of each a handfull Germander Maidenhaire Balm of each halfe a handfull Ten drams of Sena Three drams of agarick trochischt A dram and a halfe or two drams of Epythymum Boile them all according to art in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been infused to a quart when you have strained and with a strong hand presâ— out the liquor add Three ounees of Syrup of roses Mingle them and make an Apozem or Take the roots of Butchers broome Asparagus Polypody of the oak And fennill of each halfe an ounce The leaves of Penniroyall And motherwort of each a handfull A dram and a halfe of annise seeds The flowers of Violets Rosemary and Borage of each as many as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers An ounce of raisins of the Sun Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of barley water to a quart In the strained liquor infuse for a night Ten ounces of Sena Three drams of the whitest agarick Two drams of the best rubarb A dram of Epithymum In the morning let them buble once or twice and then to the liquor which you presse out add Syr. Byzantin And Syr. de eupatorio of each an ounce Mingle them and make an Apozem Of this or of the former let her take twice in a day the quantity of three ounces for a week together once in the morning and the second time at foure a clock â—n the afternoon Excellent Lozenges may be made of the species Diamosch and Diacinnamomum or you may compound them with Treacle Mithridate and Bezoar stone When the Mola hath obtained some growth if it be waterish it must be brought away with such simples as have a faculty to purge out waterish humours or iâ— it be windy you must prescribe such medicines as are of a known and approved vertue to strengthen the Matrix and to expell winde and Carminative glysters in such cases will be very convenient so also will plaisters and fomentations applyed to her privie parts but that which is humorall skinny and bloudy may be overcome with the same remedies as are set down at the beginning against the stoppage of the Courses When Nature indeavours to expell this unprofitable burthen and an issue of bloud ensueth thereupon with fainting and swounding fits then you must be diligent to strengthen the Patient with broths made of the flesh of Capons and Partridges and with such things as will stay the bloud and refresh the exhausted spirits such as are Chalybeated wine Sugar of Pearle Corall c. You will object that wine cannot be seasonable because by the heat thereof it makes the bloud thin and makes it more apt to flow away in greater measure by opening the passages rather then it can any way help to stay it I answer it is not guilty of this mischiefe if it hath a reddish Tincture for if good Claret wine be chalybeated as hath bin said besides that it nourisheth the bâ—dy it is also a binder for it comforteth the spirits and refresheth the whole body which vermes must needs be profitable for and welcome unto a Creature who is hourely subject to faint and swound and although it might provoke the bloud to flow yet a greater good must be preferred before a small inconvenience and therefore give her wine to refresh her spirits which will be more to her advantage then the issue of bloud can be to her prejudice for she may perish suddenly in one of those fits but the flux of bloud may be restrained by degrees Note that foure things require an abstinence from wine First an inflammation of the bowells Secondly a vehement paine in the head Thirdly a Phrensie And fourthly a burning Fever in a crude disease and of this opinion was Galen as appeares in his first book ad Glauconem and the 14. chapter Moreover the Patient should be refreshed with the choicest meats and then the Mola should be disposed to come forth by softning and loosening fomentations made of a decoction of marishmallowes mallowes motherwort Mercury Birthwort Sage Hyssope Calamint the seeds of line marishmallowes fenugreek camomile melilot and rosemary in this you may dip a clout and bath her privie parts But if the bloud come not away rub her legs and apply drie Cuppinglasses to the calfes of her legs and binde most painfull ligatures about them and in a word make tryall of all such remedies as will draw down Nature the humours and the Mola to the lower parts CHAP. III. Of Womens Longings WOmen are sometimes so extravagant and preposterous in their appetite that they refuse wholsome meat and long after colaes chalke a piece of an old wall starch earth and the like trash which they devoure as ravenously as a hungry Plowman will winde downe a good bag-pudding Now perhaps you may also long to know the cause hereof which is no other then the menstruous bloud especially if it be retained about the middle of their time and grow corrupt for the child in the wombe is nourished with the sweetest part of the bloud and the other part remaining which is vitious filthy and dreggish noisome exhalations especially in the middle moneths arise from it and in such a manner contaminate all the upper partts that the worst things are vehemently desired and the most wholsome refused the signes are apparent from the depravation and irregular temper of their stomack This Disease is hard to cure yet not so much in respect of the disease it selfe as of the subject wherein it is generated which is a woman with childe now we know that such women must be warily â—nd religiously dealt withall and unlesse it be in extreame necessity their bodies ought not to be purged By this unavoidable abstinence the disease is increased and the bad humour being long retained in the body becomes daily more and more corrupt by the tetrous exhalations which ascend up from the pollutions of the Matrix therefore having first appointed a strengthning and drying dyet you must indeavour to rid away that humour with Syrup of roses solutive and afterwards when the body is cleansed and free from the humour you may prescribe a gentle Purge of Rubarb
of assa faetida Trochishs of myrrhe of each a scruple Troch Alhandal Borace of each ten graines Nutmog Saffron of each five graines Two ounces of a decoction of Savine Two ounces of muscadine Mingle them for a Draught or Take the powder of Euphorbium Dittany of Creet of each a scruple Ten graines of borace Five graines of Cantharides prepared Three ounces of a decoction of Savine Mingle them for a Draught Glystars and Suppositaries are of great concernment and thus make you them Take a dram of rest-harrow roots The leaves of Savine Pennyroyall Birthwort Motherwort of each a handfull Origanum Sage Dittany of Creet of each halfe a handfull Fennill seeds Nettle seeds The pulp of Coloquintida of each two drams Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to nine ounces to the strained liquor add Two ounces of benedict a laxativa Halfe an ounce of hiera picra Mingle them and make a Glyster or Take Troch Allhandall Scammony of each a scruple A dram of common salt With a sufficient quantity of white honey boiled according to Art make your Suppository Outwardly you may apply oyntments made of oyle of Castor oyle of Foxes oyle of Euphorbium with unguentum Agrippe unâ—o which may be added a little coloquintida powder of dittany scammony the gall of an One. Take two ounces of Vnguentum Agrippâ— Oyle of Castor Foxes Euphorbium of each halfe an ounce The pulp of coloquintida Dittany of Creet Scammony of each two drams The gall of an Oxe Euphorbium of each a dram Mingle them and make an oyntment Suffumigations may be prepared by this forme following Take halfe an ounce of live Sulphur Opoponax Galbanum Assa faetida of each two drams The powder of rue Savine of each a dram and a halfe The gall of an Oxe The juice of an onyon of each a sufficient quantity Make them into Trochischs for your use Pessaries must not be forgotten therefore Take three drams of Hiera piera in the species A dram and a halfe of myrrhe A sufficient quantity of unguentum Agrippâ— With a piece of cotton according to Art make a Pessary Or Take Ammoniack Assa faetida Black hellebore of each two drams Troch Alhandall Scammony of each a dram The juice of rue Soldanella The gall of an Oxe of each halfe a dram Two dramâ— of Turpentine With wooll and cotton according to Art make a long Pessary If these things will not bring away the childe and if the Mother be sadly fallen into an agony the safest method will be to draw out the childe with instruments if no contraindications appeare as a bad pulse and a difficulty of breathing with anxiety and unchearfulnesse of disposition in the woman CHAP. V. Of the Torments and the suppression of the Courses after the Birth WOmen in labour must be gently handled and carefully lookt unto both in respect of the roome where she is laid and also in regard of the Diet which is most proper for her in that condition As for the place it must be darke far and free from noise or any other disturbance that way least she should be offended by any accidents of feare or sadnesse or by any sudden surprizalls of anger or griefe The Diet consists in meats of good juice and easie concoction and such as are not slow in their distribution to the severall parts because they thicken the bloud and obstruct the passages Let her drinke be small beer cleare and well setled from dregs Barley water in which birthwort and borage leaves have been boiled is incomparably the best drinke you can device for her and next to it we prefer Rhenish wine conditionally that the presence of a Fever doth not forbid it The whole hope of preserving the Woman yea of curing the Diseases which happen after the birth is placed in the evacuation of the feculent menstruous bloud and therefore 't is the duty of our skill to provoke and urge down that bloud least that evill be fall her which Physitians call Torment This is a paine in the whole lower region of the belly felt upon the privie parts neere the small guts the inward cause thereof is a multitude of thick menstruous bloud retained in the body The outward cause is the inclemency of the outward ayre in regard of the coldnesse and the passions of the minde thick meats as creame custards and the like coarse bread salt flesh hard fish and many other things which are hard to digest and not kindely distributed to all the regions of the body You may most easily discover this affect by the signes for the Courses are retained at least they come downe not so freely nor in such plenty as at other times they were wont a wandring and unquiet paine is perceived beneath the navell with gurgulations and rumbling in the guts the woman breaks winde both upwards and downwards and this winde is bread of a thick and feculent bloud This affect must not be despised by neglect for the matter making way by degrees to the affected part augmenteth the paine yea and introduceth inflammations with a Fever wherefore when you have duely considered the age of the woman the Climate in which she liveth the time of the yeare and the menstruum you must without delay open a veine in the ankle and not once onely but twice or thrice as it shall seeme expedient for by this administration the thick and feculent bloud is drawn out rub her legs till by her complaints you know she feeles paine and apply Cuppinglasses to the inward part neither may you forget to lay Leeches to the Fundament by reason of its neernesse to the Matrix and the spleen A Purge be it strong or be it gentle must be exhibited the first dayes because the belly is not sufficiently open and inclined to evacuate the menstruum for should you afterwards purge her body it would take off Nature and interrupt her in her duty as Avicen sheweth in his fourth Fen. and and first chapter Therefore let the bloud be made fluid and the passages kept open and then mitigate the paines with mollifying fomentations mixt with Anodynalls Take the Caul of a weather newly killed and clap it upon the part for by the actuall and asswaging heat thereof it takes away the paine and the same vertue hath the bladder of an Oxe if it be filled halfe full of this decoction following Take the leaves of mallowes Vialets Pellitory of the wall Pennyroyall of each a handfull and a half The flowers of Camomile The flowers of melilot of each a handfull Line feeds Fennill seeds of each halfe an ounce Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to three pints unto which add Three ounces of oyle of sweet almonds Oyle of Dill Oyle of poppies of each an ounce and a halfe use it as was said above Anoynt her belly with this oyntment following Take unguentum de Althâ—a Vnguentum Agrippe of each an ounce Oyle of Lillies Oyle of camomile of each two drams A
if the humour fall down againe into the legs by reason of an habituall distemper in the upper parts you must either make an issue upon the knee or else provoke her to sweat with a decoction of Salsaparilla and China roots for by the vertue of these Simples the humour is made thin and more apt for expulsion and the lower parts wax more firme and strong CHAP. VIII Of an inflammation in the Matrix after a womans Delivery THe Cause of an Inflammation in the Matrix is a hot and boiling bloud retained in the vessells and putrifying The signes are a paine in her secret Parts a vehement Fever much heat swelling and a great itching about all the parts of the Matrix hereupon the woman becomes very prone to fainting fits to lye as if she were stupified to talke idely and the like by reason of the consent between the Matrix and the other parts as we have already shewed Lastly she can neither goe to stoole nor make water without great difficulty because the parts are so exceedingly swelled This is a most terrible disease as well in regard of the Symptomes as of the Imposthume which if it be broken leaves behinde it an incurable Vlcer from whence filthy and noysome exhalations are communicated to the principall parts which is an unerring signe of Death The Cure is Universall and Particular the universall is the opening of a veine in the ankle regard being had onely to the part inflamed and the motion of nature but afterwards we deny not but it may be expedient and efficacious to draw bloud from the arme in respect of the Fever The Particular is accomplisht by lenifying medicines and by washing the part the one is done by a Cataplasm made after this manner Take two ounces of the crums of white Bread The Pap of rosted apples The Pulp of cassia newly drawn out of each an ounce Half an ounce of the mucilage of Fleabaneseeds Ten graines of Saffron Make a Cataplasme according to Art But if the Inflammation seeme to hasten to suppuration which you may perceive by the Fever and the vehemence of the paine then you must discreetly assist Nature by an application of suppurating medicines but by no meanes adventure to give her a purge remedies of the former sort are as follow Take an ounce of marish mallow roots The leaves of mallowes And marish mallowes of each a handfull and a halfe Line seed Fenugreek of each halfe an ounce Boile them in a sufficient quantity of breast-milke unto softnesse pulp them thorough a Sieve and add to the pulp Two ounces of Hogs-grease An ounce of oyle of roses Make your Cataplasm When you have overcome the Imposthume use this Injection with a Syringe Take six ounces of a decoction made with wole barley and rose leaves An ounce and a halfe of honey of roses strained Make an Injection and wash the ulcerated part very often every day till the paine cease and the Vlcer be healed though she continue the use thereof for weeks months and yeares CHAP. IX Of too little and too much Milke WAnt of milk ariseth from these three severall Causes First from the fault of the milk Secondly from some impediment which hinders the transmission of the milke to the breasts or if it be transmited it is not retained Thirdly a penury or lack of bloud either for want of necessary food or by reason of some immoderate issue of bloud from the Matrix or from some other part The Signes of these things are the slendernesse of the breast a sharp taste in the milke and a bad smell other signes you need none because the disease is manifest of it selfe in the meane time you must take heed that this corrupt milke doe not settle in the Breasts and exulcerate them wherefore beginning with the first cause you must correct and amend the faults of the milke by purging out the bad juice if phlegme abound give her hot things not onely to purge her but also to nourish her body if choler be predominant prescribe cooling and moistning things But when the Breasts doe neither draw the bloud nor retaine it you must be solicitous to strengthen the Breasts by drawing bloud unto them to this purpose you must rub her body apply fomentations and Cataplasmes that will moderately heat and expell made of marish mallow roots the leaves of Violets mallowes melilot fenugreek the crum of white breead and the yolks of Eggs. Moreover if the parts want nourishment then let her seed upon the choicest dishes or at least appoint such things for her as are good to increase bloud and milke as eggs butter milke boiled with fennill par snips and the like Rock her to sleep by peaceable and sweet admonitions and exercise your wits to keep her from anger melancholy and all other perturbations of the minde It will not be hurtfull but rather expedient to allow her the use of good wine but then remember to put into it the powder of earth wormes Contrary to this is the immoderate plenty and superfluitie of the milke which you may easily discerne by that which comes away therefore if you suspect that the bloud will congeale and grow clotted then lessen the abundance of the mike with a thin and spare diet enjoyne her to be very abstemious and moderate in her drinke and if her Courses be stopped open a veine in her ankle but otherwise in her arme rub her legs and use all other meanes to divert the bloud from the Breasts but above all things let her use Exercise which is the best remedie in this case Yet if the bloud be congealed and if by the exhalation of the thinner part the rest wax thick then you must administer attenuating and drying medicines to cut make thin and dissolve the clotted bloud of this sort are Emplastrum de muciloginibus and emplastrum de Meliloto among which you may mingle the juice of Smallage and Frankincense CHAP. X. Of the Inflammations of the Breasts VVOmens Breasts those delicate and tender parts are not only frequently afflicted with the congealing of the bloud but they are likewise very apt to be inflamed by reason of a mixt plenty of bloud and milke whereby they swell exceedingly looke of a high red colour and are full of paine and sorenesse This Inflammation is accompanied with a Fever which the Physitians call Lactaria that is by Interpretation the Fever of the milke or the milky Fever and the learned Midwives call it Pila because presently unlesse the Breasts be well chafed and rubbed there appeareth to the touch an exact resemblance of a Ball This taketh not beginning from any venomouâ— humour contained in the Breasts but is rather to be accounted a Symptome driver to the Breasts by the motion of Nature and the bloud it is likewise very hardly distinguishable from a true Fever in which all the signes are conspicuous and manifest as appeare in this the swelling in the Breasts onely being excepted which is not some Ball accidently swallowed with the drinke as many learned men have vainely and irrationally surmised for how is it possible that a Ball should slip from the stomack thorough those slender passages of the Messentery and the Liver the hollow veine and the Axillary veines to the region of the Breasts therefore in my Judgment it is a phlegmatick matter ravelled as it were by the burning heat of the part into long threads as it happeneth to the slow matter contained in the Kidneys and the Bladder If the Fever and the Inflammation be urgent you must immediately command a veine in her ankle to be opened if it happen presently after her delivery but if a moneth be overpast let the Basilick vein on the same side be opened You must prescribe medicines to repell the humour but be carefull that they be not extreame cold least the humour should retire back to the principall parts a Glyster also must be first injected and you may afterwards prescribe this Poultis following which will mollifie and dissolve the humour and be very profitable Take an ounce of marish mallow roots The leaves of mallowes Violets Plantane of each a handfull and a halfe Boile them altogether in milke to softnesse and pulp them thorough a Sieve and to the pulp add Foure ounces of the crum of white Bread A scruple of Saffron Mingle them and make a Poultis Many times the Breasts and the Nipples are full of chaps which exceedingly torment and paine a woman these are caused by a sharp waterish humour falling down upon them and may be cured with mallowes boiled in breast-milke or with the white of an egg or with Lilly leaves moistned in oyle or with Vnguentum Pompholygos or which will exceed all the former with oyle of Nutmegs among which you may mingle bolearmenick with Cerus and some drops of oyle of Lead or some other oyle by it self CHAP. XI Of wrinckles remaining in the Matrix after a Womans Delivery and of the meanes to contract the Matrix VVHen a woman is delivered there appeare Chaps or Wrinckles by reason of the coming forth of the Childe and the flux of the Menstrunm these we have often cured with gentle astringent medicines having first administred this Injection thorough a Syringe Take halfe an ounce of Comphrey roots Two drams of Cyprus nuts Pomegranet flowers Red roses of each as many as you can containe between your thumb and two fingers at twice Myrtle seeds Shumach seeds of each a dram Boile them in a sufficient quantity of red wine to sixteen ounces and reserve the strained liquor for an Injection or Take a dram of Comphrey roots Cyprus nuts and the seeds of rhois Of each halfe a dram As many red roses as your thumb and two fingerscan grasp Beat them to a grosse powder and with an ounce of unguent Pompholygos and a piece of Cotton make a Pessary With the same medicines intermingling some other things that are greater binders you may help the loosenesse and widenesse of the secret parts which if they be not seasonably and prudently contracted may possibly be a cause that the woman will have no more Children Some Midwives use water wherein shee le hath been infused which we dislike not provided that when you boile the water you put in a quantity of Sumach seeds Medlar seeds and red Roses FINIS