seldome faileth in its operation Two scruples of boiled Rubarb A scruple of Citron myrobalans Halfe an ounce of syrup of Quinces Two ounces and a halfe of Plantane water Mingle them and let her drink it Divers Authors as Rondeletius Hollerius Amatus Lusitanus and others condemn the 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 are gentle become more vehement having acquired a new kinde of faculty by the force of the fire this I grant most willingly but in the meane time they purge lesse and binde more which we desire and as for any corrupt quality which the power of the fire may have contributed to it that is easily washt away by the help of Plantane 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 wait 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 simpl 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 râ—stharrow 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
Apozem Every other morning let her have foure ounces of it fasting If all these things prove ineffectuall infuse a whole night six graines of Antimony in wine and let her drinke it if her body be strong enough to abide the conflict of the medicine for besides that it draws back the humours from the Matrix by provoking to Vomit it likewise purgeth away by stool that tenacious phlegmatick and thick humour which is the cause of the Disease Wormewood beere is not unwholsome for her or instead thereof prescribe to her beer wherein China roots have been infused for this disperseth the humour to the skin and dries up the superfluous moisture for the same purpose we advise with Galen that a Bath of hot sand be prepared that after the use thereof the body be well rubbed and anointed with honey heated by the fire then as we prescribed above make an Issue in her knee CHAP. V. Of the Complication of the Menstruum with other Diseases THe Complication of the Menstruum with other Diseases is hard to be known and not easie to be cured for if any woman be sick of any Disease and if her Courses be supprest or appeare not the Physitians are at a stand what is most fit during this Judication to be done for it we follow the motions of Nature who worketh rightly and open a vein in the ankle this will not cure the Disease which is rooted in the upper parts And if you draw bloud from the arme you pervert the course and order of Nature to the great disadvantage of the sick woman But you will say in such a case as this what is to be done I shall tell you in few words The Disease is either vehement or moderate and of long continuance if the Courses appeare or come down in a disease of long continuance you may defer the opening of a vein till a more convenient season be it either a vein in the arme or in the ankle which you intended to cut for you can doe no hurt by omitting or at least suspending this remedy But if the Disease be acute and require a speedy evacuation you must observe whither the Menstruum be answerable to the plentie of bloud which abounds in the body if her Courses come down according to the prescription of Hippocrates you must not be busie but leave the whole matter to Nature of the same opinion is Galen also for saith he if at that time when you are letting bloud it should so fall out that her Courses come down or that she should on a suddeu have the Piles you must desist from phlebotomy and commit the whole businesse to Nature if you are satisfied that the Menstruum commeth away in a sufficient quantity but otherwise take from her so much bloud as may make good the deficiency of her Courses But if a burning Fever be upon her if she have not her Courses according to custome and to the satisfaction of her own desires then this defect must be supplied with medicines by opening a veine in her ankle applying Cuppinglasses with scarification to the calfes of her legs or Leeches to the Hemorrhoids to take away the superfluity of the bloud One thing must be considered namely if a woman after her delivery have a burning Fever upon her her Courses actually flowing whither it be lawfull in regard of the vehemence of the Fever to open the upper veines Fernelius Valeriola Amatus Lusitanus and divers others of good account assent the lawfulnesse and expediency thereof for although some have imagined that if the upper veines be opened the bloud will ascend to the upper parts yet if it be true which they imagine more profit and advantage will accrew thereby to the sick woman then hurt or danger for when a veine in the ankle is cut although it bring down the Courses and supply the defective motion of Nature in respect of the part particularly affected yet is it not equally prevalent against a most vehement inflammation nor altogether so profitable in a most acute disease because the bloud must be drawn out from some vessell that is nearer to the part affected that the conjunctive cause may be taken away and although by cutting a vein in the ankle we can draw the whole masse of bloud out of the body yet the bloud is not so fitly taken from one part as from another for in a Quinsey or a Pleurisey 't is more commodious to open the Basilick veine to temper the heat then any other veine in the whole body CHAP. VI. Of hard swellings in the Breasts THe Breasts are naturally thin spongy or fungous and loose for this reason they are apt to entertaine any crude and melancholy humours flowing to them either from the Matrix or from any other parts these if they are not rightly and duly expelled they breed painefull yea malignant and cankerd Vlcers wherefore you must addresse your selfe to the Cure without any truce or delay and this consists in three things in prescribing a Diet in the manuall operations of Surgery and in outward and inward Medicines Let her therefore make choise of a puâ—e ayre let her drink be small beer boiled with annise and snakeweed let her meat be of good concoction and easie distribution as Mutton broth Cock broth and rosted Chickens let her avoid meats that thicken the bloud as milke cheese bacon fish and the like open a veine if she have not her Courses in her ankle or cut the Basilick veine twice or thrice to ease the Liver the Spleen and the Kidneys as the multitude of bloud shall require it Note that the humour must be prepared and attempted with this Apozem Take the roots of Succhory Polipody of each an ounce The barke of the root of the Caper and Tamarisk tree of each halfe an ounce The leaves of Buglos Fumitary Balme of each a handfull Two drams of Fennill seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantitie of barley water to two pints and to the strained liquor add Syrupe of Borage Syrupe of fumitary of each an ounce and a halfe Ten graines of Spirit of Vitriol Mingle them and make an Apozem Because the humour is thick and dreggish you must purge her body severall times till it be perfectly cleansed this may be done with this decoction following Take an ounce of Polypody of the oake The leaves Fumitary Hops Borage Endive of each a handfull Epithymum Century the less of each halfe a handfull Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Barley water to two pints and in the strained liquor infuse a whole night An ounce of Sena Foure drams of Rubarb Agarick Troch Creame of Tartar of each two drams Epithymum and The flowers of borage buglos and rosemary of each as many as you can grasp between your thumb and two fingers at twice Two drams of annise seeds In the morning give it one or two bublings straine and presse it and to the liquor add Syrupe of violets Syrupe of fumitary of each
oyle of Violets Two drams of common salt Mingle them and make a glyster But if the Disease arise from a suppression of the Courses 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 the use whereof is exceeding profitable in this disease if the body be full and the disease be found to be common to the whole body open the Basilick veine on the right side from whence if an earthy and black bloud flow away Galen adviseth you to take out a large quantity If the Patient be young leane black and hairy adventure upon deep scarifications made in her back and fasten great Cuppinglasses to her arteries These universall administrations being premised and the humour being rightly prepared it will be convenient to prescribe a Purge to cleanse her body from 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 quantitie of fumitary water for a night and when in the morning you have prest out the liquor take three ounces of it and add Three drams of Diacatholicon Two drams of Confectio Hamech 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 dâ—â—solved 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 roses 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 â—he flowers of Violets Borage Oringes of each an ounce Confectio Alkermes Confectio de Hyacyntha 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 â—imes it turnes to a Dropsey in the Matrix for in regard that those windie humours are bread and increased by the diminuâ—iâ—n of the naturall heat as Galen hath observed in his book de Sumptom 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 stechas thyme origanum and lavender Let her choise be of those dishes which will be of good nourishment to the body easie 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 raisiâ—s and figs may be
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 the privie parts fluxes of a virulent and corrupt humour a gentle Fever idle talking and sometimes sounding Fits These Vlcers are very hard to cure partly because of the distance of the place the virulency and malignity of them and partly also because it is so full of Nerves that they hinder the coalescence and healing of it The most proper and convenient diet which in this case you can prescribe is that which is moderate and temperate let her surrender her whole desires to sleepe not fearing any excesse hot meats must be avoided and exercise must be forborne but above all things let her refuse her husband in his loving offers of Benevolence for by heat and motion the humours melt and falling down upon the Matrix they exasperate the Vlcers When you let bloud open the black vein a Vomit may be given with security and safety but the event of a Purge is doubtfull yet if you prescribe one let it be very gentle for the reasons aforesaid Locall remedies are very proper and profitable so are Baths and the Injections which we have already commended to you provided that you add a dram and a half of the Trochisch alb Rhasis with two ounces of Hydromel and the whey of Goats milke If you can gather from the confession of the sick woman that these Vlcers owe their beginning to the French Pox having first made triall of all these remedies aforesaid as well universall as particular prescribe compositions which receive Mercury the severall formes whereof if God permit when we describe the Cure of the French Pox we shall set down at large CHAP. X. Of Wormes the Stone in the Matrix and the Hemorrhoids THat wormes breed in all the parts of our bodies is a truth not to be denyed The Cause of these wormes is a viscous phlegmatick raw and cold humour sticking by its clamminesse to the very Matrix or to the neck thereof and by degrees putrifying The signes of them are a dew or moisture upon the lips of the Matrix slendernesse troublesome sleeps an itching in the belly and a slow Fever This is a disease full of molestation iâ— regard of the Fever and the want of sleep which waste and consume the sick Creature To facilitate the Cure a dry regiment is necessary meaâ—â— that yield a thick cold â—nd moist juice must be avoided her been â—hould be boiled with râ—barbe pur selane or sorrell and you may purge her body with â—ills of mastick or de Hiera cum 〈◊〉 or Take an ounce of grasse roots The leaves of plantane Tansie of each a handfull Two drams of citron seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of balme water to a pint in the strained liquor infuse for the space of a night Three drams of the choisest Rubarb A dram and a halfe of agarick Troch Coralline Hartshorne prepared of each a dram In the moring set them upon a gentle fire allow them one or two bublings straine them and presse out the liquor and then add Foure ounces of Diâ—â—niâ—u Mingle them for an Apozem Every other day let her drinke three ounces of it You may make your injections after this manner Take halfe an ounce of Diâ—tany roots The leaves of Tansie Calamint of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of Century the lesse Two drams of citron seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of honied water to nine ounces add An ounce and a halfe of Syrup of Wormewood Two drams of aloes in powder Meale of Lupines Rubarb in powder of each a dram Mingle them and make an Injection to serve three times or Take the roots of Costmary Aristolochy the long of each two drams Coloquintida Aloes The gall of an Ox of each three drams Two drams of hartshorne prepared Boil them in a sufficient quantity of wormwood water to nine ounces every morning inject three ounces of the strained liquor Or make a plaister of the things aforesaid according to art and lay it to the privie parts The same administrations will serve against the stone in the Matrix provided that you are sure that that is the Materiall and efficient Cause that is a thick slow and viscous humour the other namely the efficient is an immoderate heat Stones many times also are generated of a corruption or matter congealed in the Matrix and grown dry the Cause is twofold one inward the other outward the inward hath already been declared the outward is a thick cold and waterish meat suppeditating matter to the Concretion of the stone as milke fish pulse and other grosse aliments as cheese and muddy ale The Stone in the Matrix is known by the paine in the part and if you presse down the Matrix the paine is exasperated The woman conceives not her Courses come down immoderately and if she put her finger up her fundament she may feele the Stone Use your utmost speed and diligence to cure it for whereas the Matrix is as the sinke or common shore into which Nature empties out all the grosse and superfluous bloud it may be feared that that corrupt matter will turne to a Stone which in continuance of time growes sometimes to such a bignesse as we of our own knowledge can testifie that it fills the whole capacity of the Matrix and totally suppresseth the Courses breeding Vlcers full of corruption and purulency The Cure consists in a good regiment in the preparation of the humours and in the evacuation and expurgation of them to prepare the humours give her this Apozem following Take the roots of parsly Eryngos Fennill Alexander of each halfe an ounce The leaves of Germander Violets of each a handfull White Maidenhaire Century the lesse of each halfe a handfull The seeds of grummell Nettles of each two drams Six drams of raisins pickt and stoned Foure drams of licoras Boile them in a sufficient quantity of barley water to two pints to the strained liquor add Syrupe of the five roots Syrup of Lemons of each an ounce and a halfe Mingle them and make an Apozem When she hath drunk the Apozem make ready this Potion Take the roots of Polypody Marish mallowes The leaves of Violets Mallowes of each a handfull The leaves of Sena Bastard saffron seeds of each halfe an ounce Agarick Trochischated Mechoacha of each two drams Macerate them a whole night in a sufficient quantity of Rhenish wine to eight ounces and boyle them gently in the morning straine and presse out the liquor with a strong hand and add to it Halfe an ounce of Electuary Diacarâ—hamum Mingle them together and make a Potion for two doses to be taken every other day We have already furnisht you with Fomentations Poultisses Oyntments Plaisters and halfe tubs to bath in which are very serviceable in this cure but above all things inject these glysters following very often
from wine and all such meatâ— as are spiced with cinamon and Ginger Let her meat be of easie concoction and 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 Chapter of a hot diâ—â—â—per in the 〈◊〉 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 distemper be thecause that the Patient hath not her Courses cut a veine in her ankle Moreover you may prepare 〈◊〉 and moistning Juleps after this manner Take Syrup of Violets and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of each two ounces Twelve ounces of Endive water Six drops of Spirit of vitrioll mingle them or Take Syrup of borage and Syrupe of pur selane of each an ounce and a halfe A decoction of 〈◊〉 with cucumber citruâ— gourd and melon seeds of each a dram and a halfe take a pint and a halfe of the decoction mingled with the Syrups and let her drink it at three doses 〈◊〉 a Purge 〈◊〉 to evacuate choler Take three drams of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A scruple and a halfe of citron seeds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a night in a sufficient quantity of a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two ounces and a 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 straine and presse them and to the liquor add three drams of the Electuary Diaprunlaxative 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 hearbs 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 Sautalâ—n 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 perlutum 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 〈◊〉 When unfruitfulnesse proceedeth from 〈◊〉 cold distemper you must observe a contrary method of cure as for example The ayre must incline to hot and dry the 〈◊〉 must be also 〈◊〉 hot and dry and because this cold distemper is perpetually consociated with moisture whereby cloudy and grosse vapours get into the Matrix which is cold and nervous therefore it will be requiste to correct this coldnesse to take away the moisture and to consume and dissipate those windy vapours from 〈◊〉 you may gather that this is a very frequent cause of barrennesse and 〈◊〉 and so likewise are flatulent and windy humours for they extreamely swell the Matrix so that the seâ—d cannot be perfectly 〈◊〉 neither can the child be held fast by the 〈◊〉 When you attempt the Cure abstaine from Phlebotomy unlesse it be preparative onely to diâ—burthen 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 â—et out might be seasonably â—â—â—octed and this you may observe with the learned Ferâ—â—liuâ— 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 Phâ—ebotomy 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 struple of Ginger Halfe a dram of Anâ—â—â—eeds Macerate them a whole night in a sufficient quantity of marjorâ—m waterâ— to three ounces in the morning presse them hard and add Diaphenicon and Diaenicum 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 rosat 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
be potentially cold thick and binding as the 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 â—uppinglasses wiâ—h 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 distiâ—led 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 rootâ— Mingle them and make a Potion Procure some sleepe for her with Opiates as Athenasia Requies Nicholai Philonium Persicum 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 Cyprus 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 Comitissae 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 is 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 dissolve 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 nuts 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 Plaister 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
they apply to the privie parts Take unguentum de Althaea Vnguentum Resumptivum of each an ounce Oyle of white lillies Oyle of Dill Hensgrease of each halfe an ounce Saffron Dittany beaten to powder of each two drams With a sufficient quanty of wax make an oyntment But if nature be culpable in both namely in the weaknesse of the Mother and the expulsive faculty and also in the strength of the retentive then against one you must administer corroborating medicines as hath already been said and to rectifie the other fault you must adhibit loosening remedies such namely as are recited above CHAP. III. Of the Retained Secundine GAlen in his book de usu partium hath rekoned up three membranes which enwrap the childe in the wombe the first whereof is called Ammios this on every side is spread over the whole childe and receiveth the childs sweat that it may swim in it The second is named Allantoeides or Intestinalis or as others name it better Vrinaculum whose use 〈◊〉 to receive the urine the third is called Chorion our Midwives call it the Secundine which is nothing else but a multitude and connexion of vessells and membranes thorough which as by little springs or rivolets the child draweth bloud and ayre these membranes are burst when the childe begins to kick his way out into the world from whence that liquor distilleth as we have noted above which makes the passages slippery after the nativity of the childe these membranes are excerned but if they chance to be retained they introduce most outragious Symptomes and a disease of number in the excesse The Causes of the retention are diverse for many times the Matrix is confirmed after the childe is borne many times the immoderate passions of the minde make nature forget her selfe in his duty sometimes odoriferous things draw the Matrix upwards and so nature is disturbed in her purposes of exclusion an unseasonable drinking of cold water is a very frequent cause of it and so are grosse meats that stuffe the body and thicken the bloud You may know by the Midwives relation that the Secundine is retained unto whom if she be skillfull you ought at the command of Hippocrates yield up your beliefe or you may conjecture it if the woman be sad in minde subject to faint and swound full of tossing and unquietnesse if she feele a heavinesse in her wombe or a round substance like unto a fixt and immoveable ball This is a most lamentable disease for if the Secundine be retained for any considerable time it putrifies and communicates poisonous exhalations to the principall parts as the heart the brain the liver from whence arise swounding fits anxiety of minde giddinesse in the head and direfull torments Wherefore let it be the Midwives care with all speed to attempt the cure bringing down the Secundine with her fingers besmeared with oyle and let her hold fast the umbilicall vessells till the Secundine follow but what if it remaine behinde then according to the Oracle of Hippocrates delivered in the fortieth Aphorisme of his fifth book you may exhibit sneâ—zing medicines to the nostrills for these by that motion compresse the upper parts and the expulsive faculty being irritated out comes the Secundine Take black pepper Mustard seed Sagapenum of each a dram and a halfe Tobacco Castor White hellebore of each a dram A scruple of Euphorbium Make a fine powder of them and upon the point of a knife or thorow a quill let her sniffe up a little of it at a time or you may prescribe this Potion for two Doses it hath often done the Cure Take eight ounces of penniroyall water An ounce and a halfe of aqua Hysterica Two scruples of Castor in powder Mingle them for a Potion to be taken at twice or Take two scruples of the Trochischs de Carabre A scruple of Borace Halfe an ounce of the Syrup of juice of betony Three ounces of a decoction of Savine Mingle them for a Draught Suffumigations are also very profitable to bring away the Secundine Take Storax Benjamin Lign aloes of each two ounces Musk Civet of each a scruple Make a pessarie of them adding Vnguentum Agrippe and the juice of Mercury Liniments must not be omitted made with unguentum de Althaea de Agrippa oyle of Almonds and oyle of Dill fomentations and halfe tubs are equally necessary made of a decoction of camomile pellitory of the wall Motherwort Birthwort Origanum Sage Savine annise fennill and Line seeds unto all which may be added oyle of Almonds and oyle of Dill Glysters must also be injected and with good successe you may continually rub her hips and her thighes tye ligatures about her legs apply Cuppinglasses and cut a veine in her ankle When the Secundine is ejected or drawn out give the woman Cordialls as Bezoar stone Treacle Confect de hyacintha or Alkermes all which things are of undoubted vertue to restraine the malignity of the vapours sometimes a Mole remaineth in the Matrix after the birth which by reason of the congealed bloud and the fleshiâ— substance whereof it is compounded is as difficult to cure as the retention of the Secundine wherefore you must indeavour to expell that by the help of those remedies which we have prescribed above in the chapter of a Mola and here also a little above Note the difference betweene the Secundine and a Mole this is fixt and unmoveable but that is moveable from one place to another in a Mole or when a woman is troubled with that halfe conception so called a black and clotted bloud drops from the Matrix which upon the retention of the Secundine appeares not CHAP. IV. Of the Dead Childe CErtaine it is that the Childe dyes in the Mothers wombe for many causes the first of these is an inward cause as a defect of aliment or the corruption of it the second is a most vehement burning Fever which by the excessive heat thereof wastes the spirits and destroyes the naturall heat The third cause is an unseasonable evacuation of bloud at the nose the mouth the Matrix or by phlebotomy The fourth is an exuperance or an immoderate predominancy of humours in the body The fifth is a great quantity of moysture loosening the vessells The fixth is some vehement medicine The first outward cause is some blow the second a Cough the third vociferations or loud and clamorous yawlings the fourth sneezing the fifth sad tydings the fixth some horrible and dreadfull sights The Childe may be known to be dead by a coldnesse about the Mothers navell and by a kinde of fixt and immoveable weight in her belly by a bad taste in her mouth and by her stinking breath Use your utmost activity and cunning to bring away the dead childe both by inward administrations and by outward applications inwardly let her take this Potion Take a a dram of the Trochishs of myrrhe Castor Storax Borace of each ten graines Foure ounces of a decoction of
Oyle of Lillies Oyle of camomile of each two drams A dram of Opium dissolved in burnt wine 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 therefore 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 Gourses 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 boilâ— 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 Take 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 a grosse 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 melancholy 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 Vessâ—ll4 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 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 and of no lesse efficacie is this Julep following Take Endive and Borage water of each fix ounces Syrup of Betony and Pomegranets of each an ounce Mingle them together for a Julep 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 disease 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 Borage 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 had 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 Myrobalans 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 oâ— 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 Cephalick 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 ohewed 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 Mâ—trix 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
seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Barley water to a quart to the strained liquor add Syr. de 5 radicibus and Syr. lupulorum of each an ounce mingle them and make an Apozem Or Take the roots of Acorns and Elecampane of each two drams The leaves of Pennyroyall Motherwort Balme Betony of each a handfull Two ounces of white Agarick An ounce and a halfe of Anise seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Fumitary water to a pint to the liquor which you presse out add Syrupe of Motherwort Syrupe of Maydenhaire of each an ounce Mingle them and make an Apozem Note that Agarick hath respect unto the nervous parts and that the Syrup of the five roots with vinegar doth hurt the Nerves because all sharp things are hurtfull to the Matrix according to Hippocrates whose Judgement winneth reverence with the best Physitians Fomentations must be applyed to the small guts to the privie parts and you must make them of opening simples and such as will cut into and make thin the grosse and thick humours Baths and halfetubs prepared of the like simples will be very usefull and the best liniments you can choose are made of oyle of Lillies castor dill and capers and the most profitable oyntments are unguent Agrippe and de Althea with gums After you have gone thus far you must evacuate the bloud and provoke urine to which purposes prescribe this Decoction following Take the roots of Butchers broome Sparagus Smallage Fennill of each an ounce The roots of Aristolochy the round Birthwort of each two drams The leaves of Penniroyall Snakeweed Motherwort of each a handfull Foure drams of Sena Two ounces of white agarick Foure ounces of Hermodactyls An ounce and a halfe of Epithymum Anise and fennill seeds of each an ounce Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to a pint and a halfe to the strained liquor being hard prest add two ounces of the best honey mingle them and make an Apozem Every other morning let her drink foure ounces of this fasting and in the meane time strengthen her belly and her Matrix with fomentations that are good to expell winde you may make them of the Simples aforesaid with the powders Dianis Diacumin Diagalang and the like You must provoke the Menstruum with Pessaries made of the juyce of Mercury Cucumbers Restharrow unsalted butter Hogs-grease the gall of an Oxe Sagapenum Ammoniacum Castor Assa-fetida and the like Perfumes made with spices bring down the Courses if the streame or vapour of them be conveighed into the Matrix or you may appoint little Trochishs to be made with rue aristolochy Castor assa fetida Sagapenum and turpentine which being cast upon hot burning coles they will smoke and that smoke will speedily bring down her Courses if it be received up thorow a tunnell You must make an issue in her leg that the Matrix may exhale and the thick humours may be purged out Such Compositions as have steele in them will be most effectuall for it is manifest by experience that steele is good to cut into and make thin the thick and slow humours to open obstructions to bring down the Courses to provoke urine and to free the vessels from all matter that stop them and all these things it performes by manfest qualities inherent in it and not by the ponderosity or heavinesse thereof as some have conjectured Severall Authors have devised severall preparations of it but we alwayes used to prepare it after this manner following Take a pound of Steele filed into a most fine dust wash it in Pennyroyall water distilled till the water look pure and cleare then put it into a glasse Viol pouring upon it a sufficient quantity of Vinegar made with Penniroyall set it in the Sun thirty dayes stirring it about every seventh day afterwards dry it weare it to a most subtle powder in a Marble morter sift it and keep it for your use the Dose or quantity hereof to be taken is a dram with wormewood wine or Rhenish wine or with Hydromel Note that we advisedly make use of the vinegar aforenamed because the use and vertue of Steele is to unlock obstructions and Vinegar hath a faculty to penetrate make thin and cut asunder the thickest humours and therefore by the help thereof the Steele is with the more expedition transmitted to the remotest parts of the body Yet if the patient be troubled with a hot distemper in her Liver stomack or spleen or if you discerne any weaknesse in her inward parts then prepare the steele with Rose-water or whey of Goats milke When she hath taken the steele let her walke an houre after it for exercise opens the pores and thereby the Medicine is the more easily distributed when she hath observed this injunction let her lie down till she begin to sweat or if she finde in her selfe a disposednesse let her sleep afterwards give her to eat but her meat should rather be rosted then boyl'd and for her drink allow her small wine or wine prepared with steele I doe not judge it meet to determine any time for the continuance of these Rules and precepts onely in generall I hold it convenient to use them till the Patient be more apt and disposed for exercise till she can walke without any lazy complaint of wearinesse till her lips begin to look of a more lively colour till no obstruction be perceiveable by the touch and in a word till the urine which was thin pale and discoloured appeare reddishlike unto the urine of a healthfull woman The Spring time is the most convenient to undertake this Cure for then the humours are most apt to flow which in the Winter are congealed and impacted in the severall parts and in the Summer time it will not be altogether so proper to begin the Cure for then thorough the immoderate heat of the season the humours doe daily threaten to precipitate the sick woman into a fever If the woman be weake in her body let her refraine from exercise and rest her selfe upon her bed and after the space of a full houre let her body be diligently rubbed till it looke red that the faculties of the steele may be actuated and assisted in their operation for Galen in his book de Puero Epileptico and the fourth Chapter saith that the rubbing of the body supplies the want of exercise because it attenuateth and cuteth the humours unlocks the obstructions quickens and kindles the naturall heat and dissolves the peccant matter Many mingle steele prepared with Conserves and Syrups Some make Lozenges thereof and so doe we also especially when the Patient refuseth Wine or Conserves and the like for in some cases we must allow pardon to the queazinesse of the sick and humour the Palate with a safe indulgence The powders Diarhod Abbat Dialacca and Diacucurma are very good to open the passages which are stop't and therefore you may prudently mingle them among the ingredients for the Lozenges aforesaid
â—rovoke urine yet when steele is quenched 〈◊〉 it it is wonderfull wholsome for her â—s Hippocrates affirmeth concerning the Son â—f Erotelaus lying sick of a bloudy Flux for â—hen he had drunk whey in which red hot â—nts were quenched his evacuations were â—ore moderate although they were bloudy â—nd in a short time they ended here is to â—e noted that whey although upon a slight â—onsideration it may seeme to be Diuretiâ—â—ll and so to provoke rather then to stay â—he flux yet if steele be frequently quenched 〈◊〉 it till the thin and fiery parts thereof â—e wasted away it stayeth the Flux If these Remedies prevaile not to perâ—â—ct the Cure I shall counsell you to make â—n Issue upon the knee for this being kept â—pen the corrupt humours are evacuated â—ithout any decay of the spirits which â—therwise doe many times produce grieâ—â—ous and vehement Symptomes we have â—poken of the coming away of the Menstruâ—m by Drops with the terrible Symptome which accompanies it namely a vehement â—nd insupportable paine but because this â—aine proceeds from divers causes the Cure â—ust 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 Salzapavilla 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 excrementitious 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 whom other Physitians had preposterously prescribed Medicines without opening a veine Afterwards you must prepare the phlegmatick humour with a decoction of wormewood unto which add Syr. of Roses or Syr. â—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 Troâ—chischt 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 Halfe 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 evacuate 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
he commands the preparation of that cold and thick humour which may be effected by this Apozem following Take the roots of fennill Small Aristolochy Elecampane of each foure drams The roots of Dittany Piony of each two drams The leaves of Nip Penniroyall Calamint Sage of each a handfull The flowers of Stechas Rosemary of each as much as you caâ— graspe between your thumb and two fingers at twice A dram of annise seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been inâ—used to two pints To the strained liquor add An ounce and a half of Syrupe of Stechas An ounce of oxymell Scilliticum Mingle them and make an Apozem After you have prepared the humour purge the body with this composition following Take two drams and a halfe of Sena Three scruples of white agarick A dram of annise seeds A scruple of Ginger Macerate them for a night in a sufficient quantity of parsley water in the morning give them one or two bublings and to the liquor which you presse out I meane three ounces of it Add two scruples of Mass Pill Feâ—id Mingle them for a Potion or You may prescribe some other mixture to purge phlegm and more valiantly to break and expell winde or make ready this plaister following to be applied to her Navell and her secret parts Take three ounces of bistort roâ—ts Lign Aloes Sautali moschatelin Nâ—tmegs Barbarâ—es Dill of each two drams Cinamon Cloves Scevanth Caâ—amile flowers of each a dram Male frankincense or Olibanum Mastick Trochischs de Gallia Moschata Storax calimata Red â—torax or each a scruple Seven graines and a halfe of musk Three ounces and a halfe of yellow wax An ounce and an halfe of â—urpentine A pound of pure ladanum Nine ounces of ship Pitch Mingle them and according to Art make a Plaister If the contumacity of the â—vill be such as not to yield to all these remedies make Issues in the legs and if those also prove ineffectuall my last recourse is to a decoction of Guaâ—acum wood wherewith the learned Jachinus as he avâ—rreth in his Commentaries upon Almansor hath cured many of this Disease CHAP. III. Of Melancholy proceeding from the Matrix THis hath one and the same Cause with the Epilepsy namely the retention of the Seed and the suppression of the Menstruum which being earthy and not obtaining a vent they putrifie beget vapours which doe not onely assault the braine but they oppresse the heart also and the Midriffe for when a gloomy and black vapour ascends to the braine the principall parts and their instruments are depraved and the animall spirit which is the chiefest instument of the soule and in its own nature cleare and perspicuous is rendred darke and obscure The true signes of this disease are sadnesse fearfulnesse anxiety of minde and severall figures or postures of unquietnesse appearing in the body They despaire they doate they talke idely especially at that time when they expect their Courses in these you may observe a depraved motion of the principall Members because the temperament of the braine is perverted by that cold and dry humour moreover they are unwilling to dye they cannot sleep they have no stomack to their meat and being taken with a strange loathing of aliment their bodies waste and consume sometimes they imagine that they undergoe the torments of damned soules in Hell they weep without any cause they groan they lament anon againe they laugh desire to goe into some by coâ—neâ—s and according to the inward discompoâ—ure of their miâ—des they turne vary and alter their gestures and countenances into severall figures sometimes they have a conceit that they are talking with Angels sometimes they murmur sometimes they sing certainly there is not a more strange and wonderfull disease for in severall persons it bewrayeth a thousand severall ridiculous and antick behaviours He sees the difficulty of this Cure both in regard of the Symptomes and the stubbornesse of the disease who understands it to be a cold and dry affect for there is no doubt but the braine labours under a cold and dry distemper and how much drienesse resisteth the best medicines is not unknown to Philosophers for as it is of a dull and sluggish action so are there many resistances and from thence comes the danger because it easily degenerates into â—â—veing and raging madnesse or into the Falling Sicknesse or into an Apoplexy and it is held incurâ—ble if the braine be primarily affected because in continuance of time it takes so deep a root that no Magazine of Remedies no stratagems of Art can remove it Wherefore you must be very carefull when you undertake the Cure as for her Diet let it incline to hot and moist assigne her a gently breathing ayre boile her drink with the rooâ—s of buglos angelica and snakeweed with the leaves of hops buglos balme and fumiâ—ary allow her white Wine that is small and well sented let her be indulgent to her sleeps avoiding cares pensivenesse and troublesome thoughts if her body be costive make it and keep it soluble Venery is wholsome for melancholy persons provided that it be acted seasonably and with moderation Hippocrates placed the whole hope of the Cure in the evacuation of that excrement commanding as we have said above such Virgins to marry To facilitate the Revulsion and the evacuation of the humour loosen the belly with moistning Suppositories and Glysters observe their composition Take two scruples of the species Hiera piâ—ra Ten graines of Troch Alhandal Halfe a dram of common Salt With a sufficient quantity of honey boiled to a due thicknesse make a Suppository or Take a scruple and a halfe of Hiera Picra in the species Trochishs of agarick Troch Alhandall of each a scruple Halfe a dram of Sal gemme With a sufficient quantity of honey according to art make a Suppository Take the roots of Elecampane Polypody of each foure drams The leaves of mallowes Violets Balme Pellitory on the wall Mercury of each a handfull Ten good prunes Five drams of Sena As much Epithymum as your thumb and two fingers can grasp Two drams of annise seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of fuâ—â—tary water to nine ounces when you have strained and prest out the liquor add Diaprun Laxat Diaphenicon of each an ounce An ounce and a halfe of oyle of Violets A dâ—am of Sal gemme Mingle them and make a glyster Or Take the leaves of Buglos Borage Balme of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of Violets Foure drams of Sena Halfe an ounce of the roots of black Hellebore As much Epithymum as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers A dram of fennill seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of broth made of a sheepshead and guts soundly wash't before you put them into the pot and to ten ounces of the liquor which you press out add An ounce of Diaprun Laxat Halfe an ounce of Confectio Hamech An ounce and a halfe of
allowed her but command a forbearace of chesnuts and almonds for they are thick and windy let her eat the whitest bread baked with annise or fennill seeds or a little honey course barley bread and the like is not good for her but nothing is more unwholsome for her then fruit you may grant her the use of some few hearbs as sparagus parsley alexanders water pepper â—orage and buglos For her dâ—inke give her Fountaine water wherein annise seeds or cinanon or china roots or the like have been boiled but the most wholsome drink for her is wormewood beer If she drink wine let it be sparkling and pleasant claret wine mingled with water other artificiall drinks as cider perry metheglin steepona Nectarella Medea and the like are hurtfull for her The humour must be prepared with Rhodomel Syrupe of wormewood Syrupe of mint and the like Her body must be purged by fits for the crude thick and windie humour will not be got out with one medicine this is taught us by our great Master Hippocrates who in his fourth book de Acutis saith whosoever indeavours at the beginning of a disease to dissolve or take away an inflammation by a purging medicine he will finde himselfe much mistaken for whilest the part is intensively inflamed and the affect yet crude and unconcocted the physick gets no victory hath no laudable operation at all but rather it brings away such things as would have made resistance against the disease and so by this rashnesse the body is weakned and the disease gets strength which when it hath once overcome the body becomes uncurable therefore whensoever you undertake to purge a body you must not onely make the humours fluid but you must also stay till they are concocted especially in chronicall and long-lasting diseases this may be done by the help of this Apozem following Take the roots of fennill Elecampane of each halfe an ounce The leaves of penniroyall Wormewood Hops Motherwort of each a handfull As many Camamile flowers as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers at twice Two drams of agarick Trochischated Half an ounce of Mechoca roots The seeds of fennill Annise of each two drams Boile them according to art in a sufficient quantitie of barley water to two pints when you have prest out the liquor with all your strength add Two ounces of Diacâ—ycum Mingle them and make an Apozem or Take the roots of Polipody Angelica Hermodactyls Of each halfe an ounce The leaves of Hops Motherwort Fumitary Balme Betony of each a handfull Six drams of sena Agarick Trochischated The roots of Mechoaca of each two drams Halfe an ounce of Bastard Saffron seeds Epithymum Camomile of each as much as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers Two drams of fennill seeds Boile them according to art in a sufficient quantity of Cock broth to two pints presse out the liquor with your utmost strength and add Two ounces of Syrupe of the juice of fumitary An ounce of Diacnycum Mingle them and make an Apozem Let her every day drink three ounces of it For nothing cleanseth the Matrix from tenacious and 〈◊〉 humours so effectually as Agarick or which is a surer and more infallible remedy against the Mother if we may credit Galen and Mesur Monardus Costa Clusius Lobel and Weckerus ascribe the same vertues to Mechoaca which is hot and dry Turpentine although Galen in his booke de sanitate tuenda saith that it serves onely to loosen the belly yet it purgeth and cleanseth all the bowells as the Liver the Spleen the Kidneys the Lungs and the Matrix from those tough and slimy humours which are strongly impacted in them There are severall wayes to prepare it sometimes it is most easily taken with the yelk of an Egg sometimes in powder and sometimes being reduced into an oyle the admirable efficacy hereof freequent experience doth more and more discover to me so that I have often adventured to give it and with blessed success in many diseases both of the Chest the Kidneys and the bladder for this cleanseth the stomack from thick and tough humours from which part floweth the whole streame of phlegmatick humours it wonderfully warmeth the Matrix wipeth away the clammy filth which sticks about the walls of it expelleth winde provokes the Courses and brings down urine You may make an excellent Fomentation after this manner Take the leaves of Motherwort Penniroyall Birthwort Rue of each a handfull and a halfe Rosemary Sage Betony of each a handfull The flowers of â—amomile Stechas of each halfe a handfull The tops of Dill Wormewood Of each as much as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers Boile them in white wine to foure pints use the strained liquor for a Fomentation and with sponges dipt in it bath all about the bottome of her belly her groiny and her privie parts After the Fomentation apply this admirable oyntment Take oyle of laurel Wormewood of each an ounce and a half Oyle of Castor Earthwormes of each an ounce In these oyles boyle gently The powder of aromaticum rosatum Wormewood Sage Lignum aloes of each a dram and a halfe A dram of red Corall Straine and presse out the unctious substance and add Three drams of yellow wax Mingle them and make an oyntment If you augment the severall doses of the aforesaid hearbs prescribed for the Fomentation you may make a halfe Tub or you may lay on the plaister pro Matrice 't is sold in the shops aromatized with Diarrhodon Abbat and Diamoschus dulcis or instead thereof apply the plaister Tachamacha or Catanua Antidotes may not be omitted as Treacle and Mithridate Excellent Lozenges may be made for her of sugar with the species Diamoschus Diagalanga Diacinnamomum or Diacuminum or if you please prescribe this mixtue following Take the roots of Elecampane candied Ginger candied of each an ounce Conserve of the Flowers of Sage Rosemary Orenges of each six drams Halfe an ounce of conserve of borage The species aromaticum rosatum Diamoschus of each a dram and a halfe With a sufficient quantity of Syrupe of Wormewood mingle them for your use If these medicinâ—s doe not overcome the disease let her use minerall sulphureous baths or the like Zacutus Lusitanus saith if you take the durt in the bottome of one of these baths and lay it upon the Matrix it is as divine a medicine against the cold affects of the Matrix but in these words of his I conceave there is more of ostentation then of truth If the evill yet persevere we used in the next place to prescribe sweating remedies of guaiacum china and sassaphraz roots to be administred as we have already shewed in the foregoing cures and afterwards we make issues that the Matrix may exhale Now let us consider what must be determined in this case concerning Phlebotomy some will say that in a bad habit of the body in a Dropsey in the trembling palsie and
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 in 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 anoâ—her the waterish humour immediately â—alls down on that â—ide within you may â—erceive a rumbling noise of waters her Courses are stopped she falsly surmiseth â—hat she is with Childe the breasts grow â—ank and there is no appearance of milke She feeles some difficulty to fetch her â—reath 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 â—etained 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 flesh 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 omit 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 Feâ—nill 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 Dialacea of each halfe a dram Two ounces of sugar dissolved in cinamon-Cinamon-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 scarifications 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 yolke 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 asicrin 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 suffâ—icient 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
dissolve for seeing that the greatnesse of the fever doth accompany the greatnesse of the inflammation if the fever remit which depends upon the 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 ounces The leaves of mallowes Marish mallowes of each a handfull Bran Camomile flowers of each half a handfull Twelve fat figs. Boâ—le 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 her whey or an infusion of Ruharb to drink lay cooling Epithems upon her Liver and then wash her Matrix with this Injection 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 proceed to issues CHAP. IX Of a Cancer and an Vlcer in the Matrix A Cancer is an uneven blewish swelling with paine and filthy to behold this is twofold either with or without an Vlcer the one hath sordid lips from whence issueth a black corruption unsavory and 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 ofâ—ordid and blackish bloud floweth away You may discerne the signes by a paine about the groine the abdomen the bottome of the belly and in the loines of her back it is a stubborne disease both in respect of the incommodiousnesse of the place which is the sinke of all the humours and also in regard of her frequent desire and indeavour to make water which render the medicines so moist that they cannot stick to the part moreover light remedies it contemnes and vehement medicines make it worse wherefore Hippocrates in one of his Aphorismes most wisely adviseth us not to cure a hidden Cancer because they who are cured quickly perish they who are not cured live so much the longer and we say the same of a Cancer which is exulcerated the paines whereof are greater and doe more torment the woman when the Cure of the Vlcer is attempted We must therefore content our selves with a palliative Cure that the Patient may live the longer for in the midst of misery life is sweet this may be done by appointing a good Diet and forbidding the use of Melancholy meats Upon the approach of the Spring and about the end of Autumne let her bleed from the basilick veine but if she have not her Courses open a veine in the ankle Prescribe such simples as are good to purge Melancholy as Sena Hellebore myrobalans epithymum and annise seeds Some of these must be infused a whole night in whey and so strained and dranke but exhibit not stronger Physick because the humour is so apt to be outragious Locall remedies which are moderately cold and binding may be applyed to the privie parts as roses myrrhe the juice of unripe grapes mingled with rosewater breast-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 Omphacinum 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 aud 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 â—â—ree 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 your 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
that is a woollen bag and give her now and then the quantity of a small wine glasse If these remedies overcome not the disease apply an exceeding great Cuppinglasse to the heart by the force whereof the windy vapour will evaporate for although Glysters doe draw back the humour from the affected part yet in reference to great bellied women you ought to suspect the event of them because they raise too great a disturbance by provoking nature downwards and many times cause abortivenesse yet if the paine be insupportable then inject carminative glysters and omit all bitter ingredients as Hiera 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 roses 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 them in a sufficient quantity of broth made with an old Cock to nine ounces to the inward liquor add Calabrian Manna And red Roses of each an ounce and a 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 steep 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 parts 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 foâ—beare 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 did oppresse 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 Emunctories 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 is a viscous thick and tough humour impacted 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 set down as the true signes of this evill As for the Prognosticks 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 Ptisan 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 mediciâ—es 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 liquor 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 Diatragacanth frigid Diaireos Poppy seeds of each a scruple Two ounces and a halfe of Sugar dissolved in rose water according to art 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 ounce Two drams of meale of beanes A dram of Diaireos Ten graines of Sulphur With Syrup of Coltsfoot make a Conserve Meale of beanes according to Galen doth cleanse and mundifie the Chest digests and crude spittle contained in the pipes and makes it easie to be excerned bean-flower water is exceeding good for the Lungs especially if she drinke it with Syrupe of Maydenhaire or Oxymel Scilliticum 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 Take 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 câ—ude humours 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 signes 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 settle in them You may securely speedily and gently accomplish the cure by strengthning and disâ—olving remedies In the first place therefore provide a bath with chalybeated water Saltpeter Sulphur Wormewood Stechaz Rosemary and Camomile in this liquor let her wash her lips her thighes her legs and her feet and when she washeth them let her also rub them soundly If her flesh grow very soft and lank so that you feare a mortification apply this Poultis following which will exceedingly comfort her Take two handfulls of Wormewood Meale of Vetches Meale of beanes Meale of barley of each an ounce and a halfe An ounce of Bran. With a sufficient quantity of oxymel and a brine made with lemon pills according to art make your Poultis If the coldnesse of the part be such that you feare a gangreen there is nothing will more certainly prevent it then Scarification for by this meanes the part is ventilated and preserved from putrifaction Strengthning remedies must sometimes be exhibited to expell the winde yet you must administer them with a good diet consisting of drying and corroborating things as Treacle Mithridate and other drying confections and powders Diacinnamonium aromaticum rosatum Diarrhodon Abba t is unto which we may well adjoyne a decoction of China and Salsaparilla with a little stick of cinamon and a few annise seeds Note that these remedies may properly be accommodated to the cure of the disease called the Vterine Flux which happens sometimes to women when they are ready to lye down by reason that there is an excessive abundance of humour in their bodies or else because the childe in their bellies is very large and great CHAP. VIII Of Costiveness in Women with Childe THe inner part of the humour being spent upon the nourishment of the childe in the womans belly the dregs grow hard and when Nature striveth to cast them out by a strong and vehement indeavour the Matrix suffers a compression by which compression the childe is offended the Cotyledons are loosened and many times the woman miscarrieth and the child proves abortive The belly must be sollicited but not with glysters because they hurt the childe especially if it be grown to some bignesse but with Suppositaries made with hogsgrease and five or â—xgraines of Diagryâ—ium for these will irritate Her meat should be of a moistening and mollifying quality as mallow and borage leaves eaten with butter and Sugar fat pottage also is good for her in which if she complaine of no torments you may boyle polypoda sena and prunes Manna above all other things is in present case to be preferred and next to it we commend Syrup of roses laxative and Syrupe of Violets made with a frequently iterated infusion Sometimes you may prescribe this Julep Take the waters of borage Fumitary of each eight ounces Three ounces of Syrup of Violets Mingle them and make a Julep Forbeare the use of sharp medicines for they worke with an unnecessary vehemence and not seldome cause Abortivenesse Unto this disease we adjoyne a loosenes which hapneth when women are of a cold constitution and full of crudities or when they have a weake belly Sometimes also it happens by their inordinate Longings when they wish for a greater variety of dishes then they are able to concoct for then many times what they have so greedily devoured passeth down into the guts without digestion and causeth a loosnesse through the weaknesse of the retentive facultie We have learnt from Hippocrates to accouâ—t this among the dangerous diseases for in the fifth brok of his Aphorismes he hath these words If a woman with childe be troubled with a great loosnesse 't is to be feared that she will miscarry and note well the reason hereof for when she is thus afflicted the good and the bad goe away together the childe is defrauded of its due nourishment and so perisheth You must presently strive to stay the loosnesse with binding and thickning meats as quinces rubarb beer wherein steele hath been often infused or else you may prescribe this Potion following Take a handfull of plantane leaves The seeds of flux wort The seeds of Sumach of each a dram Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of red wine to a pint and a halfe to the strained liquor add Srrupe of Comphrey Syrupe of Quinces of each an ounce Make a Potion Boile or steep annise seeds in her drinkes and apply the same fomentations oyntments and plaisters as we have already commended unto against Vomiting But if the excrements be slimy putrified and stinke you must not neglect the use of Rubarb gently rosted and of myrobalans slightly rosted for these doe not onely purge but they binde withall and strengthen the parts Sometimes you may exhibit Philonium Persicum Requiem Nicholai or Pill de Cynoglossa but with a sober caution the quantity is a scruple or at the most but two scruples and that when the other things have proved unsuccessefull and also when the strength of the Patient will allow the taking of them CHAP. IX Of the flowing away of Bloud from the Matrices of women with Childe ALthough we made mention of this disease in the first booke where we treated of the immoderate flowing of the Courses yet we conceive it may be worth our labour and the Readers thanks to add a few things which in the Chapter aforesaid were purposely omitted by us Bloud then floweth immoderately from the Matrix either when the lips thereof are unlockt or when the vessells are open or lastly by transcolation The inward cause of these symptomes is an extreame heat or thinnesse in the bloud which either eats asunder the vessells or rarefies the tunicles thereof the outward causes are all those things which have a power to make thin to heat to open to rarefie and to subtilize the bloud as immoderate cares of the minde long watchings a continuall use of hot meats as dishes pepperd and spiced also drinking too much wine yet you may exhibit a glasse of Claret wine in a moderate quantity to refresh her spirits provided that no Fever be suspected and that her Matrix be not inflamed The signes of this evill are manifest for the spirits are deficient the heat is diminished the face groweth pale the feet swell the strength decayes the meat is forsaken and no sleep can be obtained The danger of this Flux is unknown I suppose to few women for seeing that our naturall heat hath its chiefe and sole perseverance in the bloud the losse of that bloud in an immoderate quantity must needs exhaust the spirits weaken the body and at length when the naturall heat is almost extinguisht and the sanguification is depraved there will undoubtedly supervene either a Dropsey or a Consumption When you begin the Cure keep the Patient in a darke roome and let the ayre be cold and dry or if naturally it be not so make it so by art her meat should
women in the Country who are accustomed to labour and take much paines and such Virgins as are of a hot constitution have very little or no evacuation this way because the Mâ—nstruum is wasted and vanisheth by their continuall exercise and paines taking Secondly when the moisture is consumed away the vessels are so much the more narrow and bound up so that there is almost no passage left for the exclusion of the Courses A cold Distemper stayeth the Courses because it weakneth and cooleth the parts breeds bad humors and obstructions straightens the passages obstructs the conduits infirmes and overcooleth the Matrix and so retaines suppresseth and stoppeth the Courses Swellings Imposthnmes scars and the like are all reducible to the inward causes but the most usuall inward cause is a slow tough and slimy humour which glewing up as it were the vessells of the Matrix and thickning the bloud retaineth the Menstruum according to the opinion of Galen delivered in severall places of his works The outward Causes are all those things which any way increase a cold juice in the body as a cold and moist Ayre gluttony crudities cold Baths and an unseasonable use of them meats that yield a grosse nourishment and are hard to digest and such as constipate the humours and thicken the bloud in which number are thick and sweet wines pulse of all sorts white meats made with milke hard fish and salt flesh pothearbs Vineger Olives Rice and the like also an unseasonable use of Venery a disorderly motion of the body presently after meates cold drink ale and other Pourtents or liquors which breed slow and thick juices You may know when the Menstruum is or will soon be suppressed by the relation of the sick woman who commonly will make these discoveries that she hath no stomack to her meat that for a long time together she hath felt a heavinesse over all her body with a paine in her back her privities and her Matrix besides you your self may discern agreenish paleness in her face Sometimes she is troubled with loud belchings and cruell paines in her belly but frequently with the head-ach especially in the forepart of her head and when the bloud is stopped putrifies in her body presently there ariseth a Fever by reason of that Sympathy Communion or consent between the Matrix the other parts Many and irreparable are the inconveniences and evills which happen by this stoppage of the Courses if we may beleeve the great Hippocrates who in one of his Aphorismes saith if the Menstruum comes away without moderation diseases follow but if it comes not away at all yet then diseases happen also from the Matrix but if it comes away in a due and naturall manner it preserves the woman from all gowtie torments from paines in her joints from the Pleurisie and all other inflammations in her sides from the Apoplexy from the difficulty to fetch her breath and from loosing her voyce Women that have not their Courses must seeke for remedies with speed and prudence let them betake themselves to a temperate and moyst Ayre for if the Ayre be too hot it wasteth the bloud and drawes it upwards from the Matrix it likewise exhausts the Spirits and is thought to be a weakner of the body on the contrary when the Ayre is too cold it compels the bloud to retire it weakens the Matrix breeds grosse and thick humours and locks up the passages so that the Menstruum cannot descend the most convenient drinke in this case is small Rhenish wine if there be a Fever or which will be lesse dangerous small beere boiled with a little Cinamon Anise Maydenhaire or Birthwort Her diet should be such as will bee soon concocted and easily distributed to all the parts boiled meats are more wholesome for her then rosted because these dry up the bloud but they soften the body and keep it moist let her also choose to feed upon tame creatures rather then wilde because these are more hot and dry but those are more moist and temperate boyle them with red fitches for the broth that is thus made doth most powerfully bring down the Courses What meats must be avoided hath been said above but above all things let her refraine the use of sowre things because as Hippocrates hath warned us they bring paine to the Matrix it will be good to rub the lower parts of her legs very often and to tie straight ligatures about them till they make her complaine of much paine Having thus prescribed her Diet the next designe must be to evacuate the Cause this may be done severall wayes but especially by letting bloud and sometimes by purging her body the Physitians have long contended but very foolishly which vein should be cut but we omitting the frivoulous alterations on both sides conclude with Galen that when the Courses are stop't if the strength of the woman will beare it and the nature of the Disease require it the vein in the Ankle must alwayes be opened not in the Arme as Aetius commands who also is backt in that opinion by Gradus Mercurialis and Amatus Lusitanus who was taught by Ruffus to open a vein in a womans arme to advance the cure but I cannot approve of that course because rectitude must ever be observed Galen in his book de Curandi ratione per sang miss chapt 11. instead of opening a vein useth Scarification to the domesticall part as having the greatest resemblance with Phlebotomy and if these things doe not overcome the Disease apply Leeches to the Hemorrhoids to take away the accumulation of melancholy bloud for they suck out the feculent and dreggish humours impacted in the Matrix by reason that those parts are so neere the one to the other Zacutus Lusitanus applieth them to the inner part of the Matrix and boasteth himselfe the Author of this kinde of remedy but whether it be consonant to reason I leave to considering persons to judge There is no doubt but the application of Leeches may be usefull because the humour is slow thick and earthy but in regard that no part is evacuated till the whole body be first purged therefore I shall advise you to give her this Purge following which will worke very gently Take three drams of Sena Three scruples of Agarick A dram of Annise-seeds Macerate them together in a sufficient quantity of Penniroyall water for the space of a night to three ounces in the morning allow them one or two bublings and to the liquor which you presse out add Foure drams of Diaphenicon Mingle them and give it her to drinke Or of the Electuary make a Bolus When the body is purged and a vein hath been opened let your Judgement keep company with Galens directions and prepare the thick humour with this Decoction following Take Smallage Fennell and Sparagus roots of each halfe an ounce the leaves of Hysope Pennyroyall and Birthwort of each a handfull Two drams of Carrotts
Here perhaps you will start this question if heat provokes to stoole and brings down the urine if it attenuates cuts into to the humours and open the obstructions why doe Physitians unanimously command the staying of a loosenesse or an Issue of bloud in what part of the body soever it happen and to that intent prescribe water or wine or beer wherein steele hath been quenched thereby to make it more binding and more apt to stay any flux I answer that steele is indued with those qualities I readily grant but the Method which is observed in the use of steele doth cleerely demonstrate a diversity of faculties to be in it wherefore if your aime and intention be to open the obstructions drinke the wine when the steele hath been once twice or thrice quenched in it but if you desire it should binde then prescribe it to be taken after the sixth or seventh quenching for the first water or wine openeth because in that lieth the fiery quality but the other bindeth because in that consists the earthy part neither shall you need to wonder that severall and contrary qualities should lie concealed in one and the same minerall mettall or simple seeing that by daily experience we have a demonstrative certainty of the truth thereof for thus Aloes hath an Emplastick and an opening quality thus Rubarb both binds and purgeth Now you must note that these Simples are called hot and cold as they have hot or cold parts predominant in them thus we conclude endive to be cold because the parts thereof are more moist then bitter and we say Rubarb is hot because it hath a â—itrous fiery purging quality predomiâ—ant in it above the earthy binding and cold parts Christopherus a Vega a man otherwise veâ—y learned seemes to my understanding to â—orsake the offers of reason in saying that â—â—eele is unprofitable because he never saw any woman who had not her Courses or who was troubled with obstructions cured by the meanes of this Remedy but truly â—f it doth not sometimes totally subdue the will yet the fault must not therefore conâ—equently be charged upon the Medicine because the Matrix is sometimes vitiated by an habituall distemper or else the obâ—ructions thereof are so many or so stubâ—orne that sometimes they destroy the sick woman and if it doe not fall out so yet â—s it an undeniable truth which the Poet â—ells us Non est in Medico semper relevetur ut Aeger Interdum docta plus valet arte malum That is The Doctour cannot still successefull be Sometimes the evill gets the victory CHAP. III. The immoderate flowing of the Courses THis disease is contrary to the former for as in that the Menstruum is too long retained so in this they run too long There is also this difference between them the one proceedeth from a hot distemper the other from a cold one This we now treat on is produced by a twofold cause the one inward and the other outward The inward Cause is a hot distemper oâ— the Liver whereby the bloud growes hot thin boyling in the vessells and opening them so that the Menstruum is purged out before the usuall and due time The outward Cause is that which heateth and inflames the bloud and withall makes it thin as vehement and sturdy exercises pensivenesse and immoderate cares of the minde excessive anger and thoughts busied upon revenge a custome of eating meats that are hot in their quality namely such as are full of pepper and salt bibing of wine and strong drinks too much bathing of the body long watchings siting in the Sun overmuch or by the fire side c. You may easily make your selfe acquainted with the signes by conversing with and questioning the sick woman besides you may of yonr selfe observe that the Patient is much weakned in regard that the parts are deprived of the purest portion and the most laudable substance of the bloud by which the life of a Creature is prolonged women thus affected are very sad and melancholy by reason that the bloud faileth which otherwise containes a spirit in it that makes them cheerefull and lively they grow leane and feeble scarce able to stand upon their legs they are apt to Nauseate and forsake their meat they are bound in their bodies and grow puft and swel'd up they are troubled with weaknesse in their stomacks they cannot digest their meat their eye-lids sink inwards the calfes of their legs swell and their outward parts look pale and discoloured yea by degrees the whole radicall moisture and inborne preservative decayeth and the Patient perisheth Wherefore make no delay but immediately oppose all your helps of Art to the subduing of the Disease let her be lodged in an ayre that is cold and dry and let her not be exposed to any ayre by night strew coole hearbs about her chamber and let her avoid the ayre which is hot because it rarifies the bloud makes it thin and waterish and also inflames and over-heats it She must forbear the use of hot meats as Leeks Onyons Watercresses Origanum and the like let her likewise refraine from feeding upon spiced meats and such as breed a thin juyce Rice boyled with sheeps-feet is good for her and so are rosted Quinces Medlars and Services Three houres after Supper let her take fine flower or pure Bisket dissolved in Plantane or Rosewater and sweetned with Sugar Give her no wine unlesse it be sowre and binding red wine but it will be more profitable to give her water wherein gum tragacanth hath been boiled and perfumed with Mastick beere in which steele hath been infused will be profitable for her about the third or fourth day for this drink hath a binding faculty without heating But the opening of a vein twice or thrice in a day obtaines the preheminence from all other remedies according to the judgment of Galen because it drawes back the humour more forcibly to the upper parts when it is often repeated then when it is done all at once heare him in his own words Quantò majorem in numerum particulares auxeris detractiones tantò efficaciorem revulsionem efficies that is the oftner you open a vein taking away a small quantity of bloud at a time so much more effectuall will the Revulsion be for when the bloud is allured to the contrary part by these frequent iterations Nature is accustomed to summon the bloud to the upper parts and thus that ordinary saying among the Doctors may properly be understood that one flux cureth another Hippocrates commendeth a large Cuppin-glass applied to the breasts and very deservedly because there is a great consent and Simpathy between the veins of the Matrix and those of the Breasts Moreover you must prescribe such things as are of tried and known vertue to thicken the bloud syrup of Poppy Quinces dried Roses Myrtles and the like We usually prescribe this Draught following for the sick and we must add this to its commendation that it
to it but married women that injoy the company of their husbands and such as are with childe are seldome invaded by it You must apply your Remedies in the fit and after the fit in the fit the humour must be drawn back with rubbing the parts tying painfull Ligatures about them and â—upplying Cuppinglasses with scariffication to the calfes of her legs have such Glysters in readinesse as will take away the paine dissolve draw back and purge out the thick humours you may compound them by these formes following Take halfe an ounce of Elecampane roots The leaves of rue penniroyall Motherwort and pellitory of the wall of each a handâ—ull Three drams of sena Bran Camomile flowers and the tops of Dill of each halfe a handfull Bastard Saffron and Annise seeds of each â—wo drams Boile them in a sufficient quantitie of birthwort water to nine ounces to the strained liquor being squeezed and prest very hard add Diaphenicon and benedicta laxativa of each an ounce Oyle of dill and oyle of rue of each sâ—â— drams Halfe an ounce of butter A dram and a halfe of salt Mingle them and make a Glyster Carminative medicines must be laid upoâ— the whole inward region as fomentationâ— made of the leaves of Rue Motherwort Penniroyall the flowers of Melilot and Camâ—mile or unguent de Althea with the oyle of Camomile Dill and Rue for this looseneth the passages by opening the pores anâ— expelling the winde pessaries may be puâ— up made with Civet Musk and Amber but you must affront her nose with stinâ—ing odours as the steame of brimstone tâ—â— smoke ascending from old shoes burnâ—â— Partridge feathers sagapenum galbanum assâ—fetida and the like cast into the fire because the Matrix doth as it were abhor retreat and flie from these things whereaâ— sweet things doe allure to them But some curious braine may here demand why sweet things held to the nosâ— doe breed the fits of the Mother and on the contrary stinking things appease those fits I answer sweet things applyed to the Matrix in regard that they are hot doe expell the winde cut into the slow and tenacious phlegm and afterwards purge it out but stinking things applied to the Nose consume the ascending vapours with their heat but you may still demand if hot stinking things be good to break the winde why may they not be laid to the Matrix as well as sweet things I answer the Matrix embraceth and meeteth sweet odours and perfumes but unsavory and stinking sents it abhors and flies from for 't is â— most certaine truth that every creature even by naturall instinct shunneth inconveniences and affecteth things convenient If the evill still increase and if the Virgin be of a good habit fleshie and for a long time hath not had her Courses or for too long a time hath had them the safest course although upon the approach of the Fit will be to open a veine in the ankle without delay especially if any excretion of bloud appear either at the nose or at the mouth for as Hippocrates hath excellently taught us as the coming down of the Courses is a present Remedie for those who vomit bloud so in a body that is plethorick by reason that the Menstruum hath been long suppressed you may help a woman who vomits bloud if you cut one of her lower veines the same opinion is favoured by Galen in his Commentry saying in this case we ought to endeavour an evacuation namely such an one as is correspondent to nature when she is obedient to her own lawes After the Phlebotomy if her body â—e strong and the Disease continue apply Cuppinglasses with scarification to her thighes Leeches to the Hemorrhoids and with iterated Glysters and medicines given again and again into the body purge out the Melancholy juices Many who are more rash then learned more bold then skilfull because of the cold and the winde which are the causes of this Disease at the beginning will unadvisedly be offering wine to the sick which being odoriferous is apt to allure the Matrix to the upper parts therefore I counsell all those that value the health of their friends to forbeare this temerity yet if she faint and her spirits be so far spent that she swounds or is ready to swound in such an exigence you may allow her wine yet in a small quantity When the Fit is over let her live soberly and feed upon hot meats that yield a thin and subtle nourishment and be very carefull to preserve her self least she fall into a Relaps hearbs and roots and such thinge as thicken the bloud or are hard to digest must be no part of her diet Wormewood beer may be allowed her or in her beer mingle Cinamon water or boile Annise seeds or China roots in it The humour must be prepared with cutting Syrups as Rhodomell Syrupe of Wormewood Syrupe of Mint or Syrupe of the five roots You may prescribe the Purge of Mechoâ—aca Hiera Picra pills of agarick of Hiera with Confectio Hamech or Sena You must open a veine in the anklâ— again and because this thick and stubborne humour will not obey a single evacution you must also purge her body againe with agarick hellebore Pills of Mastick or of Rubarb Steele taken in powder or mingled among the other medicines will much advance the Cure so will an Issue and an artificiall Bath made with Sulphur or a decoction of Salsa parilla Guaiacum and China Lastly if the Disease take beginning from the seed because in Physick no peculiar or elective purging medicine is consecrated to it you must lessen her diet enjoyne her an abstinence from hot wine and let her continually weare plates of lead upon her back for it is most certaine that these doe diminish the seed if the Patient for twelve mornings together upon an empty stomack drink three ounces of a decoction of agnus castus seeds boiled with six graines of Camphire CHAP. II. Of the Epilepsy in the Matrix And the severall kindes thereof PHysitians reckon up a twofold Epilepsy in the Matrix one by Consent the other by Propriety the Cause of this is a thick viscous and slow humour obstructing the hollow parts of the Nerves the cause of that is a cold distemper of the Matrix and a contagious vapour assaulting and shaking the Braine and the nervouâ— parts for when the animall faculty strives to expell that humour or vapour from it selfe the hollow parts of the Nerves are crusht together and the passages are stopt and thus there happens a constipation or an obstruction the insides of the Nerves being as it were straightned bound and closed up together That there is such a Disease as an Epilâ—psy by Consent we are warranted by Galen to beleeve who in his book deâ— Locis propounds the example of a boy who being lame in his legs fell afterwards into an Epilepsy and after the same manner Virgins who are troubled with obstructions winde or a malignant vapour
three drams of Diaâ—henicon Mingle them and let her drink it in 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 â—re 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 aâ—under and evacuare 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 baâ—ke of the root of the Caper And Tamarisk tree of each two dramâ— The leaves of penniroyall and birthwort of each a handfull Germander Maidenhaire Balm of each halfe a handfull Ten drams of Sâ—na 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 steeâ— hath bâ—en infused to a quart when yoâ— have strainâ—d and with a strong hand preâ— out the liquor add Three ounees of â—yrup of roses Mingle them and make an Apozem oâ— Take the roots of Butchers broome Aparagus 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 â—arley 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 â—ou 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 â—wice in a day the quantity of three ounces or a week together once in the morning and the second time at foure a clock 〈◊〉 the afternoon Excellent Lozenges may be made of the species Diamosch and Diacinnamomum or youâ— 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 if 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 body it is also a binder for it comforteth the spirits and refresheth the whole body which vertues 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 sits 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 loosâ—ning 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 coales 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 and 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
in the fifth sixth seventh or eigth moneth in which there is or may be a feare of miscarrying then may you properly and securely adadminister those things which we even now prescribed If you demand from whence that abundance of waterish humours doth come which floweth before she is in Labour I answer from the Membrane or skin called Ammion which is fastned to the Childe and from the other called Chorion in which two skins the urine of the Childe is so long reserved till the fulnesse of time be accomplished in which it should be borne at which time seeking by instinct of nature for a greater proportion of nourishment it kicks and teares these membranes out of which when a large plenty of waters have run it comes forth into the world CHAP. XI Of Acute Diseases befalling Women with Childe WOmen are preserved both from the threatnings and also from the Invasions of those Diseases whereunto they are subject by a threefold kinde of Remedies by Diet by Phlebotomy and by Purging or to speake more properly by being purged But the two latter are the more difficult according to the opinion of Galen who in this hath the concurrence of Avicens judgement also you must know saith he that every disease of repletion or the malice of a complexion is not cured by his contrary but sometimes by a good regiment of health wherefore if it be a slight disease it will be cured of its own accord for theâ—e is no kinde of disease so fierce saith Galen in his book of Diet which is not tamed by it but yet a moderation must be observed for they who are neere their time and looke every day to be in labour want a larger proportion of nourishment because the childe is big and should they be defrauded of this mediocrity they would perish by the cruelty of an acute disease wherefore here lies all the difficulty to prescribe a convenient and fit Diet for such women for should you allow them meat and drinke suitable to the condition of women who are not with childe you should destroy the childe and should you out of a regard to the preservation of the childe be more liberall and indulgent to their appetites this condescension would espouse you to another errour for hereby you might cherish the cause of the disease let her therefore be fed with meats that are of easie concoction and distribution and prohibit her the use of thick sharp sowre bitter and windy meats that are hard to digest Having prescribed a good Diet you must consider whether it be expedient she should be let bloud Valesius sets down the reasons on both sides and for the Negative he alleadgeth an Aphorisme in Hippocrates running to this sense if a woman with childe be let bloud she miscarries and the rather if the childe in her wombe be big because the childe is thereby defrauded of its aliment Secondly Galen saith Physitians ought not to be busie in offering helps or strong remedies to women with childe nor any exquisite manner of Diet here you must understand Phlebotomy say they therefore it must from Galens words be concluded inexpedient Thirdly if any evacuation be a cause of abortivenesse as a flux of the belly or a loosenesse as Hippocrates in another Aphorisme affirmeth how much more will the opening of a veine be a cause by meanes whereof the aliment is taken away from the childe Fourthly a Fever kills the childe by wasting the spirits and drying up the bloud with the vehement heat thereof therefore so also will phlebotomy kill the childe by exhausting the spirits and consuming the bloud But all these reasons to my understanding are of no weight no moment no validity seeing that it is most certaine that the very impregnation or being with child doth forbid phlebotomy in respect of it self yet not as one of those principall scopes which withstand it but of those which indicate and advise to a sober and due celebration of it wherefore when a woman sick of an acute disease must be let bloud yet must she bleed lesse then the affect and the plenitude require because of that indication which is taken from the childe in her wombe for her gravidation or being with childe ought to be reputed as a Symptome which wasts the spirits because her bringing forth the childe is a kinde of evacuation To the second I answer that Galen in that place meanes nothing else but that Physitians should counsell their Patients to avoid intemperance because women with childe admit not of the least degree beyond a medioicity To the third I answer that it is not alwayes true that abortivenesse followeth upon any large evacuation and therefore it should not onely have beene said but proved by the Interpreters of Hippocrates for wee see that it followes not upon hunger or emptinesse unlesse it be diuturnall nor from a loosenesse unlesse it be immoderate nor lastly from phlebotomy if a veine be opened in the arme wherefore that I may conclude I conceive Hippocrates did intend only to prohibit the cutting of a veine in the ankle but not in the arme for I confesse if a veine in the ankle be cut the bloud is drawn in abundance to the Matrix and so may strangle or choake the childe and cause abortivenesse the like also doth any vehement and exorbitant Purge Wherefore if an inflammation be present we affirme that a woman with childe may be let bloud without any danger of abortion yet with this condition that she be first well nourished with meats of good concoction and quick distribution and that a small quantity onely be taken away least the spirits should be empaired either for the present or the future Moreover I like not the cutting of the Basilick veine because it much exhausts the bloud and may cheat the childe of his nourishment Lastly I counsell you to apply strengthning and nourishing things to the navell before you cut the veine as unguentum Comitissae or Emplastrum stomachichum or fomentations made of wormewood roses mastick lignum aloes quince seeds and Claret wine and whilest she is bleeding let her hold cold water in her mouth or cold beer that if perhaps she begin to faint she may swallow it and preserve her selfe from swounding But what shall be said concerning Purges which consist of hot ingredients and as Galen and Averroes contend disturb and hurt the childe I answer all purging medicines are not of that quality wherefore we may safely prescribe manna sena tamarinds rubarb and cassia omitting such simples as have any participation of vehemence and we confidently aver that Hippocrates must be understood in this sense where he saith women with childe must be physickt or purged if the matter be turgid in the fourth moneth unto the seventh because the childe in the wombe is likened to the fruit upon a tree which as at first they fall down by any slight motion and afterwards stick faster to the tree but when they are full ripe
foot onely or an arme appeareth or when the breech cometh before the head or when both the feet joyned together come out first and afterwards the head the third is when the childe which comes forth of the wombe is mishapen nature having erred in the conformation the fourth is intolerable paine fainting swounding fits and bitter torments about the bottome of her belly and the secret parts the fifth is an effusion or running out of water many dayes before the birth which being run out the passages which before were slippery to assist the emission of the childe now remaine hard and dry and become an impediment to the birth this humour is of no small advantage nay it is of admirall concernment to facilitate the birth if we may without procuring envie to the man beleeve Galen who saith in his book de usâ— partium that that humour serves not onely to moisten the childe and to make the wayes slippery but it likewise subdues the callosity and hardnesse of the matrix almost to an incredible dilatation to these we may adjoyne the weaknesse of the mother and the imbecillity of the expulsive faculty as also the strength of the Retentive The signes of an illegitimate birth succeeding are vehement but vaine indeavours and strivings seeing that the childe for the reasons aforesaid is hindred from coming forth No man of understanding can deny but this must be terrible to behold and painefull to endure for if the childe chance to dye and lye dead in the Matrix some dayes it is most certaine that it will putrifie infest the principall parts with noysome vapours and poysonous exhalations weaken their strength and bring an unavoided death upon the woman We have often and with the saddest apprehensions beheld how much diligence was necessary both to the reliefe of the Moâ—â—â— and the preservation of the childe â—â—erefore having provided a skilfull Midwife you must lay the woman in a darke place least her minde should be distracted with too much light all passions of the minde must be diverted by a pleasant and cheerefull conversation and provide such meat for her as is easie of concoction Let her drinke be small beere or barley water boiled with Maidenhaire and cinamon unto which add a small quantity of Rhenish wine for this brings down the urine moves the Courses and facilitates the birth boiled meats are most wholsome for her as mutton boiled with Rosemary chicken broth also is good for her and so are the chickens Binding and sharp things must be avoided gentle and moderate exercise is commendable and afterwards the Midwife may rub her legs and her feet We have acquainted you with the Conditions of an ill birth and now we shall furnish you with remedies to prevent or oppose those conditions When the childe goeth out in a depraved figure the Midwife must gently dilate the parts with her hand or with some convenient instrument certaine it is that this happens very often if a monster be borne in regard of the bad conformation of the body if a foot or an arme or the shouâ—â—â—ders or the buttocks come out first 〈◊〉 the Midwife by the activity of her hand anoynted with oyle of sweet almonds must thrust back the childe and dispose it to a more regular egresse but if this cannot be done the childs life is in danger and if the child perish it must either be expelled with medicines or drawn out with an hooked instrument as we shall shew you in the chapter next following If vehement Symptomes arise from hence all which are wont to proceed from the weaknesse of the Mother or else from clotted bloud destilling from the Maâ—rix before the birth and that you feare a greater inquination in regard of that putrified bloud then comfort the feeble and decayed spirits of the woman with the Rhâ—nish wine and broths aforesaid when this is done provoke the clotted bloud and feculent humour by strong ligatures by rubbing her body with a course cloath and applying Cuppinglasses to her legs and if the woman be fallen into an agony if she be young of a good habit full of bloud or of a sanguine complexion and if it be also the Spring time if those about her have strong feares that she will dye open a veine in her ankle for thus Nature is disburthened and the womb which was opprest with the weight of the bloud feeles ease and many times the woman recoverâ— who was at deaths doore To witnesse the truth hereof we have an authentick warrant from the writings of Hippocrates who in his booke de morbis mulier hath these words if a woman with childe be a long time restrained and cannot bring forth if she be likewise in the vigour of her age and full of bloud you mâ—st open a veine in her ankles and draw away the bloud respect being had to the strength of her body Note that he saith out of her ankles that is at one time from both ankles as Cordaeus his Commentatour hath observed unto us but yet in our Climates we conceive it sufficient to cut a veine in the left ankle onely because our opinion is that somewhat must be left to Nature who is somewhat wearied but yet able to make a further resistance After the phlebotomy curb the malice of the humours with Bezoar stone Treaâ—le Mithridate Alkermes Hyacyntha with Lozenges made of Manus Christi Diamargariton frigidum Aromaticum rosatum and the like If great plenty of waters come away before the birth if the Matrix and the Scabard thereof remaine dry if the Cotyledous be contracted and straightned so that no roome is left for the egresse of the childe then must it be your indeavour to soften to moisten and make wide the passages with oyle of sweet almonds or with a warm cloath dipped in the oyle or else fill a bladder full of this oyle and lay it upon her privities or lastly you may mingle it with a decoction of onyons garlick rue and birthwort Half Tubs are in this case very profitable being made after this manner following Take the leaves of mallowes Marish mallowes of each foure handfulls Motherwort Rue Birthwort Penniroyall of each three handfulls Camomile Melilot flowers The tops of Dill of each two handfulls and a halfe The seeds of Fenugreek Marish mallowes Line of each an ounce and a halfe An ounce and a halfe of Laurell berries Boyle them all in thirty pints of water put them into a tub and let the woman sit covered in it till all things correspond with her expectations You cannot scandalize your judgement by an errour if you present her with an opening dilating and provoking draught as she is seated in the Tub the forme whereof may be this Take two scruples of the Trochischâ— of Myrrhe Ten graines of Borace Eight graines of Saffron Halfe an ounce of Syrup of Motherwort Three ounces of a decoction of madder roots and rosemary Mingle them for a draught Many commend this oyntment following which
Savine Mingle them for a draught or Take the powder of assa faetida Trochishs of myrrhe of each a scruple Troch Alhandal Borace of each ten graines Nutmeg 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 benedicta 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 unto which may be added a little coloquintida powder of dittany scammony the gall of an Oxe Take two ounces of Vnguentum Agrippae 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 Euphoribium 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 Agrippae With a piece of cotton according to Art Make a Pessary Or Take Ammoniack Assa faetida Black â—ellebore 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 drams 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 griese 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 befall 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 conâ—idered the age of the woman the Climate in which she liveth the time of the yeare and the menstruum you mâ—st 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 iâ— 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 Violets 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 seeds 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—ea Vnguentum Agrippe of each an ounce