away by drops and the Patient hath frequent desires and solicitations to goe to stoole but but without any performance Womens diseases are divided into foure Classes whereof the first containeth the diseases that are common to all women the second comprehendeth such as are peculiar to Widowes and Virgins The third specifieth those Affects that concern barren women and such as are fruitfull And the fourth treateth of such diseases as befall Women with Childe and Nurses of all which we shall now speak one after another in their order Those diseases that are common both to widowes and wives both to barren women and women that are fruitfull as also to young Maids and Virgins proceed from the retention or stoppage of their Courses as the most universall and most usuall cause when these come from them in a duc and regular manner their bodies are preserved from most terrible diseases but otherwise they are immediately subject to the falling Sickness the Palfie the Consumption the Whites the Mother Melancholy Burning Fevers the Dropsey inward inflammations of all the principall parts the suppression of the urine nâ—e eating vomiting loathing of meat yexing and a continuall paine in the Head arising from ill vapours communicated from the Matrix to the Braine Wives are more healthfull then Widowes or Virgins because they are refreshed with the mans seed and ejaculate their own which being excluded the cause of the evill is taken away This is evident from the words of Hippocrates who adviseth young Maids to marrie when they are thus troubled that women have stones and seed no true Anatomist will denie the womans seed I confess in regard of the small quantity of heat is more imperfect then the seed of the mans yet is it most absolute in it selfe and sit for Generation Another cause also may be added besides that which is alledged from Hippocrates namely that married women by lying with their husbands doc loosen the passages of the seed and so the Courses come down more easily thorow them Now in Virgins it falls out otherwise because the bloud is stopped by the constipation and obstruction of the veines and being stopped putrifies from which putrifaction grosse vapours doe arise and from thence heâ—vinesse of minde and dulnesse of spirit a benummednesse of the parts tim orousnesse and an aptness to be frighted with a sudden propensitie to fall into fits of the Mother by reason of much bloud oppressing and burthening the heart also continuall anxiety sadness and want of sleep with idle talking and an alienation of the minde but that which most commonly afflicts them is a difficulty and paine to fetch their breath for the chest by a continuall dialatation and compression draweth the bloud from the Matrix to it selfe in a large proportion and sometimes produceth asthmaticall effects But what shall we say concerning Widowes who lye fallow and live sequestred from these Venereous Conjunctions we must conclude that if they be young of a black complexion and hairie and are likewise somewhat discoloured in their cheeks that they have a spirit of salacity and feele within themselves a frequent titillation their seed being hot and prurient doth irritate and inflame them to Venery neither is this concupiscence allaid and qualified but by provoking the ejaculation of the seed as Galen propounds the advice in the example of a widow who was afflicted with intolerable symptomes till the abundance of the spermatick humour was â—iminished by the hand of a skilfull Midwife and a convenient oyntment which passage will also furnish us with this argument that the use of Venery is exceeding whol some if the woman will confine her self to the Lawes of moderation so that shâ— feele no wearisomnesse nor weaknesse iâ— her body after those pleasing conflicts Most certaine it is that barren womeâ— are more tormented with sicknesse theâ— those that are fruitfull because they whâ— have children live in a more healthfulâ— condition by reason of the opening of thâ— veines and the comming away of the superfluous bloud which being of an earthy and feculent substance must needs introduce prodigious symptomâ—s in the bodies of other women who have no seasonable meanes to vent and purge it out and daily experience doth witnesse it to the private consideration of such women that very many obstructions breed in their Liver Mesenteries and Matrices That women in Child-bed also and such as nurse their owne children are subject to most bitter and vehement affects Galen doth daily teach us by an undeniable reason for whereas the childe in the wombe is nourished by the sweetest fattest and most elaborate part of the menstruous Bloud in its own nature filthy and dreggish when the woman is delivered that bloud is forcibly evacuated by a criticall kinde of motion and violent ebullition whereupon the spirits are exhausted and the feeble creature is precipitated into mortall infirmities as fainting fits incredible torments and frequent soundings Many times also besides that perticular fulnesse of the womb through the swelling and strutting of the veines such women all the time that they be great with childe are oppressed with an abundance of ill humours contracted and heaped up together by a bad diet after which the upper parts of their bodies are many times most wofully inflamed After the same manner also Nurses are tormented with sore breasts painfull swellings Ulcers and Cancers and the like crueii diseases by reason that the Menstruum floweth in an unmeasurable quantitie to the breasts and there settles But now by the permission of Heaven we shall set down a particular Explanation of these Diseases CHAP. II. The suppression of the Courses THe suppression of the Courses is an interception or stoppage of that usuall evacuation of bloud which is wont to flow from the Matrix every month There is a twofold cause hereof one inward the other outwardâ— the inward cause is also manifold for sometimes it is one kinde of distemper sometimes another and sometimes againe a humour is the cause thereof the distemper is either hot or cold and concerning the former this is controverted among the Doctors how a hot distemper can stay the Courses for if we will credit the bâ—st Authors or submit our judgements to the generall Vote of Philosophy it is the property of heat to open to rarifie to make thin and to dilate as on the contrary it is the property of cold to obstruct to thicken to binde and to condensate the answer is easie and obvious wherefore we say that heat properly doth not stay the Courses but onely by accident as namely by attenuation dissipating and consuming the thinner parts of the Menstruum for any humour is reasonably conceived to become more drie and thick when the thinner part thereof is wasted away and againe the thicker and dryer it is it must needs be so much the more unapt to be expelled and this is the reason that sturdie women in the Country who are accustomed to labour and take much paines
the windy humours strengthen the Matrix and dissipate the fuliginous and grosse vapours naturall Baths are excellent for the same purposes and so are Treacle Mithridate Alkermes Aromaticum rosatum Diarrhodon Abbatis Diamargarit calidum and Diacinnamomum and lastly if you desire any satisfaction from our opinion concerning Issues we answer that they evacuate those cold and thick juyces which daily flow unto and settle in the Matrix and therefore as we said almost every where we affirme the use of them to be very expedient and conducible CHAP. II. Of the shapeless lump of Flesh called Mola A Mola is an unprofitable and shapeâ—â—â—â— lump of flesh bred in the Matrix of the menstruous bloud as the Materiall cause thereof according to the opinion of Galen in sundry places of his works He saith of the menstruous bloud that it such as is very thick and much hardned in the Matrix but note that he doth not here exclude the seed of the man for every Physitian knowes that a Mola proceeds from a mixture of the menstruum and â— corrupted seed which indeed doth somewhat indeavour Conception but cannot perfect it neither is there any cause of wonder that such a lump of deformity should be fashioned in the wombe seeing that severall kindes of monsters are bred there according to the variety of thâ— humour which floweth into the Matrix hâ— that would acquaint himselfe with thâ— knowledge of these things may reaâ— Skenkius his Observations and the wonderfull stories related by Marcellus Donatus if also he would search into and examine the true cause of these things let him read Laurentius his book of Anatomy But why doth this breed in the Matrix onely of a woman and not in some other part I answer because although the bloud may congeale and become clotted in the other parts of the body yet it happens so more frequently in the Matrix of a woman then in any other part of her body because the Matrix is as the common shoore of the body where most of the excrements are exonerated But why doth a Mola breed in women onely I answer because women onely have an abundance of this menstruum more then other Creatures and that their bodies are full of grosse thick and tenacious humours by reason that for the most part they use a moist diet and abandon themselves to a reproveable and disorderly course of life This Mola is of severall kindes for sometimes it is waterish sometimes windy and humorall and sometimes againe 't is skinnie and bloudy this last is the most ordinary and all Physitians have granted it this is that which is most usually presented to our observation and lastly this is that which so often hath deceived women who boasted themselves to be with childe and were not and their Physitians also who told them they were with child when they were not Wherefore to avoid these common couzenages let us be circumspect in the knowledge and right understanding of the signes which are a swelling with a drawing back of the Hypochondriacall parts the women grow leane are full of paine and very apt to long the belly is burthened her back aketh her breasts swell and her Courses are stopped and that at the beginning of her conception but afterwards in processe of time she seemes to have the Dropsey her belly is so immoderately swelled but you may know this from a Dropsey for in that the belly sounds like a Drum the woman feeles within a kinde of fluctuation or waving motion and if a finger be laid hard upon her belly the print of it remaines A Mola is distinguished from a perfect conception by three most certain signes that is by the motion by the milk and by the time that a woman beareth her childe in the motion because there is a great difference between the motion of a childe and the motion or stirring of a Mola because the childe kicks and turneth about to all the parts of the bottome of the belly but a Mola moveth like a Globe now on the right side and anon on the left this also if you presse down the womans belly with a gentle hand removeth from the place and returnes not suddenly into it againe and from the milke you may gather a never-failing signe because the breasts swell all the time a woman is with childe but in the other it happeneth otherwise the time likewise affords a never-failing signe for if the swelling of the belly continue beyond the eleventh moneth which is the most constant and certaine period of a womans Reckoning and no signes of a Dropsie at that time appeare you may warrant your owne confidence that she hath a Mola but no childe in her belly This is a most dangerous disease for many times a woman carries it in her wombe the space of two or three yeares and sometimes longer insomuch that the naturall heat is suffocated therewith moreover in the expulsion of it there is no small danger for many times it groweth to such a bignesse that it comes not away without extreame hazard of the womans life for a great Issue of bloud ensueth whereby the spirits being spent and exhausted she waxeth feeble wan and pale and many times perisheth in the very act of expelling it This evill hath a twofold manner of Cure one Preservative to prevent the Generation or breeding of the Mola and the other curative to destroy and bring it away when it is bred and this last is also twofold for the first designe must be to exclude it and the second to save the woman in the very act of excluding it The Preservation consists in a due observation of these things following the ayre she lives in must be hot and dry and the place healthfull being scituate towards the East let her keep a good diet feeding upon meats that yield a wholsome nourishment to the body and such as are soone concocted and distributed to all the parts let her choice also be rather of hot then cold meats avoiding such as are fat salt and hardned with smoak fish which breed thick windy and viscous juyces are unwholsome for her she cannot desire a more wholesome drink then Wormewood wine or excellent generous French wine her belly must be kept open and soluble exercise must be used and sleep refrained angry chidings and cares of the minde must be moderated and all such things for borne as dry the bloud and diminish the naturall heat In the next place prepare the thick and grosse humours with Rhodomel Syrupe of wormewood Syrupe of mint and the like mingled with some convenient water afterwards prescribe this Purge Take three drams of Sena A scruple of Agarick Trochischt A dram of the root Mechoaca A dram and a halfe of anniseeds Boile them a short space in a sufficient quantity of pure water to three ounces then straine and presse them and to the remaining liquor add three drams of Diaphenicon Mingle them and let her drink it in
of a small wine â—lasse If these remedies overcome not the disâ—â—se apply an exceeding great Cuppinglasse â—o the heart by the force whereof the winâ—y vapour will evaporate for although â—lysters doe draw back the humour from â—â— affected part yet in reference to great bellied woman you ought to suspect the event of them because they raise too great a disturbance by provoking nature down wards and many times cause abortivenesse yet if the paine be insupportable then inject carminative glysters and omit all bitter ingredients as Hieâ—a benedicta Laxativa or Scammoniata but to prevent all errour prescribe this following Take a handfull of mallow leaves The flowers of melilot The tops of Dill of each halfe a handfull Two drams of fennill seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of barley water to nine pints to the strained liquor add two ounces of Syrup of â—â—seâ— Laxative An ounce of red Sugar Mingle them and make a glyster Or Take the flowers of melilot And mallowes of each a handfull Annise and Fennill seeds Of each two drams Boyle â—them in a sufficient quantity â—â— broth made with an old Cock to niâ—â— ounces to the inward liquor add Calabrian Manna And red Roses of each an cunce and halfe An ounce of oyle of rue Mingle them and make a glyster It might doe much good if you gave her a draught of balme water in the morning in which water you may sâ—eep lignum aloes the space of a night and afterwards put to the strained liquor a sufficient quantity of Syrup of mint for this expells the winde cleanseth away the phlegme and powerfully strenghthens the stomack You must frequently and laboriously rub her lower parâ—s tye ligatures about them and apply Cuppinglasses to them if there be no imaginable cause to feare abortivenesse but if there be the least suspicion of that omit all such applications as may procure a revulsion of the bloud nay let me give you this caution absolutely to forbeare them unlesse she be taken with desperate trembling and fainting fits or swounding in the spring time too when her spirits require them You must cause her Basilick veine to be opened if she be young fleshy and strong for this Remedy besides that it letteth out the thick dreggish and black blood it refresheth the childe also and the heart is sweetly easily and safely delivered from that burthensome humour which 〈◊〉 presse and almost overwhelme it CHAP. VI. Of a Cough in Women with Childe MOst certaine it is that great-bellied Women by reason of their being with childe have not sometimes a free vent for their crude and indigested aliments either by Stoole or by Urine or by any other Eâ—unctories of the body these being unduly kept in the body putrifie wax hot and communicate noysome fumes and vapours to the spiritous parts which by their clamminesse thicknesse and sharpnesse together with the bad quality that is in them gripe and twitch the Woman and force her to cough Some perhaps may demand why doth this Coughing happen in the last months the answer is obvious namely because in those moneths a greater plenty of excrements are lodged in the body then were accumulated at the first The cause of the Cough according to Hippocrates iâ— a viscous thick and tough homour impâ—cted in the Pipes of the Lungs which humour sometimes also thorough that consent which is between the Matrix and the Chest invadeth that part and raiseth a Coughing and these are these are set down as the true signes of this evill As for the Prognostick's you must know that a Cough befalling a woman with childe is a bad Symptome seeing that by the least stretching and shrinking the Cotyledons or vessells of the wombe are many times loosned yea sometimes burst asunder and from thence comes abortivenesse The Cure is perfected with sweet wine mild beere and the frequent use of a Ptisaâ— sharp sowre and cold things must be avoided meats also must be forborne which breed a thick nourishment and are hard to digest vehement evacuations likewise are not good wherefore having given order for the observation of a good Diet prescribe some gentle lenifying medicines to provoke her to spit as manna Syrup of roses laxative Diacnicu and the like These things being administred proceed to Electuaries and expectorating medicines and especially to this Apozem following Take an ounce of cleansed Barley The roots of Aristolochy Licoras scraped of each two drams The leaves of Asarabacca Nettles White Maidenhaire of each a handfull Two drams of raisins pickt The flesh of Dates Fat Figs of each three drams Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of water to two pints and to the strained â—â—quor add Two ounces of Diacodium Mingle them and make an Apozem or You may prescribe Lozenges after this manner Take a dram of the species Diatragacâ—nâ—â— frigid Diaireâ—â— Poppy seeds of each a scruple Two ounces and a halfe of Sugar dissolved in rose water according to arâ— make them into Lozenges Then prescribe this Conserve Take Conserve of red Roses Elecampane candied of each an ounce Conserve of Violet flowers Rosemary flowers of each halfe an ounâ—â— Two drams of meale of beanes A dram of Diaireos Ten graines of Sâ—lphur With Syrup of Colt's foot make a Conserve Meale of â—eanes according to Galen doth cleanse and mundifie the Chest digests the crude spittle contained in the pipes and makes it easie to be excerned beanflower water is exceeding good for the Lungâ— especially if she drinke it with Syrupe of Maydenhaire or Oxymel Sâ—iâ—â—iticum the same faculties hath the distilled waters of red Poppies The yolke of an egg taken in the morning with Sugar and the oyle of sweet Almonds is a most incomparable remedy and hath done good to thousands Anoynt her Breast with this Oyntment which is good to prepare the crude and thick matter which stops her pipes Taken an ounce of the oyntment of marish mallowes The axungia of a hen Of a Duck of each halfe an ounce Oyle of sweet Almonds Oyle of Violets of each two drams Ten graines of Saffron Mingle them and according to art make an oyntment heat it when you use it and anoynt the whole region of her Chest therewith CHAP. VII Of the swelling of the Legs in Women with Childe FRom the same cause namely from abundance of phlegme and crude humoâ—rs especially in the last moneths proceed the swelling of the legs face and eye-browes and when I have told you that the flesh of the whole body groweth soft and that she looketh white and wan in the face I have discovered unto your consideration the fignes of this disease Women in this condition cannot be restored to perfect health till she be delivered yet may we not delay our helps least a worse evill happen unto her for whereas the legs and feet are outward parts and at a great distance from the fountaine of heat they are quickly affected with cold and mortified through the abundance of crude humours which many times
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 â—very disease of repletion or the malice of a complexion is not cured by his contraâ—y but sometimes by a good regiment of â—ealth wherefore if it be a slight disease â—t will be cured of its own accord for â—heâ—e is no kinde of disease so fierce saith Galen in his book of Diet which is not taâ—ed by it but yet a moderation must be observed for they who are neere their â—ime and looke every day to be in labour â—ant 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 fall of their own accord so the childe
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 is 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 â—â—ick 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 he Secundine be retained for any consideraâ—le time it putrifies and communicates poiâ—sonous 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 sneezing 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 Mercuty 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 fleshie substance whereof it is compounded is as difficult to cure as the recention 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 sixth 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 sixth 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 sixt 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 Savine Mingle them for a draught or Take the powder
dram of Opium dissolved in burnt â—ine Mingle them for a Liniment Between the suppression of the Courses and the staying of the menstruum after a womans delivery there is little or no difference for there is one cause of both and that accompanied with the same signes and thereâ—ore we shall not diversifie the Cure but direct the Reader to the second chapter of our first book where she may furnish her selfe with convenient remedies CHAP. VI. Of the immoderate coming down of the Courses after the birth VVE have sufficiently handled the Causes of the immoderate flowing of the Courses in our first book we have also related unto the signes wherefore now we shall tell you further from an Aphorism in Hippocrates that if Fainting and Convulsion fits befall a woman in Child-bed 't is a bad signe because they argue a great weaknesse after which follow inexpressible tortures with paine in the Hypochondriacall parts by reason of the clotted bloud a small frequent and swift pulse yea and death it selfe sometimes the woman is surprized with dotage a quinsey or a Lethargie wherefore you must labour to stop the Courses with all your best premeditation and caution and the most expedite meanes you can use are a thickning bindiug and cold diet as broth made with trotters in which you may also boile rise quinces or pease but abstaine from wine for it opens the parts thins the humours and provokes the Courses as on the contrary cold things bind thicken and stop up Rub her hands and tie Ligatures about her upper parts and according to the injunction of Hippocrates in his Aphorismes lay Cuppinglasses to her Breasts Finally if the womans strength will bear it there is not a surer remedie then letting bloud and you must open the Basilick vein twice or thrice Thickning things are very necessary and of great moment in this cure Take true bolearmenick The species Diatragacanth frig 1. of each a scruple Halfe an ounce of Syrupe of Quinces Halfe an ounce of plantane water Mingle them for a Draught or Take terra sigillata Red corall prepared Troch de carabe of each a scruple Halfe an ounce of Syrup of pomegranets Three ounces of a decoction of red rose leaves Mingle them for a Draught or Take the leaves of plantane Knotgrasse of each a handfull Red roses Pomegranet flowers of each half a handfull Myrtle seeds Sumach seeds of each two drams A dram of the juice of hypocystis Boile them to six pints in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been quenched give the strained liquor for a fomentation or Take the powder of Cyprus nuts The roots of Tormentill Dragons bloud of each a dram and a half A dram of mastick Halfe a dram of right bolearmenick Two ounces of unguentum Comitissae Oyle of mastick Oyle of myrtles of each two drams With a sufficient quantity of wax make an oyntment If these get not the victory a scruple of the masse of pills de Cynoglossa Make five pills and guild them or Take halfe a dram of new Treacle Halfe a scruple of Requies Nicholai Two drams of Syrup of poppy Three ounces of plantane water Mingle them for a Draught If any fault in the Liver as sometimes it hapneth is the cause of this evill apply cooling Epithems unto it or instead thereof you may adhibit Ceratum Santalinum mixt with the powders of Corall Roses and Camphire CHAP. VII Cures of such Diseases as usually befall a woman after she is delivered VVe are taught by Hippocrates that those Diseases which happen after the Birth are more dangerous and venomous then the rest because they are produced by agrosse impure thick and feculent bloud for the Childe in the wombe sucketh away the sweetest part of the bloud for its own nourishment which it purifies and reserves the melaneholy and thicker portion thereof being separated and forsaken which if the providence of Nature doe not duly evacuate and purge away the woman in Childe-bed will without all doubt be invaded by strong and vehement Fevers by reason of the boyling and putrifying of the bloud in the veines of the Matrix which according to Galen are very large in the first place therefore let the Patient be carefully attended and begin the Cure by opening a veine by Cuppinglasses applyed to the calfes of her legs with Scarification and laying Leeches to the Hemorrhoids But the Controversie will be what vein must be cut for if she bleed from the arme you draw the bloud upwards if from the ancle you weaken the body and contribute no ease but if you will follow my direction tie strong Ligatures about her thighes and legs having first well rubbed them and then open the Cubit veine without any discouragement for this cleanseth the very Minerall sinke and puddle of the putrified Humours Galen indeed affirmeth that if a veine be opened in any part of the body it will exhaust and emptie all the Vessells but not equally and in all respects alike for we deliver it for an undoubted truth that the whole masse of bloud will soonest flow away if the Basilick veine be opened which is greater then any of the rest and of the same Judgement is Fernelius who saith if the menstruum flow away from women in Childe-bed thorough the vehemence of a Fever you must cut the Cubit veine At the beginning you must refraine the use of purging medicines for although you should make choice of such as are most gentle in their operation yet they stir the humours and doe not expell them from convenient places Againe should you prescribe strong purges they would draw back the menstruum from the Matrix to the stomack and disturb Nature when she is labouring to expell it and that this were no rationall and well-grounded meanes of Cure but rather a rash and preposterous adventure any sober judgement will acknowledge because the expedition the Art and the Mystery of the whole Cure consisteth in the provocation of the Menstruum If it be a violent burning Fever prescribe such things as will qualifie and temper the heat of the bloud but avoide cold Simples because they keep in the menstruum by binding up the parts neither may you be too bold with hot things for they inflame the bloud These Glysters following will be of excellent use for the purpose aforesaid Take nine ounces of some softning Decoction An ounce and a halfe of the Electuary called Diacatholicon An ounce of hony of roses Butter and oyle of sweet Almonds of each halfe an ounce A dram of salt mingle them and make a Glyster or Take nine ounces of mutton broth well boiled The leaves of Motherwort Violets and Pellitory of the wall of each a handfull Pellitory of the wall of each a handfull Two ounces of honey of roses The yolkes of two eggs An ounce of oyle of Violets mingle them and make a Glyster You may make a Ptisan of Raisins Barley and Licorish which will be very profitable for the sick
The Compleat DOCTORESS OR A Choice Treatise of all Diseases insident to Women WITH Experimentall Remedies against the same Being Safe in the Composition Pleasant in the Use Effectuall in the Operation Faithfully translated out of Latine into English for a common good LONDON Printed for Edward Farnham and are to sold at his Shop at the entrance into Popes-head-alley out of Cornhill 1656. THE FIRST BOOK OF Womens Diseases The Proem by the Author IT is acknowledged by the most able Physitians that it requires great diligeuce and Judgement to contrive an exact Partition or Explanation of Womens Diseases and to oblige the World with a right Method and Meanes to cure them because sometimes a part is diseased by consent and sometimes primarily by it selfe or without any communication of distemper either with or without matter from any other part The Ancients whose studious endeavours conspired the subduing of these Diseases have left behinde them most honourable testimonies of their labours in favour of that Sex Modern men also have been stirred up to their defence as Mercurialis and Mercatus the former indeed with sufficient elegance but the latter with somuch tediousness and confusion that you may sooner finde your Patient dead then a remedy in his writings for her recovery to correct this inconvenience Rodericus a Castro engaged his pen in their quarrell but with no great successe for if my Judgement be any thing considerable his writings are more learned then usefull When I had noted these deficiencies I thought with my selfe that if I culled out the choicest Medicines omitting the superfluous and digested them into a little worke by themselves it might prove an undertaking worthy of a generall acceptation This was the birth and growth of my designe warrantable enough as I conceive if not praise worthy and if I flatter not my selfe in an opinion of my own paines I have proceeded with so much perspicuity and tender circumspection as will make the event answerable AN INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS The first Chapter OF the consent of the Diseases of the Matrix with the other Parts The second Chapter Of the suppression or staying of the Courses The third Chapter Of the immoderate running of the Courses The fourth Chapter Of the coming away of the Courses by Drops the vehement Symptomes thereof and of the Whites The fifth Chapter Of the Complication of the Courses with other Diseases The sixth Chapter Of hard swellings in the Breasts The second Book The first Chapter OF the Mother The second Chapter Of the Epilepsy in the Matrix And the severall kindes thereof The third Chapter Of Melancholy proceeding from the Matrix The fourth Chapter Of a cold Distemper and windy humours in the Matrix The fifth Chapter Of a hard swelling in the Matrix The sixth Chapter Of the Dropsey in the Matrix The seventh Chapter Of the falling down of the Matrix The eighth Chapter Of an Itch Chaps and an Inflammation in the Matrix The ninth Chapter Of a Cancer and an Vlcer in the Matrix The tenth Chapter Of Wormes and the Stone in the Matrix and of the Piles The third Book The first Chapter OF Barrennesse both Absolute and Respective The second Chapter Of a Mola or shapeless lump of Flesh The third Chapter Of Womens longings The fourth Chapter Of a bad stomach proceeding from vomiting The fifth Chapter Of a Pain in the belly the Passion of the Heart and of sounding Fits The sixth Chapter Of a Cough in great bellied Women The seventh Chapter Of the swelling of womens legs when they are with Childe The eighth Chapter Of Costiveness in Women with Childe The ninth Chapter Of the bloud which commeth away from the Matrix of a woman with Childe The tenth Chapter Of the water which cometh away from the Matrix of a woman with Childe The eleventh Chapter Of acute Diseases which happen to women with Childe The fourth Book The first Chapter OF a Naturall â—irth and of Abortivenesse The second Chapter Of a hard Labour The third Chapter Of the After-Birth The fourth Chapter Of the Dead Childe The fifth Chapter Of the Paines and the suppression of the Courses after the woman is delivered The sixth Chapter Of the immoderate flowing of the Courses after the woman is delivered The seventh Chapter Of the Diseases which commonly befall a woman after her delivery The eighth Chapter Of an inflammation in the Matrix after her delivery The ninth Chapter Of too little and too much milke The tenth Chapter Of sore Breasts The eleventh Chapter Of wrinckles remaining in the Matrix after a womans delivery and of the meanes to contract the Matrix FINIS VVomens DISEASES The first Chapter Of the consent between the Diseases of the Matrix and those of the other parts WOMEN were made to stay at home and to looke after Houshold employments and because such business is accompanied with much ease without any vehement stirrings of the body therefore hath provident Nature assigned them their monethly Courses that by the benefit of those evacuations the feculent and corrupt bloud might be purified which otherwise as being the purest part of the bloud would turne to ranke poyson should it remaine in the body and putrifie like the seed ejaculated out of its proper vessells Hippocrates had a perfect understanding of these things as may appeare by those words in his booke de locis in homine where he saith that the Matrix is the cause of all those diseases which happen to women and it is no strange thing which he speaketh for the Matrix hath a Sympathie with all the parts of the body as with the Braine by the Nerves and Membranes of the parts about the spine from whence sometimes ariseth the paines in the fore part and the hinder part of the head with Heart also both by the Spermatick and the Epigastrick arteries or those that lie about the Abdomen at the bottome of the bellie from hence cometh the paine of the heart fainting and swounding fits the passion of the Heart anxietie of minde dissolution of the spirits insomuch as you cannot discerne whither a woman breaths or not or that she hath any pulse it hath likewise a consent with the breasts and from hence proceed those swellings that hardness and those terrible Cancers that afflict those tender parts that a humour doth flow upwards from the Matrix to the Breasts and downwards again from the Breasts to the Matrix is the unanimous assertion of Galen Hippocrates Laurentius Duretus and others moreover it hath a sympathie with the Liver and thus the sanguification is perverted and the body inclines to a Dropsie and with the stomach and the Kidneys also as those paines which great bellied women doe feele and the torments which some Virgins undergoe when they have their Courses sufficiently witnesse And lastly Hippocrates hath taught us that this consent holdeth with the bladder and the straight 〈◊〉 for saith he when that part is inflamed then the urine commeth
and such Virgins as are of a hot constitution have verâ— littlâ— 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 colleth 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 uâ—uall 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 â—aths 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 speâ—d and prudence let them betake themselves to a temperate and movst Ayre for if the Ayre be too hot it wasteâ—h 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 rosâ—ed 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 seeds Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Barley water to a quart
and brings down the urine if it attenuates cuts into 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 Aloeâ— 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 nitrous fiery purging quality predominant in it above the earthy binding and cold parts Christopherus a Vega a man otherwise very learned seemes to my understanding to forsake the offers of reason in saying that steele 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 if it doth not sometimes totally ' subdue the evill yet the fault must not therefore consequently be charged upon the Medicine because the Matrix is sometimes vitiated by an habituall distemper or else the obstructions thereof are so many or so stubborne that sometimes they dâ—stroy the sick woman and if it doe not fall out so yet is it an undeniable truth which the Poet tells 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 twofold cause the one inward and thâ— 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 withal makes it thin as vehement and sturdy exercises pensivenesse and immoderate care of the minde excessive anger and thought busied upon revenge a custome of eatinâ— 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 fiting 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 your 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 scarceable 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 gun tragacanth hath been boiled and perfumeâ— with Mastick beere in which steele hath been infused will be profitable for her about the third or fourth day for this drinâ— 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 seldome faileth in its operation Two scruples of boiled Rubarb A scruple of Citron myrobalans
as Hippocrates affiâ—meth concerning the Son of Erotelaus lying sick of a bloudy Flux for when he had drunk whey in which red hot flints were quenched his evacuations were more moderate although they were bloudy and in a short time they ended here is to be noted that whey although upon a slight consideration it may seeme to be Diureticall and â—o to provoke rather then to stay the flux yet if steele be frequently quenched in it till the thin and fiery parts thereof be wasted away it stayeth the Flux If these Remedies prevaile not to perfect the Cure I shall counsell you to make an Issue upon the knee for this being kept open the corrupt humours are evacuated without any decay of the spirits which otherwise doe many times produce grievous and vehement Symptomes we have spoken of the coming away of the Menstruum by Drops with the terrible Symptome which accompanies it namely a vehement and insupportable paine but because this paine proceeds from divers causes the Cure must be also diversified Women therefore which are of a cold Constitution especially if they be young prone to Venery Black and Hairy must be purged that the Cause may be taken away and therefore their bodies must be first prepared before you can hope to appease the paine You may evacuate the humour with Diaphenicon Benedicta laxativa or with Pills of Hiera and you may prepare the humour with smallage and fennill roots with agrimony and Motherwort leaves boiled in water wherein steele hath been quenched with Rhodomel The paine must be appeased with unguent Populeum unto which you may add a few graines of opium or else you may apply fomentations to the head A vein also must be opened as we have shewed you above If a woman or Virgin have the whites which come away of a thick and fattish substance you must proceede as in the former Cure but you must be exceeding cautious how you let bloud for such bodies are full of raw humours by reason whereof the spirits are much exhausted and her body is weake and infirme according to the Judgement of Galen in his book de Sanguin missione chap. 11. wherefore in such cases I counsell the Patient to goe to the Spaw waters or some other of the like Nature for they purge away the thick humour both by siege and by urine but especially the melancholy juice which is the cause of this disease A Decoction of China and Saâ—zapavilla cannot be improper nor Leeches applied to the Hemorrhoids Note that the Caul of a Ram or Weather newly killed must be laid to the affected part being first anointed with oyle of Castor for as the skull of a man is good against the Falling Sicknesse and the Lungs of a Fox against the stoppage of the pipes by a specificall vertue or hidden similitude so is this good for the stomack and the Loynes The Whites are defined to be a lasting distillation from the Matrix however it be affected for Nature indevoureth to expell that superfluous moist and excrementiâ—ious bloud thorough the Matrix and even at the same time disburtheneth the body from this unprofitable and offensive humour This evill is reckoned among the Symptomes of those things which are immoderately expelled out of the body the Causes whereof are divers for sometimes a predominancy of choler sometimes a phlegmatick juice many times melancholy and very often bloud is evacuated this is easily known because a snottie kinde of humour drops and distills continually from the Matrix which if it be red it proceeds from bloud if white from phlegme if yellow it takes beginning from choler The sick woman complaines of a general weaknesse over all the parts of the body her legs and eyelids are swelled she cannot digest her meat her stomack failes her she is lazie and loves no exercise and cares not to stir up and down so that at length her strength decayeth and her spirits faile through the abundance of bloud which hath come from her wherefore this disease calls for early help least it degenerate as not seldome it doth into a Dropsey or a Consumption or the like terrible Diseases If the body therefore abound with much bloud let a veine be opened in the arme to draw back the course of the humour which is hastening from all parts of the body to the Matrix Thus we read that Galen cured the wife of Boetius unto whomâ— other Physitians had preposterously prescribed Medicines without opening aâ— veine Afterwards you must prepare the phlegmatick humour with a decoction of wormewood unto which add Syr. of Roses or Syr. de artemisia the cholerick humour must be prepared with a decoction of endive sorrell unto which may be added Oxysaccarum or Syrup de succo Cichorii if it be a Melancholy humour prepare it with a decoction of Fumitary Buglos unto which add Syr. of Fumitary and Syr. Lupuli Then expell the humour with some gentle purge if it be phlegmatick Take three scruples of white agarick Trochischt Two scruples of the root of Mechoacha A dram of Annise seeds Macerate them the space of a night in a sufficient quantitie of fennill water in the morning to two ounces and a halfe of the liquor which you presse out add Three drams of Diacarthamum Halfe an ounce of Diacnicum Mingle them together for a Potion If Cholerick humours abound in the body Take two drams and a halfe of the best Rubarb Citron myrobalans Cinamon of each a scruple Macerate them a whole night in a sufficient quantity of endive water presse them with all your might and add An ounce and a halfe of Syrupe of roses laxative Mingle them and give it her to drinke in the morning If Melancholy humours be predominant Take two drams and a halfe of Sena A dram of Annise seeds Macerate them over night in a sufficient quantity of fumitary water in the morning presse out the liquor and add To two ounces and a halfe of the liquor strained and prest Two drams of Confectio Hamech Halse an ounce of Syrup of fumitary Mingle them for a Potion If the Disease yield not to these Medicines expell the humour by an Epicrasis that is by some Decoction that by degrees will digest open and evaâ—uate the humour and also mightily provoke urine this Apozem following hath all these vertues Take the roots of Parsly Fennell Buglos Polypody of the Oake of each halfe an ounce The leaves of Maidenhaire Agrimony Motherwort of each a handfull Six drams of Sena Two drams of rubarb One dram of agarick As much Epithymum as you can graspe between your thumb and two fingers Two drams of Annise seed Macerate them together a whole night in two pints of barley water upon hot embers in the morning allow them one or two gentle bublings and when you have strained them add Syrupe of fumitary Syrupe of roses laxative of each an ounce Mingle them for an Apozem Every other morning let her have foure ounces of it fasting If all these
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 Menstrunm 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 if 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 sudden 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 inflâ—mmation 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 pure 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 Basilicâ— veine twice or thrice to ease the Liver the Spleen and the Kidneys as the multitude oâ— 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 anâ— 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 oâ— barley water to two pints and to the strained liquor add Syrupe of Borage Syrupe of â—umitary 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 an ounce Make an Apozem or Take the leaves of buglos Fumitary of each a
with childe are seldome invaded by it You must apply your Remedies in the â—â—t and after the fit in the fit the humour â—ust be drawn back with rubbing the parts â—ying painfull Ligatures about them and â—pplying Cuppinglasses with scariffication to â—he calfes of her legs have such Glysters in â—eadinesse as will take away the paine disâ—olve draw back and purge out the thick â—umours you may compound them by â—hese formes following Take halfe an ounce of Elecampane roots The leaves of rue penniroyall Motherwort â—nd 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 presâ— very hard add Diaphenicon and benedicta laxativa of each an ounce Oyle of dill and oyle of rue of each sâ— 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 fomentatioâ— made of the leaves of Rue Motherwort Penniroyall the flowers of Melilot and Camâ—mile or unguent de Althea with the oylâ— of Camomile Dill and Rue for this looseneth the passages by opening the pores an expelling the winde pessaries may be pâ—â— up made with Civet Musk and Amber but you must affront her nose with stinking odours as the steame of brimstone thâ— smoke ascending from old shoes burnâ— Partridge feathers sagapenum galbanum asâ—fetida and the like cast into the fire because the Matrix doth as it were abhor râ—treat and flie from these things whereaâ— sweet things doe allure to them But some curious braine may here dâ—mand 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 a 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 iâ— favoured by Galen in his Commentry saying in this case we ought to endeavour arâ— evacuation namely such an one as is correspondent to nature when she is obedient to her own lawes After the Phlebotomy if her body bâ—strong and the Disease continue apply Cuppinglasses with scarification to her thighes Leeches to the Hemorrboids and with iterated Glysters and medicines given agaiâ— and again into the body purge out thâ— Melancholy juices Many who are more rash then learned more bold then skilfull because of thâ— cold and the winde which are the causeâ— of this Disease at the beginning will unadvisedly be offering wine to the sick which being odoriferous is apt to allure the Matriâ— to the upper parts therefore I counsel all those that value the health of theiâ— friends to forbeare this temerity yet if shâ— faint and her spirits be so far spent thaâ— 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 Syâ—ups as Rhodomell Syrupe of Wormewood Syrupe of Mint or Syrupe of the five roots You may prescribe the Purge of Mechoaca Hiera Picra pills of agarick of Hiera with Confectio Hamech or Sena You must open a veine in the ankle 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 heâ— back for it is most certaine that these doâ— diminish the seed if the Patient for twelvâ— mornings together upon an empty stomack drink three ounces of a decoction of agnus castus seeds boiled with six graines oâ— Camphire CHAP. II. Of the Epilepsy in the Matrix And thâ— severall kindes thereof PHysitians reckon up a twofold Epileps in the Matrix one by Consent thâ— other by Propriety the Cause of this is thick viscous and slow humour obstructing the hollow parts of the Nerves thâ— 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 Epilpsy by Consent we are warranted by Galen to beleeve who in his book de 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 in their Matrices doe frequently fall into the Falling Sicknesse This is easily known for imminent
of the strength of that heat which driveth out those fuliginous humours whereof those haires are generated Those women that have black haire are more apt for Venery then any other complexion because they are hotter and have their Courses in a more plentifull manner which Courses how conducible they are to make her fruitfull is manifest to any ordinary capacity because the menstruous blood is one of the Principles of our generation Other sorts of barren women must be referred to this Catalogue as those that are luxuriant and the whorish crew the former because by frequent coition their bodies become empty of seed and if any at that time be ejaculated it is not fit for generation because Nature is not allowed time enough to elaborate and concoct it and the latter sort conceive not partly by reason that many and various seeds are mingled together and partly also by reason of their frequent cohabitation with men whereby the neck of the Matrix is made so slippery that it cannot retaine the mans seed It will not be impertinent to enquire at what time women begin to have their Courses I answer that for the most part they begin when the Virgin is twelve years of age and end when she hath attained to â—orty five and in all that intercourse of â—ime women are held capable of children â—ut if any Auhors will affirme that women â—ay conceive before and after those foreâ—med periods of time we also affirme â—at this is not ordinary but very rare let the learned Reader consult Marcellâ—s Donatus and Sâ—kenchius de menstruo sanguiâ—â— in the chapter de cita sera Conceptione admiranda and he will straight demand whither a woman can conceive without the Menstruum I answer negatively for when either Principle of Generation iâ— defective there can be no conception if you still obtrude upon me that many women have conceived without the Menstruum I grant it to be true if you speaâ— of the outward Menstruum namely that which we call their monethly Courses but if you meane it of the inward that is of that which runnetâ— out of the vessells into the Matrix for conception sake you are deceived for no woman can conceive without this inward menstruum you will ask againe peradventure can a woman conceive without pleasure and whither iâ—â—e absolutely necessary that the seeds should be intermingled and that the man and the woman should both spend at one and the same point of time to the first I answer that they enjoy an unspeakable pleasure although thaâ— conduceth littlâ— or nothing to conception and to the second I affirme that it is not necessarâ— that they both spend at one time althougâ— I confesse that may facilitate and much help conception but that it is sufficient if the seed be received into the Matrix and rightly concocted for there is in the womans seed such an earnest covetous and greedie desire to embrace and be united with the seed of the man that although the man spend after the woman yet she sucks it in and the conception is neverthelesse perfect Thus we have declared unto you with all possible observation of modest expressions the Causes of barrennesse in generall and the signes of such men and women that are unfruitfull by which notes you may discerne the particular constitution of either Sex It would be needlesse to set down any prognostick signes because from a true consideration of the precedent notes you may raise an unerring determination whither the fault be in the man or the woman Let us now advance to the cure we have said that there is a threefold kinde of barrennesse Naturall Respective and that which is contracted by some disease that which comes from the Nativity of the Patient is incurable but that which is comparative in relation to the woman or the man may have help from artificiall administrations for if the man or the woman be unfruitfull through an excesse of the first qualities that intemperance must be corrected how to bring this to passe now heare and understand if any man thoroughly knoweth how to cure that barrennesse which comes by sicknesse the same man will be able to particularize every cause that introduceth unfruitfulnesse Now this barrennesse that happens by reason of some disease must be cured by a distinct observation of the cause whereupon it hath dependance if it proceed from an Vlcer that Vlcer must be cured if it arise from frequent coition the incontinent person must curb her or his appetite if the Ayre be a suspected cause remove to another place if any poyson hath got into the body by the power and malignity whereof the spirit which is in the seed is weakned and dulled you must prescribe remedies of Bezar stone and apply such medicines to the privities as have a faculty to resist poyson If the party be bewitched as it often comes to passe even by the malicious art of the Devill or his instruments besides the ordinary helps you must indeavour to subdue the evill with other meanes as the learned Fernelius hath taught us in his booke de abdit is rerum causis for some diseases and remedies exceed the limits and boundaries of Nature If slendernesse be the cause of unfruitfullnesse you must nourish and fatten the body with meats that yeild good juyce and with moistning baths and you must be carefull to avoid evacuations and all other things which weaken the strength and exhaust the spirits If fatnesse hinder fruitfulnesse the body must be extenuated made lean dried and rub'd and all other meanes must be used to dissolve and evacuate the thick juyces the Patient must accustome her selfe to much exercise refraine from anger and all passions of the minde and content her selfe with little spleen for these things introduce leannesse bring down the body and take away all grossenesse and corpulency for the same purpose also you may frequent the Bath and hot houses for sweating doth much extenuate a fat body If the Affect be produced by an excesse of the first foure qualities as we have already intimaâ—â—d that hot distemper must be corrected by a various administration of remedies in contrariety to that excesse first with a cold and moist ayre for in such cases a hot ayre weakens our strength and drawes out the naturall heat to the circumference inflames dissolves and enervates the faculties of the Matrix and because a hot distemper cannot long continue simple and uncompounded but in a short space associates to it selfe a dry distemper therefore the aliments must be moyst to resist the increase of that drought which is not cured without much trouble and difficulty if it be once introduced into the Matrix which by Nature is a dry and nervous part wherefore let her drinke be potentially moist as small beer or a decoction of barley but enjoyn her an abstinence from wine and all such meats as are spiced with cinamon and Ginger Let her meat be of easie concoction and
the morning early If her Courses be stopped cut a veine in her ankle Leeches also may be applyed to the Hemorrhoids but with caution and warinesse least thereby you more and more weaken such women whose bodies are full of raw and indigested humours afterwards you must purge her body again with a scruple of extract Catholic and as much of mass pillul faetidar and lastly prescribe an Apozem or Decoction to cut asunder and evacuate the grosse and tough humours to provoke urine to open the obstructions of the Matrix and to bring down the Courses all which vertues meet together in this Composition following Take the roots of smallage Eryngos And Fennill of each halfe an ounce The barke of the root of the Caper And Tamarisk tree of each two drams The leaves of penniroyall and birthwort of each a handfull Germander Maidenhaire Balm of each halfe a handfull Ten drams of Sena Three drams of agarick trochischt A dram and a halfe or two drams of Epythymum Boile them all according to art in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been infused to a quart when you have strained and with a strong hand presâ— out the liquor add Three ounees of Syrup of roses Mingle them and make an Apozem or Take the roots of Butchers broome Asparagus Polypody of the oak And fennill of each halfe an ounce The leaves of Penniroyall And motherwort of each a handfull A dram and a halfe of annise seeds The flowers of Violets Rosemary and Borage of each as many as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers An ounce of raisins of the Sun Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of barley water to a quart In the strained liquor infuse for a night Ten ounces of Sena Three drams of the whitest agarick Two drams of the best rubarb A dram of Epithymum In the morning let them buble once or twice and then to the liquor which you presse out add Syr. Byzantin And Syr. de eupatorio of each an ounce Mingle them and make an Apozem Of this or of the former let her take twice in a day the quantity of three ounces for a week together once in the morning and the second time at foure a clock â—n the afternoon Excellent Lozenges may be made of the species Diamosch and Diacinnamomum or you may compound them with Treacle Mithridate and Bezoar stone When the Mola hath obtained some growth if it be waterish it must be brought away with such simples as have a faculty to purge out waterish humours or iâ— it be windy you must prescribe such medicines as are of a known and approved vertue to strengthen the Matrix and to expell winde and Carminative glysters in such cases will be very convenient so also will plaisters and fomentations applyed to her privie parts but that which is humorall skinny and bloudy may be overcome with the same remedies as are set down at the beginning against the stoppage of the Courses When Nature indeavours to expell this unprofitable burthen and an issue of bloud ensueth thereupon with fainting and swounding fits then you must be diligent to strengthen the Patient with broths made of the flesh of Capons and Partridges and with such things as will stay the bloud and refresh the exhausted spirits such as are Chalybeated wine Sugar of Pearle Corall c. You will object that wine cannot be seasonable because by the heat thereof it makes the bloud thin and makes it more apt to flow away in greater measure by opening the passages rather then it can any way help to stay it I answer it is not guilty of this mischiefe if it hath a reddish Tincture for if good Claret wine be chalybeated as hath bin said besides that it nourisheth the bâ—dy it is also a binder for it comforteth the spirits and refresheth the whole body which vermes must needs be profitable for and welcome unto a Creature who is hourely subject to faint and swound and although it might provoke the bloud to flow yet a greater good must be preferred before a small inconvenience and therefore give her wine to refresh her spirits which will be more to her advantage then the issue of bloud can be to her prejudice for she may perish suddenly in one of those fits but the flux of bloud may be restrained by degrees Note that foure things require an abstinence from wine First an inflammation of the bowells Secondly a vehement paine in the head Thirdly a Phrensie And fourthly a burning Fever in a crude disease and of this opinion was Galen as appeares in his first book ad Glauconem and the 14. chapter Moreover the Patient should be refreshed with the choicest meats and then the Mola should be disposed to come forth by softning and loosening fomentations made of a decoction of marishmallowes mallowes motherwort Mercury Birthwort Sage Hyssope Calamint the seeds of line marishmallowes fenugreek camomile melilot and rosemary in this you may dip a clout and bath her privie parts But if the bloud come not away rub her legs and apply drie Cuppinglasses to the calfes of her legs and binde most painfull ligatures about them and in a word make tryall of all such remedies as will draw down Nature the humours and the Mola to the lower parts CHAP. III. Of Womens Longings WOmen are sometimes so extravagant and preposterous in their appetite that they refuse wholsome meat and long after colaes chalke a piece of an old wall starch earth and the like trash which they devoure as ravenously as a hungry Plowman will winde downe a good bag-pudding Now perhaps you may also long to know the cause hereof which is no other then the menstruous bloud especially if it be retained about the middle of their time and grow corrupt for the child in the wombe is nourished with the sweetest part of the bloud and the other part remaining which is vitious filthy and dreggish noisome exhalations especially in the middle moneths arise from it and in such a manner contaminate all the upper partts that the worst things are vehemently desired and the most wholsome refused the signes are apparent from the depravation and irregular temper of their stomack This Disease is hard to cure yet not so much in respect of the disease it selfe as of the subject wherein it is generated which is a woman with childe now we know that such women must be warily â—nd religiously dealt withall and unlesse it be in extreame necessity their bodies ought not to be purged By this unavoidable abstinence the disease is increased and the bad humour being long retained in the body becomes daily more and more corrupt by the tetrous exhalations which ascend up from the pollutions of the Matrix therefore having first appointed a strengthning and drying dyet you must indeavour to rid away that humour with Syrup of roses solutive and afterwards when the body is cleansed and free from the humour you may prescribe a gentle Purge of Rubarb
settle in them You may securely speedily and gently accomplish the cure by strengthning and dissolving 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 Diacinnaâ—omâ—m aromâ—ticâ—m rosâ—tum 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 Câ—tyledons 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 sixgraines of Diagrydium for these will irritate Her meat should be of a moistening and mollifying quality as mallow and borage â—eaves eaten with butter and Sugar fat pottâ—ge also is good for her in which if she complaine of no torments you may boyle polypoda sena and prâ—nes 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 Forberare 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 drinkeâ— 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 aâ—low 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 an 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 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 Cuppinglasseâ— with scarification to her shoulders When the veine is opened give her thickning Syrups as Syrup of poppies Myrtles quinces or Syrupe of restharrow Juleps also made with the distilled waters of plantane and roses and mixt with the Syrups aforesaid will be convenient for her or you may mingle Conserve of roses or Conserve of acacia with Bolearmenick and the Trochisch de Carabe which will be an excellent mixture to thicken and stay the bloud but however forget not to prescribe this Purge Take two scruples of Rubarb gently boyled Ten grains of the myrabolans called chebule Syrup of dried roses or Syrupe of sowre Pomegranets halfe an ounce Three ounces of plantane water or a decoction of tormentill roots Mingle them and make a Potion Procure some sleepe for her with Opiates as Athenasia Requies Nicholaâ— Philonium Persiâ—um new Treacle or Philonium Romanum yea with pills de Cynoglossa or foure or five graines of Opium all these things doe wonderfully thicken the bloud straighten the passages fatten the body concoct the bloud provoke sleep and therefore are very proper for women thus affected Note that the Opium restraines and stops all superfluous evacuations sweat excepted which it provokes besides by inviting sleepe it refresheth the body for by sleep the aliment is soonest concocted the naturall heat retiring to the inward parts whereas when the Patient waketh the heat is distributed and diffused all over the outward parts Lay this plaister which followes the oyntment to the reines of her back and with the oyntment anoynt her privie parts and the region of her Kidnies Take the powder of Gyprus Nuts The roots of Comphrey Bistort of each two drams Red Sanders Red Corall Bolearmenick Mastick of each a dram With foure ounces of Vnguentum Comitissâ— make an oyntment After the oyntment apply this Plaister as was said above Take a pound of loom and beat it to powder with ten drams of gum-arabick tosted by the fire and the whites of foure Egs incorporate them and make a plaister CHAP. X. Of water flowing away from the Matrices of women with Childe MOst certaine it is that Women with Childe by reason of their depraved appetites and continuall intemperance in their diet abound with crude and unconcocted juices which nature not knowing how to digest nor being able to expell them by her monethly Courses are accumulated in a large measure pollute the body and introduce a cold distemper from whence that water comes which is the intended subject of our present discourse they who live a sedentary and an idle life are very obnoxious to this disease in such women this waterish humour comes away at the Matrix cold to the touch slow in motion slimy in substance and white to the eye and voide of all manner of sharpnesse these women look pale their skin is lanke or loose they are lazy and loath to use any exercise they are troubled with winde and loud rumblings in their bellies Account this a difficult Cure especially when it happens in the last moneths when we dare not administer convenient remedies fearing to destroy or hurt the childe because such kinde of remedies dissolvâ— and exhaust the spirits and when the body is extreamely weakned they precipitate the Patient into a Dropsey which is scarce curable or else she miscarries by reason that the retentive faculty is too much weakned by excesse of moysture You must therefore indeavour the cure by a drying Diet as Bisket made with annise seeds and with flesh meat rather rosted then boiled forbid windy meats salt meats such as breed a thick juice and yield too much moisture almonds chesnuts pine kernells and boyled rise are very wholsome all hearbs and fruit beside quinces and medlars are unwholsome For her drinke give her binding red wine or wine wherein steele hath been quenched for this comforts the spirits a decoction of china and Salsaparilla may be profitable because it dries up the descending moisture and cleanseth the body from it this potion following will doe her much good Take two drams of Cyprus nutâ— The leaves of wormewood Mint Red roses of each halfe a handfull The seeds of quinces Services of each two drams Parcht rise Mastick of each a dram Halfe a dram of gum dragon Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been quenched to two pints to the strained liquor add Syrup of dried roses Syrup of the juyce of quinces of each an ounce Halfe an ounce of honey of roses Mingle them and make a Potion Let her take three ounces of it early in the morning it evacuates the waterish humour and not onely strengthens but also bindes the parts dryeth the Cotyledons and retaineth the childe in the Matrix that it come not into the world before its due time after the Potion the next day lay this Plaister to her privie parts Take two drams of Loadstone beaten to powder Spikenard Mastick Red corall of each a dram Two ounces of oyle of quinces Six drams of white wax Mingle them and make a Plaâ—ster A gentle laxative Decoction cannot be inconvenient and therefore we shall here set down that which hath often purchased sweet ease to the Patient and credit to our selves Take a handfull of plantane leaves A pugill of red roses Foure drams of rubarb Two drams of agarick trochischated Mastick Spikenard of each a scruple Macerate them together in two pints of water wherein steele hath been infused upon hot coales the space of six houres afterwards set them upon the fire and when they begin to bubble presse out the liquor with a strong hand and add to it Two ounces of Syrup of Fumitary Mingle them according to Art Give her every other morning fasting three ounces of this decoction for it gently strengthens the parts diverts the waterish humour from the Matrix and with much benignity evacuates it When the woman is almost ready to be in labour a wheyish or waterish humour floweth leasurely and by degrees from the Matrix either because of some dilatation of the Membranes in which the childe is enwrapped or else because those membranes are burst asunder and although it descend leasurely yet a large quantity comes from her if this happen when she is in labour suspend all helps of art for it is a good omen that she will be safely delivered but if it should fall out in the fifth sixth seventh or eigth moneth in
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 facifitate the birth if we may without procuring envie to the man beleeve Galen who saith in his book de usu partium that that humour serves not onely to moisten the childe and to make the wayes slippery but it likewise 〈◊〉 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 Mother and the preservation of the childe wherefore 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 Mdidenhaire and cinamon unto which add a small quantity of Rheâ—ish 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 acquaiâ—tâ—d 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 â—ad conformation of the body if a foot or an arme or the shoulders or the buâ—tocks come out first then the Midwife by the activity of her hand anoynted with oyle of sweet â—imonds 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 â—ooked 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 Matrix before the birth and that you feare a greater iâ—quination in regard of that putrified bloud then comfort the fâ—eble and decaâ—ed spirits of the woman with the Rhenish wine and broths aforesaid wheâ— this is done provoke the clotted bloud and fâ—culent humour by strong ligatures by rubbing her body with a course cloath and applying Cuppinglasses to her legâ— and if the woman be fallen into an agonyâ— if 〈◊〉 be young of a good â—abit full of bloud or of a sanguine complexion and if it be also the Spring time if those about her have strong feaâ—es that she will dyeâ— open a veine in her ankle for thus Nature is disburtheâ—ed and the womb which was opprest with the weight of the bloud feelâ—â— ease and many times the woman recovers 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 must 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 Treâ—cle Mithridate Alkermes Hyâ—â—ynthâ— 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 Cotyledoâ—s 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 fit 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 Trochischs of Myrrhe Ten graines of Borace Eight graines of Saffron Halfe an ounce of Syrup of Motherwort Three ounces of a decoction of maddeâ— roots and rosemary Mingle them for a draught Many commend this oyntment following which they apply to the privie parts Take unguentum de
of assa faetida Trochishs of myrrhe of each a scruple Troch Alhandal Borace of each ten graines Nutmog Saffron of each five graines Two ounces of a decoction of Savine Two ounces of muscadine Mingle them for a Draught or Take the powder of Euphorbium Dittany of Creet of each a scruple Ten graines of borace Five graines of Cantharides prepared Three ounces of a decoction of Savine Mingle them for a Draught Glystars and Suppositaries are of great concernment and thus make you them Take a dram of rest-harrow roots The leaves of Savine Pennyroyall Birthwort Motherwort of each a handfull Origanum Sage Dittany of Creet of each halfe a handfull Fennill seeds Nettle seeds The pulp of Coloquintida of each two drams Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to nine ounces to the strained liquor add Two ounces of benedict a laxativa Halfe an ounce of hiera picra Mingle them and make a Glyster or Take Troch Allhandall Scammony of each a scruple A dram of common salt With a sufficient quantity of white honey boiled according to Art make your Suppository Outwardly you may apply oyntments made of oyle of Castor oyle of Foxes oyle of Euphorbium with unguentum Agrippe unâ—o which may be added a little coloquintida powder of dittany scammony the gall of an One. Take two ounces of Vnguentum Agrippâ— Oyle of Castor Foxes Euphorbium of each halfe an ounce The pulp of coloquintida Dittany of Creet Scammony of each two drams The gall of an Oxe Euphorbium of each a dram Mingle them and make an oyntment Suffumigations may be prepared by this forme following Take halfe an ounce of live Sulphur Opoponax Galbanum Assa faetida of each two drams The powder of rue Savine of each a dram and a halfe The gall of an Oxe The juice of an onyon of each a sufficient quantity Make them into Trochischs for your use Pessaries must not be forgotten therefore Take three drams of Hiera piera in the species A dram and a halfe of myrrhe A sufficient quantity of unguentum Agrippâ— With a piece of cotton according to Art make a Pessary Or Take Ammoniack Assa faetida Black hellebore of each two drams Troch Alhandall Scammony of each a dram The juice of rue Soldanella The gall of an Oxe of each halfe a dram Two dramâ— of Turpentine With wooll and cotton according to Art make a long Pessary If these things will not bring away the childe and if the Mother be sadly fallen into an agony the safest method will be to draw out the childe with instruments if no contraindications appeare as a bad pulse and a difficulty of breathing with anxiety and unchearfulnesse of disposition in the woman CHAP. V. Of the Torments and the suppression of the Courses after the Birth WOmen in labour must be gently handled and carefully lookt unto both in respect of the roome where she is laid and also in regard of the Diet which is most proper for her in that condition As for the place it must be darke far and free from noise or any other disturbance that way least she should be offended by any accidents of feare or sadnesse or by any sudden surprizalls of anger or griefe The Diet consists in meats of good juice and easie concoction and such as are not slow in their distribution to the severall parts because they thicken the bloud and obstruct the passages Let her drinke be small beer cleare and well setled from dregs Barley water in which birthwort and borage leaves have been boiled is incomparably the best drinke you can device for her and next to it we prefer Rhenish wine conditionally that the presence of a Fever doth not forbid it The whole hope of preserving the Woman yea of curing the Diseases which happen after the birth is placed in the evacuation of the feculent menstruous bloud and therefore 't is the duty of our skill to provoke and urge down that bloud least that evill be fall her which Physitians call Torment This is a paine in the whole lower region of the belly felt upon the privie parts neere the small guts the inward cause thereof is a multitude of thick menstruous bloud retained in the body The outward cause is the inclemency of the outward ayre in regard of the coldnesse and the passions of the minde thick meats as creame custards and the like coarse bread salt flesh hard fish and many other things which are hard to digest and not kindely distributed to all the regions of the body You may most easily discover this affect by the signes for the Courses are retained at least they come downe not so freely nor in such plenty as at other times they were wont a wandring and unquiet paine is perceived beneath the navell with gurgulations and rumbling in the guts the woman breaks winde both upwards and downwards and this winde is bread of a thick and feculent bloud This affect must not be despised by neglect for the matter making way by degrees to the affected part augmenteth the paine yea and introduceth inflammations with a Fever wherefore when you have duely considered the age of the woman the Climate in which she liveth the time of the yeare and the menstruum you must without delay open a veine in the ankle and not once onely but twice or thrice as it shall seeme expedient for by this administration the thick and feculent bloud is drawn out rub her legs till by her complaints you know she feeles paine and apply Cuppinglasses to the inward part neither may you forget to lay Leeches to the Fundament by reason of its neernesse to the Matrix and the spleen A Purge be it strong or be it gentle must be exhibited the first dayes because the belly is not sufficiently open and inclined to evacuate the menstruum for should you afterwards purge her body it would take off Nature and interrupt her in her duty as Avicen sheweth in his fourth Fen. and and first chapter Therefore let the bloud be made fluid and the passages kept open and then mitigate the paines with mollifying fomentations mixt with Anodynalls Take the Caul of a weather newly killed and clap it upon the part for by the actuall and asswaging heat thereof it takes away the paine and the same vertue hath the bladder of an Oxe if it be filled halfe full of this decoction following Take the leaves of mallowes Vialets Pellitory of the wall Pennyroyall of each a handfull and a half The flowers of Camomile The flowers of melilot of each a handfull Line feeds Fennill seeds of each halfe an ounce Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to three pints unto which add Three ounces of oyle of sweet almonds Oyle of Dill Oyle of poppies of each an ounce and a halfe use it as was said above Anoynt her belly with this oyntment following Take unguentum de Althâ—a Vnguentum Agrippe of each an ounce Oyle of Lillies Oyle of camomile of each two drams A
and of no lesse efficaciâ— is this Julep following Take Endive and Borage water of each six ounces Syrup of Betony and Pomegranets of each an ounce Mingle them together for a Juleâ— or Take twenty graines of Mithridate Ten graines of Alkermes without Musk or Amber Three ounces of Buglos water Mingle them and let her drinke it at one draught If the Disease yield not to these remedies wee judge it expedient to let her bloud againe but in the Ankle if you suspect that Obstructions occasion the disâ—ase as commonly indeed they are to be suspected you may observe the same way of Cure as is approved in a Fever arising from Obstructions and Take halfe an ounce of parsley roots The leaves of betony and carduus Benedictus of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of white Maidenhaire The flowers of Bâ—rage Buglos Violets or Roses of each as many as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers at twice Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Barley water to a pint and a halfe in the strained liquor infuse foure drams of the choicest Rubarb the space of a night setting the vessell upon hot ashes with foure scruples of agarick Trochiscated and a scruple of cinamon all put in together In the morning boile them a little and when you have strongly prest out the liquor add three ounces of Syrup of roses laxative and make an Apozem or a Decoction Let her drinke three ounces of this Decoction every other morning Hereupon ensueth a Lask or Loosenesse in the belly but without any paine acrimony or griping and so long as it continueth free from any of those bad qualities you may by no meanes stay it but if it last longer with the Fever the most prudent course will be to open a veine in her Ankle having alwayes a diligent regard to the strength of her body for this evacuation is Symptomaticall as Physitians speake and according to the Prognostications of Galen it is either mortall or very difficult to be judged his words are these when any disease beginneth if any thing be evacuated it is not evacuated by any help or curtesie of Nature but all such things happen by chance in regard of those dispositions which are in the body besides nature for it is impossible that any thing should be well purged out when Nature is oppressed as then she is with the crudenesse of the humours with those causes which did produce the disease for that the Crisis and Judgement upon this disease may be sound and good it is requisite that those crudities must first be concocted and afterwards duly purged out wherefore if the Loosenesse happen at the beginning you must neglect that and be intentive to cure the Fever yet with an eye to the loosenesse by letting her bloud but very sparingly least the spirits should be wasted if the loosenesse continue so long as to weaken the body and bring the sick creature very low then stay it but with caution and tender warinesse but above all things avoid the use of such things as will thicken the humours for thus indeed you might stop the Loosenesse but then withall you should stay the menstruum which inconvenience you ought chiefly to feare Your safest way therefore will be to apply strengthning Fomentations and Plaisters that will moderately binde and with such you may furnish your selves above It would not be unprofitable to purge away the cause of the Loosenesse that so one Flux might be cured by another therefore Take halfe a dram of tosted Rubarb Ten graines of that sort of Myrobalaâ—â— called Chebule Halfe an ounce of Syrupe of dried roses Three ounces of plantane water Mingle them and make a Potion Many times this Loosenesse turnes to the Bloudy-Flux with cruell paines want of sleep a continuall Fever and frequent going to stoole This must be helped with Glysters of a binding qualifying and cleansing faculty as for example Take the roots of Comphrey and marsh-mallowes of each three drams A handfull of plantane leaves Halfe a handfull of red roses Boile them in a sufficient quantity of barley water to nine ounces and to the strained liquor put in Two ounces of honey of roses strained An ounce of red Sugar The yolke of an egg Mingle them and make a Glyster Or Take violet leaves plantane and pellitory of the wall of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of red roses Halfe an ounce of whole barley Boile them in a sufficient quantity of broth made with sheeps feet to nine ounces to the strained liquor add Two ounces of honey of roses strained The yolke of an egg Mingle them and make a Glyster You must not neglect to open the Basilick veine and the Salvatella a veine which brancheth out of the â—ephalick veine on the outside of the elbow for these administrations will be wonderfully helpfull to cure a flux of bloud arising from a distemper in the Liver those astringent fomentations also with the oyntments and Epithems whereof we have spoken at large in the precedent chapters will be of singular use The next Disease unto which women are subject after their delivery is a Lientery so called because the meat passeth thorough the body as it was chewed in the mouth without any change or alteration this is a most dangerous disease and therefore all diligence imaginable must conspire to stop it no lesse terrible and perillous is that other named by the Doctors Iliaca Passio when the guts are so bound up or inflamed or enwrapped one about another that whatsoever is swallowed down is presently cast up againe by vomit this also requires a seasonable and prudent use of remedies least the Patient should pine away and perish for want of sustenance besides it is so much the more dangerous because by those frequent Vomitings Nature is interrupted and distracted and that menstruous matter is driven upwards which should have been purged out from beneath But note that these Vomitings proceed from severall causes First from a certaine contagious vapour ascending from the Matrix and with the noysome odour thereof irritating and pricking the stomack so that it suddenly parts with all the aliment that was contained in it You must be exceeding industrious with all convenient speed to free the woman from this infirmity the vapours must be opposed and forced downwards that so by the discreet helps of art Nature may be assisted to expell those faulty and offensive humours by the Matrix This may be accomplish't by tying Ligatures about the lower parts and by rubbing of them till she complaines you hurt her by putting Pessaries up into the Matrix and applying Cuppinglasses to her thighes also by holding things of a strong and unpleasâ—nt odour to her nose and by opening a vein in her Ankle When her body is duely nourished and well refresh't give her this Glyster Take the leaves of violets pellitory of the wall and beares-breech of each a handfull Halfe a handfull of red rose leaves Two drams of fennill
seeds Boile them to nine ounces in a sufficient quantity of a decoction of an old hen and to the strained liquor add Two ounces of honey of roses strained An ounce of new butter Make a Glyster This being given you must strengthen the stomack with the stomachicall Plaister already prescribed and with these Lozenges Take a dram of aromaticum rosatum in the species Red corall and pearl prepared of each half a dram With two ounces and a halfe of white Sugar dissolved in a sufficient quantity of rose water make little Lozenges according to Art or Take old Conserve of red roses Roman wormewood The Conserve of Quinces of each an ounce Halfe an ounce of the Conserve of Acacia A dram and a halfe of aromaticum rosatum in the species A dram of the Trochichs de carabe Two scruples of red corall prepared With a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Pomegranets make a mixture Sometimes the Vomiting is accompanied with yexing and they both proceed from the same causes and therefore may both be cured with the same remedies but if it be of long continuance the most rationall and best grounded proceeding is to apply a Cuppinglasse to the mouth of the stomack with a mighty flame After all these follow two more namely spitting of Bloud and a Cough the former whereof is cured by cutting a veine in the Ankle which kinde of remedy is approved by Hippocrates in the thirty two Aphorisme of his fifth book saying a woman is freed from spitting or vomiting bloud if the menstruum breake forth and frequent experience justifies this truth for divers women by the omission hereof as Galen hath observed in his booke of Letting Bloud fell into the Tissick and other most lamentable diseases But the Cough is twofold either dry or moist the cause of the former is a certaine contagious vapour communicated to the spiritous parts provoking the Midriffe the Lungs and the other instruments of breathing to expell whatsoever is faultie and offensive the cause of the latter is a crude and raw humour ascending up from the Matrix to the Chest and sticking fast unto it This is cured by rubbing the parts and tying straight Ligatures about them by Pessaries Glysters Cuppinglasses opening a veine in her ankle by Electuaries Ptisans expectorating Potions to cleanse away the bad humour by laying on Emplâ—strum Resumptivum Pectorale or Vnguentum de Althaea among which you must mingle Cummin seeds and Saffron After the same manner Women in Child-bed are troubled to fetch their breath because by a mutuall and frequent stretching and compression of the Chest the vapours are transmitted to the Lungs and they who feele themselves molested with such vapours do seldome escape that Cough we last mentioned Moreover to this Catalogue belongeth the Pleurisie which is a most acute and therefore a most dangerous disease this you may discerne by these signes following an acute and burning Fever a Cough difficultie to fetch breath a pricking paine and a hard pulse Open a veine and you overcome this without any further remedy but the question will be in what part of the body I answer if it be a most violent Pleurisie that torments the sick if her Courses come down after a right manner and yet the evill abates not then cut a veine in her ankle but if this availe not so as the Patients life is now in danger then open a veine in her arme especially if she be full of bloud that the vitious humour may be drawn away from the inflamed place and seasonably evacuated this advice of mine is justified by the approbation of Mercurialis Mercatus Alphonsus a Castro Meschius Valeriola and the leared Zacutus Lusitanus neither will it be incovenient if you interchange this administration of phlebotomy namely first to draw bloud from the ankle then from the arme then from the ankle againe and so keeping turnes as need shall require for thus you will give ease both to the part inflamed and likewise to the Matrix which is the part mandant or that from whence the evill is communicated and distributed to the other regions This being carefully performed your next designe must be to mitigate and take away the paine with fomentations liniments Electuaries and Ptisans Take an ounce of the roots of marish mallowes The leaves of mallowes marish mallows and white Maidenhaire of each a handfull Halfe a hundfull of the flowers of dwarf-elder Annise and Line seeds of each halfe an ounce Boyle them in water to a quart and give her the strained liquor to drinke at severall times then Take a dram of unguentum de Althaea The Axungia of a hen and new butter of each halfe an ounce Two ounces of oyle of sweet Almonds Mingle them and make an oyntment then Take Syrup of Violets compound and Syrup of Maidenhaire of each an ounce and a halfe Mingle them and make a mixture to be licked from the point of a knife Afterwards Take two ounces of cleansed barley An ounce of raisins pickt stoned and washt Two drams of the best Licoras Boile them in raine water to a quart and give her the strained liquor to drinke Note that in all diseases of the Membranes the upper part of the throate and the Jawes yea and in the Falling-Sicknesse the Apoplexy the Palsie and the Convulsions you must begin the Cure by letting bloud if plentie of bloud give occasion to the Disease The swelling of the feet is the last of all those Symptomes which invade a woman after her Delivery and this proceeds from a disorderly and negligent Diet during the time of her being with Childe for by that meanes raw humours are bread in her body which after her Delivery settle in her legs as being cold parts full of nerves and far distant from the Liver which is the fountaine of bloud in which places you shall perceive soft kinde of swellings which being crusht down retaine the print of your fingers This must be cured with strengthning administrations and such medicines as are good to expell the raw humours and likewise with such as will moderately binde for should you give her strong binders you would thereby allure the humours towards the upper parts therefore to avoide that errour prepare this Bath following Take two ounces of marish mallow roots The leaves of mallowes Mint Wormewood Sage Rosemary of each two handfulls The leaves of red roses and camomile Of each a handfull An ounce of Laurell Berries Saltpeter Sulphur of each half an ounce Boile them to eight pints in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been often quenched and let her put her feet into the strained liquor Then take the dreggish substance which remaines after the straining of the said liquor and add to it The meale of Orobus And Lupines of each three ounces Foure ounces of Oxymel With a sufficient quantity of brine made with the juice of Lemmons reduce them into the forme of a Poultis and lay it to the swelled feet But
if the humour fall down againe into the legs by reason of an habituall distemper in the upper parts you must either make an issue upon the knee or else provoke her to sweat with a decoction of Salsaparilla and China roots for by the vertue of these Simples the humour is made thin and more apt for expulsion and the lower parts wax more firme and strong CHAP. VIII Of an inflammation in the Matrix after a womans Delivery THe Cause of an Inflammation in the Matrix is a hot and boiling bloud retained in the vessells and putrifying The signes are a paine in her secret Parts a vehement Fever much heat swelling and a great itching about all the parts of the Matrix hereupon the woman becomes very prone to fainting fits to lye as if she were stupified to talke idely and the like by reason of the consent between the Matrix and the other parts as we have already shewed Lastly she can neither goe to stoole nor make water without great difficulty because the parts are so exceedingly swelled This is a most terrible disease as well in regard of the Symptomes as of the Imposthume which if it be broken leaves behinde it an incurable Vlcer from whence filthy and noysome exhalations are communicated to the principall parts which is an unerring signe of Death The Cure is Universall and Particular the universall is the opening of a veine in the ankle regard being had onely to the part inflamed and the motion of nature but afterwards we deny not but it may be expedient and efficacious to draw bloud from the arme in respect of the Fever The Particular is accomplisht by lenifying medicines and by washing the part the one is done by a Cataplasm made after this manner Take two ounces of the crums of white Bread The Pap of rosted apples The Pulp of cassia newly drawn out of each an ounce Half an ounce of the mucilage of Fleabaneseeds Ten graines of Saffron Make a Cataplasme according to Art But if the Inflammation seeme to hasten to suppuration which you may perceive by the Fever and the vehemence of the paine then you must discreetly assist Nature by an application of suppurating medicines but by no meanes adventure to give her a purge remedies of the former sort are as follow Take an ounce of marish mallow roots The leaves of mallowes And marish mallowes of each a handfull and a halfe Line seed Fenugreek of each halfe an ounce Boile them in a sufficient quantity of breast-milke unto softnesse pulp them thorough a Sieve and add to the pulp Two ounces of Hogs-grease An ounce of oyle of roses Make your Cataplasm When you have overcome the Imposthume use this Injection with a Syringe Take six ounces of a decoction made with wole barley and rose leaves An ounce and a halfe of honey of roses strained Make an Injection and wash the ulcerated part very often every day till the paine cease and the Vlcer be healed though she continue the use thereof for weeks months and yeares CHAP. IX Of too little and too much Milke WAnt of milk ariseth from these three severall Causes First from the fault of the milk Secondly from some impediment which hinders the transmission of the milke to the breasts or if it be transmited it is not retained Thirdly a penury or lack of bloud either for want of necessary food or by reason of some immoderate issue of bloud from the Matrix or from some other part The Signes of these things are the slendernesse of the breast a sharp taste in the milke and a bad smell other signes you need none because the disease is manifest of it selfe in the meane time you must take heed that this corrupt milke doe not settle in the Breasts and exulcerate them wherefore beginning with the first cause you must correct and amend the faults of the milke by purging out the bad juice if phlegme abound give her hot things not onely to purge her but also to nourish her body if choler be predominant prescribe cooling and moistning things But when the Breasts doe neither draw the bloud nor retaine it you must be solicitous to strengthen the Breasts by drawing bloud unto them to this purpose you must rub her body apply fomentations and Cataplasmes that will moderately heat and expell made of marish mallow roots the leaves of Violets mallowes melilot fenugreek the crum of white breead and the yolks of Eggs. Moreover if the parts want nourishment then let her seed upon the choicest dishes or at least appoint such things for her as are good to increase bloud and milke as eggs butter milke boiled with fennill par snips and the like Rock her to sleep by peaceable and sweet admonitions and exercise your wits to keep her from anger melancholy and all other perturbations of the minde It will not be hurtfull but rather expedient to allow her the use of good wine but then remember to put into it the powder of earth wormes Contrary to this is the immoderate plenty and superfluitie of the milke which you may easily discerne by that which comes away therefore if you suspect that the bloud will congeale and grow clotted then lessen the abundance of the mike with a thin and spare diet enjoyne her to be very abstemious and moderate in her drinke and if her Courses be stopped open a veine in her ankle but otherwise in her arme rub her legs and use all other meanes to divert the bloud from the Breasts but above all things let her use Exercise which is the best remedie in this case Yet if the bloud be congealed and if by the exhalation of the thinner part the rest wax thick then you must administer attenuating and drying medicines to cut make thin and dissolve the clotted bloud of this sort are Emplastrum de muciloginibus and emplastrum de Meliloto among which you may mingle the juice of Smallage and Frankincense CHAP. X. Of the Inflammations of the Breasts VVOmens Breasts those delicate and tender parts are not only frequently afflicted with the congealing of the bloud but they are likewise very apt to be inflamed by reason of a mixt plenty of bloud and milke whereby they swell exceedingly looke of a high red colour and are full of paine and sorenesse This Inflammation is accompanied with a Fever which the Physitians call Lactaria that is by Interpretation the Fever of the milke or the milky Fever and the learned Midwives call it Pila because presently unlesse the Breasts be well chafed and rubbed there appeareth to the touch an exact resemblance of a Ball This taketh not beginning from any venomouâ— humour contained in the Breasts but is rather to be accounted a Symptome driver to the Breasts by the motion of Nature and the bloud it is likewise very hardly distinguishable from a true Fever in which all the signes are conspicuous and manifest as appeare in this the swelling in the Breasts onely being excepted which is not some Ball accidently swallowed with the drinke as many learned men have vainely and irrationally surmised for how is it possible that a Ball should slip from the stomack thorough those slender passages of the Messentery and the Liver the hollow veine and the Axillary veines to the region of the Breasts therefore in my Judgment it is a phlegmatick matter ravelled as it were by the burning heat of the part into long threads as it happeneth to the slow matter contained in the Kidneys and the Bladder If the Fever and the Inflammation be urgent you must immediately command a veine in her ankle to be opened if it happen presently after her delivery but if a moneth be overpast let the Basilick vein on the same side be opened You must prescribe medicines to repell the humour but be carefull that they be not extreame cold least the humour should retire back to the principall parts a Glyster also must be first injected and you may afterwards prescribe this Poultis following which will mollifie and dissolve the humour and be very profitable Take an ounce of marish mallow roots The leaves of mallowes Violets Plantane of each a handfull and a halfe Boile them altogether in milke to softnesse and pulp them thorough a Sieve and to the pulp add Foure ounces of the crum of white Bread A scruple of Saffron Mingle them and make a Poultis Many times the Breasts and the Nipples are full of chaps which exceedingly torment and paine a woman these are caused by a sharp waterish humour falling down upon them and may be cured with mallowes boiled in breast-milke or with the white of an egg or with Lilly leaves moistned in oyle or with Vnguentum Pompholygos or which will exceed all the former with oyle of Nutmegs among which you may mingle bolearmenick with Cerus and some drops of oyle of Lead or some other oyle by it self CHAP. XI Of wrinckles remaining in the Matrix after a Womans Delivery and of the meanes to contract the Matrix VVHen a woman is delivered there appeare Chaps or Wrinckles by reason of the coming forth of the Childe and the flux of the Menstrunm these we have often cured with gentle astringent medicines having first administred this Injection thorough a Syringe Take halfe an ounce of Comphrey roots Two drams of Cyprus nuts Pomegranet flowers Red roses of each as many as you can containe between your thumb and two fingers at twice Myrtle seeds Shumach seeds of each a dram Boile them in a sufficient quantity of red wine to sixteen ounces and reserve the strained liquor for an Injection or Take a dram of Comphrey roots Cyprus nuts and the seeds of rhois Of each halfe a dram As many red roses as your thumb and two fingerscan grasp Beat them to a grosse powder and with an ounce of unguent Pompholygos and a piece of Cotton make a Pessary With the same medicines intermingling some other things that are greater binders you may help the loosenesse and widenesse of the secret parts which if they be not seasonably and prudently contracted may possibly be a cause that the woman will have no more Children Some Midwives use water wherein shee le hath been infused which we dislike not provided that when you boile the water you put in a quantity of Sumach seeds Medlar seeds and red Roses FINIS