when I am accused there be no bodie to speake for me If therefore it be thought preiudiciall either to the literarie common-wealth of Physicke that I haue exported and made common a commoditie which the learned would haue had priuate to themselues or if I haue been oftensiue to Women in prostituting and divulging that which they would not haue come to open light and which beside cannot be exprest in such modest termes as are fit for the virginitie of pen paper and the white sheetes of their Child-bed I must as well as I can defend my selfe from these imputations and shew my care to keep both learning and modestie illibate and inuiolable First then I haue done no more in this then the Author hath in his French Copie which is common to be had and read in that vulgar tongue In defence of which and this the shadow therof I must say that it is not writ so much for the learned who notwithstanding if they haue not the french may make vse of this as for the Chirurgions Midwiues who are called to this kinde of employment As for women whom I am most afraid to offend they must be content to haue their infirmities detected if they will haue helpe for them which I wish might not come to any eare or eye but to those which they themselues would haue acquainted therewith and as well for their sakes as mine owne satisfaction I haue endeuoured to be as priuate and retired in expressing al the passages in this kind as possibly I could And with this I hope all good Gentlewomen will rest satisfied to whom I wish all happinesse of increase and all increase of happinesse that they may haue a good houre for this businesse and for all other Contentments many good daies and yeares A Summarie or Briefe of all the Chapters contained in this worke That which is handled in the first Booke THe gouernment and ordering of a woman the nine Monethes she goes with Child and the meanes to help her whatsoeuer sicknesse doth happen in that space Fol. 1 1 The signes whereby to know that a woman is with Child 2 CHAP. 2 The signes to know whether she will haue a Boy or a Wench 8 3 The signes to know that a woman hath two Children 12 4 Of false Conception 13 5 Of the order of Diet which a great bellied woman ought to keep 18 6 How a Woman must gouerne her selfe all the time of her being with Child 27 7 Of diuers Accidents which trouble and molest Women while they are with Child 32 8 Of Womens longing called Pica 34 9 Of Distastfulnesse and of the Hicket 41 10 Of the Vomiting which comes vpon a women with child 43 11 Of the paines of the Stomacke Flancks and Belly which happens to a Woman with Child 47 12 Of the paine of the Backe Hips and Groine and of the difficultie of making Water which chanceth to Women with child 49 13 Of the palpitation and beating of the Hart As also of the Swounings which happen to women with Child 52 14 Of the Cough 54 15 Of Costiuenesse or hardnesse of the Bellie 51 16 Of the Fluxe of the Bellie or Laske 61 17 Of the swelling of their Legs and Thigh 's 65 18 Of Abortment or the meanes to help them that beare not their Children to the full time 69 That which is handled in the second Booke The meanes to helpe a Woman with Child either in her naturall Trauaile or that which shall be contrarie to Nature 1 OF Midwiues Fol. 79 2 What manner of woman a Midwife ought to be 84 3 What must be obserued when a woman is ready to fall in trauaile 86 4 Of the duitie and office of a Midwife concerning the first time she must obserue in the trauaile 91 5 Of the second time she must obserue 93 6 Of the third time she must obserue 97 7 Of the care and attendance that must be had to a woman that is newly deliuer'd 101 8 Of painfull and difficult deliuerie and the causes thereof 104 9 The meanes to help Women that are deliuer'd with difficultie and great paine 113 10 Of diuers kinds of deliueries which are performed by the Chirurgions help And first what a Chirurgion ought to consider before he go about this worke 123 11 The meanes of helping a woman that is troubled with a Fluxe of blood and Convulsions in the time of her trauaile 125 12 The way to help a woman in trauaile when the After-birth comes for-most 133 13 The meanes to help a woman when her Child is dead in her wombe 136 14 The way to draw foorth a Child that is puft vp swolne 104 15 The meanes to help a woman when her Child comes with the head forward hauing his Necke and Head turned awrie 144 16 The meanes to help a woman when the Child commeth with an Arme and the Head formost 147 17 The meanes to help a woman when the Child comes with both his Armes and the Head formost 149 18 The meanes to help a woman when the Child comes with one or both the Feet formost 152 19 The meanes to help the deliuerie when the Child commeth with both his Hands and both his Feete together formost 160 20 The meanes to help the Woman when the Child commeth double putting formost either his Sides or his Backe and Shoulders or his Buttockes 163 21 The manner of helping the deliuerie when the Child commeth with his Breast and Bellie formost 166 22 The meanes to help the deliuerie when there is two Twins and the one comes with his Head and the other with his Feete formost 169 23 The meanes to help the woman that hath two Twins when they both come with their Feet formost 173 24 Of the After-birth which is retained and staies after the deliuerie and the meanes to bring it away 176 25 The way to take foorth a Child by the Caesarian section 185 What is contained in the third Booke The Gouernment and ordering of a Woman newly deliuered and of the diseases that happen vnto her in her Moneth 1 OF her Diet. 189 2 What must bee done to her Breasts Belly and neather parts 194 3 Of the Accidents that follow the Deliuerie And first of the Gripings or After-throwes 206 4 Of the falling downe of the Fundament and Matrice 210 5 Of the hurts and excoriations which happen in the neather parts after the deliuerie 211 6 Of the Hemorroides 215 7 Of the immoderate flowing or comming downe of the ordinarie euacuations or purgings 220 8 Of the suppression or stopping of the said purgings 227 9 Of the false Conception staying behind after the deliuerie 232 10 Of the precipitation or falling downe of the Matrice 235 11 Of the sticking and growing together of the necke of the Matrice 245 FINIS THE GOVERNMENT and ordering of a Woman the nine moneths that she goes with childe And also the meanes to helpe her what sicknesse soeuer doth happen in that
before the fourth moneth the veines of her thighes and groine are bigger and more knottie on the left side then on the right An honest Gentlewoman assured me that she had made triall of this receipt which is to take an equall quantitie of Claret wine and of vrine made in the morning put them together into a glasse and let them stand a whole day if there appeare in the bottome a grosse cloud thicke like to Beane-broth it is a signe the woman is with child of a boy if it appeare in the middest it is signe of a wench if there be nothing found in the bottome but the ordinary residence of vrine it shewes she is not with child at all An experiment likewise may be made out of the practise of Liuia the Mother of the Emperour Tiberius who being with child and desirous to know with what she went tooke an egge from vnder a Henne that sate and kept it warme so long in her hands till at last a Cock-Chicken was hatched out of it whereby she knew that she should haue a sonne which proued to be Tyberius the Emperour as Suetonius reporteth Heere will it not be beside our purpose to set downe what Hippocrates writes in his booke de superfaetatione of the meanes how to get a man or woman-child He that wil saith he beget a sonne must know his wife as soone as her courses are stayed and then try the vtmost of his strength but if he desire to get a daughter then must he companie with his wife a good while after her courses or at that time when she hath them and beside he must tye his right stone as hard as he can endure it and when he would haue a sonne he must tye the left But Aristotle seemes wrongfully to blame his worthie man when he sayth that the generation of Males or Females depends of the strength of the seed and not of the stones the vse whereof he saith is not for generation But experience teacheth vs the contrary for the countreymen when they would haue a Bull beget a Cow-Calfe or a Bull-Calfe they tye the right stone for the one and the left for the other The signes whereby to know that a woman goeth with two children CHAP. III. THe signes that a woman hath conceiued two children doe seldome appeare before the third or fourth moneth which then is knowne both by the mouing of the children and also by the greatnes and swelling of the womans belly As for the motion if it be felt strong and forceable both on the right and the left side at the same instant then it is apparent that there be two children Likewise for the greatnes of her belly if it appeare more swollen and bigger then in her other child-bearing if the sides be higher then the middle of her belly and from the nauell downeward there appeare as it were a line or separation betweene both sides creasted if the woman beare her burthen with difficultie and her belly fall vpon her thighes and hips then may you safely say that she goeth with two children Of false Conception CHAP. IIII. WOmen are oftentimes deceiued in reckoning themselues with child for they thinke themselues with child when it is nothing but the stopping of their naturall sicknesse which keepeth not due course Some haue a false conception which is as it were the beginning of Mola Others haue the Mola it selfe which we commonly call the Moone-calfe False conception is a lump of flesh gathered together commonly like to the gizard of a fowle which is bigger or lesser according to the continuance of it which nature commonly expelleth in the second third or fourth month But the Mola is farre bigger and continues a yeare or two yea ten or twelue and sometime as long as the woman liues Of this Mola there be two kinds the one may be called a true the other a false one The true Mola is fleshy being nothing else but an vnprofitable masse without shape or forme hard and firme bred within the Matrice and cleauing to the sides thereof The false Mola is of three sorts the one windy being a collection of grosse winds the second watrish or a heaping together of waters the third humorall or a meeting of many humors All three contained within the capacitie of the womb which doth make them differ from the swelling hardnes or Scyrehus of the said wombe or from any flesh water or humor which may chance to cleaue to or touch the outward part thereof These are often bred together with the child but then they cause death either for that the child is deceiued of his nourishment which is carried to the Mola or because he wanting roome cannot grow and come to perfection Hippocrates saith that there be some liuing and some dead Moles The dead are like to the false burthens so called because women carry them not long as being but lightly tyed and fastned to the sides of the Matrice Sometime they are deuided into diuers seuerall pieces so that Nicholas Nicolus saith he saw a woman which cast forth nine of them in one day the least whereof waighed foure pound The quicke and liuing Moles are they which wholy cleaue to the wombe and continue with the woman euen to her death The cause of the fleshy Mole according to the ancient writers cannot wholly proceede from the woman but the man must adde somewhat thereunto Galen holdeth that it is bred when the mans seed is weake barren imperfect or in little quantitie and for the most part choked through the abundance of the menstruous bloud which is grosse and thicke vnfit for the framing of a child so that in stead thereof is bread a lumpe of flesh that by little and little increaseth being wrapped in his owne membrane which nature effecteth as desirous to bring forth any thing rather then to be idle The windie Mole is ingendred through want of heate in the Matrice and other parts adioyning as the Liuer and Spleene whereby much wind is bred and shut vp in the emptinesse of the wombe It may also come from without as in women newly deliuered and in such which hauing had their naturall courses in great abundance doe venture too soone into the cold aire The watry Mole proceeds from the abundance of watrie showres which is sent from the Liuer or the Spleene or other parts thereabouts or else through the weakenes of the Matrice which cannot assimilate the bloud that is brought to nourish it part whereof is turned into water and being not voided stayeth in the wombe The humorall Mole is bred by reason of too much moisture as of serious or whayish humors of the whites or watrish euacuations which come downe through the vessels of the Matrice and are stayed in the concauitie thereof False conception hath some common signes with the true as suppression of the naturall courses depraued appetite distastfulnesse vomiting swelling
suppression whereof doth cause paines gripings suffocation an ague and many other accidents Now when the woman shall be thus accommodated she must be kept from sleeping though shee bee very desirous thereof and let her in the meane time be entertained with some discourse and let her nurse looke to her brests applying such things thereunto as shall be set downe in the third booke in their proper place After the woman hath beene kept three or foure houres from sleeping you may giue her some broth made with a knuckle of Veale or a Chicken or in stead thereof a couple of yelkes of egges and so let her take her rest and if she haue any desire to sleep shee may which must bee some three or foure houres after her deliuery the dores and windowes of her chamber being close shut not making any noise And so let this suffice for the naturall trauaile or deliuery wherein there hath beene no difficulty the woman beeing neither much troubled nor hauing had any greate paines but those that are ordinary and such as God hath which is that In sorrow a woman should bring forth Of a painfull and difficult deliuery with the causes thereof CHAP. VIII WOmen are brough a bed very hardly and with much paine vppon diuers reasons which is an occasion that many repaire vnto Phisitians and Chirurgions to haue their helpe since there be few Midwiues found skilful that can giue them much aide or succour in these cases A Chirurgion beeing called thither ought diligently to inquire what may be the cause and consider carefully thereof now the cause may be referred to foure things either to the mother or to the child or to things that are annexed vnto the child or else to outward things and so accordingly must they frame the remedy In the number of outward things I comprehend those persons that are about the woman in trauail who if they be displeasing vnto her are to be intreted gently to withdraw and absent themselues Whether it be by reason that the woman hath any feare apprehension or any mislike and loathing vnwillling to haue them so neare her when shee is in her trauaile and anguish or else being ashamed to see her selfe in that case 2 Pliny writeth that the ancients held an opinion that the deliuery might bee hindred and prooue difficult if there were any in the womans chamber which held her fingers lockt or shut one within another and produceth for an example Alcmena who could not be deliuered of Hercules but with much difficulty 3 Likewise the outward aire being too cold may hinder the deliuery because it cooleth the woman shutting vp her body and especially those parts which ought to be inlarged and dilated As also the aire being too hot spendeth the spirits and makes the woman lose her strength remaining weake and feeble and as it were fainting without any power or courage And therefore the aire must be temperate yet rather hot then cold 4 Pleasing smels as of Muske Ciuet Amber Grise or the like if she haue such about her the vapour whereof may strike vp into her nose doe hinder the deliuery because they draw the wombe vpward If the cause of difficult deliuery be in the mother her selfe it comes either by reason of her person or her age or her naturall disposition or of some other accident she hath had or may haue or by being deliuered before or after her time 1 Her person or body may be the cause thereof as if shee be too fat and full for in such women I haue seene great store of fat come down into their naturall parts which stopped the passage And in others I haue seene the caule come downe which did so presse and crush together both the inward and outward necke of the wombe that it could very hardly open it selfe yea and being dilated and inlarged did euen close presse it together againe In some I haue seene and felt part of the bladder present it selfe at the entrance of the wombe A woman that is too leane and bare as also one that is too little may likewise bee deliuered with much difficulty And when this happeneth it cannot be remedied as one would desire 2 Now concerning their age both they that are too yoong as being too straight and also they that are old hauing also their naturall parts too much shrunke together and dryed and the bones too closely ioyned together the cartilages very hard which cannot so well yeeld and bee dilated as in youth I say both of these bee deliuered with very much difficulty 3 Their naturall disposition likewise may bee a cause that they are deliuered with much paine 1 As if they be weake of constitution nice tender timerous and afraid of paine which makes them that they will not force themselues nor make their paines and throws effectuall and when the child is euen ready to come forth they shrinke in themselues with the very feare they haue to feel such paine 2 Hippocrates saith that women which haue an Ague when they are with child and become very leane without a manifest cause doe bring foorth their children with great difficulty paine and danger And if they doe miscarry or abort then they are in danger of their liues The same Author saith that those women which giue but little nourishment to their children are sooner deliuered and contrariwise they that feede too much are longer ere they be brought a bed 3 They that haue beene troubled with any sicknesses as the bloudy fluxe or other fluxe of the belly Convulsions fluxe of bloud or that haue any tumor vlcer or scarre which hath happened by being heeretofore badly deliuered or any other accident that hath made the necke of the wombe hard close and straight which is a meanes that it cannot be dilated and inlarged or else which haue the entrance or passage stopt with some flesh or membrane that is naturall vnto them that is to say which they haue had from their birth All these I say are deliuered with great paine and difficulty yea and oftentimes doe lose their liues thereby Now some will thinke it very strange and almost incredible to find a woman that should bee with child and yet a maide there being euen from her birth a membrane that stoppeth the passage and hindreth the man from entring Where as it is necessary for conception that a woman should haue the entire fruition or company of the man and that he should not onely enter within the outward passage of the womb but euen to the inner necke therof to carry thether the seed and there to mingle it with the womans But stories in this kinde make vs beleeue the contrary seeing there is no such necessity that the mans seede should be carried and cast so deepe For in some Women the wombe is so greedy and lickerish that it doth euen come down to meet
the parts of his bodie are not strong and able enough to draw vnto them sufficient nourishment This difficultie of deliuerie happens also when the child is either sicke or dead and is not able to help it selfe as likewise when he is too big in all his bodie and chiefly in the head or if he be a Monster hauing two heads two bodies foure armes or legs or if they be Twins th' one hindring the others comming foorth which will be euident by the bignesse of the Mother or if he be ill placed to come foorth putting formost an arme or a leg or both the shoulder buttockes side or belly comming formost 4 Now concerning that which is annexed to the child the deliuerie proues difficult if the membranes that containes the water wheron the child doth floate and swim be firme solide and hard that it cannot but verie hardly be broken or that the said membrane be so thin that it breakes too soone and before the child be well turned and ready to follow the said water which serues to carrie him and make him come foorth the easier For the child that remaines drie commeth into the world with much paine Likewise if the after-burthen offer it selfe first and that it stop the passage or if there be a Mole or false Conception As also if the woman haue not been lately at stoole or made water the which is cause that the great gut being full may close the necke of the wombe as likewise the bladder being full may presse it downe because it is placed betweene them both Whence it is commonly said in the prouerb Que l'enfant est situé enter le boire le manger which is That the child is seated between the meat and the drinke And therefore all the aforesaid accidents must be remedied accordingly The meanes to help Women that are deliuered with difficultie CHAP. IX THat a Woman which is deliuered with difficultie and much paine may be help'd the Chirurgian ought to know what is the cause thereof and from whence this difficultie doth proceed that he may the better cure it If it be because the Mother is to grosse or fat and chiefly in her naturall parts as also if there be any store of fat offer it selfe as I haue seen it oftentimes happen in great striuing and throwes yea and that in such sort that it did euen stop the passage of the child Then the Chirurgion as gently as he can possibly must thrust backe and put aside with one hand the said fat not tearing or hurting it least it be spoiled and corrupted afterwards holding it still downe on the one side till the child be come foorth of the wombe keeping it alwaies from falling downe into the passage and among the bones when the child is readdy to come foorth But when part of the bladder is sunke downe and relaxed and is manifestly perceiued in the entrance of the wombe then must he do the like as he did to the fat holding it aside vpward with the flat of two or three of his fingers vntill the childs head be past the Os Pubis If he find then as it may so come to passe that the said bladder be full of vrine the woman in trauaile not hauing made water a good while before then must he cause her to make water by putting a fit instrument gently into the bladder For it is seen in some that the fibres which doe contract the bladder and make it driue out the vrine are so weakned and also the whole bodie thereof that the vrine cannot come foorth Some women haue been deceiued by taking the said bladder thus full with vrine for the waters which come before the child causing the said bladder to be broken the which is worthy of great consideration Also the said necke of the bladder may be stop't by reason of some Carnositie Inflammation or stone which I haue seen an honest woman there being a stone fallen down into the necke in her bladder that stopt her vrine which being put aside by the probe she made water Neuerthelesse when the child was ready to come foorth the stone returning in to the said necke of the bladder againe did so fret and hurt it through the long stay that the childs head made in the passage that it grew to an Impostume and suppuration which made a little hole through the which she hath long time made her water not being able to hold or retaine it which is a storie worthy to be mark'd But as the vrine may be sometimes stop't so likewise the excrements of the great gut may be retained which hapning it will be more then necessarie for the cure thereof to giue the woman a Clyster that may both vnload her of her excrements and likewise help and make her deliuerie the more easie I my selfe was present at the trauaile of a poore sicke woman that had not been at stoole in ten daies before whose great gut was so fild and stuft with excrements as hard as a stone that it was impossible for her to receiue a Clyster and we were constrain'd before she could be deliuered to get out all the said excrements otherwise it had been impossible to haue taken foorth the child To help and succour one that is lean and barren or else of little stature as also such as are either too old or too young they must haue recourse long before hand vnto medicines that shall mollifie moisten and relaxe not onely the membranes which ought to be dilated and stretch'd that they may be made more souple and gentle But likewise you must annoint the Cartilages and Ligaments that ioine the Os pubis Sacrum Os Coccygis and Ilium which must be done with oyntments already set downe and euen in the verie houre of the deliuerie annoynt all the said parts therewith Some mislike not about the end of the ninth moneth to bathe the woman either with a generall or particular bath as we haue heretofore appointed as likewise to giue her euery morning eight or ten daies before her lying in this Drinke A Drinke to make easie the deliuerie Take Oile of sweet Almonds drawen without fire an ounce water of Parietary two ounces mingle thâ—m together and let her drinke it The which I haue oftentimes tried in many women and among the rest in Madame Capp who before had been many times deliuered with much paine and sorrow of her children dead But since I counsell'd her to vse this medicine she hath been deliuered thankes be to God verie fortunately of many children liuing The same remedies do likewise serue for them that haue any Callositie or hardnesse in the passage of Nature The weake and dainty women must be fed with yelkes of egges cullis a tost with wine and sugar or Hyppocras and that a little at a time and often you may also giue them a little confection of Alhermes dissolued either
then the woman dyes presently but if it be voided by the mouth or nose then she may escape The causes of this suppression are of two kinds either inward or outward The outward causes are sadnes griefe suddain apprehension of some ill newes feare frighting and such like passions of the mind Likewise cold which the woman hath taken which shutteth vp the veines of the Matrice a bad dyet and amongst other things drinking of colde and raw water which hath beene noted by Hippocrates to be very hurtfull vnto women with child Now concerning the inward causes the same Author writes that the vlcers which happen by reasen of a long and troublesome deliuery doe cause an inflammation and swelling which makes the side of the wombe come together and shuts vp the orifices of the veines thereof from whence proceedes suppression of the after-Purgins Likewise the ouer great quantity of thicke and grosse bloud may bee the cause as also the weakenesse of the Matrice the which because it hath beene sore wearied and troubled in the deliuery and thereby lost all strength is not able to disburden and free it selfe of the bloud whereof it is full Hippocrates also in the same place giues another cause which is when the mouth of the said womb is shrunke or turned awry or else because the sides of it are sunke downe shut together and inflammed For the Cure heereof shee must obserue an order of dyet which shall be moistning and opening Her meate and drinke must be such as we haue formerly prescribed for one newly deliuered Shee shall take operitiue Broths thereby to open the orifices of the veines which are much stopt and according to the cause so the remedies must be fitted as if it come by any sudden apprehension griefe or anger then must she be plasant and make her selfe as merry as she can If it proceed of any inflammation or heate that hath thickned the bloud then must she vse medicines that shal moderately cool moisten as Apozemes made with the leaues and rootes of Succory Burnet Endiue Agrimony Maydenhaire Couchgrasse or Gramen Hoppes rootes of Persely and Asparagus Violet flowers with the sirups of Maydenhaire and de quinq radicibus If it be needfull to attenuate and cut or to euacuate any grosse and clammy humors which shut vp the orifices of the veines it will not be amisse to vse this fomentation so that there be no great inflammation of the part A. somentatiō ℞ Malu Bismal Parietar Matricar an m. i. Abrotan Origan Aneth Calamint Artemis an m. s. Flor. sambuc Chamaemel Melilot an P. i. sem Linifoenugraec an ʒ ij fiant sacculi duo Coquantur in aq Communi addendo sub finem vini albi parum pro fotu Of the foresaide ingredients you may likewise prepare fumes halfe baths and also iniections for the Matrice If the said after-purgings are suppressed because the inner orifice of the matrice is closed or turned aside then will it be very necessary for the Chirurgion after he hath considered that there is neither paine nor distemperature to set it right againe by putting vp pessaryes which shal prouoke and bring downe the after purgings as this following A Pessary ℞ Cerae nouae ℥ iiij Mell. ℥ i. styrac liq ℥ s. Ol. muschell ʒ ij liquefiant omnia simul addendo Myrrh Aloes an ʒ is farin Lupinor ʒ vi auferendo ab igne impone telam ex Canabe de qua cooperiatur pessarium ad vsum You shall first frame a pessary and then it shall be couered with the said cloth or else dipped and couered with the said medicine You may also make little round bags of a fingers length in the forme of a pessary which you shall fill or stuffe with the herbe Mercury first brused or beaten and this may serue for a pessary this herb is very much commended If it be needful to haue the pessary stronger you may put thereto a little Mugword Sauine and Balme It will be very profitable to bind the thighs hard and to rub the legges and thighs especially on the inside all along the crurall veyne you may also apply great Cupping glasses in the saide places Let her legges and thighs be washed with that decoction which was set downe before for the fomentation The same decoction also may serue for Clysters dissoluing therein Hiera or Benedict Laxatiua and mel mercuriale But we must preferre before all these medicines that which is the most soueraigne which is letting of bloud in the foote out of the Saphena or in the Poplitica which is in the bending of the gartring place For by this meanes we shall manifestly meet with the cause of the sicknesse And heerein wee shall follow the example of Hippocrates who caused the woman seruant of Stymargus to be let bloud be cause her sicknesse or purgings were stayed after she was deliuered and by this meanes she was well discharged of them although before she had bene in great and generall Convulsions The same Author saith that a woman that hath these purgings staide must haue present helpe for feare least there happen some great inflammation to the part so that except she be presently let bloud she is in danger of death Her belly also must be kept loose by Clisters and if she can vomit easily she must be helped that way also Galen saith that hee hath brought downe these purgings in women that was pale leane and weak by letting her bloud in good quantity I haue not heere set downe any medicines to bee taken by the mouth because I haue written many of this kind in the Chapters going before wherein I haue treated of the meanes how to make the child or after-birth come foorth when they bee staide which medicines haue power also to prouoke the courses or after purgings Of the false Conception stayed and abiding in the woman after her deliuery CHAP. IX IT may happen to some women that after they haue been well deliuered of their children there may stay with them one or more false conception Some of these false conceptions sticke fast to the wombe some are vnfastned and loose If they be small they come foorth together with the purgings but if they be big they oftentimes stay and abide within And in this case the Chirurgion must be carefull for if they bee bigge and cleaue to the wombe they may bring much inconuenience to the woman by their long staying behind So then it will be necessary for him to know whether there be any of this kind and of what nature it is which he shal learne of the Mother by demanding of her how she found her selfe all the time shee went with child First then let him enquire of her whether she were very big at that time and if she had any hardnesse in any part of her belly whether shee hath beene vsed to any such accident with her other children for there are women which
backes and raines called in Languedocke Masquelon and of the Latins Morbus pilaris CHAP. XXXV IT had been more agreeable and conuenient to haue set downe this disease in the Chapter of the Vnquietnesse and Crying of little children But as this booke was euen almost printed Mr Toignet a Barber Chirurgion of Paris put me in mind of this disease that happens vnto little Children which is verie common in Languedocke and is called in their language Masquelon Hauing enquired of diuers Physicions about this disease and amongst the rest of Mons Riollan Doctour of Physicke in Paris and the Kings Professor in Chirurgerie a verie learned and painfull gentleman he told me that Montanus had written of it and that he called it Pilaris affectio As soone as little Children are taken with this disease they crie and take on extreamely and yet one can not perceiue any cause why they should do so which brings them oftentimes euen to their graue for that this disease drawes along with it Epylepticall convulsions because the Sinewes which come foorth of the backe-bone and are scattred on each side are ouer burthened and fill'd with some fuliginous vapour of which Haires are bred and they by their great length and continuitie are carried directlie to the braine whither when they are come they cause this disease The women of the Countrie of Languedocke because it is a common disease with them make no great reckoning of it and doe helpe it in this manner With the palme of their hand they do rub the bottome of the childs backe and raines downe to the crupper bone so long till they feele through the pores of the skin the tops of verie stiffe and pricking Haires to come foorth like vnto hoggs bristles which as soone as they see that they are come foorth they pull them away by and by with their nayles or else with such little pincers as women vse to pull the haire from off their eye-browes The same Montanus counselleth the woman to rub her hand first with some new Milke which being done and the Haires pull'd away the child presently recouers his health and leaueth his ordinarie cries and laments There may also happen vnto little Children diuers other diseases besides these that I haue spoken of But because they bee common as others are and such as may happen to one of any age as Wounds Vlcers Impostumes Fractures Luxations and sorenesse of the Head we haue willinglie omitted them for breuitie sake And also for that you may haue recourse to those that haue written thereof more particularly in their Chirurgerie The end The Chirurgions must beware of iudging rashlie A story Another Directions for the Chirurgion Signes of coÌ„ception taken from the man Experiment Signes taken from the woman The wombe shuts it selfe Some women when they be with child haue their courses Hippocrates Signes taken from vrines Experiment of Fernelius Hippocrates Hydromell is made of hony and water boiled together Auicen Truest signes gathered from the Child Signes gathered by the Midwife A pleasant answere The difference of sexe is hard to foretell Aristotle Obseruation Hipp. Aph. Signes of a boy â—â—gnes gaâ—hered out â—f Auicen Signes of a wench Hippocrates lib. de stipilitate An experiment Another experiment of Liuia The meanes how to begeâ— a sonne or a daughter To know whether a woman will bring two children What a false conception is Mola is either true or false Mola bred together with the child Hippocrates Cause of the flesh Mole Windie Mole Watry Mole Humorall Common signes Signes of false conception Signes from the motion The child moueth of it selfe and not the Mole True signes Signes of the windy Signes of the watry and humorall Difference betweene the Watry and Humorall Good Aire fit for a woman with child The Cough naught for women with child Bad smells to be auoided Her Dyet Too much meate stifleth Salt meates bad Fit meates Hearbs Diureticall and windy meates are naught Accidents that may happen Lib. 2. Aph. 38. Cibus potus deterior suauior tamen melioribus quidem sed insuauioribus est anteponendus Her Drinke Her Sleepe Exercise Causes of Abortment Great noyses hurtfull Violent exercise hurtfull Sentence of Aristotle Opinion of Plato Women that labour are easily deliuered Venus forbidden Aristotles opinion Her belly must be soluble Clisters Lib. 5. Aph. 34. Mulieri grauidae si aluus prosusior sit abortionis periculum imminet Lib. 5. Aph. 21. A Woman with Child may be purged Opening medicines must be auoided Lib. 5. Aph. 60. Considerations concerning Bloud-letting Passions of the mind An obseruation For great bellied women She must take need of lacing her selfe too hard To preserue the breasts A Fomentation What must be done the 3. and 4. Moneth Another Liniment Another The maner to prepare it Another easie to be prouided Obseruation Gouernment of the ninth Moneth The Bath The Ointment A Drinke A Woman must haue a care of her Beautie Health must be preferred Aristotle Hippocrates Vitruuius Why women with Child are sicke Diuers diseases of women Boulimos Canina appetentia Sitis immodica From whence it is called Pica Storie of Fernelius Diuers causes of Pica Wherefore they desire diuers things The beginning of the Pica The breeding of the haire causeth the Pica Their diet in Pica Meats fit for those that haue the Pica Auicen Aetius Oribasius Aegineta Much drinking is naught in the Pica Lozenges Another A Cataplasm Discretion in purging Auicens precept The Cause The Hicket Discommoditie of the Hicket Cure Straining bad for women with child Women with child Vomit often Vomiting must not be stopt on the suddaine Cause Accidents of Vomiting A good precept Emplaster An approued medicine Causes of wind Wind inclosed in the wombe Dyet Admonishment The diuers situation of the child Hipp. Cause of these paines The Cure A good obseruation Cause of the trembling of the Heart The wisedom of Nature in all her works How a woman with child must be let bloud The hart must be garded The wombe desireth good smels Inconueniences of the cough Cause Cure Dyet Generall medicines Cautery Frictions Another A medicine to take away the roughnes of the throat Sleeping stoppeth fluxes Contrary accidents in women with child Cause of Costiuenesse Other causes of Costiuenes Cure Brothes to loosen the belly Fluxe of the belly dangerous Prouerbe Women with child are subiect to loosenesse of the belly The Cure A wotrhy storie How to proceed therein Her Diet. A Drinke Cause of the swelling of the face Who are not subiect to the swelling Aduertisement concerning the cure Binding necessarie Lye of Vine ashes verie good A tried remedie An obseruation A tried remedie Causes of Abortment Causes from the child Causes from the mother Leannes causeth Abortment Fulnesse is cause of Abortment They which haue their naturall courses do often miscarry Things annexed to the mother which doe cause abortment Signes of abortment Hippoc. lib. 5. Aphoris 37.38 Loosenes of the belly causeth abortment
his scull clâ—ft by a wound is in danger of death if the bloud that is shed vpon the Membrane be not taken foorth by the meanes of the Trepan For this bloud would be wholly putrified and withall corrupt the braine the chiefe instrument of life and whose vse is more then necessary Notwithstanding wee see that in many the filth and maâ—ter comes foorth by the Nose Eares and mouth without being trepanned yea that it passeth euen through their bones Wee may say the like of such which haue the Dropsie or Empyema the breast of the one is full of Corruption the others belly full of water they both choake and stifle vnlesse the Chirurgion make incision in the one making a Paracentosis in the other opening the Pleura Yet neuerthelesse we see that he which hath an Empyema or suppuration doth oftentimes expell the matter and filth by the mouth or vrine the waies beeing manifest by which nature doth vnburthen her selfe and he that hath the Dropsie auoideth the water eyther by vrine or stoole yea and by sweat or by some little vent which Nature makes in some part of the body as in the Nauell or legges which we obserue by daily experience in many men and therefore wee may perceiue that these practises are not alwaies so necessary and requisite For letting bloud you will say that hee hazards his life and that sodainely who beeing oppressed and troubled with a great paine of his head or side is not speedily let bloud because the bloud that boyleth in his veines striueth onely to come foorth I will answere that Nature very often sends it foorth by the Nose Mouth Eies and Eares by stoole also and other parts disburthening her selfe to the sicke Mans ease and profit But It is not so in the deliuery of women for if the entrance of the wombe be closed as it is seene in diuers whether it be naturally by reason of a strong and thicke membrane which shutteth vp the passage or other wise because some scarre happening there hath hardned and shrunke vp the sides of the necke of the said wombe it would be impossible that nature should euer be able to separate and breake through thâ—se impediments for as for the one it is hard for a penne or quill to passe there and for the other you cannot put in a small probe through the little hole which is in the middest of the membrane And yet I haue had the experience thereof in two women which were neuer the lesse with child as I will shew more at large heereafter So that either the Chirurgions helpe must bee vsed or else both the Mother and the child would die miserablie Some may obiect vnto mee that the Mother might open the passage her selfe by tearing the parts so bound by the scarre breaking through the said membrane But what will you answere me for her which hath her child turned awry and lies double in her wombe and falleth into a Convulsion or fluxe of bloud or both together The Mother not being able eyther to turne it or pull it foorth especially if the head of it bee intangled and fastned betweene the bones of os Pubis so that it is impossible to turne it safe and sound except the Chirurgion vse his industry and skill Now for the dexteritie there is no comparison betweene this and other practises for there be no workes to be done in Chirurgery where it is not necessary to haue the benefit either of daylight or candle light and the part which is to be handled and dressed must be apparent and laid open to the eye Whereas contrariwise in this worke as well by reason of the company present as also least the woman should be afraid the very entrance whereby hee should put in his hand they are constrained to hide and then his hand being there he must search for the child howsoeuer it be placed not being able to see it And if there be found two three or foure Children yea sometime fiue as Albertus Magnus reporteth hee saw in Germanie a Woman that brought foorth to the number of threescore and fiue children beeing deliuered euerie yeare of fiue then I say I leaue you to iudge what skill and dexteritie the Chirurgion ought to vse in seeking them one after another if they come amisse On the other side as often as a woman is well deliuered by the helpe and hand of the Chirurgion there life is giuen to two to wit to the Mother and the childe And therfore as this worthy man saith In partu inuocatur dei auxilium quaeritur enim parturientis nascentis salus When a woman is in trauaile they call vppon God for helpe because they desire to saue both the Mother and the child Now in all other practises though they attaine to their wished end yet can there bee but one onely saued at once Whereby it may be iudged that this practise is both for the Antiquitie Necessitie and dexterity thereof the most laudable and commendable of all others To make the which more easie and the better to instruct the young Chirurgion I haue gathered together all that I could possibly out of that which I haue obserued this forty yeares and aboue wherein I haue practised it and seene it practised in the greatest families both within and without this Kingdom where thanks be to God good vse hath beene made of me And withall I haue not refused nor disdained to go vnto the meanest mooued partly by Charity and partly to make my selfe more and more experienced therein Hauing then conferred together what eyther the Graecians and Latines both ancient and Moderne haue written with that I haue beene able to obserue and hauing reduced it all into one I haue put it into French in fauour of those who are not so well learned and haue not the knowledge of the Greeke or Latine tongues Some will say to diminish that little honor which I might get by this my labour that the Ancients haue written the greatest part heereof But they shall learne from the mouth of this great Oracle That there is no lesse witte and vnderstanding required to bee able to iudge of Sciences formerly written then to bee the first Authors of them I know Moreouer that in the Doctrine and much more in the phrase some will find many things to be reprehended But I intreat the Reader that he would receiue it in as good part as I offer it him and likewise exhort others that are more experienced then I am to doe better Let them shew me my faults friendly and I will not refuse willingly to retract them after the example of that diuine Hipocrates who freely confessed his saying openly that he had gotten more dishonor then either glory or credit by practising of Phisicke The Translators Preface THus far hath the Authour pleaded for him selfe whom while I Translate least the fault be translated vpon me I will speake somewhat for my selfe before I be accused least
time The First Booke Written by IAMES GVVILLEMEAV the French Kings Chirurgion in Ordinarie and sworne at PARIS THE PREFACE I Haue purposed only in this Worke to handle the gouernment of a Woman with childe and the meanes to helpe her in her trauaile together with the order which is necessarie for her in her childe-bed But because this gouernment is particular and proper to a Woman with childe before we giue order thereunto wee must first finde out whether shee be with childe or no. The signes to know whether a woman be with childe or no. CHAP. I. A Chirurgion must bee very circumspect in determining whether a woman be conceiued or no because many haue preiudiced their knowledge and discretion by iudging rashly hereof For there is nothing more ridiculous then to assure a woman that shee is with childe and afterward that her naturall sicknesse or store of water should come from her and in stead of a childe some windie matter should breake from her and so her belly fall and grow flat againe which hath hapned vnto many men that haue beene well esteemed both for their learning and experience And wee haue seene the experience hereof in some women which were without all question thought to be so great that the Midwife was euen ready to receiue the child who notwithstanding haue beene freed and acquitted heereof either by their naturall purgings and euacuations or by voiding of water or else expelling of winde The which hapned vnto Mad. P. to her great griefe who was deliuered of certaine gallons of water when she thought assuredly that she had beene with childe I saw the contrary happen to the daughter of M. Marcel who was iudged by foure of the chiefe Physitians and as many Chirurgions and two Midwiues not to haue beene with childe and yet being dead there was found in her body a child betweene six and seuen months old And of late memorie some of the most expert Physitians and Chirurgions of our time vndertooke the cure of an honest woman and from the third vntill the eighth moneth of her time administred vnto her infinite many Clisters Apozemes Potions Fomentations and Iniections and yet could not they prouoke her naturall sicknesse much lesse cause her to be deliuered At length in the ninth moneth she thinking that she had had the Chollicke was brought a bed of a faire daughter being verily perswaded euen then when she was in trauaile that she was not with child as she had assured vs all the time that she went So that a Chirurgion being called to giue his opinion of the conception of a woman whether it be in a iudiciall or priuate case must be very warie and circumspect what iudgement he giues herein The ancient and moderne writers haue left some signes whereby we may foretell it which are collected from the Husband from the Wife from the Child and from the Midwife As for those signes which are taken from the Man they are these If he finde an extraordinarie contentment in the companie of his Wife and if he feele at the same time a kind of sucking or drawing at the end of his yard if he returne from the field of nature not ouer-moyst these are signes that a woman may haue conceiued And by these obseruations I haue knowne men which haue assured their Wiues that they haue got them with child as soone as they haue had their company The signes which are taken from the Woman are more manifest and certaine and although the greatest part of them bee found in Women and Maids which cannot haue their naturall courses yet neuerthelesse all these signes ioyned together a man may presume as farre of them as arte wil permit and they be these If she receiued an extraordinarie delight in the companie of her Husband if from her naturall parts whether they continue dry or moist there issue or flow nothing forth because it is no necessarie consequence that those parts should alwaies remaine dry since the Matrice retaineth onely that which is fit for the conformation of the child Likewise if at the same time she hath a kind of yawning and stretching and feeles within her a shaking or quiuering such as we commonly find presently vpon making of water which runneth through the whole body with a kind of chilnesse and is felt chiefely betweene the shoulders and the backe with some paine about the Nauell and a rumbling or disquietnesse in the neather belly which hapneth because the Matrice shrinks it selfe together to entertaine and embrace the matter of generation which it hath drawne and suckt in feeling thereby a kind of tickling Againe if within few dayes she falles a vomiting and spitting distasts her meate groweth dull carelesse and qualmish longeth after strange things finding her belly fallen and growne flat according to the French prouerbe Au ventre plat enfant ya In a belly which is flat Ther 's a child be sure of that Which makes them oftentimes to complaine and say they be quite fallen away Then not long after her belly swells and growes bigger her hips and raines are inlarged her courses appeare not which should flow at certain times although some haue them wheÌ„ they be with child Likewise if towards the second month her eyes grow hollow wan her eye-balls shew lesse the lids be loose limber and soft the veines in the corners of her eyes more swollen and bigger then ordinarie For as Hâ—ppocrates saith if thou canst not finde by any meanes whether a woman be with child or no her very eyes wil tell thee for their eyes be more hollow and sunke inward and the white is turned bluish the veines and arteryes of their neck are pust vp and more apparent then vsually their brests grow big and hard with some paine and pricking hauing also milke within them the nipple waxeth firme and hard red if it be a boy and sometime blackish if it be a wench which hapneth about the third or fourth moneth when they begin to quicken Some iudge of their being with child by the vrine as if it be white and clearely mingled with little moates and that at the top there is perceiued as it were a little cloud like to the Rainebow or of an Opall colour At the bottome there appeares a certaine thicke sediment which beeing shaken spreads it selfe into little flocks like to carded wooll Towards the end their vrine is thicke and reddish by reason of the long retention of their naturall courses Fernelius makes this triall which is to take equall quantities of the womans vrine and of white wine and to shake them well together if this mixture looke like the broth of Beanes it is a signe she is with child Hippocrates sets downe diuers experiments as to giue the woman Hydromell to drinke made with raine water at night when she goes to bed or else Hony and Annisseed beaten and dissolued in water If she be
of the belly and breasts so that it is very hard to distinguish the one from the other But these that follow are more proper to the false then the true birth for as Hippocrates saith In false conception or Mola the face is commonly puft vp their breasts which were swollen at the beginning doe fall and dayly wax soft limber and lanke and without milke In the end the face breasts armes thighes and legs grow leane and thin true it is that they swell towards night like those that haue the dropsie the belly riseth and groweth quickly and withall very hard for the most part of an equall roundnesse with diuers pricking paines in the bottome of the belly that neuer cease which makes them that they can hardly walke being hindred as it were with a heauie burthen and hauing oftentimes a windinesse in the wombe as Ahasis reporteth The said Hippocrates obserueth how that by the motion it may easily be knowne for in true conception the male child beginneth to stirre at the end of the third moneth or sooner and the female at the third or fourth moneth and where there is no such quickning we must obserue whether there be any milke in the brests if there be none found it is a signe that it is a Mole Beside the mother feeleth the child moue euery way both on the right side and on the left as much aboue as below and in the middle without any helpe But in false conception though there be some motion it is not animall but proceedeth rather from the expulsiue facultie of the Mother then of the Mole which hauing no liuing soule endeuoureth not of it selfe to come forth neither prouoketh the wombe as the child doth who hauing neede of aire to breath in seekes after it But this is a most euident signe when the woman lyes downe on either side for then she feeles it fall like a boule and is not able to vphold or stay it yea and being laid on her backe if her belly be pressed or crushed it will remaine in the place whither it is thrust without comming backe againe Now that which most assureth vs is when the nine moneths are past and the woman not deliuered but her belly growes bigger and swelleth more and more and all the other parts grow leane and lesse this is a sure signe of a Mole though there be some women that haue borne their children ten yea eleuen moneths The signes of the windy Mole are these the belly is equally swollen and stretched like a bladder softer then in the fleshy Mole and chiefely neere the groine and neather belly which being struck vpon soundeth like a Tabour sometime it decreaseth and otherwhile it swelleth more it is sooner bred and increased then the fleshy or watery and stretches the belly as though it would teare it which is not proper to the fleshy As for the watery and humorall the signes are almost alike the belly growes big and riseth by little and little If you touch it with your finger sometimes the print thereof will remaine behind it is euen without any hardnesse It is true that the woman lying on her backe her flancks are fuller and bigger then the middle and bottome of the belly which waxe flat the water and humor running frō one side to the other and in shaking the belly they feele a swimming and floting of water This difference may be also added that in the the watrish the flancks groine and sometime the thighes are more distended and swollen then in the humorall because the waterish substance stealeth thither soonest besides that which passeth forth and bloweth below is cleare like water without any ill smell but that which floweth in the humorall is reddish and like to the washing of flesh and of a bad sent This also is to be obserued that in the false conception the naturall courses flow not and that the Nauell doth shew it selfe but little or not at all as it commonly doth when the Mother is with child Concerning the cure thereof I meane god-willing to handle it hereafter What dyet and order a woman with child ought to keepe CHAP. V. THat a woman with child may enioy her perfect health she must diligently obserue that which consisteth in the vse of the sixe things not naturall which are the Aire Meate and Drinke Exercise and Rest Sleeping and Waking Fulnesse and Emptinesse and the Passions of the Minde First therefore she must dwell and liue in a good and well tempered Aire which is neither too hote nor too cold or waterish not subiect to any foggie mists or winds and especially the South-wind For as Hippocrates saith when those winds doe blow vpon euery light occasion women miscarrie The Northwind also is hurtfull vnto them for those winds breed thin rheumes distillations troublesome Coughs in great-bellyed women causing them oftentimes to abort or be deliuered before their due time Likewise such winds as bring with them ill smells and vapours which being drawne in together with the Aire we breathe into the Lungs do many times breed very dangerous and troublesome diseases Aristotle saith that the smell of a Candle put forth may cause a woman to abort or loose her fruite wherefore she must beware of all ill Aire and make her abode in houses well and pleasantly seated shunning as much as may be possible all bad sauours Concerning her Dyet she must vse meates which be of good nourishment and breede good iuice moderately drying The quantitie must be sufficient both for her selfe and for her child and therefore they are to be dispenced withall from fasting at any time for sometime too much abstinence makes the child weake and sickly and causeth him often to be borne before his time seeking after nourishment which he cannot find within his Mothers body As also the too great quantity of meate his Mother takes may often stifle him or else make him grow so big that he cannot keepe himselfe in his place which constraines him either to come forth or else makes him sickly seeing that those meates are corrupted wherewith he is nourished a fed Hippocrates writeth in Epidem that the Sister of Caius Duellius after she had eate her fill aborted All meates which are either too hote cold or too moist are to be auoided and chiefely in the beginning of meales as also those which are too salt or ouer-much spiced and likewise all baked meates are vtterly forbidden Aristotle and Plinie write that if a woman with child eate much salt meate her childe will be borne without nayles which shewes that he will not be long liued Her Bread must be of good Wheate well kneaded light and also well baked For her meate she may vse Henne Chicken Capon yong Pigeons Turtle Pheasants Larks Partridge Veale Mutton and for Herbs let her take Lettuse Endiue Borage Buglosse and Sorrell abstaining from all raw Sallads She may
close her stomacke after meate with Peares or Quinces bak't or preserued as likewise with Cheries or Damsons She must shun all diureticall things which prouoketh either vrine or the naturall courses and such as are windie as Pease and Beanes Notwithstanding women with child haue oftentimes such disordinate appetite by reason of some salt or sharp humor which is contained within the membranes of the stomacke that they desire to eate Coles Chalke Ashes Waxe Salt-fish raw yea and vnwatred and to drinke Veriuice and Vineger yea very dregs so that it is impossible to hinder them from eating and tasting them But yet they must refraine and ouer-maister themselues therein as much as they can since that such foode may much hurt and hinder both their owne and their childs health Neuerthelesse if they cannot forbeare suffer them a little and let them haue their longings for feare least it should proue worse with them For I haue seene many women which being hindered and forbidden frō vsing such trash haue presently fallen into trauell and in others their children haue carried the marks of some of the things they so earnestly desired and longed after Beside although that such meates for the most part are very bad and contrary yet for the desire they haue to eate them they are digested commonly without hurting the partie at all Meate and drinke saith Hippocrates is better and fitter though it be some-what worse then that which is better and not so agreeable and pleasing For her Drinke she may vse Claret wine mature and not too strong which she must allay very well For this Wine hath power to comfort and strengthen the stomacke and all the other parts seruing for nourishment and generation and if she cannot away with Wine let her drinke Hydromell or Barley-water well boyled Her sleepe must be in the night the better to digest the meate she hath taken for watchings doe ingender crudities and diseases which cause vntimely births in stead of faire and goodly children and chiefely she must auoid sleeping after dinner But in the morning she may take her ease as she shall thinke best yet not turning as some great Ladies do the day into night and the night into day She may vse moderate exercise but violent motion loosneth the Cotiledons or vessels of the Matrice whereby the child receiues his nourishment They must be forbid riding in Waggins or Coaches especially in the three first months for as vpon a small occasion we see the fruits and flowers of trees do fall as by some little wind that shakes the tree or the like so many times through a light cause women great with child in stirring or moouing themselues yea or but setting their foot awry may be deliuer'd before their time It was not without good cause that the Romanes forbad their Wiues to ride in Coaches the which also ought to be obserued in these dayes especially by those who are subiect to take hurt and therefore let them walke gently taking an especiall heed and care to themselues the first three moneths She must shun all great noyse and sounds as of Thunder Artillery and great Bells Galen in his booke de Theriaca sayth that many women with child haue died with the very fright they receiued by a clap of thunder and when she is afraid of hurting her selfe or falling into trauaile let her be carried in a Chaire or Litter between two strong men and chiefely two howres before meales for as a woman may easily loose her burthen the first moneth because her child though he be but little is not yet firmely fastned and tyed to the wombe so likewise being great or big through his weight he may fall downe and come forth wherefore all violent exercise and too much labour is hurtfull and dangerous for her as also to fret chide or laugh immoderately The fourth fifth and sixth moneth she may vse more libertie the seuenth and eight she must keepe herselfe still and quiet but when she is in her ninth moneth then may she vse more stirring and exercise And therefore is it that Aristotle in his Politicks appointeth that women with child should not be sedentary nor liue too nicely but that since God hath blessed them to beare children they should dayly visit the Temples of the Gods for their exercise The which Plato expressely commandeth in his Common-wealth and by a kind of deuotion and religious pietie But Aristotle in that place speaketh like a Physition as he sheweth in his booke de Generatione In the Countrey saith he where women accustome themselues to labour they are brought abed more easily and with lesse paine In briefe where women exercise themselues they are sooner deliuered for their exercise consumes the excrements which idle and slothfull women gather and heape together In the first foure moneths she must likewise abandon Venus for feare of shaking the child and bringing downe her courses which must also be obserued in the sixth and eight moneth but in the seuenth and ninth she may boldly vse it especially toward the end of the ninth moneth which some are of opinion will help and hasten the deliuery Aristotle is of this opinion though herein he contradicts the authority of Hippocrates The woman with child saith he ought not to haue the company of her husband But Aristotle and Hippocrates may easily be reconciled the Philosopher meaneth that they should not embrace their wiues all the time of their being with child but onely toward the time of their lying in thereby to shake the child and make him come the more readily forth for comming into the world after this acte he is commonly enwrapped and compassed with slime which helpeth his comming forth It is also requisite that her belly be loose not retaining her excrements and that she haue if it be possible euery day the benefit of Nature which if it be not done naturally it must be helpt taking euery morning some broth of Damaske-Prunes Also Apples stued with Suger and a little Butter is very fit and good She may vse Broth wherein Borage Buglosse Purslane Lettuse Patience and a little of the herbe Mercury hath beene boyled She may likewise take Suppositaries so they be not too sharpe Clisters made of a Calues-head or of a Sheepes-head boyled with Annis-seed and Fennil-seed wherein some course Suger and oyle of Violets is dissolued are very conueniēt vsing them neuerthelesse with discretion leauing out all manner of ingredients which might cause a fluxe of the belly for feare of Abortment or being deliuered before their time as Hippocrates saith Notwithstanding the same Hippocrates is of opinion that women with child in cases of necessitie may be purged from the fourth to the seuenth moneth but before and after those times he admits it not nay he forbids it directly which for all that the Phisitions of our time obserue not in cases of
purgations with Diagredium or Coloquint and also from such as do much soften and moisten as Cassia Electuar Lenitiuum and the like because through their moisture they relaxe the stomacke and so consequently all the meanes which haue correspondence and traficke with the Matrice for the similitude of their neruous substance Their purges therefore must be of Rubart infusion and also in substance of the compound syrup of Cichory with Rubarbe which besides that they euacuate doe likewise coroborate and strengthen as also of the Syrup of Damaske Roses Maâ—na and other which with drawing away the water doe dry withall But aboue all pills are very fit for them because they dry both for their forme and also for the drying ingredients whereof they are compounded as those of Rubarb and Sene made with a little conserue of roses adding thereto if there be any suspition of some maligne or bad quality a little of the confection of Hyacinthvs This rule must be obserued in the purging of women with child and hereof must be had the counsel of the learned Phisitian If some maligne vapour be the cause they must vse cordials as a little confection of Hyacinthe the electuary of Gemmis these cordiall Lozenges or the like Cordiall Lorenges â„ž Corali vtriusque Ê’ s. lapid bezoard rasura vnic an ℈ s. pulu electuar diarrh abbat ℈ i. confect de Hiacintho Ê’ s. saccar cum aqua card bened dissol â„¥ ij fiant tabellae ponder Ê’ i. capiat singulis dicbus vnam mane alteram à prandio longe à pastu While they shall vse the aforesaid remedies it will be very necessarie to comfort the stomacke as also if the vomiting proceed through some weakenesse the stomacke not being able to retaine and hold the meate the fore mentioned Lozenges are very good as also Lozenges of Diarrhodon if they should prooue distasteful let them vse Codigniack or some Citron pill condited They may likewise take some digestiue powder after meales Let there be prouided some such fomentation for their stomacke as this Fomentation â„ž Mentae Ab sinthij rosar rub an m. s balaust Ê’ ij gariophilor santalor an Ê’ s. carnis cidoniorum â„¥ i. corticis citri Ê’ i. fiat decoct in vino austero profotu Then let them haue this ointment Liniment â„ž Olei mastich cidonior an â„¥ s. olei de absinthio Ê’ ij pulueris coralli rub gariophil an ℈ i. croci parum fiat litus admoueatur praemisso fotu This Emplaster is very fit which must be applied after the ointment and remain there a good space â„ž crustae panis assati â„¥ iiij macerent in vino rubro succo cidonior pul rosar rub absinthij an Ê’ i. ligni aloes gariophilor an Ê’ s. pul coralli rubri ℈ iiij olei de absinthio â„¥ i. fiat cataplasma If all these forenamed medicines helpe not the patient Master Mercator doth set downe a remedy very easie to be practised and of incredible vertue as he saith which cannot bring hauing often tried it any danger nor cause the woman to be deliuered out of her time which is to let her blood in the Saluatella of the right hand CHAP. X. Of the paine of the sto acke stancks and belly which happens to a woman with child THere is great store of grosse winds bred not onely in the stomacke and guts but also about the Liuer Spleene Mesenterium and Nauell by meanes of a weake and feeble heat which is not able wholly to consume and scatter them from whence proceedeth a great distention of the belly and other parts neere and chiefly about the Nauell which in some oftentimes stands out and is as big as a goose egge The which winds being thus inclosed and not hauing free passage cause such intollerable paine that euen the breathing is thereby hindred and the pulse almost lost which at length might cause the woman to be deliuered Sometime also the wind is shut vp within the womb for I haue knowen some women that haue voided them with such a sound noise as though it had bene by the fondament and this must be remedied after this sort First shee must shunne all manner of moist and windy meats liue after the order before prescribed If it bee needfull to purge her let it be done as is already set down Then let there be applied some dry fomentations to the place affected as this Quilt â„ž flor camo anethi an m. ij rosar rub p. ij se minis annisi foenicul an Ê’ ij baccar lauri Ê’ i. fiat omnium puluis grossus de quibus fi aut sacculi duo irrorati cum vino rub tepide admoueantur parti affectae The same quilts may be boyled in wine and fomitations made of the said wine with soft spunges But you must obserue that the too long vse of moist fomentations oyles and fats is forbidden women with child for feare least by too much moisture and oylinesse the ligaments and vessels of the matrice bee made too loose and soft which at length may cause the woman to abort Apply vnto her belly and to me parts pained in forme of a Pultesse this that followeth Pultesse â„ž Vitell. ouorum n. iiij puluis anisi foeniculi dulcis an Ê’ s. pul absinthii Ê’ s. cum oleo anethino camomil q. s fiat fricatum Let them chaw Fennil or Anniseed or a little Cinamon and take a tost dipt in Hippocras Some haue tolde mee that the distilled water of Citron Pills drunke is very singular good And it will not be amisse sometimes to take a spoonfull or two of this water A Claret water â„ž Aquae vitae â„¥ s. cinamo Ê’ i. macerent spatio xiiij hor. deinde affunde aque rosar â„¥ iii. saccari candi â„¥ s. fiat aqua clareta capiat coclear vnum If ye perceiue that shee is much troubled with paine you may giue her a Clister as this A Glister â„ž Folior maluae matrica an m. i. flor camom meliloti et summitat aneti an M. ss seminis anisi foenic. an Ê’ iii. bulliant in iure capit veruec vel vituli de quo accipe quart iij. in quibus dissolue Ol. Aneth Chamamel an â„¥ ij Sachar eub. â„¥ j. s Butyr recent â„¥ j. Vitell. duor ouor fiat Clyster Neuerthelesse I am of opinion if it may be done possibly that they should abstaine from Clysters because I haue seene women sometimes through as small a Clyster as this fall into great torments yea and euen into throwes nature being thereto prepared and ready which turned to the Chirurgions disgrace Wherefore let her vse these Lozenges following Lozenges â„ž sem Anis foenic. dulc an Ê’ s nucis Mosch ℈ j. spec Diacumin Diarrhod Abbat ana ℈ s sacchar in aq Cinamon dissolut â„¥ ij fiant tabulae capiat vnam singulis auroris She may vse Sugar of Roses which to euery ounce hath two or three drops of the oile
of Annis seed added to it Of the paines of the Backe Hips and Groine with difficultie of making water that happens vnto Women with child CHAP. XII THere be some Women which beare their children high and as they say within their stomacke so that they are nimbler either in going or stirring without being let or hindred thereby at all Others carrie them verie low hauing their belly standing verie much out which brings them much inconuenience as paine of the Hips and Groine and then they complaine as if those parts and their belly were rent and torne in pieces Contrariwise there be others that hide their child within their raines and beare it verie backward which causeth them to haue exceeding great paine in their backs In the two latter cases we had need to helpe them for as Hippocrates saith When women with child are troubled with great paine in their backe and legs then are they in danger to be deliuered before their time The like may be also said of them that haue much paine in their belly and groine These paines commonly do rather proceed from the heauinesse of the child then of any quantitie of humors which abound in the bodie For at that time the wombe being great thicke and full by reason of the child which is big and large and of the bed or after-burthen and oftentimes filled with great store of water on which side soeuer the wombe resteth it drawes the ligaments and bonds with it that hold and fasten it to the foresaid parts and by the force of this dilation and stretching doth cause and prouoke paines in the backe hips and groine aswell by reason they are tyed thereto as likewise for the continuitie of those neighbouring parts which touch them For the remedying whereof the woman must keepe her selfe still and quiet without much stirring or shaking she must eat little and often and of meats that be light and easie of digestion for the stomake being full doth presse the body of the Matrice and thrusts it downward Therefore she must were Swathes which may helpe to support and keep vp her belly that by such a rest and swathing the ligaments which are lengthned and stretched may be somewhat brought backe to their proper places which must be confirmed and strengthned by these meanes All the bottome of her backe and raines must be annointed with Vnguentum Comitissae or else this ointment Oyntment ℞ Ol. Mastich Cidonior an ℥ j. ol Mirtill ℥ ss Corall rub terrae Sigillat an ʒ s Vnguent Comitiss ℥ s liquefiant omnia vt artis est fiat linimentum If the woman with child feel any coldnesse as it happens to some by reason of their cold temperature which makes them shiuer and quake let there be added to the former ointment Ol. Costin Aneth an ℥ ss But if she find any heat there or burning then applie some ointment that hath vertue to comfort and coole Another ointment ℞ Ol. Mirtill Rosar an ℥ j. ss vng Rosat Mes ℥ j. vng Refriger Galen ℥ s Puluer Corall rub Bol. Armen an ʒ j. succi Aurant ʒ ij misce fiat linimentum Likewise it may chance through the waightinesse of the wombe which resteth in the bottome that the woman with child cannot make water which hapning she herselfe with both hands must lift vp the bottome of her belly by meanes whereof she shall hinder the bodie of the wombe from pressing and crushing the bladder and especially the necke thereof which is loaded and oppressed with the said wombe You may applie below some bathing or fomentation made with the leaues of Mallowes Althaea Cresses and Parietarie with a little Lin-seed to make the passage more loose soft and easie to be inlarged or widened Of the panting and beating of the Heart As also of Swouning which happen vnto women with child CHAP. XIII AS there be diuers winds and vapours that are shut vp and inclosed in the neather belly of a woman with child which procure great paines in her hips backe and groine for the reasons before rehearsed So likewise are there the like vapours that arise from the wombe and other parts neere which are inclosed in the Arteries and by them are carried and imparted to the heart which cause a panting and beating and the heart feeling it selfe offended and oppressed by the said vapours endeuoureth by his motion to expell and driue them away far from itselfe Nature hauing giuen to euery part some particular meanes whereby to repell and thrust backe that which doth annoy or molest it As the Braine by sneesing the Lungs by coughing and the stomacke by vomiting But because this accident is oftentimes the forerunner of a Syncope or swouning therefore will it be needfull to haue care thereof it being easie to be knowne both by the relation of the party who finds her heart beate as also by feeling the breast vppon the region of the heart with ones hand with which this motion lifteth vp the ribs and the hand that is laide thereon yea some women haue such a beating that it makes euen the ribs stand out of their place For remedy whereof such vapors must be kept from seasing vpon the hart which may be done by well fensing of it both within and without If then you perceiue that the woman doe abound with any ill humors from whence these vapours may partly arise she must bee purged as before and let bloud according as the accidents doe require and the ancients doe appoint which must be done in small quantity and that not all at once but rather at mâny times by little and little For according to Galen There is no remedy that more hinders and altars the course of blood and noysome vapors from piercing and assailing the heart then letting of bloud doth Let her take euery morning one of these Lozenges which are very proper Lozenges ℞ puluer laetitiae Galeni de gemmis an ℈ i. pul lapid bezoard ossis de corde cerui an ℈ s. confect de hyacintho ʒ s. sacchari cum aqua scordij dissoluti ℥ ij fiant tabellae pond ʒ ij sumat vnam singulis diebus mane sero cubitura In steed thereof she may vse this opiate Opiate ℞ conseruae bugloss borag an ℥ s. conseruae radicis scorzonerae ʒ vi corti citriconditi ʒ iij. ther. veter ℈ i. pul electuar diamarg. frigidi ℈ s. fiat opiata capiat singulis diebus mane sero ʒ i. vt dictum est The Claret water before described is very excellent good some doe vse the water of Orringe flowers The heart must bee outwardly fortified with Quilts Fomentations Epithemes Cataplasmes applied to the region thereof made with the aforenamed ingredient Take for the Epitheme or fomentation the waters of Borage Buglosse Balme of Oringe flowers Cardus Benedictus Roses and of Scordium adding therto Saunders Angelica seed Cordiall flowers and the like And because that
the heart and matrice are delighted with pleasant odors let those that are troubled with this disease vse good smels sweet but neither strong nor piercing CHAP. XIIII Of the Cough ONe of the most grieuous and almost insupportable accidents that can happen to a woman with childe is the Cough the which being violent oftentimes causeth head-ach pain of the sides flanks and belly vomiting watching the woman not being able to sleepe or take any rest for the great concussion and agitation which is made through the whole body which oftentimes puts the woman in danger to be deliuered before her ordinary time For the most part it proceedeth of some sharpe and biting vapours which arise from the nether parts or else by the distillation of some thinne humor that comes from the braine and falleth trickling vpon the Trachea Arteria or wind pipe the lungs which prouokes them to cough yet bringing vp little or nothing the distilation may also be of some thicker humor which falleth downe vpon the said parts Therefore wee must haue respect to the antecedent cause by hindering such vapors and humors from breeding then staying those which may flow or fal downe if there be any cause or matter ioined with it already fallen and impacted in the lungs brest then must it be brought vp by spetting For the helping hereof they must auoide all salt and spiced meates as also those that are sharp and biting especially if it be caused by some vapours or destillation of a thinne or serous humour Concerning generall medicines if it bee accompanied with a feuer or some great heat it will not be amisse to draw a little bloud then the better to turne the course of the distillation which causeth the cough to apply cupping glasses vpon the shoulders with some light scarification And if the cough should bee of so long continuance I would counsell you to lay a cautery in the hollownesse of the nape of the neck which I haue practised with good successe but it must not be done before you haue tried the medicines following and when the cough is great and violent The rubbing of the armes shoulders and backe must not bee omitted as also when the haire is shauen away to apply Emplasterum de Betonica vpon the head to stay the Rhume If the cough be dry proceeding from some thin and sharpe humor or vapour it must bee thickned contrariwise if the humour be tough and thicke it must be cut and attenuated by concocting both and therefore in this case the vse of Medicines that do dull the sence therof are very profitable to mittigate violent Coughs of which kind are these that follow If the humor bee thin and sharpe this Iulep taken twice or thrice is very fitte â„ž Syrup rosarum sicar de iuiubis an Ê’ vi syrupi de nenuph. â„¥ s. aquae cardui vngulae cabalinae an â„¥ ij s. fiat Iulap reiteretur ter quater-ue vt artis est If the humor be slimy thicke and tough she may vse this Iulep Iulep â„ž Syrupi capill veneris de liquirit an Ê’ vi oximelit simplic â„¥ s. aquae betonicae vngul cabal an â„¥ ij s. fiat Iulap reiteretur vt supra Let them often hold in their mouth suger candy especially that which gathers about the pot side wherein sirop of Violets or the like hath beene put Let them vse Trochiscks iuice of Licorise and sometime chawe a peece of Lichorise in their mouth The Lozenges of Diatragacanthum frigidum Diairis simplex and suger of Roses are very good The vse of Lohocs is very distastfull but in steed thereof let them vse Syrup of Iuiubes of dryed Roses and a little diacodium mingled together I haue seene this medicine doe much good especially when the cough is great and that they feele some excoriation and roughnes in the throat â„ž olei amigd dul sine igne recent extract â„¥ i. s. saccari canda subtilit pulueris â„¥ s. mucag. seminis psilij cydoniorum cum aqua rosar leuiter extract an Ê’ ij misce omnia diligenter Let them take of this medicine in a spoone swallowing it down verie gently that so some of it may the better slide downe the sides of the windpipe It will be very fit to rub their breast all ouer with fresh butter or oyle of sweet Almonds and if they finde any heat let them vse oyle of Violets washed with Barley water well boyled And because there is nothing that stayeth destillations better then sleepe and that those who haue the cough sleepe little it will be very good to make the patient sleepe without giuing any violent sleeping medicine this Iulep may bee giuen very safely Drink to stay the Rheume â„ž Syrupi de Iuiubis violati diacodij sine specieb an â„¥ s. cum decocto portulacae lactucae boraginis betonicae trium flor cordial fiat potus capiat hora somni This remedy procureth sleepe and so by consequence stayeth the Rheume If you haue any good Laudanum you may giue safely three or four grains thereof which I haue seene practised with prosperous successe CHAP. XV. of Costiuenes wherwith women with child are troubled AMongst many other accidents wherewith women with child are troubled there are two the one contrary to the other whereunto they be much subiect that is either they are bound and cannot go to the stoole but with much inconuenience and very seldome or else they are alwaies loose and subiect to the fluxe Both may put the woman in danger of miscarrying For when she is bound with much strayning and that violently to vnburthen nature the ligaments may bee loosened or some veine opened and cause fluxe of bloud which may make her fall into trauaile and therefore it is fit to prouide for it The retention of the excrements and costiuenes of the belly may happen either because they haue vsed to be so naturally or by alteration and change of yeares for as Hippocrates saith they who haue their belly moist in their youth in their age will haue it hard and drie and so contrariwise This accident happens to others because the guts are not prouoked stirred vp by the clister of nature which is the gall that they may expell and thrust foorth their excrements There might bee alledged many more reasons which at this time I will leaue to speake of and onely frame my selfe to that which most commonly is the cause of it in women with child which is referred to two points either because the guts are pressed by the vneuennes of the wombe which is too full and beeing placed vpon them and chiefly vpon the great gut crushes and thrusts them one against another in such sort that they haue no meanes to inlarge and dilate themselues thereby to uoid the excrements contained within them The other is because the guts and the excrements within them are commonly very hard and
with a little Cerotum infrigidans Galeni Desiccatiuum rubrum mingled together this medicine will make the orifices vent and flow the longer Not long since there were two worthy Ladies which for honor sake I will not name that were troubled with this accident about the time of their lying in in whom I opened and scarified those parts to make the water flow and come foorth And it is to be obserued that we must awaite a fit opportunitie to do this which will be when they are neare their lying downe The meanes to helpe women which cannot beare their Children the full time CHAP. XVIII OFtentimes it happens to women that they cannot beare their burthen to the time prefixed by nature which is the ninth moneth This accident is called either a shift or slipping away or else Abortment or as our women call it a mischance The shift is reckoned from the first day the seed is retained in the wombe till such time as it receiueth forme and shape in which time if it chance to issue and flow foorth it is a Shift The Abortment hapneth after the fortieth day yea euen to the end of the ninth moneth For the Abortment is a violent expulsion or exclusion of the child already formed and endued with life before the appointed time But the sliding away or shift is a flowing or issuing of the seed out of the wombe which is not yet either form'd or endued with life Those that haue been deliuered once before their time for the most part they miscarie with the rest of their children about the same time This accident may happen vpon diuers occasions the which are either inward or outward The outward are either an Ague fluxe of bloud or of the belly vomiting or any other sicknesse that may happen vnto a woman with child as also leaping daunsing riding in a Coach too much stretching of her selfe and the lifting or carrying of any heauie burthen the immoderate vse of Venus Passions of the mind as choller sadnesse longing after any thing or the vse of violent and strong medicines The inward causes are gathered from one of these three either from the Mother or things belonging to her or from the child Those that are taken from the child are when he is either so weak and sickly that he cannot be kept in the wombe being not able to draw sufficient nourishment and thereby doth decay and die or else by being too big and large so that the wombe is not capable to lodge and support him which maketh the vessels of the wombe to bee relaxed and breake then the entrance of the womb dilates it selfe and the child commeth forth From the mother when shee is eyther too small or low of stature which causeth that the child cannot grow in so little roome neither moue himselfe or breath although he breath onely by the arteries of the mother her breast beeing so straight that it cannot be stretched or inlarged or else because she is too fat which maketh the caule to presse downe and crush the Matrice and causeth the seed to flow and issue forth before it be formed A woman also that is too leane and doth eate but little seldome or neuer beares her child the full time For if the mother be not well nourished much lesse can the child Too much eating stifles the child as likewise the vse of vnholesome meates doth engender ill bloud in the mother wherewith the childe beeing nourisht in the ende languisheth whence followeth death Another cause may bee the ouermuch fulnesse and moistnes wherewith women abound and chiefly in their womb which oftentimes is ful and ouerflowes with mosture and filleth the vessels of the wombe full of slime whereby the inner orifice is inlarged and dilated vnable to support or keepe in the child There may likewise bee ingendred some sharpe and biting humors wherwith the Matrice beeing stirred or prouoked while it endeuours to expell them may thrust out the child also This accident may also happen to those that in their child bearing are subiect to haue their naturall courses as if they were not with child which commeth to passe when nature striuing to put them forth doth cause the child to be vntyed and so he followeth the Purgings Concerning those things which are annexed or belonging to the mother I vnderstand them to bee such as may bee growne or contained within the womb as some impostume Scyrrhus or excrescēce of flesh mole or false conception therin contained as also great store of water the which I saw not long since happen vnto an honest Gentlewoman whose womb was so full of water in the eight moneth that the Orifice thereof was constrained to open it selfe and let them foorth the which was in such quantity that it is incredible to bee reported and some sixe daies after shee was deliuered the wombe not being closed againe As this accident is very dangerous both for the mother and the child so will it bee needfull to preuent and remedy it with all speed possible First we may know that a woman is in danger to abort or miscarry when the milk in her brests doth flow and run forth in great quantity her brests remaining limber and soft and if she be with child of two children and one brest grow empty it is signe she wil miscary with one of them For this sheweth that the child doth loath refuse his nourishment chiefly if the nipple haue gotten any ill colour it is a signe that the Matrice is distempered according to Hyppocrates They that are troubled with a great loosenesse of the belly bee often deliuered before their time Likewise great paine of the backe and thighs which coms round to the groin and bottome of the belly doth oftentimes presage the like As also when there floweth out of the conduit of nature first certain waters then bloudy and slimy matter and last of all bloud To the end that it may be safely remedied there must respect be had to the cause Now concerning the outward causes as if the mother bee troubled with any sicknes she must be handled as it is requisite and fit shee must shunne all violent exercises passions of the mind and the too often vse of Venus If the abortment proceed from the littlenesse or lownes of the mother before her being with child let her vse Bathes fomentations and oyntments that may loosen and inlarge her belly and Matrice And while she goeth with child let her feede moderately to nourish her selfe and her child when the ninth month is come let her vse supling and relaxing oyntments like those formerly set downe If the cause be of too much fatnes it wil be very fit and conuenient to purge her and let her bloud before shee bee with child and to prescribe her a strict order of dyet thereby to make her leane vsing meates that bee not too nourishing or full of
Armen sang Dracon Coral rub an Ê’ s. Hypocist Acaciae an Ê’ i. santal citr rosar rub Sem. Berber an ℈ ij Cerae q. s f. vng prorenibus ventre toto Hauing with as much breuity as possibly I could treated of the Accidents which happen to women with child and hauing likewise brought them euen to the time that nature hath appointed for their deliuery it now remaineth that wee handle the meanes to helpe and ease them in this act and trauaile the which shall be done after wee haue spoken somwhat concerning the beginning and office of Midwiues as beeing the first that are called in this businesse THE MEANES TO help and succor a Woman with child as well in her naturall trauaile as that which is contrary to nature The second Booke Of Mid-Wiues CHAP. I. DAily experience doth shew vs that many women are deliuered without the helpe of the Mid-wife Notwithstanding Antiquity telleth vs that there haue beene Mid-wiues euen from the beginning yea that diuers of that sexe haue practised Physicke Hippocrates sweareth by Apollo and Aesculapius and by Hygea and Panacaea as Gods and Goddesses of Phisicke Ouid doth make mention of Ocyroe daughter to Chyron the great Physition who out of her curiosity did practise Physicke Origen in his eleuenth Homely vpon Exodus speaketh of two Midwiues verie skilfull in Physicke which were Aegyptians and cals them Sephora and Phua Beside this curiositie necessitie the mistresse of Arts hath constrained women to learne and practise Physicke one with another For finding themselues afflicted and troubled with diuers diseases in their naturall parts and being destitute of all remedies for want whereof many perished and died miserably they durst not discouer and lay open their infirmities to any but themselues accounting it to be dishonest As Higinus testifies who relateth how the Athenians had forbidden women by their Lawes to studie in Physicke and that at the same time there was a certaine maide named Agnodicea verie desirous to studie therein who the better to attaine vnto her purpose did cut off her haire and apparell her selfe like a man and being so disguised she became the scholler of Herophylus the Physition And when she had learned Physicke hauing notice of a certaine woman that was troubled in her naturall parts she went vnto her and made proffer of her seruice which the sicke party refused thinking she had been a man But when Agnodicea had assured her by discouering of her selfe that she was a maide the woman committed her selfe into her hands who drest and cured her perfectly and with the like care and industrie she looked to many others and cured them Which being knowen by the Physitions because they were not called any more to the cure of women they accused the said Agnodicea that she had shaued off her beard that thereby she might abuse women faining themselues to be sicke Then she putting aside her garments made it euident that she was a maide which caused the Physitions then to accuse her of a greater fault for transgressing the Law which forbad women either to studie or practize Physicke This being come to the eares of the chiefest women they presently went to the chiefe Magistrates and Iudges of the Citie called the Areopagites and told them that they did not account them for their husbands and friends but for enemies that they would condemne her which restor'd them to their health which made the Atheniaens to reuoke and disanull that Law giuing Gentle-women leaue to studie and practize Physicke Now since the greatest disease that women can haue is that of the nine Moneths the Crisis and cure whereof consists in their safe deliuerie we must not doubt but that there haue been some women addicted thereto and practized therein in all ages Hippocrates speaking of the birth that hapneth in the seuenth Moneth doth refer the Reader vnto the Midwiues who are present at such labours and wisheth him to learne the truth thereof of them Galen saith that Midwiues do not bid the women that are in trauaile either to raise themselues or to sit downe in the Chaire before that the entrance of the wombe be open for the comming foorth of the child which they know by feeling with their hand The same Authour likewise speaketh of the errours committed by Midwiues when they receiue the child an euident testimonie that there were some such in the time of Hippocrat and Galen Lacrtius and Valerius Maximus do testifie that Phanerora the mother of Socrates was a Midwife yea and it is found that the ancient Judges did appoint a stipend for those women that practized Physicke well and which were good Midwiues Witnesse Vlpian as likewise such were punished as had practized or behau'd themselues amisse in their profession as it appeareth by the Law Item si Obstetrix But among those that haue practized Physicke there were some that haue applied themselues most to the deliuering of Women and for a difference from others they were commonly called Cunning women or else caused themselues to be so called For women are of this disposition that they desire to excell men or at least to seeme to go beyond them Wherefore it may easily be perceiued that there hath been some women that haue practized Physicke and others that were imployed in the deliuerie of women And these last tooke vpon them three things as the Lawyers Plato in his Thetetus and Galen do witnesse The first office was to make the match and to ioine the husband with the wife and likewise to iudge whether they were sit and capable or else â—â—ble and vnsufficient to haue issue and beget children which is verie difficult to be knowen and at this day there is no woman so cunning who is able to tell it The second office was to be present at the deliuerie of women and birth of children whether it were in giuing of some medicines as Terence doth witnesse whose words are these Let her drinke that which I appointed and the quantitie I commanded or else by vsing her handiworke which worke was committed to none but those that had had children because as Plato saithâ— one cannot be so apt and skilfull in exercising a worke not knowen as they which haue had the perfect knowledge and experience thereof Beside the said Midwife was not to begin to vse this art before she was past child-bearing because Diana the Patronesse of women in childbed is barren and also for that a woman which beareth children is much troubled and more vnapt to labour and take paines The third office was to know and tell whether a woman was with child or no. And therefore the Law giuen à DD. fratribus did ordaine that three honest Midwiues skilfull in Midwifery should view and make inspection and then giue their iudgement whether the Woman were with child But since that time beside the three former offices
in feeling gently crosse the membrane that containes the waters she shall find either the roundnesse of the childs head or else some vneuennesse If in feeling she perceiue that there is any hard and equall roundnesse it is most likely to be the childs head and that he comes naturally but if she feele any vneuennesse the contrarie may be imagined When she perceiueth that all comes well and according to nature the throwes increasing vpon the woman and that the child doth striue and endeuour to come forth and the wombe doth straine it selfe to be freed of this burthen Then the Midwife must incourage the woman entreating her to hold in her breath by stopping her mouth and to straine downward as though she would go to the stoole Assuring her that she shall be quickly eased of her paine and that her child is euen ready to come into the world exhorting her to be patient and promising that she shall haue either a goodly sonne or a faire daughter according as she knoweth her affection inclined And the Midwiues greatest charge must be that she doe nothing hastily or rashly or by force to inlarge the passage of the child and much lesse to let foorth the water or to breake and teare the membranes that containe it but she must expect till it breake of it selfe Some Midwiues either through ignorance or impatience or else by being hastned to go to some other womans labour do teare the membranes with their nayles and let foorth the water to the great hurt and danger both of the poore woman and her child who remaines drie the water being issued and voided before the appointed time yea oftentimes before the child be well turned which hath been the death of many women and children But when the water both by the indeuour of the Mother and likewise of the child shall be newly broken then aswell the Midwife as the rest of the women present must more and more incourage the woman especially when her throwes increase beseeching her in the name of God that she would farther them as much as she can possibly In the meane time the Midwife must continually annoint the neather parts with butter or some other fats And when the head doth offer it selfe to come foorth she must receiue it gently with both her hands which being come soorth and the womans throwes increasing she must draw out the shoulders handsomely sliding downe her finger vnder the childs arme-pits taking the oportunitie and time when her throwes come fastest And it is to be noted that the throwes cease verie little or not at all after the head and shoulders be once come forth Neuerthelesse it will be very fit to giue the poore woman a little breathing intreating her that she would be of as good cheare as she can After this the Midwife hauing drawen out the shoulders may easily draw forth the rest of the body which must not be done either hastily or rashly But because the child naturally doth come into the world with the face downward therefore when he is quite taken foorth he must be turned vpon his backe for feare lest hee be stifled or chok't And if his nauell-string be woond about his necke as many times it happens then must it be vnwoond Oftentimes likewise the child is so feeble and faint that there can scarsely be perceiued any breath or life in him and therefore he must haue a little wine spirted into his mouth nose and eares in that quantitie as shall be needfull When he is come to himselfe and begins to crie then the Midwife must follow the string wagging and shaking it thereby to draw and bring foorth gently the after-birth to which it is tyed bidding the woman to cough and likewise to hold some salt in her hands fast shut together and then blow in them In the meane time the Midwife or some other woman must presse gently with her hand the top of the womans belly stroking it lightly downward the after-burthen being come it must be laid vpon the childs belly and the child together with the after-birth must be wrapp'd vp handsomely in a bed and a blanket to be carried nearer the fire couering the head with a linnen cloth fiue or sixe times double and yet not exposing him sodainly either to the fire-light day-light or candle-light lest by this sodaine change his sight might be hurt but his eies must be couered that by little and little he may open them and acquaint them with the light But as I said before the woman must be incouraged when the water doth issue foorth and caused to straine her selfe to be deliuered that the child may follow the foresaid water And they must likewise obserue diligently whether the paines be the paines of trauaile or no and whether the water be that wherein the child swimmeth For there be some women that haue these waters issue out and come away long before they are ready to lie downe Which I haue seen happen vnto diuers women and of late memorie to Mad. Arnault who hauing gone sixe or seuen moneths and troubled with a great Colique that had held her almost two moneths and tooke her euery day at certaine howres She being at her house in the Countrey intreated me that I would come and see her and to haue my aduise and counsell whether it were fit for her to come into the Citie which I adiused her to do both because of the great paines she had as also for her exceeding greatnesse being of opinion that she might haue two children as she had had not aboue a yeare before Being come to Paris her Colique was somewhat mitigated and a little while after she voided two or three gallons of water without any paine thinking verily then that she was not with child yet fiue daies after she was deliuered very happily and with little paine of a faire daughter there following very little water or none at all I saw another Ladie in whom these waters came away aboue ten daies before her deliuerie yet she kept not her bed but followed her ordinarie businesse And this is worth marking that they may be carefull not to hasten the deliuerie except the paines be proper for trauaile and such as I haue already described The Third time that must be obserued by the Midwife CHAP. VI. AS soone as the child is borne and that the Mother is deliuered of her after-birth the Midwife shall cause her legs to be gently laid downe taking away the peece of wood that lay at her feet and put a fine linnen cloth or rather a cleane spunge washed in warme water and wrung out betweene her thigh 's neare vnto her naturall parts that the cold ayre may not get therein and then must she take the child together with the after-burthen and carrie them to the fire as hath been said already And if it happen that the after-burthen be long ere it come or be drawen foorth and that the
child may not stay so long there for danger to be stifled and die it being oftentimes verie weake The midwife shall first tye and then cut the childs Nauel-string to seperat him from the after-burthen Which must be done in this manner She must haue in readynesse a good double thread and a paire of sharpe Scissors with the thread she must tye the Nauell a good inch from the childs belly with a double knot or oftner this knot must be neither too hard and straite neither too loose for too straite tying beside the extreame paine it causeth makes that which is tyed fall off too soone and that before the scar be growen betweene the liue and the dead part And if it be tyed too loose thereof proceeds a fluxe of bloud from the vmbilicall vessels which are not exactly closed and stopp't by the said ligature and therefore a meane must be obserued in doing it Then being thus tyed the Nauel-string must be cut off an inch beneath the knot And that the knot may not slip nor the thred slide away she must take a little fine linnen rowler dip't in oile of Roses wherewith she must wrap the rest of the Nauell and with a little fine bumbast moistned in the same oyle she must lay it vpon the belly that it be not crusht when they dresse and swath the child By this ligature that which is tyed will come to wither and drie of it selfe and some foure or fiue daies after more or lesse the dead part will fall from the quicke which must not be forc'd or pluckt off in any case Some do obserue that the Nauell must be tyed longer or shorter according to the difference of the sexe allowing more measure to the males because this length doth make their tongue and priuie membres the longer whereby they may both speake the plainer and be more seruiceable to Ladies And that by tying it short and almost close to the belly in females their tongue is lesse free and their naturall part more straite And to speake the truth the Gossips commonly say merrily to the Midwife if it be a boy Make him good measure but if it be a wench Tye it short Hippocrates would haue them in tying the Nauell obserue this that followeth If a woman saith he be deliuered with paine and the child stay long in the wombe and comes not foorth easily but with trouble and chiefly if it be by the Chirurgians help and instruments such children are not long liued and therefore there Nauell-string must not be cut before they haue either sneez'd piss'd or cried Anone after the Midwife hath cut the Nauell she must wipe and make clean the child not onely his face but his whole bodie and the wrinkles and folds of the arme-pits buttocks and ioints either with fresh Butter or oyle of sweet Almonds Some do it with oyle of Roses others with oyle of Nuts thereby to make the skin more firme and to stop the pores that the outward ayre may not hurt him and likewise to strengthen all his parts Auicen boyleth Roses and Sage in wine and washeth the child with a fine soft Spung dipt therein and so continues it three or foure mornings when he is shifted The child being thus shifted and annoynted and then well dried and wrap't vp by the Midwife or others they must presently giue him a little wine and Suger in a spoone or else the bignesse of a pease of Mithridate or Triacle dissolued in a little wine if it be Winter and in Summer by reason of the heat with a little Carduus Benedictus or some other Cordiall water Auicen doth thinke it sufficient to giue them a little Hony and to rub the top and bottome of the tongue with ones finger dip't in hony And by this meanes to see whether they be tongue tyed and so to cut the string if it be needfull of the Care that must be had of a Woman in Child bed CHAP. VII WHile the Midwife doth cut the childs Nauell and make him cleane the Nurse or some other that is present must haue an especiall Care of two things The first is To giue the woman in child-bed this drinke A Drinke for a woman in child-bed Take oyle of sweet Almonds newly drawen two ounces Syrup of Maidenhayre one ounce white Wine water of Parietarie of the wall and Carduus Benedictus of each halfe an ounce Mingle them verie well together with much shaking and so let her drinke it This medicine will mitigate and lenifie the passage of the throat and Trachaea Arteria which haue been heated and stretched with crying and groning And likewise it will help to prouoke the purgings and hinder the pangs and gripings from being so violent 2. The second is to cause a sheep to be fleaed and to wrap the womans backe and belly in the skin yet warme thereby to strengthen and comfort all those parts which haue been as it were disiointed and pull'd one from another with much striuing in her trauaile Auicen thinks it enough to lay vpon the womans belly a Hares skin newly stript from the Hare being aliue Then the Midwife if she be not busied about the Child or some other that looketh to the woman shall applie beneath to the entrance of the naturall part and about the bottome of her belly this medicine A strengthening Medicine Take oyle of Hypericum Saint Iohns Wart two ounces Oyle of Roses an ounce Two whole egges Mingle them well together and let them be applied as I shewd before with finelinnen clothes or flaxe likewise there must be laid vnder her hams a little pillow doubled to make her keepe her knees vp a little and that her thighs legs lie not straight down Let her neither lye along nor sit vpright but keepe her selfe betweene both hauing her heade and body rather a little raised then laidlow that her purgings may the easier come away After the skinne hath layen there two or three daies the Midwife or her nurse shall take it away and swath her belly rubbing and anointing it first with oile of Saint Iohns wort sweet Almonds and Roses mingled together For this swathing serues to keepe the Matrice in his place and to driue downe gently her after-purgings and also is a meanes to keepe out the aire which otherwise might cause the woman to haue great paines and gripings The fashion of the swath The swath must bee made of linnen cloth foure times doubled of the bredth of all ber belly which must be put round about her backe belly smooth without any pleat and wrinkle And while they be about this they must take an especial care that the woman catch not cold nor that the aire get not into her wombe which being emptied of such a burthen will easily receiue it and this might bee a meanes to make it swell and puffe vp and to shut the orifices of the veines by which her purgings should flow the
nature sucking and as it were snatching the same though it remaine only about the mouth and entrance of the outward orifice thereof Auerrhoes tels a story of a woman that became with child onely by drawing in as she bath'd her selfe the seed of a man that was bathed in the said Bath The yeare 1607. in May Master de la Noue the Kings Chirurgion in Ordinary and sworne in the Chastelet of Paris was called to search a yong Woman the wife of a Gold-smith who had beene cited by her Husband to appeare before the Officiall of Paris alleadging that she was not capable nor fit by nature to be married which was an occasion that Germane Hassart a Midwife and my selfe were sent for to search her Where wee found that in the very entrance of the wombe there was a membrane so strong hard and thicke that a mans finger and much lesse the other part was not able to breake it open he hauing oftentimes made triall to doe it whereby he had incurred a Paraphimosis And therefore it was concluded that her husband had a iust cause to cite her but yet for all this that it was curable Whereupon her Husband thought good to call Master de Levrye and Pietre sworne Chirurgians at Paris then we all there concluded with a generall consent to make an incision of the said Membrane which was done and dressed and healed to her Husbands content onely he was somwhat doubtfull of that which the said de La Noue had obserued and told him that his wiues belly was big and that she was qualmish and distasted vomiting euery morning which made him suspect that she was with child whereupon a Midwife tolde him that there was no likelihood nay it was impossible to thinke that a yong woman of eighteene yeares of age should be with child her husband hauing neuer entred within her maiden cloister and that with threshing onely at the barne doore she could not be full Whereupon Master Pietre was sent for who though at first he could not be induced to beleeue it yet at length hauing well considered therof gaue his iudgement that shee was with childe which proued true for about some foure Moneths after the incision was made shee was happily deliuered at her full time of a faire daughter Mad. Scaron sent for me to helpe a Farmers wife that was great with childe and ready to lye downe who had had the outward orifice of her womb for the space of foure or fiue yeares so perfectly closed glued and ioined together that it was impossible to put a little probe therein the which had happened vnto her by beeing ill deliuered by meanes whereof the entrance of the outward necke of the wombe had beene exulcerated and the vlcers cicatriz'd and the sides of the said necke ioined together and yet for all this she proued with child At the time of her deliuery by the aduise and councell of Master Riolan and Charles the Kings professors in Phisicke and Regent Doctor in the faculty of Phisicke at Paris Brunet Paradis Riollan Fremin Rabigois and Serre Queen Marguerites Chirurgion Mitton and Choffinet Maister Barber Chirurgions at Paris Honore the Kings Chirurgion and my selfe I say by the aduise of all these there was an incision made then presently the Speculum dilatatorium was so wel applied that al the Cicatrizes were inlarged which succeeded so prosperously that within three houres after she was deliuered with much ease 4 The trauaile may likewise proue difficult and painfull when the woman is deliuered before or after her time before her time as when it comes in the sixth seuenth or eighth Moneth which happens when the wombe is too moist and weake or else full and as it were stuft with much slime which doth so moisten the necke therof that it is inlarged and dilated before the limited time As also the vessels to the orifices whereof the after burthen is fastned do begin to be relaxed which causeth that the child cannot be supported nor remaine in his naturall situation By which change finding the inner orifice loosened and inlarged and the membrane wherein the waters are contained and in which the child swimmeth to be very small and thinne it begins to breake which maketh the child out of order and so causeth difficult deliuery As also too much drynesse as it were want of nourishment when the mother is not well nourished hauing not wherewith to sustaine the child which makes the said child not hauing sufficient nourishment to turne and winde himselfe seeking about for it and casts it selfe downe and vnloosneth his bed which is the after-burthen from the sides of the wombe and in the end breakes the membrane wherein the waters are contained and striueth to come foorth for the most part out of order The like hapneth to them that go till the tenth or eleuenth moneth because the child through the length of time that it stayeth in the mothers wombe doth grow and waxe bigger though the parts of the mother wherby the child being thus big is to come forth and passe through are not increased or inlarged at all which causeth the passages being not able to bee sufficiently dilated and widened great anguish and paine to the mother especially shee beeing weakned in all her parts that serue for the expulsion and bringing forth of the child which among the rest are the Matrice and the Muscles of the vpper belly which being stretched beyond measure through the greatnesse and bignesse of the child do inlarge the fibres which cannot afterward be so easily drawen together hauing lost their proper force and strength And this may be manifestly perceiued in those that cannot make water the bladder being too full that although the passage be opened by a probe yet the Chirurgion is constrained to presse the belly so to help the fibres of the bladder to close and fould themselues together Besides the child filling vp all the space that is in the wombe cannot help it selfe so well in thrusting forward being as it were fettred and lock't fast therein 3. The like hindrance of deliuerie may proceed from the child who hauing attained vnto the ninth moneth is not able to come into the world either through weaknesse and feeblenesse or because he is not perfected and ripened as he should and so hath not sufficient strength to dissolue the ligaments and vessels and to break asunder the membranes wherein he is inclosed which causeth that after he hath striued in the ninth moneth and attempting it againe in the tenth he is not able to striue so lustily for his comming foorth hauing been weakned with forcing himselfe the moneth before And it is most certaine that the childs staying in the wombe after the ninth moneth doth proceed onely from want of vitall heat which is in the heart or that he hath it not in sufficient quantitie to desire the Aire which we draw in to coole vs or that all
in wine or Hippocras Cinamon water also that is well made and not too strong is very fit and good And if the feare of the paine doth hinder the deliuery then the woman must be incouraged telling her that shee shall bee quickly freed from this sicknesse and that it is common vnto all women to haue such paines cherishing her with good hopes assuring her that her trauaile will bee very easie and promising her that she shall haue either a sonne or a daughter according as you know she desires as we haue said before flattering and soothing her as much as you can without chiding or giuing her any crosse speeches at all The most grieuous and troublesome accident which a Woman can haue that is in trauaile is when there happens vnto her any fluxe of bloud or Convulsions for either of them kill both the Mother and the child instantly especially if the fluxe of bloud continue long because through the great losse of bloud which is the liues treasure the spirits and heate are dissolued And concerning Convulsions they are very dangerous because the braine beeing hurt it cannot affoord such store of spirits as are needfull for the respiration of the Mother and the child who breath 's onely by meanes of the spirits that are imparted vnto him by the Arteryes of his mother which causeth him to bee choked and stifled Besides the great convulsion makes the Midrife and the muscles of the vpper belly moue so violently that the child is much shaken and puts both him and his mother in danger to be stifled and die Eyther of these accidents happening or else both together the mother and the child must bee succoured without any delay which shall bee done to speake in a word by deliuering her And this ought to be done either by the helpe of a Chirurgian or else of a very skilfull Midwife Hippocrates well obserued it when he saith If in a difficult trauaile there happen a great fluxe of bloud without any paine before the trauaile then is there danger lest the child come forth dead or that he will not liue and therefore she must bee sodainely deliuered the which wee haue oftentimes seene to our great griefe happen vnto diuers women that haue died through the obstinasy of their friends and kinsfolks yea and some also through their Phisitians and Chirurgians feare who delayed the time thinking and hoping that the fluxe would stay telling them that the child came naturally being well placed with his head forward and that the mother should bee deliuered euen of her selfe I know there be many both Phisitians and Chirurgians that will appoint diuers inward and outward medicines yea to make reuulsion and altar the course of bloud will cause a vaine to bee opened in the arme once or twice rather then consent to this practize But yet of all their medicines I could neuer see any that did good but that in the end they were constrained to vse the hand the which I counsell to be done speedily and chieflie if the mother be at her full time and ready to lye downe which may be both knowne of the woman and also perceiued by the throwes shee hath or which went before as also by the dilatation of of the inner orifice of the wombe which will be open and likewise feeling with the finger that the waters are gathered and ready to come and issue forth And when the water shall bee broken and come away then so much the rather must the child be taken out though the woman haue not gone aboue foure fiue sixe seuen or eight moneths And ye must note that if the said water be not broken and that the fluxe of bloud bee very great then you shall let forth the water by dilating and stretching gently the inner orifice of the womb thereby to draw forth the child as we will shew heereafter But because many women are subiect to a fluxe of bloud in their fourth fifth sixth seuenth or eighth moneth of child-bearing being not as yet ready to bee deliuered therefore the Chirurgion must obserue from what place this bloud is sent the which may be from the entrance or Vagina of the wombe and not from within the body thereof where the child is contained and inclosed which may bee easily perceiued if the woman haue no throwes or if the inner orifice of her wombe be not open but close shut then there is no likelihood of any deliuery towards for bloud may issue and come from the said outward necke or Vagina both in maide and woman with child If it bee so then it will not be needful to meddle with such women or to force them at all but onely you must proceed to medicines that shall stay the said fluxe of bloud As wee will shew in the chapter of the after purgings that flow immoderately in women newly deliuered It may also happen because the woman is plethoricall and full of bloud In this case we must follow the opinion of Hippocrates who saith that if a woman that is in trauaile cannot be deliuered and that her paines continue many daies if shee bee young lusty and full of bloud you may let her bleed in the foot if her strength will beare it But if she be troubled with any vlcer tumor excrescence of flesh Hemorrhoides inflammation chapps or the like which may chance in the necke of the wombe then shall she be handled as we will shew in their proper places All the which indispositions may make the deliuery difficult and cause that the parts cannot be dilated according as it is sit and necessary for the childs comming forth For remedying the deliuery that is too soone or too late we must haue regard vnto the cause and according thereto it must bee cured and chiefly that which shall concerne the mother whereof we will treat when we come to speake of the Abortment it being my purpose in this place to speake onely of those things which are fit and ought to bee done in the time and at the houre of the deliuerie Now for the comforting of a woman and easing of her trauaile when the difficulty doth proceede from the child as when he is weake tender sickly or dead as likewise if he be too big or a monster hauing two heads or if he be ill turned and that he offer himselfe amisse then the Chirurgion in this case shall helpe and set to his hand in this manner First if it be through the weakenesse or tendernesse of the child being sicke the Chirurgion must not delay one minute of time to hasten the deliuery and he must incourage the woman to doe the like If the head come first then shall hee proceed therein gently as in the naturall deliuery applying beneath and chiefly about the fundament and os Pubis which are the two vtmost parts of the naturall passage some ointments with the fingers ends
Gasselin who not hauing help in time dyed euen as it was foretold it would come to passe hauing lost all her bloud before she would giue her consent to be deliuer'd which will be a good occasion to admonish a young Chirurgion neuer to defer this worke when he is called and sees a great euacuation of bloud It is now fiue and twentie yeares since I saw this practized by the late Mr Pareus and Mr Hubert of whom we are bound to acknowledge and willingly confesse that we haue learned both this and many other experiments Mad. de Mommor being about fiue and twentie yeares of age and neere her time of deliuerie one day found her selfe ill about foure or fiue a clocke in the morning neuerthelesse she rose and went to Church which was neere her house her paine by fits began againe and she fell into a continuall flux of bloud At three daies end she was deliuered with great ease without any help of the Midwife and presently after followed the after burthen Neuerthelesse she died the same day at night and was kept a prettie while by her friends who could not perswade themselues that she was dead At last being opened by Mr Pineau the kings sworne Chirurgion at Paris in the presence of Mr Faber and Mr Baillou regent Doctors of the facultie of Physicke at Paris her wombe was found broken and rent right in that place where the veine and arterie hypogastricke ascend toward the mid'st thereof which likewise were dissolued and gaue way to all that issue of bloud As for the convulsions which commonly happen through the childs great striuing when hee desires to come forth and not being turned aright doth so extend the womb that the said convulsions follow thereupon here it is to be feared least all within wil be torne and broken and therefore it is conuenient to deliuer the woman with all possible speed which hath beene practized both by my selfe and of late by Master Binet a sworn Chirurgion of Paris a man of great experience who being sent for by Doctor Bouuart to deliuer Opportune Guerreau the wife of Siluester the Printer which had beene in labour from eight a clock in the morning till nine at night and finding her pulse very weake and small as also the woman depriued of all sence and motion at the first he was somwhat fearefull But being intreated by her Husband and fearing least shee might either die suddenly or else fall into convulsions he putting his hand into her wombe found the childs head the water not being broke which he let out and presently deliuered her with much ease and shee is yet liuing Therefore wee need not expect till the said convulsions grow stronger for fear least the wombe be broken and torne through the great striuing of the child when hee is not able to come foorth as wee may plainely see by the stories following The yeare 1607. the said Master Binet was sent for together with de le Moine and Alton Master Barber Chirurgion at Paris to cut vp the dead body of Ione du Boys and hauing opened her nether belly found the child vpon the guts who had brused broken the wombe and passed quite through it there being store of bloud shed in the capacity of the said belly Master Pineau Guerin and Launay sworne Chirurgians of Paris can beare me witnesse that in opening a poore woman that died in the Hospitall of the Citty we found her child swimming among the guts in her belly the bottome of her Matrice being rent and torne The meanes to helpe a woman when her after-burthen comes for most CHAP. XII IF the after-burthen offer it selfe formost the most sure and ready way to helpe the Woman is to deliuer her speedily because most commonly there follows a continuall fluxe of bloud For that the orifices of the veines are opened which are spread in the sides of the wombe and there meet with the vessels of the afterburthen and when the Matrice doth strain and force it selfe to put forth the child then doth it thrust out both the bloud that is contained therin and that which is drawne thither either by any heat or paine Besides when the child is inclosed in the wombe and the orifice thereof stopt with the after-birth then hee cannot breath any longer by his Mothers Arteryes and so for want of helpe he will be quickly choked and euen swallowed vp in the bloud which is contained in the wombe and which issueth from the veynes that are open therein But before you attempt any thing these two points must be obserued First whether the after-burthen bee come foorth but a little or else very much if it bee but little when the mother is well placed it must be thrust and put backe againe with as much care as may possibly be And if the head of the child come first let it bee placed right in the passage thereby to helpe the naturall deliuery but if you find any difficulty or if you perceiue that the childs head cannot easily bee brought forward or that the child or his mother or both together bee weake foreseeing that the trauaile will bee long then without doubt the best and surest way is to search for the feete as we haue said and to plucke him forth gently by them The other point to bee obserued is that if the said after-birth be much come foorth and that it cannot bee put backe againe as well by reason of the bignes of it as also of the fluxe of bloud that commonly companies it and likewise if the child follow it close staying onely to come into the world then must the after-burthen be puld away quite and when it is come forth it must be laide aside without cutting of the string that cleaues vnto it For by the guiding of the said string you may easily find the child who whether hee bee aliue or dead must be drawn out by the legs with as much dexterity as may be And this must be done onely in great necessity that the child may bee quickly drawne forth as it may be easily iudged by the sentence of Hippocrates who saith that the after-burthen should come forth after the child for if it come first the child cannot liue because he takes his life from it as a plant doth from the earth Sometime it chaunceth that a part of the after-birth as also the membrane which containes the waters doe offer it selfe like a skin and comes forth sometimes the length of halfe a foote which happens to such women as haue the skin wherein the waters are contained swelling out to the bignes of ones fist and more which breaking foorth of themselues leaue the skinnne hanging forth and yet the child not following it which happening it must not be violently puld away because the afterburthen oftentimes is not wholly loosened from the sides of the wombe So that in drawing that you shall likewise
draw the saide after burthen and so consequently the womb or else part therof which commonly brings the woman into extream paines and fainting yea and oftentimes to death Which hapned to my great griefe vnto a Gentlewoman that died as soone as shee was deliuered who putting her selfe into her nurses hands who tooke vpon her to be a Midwife and was so ventrous as to plucke and draw forth the said Membrane and part of the after-burthen which came to light by means of her Chamber-maid who had kept it and shewed it vs after her decease we being very inquisitiue to know the cause of her death But when this happens it must not be puld away but rather gently be thrust in againe or else you may put in your hand betweene that and the neck of the wombe to find the childs feete and so draw him forth as we haue shewed before I haue set downe this story more at large by reason of the great sorrow I tooke for this Gentlewomans death whom I had deliuered twice before with mine own hands comming not soone enough to helpe her the third time The meanes to deliuer a woman when her child is dead in her wombe CHAP. XIII WHen it is certainly knowne that the child is dead the woman must bee placed in the same manner as it hath beene shew'n where wee spake of the taking forth of the child when there is a fluxe of bloud If he put forth an arme shoulder backe belly or other part of his body first hee must be turned with all diligence and drawne forth by the feete as we will more particularly declare in euery seuerall deliuery according to the sundry fashions wherein he may come either aliue or dead If he come dead with his head forwards and that there is no hope at all of the womans deliuery without helpe and that her strength begins manifestly to decay the surest way is to apply the hand And then the Chirurgion shall thrust gently his left hand beeing wide opened betweene the childs head and the necke of the wombe and with his right hand he must put between the said head and flat of the hand an Iron Crochet such a one as you see heere figured vnto you The figure or portaict of the Crochet wherewith the dead childe may bee drawn forth of his mothers belly when hee comes with his head forward the which is so lock'd within the os pubis that it cannot be displaced or pusht vpward to turne and draw foorth the child by the feete without much hurting the Mother and often endaungering her life It will likewise serue to take forth a head that remaines alone in the wombe It must be ten or twelue inches long strong and thicke and large enough to take holde Which must bee fastned to the side of the childs head as about his eare or bone of the Temples or in some other place if it may bee done conueniently as within the hollow of the eye or the hinder bone of his head the Chirurgion keeping his left hand in the same place where he put it first and therewith he shall wagge and stirre gently the childs head and at that very instant with his right hand wherin he holds the crochet so fastned in any part of the head must he draw and bring out the child bidding the woman striue and force her selfe as though she would be deliuered alone And it is to be noted that the Chirurgion must take his time to draw him forth when the woman falls into throws for while the throws continue the child slides forth the easier Oftentimes it chaunceth that the Crochet cannot be put high enough at the first to draw foorth the head all at once so that after it is come forward and drawne out in part they are faine to take away the Crochet from the place where it was first fastned and put it in againe to take new hold higher in another place which the Chirurgion may doe very fitly as it hath beene shewed already Likewise if the Crochet be not well and surely fastned at first but that it slip and lose the first hold then it will bee needfull to fasten and put it in a surer place Hauing drawne forth the head and the Crochet beeing taken out the Chirurgion shall slide in his fingers very cunningly vnder the childs armepits that he may draw forth the shoulders and the rest of his body for by this meanes hee shall bee easier drawne out then by the head which must be done very leasurely without any violence giuing the woman leaue to gather her strength and expecting till her throws come vpon her While the Chirurgion is about this worke they must giue the poore Woman a little wine or else let her sucke a tost sop't in wine or Hippocras perswading and incouraging her that she shall quickly be deliuered This manner of drawing the dead child out of the mothers womb is safer and speedier then that which is vsed by turning and putting backe the childs head to finde his feete and so pull him out thereby For whensoeuer the childs heade is much entred within the os Pubis it is impossible to thrust him vpward and turne him without much indaungering the Mother and causing great contusion in the wombe from whence proceeds diuers accidents and sometime death as I haue seene it often happen I know some will alledge that they haue taken foorth children aliue which were thought to haue beene dead in the Mothers wombe with the saide Crochet and that they haue presently died onely with the hurt they receiued by the Crochet and certainely this is a cruell kind of practize Whereto I answere that we must diligently looke and consider whether the child be aliue or dead before wee put in the Crochet and if there be any appearance of life wee must deferre the taking of him foorth therewith as long as we may But being dead I see no reason but wee should take the child forth with the said Crochet for the causes heeretofore mentioned But if the child be aliue it is a great question whether he ought to be puld forth by the Crochet presupposing that the Mother hauing lost her strength is ready to dye except this meanes bee vsed it beeing more expedient to loose the Mother then the child who would both dye if that were deferred any longer and whether to saue the Mother who is more deare then the saide child this practize may be ventured But as I thinke there are none that goe about this businesse but with some touch of Conscience which being a point of Diuinity I leaue to be decided by them that are more conuersant therein then my selfe The meanes to draw forth a child that is swollen and puft vp in his mothers womb together with the manner of drawing the head when it stayes behind CHAP. XIIII IF the dead child continue long in the mothers wombe he
each of the former births that one of the twins may be dead and the other liuing Howsoeuer they are placed the Chirurgion must be very certaine which of them is dead or aliue Which hee shall know by feeling them about the Nauell Temples or region of the Heart Hand-wrists or Ankles where if he find no pulse or beating of the Arteries then he may be sure that the child is dead as also if he be lesse hot then the other and when you put your finger into his mouth he neither sucke it nor wag his tongue But if you find all these signes concurre then there is some likelyhood that he is aliue and therefore it will be best to bring his head right against the passage that so the woman may be the sooner deliuer'd which will be done the more easily because the liue child can better help himselfe then he that is dead But if the Chirurgion thinke that he shall hardly bring the head to the said passage and that he find the feet are neerer and readier then I would aduise him to bring the child foorth by the feet and when the woman shall be deliuer'd of th' one let him draw foorth th' other in the same fashion Of the staying of the after-burthen after the deliuerie CHAP. XXIIII OFtentimes it happens after the woman hath been deliuer'd whether it be naturally or by the Chirurgions helpe that the bed whereupon the child lay commonly called the After-burthen as being a second burthen or deliuerie of the woman because when that is come away the Mother is wholy deliuer'd doth remaine fastned to the sides of the wombe and cannot verie easily be seperated from it and though it be loosened yet oftentimes it cannot be put foorth The which may proceed either from the drynesse of the Matrice and after-burthen being destitute of their moisture or because that it is swolne and stretch'd or else because the expulsiue facultie of the wombe hath been much weakned by a long and painfull trauaile Whereunto may be added that oftentimes the Mother hath been so wearied and brought so low and become so faint weake and feeble that she is not able to straine or force her selfe at all Now it is most certaine that after the child hath left his Mothers wombe the said after-birth is a thing contrarie to nature which must needs be taken away and sent foorth And therefore one of these two accidents must needs follow either that the quicke which is the wombe thrust foorth the dead which is the after-birth or that the dead kill the quicke And surely that being retayned it doth breed in the Mother most pernicious and dangerous Symptomes as swounnings oppression and suffocation yea and sometimes being corrupted and putrified it is an occasion of death For the preuenting whereof there must be great care and diligence vsed in the bringing and drawing of it foorth which must not be done rashly but leasurely by often shaking and mouing it In the meane time taking heed that neither the Mother nor the wombe take any cold for feare lest it be sodainly clos'd and shut vp and therefore first of all if the woman be weake you shall giue her either some Broth Gelly yelke of an egge or else a tost and suger And you must likewise put in practize that which we haue formerly spoken of as to make her Cough sneeze and blow in her hands holding salt therein and beside you must giue her medicines that are proper to expell and driue forth the said after-bith which are such as we formerly prescribed in Difficult trauaile as A Drinke to expell the after-birth ℞ Succin stercor Accipitr pul an ℥ ss dissolue in vino Hyppocratico fiat potus ℞ Troch de Myrrhâ Gall. Mosch an ℥ j. Cinamon ℥ ss Dictam cretens Succin rasur ossium dactylor an ℈ ij Piper Croci an ℈ j. fiat puluis capiat pro dosi ℥ j. cum vino Saluiatico vel cum aqua Arthemissiae Gesner in an Epistle he writes to Gasserus saith That the stone of a horse dried in an Ouen being made into powder and taken the quantitie of a dragme or foure scruples is an excellent medicine Horatius Augenius reports in his Epistles that he hath made often triall of it and saith that he had it of his father for a secret If the afterbirth comes not away for all the foresaid medicines then must you come to handy-worke and for that purpose the Chirurgion shall place the woman in the same fashion he did in the drawing out of the child then shall he put vp his hand annointed as before holding the Nauell-string which will serue him for a guide to find the after-birth and when he hath found it he shall obserue and trie diligently whether it sticks to the sides of the wombe or no If the said after-burthen cannot come foorth because the passage of the Matrice is to straite it being shrunke together and swolne with paine Then shall he vse medicines that relaxe and mollifie as the liniments appointed in the naturall deliuerie and also such as shall be set downe hereafter together with fomentations and iniections And when he perceiues that the passage is open and free and that the after-birth staies onely through the womans feeblenesse and weaknesse in these two cases he shall draw it foorth gently But if he perceiue that it doth sticke to the wombe and likewise finds it soft and moist then shall he separate as gently as may bee with his fingers his nayles being first pared very close and euen from the sides of the womb beginning at that end which he thinks doth best cleaue or stice therto and so draw it by little and little shaking it somtimes on the one side and sometimes on the other not drawing it violently directly forward for feare as Hippocrates saith least the Matrice should fall downe and follow the after-birth whereto as yet it is fastned putting still betweene the sides of the Matrice and the said part of the after-burthen eyther fresh butter or some of the liniment wherwith he annoints his hands that it may helpe by mollifying and relaxing to separate it the more easily And you must take an especiall care that you draw it not foorth suddenly all at once least it should sticke to many places of the wombe and so you thinking to pull it along might shake bring down with it the body of the womb which would cause a Praecipitation or falling downe thereof Or else if you should separate it by violence some vessell or part of the wombe is in danger to be broken which may procure a fluxe of bloud or some vlcers wherof may follow a Gangrene yea and oftentimes death If the Chirurgion perceiue that there is any difficulty or danger to seuer and bring foorth the said after-birth it sticking very fast by reason of drynes or that the Matrice is very painfull and swolne then shall he vse these medicines
for her bignes was called the great Mare shee going with a dead child voided onely the soft parts of the saide child being putrified the bones staying behind yet for all this a while after she being in reasonable good health became great with child againe And falling sicke there passed by chaunce through the rowne where she dwelt a certaine Mountibancke or Quacksaluer who made an incision in her belly and therby tooke foorth the bones of the said child and cured her And when the time of her trauaile came shee was deliuered of a lusty and healthfull child The meanes how to take foorth a Child by the Caesarian section CHAP. XXV IT now remaines onely that I speake of the last kind of deliuerie which must be practized after the Mothers decease that thereby the child may be saued and receiue Baptisme This birth is called Caesarian à caeso Matris vtero in imitation of Caesar who was rip 't out of his Mothers wombe at the verie instant she died The which ought to be obserued in euery well gouern'd Common-wealth For Iurisconsulti eum necis damnant qui grauidam sepelierit non prius extracto foetu quod spem animantis cum grauidâ peremisse videatur The Lawiers iudge them worthy of death who shall burie a great bellyed-woman that is dead before the child be taken foorth because together with the Mother they seeme to destroy the hope of a liuing creature In some women I haue made this practize verie fortunately and among the rest in Mad. le Maire Mr Phillippes my vncle being ioined with me And likewise in Mad. Pasquier presently after she was dead Monsieur Paraeus and the Curate of S ct Andrew being present But before the Chirurgion come to this worke he must obserue diligently and be certainly assured that the woman is dead and that her kinsfolkes friends and others that are present do all affirme and confesse that her Soule is departed And then he must come presently to the handy-worke because the deferring of it might cause the childs death and so make the worke vnprofitable All the while that the woman lyes in her paine and Agonie the Midwife or else some other woman shall hold their hand within the necke of the Matrice to keep it as open as may be possible for though we know that while the child is in the Mothers wombe he breaths onely by her Arteries yet notwithstanding the Aire that may enter therein doth not onely not hurt but doth verie much good Now to know certainly and to be assured that the woman hath yeelded vp her last breath you shall lay vpon her lips and about her nose some light feathers for if she breath neuer so little they will flie away And being thus assured that she is dead the Chirurgion presently without any delay after he hath laid open her belly naked shall there make an incision of the length of foure fingers neare vnto the right Muscles cutting both the skin and the three Muscles of the Epigastrium and the Peretonaeum piercing euen to the verie capacitie of the belly Then shall he thrust in two of his fingers and with them shall he lift and hold vp the said skin muscles and Peretonaeum and betweene them he must make a sufficient incision to discouer the Matrice and the child therein contained which will easily shew it selfe Then shall he instantly make an incision iust in the midst of the wombe which he shal find a finger thicke and more and therefore he need not be afraid of hurting the child because I haue alwaies obseru'd that the after-birth is situated next to that place and then the child But if there should be any likelihood that the said after-birth were loosened and had changed his place then must he be more circumspect and warie And therefore he shall rather teare and inlarge th' incision with two fingers of each hand being put therein then cut it and so make the orifice large enough according as he thinks fit for the drawing out of the child which he shall take foorth of the wombe This being done he shall take the after-birth and lay it vpon the childs belly causing some bodie to take a little wine in their mouth and spirt it into the childs nose eares mouth which must be done often as we haue shew'd before Some hold that this Caesarian Section may and ought to be practized the woman being aliue in a painfull and troublesome birth Which for mine owne part I will not counsell any one to do hauing twise made triall of it my selfe in the presence of Mons Paraeus and likewise seen it done by Mons Viart Brunet and Charbonnet all excellent Chirurgions and men of great experience and practize who omitted nothing to doe it artificially and methodically Neuerthelesse of fiue women in whom this hath been practized not one hath escaped I know that it may be alleaged that there be some haue been saued therby But though it should happen so yet ought we rather to admire it then either practize or imitate it For One Swallow makes not a Spring neither vpon one experiment onely can one build a science After Mons Paraeus had caused vs to make triall of it and seen that the successe was verie lamentable and vnfortunate he left of and disallowed this kind of practize together with the whole Colledge of Chirurgions of Paris as likewise the discreeter sort of the Regent Doctours in the facultie of Physicke at Paris at such time as this question was sufficiently discussed by the late Mons Marchant in the two declamations he made when he had the honour to be admitted sworne Chirurgion of Paris The end of the Second Booke THE ORDERING OF a woman newly brought a bed and of the Accidents that may happen vnto her in her Moneth The third Booke What diet a Woman must keepe that is newly deliuered CHAP. I. HEeretofore wee haue spoken of the care that must bee taken of a Woman so soone as shee is brought a bed and deliuered of her after-birth Now wee will treate of the diet shee is to keepe while she lies in and of the accidents that may befall her in that time First shee must bee kept reasonable hot for too much heat doth weaken and dissolue the strength but aboue all she must be kept from the cold aire because it is an enemy to the spermaticall parts and being very piercing it may get into the Matrice which is now empty and there procure great pains and torments as also puffe it vp and the whole bellie and therefore the doores and windows of her chamber in any wise are to be kept close shut Her dyet must be thus First she must liue temperately and not fill her selfe with too much meat and that must bee of the same kind that is prescribed for them that are wounded and indeed in some women there happens a great Solutio continui and not
Carab an Ê’ ss Cinamon Nuc. Mosch an ℈ ij Ambrae chrys gr iiij folia auri nu vj. fiat omnium puluis capiat Ê’ j. cum ouo sorbili vel vino Hippocratico vel iusculo pulli Some in this case take halfe a spoonfull of Cinamon water with the yelke of an egge others with the saide yelke of an egge take two graines of Amber greese If the paines continue vse the Cataplasme following A Pultesse â„ž Vitellos ouor nu xij Pul. sem Anis Fenicul an Ê’ ij Farin sem Lini â„¥ ij Pul flor Chamaemel Meliot an Ê’ j. ss Calamint Ê’ j. ol Aneth q. sa fiat Cataplasma Applicetur ventricalidé auferatur antequam refrigeretur iteretur saepius Of the falling downe of the Fundament and Matrice CHAP. IIII. THere are some Women which are deliuer'd with so much difficultie and are so long in trauaile that to free themues from this miserie and anguish they are constrained to straine and force themselues in such sort that the Fundament or the end of the great gut commeth foorth for a woman in her deliuerie must straine and force her selfe euen as one doth at the stoole It may happen also that the Matrice may follow the child and after-birth which is the precipitation or comming downe of the wombe the ligaments being loosened and sometimes broken either through much striuing or because that the Midwife or Chirurgion in drawing foorth the child or after-birth draw the Matrice together with it which may be done and yet not they in fault When the Fundament commeth foorth it is to be put vp after this manner First the Chirurgion must put vp the gut with a fine linnen cloth warme as gently as possiblie he can But if he find any difficultie herein because of some humour with is come to it by abiding in the Aire all the time of the trauaile or by any fluxe of humours which the paine hath caused then must he bath and foment it with a little Milke wherein Red Roses white Mullen Camomile and Meliot haue been boiled and when he shall see that the swelling is gone and it is come to it selfe then by little and little he shall put it vp not vsing any force or violence at all He may also if the paine be asswaged foment it with red Wine in which Plantaine white Mullen Red Roses and Balausts haue been boiled and then presently he shall gently put it vp The Matrice also being fallen downe shall be put vp after the same manner but we will speake more at large of this and of the causes thereof in an other place Of the hurts and Excoriations which happen in the lower parts by Child-bearing CHAP. V. ALthough neither the Midwife in the naturall birth vse any violence in bringing the child into the world nor the Chirurgion either in turning or drawing foorth the child handle or touch the woman but with all gentlenesse and tendernesse that may be yet oftentimes do some contusions or other hurts happen in the lower parts of the woman yea and excoriations together with chaps and clifts about the part called â—inaeum in respect that so great a morsell hath â—s'd through so narrow a place Besides that some women are verie straight and close either being verie young or verie old or because they haue vsed medicines to make those parts straite and narrow besides that in some women the child proues verie big For all these accidents it is good to vse at first as we haue said before Oile of St Iohns wort and Oile of Roses beaten with whole Egges all together If the sides of those parts be brused you may vse this Fomentation which will resolue it gently A Fomentation for the contusion of the lower parts â„ž Maluae Bismalu an m. j. Matricar m. ss Rosar rub flor Chamaem Melilot an m.j. fiant sacculi duo parui coquantur in aequis partibus vini aquae fontis admoueatur parti This Fomentation must be applied onely to the entrance and orifice of the Matrice lest the ordinarie courses be hindred and the foresaid medicine of Oile of St Iohns wort shall be prepar'd without the whites of Egges and applied vpon fine lint or cotton leauing the passage of the wombe open both to giue way to the purgings and venâ— to such vapors as may proceed out of the Matrice For the excoriations and chaps you may vse this Ointment â„ž Cerae alb â„¥ ss ol Amygd dulc â„¥ j. ss liquefiant simul fiat linimenium Although these kind of vlcers are easilie healed as being but small as Hippocrates noteth notwithstanding they must be carefully handled being in a part of delicate and exquisite sence and full of Nerues Of the medicine last described you shall make small plasters and applie them fitly vpon the excoriations and chaps And because as I haue noted there often happens a rent or breach about the Perinaeum neare to the fundament and that when the woman makes water she feeles there a great pricking and paine it is necessarie that her Nurse or keeper applie to that part two or three little linnen clouts spred with the aforesaid Ointment to keep the vrine from touching and galling there But if the breach or clift be great you shall applie there little boulsters of lint dipt ' and dress'd with this baulme A balme foâ— the lower parts â„ž Ol. Hyperic â„¥ s. Axung porc recent â„¥ ij Ol. é vitellis ouor Ê’ iij. Terebinth venet Ê’ i. fiat Balsamum ad vsum After that you haue applied this Balm you shall lay vpon it the plaster before described of waxe and oyle of sweet Almonds Somtimes it happens that the whole Perinaeum is diuided and rifted euen vnto the fundament and that both the passages are brought into one which accident I haue seene and for want of help the sides of the wound being hardned with a scarre both the passages haue continued as one For remedy wherof I being once called and finding the Woman to bee with child I gaue her counsell to stay till shee were brought a bed and about sixe weekes after she was deliuered being sent for to cure her I proceeded in this manner First with a crooked rasor very sharpe I cut away way the scarre and skinne which was growne on both sides as the common practise is for an hare lip which I haue showne in my workes of Chirurgery which worke I began from the naturall parts and so went on to the fundament not taking away much flesh but onely the skinne which beeing taken off and as it were flead away I suffered the part to bleed well both to shun an inflammation and also to make the stitches with my needle more conueniently About the midst of the clift or diuision I passed my needle through both sides thereof hauing first laid them euen as well aboue and below as in the middle and I tooke good hold of the flesh on both sides there leauing my needle about which I did turne
at euery birth haue of these false conceptions and amongst others Mistris Brague-longue hath shewed the proofe hereof For she going with her second child could assure me that then she had a false conception because she had one with her first child which shee came to know by reason of a certaine hardnesse which she had vpon her left side neere to her short ribs where she felt a great paine yea and her ribs seemed to be borne vp or thrust outward And indeed this Gentlewoman after she was deliuered brought foorth one bigger then ones fist and before she could be rid of it her belly was swoln with paine and murmurings about her Nauell and toward her loins she was often troubled with throws as if she should be deliuered againe by reason the nature did striue to put and send that forth which was vnnaturall Beside these simptomes women that haue false conceptions somwhat bigger and cleauing fast to the wombe are troubled with great paine about the nauell with vnquietnes watring of the mouth vomiting and heauinesse downeward The pulse is small and frequent and some women in this case haue the strangury because the false conception doth presse the necke of the bladder and to conclude almost the same accidents are here that happen when there is a mole or dead child Those false conceptions that are small though two three foure or more in number as there may be many they come forth easily are conuaied away with the ordinary purgings but if they be great and hard they are voided with much difficulty especially if they stick to the womb and then there is daunger that they will turne into a mole which must speedily be preuented although Hippocrates wisheth that this should be done with prediction Now this may be preuented as he saith by these three meanes first by the vse of resoluing bath's which haue power to moisten the whole body and so to dilate and inlarge the passage of the Matrice that it may come foorth the second is by Clisters and purgations which may purge foorth excrements and also bring downe the naturall courses afresh Thirdly by iniections which may prouoke and stirre vp the expulsiue faculty of the Matrice to expell the purgings and with them the false conconception contained in the wombe But because all these remedies haue beene handled in the last chapter I refer the Chirurgion thither Of the falling downe or precipitation of the Matrice CHAP. X. THe ancient writers haue obserued that the matrice moueth and changeth his place diuersly and as Hippocrates saith the Matrice causeth great paines in diuers places according as it setleth and placeth it selfe If it rise toward the head then the veines which are in the nose and vnder the eies suffer paine the head is heauy and sometime the woman fometh at the mouth If the said Matrice moueth toward the liuer presently the woman is depriued of her speech her teeth are set and her colour grows wan and pale If it incline toward the ribs then the woman falls into a cough with pain of her side and the matrice hard and painfull to be touched as if there were some vlcer shee is troubled also with shortnes of breath and sometimes with Convulsions and if she continue thus long she will grow lame Againe if the Matrice turne to one side there will be a paine felt right against the place to which it inclines together with a paine in the backe and at last shee becomes lame of that side as Hippocrates and Aetius do witnesse when it beareth down towards the groine and passage of the Vrine then the pain is more violent together with a dulnesse numnesse of the thigh and suppression of vrine as likewise if it be cast backe toward the great gut then the excrements of the belly are stopped If it fall downe lower euen to the thighs then there wil be a Convulsion or crampe of the great toe and the hips and thighs will be pained And therefore not vnfitly did Plato compare the matrice to a liuing creature which was as it were ingrafted vpon an other liuing creature For the Matrice hath voluntary motion toward euery part and certainly Scimus vterum naturaliter vt semen excipiat hiare et ipso suscepto constringi But these situations and changings of place must not be vnderstood in an exact sence For it is vnlikely nay impossible that the Matrice should so run from one side of the body to another that it should altogether leaue his owne place And this hath Galen very well noted saying that sometimes the matrice ascendeth vpward and sometimes it is turned aside not that of it selfe it leaues his naturall place but because it is drawne by some thing else that is by the ligaments which hold it vp and by the nerues arteries and veines to which it is annexed To this authority of Galen I will adde farther that the Matrice may be shut vp and gathered into it selfe and so draw with it those parts to which it is fastned offending affecting them by some spirits vapors or wind which it may communicate vnto thē But I will leaue this curious speculation to Physitions and will onely meddle with that which belongs to Chirurgions concerning the precipitation or falling downe of the Matrice of which there are three kinds The first when the necke thereof which is called Vagina sincketh and falleth downe euen to the entrance of the naturall parts and drawes a little with it the bodie of the Matrice And this we may easily learne of Hippocrates who saith that the Matrice commeth downe in such sort that you may applie a liniment thereunto And againe that it commeth nearer to the entrance than is needfull The second kind is when the bodie of the Matrice falleth into the outward necke called Vagina and is thrust a little out of the entrance of the naturall parts and then the inward necke which is sunke downe shewes it selfe to the light in the forme of the top of a mans yard Which Hippocrates also affirmes when he saith that the wombe commeth by little and little out of the naturall parts The third kind is when the bodie and necke of the Matrice is all sunke downe and turned the wrong side outward as one should turne the crowne of his hat and then it commeth cleane out of the naturall parts and hangs betweene the thigh 's in the bignesse of a mans fist or more not vnlike to the cod or purses of a mans priuie parts as Galen writes The generall cause hereof is because the ligaments which should hold and fasten it are resolued and broken which may proceed either of an inward or an outward cause The outward cause may be some fall or blow or for that the woman hath lifted some heauy burthen or hath been in some rage or choller or had a violent Cough running
also dauncing leaping riding in a Coach taking cold of her feete sitting vpon a cold stone and ouermuch cooling of the Matrice may be causes thereof The inward causes are abundance of moisture which hath relaxed the ligaments or else a longing desire which a woman may haue for the companie of a man which may also happen to maides and barren women as Hippocrates writeth Another cause may be the long suppression of the naturall courses which sometimes makes a woman grow Viril or mankind as Hippocrates witnesses of Phaëtusa wife of Pitheus who became like a man with a beard and a mans voice The said Hippocrates giueth another reason contrarie to the former which is because she hath had the companie of her husband too soone after her deliuerie while her sicknesse is yet vpon her But commonly this falling downe of the Matrice doth come as Hippocrates noteth by being ill deliuered To which also Galen subscribeth making a similitude of it to two that wrastle together one of which falling to the ground drawes his fellow with him and makes him fall also euen so the Matrice striuing to put foorth the child doth thrust foorth it selfe also especially if the ligaments which should hold it to the backe bee naturally loose and weake It may also happen that while the Midwife drawes foorth the child or the after-birth the Matrice may follow it together In this case although Hippocrates in his booke before cited seem to be of opinion that there is no remedie but for young women leauing elder women without helpe Yet I haue cured them euen of all ages with verie good successe For the Cure therefore we haue three intentions The first to bring the Matrice into his owne place the second to keep it there the third to strengthen it being there keept For the first let the Chirurgion place the woman in this sort Let her lye vpon her backe with her legs higher then her head and her feet drawne vp in such sort that her heeles may almost touch her hinder parts with her thigh 's and knees spread abroad If the Matrice be fallen downe but a little it may easily be put vp nay it will euen go vp of it selfe But if it be much fallen downe before it be put vp it must be suppled and softned that so it may returne more easie and with lesse paine Let it be annointed therefore with the cooling ointment of Galen or else with some such liniment as this An ointment ℞ Axung Anser Gallin an ℥ j. Ol. Amygdalar dulc Lilior an ℥ s Cerae parum fiat litus For a shift you may take fresh butter and oyle of Roses mingled together and then vse this fomentation warme A fomentatiō ℞ Malu Parietar Matricar Betonic Saluiae an m. j. flor Chamaemel Melilot an P. i. Rosar rub p. ij Coquantur in aequis partibus vini aquae profotu After that you haue vsed this fomentation put vp the Matrice gently with a soft linnen cloth and when it is put vp let the woman draw vp her breth as we vse to bid them that haue a Hernia or bursting to be put vp and by this meanes the Matrice will be brought to his place the more easily Beside you must remember that if there bee any tension hardnes or inflammation in the Matrice to soften and souple it with the aforesaid liniment and fomentation and so will the inflammation be asswaged And if you find that the bladder or great gut bee full of excrements as I haue seene not long since in a poore Woman of Masson by meanes whereof the Matrice was shut and kept out then first you must make way for the Vrine by a Catheter and also voide out the excrements by Clitters For the second intention which is to keepe the Matrice in his place when it is well put vp and placed the best and surest meanes is to thrust vp a pessary such a one as is here described which hath this power to keepe the Matrice vp and yet not put it to any paine Beside it will not hinder the Matrice from purging out such euacuations as a woman newly deliuer'd hath or any other humour which may be contained in the wombe For this Pessarie hath a hole in the midst of it to giue such excrements free passage and issue The Pessarie being put vp let it abide there two or three daies when you take it out put vp a fresh one keeping that to serue another time There must also be a little string tyed to it so to be fastned to a girdle or some other thing least it fall downe to the ground The figure heere set downe doth shew the manner of it If the woman be newly deliuer'd and in her sicknesse you must not vse any astringent medicine for feare least you stay that but it is sufficient to keep the pessarie there When the time of purging is past then must there a care be had of the whole habit and constitution of the bodie Hippocrates wisheth that she eate little and drinke lesse the first seuen daies after which she may take some sustenance and when she would disburthen nature let her sit vp in her bed but not rise from thence in fortie daies After that time accomplished shee may walke gently but in no wise bath her selfe If she be full of bad humours let her be purged if she hath not had her courses or purgings sufficiently and if she be full of bloud it will be conuenient to open a veine And because the ligaments which tie and hold the Matrice are oftentimes much moistned and relaxed with slime and fleame which fals vpon them it will be necessarie to drie them by euacuating and drawing away the humour which is the cause heereof To this purpose Hippocrates doth much commend vomiting because it riddeth away such flegmaticke humours as commonly are in the stomacke by turning them another way Besides that the stomacke while it heaues it selfe vpward lifts and drawes vp the Matrice with it but this must be done considerately because strong and violent vomiting shakes and troubles the Diaphragme and guts making them presse downward and by this meanes keep downe the Matrice Heere also will it be auailable to applie large cupping glasses on the top of the hips vnder the paps and vnder the Nauill as also to bind the vpper part of the arms somwhat hard Moreouer you shal let the woman haue good sents to smell to as also some things of an ill sent to put vp beneath Liniments and plasters may likewise be applied vpon the backe belly and groine such as we haue set downe in the Chapter of Abortment As for the third intention which is to strengthen the wombe you must vse to this purpose Pessaries Parfumes Suffumigations and Iniections put vp and applied to the part Let the Pessarie be of the same fashion prescribed before but onely
let the waxe with which it is couered be compounded in this manner ℞ Cerae lib. ij Baccar Laur. Absynth Rosar rub an ʒ j. ss Nuc. Cupress Balaust an ʒ j. sang Dracon Mastich Myrrh an ℈ iiij liquefiant simul addendo vnguent Comitiss ℥ j. With this waxe thus prepared you may couer the pessaries made of Corke in the same fashion as is alreadie described Let the perfumes be made of the Ingredients aforesaid putting thereto a little Ladanum and Assa foetida because the Matrice flyeth from any thing that is of a bad sauour and let the woman receiue this fume beneath sitting in a chaire with a hole in it For moist suffumigations they shall be made thus The suffumigation ℞ Tapsi Barbat Centinod Absinth Matricar Consol vtriusque fol. Cupress an m. ij Baccar Laur. Nucum Cupress Balaustior an ℥ ß. semis Cortic quercus Pini Thuris an ʒ vj. Rosar rub p. ij fiat omnium decoctio in aequis partibus vini austeri aq fabrorum pro suffitu Hippocrates counsaileth to put heerein some things of an ill sauour as Assa foetida You may also iniect this decoction but then let it not be made altogether so astringent or else let this serue for an Iniection An Iniection ℞ Fol. Myrt Lentisc summitat rubi Bistort Pentaphil Plantag an m. j. Rosar rub Hyperic an p. j. cort Fraxin ℥ j. Rasur lign guaiac ℥ ß. semis fiat omnium decoctio in colaturâ ad lb. ij dissolue sirupi de Rosis siccis de Absynthi an ℥ ij fiat iniectio Hippocrates commendeth a fomentation made With a mans vrine and afterwards one made with the leaues of the Masticke tree Of an affect where the sides of the necke of the wombe are vnited and ioined together CHAP. XI THere is another troublesome accident which chanceth to some Women after their deliuery which is the vniting and sticking together of the necke of the wombe and this happens through hard trauaile which hath torne and excoriated the sides thereof or else by reason of some inflammation or vlcer which hath there hapned through some sharp and biting humor which hath corroded and exulcerated the said part which beeing neglected and ill cured the sides not being healed and scarred it happens that they are ioined and grow together and so be come one body Galen hath made mention of this accident and wee haue sometimes seene the experience of it As for the cure heereof the woman must be purged and let bloud then bathed for diuers daies together and the bath must bee made of emollient things likewise there must be many remollient fomentations vsed to her lower parts and after them diuers liniments such as we haue prescribed in diuers places when the parts are sufficiently softned then must you place the woman in the same manner as is described when shee is to bee deliuered then when you perceiue the smalnes and straightnesse of the passage you shall apply a Dilatory instrument made in the forme of a speculum Matricis and by little and little you shall dilate stretch the parts so ioyned together which will part and seuer one from another without any effusion of bloud And this haue I practised with good successe of late daies vpon a tenant of Madame Sacon as I haue declared before and this I did when she was ready to lye downe and yet no ill accident happened vpon it But if so be the callosity should be so hard as by continuance of time it may be that the said parts should grow together again and could not be softned then will it bee necessary first to make an incision that so it may bee dilated more easily And this hath Mons. Pineau and my selfe practised vpon a Gentlewoman as I haue more at large set down in my book of the nursing and gouernment of children in the Chapter of those that haue their naturall parts shut vp and without passage The rest of the cure must bee performed in that manner which I haue set downe in the place last cited and heerein must a speciall care be had that the parts ioyne not nor knit together again to preuent the which the woman shall weare a pessary continually vntill such time as the skarrebe perfectly growne and confirmed And to this purpose let the speculum Matricis be often vsed to inlarge the part For it is certaine that all such Membranes as haue beene ioyned and grown together when they are diuided and seuered doe hardly come to that length and bignesse that they were of at the first And this I haue often obserued and amongst other places in the mouth wherof Mons Pigray and Mons Pincau the Kings Chirurgions in ordinary sworn at Paris will bear me witnesse that I together with them cured an honest man who had one side of his checke grown fast to his iaw which made him that hee could not open his mouth nor speake plaine I cut and separated the membrane a good way which did knit and tye these parts together but while I went about to cicatrise both sides which I had deuided had I not had the greater care to haue hindered it the parts had grown together againe that I was constrained to make a new separation three diuers times FINIS THE NVRSING OF CHILDREN WHEREJN JS SET downe the ordering and gouermnent of them from their birth Together WITH THE MEANES TO helpe and free them from all such diseases as may happen vnto them WRITTEN IN FRENCH BY IAMES GVILLIMEAV the French Kings Chirurgion in Ordinary LONDON Printed by A. HATFIELD 1612. THE PREFACE TO Ladies wherein they are exhorted to nurse their Children themselues AVLVS Gellius in my opinion did not amisse in putting no difference betweene a woman that refuses to nurse her owne childe and one that kills her child as soone as shee hath conceiued that shee may not bee troubled with bearing it nine moneths in her wombe For why may not a woman with as good reason deny to nourish her child with her bloud in her wombe as to deny it her milke being borne since the milk is nothing else but bloud whitened beeing now brought to perfection and maturity But some will say that the child may bee deliuered to some other Woman to nurse it and that the Mother may haue an eye and care ouer it But Gentle Ladies here I desire you to consider with me the great inconueniences that may hence arise which though they bee infinite yet I will reduce them to foure heads 1. First there is danger least the child be changed and an other put in his place 2. Then that naturall affection which should be betwixt the mother and the child by this meanes is diminished 3. Thirdly it may be feared that some bad conditions or inclinations may be deriued from the Nurse into the child 4. And lastly the Nurse may communicate some imperfection of her body into the child 1. As for
neither is it of the same forme and composition nor of the same matter For in some it is placed in the verie edge of the passage and is easilie perceiued and in others it lies deeper neare vnto the inner orifice of the wombe In respect of the figure some are pierced through the middle Others haue holes like vnto a Sieue and some haue none at all Concerning the matter some are membranous and others are fleshy but those which come euen from the birth are rather membranous then fleshy children Those that trouble little children are cured in this sort First we must diligently consider and take good heed where abouts the membrane is seated or placed for vndoubtedly the deeper it is the more dangerous and difficult will be the Cure But when it is at the brim and edges of the outward necke of the wombe and is plainly seen the Chirurgion after he hath placed the child as is fit shall cut asunder the said membrane with his instrument directly in the middle without going any farther As soone as he hath made the incision he shall lay vpon it a little drie lint that it come not together again and some daies following let him vse some drying Ointment which must bee laid on with fine linnen clouts as hath bin shewed before To defer the Cure of it till the child were growne elder it might prooue more dangerous with the time which hath been well obseru'd by Aristotle where he saith There bee some women that haue euen from their birth the necke of their wombe as it were closed and incorporated together which hath continued so with them till the time they should haue their courses but when they haue beene ready to haue them with the very paine in some the saide necke hath broken open of it selfe in others it hath beene opened by the Chirurgions and when they haue beene constrained to open it by force or that it could not be opened there haue very many died of it This accident hath happened vnto diuers and amongst others to an honest maid who being ready to haue her courses fell very sick her belly swelled with great prickings and shootings downward and continuall vomiting that troubled her by the keeping backe of the said courses which could not come away by reason of the membrane that stopped vp the passage Which was very hard for all the Physicions and Chirurgions that looked vnto her to find it out who had appointed her diuers medicines to bring downe her courses But when they saw that all their medicines did her no good they were of opinion to marry her which was a meanes that her husband found out her disease sooner then any Phisicion could I was sent for to helpe her but by reason of the badnes and danger of the way in trauaile Mons le Fort and M. Collo sworne Chirurgions of Paris were sent thither who after they had perceiued the disease they cut the said membrane and made such an incision that there came out of it aboue three pound of congeled and clotted bloud and as black as melted pitch which eased the patient very much But whether it were that the incision was but halfe made or that it had growne together againe about a yeere afterward Mr. Pineau and I were called to finish the Cure which wee did with very good successe after this manner Hauing well considered the membrane which was hard and glewie and had a hole in the middle of it whereinto you might haue put a large quill wee were of opinion to inlarge it by making three incisions which was done with such an instrument as hath beene set downe before to cut the Praeputium and then presently we put in a Dilatory such a one as they vse to dilate the wound with when they would take a stone out of the bladder therby to dilate and teare asunder the rest of the membrane and to make the passage big enough for her to haue the vse of her husband and as soone as we had stretched it wee presently put into it a Pessary made of siluer of a conuenient bignes which stayed there three daies together and was neuer taken foorth that the parts which had beene cut and torne asunder might not grow together againe as it had done before At the three daies end the said pessary was taken foorth and others put in made of linnen cloth and couered with digestiue and suppurating medicines And when the saide vlcer was ready to heale it was skinned with Pessaries of Lead applied as they ought to bee and with others made of cloth couered with cicatrizing medicines The said Gentlewoman was perfectly healed in three weekes Of the fundament that is closed and stopped CHAP. XXXIII AS the yard of a boy and the naturall passage of a wench are oftentimes found to bee closed and stopped vp when they come into the World So in like manner there are some of both sexes whose fundament is naturally closed stopped also which commeth thus to passe by meanes of a Membrane which hinders this passage Wherfore considering the accidents yea and the danger of death which doth often attend it it will be very needfull to remedy it speedily For if the child bee not quickly purged of a certaine matter and excrement called Meconium which he hath gathered together in his guts all the while he hath beene in his mothers wombe he is in danger to haue great and intollerable paines and gripings and also to die in a short space For the child cannot liue except he haue the benefit of nature that way The meanes to helpe it is this The Chirurgion must first open the childs buttocks then let him consider whether there be a hole in the fundament or whether it be stopped by some membrane If he perceiue that the membrane is thinne Paulus Aegineta counselleth vs to teare it But if it bee tough and strong the best way will bee for him to cut it with a fine little instrument and to go as deepe as the very fundament which hee may know by putting gently into the fundament after hee hath made the incision a little fine probe with some lint at the end of it or else a peece of cearing Candle Then the vlcer must be dres't with little linnen tents couered ouer with some drying medicine which must bee put into the fundament least the brims and edges therof being raw and excoriated should grow together againe And it would not be amisse to let the child take a gentle Clister to help to vnburthen him of the excrements that haue bin retained And since that the staying or stopping of them as I saide before is oftentimes cause of the childs death it wil not be from the matter to relate this story Not long since the wife of Mons de Cugy Mr. of the Munition in the Arcenal of Paris was deliuer'd of a little Daughter which had the passage of her
THE HAPPY DELIVERIE OF WOMEN Wherein is set downe the Gouernment of Women In the time Of their breeding Childe Of their Trauaile both Naturall and contrary to Nature And Of their lying in Together with the diseases which happen to Women in those times and the meanes to helpe them To which is added a Treatise of the diseases of Infant and young Children with the Cure of them Written in French by IAMES GVILLIMEAV the French Kings Chirurgion LONDON Printed by A. HATFIELD 1612. Ad Authorem TErgeminam meritò laudem sibi vendicet Author Cui Matris curae est cui Puerique salus Faemâ— Laudabit te iure Puerpera grates Vir quoque pro saluâ coniuge Letus aget Inque tuum primos Infans formabit honorem Risus cum tumidi carceris exit onus Infans Vir Mulier pro vitâ vota rependant Chara tibi coniux pignora chara ferao THE AVTHORS Epistle Introductory to the Reader ALthough that man be the most perfect absolute of all other cretures neuerthelesse so weake is he by Nature so subiect to infinite infirmities that Diuine Hippocrates hath urged him to be euen sicknes it selfe from his very birth He is not fit saith he to bee imployed in any businesse while be sucketh because hâ—e wholly depends vpon the helpe of another afterward when he comes to more yeares hee grows stubborne and vnruly and wants a Mâ—ster to giue him instruction Againe when he is growne to the prime of his age hee becomes audacious and proud At last in his declining time he falls into misery hauing nothing left him but the remembrance of his labours ill bestowed Pliny noteth and experience shews it to be true that the ill sent only of a Candle new put foorth is enough to destroy a child in the mothers wombe so that shee may be forced to fall in trauaile and be deliuered before her time vnlesse her strength be the greater to resist the offence And although the child stay the full time that nature hath prefixed him yet commonly he is not able to get foorth or come safely into the Worlde yea though the birth be naturall without the helpe not onely of the Mother and himselfe but also of the Mid-wife and other women about her ready to receiue and cherish him And which is worst of all if he be placed awry or else be weake and faint or else if the midwife be at the farthest of her skill then if they will saue the child and so consequently the mother from death they must call a Chirurgion to deliuer her and bring the child into the world which that I may touch it by the way without taxing any is commonly done too late eyther through the wilfulnesse of the kinsfolks or obstinacy of the Midwiues But grant that the childe comes into the world of it selfe without the helpe either of Chirurgion or Midwife yet as it is commonly said he drawes his death after him the which may be plainely perceiued by the cryes and laments which he maketh as soone as he seeth the light as if hce craued for helpe and succour For if he should continue in that case that hee comes from his mothers wombe clogged with his bed or after-birth without doubt this bedde being putrified would infect the child and at length kill it Besides oftentimes if there were not helpe to make a free passage in the fundament yard or other naturall places that are sometimes closed vp there could neither sustenance be receiued nor excrements expelled which would cause the child to be stifled and choked vp Many times also the head and other parts of the bodie as the bones and legges happen to be ill shapen yea broken and out of ioint which would neuer come of themselues into their proper and naturall place There then is it necessary that the Chirurgion vse his helpfull and skilfull hand So that euery man may plainly see the necessity and Antiquity of this worke since that the first practise in Chirurgery that euer was done in the world was the Omphalotomia or cutting of the Nauell which Adam and Eue practised on their first child These therefore are the Motiues that haue induced me to publish this discourse and therin to treat of such diseases as happen to women with child And heerein I haue endeuoured to helpe them both in their naturall and extraordinary trauaile and to ease them in all such accidents as may happen vnto them in their childbed being the rather incited thereunto by reading the complaints of Women related by Soranus O malè occupatum virorum genus occidimur nos non morimur ab illis qui inter vos peritissimi existimantur perperam curatae Vos de qualibet leuissimâ vestratum affectionum libros ex libris facientes bibliothecas Voluminibus oneratis de nostris intereà diris et difficillimis cruciatibus nullâ vel exiguâ mentione facta O men how ill doe you bestow your time and paines Alas wee women die not but are tormented euen to death For those that are accounted the most expert and skilfull among you take not that care of vs which they should you fill whole Libraries with large volumes writings of euerie light and triuiall disease of your owne making little or no mention at all of our cruell and insupportable torments I had purposed aboue fifteene yeares since to haue written somwhat concerning this subiect in my books of Chirurgery but hauing more maturely considered thereof I thought it fitter to write a Treatise of it by it selfe which it deserueth both for the difficultie of the subiect and for the variety of the matter which I was desirous to obserue therein And indeede this worke excelleth all other which are practised vppon the body of man whether ye respect the Antiquity Necessiâ—y or dexterity thereof For the Antiquitie without doubt the first worke in Chirurgery that euer was in the worlde was the cutting of the Nauell which as is saide before Adam practised vppon his first borne Concerning the necessity some perhaps may obiect that the bringing a bed of women is not so necessary a worke as these following To stay the fluxe of bloud whether it bee in veine or Arterie to vse the Trepan to open the Empyema or suppuration in the breast to cut one that hath the Dropsie or to let bloud skilfullie For the fluxe of bloud it may bee further saide that vnlesse it bee stopped by leesing the bloud the life also is endangered But we must consider that the bloud oftentimes staying of it selfe and experience euidently shews that nature which is wise and prouident doth commonly restraine and stop it I haue beene present in many skirmishes yet farre enough out of gunshot where I haue dressed many that were wounded who haue had the great vessels in many parts of their bodies cut and bruised hauing lost much bloud vppon the hurt and yet it hath stopped and stayed of it selfe Some wil say that he who hath
with child she will feele great paines and griping in her belly vnlesse she be vsed to such kind of drinke as Auicen saith Besides if she receiue below any strong or stinking oder or smell her clothes being well wrapped close about her and the sent pierce not vp into her nose she hath conceiued As also hauing ouer night put vp a cloue of Garlicke if in the morning the sauour or taste come not into her mouth But these signes are not so certaine the truest and surest are those which are collected from the child when he begins to stirre and mooue which commonly happens in the third and fourth moneth This motion is very gentle not vnlike the stirring of a flie when he flieth Another certaine signe may be perceiued by the Midwife who putting vp her finger into the wombe to touch the inner orifice thereof if the woman be with child she shall finde it so close shut that the point of a needle will scarse enter therein yet soft and without any hardnesse which also will bee drawn vpward being shrunke and as it were trussed vp because the body of the Matrice doth gather it selfe together to embrace the seed which is the reason that the Midwife can very hardly come to reach it with her finger Some women when they be with child hate the companie of their husbands which quality is said also to be in brute beasts when they be great with yong who commonly shun the company of the Male. And surely there be certaine times and seasons of the yeare proper for brute beasts to couple but man as Pliny saith hath neither time nor season limited him neither day nor howre appointed him that so he might haue his desire at all times which hath been thus ordained by nature as being more fit and necessary for man to multiplie in his kind he being the liuely image of God and made to behold his glory then for brute beasts which were created onely for the vse of man I know well the answere that those two noble Ladies Poppea the daughter of Agrippina and Iulia the daughter of Augustus made concerning this matter The one sayd that brute beasts cannot taste the delight which women receiue that are with child because they are without reason and the other sayd that when her ship was laden with wares then she could take in passengers The signes whereby to know whether a woman be with child of a boy or a wench CHAP. II. HAuing shewne the meanes to know whether a woman be truely conceiued it will not be from the purpose to handle this question for the satisfaction of some curious minds who as soone as the Chirurgion hath giuen his censure that a woman is with child demaunds presently of him whether it will be a boy or a wench But as it is very hard to know at the first whether the woman be with child or no so by great reason must it needs be farre more difficult to discerne and distinguish the difference of the sexe and to determine whether it will be a boy or a wench I know there are some that boast they can certainely do it but for the most part it hapneth rather by chance then through either arte or skill And for proofe thereof I haue shewed them a child newly come from the mothers wombe onely laying my hand vpon the priuie parts yet durst they not be so bold as giue their opinion thereof saying that it were more easie to iudge of it when it was in the wombe seeing that from thence might be gathered many euident signes but wee must account the greatest part of them to be vncertaine as we haue formerly said Neuerthelesse to distinguish the Male from the Female we will presently shew all the marks which we euer knew or could obserue either out of the ancient or moderne writers And first of all yong women commonly are with child rather of a boy then of a wench because they be hoter then the elder women which was obserued by Aristotle who saith farther that if an aged woman which neuer had children before chance to conceiue one may be sure it will be a wench The like hapneth as some write to women which conceiue when the winde is in the South who for the most part bring forth daughters and when the Northwind bloweth sonnes Hippocrates saith that a woman which goeth with a boy hath a good colour for a woman in her case but if it be of a wench she will haue a worse complexion Likewise if the right breast be harder and firmer the nipple hard red and more eminent the milke white and thicke which being milked or spirtled against a sleeke-stone or some such smooth thing continues in a round forme like a pearle and being cast euen into water it dissolueth not but sinks directly to the bottome and if you make a cake with the said milke and flower and in the baking it continues firme and close it is a signe the woman is with child of a boy Againe she that goeth with a boy hath the right side of her belly bigger and more copped and there the child stirreth oftenest This motion commonly at sixe weekes is scarse sensible but at two months and a halfe more manifest The Male child lyeth high aboue the Nauell by reason of his heate and the Female at the bottome of the belly because of her coldnes and weight They which be with child of a boy are more quicke and nimble in all their actions and be in better health of body without being subiect to many infirmities which commonly happen to women with child of a wench Auicen obserueth these signes That a woman with child of a boy hath the pulse of her right side stronger higher and thicker then that of the left she will reach out her right hand rather then her left and in going she wil alwayes set forth the right foote formost her right brest is bigger then the left and the right eye greater brighter and more sparkling and if a woman about her last months haue any great sicknesse or any throwes without being deliuerd it is some likelyhod that she is with child of a boy since the male child is faster tied and bound then the female because the ligaments which hold and fasten him are stronger and dryer then they that bind and support a wench A woman which is with child of a daughter hath a pale heauy and swarth countenance a melancolique eye she is wayward fretfull and sad she beares in her face as Hippocrates saith Maculam solarem that is to say her face is spotted with red like those who haue been much in the sunne her left brest is bigger then the right and the top of the nipple blacke The milke which comes forth of her brests is blewish thin and watrish her belly is flat and she feeles her burthen moue on the left side and that not
danger because the Medicines we vse in these dayes as Rubarbe Manna Cassia and Tamarinds are not so violent as those that were vsed by our Ancients which were Hellebor Scammony Turbith Coloquintida or the like and wee must take especiall care of giuing them any opening things which may either prouoke vrine or their naturall courses for as the same Author saith It is impossible for the child to be healthfull if the mother haue her naturall sicknes Bloud-letting is forbid them vnlesse it be very needefull especially if the child be growne any thing big because he hath more neede of foode and nourishment then at the beginning when he was little for take away his sustenance and he will waxe leane and feeble being oftentimes driuen for want thereof to seeke a passage forth Notwithstanding there are some women so sanguine and full of bloud that we are forced to take some of it away least the child be stifled with the ouer-great quantitie thereof or when they fall into diseases where it is necessary to open a veine The fittest time if it be not in case of necessitie is from the fourth to the seuenth moneth I haue seene a woman with child who for a Pleurisie was let bloud eleuen seuerall times and yet stayed her full terme and was well deliuered Now concerning the passions of the minde a woman with child must be pleasant and merrie shunning all melancholike and troublesome things that may vexe or molest her mind for as Aristotle saith A woman with child must haue a setled and quiet mind which Auicen also counselleth that those which haue conceiued ought to be preserued from all feare sadnesse and disquietnes of mind without speaking or doing any thing that may offend or vexe them so that discreet women and such as desire to haue children will not giue eare vnto lamentable and fearefull tales or storyes nor cast their eyes vpon pictures or persons which are vglie or deformed least the imagination imprint on the child the similitude of the said person or picture which doing women shall be sure to be well and happily deliuered and that With the help of God they shall beare their burthen to the full terme which shall be sent into the world without much paine promising them a happie and speedie deliuerie To conclude they must leaue off their Busks as soone as they perceiue themselues with child not lacing themselues too straight or crushing themselues together for feare least the child be mishapen and crooked or haue not his naturall growth and their garments must be rather light and thin then heauie and cumbersome How a woman must gouerne her selfe the nine moneths she goeth with child CHAP. VI. NOw I haue prescribed what manner of life a woman ought to leade while she is with child she may obserue if it please her this that followeth though not so necessary yet commodious and profitable both for the maintaining of her health and preseruation of her beauty To the end then that her breasts after her deliuery be neither too big and pust vp nor yet hanging downe like bags and to preuent the danger that might happen vnto her by the too great quantity of bloud that is turned into milke which may be curdled and so suppurate and putrifie As soone therefore as she knowes her selfe to be with child as in the second or third moneth let her weare a chaine of gold about her necke Some preferre a chaine of steele or else a little gad of steele put betweene the two breasts as likewise to put a piece of corke there and to weare vnder her arme-pits two little pieces more of the same This Fomentation also is very good Take of Periwinckle Sage and ground-Iuy of each a handfull Hemlocke halfe a small handfull boyle them in wine and water and when you haue taken it from the fire put thereto a little rose-vineger And with this decoction warme bath your breasts in the morning with a cloth or spung dipt therein a quarter of an houre wiping and drying them afterwards with reasonable warme clothes The like may be done with the waters of the same hearbs and about the third or fourth moneth when she feeles her selfe quicke about which time her belly begins to swell and grow big she must weare a Swathe made fit for the purpose to support her belly being first annointed with this Liniment or Pomade which she shall continue till the ninth moneth to keepe her belly from being full of knottie and broken vaines furrow'd and wrinckled making it grow deformed vnseemely and hanging downe lower then is fit which hapneth by reason of the great burthen and weight of the child that stretcheth and inlargeth the skinne thereof and causeth them to indure great paine in their belly and groine The Pomade or Liniment approued Take of Kids sewet and the fat of a Sow of each three ounces of Capons and Goose-grease of each an ounce and halfe cut them small and melt them in an earthen pot putting thereto as much water as will suffise then straine them through a cloth and wash them in water till they waxe very white and haue lost their sauour Afterward melt them againe in a double vessell adding thereto anounce of the marrow of a Hart or Stag then wash it againe with Rose-water or other sweet smelling water mingling therewithall if you thinke fit or that it will not be hurtfull to the wombe two or three graines of Muske or Ciuet. Some vse this oyntment Take dogs grease and the fat about a sheepes kidney of each two ounces Spermaceti one ounce oyle of sweet Almonds an ounce and a halfe the fats must be melted prepared and washed as before then melted againe with the rest and washed with rose or sweet water Some take good store of Sheepes-feet well brused and broken in pieces to the number of thirty or forty and boyle them well in water then taking off the fat and marrow that swimmeth on the top which they wash well in common water and take therof two ounces of Ducks-grease as much Spermaceti one ounce white Waxe sixe drams melt them altogether in a double vessel and wash them in the aboue named waters Some Ladyes and Gentlewomen which loue not to rub their bellies euery morning with any of these liniments weare thereon a Dog-skin or some other wel prepared and dressed as followeth and change it euery fifteene dayes or according as it will last and continue not taking it off except it shriuell and grow wrinckled Take a Dog-skin or some other skin ready dressed to make gloues of wash it often in common water afterward in Rose-water and dry it in the shade and being thus drest and dryed lay it in soke in these oyles and fats following Take of Mesues oyntment of Roses an ounce and halfe oyle of Saint Iohns wort and of sweet Alamonds of each an ounce fresh Butter and Spermaceti of each halfe an
ounce melt all these together in a double vessel and let the skin lie and soke in it three or foure daies mouing stirring them together daily then take it foorth and spred it in the aire and let it lie there two or three daies till it haue sok't in all the oile become drie then cut it to the forme bignesse of the belly and so apply it The daintie and curious may vse the former liniments and skin they that haue not the meanes to do either let them Take of fresh Butter well wash't in common water and then in Rose-water three ounces oile of sweet Almonds one ounce Spermaceti halfe an ounce and with these melted together rub their belly These Ointments must be kept in a gally pot and couered with Rose water to keepe them from being mustie When the Woman is come to the ninth Moneth hauing been in good health all the time of her going with child she must continue the vse of the aforesaid Ointments and must begin to vse more exercise then she did before walking gently before meales the first twelue or fifteene daies and then afterward it will be good to vse stronger exercise It will be very profitable for her especially after the ten or twelue first daies of the ninth moneth be past to sit in the decoction following after the maner of a halfe Bath some quarter or halfe an hower in the morning and then being well dried and laid to bed let her be annointed behind all along the lower part of her backe and before from the Nauill downward and chiefly vpon Os Pubis and the groine with the ointment following Take of Mallowes Althaea with their roots Motherwort of each two handfull white Lilly roots three ounces Chamomill and Melilot flowers of each a good handfull Lin-seed Quince-seed and Foenigreeke of each an ounce Boyle them all in sufficient quantitie of running water for the Bath Take of Hensfat three ounces Duckes fat an ounce and a halfe fresh Butter two ounces Linseed oile an ounce and a halfe Melt them all together then wash them verie well in Parietarie and Mugwort water adding thereto two ounces of the Muccilage of Althaea Roots In which space let her take this drinke euery morning fasting Take of Oile of sweet Almonds newly drawen without fire an ounce white Wine halfe an ounce Parietarie water one ounce mingle them together Some haue found good by taking the yelke of an Egge and drinking a draught of Hypocras after it Others take a little Wine and water wherein Lin-seed hath been stieped Let this or the like order and gouernment be obserued for a Woman that is of a good habit of body and who in her going with Child hath not been subiect to any sicknesse or accident of moment bearing her Children well without much paine But because there be many which are troubled with diuers accidents which happen in their Child-bearing I thought good heere to treat thereof briefly before I speake of their Deliuerie Of many infirmities which trouble Women while they are great with Child CHAP. VII IT becomes a Woman well at all times and chiefly in her Child-bearing and after her Deliuerie to haue a care as much as she can possiblie of the preseruation of her Beautie since there is nothing that sooner decaies and spoileth it then the often bearing of Children But as Health is more precious and recommendable then Beautie and seeing that a woman with Child may be troubled and oppressed with many accidents and infirmities during the nine Moneths she beares her child it will be therefore verie necessary and profitable to seeke out the meanes to free and deliuer them thereof For in loosing the Mother the life of the Child is also hazarded Aristotle in his booke De generatione Animalium is of opinion That bruit beastes going with young are not subiect to any diseases and contrariwise that Women are verie often sicke Hippocrates saith That they be pale and wan to shew that they are subiect to many infirmities In times past when men and women were sold like slaues if there were any found that were with child she was not warranted for whole and sound by him that fold her as Vitruuius writes in his second book because they were troubled and subiect to so many diseases In the first three or foure Moneths such infirmities chiefly happen for many causes First because they liue as Aristotle saith for the most part in idlenesse and eate ill meates which are turned into excrements and breed many obstructions the fountaine and beginning of all diseases the second is the great suppression and stopping of bloud whereof they were wont to be purged euery Moneth before their being with Child which runs to the Matrice to be voided find that accustomed passage which it had woont to haue but being not able to get forth and much lesse to be spent and digested by the Child which is as yet but little it returnes backe into the vaines chiefly those which are neere the stomacke and through the long continuance is there corrupted and changed to be of a bad qualitie whereof proceeds this depraued and disordinate appetite which the Latins call Pica or Malacia Loathing of meat Hicket Vomiting Paines of the stomacke Flanckes and Belly Ache of the backe Hips and Groine difficultie of making water Panting and beating of the heart with Sounning the Cough binding and Fluxe of the belly swelling of the Thighs and Feet and sometimes Abortment not being able to beare their Children the full time together with many other accidents whereof we will speake hereafter beginning with the Pica which troubleth them oftnest and longest Of the disordinate longing called Pica CHAP. VIII WEe commonly say the appetite is depraued when beyond measure we couet to eate and drinke too much in respect of what hunger naturally requireth Or when we desire or long after meats which are vnusuall and offend in qualitie and are not drest and prepared as they ought Of this depraued Appetite there be diuers sorts The first is called Boulimos of the Greeks and of the Latins Fames vaccina appetētia immodica When they eate more then is requisite not being able to satisfie themselues And if hunger vrge them farther and grow greater then it is called of the Latins Appetitus caninus or Fames insatiabilis and the partie eates till he be full euen to the throat that he is constrained to vomit his stomacke being so ouercharged But then presently he is driuen to eat againe and then to vomit from whence the Prouerbe is taken He is returned like a Dog to his vomit The like hapneth for drinking as for eating which the Latins call Sitis immodica which is so great that the tongue cleaues to the roofe of the mouth not being able to eate or speake except the mouth be first moistned and the
tongue wetted This accident is verie hard yea euen vnsupportable to endure the sicke party taking no other delight but in drinking and that often and in great draughts Men are more subiect to this drougth then women Contrariwise Women and chiefly those with child such as haue not their Courses or Wenches that are subiect to the Greene sicknesse are more troubled with this depraued or immoderate appetite called Malacia or Pica hauing this name giuen it either because Pyes are troubled with this disease or else for that their feathers be of diuers colours blacke and white according to the varietie of things which Women long after This sicknesse hapneth when they desire to eate or drinke things that are wholie contrarie to Nature as eating of raw or burnt flesh yea euen to long after Mans flesh Ashes Coles old Shoes Chalke Waxe Nutshels Morter and Lime as Fernelius witnesseth of a man who being a long time desirous to eat vnslak't lime at last deuoured thereof the bignesse of ones fist which helpt him without doing him any harme either in the stomacke or guts Notwithstanding not long since the daughter of M. Forges died with eating the plastering of wals Sometimes custome which is a second Nature makes vs couet to eat such contrarie things as we desire and the rather because we haue commonly eaten thereof in our youth There is found the contrarie hereof in some who abhor and loath good meates which is imputed to the Idiosyncrasie or particular constitution of the person Others haue obserued that there are such malignant humours sometimes bred in vs that they are turned into poison and make both these depraued appetites As it is seen by poisons taken inwardly and applied outwardly which make the like effect The biting of the serpent Dipsas doth testifie the same which breedeth an intollerable and vnquenchable thirst in him that hath been wounded by it Now therefore leauing all these kinds of vitiated and depraued Appetites we will onely speake of that wherewith great-bellied Women are troubled which is called Pica Some impute the cause of this sicknesse to certaine Crudities and ill humours which are contained in the whole habite of the bodie and imparted to the mouth or orifice of the stomacke But the soundest opinion is that the sides and tunicles of the stomacke and orifice thereof are infected and stuffed with diuers excrements and ill humours and according to the qualitie they haue the Woman with child longeth after the like As if Melancholie abound not burn't or adust she longeth after sharpe things as Vineger Citrons and Orenges if the Melancholie be adust shee desireth Coles Ashes and Plastering if the humour be salt she coueteth salt meates and so of the rest And surely it often happens that they long for the like things as are in their stomackes This maligne and bad humour is ingendred as we haue said through the retention of the naturall Courses in women with Child which flow backe into the stomacke In some it beginneth the first weeks yea the verie first day in others the thirtieth or fortieth day and continues euen till the fourth moneth and then ceaseth which commeth so to passe because the Child is growen bigger and hauing need of more Nourishment draw's to him a greater quantitie of bloud the which he consumes and so by consequent it returnes backe no more into the stomacke Besides also this humour hath been much spent and voided by the often vomitings which Women haue during the first moneths And also because the Childs haire is bred and grown great which some hold to be partly a cause of this sicknesse Plinie writes That women with Child feel themselues worse when their Childs haire begins to come and chiefly about the new of the Moone Now that we may preserue them from this infirmitie or at least diminish it as much as may bee she must chiefely vse meats that breed good iuice and that in little quantitie increasing it neuerthelesse as her bignesse augmenteth and the childe groweth which at length waxing stronger and greater will consume part of this great quantitie of bloud and the rest may bee put into the membranes which wrap and infold the childe and to the masse of bloud which is called the after-burthen which is as it were the liuer of the Matrice Now concerning their meat and drinke Considering that they that are sicke of this disease and so infinitely distasted that often times they doe euen loath and abhorre good meats therefore wee must set an edge as it were on their appetite varying their meats in as many fashions as may be possible thereby to make them the more pleasing and desireable Oliues and Capers as likewise sallades a little parboiled are very good for them All meats that are either too fat or too sweet bee naught because they stirre vp a desire of vomiting For their sauces they may vse Veriuice Orringes Citrons Pomegranats and good Rose viniger all very moderately taken Auicen commendeth tosted cheese and Amylum dried which Aetius and Oribasius doe allow and especially to those that desire to eat earth and plastering of walles or the like Paulus Aegineta allowes them the vse of mustard pepper and cloues to make sauce thereof for the stirring vp of their appetite and to helpe to digest the crudities contained within the stomacke after meales she may eat bak't quinces and rosted filberds For her drinke she must vse good clarret wine well allaied but if shee long for white you may giue her leaue to drinke some so that it haue a little astriction True it is that the ouer great quantitie of drinke is hurtfull for her by reason of the great washing which it might make in her stomacke shee may take euery morning a draught of Wormewood-wine or a little strong Hydromel with a tost of bread The vse of these Lozenges is much commended â„ž Amyl puriss sic Ê’ j Caryoph Nucis mosch ana ℈ s Spec diarhod abbat ℈ j. Sacchar in aq Rosar Absynth dissolut â„¥ ij fiant tabellae ponder is Ê’ j. Capiat vnam singulis auroris superbibat tantillum vini The Ancients as Paulus and Oribasius exceedingly commend the decoction of Polypody and Annis-seed with suger of Roses They may vse gentle fomentations to their stomackes made of Wormewood Balaustia Cumin Cytisus and Fennill-seed wherewith likewise may be made Cataplasmes for the same vse For these medicines will comfort and strengthen the concoctiue facultie of the stomacke the better to digest the meat the retentiue to retaine and keepe that it hath receiued the expulsiue to thrust that foorth which troubleth the stomacke and the appetite to couet and long for meat This ointment is also very fit and profitable Liniment â„ž Ol. Nardin Cydâ—nior ana â„¥ s Pul. Caryoph Maslich an ℈ j. Croci gr iij. Cerae parum fiat litus pro stomacho praemisso fotu As also this that
followeth â„ž Ol. Mastich Cydonior an â„¥ j. ol Nardin â„¥ s Coral rub Caryophyl Menth. Calam. aromat nucis Mosch an â„¥ s. Cerae q. s. ad formam Cerati â„ž Cortic. Citri â„¥ j. fol. Meliss Absynth ana M. ij Coquantur in aq com pistentur passentur addendo olei Nard Mastih an â„¥ j. fiat Cataplasma They may vse Galens Cerote for the stomacke or that of Aecius made with Quinces Saffron and a little oile of Spicknard Concerning generall purgations which may euacuate downeward part of this superfluitie they must not be administred when a woman is yoong with childe but with very great care and good aduice not vsing any strong purgers But if there bee need and that the disease ceaseth not by light medicines then may be giuen a little infusion of Rubarbe and a gentle decoction of Sene taking the aduice of the learned Physitian And therefore we must onely haue a regard to their vomiting which at these times doth commonly molest and trouble them taking heed of staying it except it be immoderate as Auicen saith or too violent For otherwaies it helpeth to cure this disease euacuating part of those ill humours whereby it is nourished and increased And if wee perceiue she hath a desire to vomit and that the expulsiue facultie be not strong enough to helpe it let her take a little Hydromell warme and if the matter in the stomacke be tough and clammie adde thereto a little vineger the better to attenuate and cut it I haue beene the longer in this Chapter because it is an accident that doth much annoy women with childe thereby the better to instruct the yoong Chirurgion when there is no Physitian neere at hand Of Distastfulnesse and Hicket CHAP. IX MOst women as soone as they are with childe be so distasted and doe so loath and abhorre meat that they cannot endure either to eat see or smell it yea and some are sicke euen with the very hearing of it named which makes them goe often times two or three daies without any desire to eat This disease hapneth vpon the same reason we gaue before of the depraued appetite because the stomacke is filled and stuffed with diuers excrements that oloy a great bellied woman which by little and little are there gathered together by the flowing backe of the courses that be stopped which cannot bee put forth much lesse consumed by the little one and so come into the stomacke and fill it But when these corrupted and ill humours abide longer in the stomacke there happens another accident commonly called the Hicket or Yeaxing which is a violent and conuulsiue motion of the stomacke which seemeth to discharge it selfe of those bad humours which are contained in the capacity and membranes thereof and offend either in quantitie or qualitie or both together From hence comes it that the stomacke willing to put them forth casts vp with all the meat and food the woman hath taken to the preiudice of her selfe which cannot keepe any thing for her owne sustenance and of the Child who cannot find sufficient bloud to nourish him which at length makes them both weake and causeth the Mother either to be deliuered before her time or else to breed a faint and feeble Child and oftentimes one that will be sickly all his life time For the remedying of this queasinesse we must haue recourse to those medicines written in the Chapter of depraued Appetite Both for the dyet and remedies And touching the Hicket when it comes through emptinesse or want of eating then the woman must nourish her selfe taking often good meat and in small quantitie as yelkes of egs cullis veale broth hennes and chicken and let her belly be annointed with oyle of sweet Almonds and Violets If the cause proceed of any sharp or biting humour it must be drawen and purged downward gently as we haue said already or else by vomit without much straining Cow milke and the milke of an Asse are verie much commended as also the vse of syrups of Violets and Nenuphar are verie profitable The Hicket may also come of some inflamation that is in the Spleene Liuer or other bowels neere the stomacke and so is impart to it this hapning it will be verie necessarie to let her bloud and that she vse meats which moderately coole as also medicines of the same nature both inwardly and outwardly consulting thereof with the Physitions Of the Vomiting which happens to Women with Child CHAP. X. THere be some women who as soone as they be with child yea the verie first daies are subiect to Vomit casting vp store of water and slime by the mouth and this vomiting continueth euen till they are quicke with child and with some it remaineth all the time of their going which I saw happen vnto a great Lady of this kingdome who from the second day after she had conceiued vomited and affirmed constantly that she was with child When this Vomiting hapneth it must not be staied sodainly if so be it continue gently and without violence for being stopped there is such store of humors heaped and gathered together in their stomacks that they are ready to be stifled or stuft vp which being by little and little cast vp without violence they are much eased for by this euacuation of noysome excrements the first region of the belly feels it selfe free discharged and vnburthen'd of many long and grieuous paines The cause of this accident proceeds commonly of the abundance of humours gathered together in the stomacke or else of some sharpe and biting humour that doth stir and prouoke it and chiefly the vpper orifice thereof aswell by reason of the ill meats they eate and that in great quantitie as also because they fill themselues too much with good meat which doth putrifie and corrupt the naturall heat being weake and requires rather to be cast forth then kept in the bodie But it hapneth oftentimes that this Vomiting is so violent that euen the meat and sustenance which the Mother taketh to nourish her selfe and the child is cast vp and then it must be remedied Likewise if this accident come from some weaknesse of the stomack or by the default of the retentiue facultie which is not able to retaine and kepe the meat although it were of good iuice and in finall quantitie or by some maligne vapour which ariseth from the wombe by reason of the feed and naturall courses retained they maybe help'd by these meanes following First if the great quantitie of meates whether good or bad which the woman hath taken be the cause then let her abstaine from eating them obseruing the aboue mentioned Dyet vsing good meats and in little quantitie thereby to roule it forth If the ouermuch quantitie or ill qualitie of sharpe and biting excrements be the cause then must they be gently taken away and purged Notwithstanding we must refraine from giuing them any
dried in women with child through the great heate that is in the intrailes which makes them that they cannot easily flow The sedentary life also that women leade is cause that their excrements are stayed and gather themselues together by little and little and at the length stoppe vp the passage This accident brings vnto them flushing in the face headach beating of the Arteries yea and oftentimes an Ague For the curing of this disease a good order in dyet is verie needfull vsing meates that doe moisten and keepe the guts supple and slipperie and withall soften the excrements which must bee done with very great discretion for too much moysture may at length ouer much relaxe the ligaments of the the wombe and of the child and thereby hasten the deliuery Notwitstanding a woman with child being too costiue may vse tender meats as Veale wherewith they may make Brothes with Lettuce Purcelane Sorrell Spinach Beets Buglosse Violet leaues and sometime a little of the herbe called Mercurie Let them vse Prunes and bak't Apples Some take two or three gulps of fresh water before their meales but let them vse gentle exercise to make their excrement follow the more freely It is also verie fit for a woman with child in the morning when she riseth and at night when she goeth to bed to make proffer to vnburthen nature without straining her selfe but verie gently If for all this her belly will not be correspondent it will not be amisse to giue her Clysters Clyster â„ž Malu Bismal Parietar Matric an m. ij flor Chamoem Melilot an p. ij sem Anisi Foenicul an Ê’ ij coquantur in iure pulli vel capit veruec aut vituli in colatur ad quart iij. dissolue Sacch albi olei Violat Butyr recent an â„¥ j. ss vitell ouor numero ij fiat Clyster this may be giuen at twise She may also take some broth wherein is put a spoonfull or two of the water or wine of Seny which is made after this maner Seny wine Take halfe an ounce of Seny well cleansed sixe cloues brused put them into a dish and poure vpon them halfe a pint of wine or water redy to boyle and so let them soke all night and in the morning take two or three spoonfull which must be put into your broth keeping the rest to serue you afterward at your need Of the Fluxe or loosenesse of the Belly which troubleth women with child CHAP. XVI THe Laske in what maner soeuer it be doth put the woman in danger of comming before her time and that for diuers reasons First because thereby the meat they take for their nourishment is voided too soone which should haue staied and been turned into bloud for the nourishing and sustaining both of the Mother and the child And therefore they both remaine weake and feeble which compelleth the child to come foorth and seeke for food else where For as the Prouerbe saith Hunger makes the Wolfe come foorth of the wood Beside the Mother is so troubled with rising out of her bedde as also with much straining her selfe especially if it bee the bloudie Flixe that the wombe oftentimes is ouerturned and relaxed and causeth the childe to bee cast foorth of his place by reason of the moistnesse which runneth continually along the great gut vpon which the wombe is placed Women with great bellies are commonly subiect thereto because of the meats they eat which are of ill iuice whereby the stomacke being weakned and not able to concoct them the expulsiue faculty is compel'd to thrust them downward halfe concocted and indigested otherwise they are corrupted and turned into some maligne sharpe and biting humours as into fretting choller rotten flegme or melancholie which doe corrode and stir vp the bowels and so cause the fluxe of the belly Concerning the cure of it many considerations must be had And first it will be verie fit to know of what kind the fluxe is and what may be cause thereof Now all Fluxes of the belly must needs be one of these three either Diarrhaea Lienteria or Dysenteria which soeuer it be of these if it proceed of a maligne and putride humour it must not be suddainly stopped by astringent medicines least it happen vnto the woman with child as it did vnto Smyrnia as Hippocrat saith who hauing a fluxe of the belly suddainly stopt was deliuered in the the fourth moneth Now to know what kind of fluxe it may be the stooles will shew and testifie If it be not violent it may be suffered to flow gently and for a good while not omitting in the meane time the vse of some Clysters that may asswage the paine if there be any But if it continue that it bee bred of some sharpe and biting humours which knaw the guts and prouoke the expulsiue facultie of which kind are fretting and biting choller or salt flegme and that the Mother seeme to grow weake and faint then must it be remedied with as much speed and care as may be otherwise the woman hauing diuers pangs and prouocations is in danger to be deliuered Wherefore the humour offending must be purged with Rubarb compound sirup of Cichorie and the like which haue been alreadie prescribed in the former Chapters as also the like humours hindred from breeding And therefore she must abstaine from all vnholsome meats especially if the cause thereof proceed from thence Besides the said humors must be allaied and made more gentle that they may not any more prouoke or stir vp the expulssiue vertue the which may be easily done by a good dyet which shall breed as little choller or other bad humours as may be vsing broths made with Purcelance Sorrell Buglosse and the cold seeds adding thereto a little Rise or French Barley The vse of new laid Egges is much commended which must be poched in water Her meat must be rather rost then boiled All spices are to be eschewed Let her drinke be red Wine or steeled water wherein a piece of bread hath been soked This drinke is verie fit and pleasant Take of French Barly dried in a pan a handfull Fennill-seed Coriander-seed and Licorise of each two drams boile them in a quart of water adding thereto an ounce of Berberis or two ounces of the iuice of Pomgranats A little before meales let her eat a slice of Marmilade And seeing there often happens paine and gripings together with pangs and throwes because the guts are moued and prouoked therefore they must be washed and the paine mitigated with this Clyster Clister â„ž Hord. integ m.i. chamâ—mel melilot an m.s. Plantag Borag Buglos an m.i. Bulliant in iure capâ—t veruec aut vituli de quo cape quart iij. in quibus dissolue ol violar â„¥ iij. vitell duor ouor sachar rub â„¥ is fiat clyster But if the woman bee further molested with gripings and that she haue great and often prouocations then this Clister will be very fit
for her Another Clister â„ž Plantag Bars Pastor Portulac an m.j. flor Chamoemel melilot hord integ an p. 1. sem anisi â„¥ s. Bulliant in iure pulli gallinacei de quo accipe qu. iij. seui caprill â„¥ i. s. olei omphac â„¥ iij. vitell vnius oui cum album sacchar rub â„¥ j. misceantur fiat clyster Clisters that are made onely with oyle of Violets and the broth of a sheepes or calues head bee singular good If the disease doe increase and the paines grow more violent then we must proceed euen to stupifying or Narcoticke medicines as Laudanum or Pilulae de Cynoglossa which may be giuen either by the mouth or in a Clister wherein the Physitians counsell must be asked I haue seene giuen with good successe one or two drams of new Triakle dissolued in a clister It will be very fit to annoint the bottome of her belly and about the ossacrum with this ointment Ointment â„ž Ol. Rosar Mirtil. an â„¥ i.s. olei Mastich â„¥ j. vitell duor ouor croci ℈ s. misce omnia simul fiat litus pro pectine osse sacro They may likewise vse Vnguentum Rosatum Mesues The paine still continuing with pangs throws let there be made for her this Suffumigation SuffumigatioÌ„ â„ž folior matric plantag bursae pastor verbasci Arnoglossae an m. i. rosar rub flor cham melilot balaustiorum an m.s. coquantur in aequis partibus vini austeri aquae chalyb. fiat insessio ibi per dimidiam horam se contineat Then she beeing well dryed annoint all the bottome of her belly and about os sacrum with this ointment Liniment â„ž seui caprilli veruec an â„¥ s. olei rosati mastich an â„¥ ij s. olei cydonior â„¥ i. liques simul addendo pul rosar rubr verbasci mirtill an Ê’ s. pul terrae sigillatae coralli rub Ê’ ji ceraeq s fiat litus Of the swelling of the legs and thighs which happeneth vnto women with child CHAP. XVII IN those women which were woont to haue great quantitie of naturall purgations before they were with child the bloud after they haue conceiued which was vsed to flow beeing stopt and suppressed and not being conuerted into nourishment by the Mother and much lesse by the child most commonly though it doth not breede the former accidents yet is it altered and conuerted into waterish humors Moreouer the liuer through the aboundance of bloud wherwith it doth ouerflow breeds a serous or waterish bloud and beeing not able to digest it it is thrust downward by the expulsiue vertue of the vpper parts and at length rests itselfe vpon the legges feet and thighs the which makes them all swelled and oedematous This swelling oftentimes doth continue both day and night and somtimes it is so resolued in the night that in the morning it is scarce perceiued at all but presently al the day the tumor is renewed at the euening doth much appeare and then againe in the night it is resolued through rest and the heat of the bed Such as are much subiect to the whites before their being with child are commonly troubled with this infirmity which was obserued by Hippocrates in chollericke people and those that abound with serous sharpe and biting humors Beside the said oedematous swelling there happens an inflammation which doth cause the skinne to go off and somtime breedeth filthy vlcers But this must bee remedied before these vlcers happen These accidents continue commonly but the first foure moneths yet with some they stay till their lying in and so soon as they are deliuered the swelling vanisheth of it selfe If this disease doe not much offend the woman with child it shall not be needfull to vse many medicines but it is sufficient that she keep a good dyet and chiefly if it resolue of it selfe in the night But if she be much troubled therewithall let her vse these remedies Let the swollen parts be rubbed with this medicine Liniment â„ž Olei Rosat Omphacin â„¥ iij. Aceti â„¥ ss salis Ê’ ij agitentur omnia simul fiat litus pro parte affecta And if there be any inflammation adde to it a little vng Populeum The swollen parts must be wrapped with clothes and swathed beginning at the bottome and so going vpward Some find good by laying thereon a Cabbage lease and binding it as before Others vse the lye of Vine ashes adding thereto a little Allom Fullers earth then dipping therein a linnen cloth doubled or else a spunge and so applie it I haue made proofe of this fomentation and cataplasme when there hath been no inflmmation Fomentation â„ž Fol. salu Maioran Ebul Rorismarâ— an m. j. flor Chamoemel Melilot Lauand Rosar rub an p. j. Baccar Laur. Iunip. Balaust an â„¥ ss coquantur omnia in lixiuij Cineris sarment â—r lb. xij addendo Alum crudi â„¥ j. fiat fotus cum spongijs deinde admoneatur sequens cataplasma Cataplasma â„ž Farin fabar hord Orobi an â„¥ iij. coquantur perfectè in decocto superiori addendo faecis vini rub â„¥ iij. Terebinth coÌ„is â„¥ j. s vnguent Rosat Mes ol Rutac Chamoemel an â„¥ ij pulu Rosar rub Ireos florent an â„¥ s admoueatur parti calidè praemisso fotu I haue likewise vsed in steed of the foresaid fomentation before the applying of the Pultesse to take a quantitie of Danewort a little Sage with a few Chamomile and Melilot flowers and heat them in a skillet laying it round about the leg and couering it quite with tyles which couer the tops of houses being a little heated to keepe the hearbs gently warme the space of an howre or two Some vse Snayles with their shels beaten together and applie them like a pultesse Beside the former swelling of the legs and feet there hapneth to some a puffing vp or windy swelling in the entrance of the wombe so great and swollen that I haue seen it in some women bigger then halfe a childs head which doth so grieue and trouble them that they are scarse able to bring their legs together but are faine to stand stradling This swelling is verie cleare and shining and to say the truth there is nothing but water contained within it the which must be cured before her lying in There are not any Cataplasmes or the like in this case that can do much good as I my selfe haue oft made triall But onely the manuall practize making many long and deep scarifications of all sides which will cause great store of water to flow and issue from the part the which I haue practized vpon many And it is to be noted that oftentimes this tumor doth returne and is fill'd againe therefore it will be necessarie to make new scarifications And to the end that it may not come so soone againe applie thereto both within and without fine lint moistned in the oyle of sweet Almonds and laying vpon it an emplaster made
good iuice Contrariwise she that is too leane must vse good meates and such as breed good iuice and that in good quantity If too much eating and drinking or the vse of bad meates that breed ill iuice be the cause then must she absteine from them And when it doth proceed from the fulnesse and aboundance of humors water as it happeneth in full bodied young women or which before their being with child were subiect to some euacuations as bleeding at the nose Hemorrodes or abundance of ordinary purgations and whites then will it also be very needful to purge and let them bloud and before their beeing with child to make them vse the dyet and especially those that haue the ligaments of the womb loose and soft and the vessels full of thicke and slimy matter to whome likewise may be administred cleansing strengthening iniections drying perfumes Baths with sulphur and emplasters for their backes which shall heereafter be set downe And when they shall be gone about foure moneths and a halfe it will be very fit to purge them gently let them bloud the which may be done more plentifully and boldly not all at once but at sundry times in those who before their being with child were vsed to more copious and frequent euacuations For experience doth shew that by this meanes those which were wont to be deliuered before their time haue not onely born their children to the ordinary time but thereby also haue beene brought a bed more easily and with lesse pain and trouble So that the child shall neither be in daunger to bee stifled by drawing more food then is needfull for his nourishment nor of growing too big by turning it into his owne sustenance which might bee a meanes through his exceeding greatnesse to breake and teare the ligaments that support him or else though he stay his ful time being thus big that he should not be able to come easily into the world To helpe the abortment whereof the child is cause being naturally either weake or sickly it will be very necessary that the mother put to her helping hand as much as she can possibly Wherefore she must be merry quiet as well in body as in mind not fretting or vexing her selfe and especially about the time she was wont to bee deliuered shee must keepe her bed vsing meates of easie digestion and distribution and drinke good claret wine let her take euery two houres a good space from her meate some of this opiate Opiate ℞ Cons. Borag Buglos an ℥ i. Cons. Rosar Anthos an ʒ vi Cort. Citri cond Myrobal condit an ℥ s. Margarit splendid Coral rub an ʒ i. ossis de corde cerui ʒ s. Cum syr Conser Citri fiat Opiata capiat ʒ i. vt dictum est If shee like not this Opiate let her vse these Lozenges Lozenges ℞ Sp. Diamarg frig ℈ ij Corall rub Corn. cerui vsti an ʒ s. priapitauri ℈ iiij Sacchar in aqua Buglos dissolut ℥ iij. fiat electuarium per tabellas ponderis ʒ s. vel ℈ ij pro dosi capiat vt dictū est Let her belly bee annointed with this ointment as well to comfort the Matrice as also to giue strength vnto the child ℞ Olei Mirtill Cydonior Mastich an ℥ s. Coral rub santal rub an ʒ i. maioran Absynth an ℈ iiij vng Rosat Mes. ℥ s. Cerae q. s fiat Linimentum Let there bee laide vpon her backe and os sacrum some such emplaster Some women haue found good by applying vpon their Nauell a tost dipt in good red wine strowing vpon it the powder of Roses Grana tinctorum Coral and a little Cinamon The Emplaster ℞ Gallar Nuc. Cupress sang Dracon Balaust mirtil Ros rub an ʒ i. s. Mastic Myrrhae an ʒ ij Thur. Hypocist acaciae gum Arabic Bol. armen an ʒ i. ladani ℥ i. Terebinth venet ℥ is picis Naualis ʒ v j. Cerae ol Mastich an q. s vt fiat secundum artem emplastrum The emplaster must be often taken off for feare of the itching and put on againe and if there happen any heate to the part annoint it with Mesues ointment of Roses If you perceiue that the child be too great and big to the end that he receiue not so much nourishment whereby he may grow bigger and larger the mother must absteine from all meates that are so iuicy and nourishing and keepe herselfe quiet hauing her belly stayed vp with a fit roler that it hang not downe and least the ligaments which hold the child might stretch and so by the waight be torne and broken a sunder The like may bee obserued and practized in the causes annexed ioined to the mother as if there bee any Scyrrhus Mole Dropsie Warts Impostums excrescence of flesh or other indisposition of the wombe The which must bee cured before the woman bee with childe according as the disease doth require it beeing very hard for a Woman to proue with child when she is troubled with any of the aforesaid accidents And in regard of outward causes wherin we did comprehend the Ague Laske Fluxe of bloud vomiting and the like These accidents must bee preuented according as the case doth require taking the aduice of the learned Phisitian as we haue said before But concerning medicines which must bee more particularly applied to outward causes as falls blowes and violent exercises let them haue recourse to the medicines described for the childe that is weake and sickly to which these following may be added as beeing profitable for both causes As if there appeare any bloud or red waters that begin to flow and come forth by then naturall passage this medicine is excellent ℞ Granor. tinct ʒ s. Coral rub margarit elect an gr vi germina duor ouor misce exhibeatur cum vitello vnius oui vel ℞ Mastich subtil pul ʒ s. seric subtiliter incisae ℈ s. germina duor ouor capiat cum vitello oui She may likewise take in the morning a Lozenge of Diarhodon of the waight of a French Crowne This powder also is very commendable ℞ Sp. Diamarg frigid ʒ s. Coral rub vst lot in aq Rosar pryap Tauri sic an ℈ ij Eboris Bol. Armen terrae sigillat an ℈ iiij Sachar rosat tabulat ℥ is Capiat mane sero ʒ ij pro vnaquaque dosi Of this powder also may bee made Lozenges Let there bee applied to her backe the former Emplaster or this that followeth Emplaster to retaine or keepe in the child ℞ Mastich Mirrh gum Arab. an ʒ ij Menth. sicc Absynth rad Bistort Nucum fol. Cupress an ʒ i s. Cortic. granat ʒ ij s. Styrac calam Colophon picis Naual an ʒ iij. Cerae Citrin ℥ j. Terebinth von ℥ s. Ol. Mirtill q. s fiat emplast extendat super alutam ad vsum If the emplaster breed any inconuenience let them vse this ointment Ointment ℞ Ol. Cydonior Mastich Mirtill an ℥ i s. Bol.
they haue taken vpon them authority to iudge of the virginity of maids Neuerthelesse all the famous Vniuersities of Italy haue reiected and condemned the opinion of such Mid-wiues who say they can iudge thereof And Master Cuiacius hath done the like for the French saying that it is very difficult yea impossible to know whether a maide be a virgin or no And that this power was neuer giuen vnto Midwiues by the Ciuill Law to iudge thereof What manner of Woman a Midwife ought to be MAny things are requisite and needefull in a Midwife but they are all referred to her person to her Manners and to her mind First concerning her person she must bee of an indifferent age neither too yong nor too olde well composed of body not being subiect to any diseases nor mishapen or deformed in any part therof neat in her apparell and person especially hauing little hands not thicke cleane and her nailes pared very neere and euen neither must shee weare rings vppon her fingers nor bracelets vpon her armes when shee is about her businesse She must bee pleasant merry of good discourse strong painfull and accustomed to labour that shee may bee able if neede bee to watch two or three nights by the woman Concerning her behauiour she must bee mild gentle courteous patient sober chast not quarrelsome nor chollericke neither proud or couetous nor a blabber or reporter of any thing she shall either heare or see in secret in the house or person of her she hath deliuered For as Terence saith It is not fit to commit her into the hands of a drunken or rash woman that is in trauaile of her first child As for her mind she must bee wise discreet and witty able to make vse sometime of faire and flattering speeches as Plato reporteth Midwiues were wont to doe in times past which was done to no other end but onely to busie and beguile the poore apprehensiue women And it is a commendable deceipt allowed also in a Chirurgion when it is done for the patients good For as the same Terence saith Deceipt doth serue oftentimes for a good medicine in extreame diseases Now aboue all things the said Midwife ought to know that nature the handmaid of this great God hath giuen to euery thing a beginning increase state perfection declining which he doth manifestly and chiefely shew saith Galen in the birth of a child when the mother brings him into the world For Nature surpasseth all and in that she doth is wiser then either Art or the Midwife whosoeuer shee bee yea then the best or most cunning workeman that may bee found as Galen witnesseth For it is she that hath set downe the day of the childs conformation and the houre of his birth And certainly it is a thing worthy of consideration to see how in a little space yea euen in the twinckling of an eye the necke of the wombe which all the time of the nine moneths was so perfectly and exactly closed and shut that the point of a needle could not enter therin how I say in an instant it is dilated and inlarged to giue passage and way for the child the which cannot bee comprehended as the same Galen saith but only wondred at and admired The same Author in his fifteenth booke de vsu partium desirous to shew the prouidence of Nature saith that the faults of Nature are very rare and that she worketh alwaies and in such order and measure that of a thousand births there is scarce one found that is amisse Wherefore neither the Midwife nor any of the Womans kinsfolkes or assistants ought to doe any thing rashly but suffer nature to worke helping her notwithstanding in that which shall bee needfull as heereafter shall be declared deuiding the worke of their deliuery into three seueral times and seasons What must bee obserued when the woman feeles her selfe neare her time CHAP. III. THe time of deliuery being at hand the woman is to prepare her selfe in this manner She must presently send for the Midwife and her keeper it being better to haue them about her too soon then too late for there be some women that are deliuered sodainely without the helpe of any one although they haue beene long in their first labour In the meane time she must haue a little bedde prouided her like a pallet which must bee of a reasonable bignes strong and firme and also of an indifferent height as well for her owne commodity as the Midwiues and others that shal be present about her to helpe her in her labour and it must be so set placed that they may conueniently come and go round about her it must be placed far from any doore and somwhat neere the fire Let it also be conueniently furnished with beds good store of linnen that they may be often changed as neede shall require And likewise there must bee laid crosse the beds feete a peece of wood for the woman to rest her feete vpon that so she may haue the more strength when she bendeth her legs as we will shew heereafter As soone as she feeles her selfe stirred and prouoked with throwes and paines which are vsuall in this case it were good for her to walke vp and down the chamber and then lay her selfe down warm in her bed and then again afterwards to rise walk vp and downe the chamber and then lay her down warme in her bed and then againe afterwards to rise vp and walke expecting till the water bee gathered and the Matrice be opened for to keep her selfe so long in her bed would bee very tedious and painfull Yet it may chance that being in bed shee may take some rest and haue a little slumber and so by this meanes the mother may gather more strength the child be the better inabled to come at the time which God hath appointed it and also the waters will be the better prepared gathered They may giue her if the labour be long a little broth or the yelke of an egge with some butter and bread and also a little wine and water It is very certaine that all women are not deliuered after one fashion for some are deliuered in their bed others sitting in a chaire some standing being supported and held vp by the standers by or else leaning vpon the side of a bed table or chaire others kneeling being held vp by the armes But the best and safest way is to be deliuered in their bed the which I aduise them to the midwife and assistants as her kinsfolkes friends and keepers obseruing this that followes First the woman must be laid flat vpon her back hauing her head raised somwhat high with a pillow vnder her backe that it bow not and vnder her buttocks and os sacrum let her haue another pretty big pillow that thereby those parts may bee somewhat lifted vp for a woman that sinketh
down into the bed can neuer be well deliuered and therefore the well placing of them is of great consequence Let her thighs and knees be stretcht forth and laide abroad one from another and her legs bowed and drawn vpward hauing her heels the soles of her feet leaning hard against the peece of wood which is laid crosse the bedde for this purpose About some they put a swath foure times doubled vnder their backe and hinder parts which comes round about them this swath must be a foot broad better and so long that it may be held by two women standing on each side of the bed there with to lift vp the woman in trauaile a litle pulling it gently towards them chiefly when her throws come vpon her For this raising or lifting vp doth much refresh her and makes her endure her throws with more ease Beside the two women that hold the swath there must be two more of her friends or kinsfolks to take her by the hands thereby to clinsh or crush them when her throws come and the other hand they must hold on the top of her shoulders that she rise not vpward too much and that she may the better straine her selfe for oftentimes as shee thrusts her feete hard against the peece of wood which is put crosse the bed she raiseth her selfe vpward Sometime I haue bid one of the women that stand by to presse gently with the palme of her hand the vpper parts of the belly stroking the child downward by little and little the which pressing did hasten the deliuery and made them endure the throws better and with more ease The woman in trauaile being thus placed must take a good heart and straine her selfe as much as she can when her throws come vpon her making them double and increase by holding in her breath and stopping her mouth and forming her selfe as though she would go to the stoole which is much fitter for her to doe then to lye crying and lamenting Aristotle hath well obserued that those women which draw their breath vpward are deliuered with much paine because they make the Midrife rise vp which in this businesse should rather be depressed and kept downe It is very fit indeede that she take some ease and respite not forcing her selfe much for euery little pang that happens which she may gather all into one thereby to make them auaileable when time shall serue If she weare about her necke an Eagles stone loadstone the skinne of an Vrus or wild Oxe or the like which might keepe backe the child let them be taken away and tied to her thighs But aboue all things she must be obedient to all that is commanded her either by her kinsfolks and friends or by the Midwife Likewise she must be patient in her sicknesse calling vppon God for helpe since it concernes both her own life and the childs and shee must call to mind that hee hath said with his owne mouth That the woman should bring forth with labour and paine For it would bee a rare thing to see a woman deliuered without any paine Medea in Euripides saith That shee had rather dye twice in the warres then to be once deliuered of a child Neuerthelesse we read in histories of a certaine Country wherein women are deliuered without any paine And Aristotle in his wonderfull Narrations reporteth that the women of Ligustria doe bring forth without paine and that they returne to their businesse as soone as they are deliuered They that write the History of America doe tell the like of the women in that country which is That as soone as they be deliuered they are so kind to their husbands which tooke the paines to beget the child that they presently rise vp and lay their husbands in their roome who are vsed and attended like women in childbed And in this manner they be visited of all their friends and kinsfolk who bring them gifts and presents The office and duty of a Midwife for the first time she must obserue in the trauaile Chap. IIII. THe Woman that is ready to be deliuered being thus placed and laid in her bedde must haue the Midwife neere vnto her who ought first to aske of her woman whether shee hath gone her full time and bee ready to bee deliuered and at what time shee conceiued then must shee handle her belly and marking it well consider diligently whether the vpper parts seeme as if they were empty and fallen and the nether parts very bigge and full which sheweth that the child is sunke downe Beside shee must aske her whether shee haue any paines and in what manner they bee where they begin and where they end and whether they bee little or great and frequent whether they begin at the backe running downe all along the belly without staying at the Nauell and chiefly if they run along the groine and end in the bottom of the belly inwardly that is in the inner necke of the womb then it is a signe that she begins to fall in trauaile And for the more assurance let the Midwife thrust vp her hand being first annointed either with fresh butter hogs grease or some other ointment which heere after shall be set downe And if she perceiue that both the inner and outward orifice of the wombe be dilated and opened it is a signe she begins to be in trauail especially if there flow or come forth by the said passage any slime or water the which doe foreshew that the birth is at hand as Hippocrat saith which if they be pale it signifies for the most part it will be a wench and if it be reddish that it is a sonne Now this slime commeth by the dilatation of the inner orifice and from the membrane that doth wrap and infold the child which begins to breake And also by reason of the vessels and tyes which are loosened from the sides of the wombe the which may be perceiued by the waters which will swell shewing like a bubble or rather like a bladder full of water And when the water begins to be thus gathered there is no doubt to be made but that the woman is in trauail Hippocrates doth obserue three sorts of humors that flow in the time of their trauaile the first is slimy the second reddish the third is the water wherein the child swimmeth and heere endeth the first time which the midwife must oberue Of the Second time that the Midwife must obserue CHAP. V. WHen the waters are in this sort gathered together by meanes of the throwes which come by little and little then the Midwife must place her selfe conueniently neere vnto the woman sitting in a chaire somewhat lower then the bed and she must sit in such manner that she may easily put vp her hand being first annointed into those parts when need requires And by this meanes she may know whether the child come naturally or no for
hauing his nayles pared very close For this annointing wil prouoke and stirre vp the Matrice to thrust out the child The oyntment is this Ointment ℞ Axung Anser Gallin saepius in aq Arthem lot an ℥ is Axung porcirecent ℥ i. Butiri recent ℥ ij Mucilag sem Lini Cydonior in aq Sabinae vel Artemis extract an ʒ vi Ol. de Castor ℥ i. Galliae moschat ʒ i. Ladani ʒ is Libethi ʒ s. misce omnia simul pro litu He for his part must incourage the mother giuing her a little Confectio Alkermes and likewise let her take this Clyster ℞ Bismal cum Radic Matricar Mercur. an m. i. aristoloch nostrat Dictamni Arthemis an m. s. Flo. Lauandul p. s. sem Lini foenugraec an ℥ s. fol. senae mundat ʒ vi fiat omnium decoctio de qua cape quart iij. in quibus dissolue Diophoenic Hierae simplic an ʒ iij. Ol. Rutac Cheyrin an ℥ ij fiat Clyster Shee may also take this drinke which I haue knowne to doe good to many A Drinke ℞ Corr. Cass fistul contus ℥ s. Cicer. rub m. s. Dictum Aristoloch rotund an ʒ j. fol. senae mundat Hermodactyl an ʒ ij fl Lauandulae ʒ s. fi Decoctio in aqua Arthemis Petroselini ad ℥ iij. in quibus dissolue Cinamomi ʒ i. Croci gr vi fiat Potio this potion is to bee giuen in extremitie Amatus Lusitanus doth much commend this medicine ℞ Cinamoni Troch è Myrrha an ʒ s. Croci ℈ s. excipiatur cum vino generoso Roddeletius doth praise this ℞ Sem. Lauandul ʒ ij Sem. Endiu Plantag an ℈ ij Piperis ℈ i. fiat puluis Aq. Caprifol Endiuiae an ℥ ij fiat Potus Another L'obolius approueth this drinke and saith that it will euen expell and bring forth the dead child Lobel ℞ Confect Alkerm sem Lauandul Endiu Plantag an ℈ ij Troch de Myrrha Borac. an ℈ s. Castor ℈ i. Aq. Arthemis Buglos vini albi an ℥ ij fiat potus Another ℞ Borac. ʒ i.s. Cinamoni ℈ ij Crocig r. iij. fiat puluis cum aq Arthemis ℥ vi fiat potus Of diuers deliueries wherein the operation of the hand is vsed And first what the Chirurgion ought to consider before hee sets to his hand CHAP. X. WHen the Chirurgion shall bee called to deliuer a woman that is in trauaile and cannot bee deliuered naturally before he venter to doe any thing he must consider two things the first is to know whether the mother haue strength enough to endure the violence of Manuall operation and hauing found that she is able he must then search whether the child be dead or aliue for sometimes the child is taken dead and sometimes aliue out of the mothers wombe Now as concerning the Mother First the Chirurgion must behold her face heare her speake obserue her doings countenance behauiour then presently must he feele her pulse which if he find to be equall strong not intermitting and that she bee not much changed from her wonted disposition and likewise if the poore woman her friends and kinsfolkes doe intreate him to helpe her assuring him that she will courageously endure all that he shall doe vnto her then following the aduise of her kinsfolkes and friends he must go about it foretelling them neuerthelesse that this kind of practise is very dangerous and that the mother venters her life seeing that the child is either dead or else likely to die if he be not already But if the Chirurgion find that her face and speach is decayed and weakned her countenance changed her pulse small frequent sometime intermitting and formicant and that shee hath often swounings Convulsions and cold sweats then hee must forbeare for feare least hee be blamed and thereby discredit those meanes which should haue profited and may also doe good vnto others Now you may know by these signes whether the child be aliue or dead If the child stirre it is a signe he is aliue which the Mother may coniecture and also the Chirurgion by laying his hand vpon her belly And for the better assurance heereof hee must slide vp his hand into the Womans Matrice and search for the childs Nauell If in holding it betweene his fingers he feele a beating of the Arteries as also if by laying his hand vpon the childs temples or else handling the wrist or sole of his foot he find that the Arteries doe beate and likewise if in putting his finger into the childs mouth he perceiue that he either sucke or wag his tongue it is a signe that he is aliue Contrariwise if the foresaid things doe not concurre and that the mother feele a heauinesse and that in turning of her selfe whether it bee on the right side or the left the child doth fall like a boule if her belly be cold and that there comes an ill sent from her if her breath smell strong and her countenance look wanne and of the colour of lead and that the childs Nauell or after birth offer it selfe formost besides if the chirurgion putting his hand vp findes the child to be cold without pulse neither sucking nor mouing his tongue then I say it may be iudged that the child is dead But as the child may offer himselfe being dead in diuers positions or fashion So likewise must we vse diuers considerations and meanes to draw him forth as wee will more particularly shew heereafter The meanes to helpe a woman in trauaile hauing withall a fluxe of bloud or Convulsions CHAP. XI WE haue shew'd you before that a woman being in trauaile and hauing either a fluxe of bloud or Convulsions she must be speedily helped because the deferring or delay thereof will endanger her life Wherefore you must proceed heerein after this manner And since that in euery deliuery the situation is a matter of great consequence to make it the more facile and easy therefore you must begin in this sort First the woman must be laid ouerthwart a bed both for the better conueniencie of the Chirurgion or Midwife that shall deliuer her and also that she may be held and stayed behind the faster by some strong bodie so that she neither slip forward nor backward in the operation or drawing forth of the child Likewise there must be one on each side of her to hold her knees and thighs firme and to keep them asunder one from another her knees must be bow'd and her heeles drawen vpward as we haue said before in the Naturall deliuerie her head must be laid vpon a boulster lying crosse the bed her backe being a little raised and her hips lifted somewhat higher with pillowes laid vnder them and her hinder parts must lie within halfe a foot of the beds side She must haue a linnen cloth three or foure times double laid vpon her stomacke and belly that may reach downe ouer her knees euen to the middest of the leg So that
neither wind nor cold may offend her nor any of the assistants see what the Chirurgion toucheth or doth and likewise that the woman be not afraid of him when he shall be about his businesse And therefore Hippocrates for this reason would haue the womans eyes shut or couer'd When the woman is thus placed the Chirurgion must put vp his hand being first annointed into the first entrance of the naturall parts that he may take foorth all the clots of bloud which he shall find there Then he must consider whether the inner necke be wide enough for him to thrust in his hand and to turne the childe if it be needfull Now if the inner necke be not sufficiently dilated then shall he as gently as possibly he can and without any violence hauing first annionted all the parts thereof with fresh Butter or some ointment stretch it by little and little till he get in his hand if the water be not broken he need not be afraid to let it out then presently if the child come with his head formost he shall turne him gently to find his feet which he may do more easily then if the waters had been let foorth before because that much moisture doth make the child slide and turne better then when he is drie And when he hath found one of his feet he must draw it gently without violence and tie about it a piece of riband with a sliding knot that he may put the foot in againe leauing the riband hanging out to make the more roome for his hand to goe in and search for the other foot which may be done by sliding his hand al along the childes thigh And hauing found them both he shall draw them out gently in a direct line giuing the woman a little breathing and bidding her to straine her selfe when she feeles any throwes or paines then the Chirurgion hauing in a readinesse a fine linnen cloth warme he must wrap it about the childes thighs for feare least he slip out of his hand if he tooke him naked and so pluck gently vntill his buttockes appeare and the body with the head doth follow obseruing neuerthelesse that his belly and breast be turned downeward as we will shew hereafter more particularly Experience will make it manifest vnto vs by the stories following how necessarie it is to deliuer a woman with child when a fluxe of bloud or conuulsions do continue and that she cannot be saued by ordinarie medicines The yeare 1599. Madam Simon yet aliue daughter to Mr. Pareus Counsellour and chiefe Chirurgion to the King being ready to lie downe was surprised with a great flux of bloud hauing about her Mad. la Charomie for her Midwife and likewise Mr. Hautin the Kings Phisition in ordinarie and Mr. Rigault Doctors of Phisicke in Paris and because of great swounings that tooke her euery quarter of an houre through the losse of bloud she had Master Marchant my son in law and my selfe were sent for But I finding her almost without pulse hauing her voice weake and her lips pale I told her mother and her husband that she was in great danger of her life and that there was but one way to saue her which was to deliuer her speedily the which I had seene practized by the late Mr. Pareus her Father who had caused me to do the like vnto a Gentlewoman of Mad. de Seneterre Then her mother and her husband earnestly intreated vs to helpe her and that they would put her into our hands to dispose of her And so sodainely following the aduise of the Phisitions she was very happily deliuered of a liuely child The yeare 1600. I was commanded to goe and visit a great Lady that was taken with a great and violent flux of bloud through a fright she had of a great thunder clap being come vnto her I found that her flux was much mitigated but she being constrained to goe twelue or fifteene leagues from Paris and fearing least that the said flux should continue she was brought thither by my sonne in law Mr. Marchant by water where she was no soner arriued but her flux of bloud tooke her againe which made him dislike it and iudge that it would proue ill contrarie to the opinion of Master de la Riuiere the Kings chiefe Phisition who was there at the same time Whereupon I was presently sent for in post together with Master Renard the Kings Phisition We being come thither found things in better estate and the said Master de la Riuiere tooke leaue to goe towards the King But on a sodaine the said flux began a fresh which made them send for Mr. Marescot and Mr Martin the kings Physitions who notwithstanding were not come before her deliuerie which the kinsfolks friends of the said Ladie and likewise Mr Renard Mr Marchant and my selfe were of opinion to hasten because of the great losse of bloud she had and the often swounning that tooke her but as soone as she was deliuered the flux of bloud ceased The yeare 1603 Madame Danzé or Chece being in trauaile was taken with the like flux of bloud which held her from morning till eight or nine of the clocke at night hauing with her the Queenes Midwife Mad. Boursiere Master le Fieure Riolan Le Moine regent Doctors in the facultie of Physicke at Paris and Mr de Sainct Germain master Apothecarie were called to looke vnto her and because she lost much bloud they called Mr Honoré the kings Chirurgion who being vnwilling to attempt any thing without my aduise I was likewise sent for And as soone as I was come my opinion with the rest of the companie was to deliuer her which was done by the said Honoré the child liuing Of late memorie Mad. Coulon being assisted in her trauaile by Mad. la Charonne a verie skilfull Midwife hauing a great flux of bloud after that Mr Martin Hautin Cornuty Pietre the kings Physitions and Doctors of Paris had giuen her many things for the staying of the said flux in the end for feare least by loosing her bloud she might also loose her life falling into a syncope with their aduise she was deliuered by the said Honoré and presently her flux was staied But as these women and children aforesaid haue been saued by being deliuered in time So likewise these following lost their liues because they were not succoured as Art and experience did require their kinsfolks and friends being vnwilling to haue any go about it in due time whereof these two histories may beare witnesse Mad. Vion being readie to be deliuer'd fell into a great flux of bloud and though some were of opinion to deliuer her without further delay yet this being deferred vpon the counsell of others who hop'd to stay the flux with ordinarie medicines they suffered her to loose her bloud by little and little and at last to loose her life The same chance hapned to Madame
may easily be putrified and not onely his head breast and nether belly swolne and fild with wind and water but likewise his legges and feet will be puft vp This swelling and puffing vp may also happen through all the childs body though he be aliue hauing eyther the Hydro cephale or swelling of the head or the dropsie either of the lungs or belly or else beeing Leucophilegmaticall This accident happening when the child is aliue hee must be helped as being aliue not deliuering the Woman to the childs losse But if he be dead and ye perceiue that his head brest or nether belly is swoln or fil'd with wind or waterish matter then the Chirurgion must put vp his hand carrying in the hollownesse of it a little crooked knife very sharp made after this fashion with the saide knife hee shall deuide and cut the part wherein the wind and water shall bee inclosed whether it bee the head breast or belly which beeing let foorth the childe will grow lesse and afterwards hee may the more easily be taken out The forme of the Knife to deuide the swolne part which must be of this bignesse heere described that it may the better be carried within ones hand to the place that must bee cut or open'd whether it be the head breast or belly It may so happen that the childs arme comming formost through the long stay it makes without as also because it hath been pul'd by violence will be swolne yea and euen gangren'd that it cannot possibly be thrust backe againe that the child may be drawen foorth by the feet If it fall out to be so then the arme must be pul'd out as far as it can and if it may be done conueniently let it be cut off at the ioint of the shoulder or else as neere vnto it as may be the bone shall be cut off with sharpe cutting pincers or else sawed off verie euen the skin and muscles being put aside that so the bone may be couer'd with the said flesh muscle and skin which will fall ouer it and also that the bone through his roughnesse and hardnesse may not hurt the sides of the wombe the stumpe that was cut or sawed being put backe againe Sometime the childs head will not follow the bodie either because of the bignesse thereof or else because the child is ill turn'd that in drawing him foorth he chances to haue his belly stomacke and face lying vpward which causeth that the bodie being wholy come foorth while they would also draw foorth the head the chin takes hold of the Os pubis and being pul'd violently the bodie onely is drawen and the head not moued sticketh fast For the remedying whereof that the head stay not behind the bodie must be gently turn'd placing the face downward as we said before for by this situation the head being moued vp and downe will be easily drawen foorth with the rest of the bodie by holding the bodie with one hand and putting a finger of the other hand into the childs mouth And when the head stickes the Chirurgion must thrust his left hand into the wombe and put his fore finger into the childs mouth to stay the head which by reason of the roundnesse of it and moisture of the wombe roules and slideth vp and downe not being easilie staied then with his right hand let him put in the Crochet which must be hook't or fastned either in the temples hole of the eare hollow of the eye or else in the mouth and then let him draw the head gently both with the Crochet and also with the left hand hauing his fore-finger in the childs mouth and so bring him foorth as cunningly as he can taking his time alwaies when the Mother is in some paine that so the child may be the easier drawen foorth The meanes to help a Woman in her trauaile when the child comes with his head formost but hauing his necke awrie and his head aside CHAP. XV. BEing now to speake of Births that are contrarie to nature we will begin first with the Head as being the worthiest and most notable part of all the bodie Sometimes the child comes as he doth naturally with the head formost but it is placed amisse which may be after foure seuerall fashions either the head lying vpon the backe or vpon the stomacke or else vpon the edge of the shoulders inclining towards one of the Mothers flanckes which makes that the child cannot come foorth straight and in a direct line because his necke is bow'd and stands awrie He being thus turn'd it is verie hard yea euen impossible that the Mother should be deliuer'd either through any indeauour of the childs thrusting his feet against the bottome of the Matrice nor by any labour of the woman forcing likewise and straining her selfe as much as she can possibly by holding in her breath But contrariwise the more the child striues to come foorth and inioy the outward ayre the more he intangles and wreath's his necke so that at last both his strength and the Mothers are together much weakned through the paine they both suffer the child being in danger by reason of the great compression that must needs follow the wreathing of his necke and also by the hindrance of respiration though he breaths onely as yet by the Arteries of his Mother vntill the after-burthen be loosened for then he takes breath at his owne mouth The Marrow also of the backe and the sinewes being the instruments of motion may thereby be so pressed together that the animal spirits may be intercepted which depriueth the child of all motion and consequently of life wherefore it will be verie necessarie to help him speedily which ought to be done in this sort First let the Mother be placed and held after the same order we prescribed for the helping of them that are troubled with a great Flux of bloud Then the Chirurgion hauing his hands annointed as we said before shall put vp his right hand being open as gently as he can possibly to find on which side the head doth leane and is turn'd if the childs head lean vpon his breast his hand will meet first with the backe if it be turned toward the backe then he shall light vpon the breast or if the head leane vpon one of the shoulders then he shall find the other first which will also be inclining somewhat toward the womans flancks which when he hath found before he go about to remoue the head and bring it into his naturall situation which is to place it directly ouer against the necke of the Matrice he must first with the ends of his fingers thrust vpward the bodie of the child either by the shoulders or backe or by the breast for by this meanes the head of the child will not leane so hard against the sides of the wombe so that his necke will euen come of it selfe to the right place And
for the better help the Chirurgion at the same instant shal slide in his other hand yet not taking out the former wherewith finding the place where the head doth rest and leane he may easily draw his hand towards the side of the childs head and so shall he bring it gently to the naturall place and by this meanes the childs head will rest betweene his hands to be set right The like also may he do by putting his hand gently toward the hinder part of the head and so set it right hauing first thrust the child vpward either by the backe or breast the which is seldome done because it is a surer and readier way to thrust him vp by the shoulders and to say the truth the childs head is oftner turned toward the Mothers flancks then either toward her belly or her backe The meanes to help a Woman in trauaile when the child comes with the hand and arme together with the head formost CHAP. XVI THe child should come into the world with his head forward and if there be any thing that comes with it it is contrarie to nature If the hand and arme offer themselues and come foorth of the wombe this trauaile is contrarie to nature and therefore dangerous because the arme takes vp the roome the head should haue hinders it from comming right according as it is turned either to the right side or to the left or else vpward the head leaning vpon the backe or downward being placed vpon the breast as we shew'd in the last Chapter when the necke stands awrie which vnlesse it be help'd in time it will be verie hard for him to come safe into the world For the hand and arme comming foorth by reason of their tendernesse and softnesse being neuer so little crush'd or held in the ayre they are quickly alter'd and spoil'd and will be swolne and puft vp exceedingly yea and sometime fall into a Gangrene which I haue often seen come to passe and therefore it will be verie necessarie to redresse it speedily But especially the Chirurgion must take heed of pulling the said hand or arme because it is impossible he should draw him out thereby For how much the more the arme is thrust whether it be by the Mothers or the childs striuing or else by the Chirurgion who labours to pull it out so much the more will it make the head and necke to bow and bend either toward the stomacke backe or sides it being impossible that the head and arme should come foorth both together because the said head is so infolded and ingaged in one of the said places and therefore this order must be obserued heerein First the Mother must be laid vpon her backe her head and necke lying somewhat low and her hips somewhat raised then the Chirurgion hauing his hands oil'd as before shall annoint all the womans parts with that hand which is most fit according to the diners situation of the child If the hand onely come foorth he shall take it at the top of the wrist and so thrust it backe as high as he can guiding it all along the sides and flancks of the child and hauing plac'd it there he must pull backe his hand to giue place to the childs head which at the same instant with his other hand must be brought and put right against the necke of the wombe And the better to set it aright he must with both his hands being spred abroad and placed on each side the head thrust the shouldert vpward with the ends of his fingers as we shew'd in the former Chapter that the childs head may be set in the mid'st which will be easie for him to do in taking the childs temples of his head betweene both his hands and by that meanes set it straight And when this is done let him suffer the woman to rest her selfe a little assuring her that her child is well plac'd and that by and by he will come naturally into the world The rest shall be performed as we haue shew'd in the naturall Deliuerie placing the woman after the same order as hath been said But if it chance that the child be dead and that the arme be gangren'd and so swolne that it cannot be put backe then must it be help'd in the same manner as we haue shewed before which ought to be done with all speed for feare of the putrifaction that may happen vnto it The meanes to help the trauaile wherein the Child comes with both his hands armes and head formost CHAP. XVII Notwithstanding this may bee said to bee lesse dangerous for the child because howsoeuer hee striue to come forth and for all the throws that the Woman can haue yet the child cannot wreath or turne his necke aside But yet to say the truth it is more troublesome both for the Mother and the Chirurgion yea and sometimes for the childe also But the best way to proceed heerein is that the Chirurgion after he hath placed the woman as is aforesaid hauing his hands annointed as also the parts of the Woman he shall gently put in his right hand and bring one of the childs armes to his due place by stretching it out at length along by the flankes and thighs and presently with drawing that hand he shall thrust in his left to bring the other arme into his place as he did the former This being done he shall marke whether the head of the child be placed right in the meane time suffering the woman to take some ease not holding her so much backe as when hee placed the armes of the child Then shall he place her as in a naturall birth but if hee find that the head of the child be turned aside and be not set direct against the passage as it vseth to be in a naturall birth then shall he gently put in both his hands ioyned together and presently opening them he shall touch onely with the ends of his fingers both the shoulders of the child and put him backe easily toward the bottom of the Matrice and beeing so put backe the head of the child will come betweene his hands which he shal easily place aright against the passage as is aforesaid by taking both sides of his head or temples betweene his hands and so the deliuery shall be performed naturally The meanes to helpe the mother when the child comes with one or both feete formost CHAP. XVIII WHensoeuer the child comming into the World doth put one or both his feete formost the Chirurgion shall place the Woman as it hath beene oftentimes told hauing his hands annointed let him chuse whether he will draw the child forth by the feete or else if he thinke it better to put backe either one or both the feete and so turne him and bring his head straight to his passage For my part I thinke it the better safer way to draw him foorth by the feete
then to turne him vpside downe and lift his feete vpward thereby to bring his head downward to the passage And therfore whether he come with one or both his feete forward the greatest care must be to know how his whole body is placed lyes in his Mothers womb as whether his face and belly be turned toward the mothers backe and his shoulders backe and buttocks towards her Nauell likewise whether his armes bee separated from his thighs flankes and sides which ought also to be diligently obserued in all births that are contrary to Nature especially in those when the child is drawne forth by the feete For when you draw him out of the wombe with his buttockes backe and hinder parts of the head turned toward the backe of the Mother and his face toward her Nauell and belly then without doubt the feet buttocks body and shoulders of the child being drawn forth when the head commeth to the os pubis it will hang therein which beeing so catched it will be very hard nay impossible to draw forth the child and if you draw him too violently it is to be feared least you breake his necke especially if the child be too big or his head great Therefore when you haue drawne him by the feete till he is come forth as farre as the buttocks and wast before you draw him any further you must marke diligently the position of the body whether the belly brest and face be vpward or no. For if he be so placed before you draw him any further you must turne him vpside downe which you shall performe if you hold him fast by the buttockes and hips with both your hands and turn the whole body withall drawing it gently and so bring the belly breast and face downeward which being done you shall draw him forth with ease without daunger of staying or carrying the head vpon os pubis which must needs happen if the child were drawne with the face vpwards And this haue I well obserued being called to the deliuery of some women where this chance for want of good heed taking hath happened the head sticking within and putting vs to great trouble to draw it foorth Beside when the body is thus situated if both the armes be stretched out aboue the head you shall bring downe one of them close to the side and let the other stay stretched out that when the shoulders are come foorth the said arme may be as it were a stay or splint to the necke for the passage of the head to hinder the passage from shutting or closing vp and fastning about the necke of the child and so hinder che child from comming foorth notwithstanding oftentimes the child is so slender and little that so soone as the shoulders are come out presently the head follows after and needeth not the helpe of an arme to bee a rest for the necke Being at Moret with Count Charles I was called together with the late Mons de la Corde one of the Kings Phisitions to deliuer a poore woman which had beene in trauaile two daies and two nights the waters beeing broken and the child left dry the necke of her Matrice was closed she being no more vrged with paines or throwes which I obserued by slipping vp my hand vnto the said necke and getting two of my fingers therein where feeling one of the childs feete I perswaded my selfe that I should deliuer her well which I did in this sort First when I had placed her well I annointed my hands with butter and hogs grease melted together and with store thereof I annointed the inward necke of the Matrice as well as possibly I could and when I had somewhat dilated the saide necke with three of my fingers I cast a ryband with a sliding knot vppon the childs foote fastning it gently and then dilating againe the said necke I found out the other foote vpon which I slipped another riband as I had done vpon the former Then did I draw both the ribands and brought the two feete together which when I had drawne out vnto the buttocks I began againe to annoint as before then taking a napkin lest it should slip I bad the woman force her selfe as much as shee could possibly especially when shee felt her paines and throws comming and then drawing sometimes directly and sometimes to the one side so to enlarge the passage I drew on the child gently turning the belly thereof downward that the chin might not catch in the ospubis as I haue noted before I haue often repeated this fashion of drawing out the child for feare least the young Chirurgion erre in performing it otherwise which if he should doe he will be much troubled in drawing out the head which may sticke by the way as I haue seen it happen The meanes how to help a Woman when her child commeth with both the feet and both the hands together CHAP. XIX THe child comming into the world may offer himselfe to the necke of the Matrice in diuers fashions as beside those that haue been spoken of with both the feet and hands formost the buttocks backe and head of the child being so bent and bow'd against the bottome of the Matrice which doth presse and thrust him downward that the said hands and feet come foorth with such violence that it is a fearefull thing to see and full of danger because of the difficultie to remedie it the Matrice bearing downe it selfe in such sort and to no vse it being impossible that the child should be borne whil'st he is thus situated And therefore it will be necessarie in this case to giue help with as much speed as may be The practize whereof is in this manner First you shall place the woman as we haue said before then the Chirurgion hauing his hands annointed as is required if the child be aliue he shall trie first with his right hand to put the feet into the Matrice making them slip vp as easily as he can to the bottome of the said Matrice and with his left hand shall he stay the hands that they come not foorth further the feet being thus thrust backe presently he shall either put one of his fingers into the childs mouth or else take him by the hinder part of the head to bring it direct against the passage in the meane time putting backe with his left hand the childs hands and armes that they may fall close to his sides then taking the head between the palmes of his hands he shall place it iust against the passage Which being done the birth will succeed naturally both by the help and striuing of the child and also by the indeuour of the Mother when she feeles her throwes come vpon her But when the Chirurgion shall find that the feet legs and hands cannot be put backe and that the Matrice doth beare downeward and shut it selfe not suffering the feet to slip vp then must he with all
the Art he can put back with his left hand the childs hands and with his right hand draw the feete gently taking heede that the childs face and belly may bee downeward and so draw out the child as hath beene shewed before Likewise if the Chirurgion find that the child be dead he must draw him forth by the feete without troubling himselfe to bring the head of the child to the passage For euery dead child because he is not able to giue any helpe to the birth but that all the labour is to come from the Mother is oftentimes the cause of her death And therfore the surest way is to turne him so that he may be drawn but by the feete or else with the Crochet As for my selfe I am of this opinion that it is better whether the child be dead or aliue if he come with his feete and hands formost that the Chirurgion bring him foorth by the feete then to turne him and bring his head formost and so expect a naturall birth for in this striuing the Mother hauing been much wearied and the chid much weakned the deliuerie though it be naturall will proue verie long and difficult in regard that neither the Mother nor the child can haue much strength left them Whereas if you draw him foorth by the feet neither the Mother nor the child being much weakned the birth will be more easie and fortunate As I haue alwaies had experience The meanes how to helpe a Woman when her child comes double putting formost either the Sides or the Backe and Shoulders or else the Buttockes CHAP. XX. BEside the former deliuerie which is when the child comes double putting his hands and feet formost there likewise happen diuers other births that are no lesse difficult and dangerous For when he comes side-long with his Sides Backe or Shoulders next the passage his feet must needs be on the one side of the Matrice and his head on the other lying quite crosse so that the child beating on both sides with his head and feet against the wombe doth extend and stretch it to no purpose wherby the Mother growes weake and faint which neither she nor the child can long indure without danger of death because his striuing helps not at all for his comming foorth The like may happen when the child puts out his thighs and buttocks formost which kind of birth is verie painefull and difficult because the child fils all the Matrice Which the Chirurgion perceiuing he shall consider whether it be better to turne the child and bring formost his head or else his feet if he can easily bring the childs head vnto the passage he shall proceed in this sort First he shall put in his right hand being annointed as before to turne the child and hauing found the shoulder with the palme of his said hand he shall lift the child vpward that his feet or knees may be toward the bottome of the Matrice whil'st the head fals and slides downward and shall hold it fast at the orifice of the wombe with his left hand being put in at the same instant and by this meanes shall bring the Armes close to the thighs and sides of the child that the Woman may be naturally deliuered But if the Chirurgion finde any difficulty to lift the body vpward for the bringing of the head downward then shall he slide his right hand vnder the childs armepit and so draw him gently yet not making the arme come foorth to place the head right against the passage But if the Chirurgion find any hindrance in bringing the head downeward and that hee thinkes he can more easily guide and bring the feete to the orifice of the wombe then the best and surest way is to draw him foorth in that sort by the feete and certainly when the child comes with his buttocks formost his head being vpward then may you sooner meete with his feete and bring them easier to the orifice of the Matrice to bee drawne foorth as wee haue shewed before But when hee puts his shoulder or backe formost then may you the more easily lift him vp to make his head slip downeward or else take him by the Armepit and so bring gently his head to the necke of the wombe to deliuer him naturally The manner of helping the deliuery wherein the child comes with his belly and breast formost CHAP. XXI THe most troublesome and painfull situation of a childe in his mothers wombe is when he comes with his belly formost putting out his nauell his legges and armes being turned backwards For when hee is placed in this manner and striues to come foorth hee thrusts against the sides of the Wombe with his hands and feet and so boweth backward and bends the backe bone that hee brings himselfe as it were into a circle whereby hee endur's and suffers much paine and likewise is weakned exceeding much vnlesse hee be speedily helpt and besides by his compression and striuing hee causeth the Mother to endure much paine and anguish without any profite at all both which doth require to be speedily redressed which maybe performed in this sort First the Chirurgiō shal place the woman in good order as hath beene said and then shall he slide vp his right hand beeing first annointed to obserue and feele what part of the childs body is neerest which hee shall perceiue both by his feeling and by wagging and stirring the child vp and downe If the breast be next he shall take with the said hand the child by he shoulders and top of the Arme bringing him thereby gently downeward afterward lifting vp his hand that the childs head may fall right towards the passage putting in presently his left hand to receiue and set straight the childs head which may be turned on the one side and that being done the deliuery shall bee afterwards performed Naturally But if the head cannot be easily brought downward or that the belly and top of the thigh be neerer vnto the passage then the Chirurgion shall put his right hand along the childs thigh to find one of his feete which being found hee shall cast about it a riband with a sliding knot and then shall he seeke for the other and bring them both gently to the passage and so draw him forth by the feete taking hold of him with a warm napkin between both his hands obseruing alwaies that his face and belly be downewards for feare least when the shoulders are come forth the chinne catch vpon the os pubis as we haue shewne more at large in the chapter of deliuering the childe with the feete formost to which place I referre you shunning often repetition The meanes to help the birth when there be twins the one comming with his feete the other with his head formost CHAP. XXII IT cannot well bee perceiued alwaies whether a woman beares two children though she be in trauaile for I my selfe was present not long
since at the deliuery of an honest woman who brought two children and when she was deliuered of the first the Midwife not expecting that there was a second was ready to draw out the after burthen but that I perceiued another offer it selfe at the passage which as it came naturally so was shee deliuered thereof very fortunately But if it so fall out that the twins do come the one with his head the other with his heeles formost then the Chirurgion shall behaue himselfe in this sort First he shall consider which of the two children the woman may be easiest deliuered of If the head of the one come not so forward as the feete of the other it will be easie to draw foorth that child by the feete putting the others head a little aside and when he hath brought that foorth he must presently set the head of the other right against the passage and incourage the woman to bee deliuered which will the easier bee done because the other hath prepared the way And if it happen that in deliuering the first by the feete the second should change his situation then the Chirurgion shall looke after the feet and draw him foorth as he did the former And when the head of the first is very forward then shall hee thrust backe the feete of the second to giue way to the others head that he may come naturally If the heads of both the children come together to the passage the Chirurgion must take great care for it is impossible for him to make them come foorth both at once except they be very little And therefore hee shall put vp his hand to try whether both the heads are placed in one and the same line and point of distance as commonly it happens or else whether the one is further forward then the other And especially hee must obserue whether the two children be monsters and vnnaturall or no. As whether there be two heads vpon one body or if they be ioyned together either by the backe or by the belly as it is often seene which he may easily perceiue by sliding his right hand open betweene the two heads putting it as high as he can to feele the diuision and then drawing his hand down againe gently between the two heads hee shall thrust aside the one to giue place to the other which hee must bring right to the passage leauing the second neuerthelesse in his naturall situation And when the woman feeles her throws come vpon her then shall he by all meanes bring forward the former that he would receiue holding downe the other with two or three fingers of his left hand least he should offer to come foorth and shall endeuour onely to bring the first into the world Which beeing done if the second bee not well situated he shall bring the head forward right to the necke of the Matrice and being brought thither he may easily come foorth because the way hath beene prepared and made ready by the former But you must obserue that the first beeing come foorth hee must be taken from betweene his mothers legges for feare least he indanger his life but you must first tye the nauell as we haue shewed And besides it will be very necessary and fitte before it be cut to tye the rest of the nauell string that is fastned to the after-burthen with a large and strong thred that it may therby be the easier found and drawne foorth afterwards For the thred that binds the Nauell being left too short it may slippe into the womb and thereby much trouble the mother When the second child is come foorth the Chirurgion must search whether there bee two after-burthens or no. And if it happen that after the second deliuery the two after-burthens should not come away so soone as they ought then must they bee prouoked for feare least the Matrice beeing emptied of two children might chaunce to sinke downe and shut it selfe close together thereby as it were to retain the said after-burthens and by this meanes hinder the deliuery of them which must be remedied as wee haue shewed before If the two children should haue but one body I am of opinion that for the performing of this deliuery it would be a more easie and safe way to turne the head vpward and draw him foorth by the feete than to make him come foorth with the head formost hauing an especiall care when he comes foorth as far as the buttocks that you guide and draw them foorth with all the Art you can possibly at which kind of deliuery I my selfe was neuer present The meanes to help a Woman in trauaile of Twins their feete comming formost CHAP. XXIII AS two twins may chance to offer themselues with their heads so likewise sometimes they may happpen to come with their feete formost When this chaunceth the Chirurgion ought to obserue whether the twins be separated as wee said before or whether they be vnnaturall as hauing foure legs one or two bodies and likewise one or two heads Now the best way to find it is that the Chirurgion hauing his hand annointed as before slip it vp gently wide open as high as he can and finding that the twins are not ioyned together but diuided and distinguished he shall bring down his hand betweene one of their thighs and pulling it a little lower shall take hold of one of the twins feet that which he thinks may bee easiest drawne foorth and tye about it a riband with a sliding knot towards the Ankle then shall he put his hand along the said legge and so euen to the buttockes that thereby hee may find the other legge of the same child and ioyne them together and not bee mistaken taking one legge of the one twinne and another of the other For if he should doe so then without doubt in drawing of them forth he would teare them both asunder but beeing certaine by this meanes that both the legges and feete bee of the same child you may draw them foorth gently as wee haue shewed before taking care that the childe come with his face downeward When you haue thus drawne foorth the first you shall in the same manner proceed to the second hauing first taken away as is saide before the other from betweene the mothers legges And if it happen that one of the twins come naturally with his head formost and the other with his feete and that his feet are more forward then the others head then the safest way will be to draw him foorth first that hath his feete formost hauing first of all put the other aside that offered himselfe at the passage But if the head of the one be right against the passage and the feet of the other on the one side then shall hee put backe the feete gently and deliuer the woman first of him that had his head formost and afterwards draw the other foorth by the feete It may also happen in
that onely which they call simple but also that which hath a contusion ioyned with it For in that great striuing and passing of the child many membranes are not onely bruised and hurt but also broken and torne as it hapneth in young women and in others that are farre in yeares and neuer had any child before Nay sometimes in these the passage of the Matrice and that of Anus are brought into one yea and some suffer great excoriations and hurts in those parts which beeing neglected in some haue come to putrifaction and Gangrenes And heere I must admonish women in childbed not to regard the words of their nurses or keepers which continually preach to them to make much of themselues saying that they had need to fil their bellies which haue been so much emptyed telling them how much bloud they haue lost and do daily loose and that at last they will grow so weake that they will not be able to helpe themselues But these are friuolous reasons for the greatest part of the bloud which a woman voideth then and all her month is but superfluous bloud and is good for nothing which hath beene kept in the body a long time euen the nine moneths that she hath gone with child it beeing now necessary for her health to haue it voided out of her Matrice that so her belly which is swolne and puft vp with the aboundance of bloud like a sponge that is full of water may be quitted discharged and returne to the naturall proportion and bignesse And therefore for their healths sake they must not feede so plentifully the first daies as the vulgar thinke that by this abstinence may hinder the Ague which may happen vnto them and likewise keepe downe the aboundance of bloud which would flow to their breasts and be conuerted into milke and by reason of the store there of grow clotty and curdle and in the end apostumate Wherefore the fiue first daies let her vse Broths panades new egges and gelly not glutting her selfe as commonly they doe either with flesh or Almonds In the morning let her take a supping or broth and so likewise at dinner with a couple of new laid egges and some panade and again at supper let her haue the like closing her stomacke with a little gelly but yet if she mean to nurse her child herselfe shee must feede more plentifully Let her drinke barley water wherein a little Cinamon and a few coriander seeds haue been boyled The great Ladies of Italy doe vse a water made of Capons which is this Take two Capons ready pul'd and dressed boyle them in an earthen pot with a sufficient quantity of faire water till they bee halfe sodden then take them foorth and cut them into small peeces to be vsed as followeth Take of Buglosse Borage and Balme of each two good handfuls whereof you must make a lay in a glasse Limbicke and vpon that another of the saide Capons flesh and so vppon that a lay of leafe gold with a dramme of the powder of pearle then poure in some of the broth on the top which you shall do vntill all be bestowed in the same manner This being done you must distill it in a double vessel or Balneo Mariae and draw a quart of water or thereabouts which must be reitterated so often till you thinke that you haue enough to serue the woman in child bed for tenne or twelue daies But this Curiosity is for Princesses and great Ladies The saide water must bee drawne sixe weeks or two moneths before it bee vsed and set in the sunne in sommer and ouer an ouen in winter to take away the rawnesse that remaines in it If the woman haue not an ague in my opinion she may drinke a little white or claret wine with twice as much boyled water But there bee some women that cannot endrue wine and therefore let them drink water and hony boiled together or else boiled water if they desire to drink in the day time between their meals or else in the night giue them a little syrop of Maiden haire with boiled water or any other syrop so it be not astringent because of their purgings When her paines the feare of the ague and the burning of her breasts bee past then may she feed more liberally and then she may eat at dinner a little meat with her broth as Capon Pullet Pigeon or a bit of Veale and at supper beside her broth a slise of Veale Mutton Chicken or any other good meate The eight day beeing past about which time commonly the wombe is well purged and cleansed it will not bee amisse to nourish her better giuing her more solide meat and in greater quantity that she may grow strong againe the sooner All the which time she must keepe her selfe very quiet not much mouing or stirring herselfe nor so much as once looking into the Aire Let her speake as little as may be and haue no noise made about her nor suffer her to be much visited but by her friends and kinsfolks excluding all such tatling Gossips as may tell her any thing to trouble her or make her sad Let her sleepe rather in the night then in the day time yet if she haue not rested in the night by reason of some paines then let her sleepe when soeuer it comes vpon her And because most women in that case are Costiue and cannot void their excrements therefore it will bee very fit to giue her some such gentle Glister A Clyster â„ž Fol. Malu Parietar Bismal totius an m. i. flor Chamemel Melilot an p. i. sem Anis foenicul an Ê’ ij Coquant in decoct Capitis veruec de quo accipe quart iij. in quibus dissol sacchar rub Mel. Mercurial an â„¥ ij Butyr recent â„¥ iij. fiat Clister You may also adde thereto sometimes an ounce of Diacatholicon If she dislike Clisters let her take a little broth or decoction of Sene. I am of opinion that the Athenian women while they were in Child-bed did take the broth of Cabbage or Coleworts rather to be loose bellied then to driue away witchcraft as Athenaeus would haue it For heretofore the Cabbage was Catoes Phisick and all his houshold And therefore when the Romanes banisht the Phisitions Cato saide that the Cabbage alone was Phisicke enough to cure all their diseases and besides hee made a little Commentary vpon that subiect Let her banish all griefe and heauinesse hauing regard only of her health and to be merry praising God for her deliuery What must be done to the Womans Breasts Belly and nether parts that is newly deliuered CHAP. II. NOW I haue set downe the manner of dyet a Woman in Child bedde should obserue it will not be amisse to shew what is fit to bee done vnto her before she sit vp or rise endeauouring heerein to bring all the parts of her body which haue beene strayned and as it were quite changed
through a long and painefull trauaile to their former state that they may be recouered and grow strong with as much speed as may be possibly If our French Ladyes were in this point like vnto those which Vesputius Florentinus doth write of it would then be needles to prescribe so many medicines for the restoring them to the same state they were in before their beeing with child There are women saith he that dwell beyond the Antartique Pole whose bodies are entire and Virgin like euen after often child-bearing and in whom there is perceiued no difference from them that are Virgins as they that haue opened them hauing made diligent search doe testifie But since there bee no such women found in our quarters though I dare boldly say there be some not much different therfore will it be very necessary to haue a care what is to be done to their belly breasts and nether parts Wherefore after the sheepes skin or hares skin hath staid on foure or fiue houres let it bee taken away and the womans belly and groine annointed with the liniment following And then applying the Cearcloth of a iust bignesse which must be continued the first seuen daies dressing it euery morning and turning the saide Cearecloth somtimes on the one side and sometimes on the other the liniment is this An ointmen◠℞ Ol. Chamaem Amygd dul Hyper. an ℥ is Spermac caeti ℥ ij sepi Hirci ℥ i. Ol. Myrtill ℥ s. Liquefiant omnia simul fiat linimentum quo vngantur partes ventris calidè quotidiè superposia tela sequenti But before you lay on the Cearecloth you shall apply to her nauell an emplaster of Galbanum of the bignesse of two or three fingers in the middest whereof you must put two or three grains of Ciuet and it must bee so applied that the smell thereof strike not vp to the Womans nose the Cearecloth is this A Cearecloth ℞ Cerae alb ℥ iiij Pomat. sine Moscho Pingued vitul an ℥ i. spermat caeti ℥ i s. Ol. Hyperic Amygdal dulc an ℥ i. Therebinth Venet. lotae in aq Parietar ℥ s. liquefiant omnia in Balneo Mariae liquefactis impone telam ad magnitudinemventris quae refrigerata poliatur vitro plano applicetur ventri post vnctionem Then must she be swathed as wee haue shewed before This beeing done you must haue a care to her breasts Some apply to their breasts onely round plasters made of some such Cearecloth as this Another Cearecloth ℞ Cerae nouae ℥ vi Ol. Rosar Mirtill Mellis Narbonens an ℥ iij. liquefiant simul fiat sparadrapum The said round plasters must haue a hole in the midst for the Nipple to come through Others vse this liniment and Cearecloth An ointment for the breasts ℞ Ol. Rosar Mirtill an ℥ is Aceti parum misce vnge mammas calide bis in die secundo die insperge mammas puluere myrtillorum appone hoc sparadrapum A Cearecloth ℞ Ol. Mirtillor ℥ iij. Ol. Amygd dulc ℥ i. Terebinth venet ʒ vi Mastich ʒ ij Nucis Cupres ʒ i. Bol. Arm. terrae sigillat an ʒ iij. sang Dracon ℈ iiij Myrtyll Balaust an ℈ ij Ireos Florent saluiae an ʒ s. Cerae q. s fiat sparadrapum Wherof you may make rounds as I said before Some Women take water parsly or smallage and boile it a pretty while with Vrine and apply it to the breasts I haue often tried this ointment following which hinders the milk from Curdling and congealing the breasts being rub'd therewith ℞ Vng. Popul ℥ i s. Refriger Gal. ℥ s. Ol. Rosar ʒ vi Aceti parum liquefiant simul fiat Linimentum Some put sage between their breasts and vnder their Armepits Now concerning the nether parts let them bee bathed gently the first three or foure daies with warm milke wherin hath been boled a little Cheruill plantaine and a few Rose leaues The daies following vntill the eight day let her vse this bath or fomentation ℞ Vini alb aquae an lb' s flor Hyperic rosar rub an P. ij Agrimoniae Mi. fiat decoctio After both these bathings let there be applied to the sides of her naturall parts this Ointment with a verie fine linnen cloth An Ointment ℞ Ol. Hyper. ℥ ij Spermat Caeti ℥ j ss Cerae alb parum liquefiant simul fiat ad formam linimenti ad vsum When the first eight daies are past she shall weare vpon her belly the Ceare-cloth following her belly being first rub'd with this Ointment Another Ointment ℞ Ol. Hyper. Chamaem Aneth an ℥ j. ol Mastich ℥ j. ss ol Mirtil. ℥ vj. Spermat Caeti ℥ ij Sepi renum Hirci ℥ j ss Adipis Cerui ℥ j. Cerae nouae modicum fiat vnguentum quo vnguatur venter puerperae superponendo telam sequentem A Ceare-cloth for the belly ℞ Ol. Mirtil. Hyperic an ℥ j ss ol Aneth ℥ j. Terebinth venet in aqua Artemis lot ℥ iiij liquefac simul auferendo ab igne impone telam ex canabe quae contineat totum ventrem inguina deferat spatio octo dierū praemisso fotu The fifteene daies being past she shall weare eight daies more by which time three weekes of her lying in will be finished this Ceare-cloth following ouer all her belly and groine A Ceare-cloth for the belly ℞ Ol. Mastich Mirtil. Iasmin Cydon an ℥ j ss ol Glandium ℥ ij Spermat Caeti ℥ j. Terebinth Venet sepius lotae in aq Plantag ℥ ss Cerae ℥ vj. liquefiant omnia simul addendo puluer Mastich Terrae sigillatae an ℥ ss Irid. Florent ℥ j. remouendo ab igne imponatur tela ex canabe quae contineat totum ventrem deferat quindecim dies integros which must be renew'd afresh after ter the first eight daies In which space her neather parts must be bath'd with this fomentation A strengthning Fomentation for the lower parts ℞ fol. Plantag Tapsi Barbat Centinod Caud equin an m. j. fol. Cupress m. j ss Cortic. granat Nuc. Cupress Balaust an ℥ ss Rosar rub flor Chamaem Melilot an p. j. Alumin Roch. ℥ ij Calam. Aromot Irid. Florent an ʒ iij. Caryophil ʒ j. fiant sacculi duo coquantur in aequis partibus vini austeri aquae fabror pro ore exterior colli vteri And when three weekes of her time are expired she hauing been neither troubled with Ague paines or gripings nor any other accident extraordinarie and being likewise well clensed from all her after-purgings before she go abroad it will be verie good for her to bath cleanse and wash her selfe being first gently purg'd with some easie medicine according to the Physitions direction Baths to be made in Summer and while the weather is hot BVt because the seasons of the yeare are diuers therefore will it be the the best course to vse Baths of sundry compositions As if the woman be brought a bed in Summer and hot weather then she must haue prouided for her such a bath
linnen cloths or sponges and apply them warme either vpon the belly breasts or any other part which you would haue confirmed knit and drawne together And to make it the more astringent you must steepe therein for euery quart of liquor of Masticke sanguis Draconis and Bole Armoniacke poudered of each halfe an ounce setting it in the sunne in summer and ouer an ouen in the winter But it is not enough onely especially in great Ladies to make the foresaid parts firme and hard and keepe them from hanging and flagging down But it is also very fitting and likewise much required by them to haue their skin made faire smooth and delicate for which purpose this water is singular good A water to beautifie and adorne the skin c. â„ž Aq. Florum Bismal Maluae an lb. ij Aq. Rosar alb lb. iiij Limones duos remota cute exteriore minutim incisos Prunor. syluest immatur lib. i. pistentur Carnem vnius Caponis iuuenis abiectis ossibus intestinis minutim incisam Lact. Caprin lb. s Amygdal dulc mund â„¥ ij farinae Orob Lupinor an â„¥ s. Limaces rubros no. vj. Infunde omnia simul per duos dies deinde destillentur in Balneo Mariae With this water the foresaid parts must bee washed hauing first cleansed them with common water wherein there hath been some crums of breade steeped all night Another approued water Another wâ—ter â„ž Aq. Lilior alb Nympb an lb. iij. Lactis Caprin lb. s. Casei recenter facti sine sale lb. i. Limones exteriori cute remotâ incisos numero iiij Albumina ouor numero viii Boracis Ê’ iij. Caphurae Ê’ j. Talci subtiliter pul â„¥ i. Cerus â„¥ s. Columbor iuuen num ij Ol. Tartari â„¥ i s. misceantur omnia destillentur in Balneo Mariae Myrrhae as Master Le Bon writes who tells it for a great secret doth lessen and straighten the naturall parts when they haue beene ouer stretched without hurting the Matrice as also taketh away the wrinkles which happen either in the breasts or belly and doth confirme and knit those parts offending neither the pectorall nor naturall parts Sometimes there comes little spots and freckles in the said parts but oftener in the face for the taking away whereof this is an excellent medicine An ointmenâ— for spots â„ž Tartar vini albi calocinat â„¥ s Mastich Ê’ i s. Caphurae Ê’ i. incorporentur omnia simul cum oui albumine tange maculam tege panno lineo in eodem imbuto Of the accidents which happen to women newly deliuered And first of their after-throwes CHAP. III. WE haue hitherto treated of the ordering of a Woman in Child-bed as also of the time when she shall bee ready to walke abroade and bee churched But because there doe befall them many accidents in the time of their lying in I thought good to write thereof briefe-lie and to shew the meanes whereby they may be helped and cured And since that the chiefest symptome that happens vnto them and which comes soonest is the after-throws therefore I am determined to speake of them first As soone as a Woman is deliuered of her childe and after-birth for the most part she is taken with paines of her belly which oftentimes are so great and violent that she thinkes her very belly would bee rent and cut asunder in diuers places from whence the french word that signifieth these pains and torments was deriued The cause of these gripings or paines may bee threefold First either because the Matrice those parts thereabouts haue bene sore troubled through the deliuery by striuing to bee vnburthened and freed of the child or else because the bloud that runs and gathers it selfe to the Wombe being retained growes thicke and slimy that it cannot easily flow and so makes a distention of the Matrice it being not able to come away but in great clots and hard matter like vnto a false Conception and likewise when it is altogether retained and stopt it causes a great extension of the wombe Againe it is oftentimes so cleere thin and sharpe that it flowes aboue measure and through the acrimonie and biting thereof doth gripe and torment as it passeth along The third cause may proceed from the outward aire which is enter'd and got into the wombe at the comming foorth of the child and the after-birth Hippocrates hath obserued that women in this euacuation are troubled with gripings paines of their first childmore then of any after the reason is because their veines are not accustomed to disburthen themselues in this fort Experience neuerthelesse teacheth vs the contrarie for a woman commonly of her first child hath verie few of these paines and gripings and the more children she hath the more she is troubled with them The reason whereof seemes to bee this because the bloud which in youth is sweet and milde in processe of time gets a bitter salt and adust qualitie which passing through the veines procureth this paine For we find by experience that the flesh of beasts or fowle when they are old grow's vnpleasant as being hard and harsh to the tast But what euer the cause of these paines be we must seeke to asswage them and to free the woman from them aswell as we can If then these paines be small and that the after-purgings come moderately we may leaue the worke wholy to nature onely giuing the woman in child-bed the drinke we prescribed before of Oile of sweet Almonds or of Walnuts which of late hath been found by experience to be better then the Oile of Almonds so that the Nuts be sound and white not rancide and the oyle drawne without fire This Oyle is much commended for the gripings which comes by the acrimonie and sharpnesse of the bloud and in this case also some easie fomentations of warme Milke or fit vpon the belly and lower parts Fomentations also with Mallowes March Mallowes Parietarie Mugwort Camomile Melilot and Linseed boiled in Milke are verie profitable When these paines and pangs proceed of thicke slimy bloud which cannot easily flow or of windy matter which being shut vp cannot be discussed if the paine continue beside those aforesaid you may vse these remedies following A Drinke easie to be taken â„ž Rad. Petrosel â„¥ ss radic consolid Maior â„¥ iij. sem Anis Paenicul an Ê’ ss Bull. omnia simul in decocto vituli vel caponis q. s in quo dissolue croci gr iij. capiat mane tepide Or else she may vse this powder of which good proofe hath been made â„ž Nucleor Dactyl Amygdal nucleor Persicar an Ê’ ss Cinamom elect Ê’ i. sem Anis Ê’ ss nuc Mosch ℈ ij spec Diamarg calid ℈ j. fiat omniuÌ„ puluis capiat Ê’ j. cum vino vel cum aq Cardui Benedict vel brodio pulli vituli si sit suspicio febris Another â„ž Rad. Symph maior Amygdal dulc Nucleor Persicor an Ê’ j. Mandibul Lucij pissis
Hemorrhoides Another to be maâ—â— Take of the aforesaid wood-lice thirty Cheruil a little handfull boyle them in milke or oyle of Violets then beate them together and make thereof a kind of plaster at the last vse this fomentation Boyle White mullen Scrophularia and Cheruil together Take a pint of this decoction halfe a pint of red wine Common salt and white frankinsence of each halfe an ounce boyle them altogether againe till there bee but two third parts or there abouts left and so vse this decoction to the Hemorrhoides fomenting them with little soft spunges Whilest these medicines are vsed the belly must be kept loose either with Cassia or Manna or else with Clysters if the pipe will enter in easily that so the excrements may come foorth the more readily and may not burthen or molest the part with their hardnesse and waight It will be very conuenient also to let her take of the powder of white mullen in a little milke or else in Lozenges made with suger because of the conceit some haue that this herbe so taken takes away the Hemorrhoides Some prepare Pils of Bdellium Galbanum and the powder of white Mullen and hereof giue the weight of a french Crowne If the Hemorrhoides heale not for all these meanes I would giue counsell to open them with a Lancette thinking it better to lance and open them so to let out the bloud then to apply leeches vnto them because they sucke and bring downe as much bloud to the part as they empty and draw foorth And because these Hemorrhoides haue oftentimes a great hardnesse with them this plaster or Pultesse may be fitly applied A Pultesse â„ž Rad. Bismal Lilior an â„¥ i s. fol. Porri cum Bulb an m. i. flor Chamaemel Melilot an m. s. Coquantur omnia in lacte pistent passaturae adde Bdellij cum axungia Anser gallinae liquefacti an â„¥ i. fiat Cataplasma Another Take Bdellium melted dissolue it with goose grease ducks grease and oyle of Peach Cernels Oftentimes the Hemorrhoides by reason of their hardnesse cleaue and so come to vlcers and chaps Of the after-purgings which come downe too aboundantly in Women newlie deliuered CHAP. VII IT happens to Women newly deliuered that their after purgins somtimes come downe too immoderately other times that they are suddenly staide These two accidents are very troublesome and breede many inconueniences Hippocrates writes that both these bring many symptoms with them whiche Galen also witnesseth saying If the purgings flow in too great aboundance and aboue custome it brings women into diuers diseases as Cold Distemper Dropsy and Convulsions and if the same be stayed and do not flow at all then some inconuenience happens to the Matrice as inflammation Erysipelas scyrrhus and at last Cankers So that we may easily see how fit and necessary it is that these purgings or courses should come away moderately and in an indifferent quantity This the Chirurgion should know by obseruing the time and the quantity which is limited for them set downe in diuers places by the ancient writers And first for the continuance of time that these purgings should flow Hippocrates doth proportion the time in which a woman in child-bed should be purged according to the time wherein the child is shaped or formed which is 30. daies for a man-child and 42. at most for a woman child This time may bee also measured according to that ordinary time of purging that is omitted in the nine moneths she goes with child as the bloud should bee purged in euery one of these nine moneths as in euery one of them the space of three or foure daies which put together amount to twenty seuen or thirty sixe dayes so in recompense heerof when a woman is deliuered she must bee purged 27. or 36. daies It is written in Leuiticus that when a woman hath brought foorth a man child shee shall continue in the bloud of her purifying three and thirty dayes but if she beare a maid child then shee shall continue in the bloud of her purifying 66. dayes As for the quantity and proportion of these purgings Hippocrates is of opinion that the purgings which a woman should haue euery moneth should bee a pint and a halfe or thereabouts And in his booke de natura Pueri hee would haue a woman in childbed at the beginning should purge about thirteene or fourteen ounces or a pint and so the whole space of thirty daies for a man child and forty two daies for a maiden-childe euery day diminishing the quantity till it wholly leaue her As for the quality of these purgings if the bloud be red as in a beast new killed and doe presently congeale and thicken then it is a signe that shee is in good health and will continue so all the time of her lying in But when these purgings come in little quantity and of an ill colour and do not congeale suddenly it is a signe that the woman is not well nor will not finde her selfe so all her month as the foresaid Author well obserueth But it is not to bee expected that all women should haue their purgings in like quantity for wee must respect the habitude of the body the course of life the temperament other particular things which in diuers women are diuers Therefore Galen saith that these purgings continue long in women that haue thinne and subtill bloud Hippocrates saith that women that are of full bodies are purged more exactly and againe hee writes that women that are more in yeares commonly haue more of this euacuation then they that are younger There may be two causes assigned of this abundant euacuation the one outward as some fall blow or painefull trauaile which a woman may suffer either in bringing foorth her childe or the after-birth It may also arise from pasions of the mind or from the vnseasonable vse of bath's or from some other ill gouernement in her child-bed The inward causes may bee two either the strength and vigor of the mother which expelleth and putteth foorth so much bloud as is troublesome and burdensome vnto her and in this kind there is no great danger because she that is so strong to expell in this sort will be also able to retaine so much as will be conuenient and necessarie for her Or else contrariwise this may proceed from the weaknesse and faintnesse of the woman who is not able to retaine and keep that bloud which nature hath prouided for her and this hapneth chiefly when the orifices of the veines continue open after the deliuerie not being able as Hippocrates saith to shut and gather themselues together The other cause is referred to the bloud which offends either in quantitie or qualitie or both In respect of the quantitie those women haue store of these after-purgings which are full of bloud because the Liuer breeds more bloud then is necessarie which afterward is voided
by the Matrice The qualitie of the bloud is cause heerof when it is too sharpe piercing thin watrie putride or venimous so that Nature desires to be rid of it As for the Cure you must fit that according to the cause and yet there be some generall remedies which may serue for all immoderate euacuations and of this kind is Diet which must be cooling and moderately drying Let her feed vpon good meats not salt nor spiced nor of strong tast rather roast then boiled and of boiled meats let her chuse to eat of the heads feet She may vse french Barley new laid Egges and Gellies made with astringent herbes If she take any Broth 's let them be prepared with Borage Buglosse Le tuce Purcelaine Barley and the cold seeds Let her shun anger melancholie griefe and other such passions of the mind Let her keep her selfe quiet not much stirring or troubling her bodie Let her drinke Barley water or water wherein Steel hath been quenched You may giue her also if she haue not an Ague a little Wine allaied with the said waters Let her make her abode in a temperate place not too hote Let her lie vpon a Mattresse or straw bed and not vpon a feather-bed It will be good to bind her armes hard toward the shoulders but not the thigh 's although Auicen prescribe it Cupping glasses applied vnder the paps and vpon the region of the Liuer will be verie sit as Hippocrates teacheth and likewise vpon the arme-pits and shoulders as Auicen counsaileth The most singular and presentest remedie is to let bloud in the arme which I haue seen tried by the most learned Physitions of our age with very good successe For there is no meanes that makes better revulsion and drawes the bloud sooner from the place to which it floweth then opening of a veine You shall applie vpon the raines the Os sacrum and the parts thereabouts a cloth dip'd in Vineger and water and likewise betweene the legs but first vse this Cataplasme A Cataplasme ℞ Bol. Armen sang Dracon an ℥ j. Gummi Tragacanth ℥ ss pul Myrtill Rosar an ʒ vj. succ Plantag Taps barbat vrtic mort an q. s. ad formandum Cataplasma adde vnguent Comitiss ℥ j ss Vnguentum Comitissae of it selfe is verie good as likewise this Ointment following which is approued An Ointment ℞ Succor Lactuc Plantag an ℥ j ss Gum. Tragacanth in aq Rosar Macerat ℥ iij. Muccagin sem Cydonior extract in aq solani ℥ ss ol Rosar Myrtill an ℥ j ss Corall vtriusque Sumach an ʒ j. far Hordei ℥ ss Cerae parum fiat vng adde Aceti tantillum You shall giue her to drinke a dram of Trochisques of Spodium with Plantaine water or a decoction made with Horse-tayle Roses Knotgrasse and Balaustia Hollerius giues this as a singuler medicine Hollerius h◠medicine ℞ Scoriae ferri crematae in aq Plantag sepius extinctae pul lapid aematitid triti an ℈ j. Terrae sigillat ℈ ss sirup Myrtillor Resar siccar an ℥ ss aq Plantag ℥ iij. fiat potus Another ℞ Sang. Dracon Corall rub vsti Terr sigillat an ℈ j. semin Rosar rub ℈ ss spodij Carab Citrin an gr xij aq Myrtillor vel Plantag ℥ iiij fiat potus Some in this case giue three or foure ounces of the iuice of Plantaine Galen affirmeth that he hath staid the immoderate flowing of the monthly sicknesse with the foresaid iuice of Plantaine when nothing else would do good Ludouicus Mercatus commends these two medicines aboue all other Mercatus his medicines ℞ far Hord. Oryz. Amili an q. s ad formandum panem ponderis ℥ vj. recent coct proijce in libr. viij aq Chaly beatae quibus adde Rosar rub siccar p. ij succi Plantag lb. j. Rad. consolid Maior ℥ ij Caudae equin m. j. carnis Prunor syluest Cidonior an ℥ ij Portulac m. ij Bol. Armen ℥ j. Balaust santal omnium an ℥ ss fiat omnium distilatio de qua cape mané ℥ ij addendo sirup Portulac aut Rosar siccar ℥ ss He likewise commendeth this medicine following as being verie certaine and approued and of great vertue to stay the sicknesse ℞ Rad. Filipendul ℥ ij fiat puluis cape ʒ j. cum vitello oui singulis diebus An Electuarie ℞ Cons Rosar antiq ℥ j. carnis Cydon cond cons Rad. symphit an ℥ ss pul Diamargar frig Trochis é Carab an ℈ j. Bol. Armen ʒ j. sang Dracon ℈ ij cum sirup Rosar siccar fiat opiata exhibenda ad ʒ j. per se vel cum aqua Plantag Galen teacheth vs this medicine which may be both iniected and also taken inwardly ℞ Mucag. gummi Tragacanth Arabic in aq Plantag extract ℥ iij. succi Plantag ℥ iiij fiat iniectio inijciatur in vterum ℥ j. potui praebe This iniection following may also be verie good Another ℞ Succ. Polygan ℥ iiij Mucilag gummi Tragacanth extract in aqua Centinod Chalybeat ℥ iij. Amyl ℥ j. misce fiat iniectio You shall also make vse of this pessarie if there be need An Astringent Pessarie ℞ Bol. Armen Terrae sigillat an ℥ j. Litargir ℥ ss cum albumine oui fiat astringens pessarium With this you may annoint your Pessarie made fit for the purpose either of cotton or linnen cloth Of the Retention and stopping of the After-purgings in Women newly deliuered CHAP. VIII AS a Woman newly deliuer'd is subiect to many accidents by the ouermuch flowing of her naturall courses So is she likewise subiect to more dangerous and deadly chances if they be suppressed and staid Galen saith that these after-purgings which he calleth Lechia are purgings of ill humors which haue been gathered in the bodie all the time that the woman went with child For the child drawing to it selfe the sweetest and most familiar part of the bloud leaues the worst which otherwise if the woman were not with child should be voided out euery Moneth And if the monthly sicknesse stai'd doth bring manie inconueniences to a woman then much more these Lochia being suppressed must breed much more danger Hippocrates in his first booke De morbis Mulier witnesseth this plainly saying That when the After-purgings come in lesse quantitie then is fit then the woman in child-bed fals into a sharpe Ague she is troubled with a paine in her stomacke she finds her selfe ill through all her bodie she feeles a paine in the ioints of her hands in her thigh 's and hips the places about her necke backe and groine are sore and there is a weaknesse in euery part She fals into a vomiting of fleame and also of bitter and sharpe matter and finally she is in danger to be lame and impotent of some of her members For the Matrice hath an affinitie and connexion with many parts of the bodie as with the head and stomacke And if this matter be transported and carried to the head breast and lungs and there make an abode
Germanes of all other people are the biggest and strongest of bodie and the reason is because they are nurs'd by their Mothers which are big of stature And it is obseru'd that they which put foorth their children to women of small stature haue them neither so big nor strong and able of bodie as if they had brought them vp themselues If a young Lambe sucke a Goate it is found by experience that the wooll of it will be harder then of other sheepe and he will prooue more fierce and wild then is naturall for his kind And to this purpose Procopius relates a storie of Polopeia the daughter of Theseus who being deliuer'd in secret of a sonne and desirous to conceal her immodestie caus'd him to be cast into a forrest where he being found by a Sheep-heard was brought vp and nourish'd with Goates milke from whence he tooke the name of Aegistus which made him so swift of foot that eueryone did admire him for his nimblenesse and quicknesse in running Now concerning the diseases of Nurses you shall find more of them polluted and infected with the french Poxes and other diseases than sound and healthfull And I haue knowen Nurses giue little children the French Pockes who afterwards lying with their owne parents haue likewise infected them Now what a disgrace and what a sorrow griefe of hart this would be to a Mother if such a chance should happen I leaue vnto you faire Ladies to iudge And therefore euery Mother should endeauour by all meanes possible if she be not sickly or too tender to nurse her child her selfe since that nature hath bestow'd two Paps vpon her onely for that purpose There are no other Creatures but giue sucke to their young ones and if you do but onely make a shew that you would take them from their dams what a coyle and stir doe they make If you carrie them away they will run after you and neuer leaue till you haue let go your hold desiring rather to loose their owne liues than suffer their little ones to be carried away And therefore let Mothers neuer put foorth their children to nurse if they themselues be sound and healthfull for feare of being chang'd So shall you be sure to haue Children which will honour and loue you without setling their affections vpon a stranger Then shall you not need to make any doubt but that your Children will be vertuous and honest not being addicted to any vices which they may take from their Nurses and they shall not learne any dishonest or vndecent speeches nor heare any thing that shall be either lasciuious or vnbefitting then shall you be sure that your children will be healthfull since they haue been nourish'd with good milke and not fed with Apples Peares Sops and such like trash which is often giuen them for want of milke And by this meanes you shall haue faire and goodly children well brought vp docile vertuous louing strong and lusty without any diseases Then shall you be accounted for Mothers indeed and not Step-Mothers and therefore neuer make your excuses that you cannot nor are not able to endure the trouble and paines or that your Husbands will not suffer you to do so And to conclude I would haue you imitate Blanche of Castile sometimes Queene of France who nurs'd the King St Lewes her sonne her owne selfe and on a time as she was out of the way her child being froward a great Ladie of the Court gaue him sucke to still him and make him quiet which comming to the Queenes eare she presently tooke the child and thrust her finger so far downe into his throat that she made him vomit vp all the milke he had suckt of the said Ladie being very angry that any woman should giue her child sucke but her selfe THE CONTENTS of the Chapters in this present Booke 1 OF the Nurse and what care must bee had in the choise of her 2 Of the conditions that are required to be in good milke 3 What care the Nurse must haue of all the parts of the childe bodie 4 How she ought to shift and make cleane the child 5 Of the childs cradle where it must be set and how he must lie when he goes to sleepe 6 When his owne Mother or the Nurse may giue the childe sucke how and how often 7 How the child must be made cleane after he is awake and vnswathed 8 What clothes and dressings the child must haue and at what time 9 At what time the child may take other sustenance beside milk 10 When a child ought to be weaned 11 Of the diseases which happen vnto a child 12 How there may happen diuers diseases vnto little children as they come foorth of their mothers wombe 13 Of the bignes and swelling of the head 14 Of diuers imperfections that come with the child into the world 15 Of the diseases of their eyes eares and nose 16 Of the sorenes and vlcers of the mouth called Aphcha 17 Of the swelling inflammation and sorenes of the Gums called Paroulis and Epoulis 18 Of the strings which the child hath vnder his tongue that make him tongue-tyed 19 Of the Cough 20 Of the inflammation and swelling of the Nauell 21 Of the gripings and fretting in the childs belly 22 Of the wormes 23 Of breeding of teeth 24 Of Convulsions that trouble children 25 Of watchings 26 Of the frights starting and rauing of young children in their sleepe 27 Of the falling downe of the gut or rupture 28 Of the difficulty of making water 29 The meanes to helpe children that pisse a bedde and cannot hold their water 30 Of the gallings and rubbing away of the skinne in the groine and thighs 31 Of the accidents which happen to the childs yard 32 Of wenches that haue no naturall passage from their birth 33 Of the fundament that is closed and shut vp 34 Of the scabs that come on the childs head and face vnproperly called Tinea 35 Of the Measels and the pockes 36 Of the cure of the small pockes and the Measels 37 How to preserue Children from hauing the Measels and the small pockes 38 Of the French Pockes 39 Of the comming forth of haire in childrens backes and rains called Morbus Pilaris THE MANNER OF Nursing and bringing vp of children Together with the Diseases which may happen vnto them and the cure thereof Written by IAMES GVILLIMEAV the French Kings Chirurgion in Ordinary and sworne at Paris The Preface IT is recorded by auncient Histories that there haue beene some Children which haue made a noise and cast foorth cries being yet in their mothers belly and for proofe heereof they relate that in the City of Rascat there was a child borne with two hornes whose moanes and lamentations were herad fourteene daies before his birth But this is rather Prodigious then Naturall as S. Augustine saith For a childe naturally neither laments nor cries so long as he doth abide in his mothers wombe
take away such things as shall offend him playing with him kissing him dancing him gently in her armes and singing withall and she must likewise open him often to lay and keep him drie and cleane Of the conditions which are required in good Milke THe choise of good Milke is that it be of a middle substance that is to say such as shal be neither too watrish nor too thicke For that which is too watrish and thin may cause the child to haue a scowring and besides it yeeldeth no good nutriment And the Milke which is too thicke is easily crudled and not so soone digested and so causeth obstructions from whence the matter of the stone is bred As for the quantitie of Milke a Nurse should rather haue too much then too little because when there is but little it will be hard for the child to draw it when as if there be plentie it will come the easier and euen thrust out it selfe Moreouer if the child should sucke the breast drie then that which shall come in the roome of it cannot be well concocted so soone Besides if the child should chance to haue an Ague then would he sucke and consume a great deale Againe the Nurse besides a sufficient quantitie for the nourisâ—ing of the child must haue some to milâ— to 〈◊〉 eyes if he should chance to haue any iâ—â—feâ— toâ— there as either heat pimples or itchâ— that so it may be cooled As for the colour it must be white according to the common saying As white as Milke for the Milke which is blewish makes shew of Melancholy as the yellow doth of Choller and the reddish that it is not well concocted and signifies either that there is a weaknesse in the breasts or else an ill qualitie of the bloud whereof it is made which hath not been concocted and corrected by the naturall heat of the paps Besides good Milke ought not to haue any strong smell but rather a sweet sent which smelleth neither hote nor sower nor yet adust for such smels shew that the bloud of which it is made is ouerheated or putride And concerning the Tast that Milke which hath a sweet sauour is much commended as contrarywise that which is either sharp sower or bitter is to be refused and therefore not chosen for good Now the triall there of may be made in this sort as to know whether it be of a good substance let the nurse milke some few drops of it vpon a looking glasse or other sleeke thing and if in holding it gently aside it flows and runs presently and keepe not together a little then it is a signe that the milke is watrish and too thinne If it stand still and will not runne at all then it shews that the milke is too thicke and fat But if it runne leasurely not staying eyther too long or flowing too soone vpon the said smooth body it sheweth that the milke is of a middle substance and ought to bee reckoned and chosen for the best The quantity of the milke may be knowne thus if there remaine some in the breast after the childe hath done sucking and againe if in opening the child you find him bepissed But you must haue an eye that your nurse be none of these Cooseners for there be some that giue the child water to drinke in secret and others which wet the childs bed But such Nurses deserue to be whipt and their knauery may be easily descried both by the eye and the sent and likewise discerned by the tast Now the obseruation which is taken from the Nurses child for the choice of a fit Nurse is concerning his age For if her child be aboue seuen or eight months old then her milke will bee too stale afterwards and besides it would be a doubt whether shee would haue milke enough to nurse him that should be put vnto her Againe if the childe be but fifteene daies or a moneth olde that shews that her milke is too new and that it is not as yet well purified because the mother is not wholly purged and clensed So Auicen commands that a child should not be put to sucke a Woman till at least two moneths after her deliuery and at the farthest not after eight And because the sexe of the Nurses child must likewise bee obserued Aegineta wisheth that it should be rather a man child then a maid child because the milke is hotter better concocted and not so excrementitious And he addeth farther that it is fit whether it be a boy or a wench that the mother haue born her burthen the full time For those that are commonly deliuered before their time for the most part are not sound but sickly though there be many healthfull women which goe with their children but seuen Moneths How a Nurse ought to order her selfe concerning her Dyet and manner of life CHAP. II. IT is not enough that a Nurse be indowed with the conditions and qualities aforesaid but it is very fit also that shee maintaine and preserue them wherefore wee will set downe briefely how and in what manner she ought to gouerne her selfe First of all therefore let her shun and auoide all bad ayre and all kind of ill and stinking smels for such sents as are too strong are naught and hurtfull for her because they infect and ouer-heat the spirits and bloud whereof the milke is made Shee must likewise auoide all meats that are eyther too much salted or spiced or of a strong tast as Onions Leekes Garlicke Mustard and all kind of Baked Meates and old cheese Let her eate Veale Mutton Chicken Kid Partridge and such like meates which are of good iuice and of easy digestion and she must vse them in moderate sort without glutting her selfe All sorts of fish are hurtfull for her except it bee in small quantity shee may eate Iacke Sole and Quauluer and if she eat no fish let her vse new laid egges Her meate must be rather boyled then rosted but yet there must be had a respect to the habitude and complexion of the child For if hee bee very moist and flegmaticke then the Nurse shall rather vse rostmeat and so of other complexions Her bread shall be of good wheate well made light and baked as it ought to be Let her put into her pottages Lettuce Sorrell Purcelaine Borage Buglosse and Succory Shee shall refraine from all kind of raw fruits For her drinke let her take Ale or Beere and where that cannot be had Barley water or water sodden or else a small kind of Hydromel or meade which hath but a little Cinamon in it But I would rather counsaile them to drinke Wine and Water together Aristotle forbids wine both to the nurse and the child except it be as they say well christned She must vse moderate exercise and chiefly before meales For moderate exercise doth strengthen the naturall heate and consumeth all superfluities
The parts which ought to be most exercised should be rather the vppermost as the shoulders and armes because that the exercising of them makes the bloud spirits the sooner ascend into the breasts For her sleepe that cannot bee either limited or prescribed because the Nurse is oftentimes constrained to watch when the child is eyther froward or sicke And therefore she must take her rest when she may whether it be in the day or in the night as the child will giue her leaue Her belly must be alwaies loose and if it chance to be bound shee may take a Clister Let her vse Broths Prunes and Apples well sodden that so she may keepe her selfe soluble She must shun all disquietnes of mind and shee must bee merry and pleasant neyther vexing nor grieuing nor too chollericke The care which a Nature must haue of all the parts of the childs body CHAP. III. THe Nurse should be chosen a month or two before the woman be deliuered that she may alwaies haue an eye ouer her and her child and then as soone as the Woman shall bee brought a-bed and that the childe hath passed through the hands of the Midwife or keeper and is swathed by them he shall be deliuered to the nurse to giue him sucke and haue a care of him First of all let the Nurse consider and view al the parts of the childs body beginning at the head obseruing whether it be well fashioned or no that if it chance to haue any ill forme or figure that then it may be mended as well as it may which shall be done by bringing the said head vnto the forme of a boule a little pressed and made flat on both sides in such sort that neyther the forepart nor hinder-part of the head stand too farre out nor yet be too flat which shall be done with such head-cloths as they vse commonly to weare stroking it by little and little without much pressing or crushing it as some Nurses do but onely handling it in a milde and gentle fashion Vpon the Mould of the head you shal lay a peece of kotton orkersey some vse to lay a peece of scarlet The eares must bee cleansed with little rags made like tents and the Nurse must looke whether the holes be well made that there may not remain any filth eyther within or in the wrinkles and folds behind them And as Rhasis saith the eares must be a little pressed to the head that they may not hang downe Let the eares also bee wrapped about with fine linnen clouts that they may not bee ouer heated and so sticke to the head by the meanes of some grosse matter or sweat which commonly is bredde there But aboue all the eyes must be looked vnto and wiped with a fine linnen cloth especially about both the corners that if there should chance to be any filth gathered in those places it may be taken away Auicen puts there a little virgin oyle because it mitigateth and taketh away the roughnesse and nitrosity which might remaine about the childs eyes through his long swimming and lying in his owne sweat and Vrine while he was in his mothers wombe I haue seene in some children that after they haue bene borne there hath runne out of the corner of the eye many daies together thick drops of bloud which congealed presently There are many children likewise borne bleare ey'd for the helping whereof the Nurse shall vse to annoint the corners of the eyes with a little Vnguentum Tutiae and likewise spirt a little of her milke into them Now concerning the childs nose it is fit that it should be opened and dilated gently washing and cleansing it with a little warme water The same Auicen bids that it should bee annointed with a little Virgin Oyle which must bee done with the top of ones finger the nayles being pared very neer and euen And if you chaunce to find some little membrane or skinne that stops vp the holes and passage thereof it shall be cut asunder that there may bee a passage for the excrements of the braine And for as much as the head of a childe aboundeth with store of moisture as Galen writeth which is purged and voided by the mouth nose and other passages therefore it will be very fit that the Nurse haue a care to the taking of them away for feare lest by their stay they eyther fall down vpon the lungs or into the stomacke or else grow to be dryed which happening the Nurse must put her finger being annointed with honey to the bottom of the childs mouth and rub it aboue and vnder the tongue which shee may doe also with Sirup of Violets Besides shee shall looke whether the fundament bee well opened and whether there bee any filth bred there or no as also whether the passage of the yard be free and if it be a wench whether there be any membrane that doth stop vp the entrance Not long since I made a new passage in a little childe who had the hole of his yard growne and as it were glued together and an other boy which had the string of his yard so short and straight that it made the head of it called Balanus bow downward and seemed as though it had no passage but as soone as I had cut the string the yard came to the right fashion And concerning the membrane which somtimes stops the passage I haue made incision of the like membrans in three girles and lately in the daughter of M. Iames Boyzard As for the armes and legges if they bee either crooked or stand awry they must bee set straight with little swaths fit boulsters made for the purpose as likewise if eyther the back bone or the belly do stand out But for these they must repaire vnto a Chirurgion who must shew and instruct the Nurse how she ought to proceed herein when she shifts the child Galen would haue vs to looke to these deformities betimes because the bones through their softnes tendernes are more easily made straight and are apter to be set in their right place forme then when they are growne dryer it being then very hard to amend such errors as the same Galen saith How the Nurse must shift the child CHAP. IIII. WE must not onely haue a regard to such defects of Nature as the child may bring with him from his mothers wombe and cure them but we must also looke and haue an eye that the Nurse or shee that swathes and dresseth him doe not make him worse and of a well fashioned child in all the parts of his body do not make him deformed or mishapen and so spoile him For in swathing the child most commonly they bind and crush him so hard that they make him grow crooked Some swath all the childs body hard to make him haue a goodly necke and to make him seeme the fatter but this crushing makes his
or Gruell afterward he may suck the leg of a Chicken the greatest part of the flesh being taken away that he may the better pull and gnaw it and this is but once or twice a day that too when he is almost ready to be weaned as Rhasis saith And this also doth serue to whet and rub his gummes which about that time begin to itch And when hee is fifteene moneths olde or a little more then may you giue him the flesh of a Capon or of Partridge minced and mingled with some broth made either of Veale Mutton or Chicken adding thereto some sops of bread For the Ancient writers forbid that wee should giue them any store of meate before they are two yeares old because they are not able to chaw and digest it and also for that they haue not so much neede of nourishment And therefore you must stay till you haue weaned him before you feede him more plentifully When the child ought to he weaned CHAP. X. IT is a very hard thing to set downe a certaine time when a child ought to be weaned Notwithstanding if we wil beleeue Paulus Aegineta and Auicen he must be weaned when he is two yeares old and hath all his teeth come foorth Now in some they come foorth sooner and in others later and to weane him before they are come foorth might be an occasion to make him haue many diseases Wherefore to know certainely when a childe should be weaned and that he should wholy feed vpon other meat it must first be obserued whether he take his meat well and if hee be able to chaw it thoroughly whether he be sickly or else strong and lusty Concerning the time and season of the yeare it must be when the wether is neither too hot nor too cold and therfore the fittest time will be the spring or in Autumn But somtimes there is necessity to wean him at another time yea before two yeares by reason that his nurse may chance to bee sickly and that he being come to some knowledge will not sucke another It may also happen that the child is to be weaned before he be two yeares old for that the milke although otherwise it bee good doth curdle and grow sower in his stomacke which requireth stronger meate Now to weane a childe well let them obserue this methode following First the teat shall not be wholy taken from him but hee shall sucke a little and eate a little meate and so continue for a few daies then afterwards hee shall not sucke in the day time though in the night they may giue him a little Neuerthelesse it will be very fit in the morning when he is awake and hath been shifted and dressed to giue him sucke a little and then to let him stay two or three houres before hee take any thing afterward to giue him somwhat to dinner as some pottage or panade with a little flesh minced or cut very small and then let him stay two houres without giuing him any thing at which time you may giue him a little sucke and lay him to sleepe And when hee is wakened and hath beene made cleane then the Nurse shall carry him abroad into the aire if it be faire wether and giue him sucke and then lay him to sleepe againe without letting him eate any solide meate or very little At his dinner they shal giue him to drinke a little boyled water and this order shall bee kept a whole moneth and when hee shall bee accustomed to eate solide meate then the teate shall bee quite taken from him It happens oftentimes that the child will not forsake the breasts but still cryeth and is very eager after it and then you must make him loath it annointing the Nurses breast with Mustard or else rubbing the top of the nipple with a little Aloes and likewise make him ashamed of it Of the diseases which happen to a child CHAP. XI HItherto we haue shewed what manner of Woman a Nurse ought to be and how she should Nurse and giue her child sucke it now resteth that wee speake of some diseases which happen vnto children in their first age which is from their birth to the seuenth month in which time they commonly haue their first teeth then afterwards those which happen in their second age which is from the seuenth month to the end of two yeares at which time they commonly are weaned and their teeth are almost quite come foorth leauing the third age which is from two yeares to seuen and the fourth also which is reckoned from seuen years to fourteene Hippocrates hath obserued in his Aphorismes that children when they are young are subiect to these diseases to a sorenes of the mouth with little whelks which doe rise theron and vpon the tongue called by him Aphthae to vomiting the Cough watchings or forsaking of sleepe inflammation of the Nauell and moisture of the eares And in their second age which is when their teeth begin to come they are troubled with itching of the gums and chiefely when the dog teeth come foorth and those are most troubled therewithall which are more fat and fleshy and which are bound in their belly But because there are many other diseases that they are subiect vnto whether it be that they bring them from their mothers wombe with them or that they happen to them afterwards therefore I will briefly speak of them all beginning first with those that doe most trouble them How some diseases may happen vnto little Children in comming foorth of their mothers wombe CHAP. XII THere be diuers accidents which happen vnto little children and at their time of comming into the world Some receiuing bruises and hurts either in the head or other parts of their body through striuing and straining in the deliuery as Aches or breaking of an arme leg or thigh which I haue often seene in a difficult trauaile The latter must be helped by setting the bones againe in their right place whether it bee that they were out of ioint or else broken and then bind them and keepe them so till they be well grown together and haue taken firme hold As for hurts and bruises they must bee bathed with some fomentation made of Roses Melilot Chamomil flowers and then annointed with Saint Iohns Wort and Roses mingled together Mad. Maheu was deliuered of a childe so bruised and torne that euery one iudged him to bee dead hee was so blacke whom I dressed and looked vnto with the foresaid medicine I healed him perfectly But the worst is when there happeneth any hurt about the childs head by meanes whereof there comes some great swelling tumor full of bloud which may be taken improperly for the Hydrocephalo If it be but small then it may bee resolued with the former fomentation and liniment and some plasters of Diacalciteos and Diachilon Ireatum mingled together But if the swelling be much and big then must we not think to heale it
vse in France cleere water and also kept from eating so much raw fruite and moist meats and the like which prouoke Vrine You must also endeuour to keepe children alwaies loose bellied which will make them pisse the lesse as well in the night time as in the day And you must warne them to make water before they go to bed and somtimes also you may waken them out of their sleepe to put them in minde thereof You must also threaten them that you wil whip them and likewise make them ashamed of doing it But yet for all this you must not correct them too much for I haue knowne some children fearing to bee beaten if they pissed a bed that haue tyed their yard themselues whereof hath followed a Gangrene which hapned to Mons Paraeus when he was a child as he himselfe hath told me When the child is growne somwhat big let him eate rosted Chestnuts Filberds and A cornes and drinke stil'd water and a little Claret wine well allayed Auicen commendeth the braines of a hare boyled with thicke Wine Some hold that the inner skin of a Capons gizzard dryed and made into pouder is singular good Rhasis sets it downe for a secret that the combe of a Cocke dryed and made into powder as also the bladder of a Bull or a Goat is very good which Gordonius approoueth of You may giue him a little water of Mirtills with Conserue of Roses and sirup of drie Roses It wil be very fit to bath the part of the child called Perinaeum with astringent Fomentations such as we haue set downe for the Rupture or Hernia Of the Gallings and fretting of the skin which happens in the groine and betweene the thighs of little Children CHAP. XXX LIttle children by reason of the sharpnesse of their vrine and lying in their excrements are much troubled with galling and fretting which weares away the thinne skin called Epidermis and chiefly about their thighs and groyne which vnlesse the nurse take the better heede may grow to some foule and malignant vlcer Which that it may be the better helped it will bee very fit that the Nurse keepe the little one as cleane as shee can and that in making him cleane and shifting him she wash his buttocks and thighs gently with a little water of Plantaine Roses or Nightshade Some adde thereto a little wine Others make a decoction of Barley Roses and Plantaine I vse to prescribe a little Pomatum wherewith I mingle sometimes a little Lime well quenched and powdered Vnguentum Refrigerans Galeni wel washed in Plantaine and Rose water is much commended Both these medicines by reason of their oylines doe hinder the Vrine and excrements from making the place to smart Women doe commonly be sprinkle those parts with meale dust or with Barley or Beane flower Some vse the powder of a rotten post or else a little Ireos and Roses beaten into fine powder Rhasis vseth this medicine â„ž Amyl spoelij Rosar Mirtillor farin Hordei an fiat omnium pul subtiliss asperge excoriationes post Balneum Of the accidents which happen to the childs yard either before or after his birth CHAP. XXXI THere may happen seuen accidents about the top and end of the childs yard euen from his birth to witte three in the Praputium or foreskin and foure in the Glans or top thereof Touching those of the Praeputium the first is when it is so straight and the hole so little that the vrine beeing come foorth of the Glans cannot passe through the skinne but drop by drop by reason it is shut so close together which makes part of the Vrine remaine betwixt the top of the yard and the Preputium The second is when the passage of the Preputium is not altogether so narrow but yet it cannot be put backe neither can the Glans bee vncouered which the Ancients haue called Phimosis The third is when the Praeputium cannot couer the Glans because it is slipped ouer and drawne backward called by the Ancients Paraphimosis Concerning these of the Glans the first is when there is no passage at all in the end thereof the second is when there is a passage but the hole is too little The third is when the hole is not in the place where it ought to be which is at the end but is placed at the bottom or lower part of the Glans The fourth is when the top of the yard bendeth downward and makes the yard stand crooked and awry Aristotle hath obserued another kinde more strange then those where he saith that there haue beene some male children which naturally haue had no passage made at the end of the yard but the hole hath bene lower in the Perinaeum so that they were constrained to pisse as it were sitting when they held vp their Cods or Scrotum they seemed to be both man and woman I haue heeretofore for all the other accidents aboue named aduised the Nurse to haue a care and looke to them But because the cure of these belong properly to the Chirurgion to haue set it downe more at large and specified it more particularly in this place that they may the better helpe it considering the inconueniences that may follow as we will shew you For the first which is when the skin of the yard is so straight that the water cannot come foorth but drop by drop this imperfection causeth a great deale of filth to be gatherd betwixt the Praeputium and the Glans whereof proceedeth many troublesome and dangerous vlcers yea and sometimes a Gangrene I haue obserued it in some young children that the top of the yard hath become blacke and blew with pissing through the very paine they endured The best way to remedie it is to cut off the verie top and end of the Praeputium thereby to take away a piece of it as they doe in the Circumcision For the performance whereof there be diuers meanes but the safest and least painfull way is this First it is to be consider'd that the Praeputium is double so that when one thinks to cut both the skins he cuts but one for the second leaps away especially from betweene the Sizzers Besides in cutting them both together oftentimes you may cut more of the vppermost skin then of the nethermost which is next to the Glans which causeth it to remaine bare and vncouered whereof followeth great paine it being fitter for that occasion to cut away lesse of the first then of the second I haue learned this manner of practise of Mons de Maverne the Kings Physition in Ordinary who hath caused it to bee done after this fashion and it is the order and Methode which the Iewes at this day doe obserue in their circumcision If you haue not such an instrument you may take two little flat peeces of wood and tye them both together at one end and then put the
Cure of Abortment When the diet is necessary Bloudletting fit for them that abort Store of nourishment choketh the child Of the aborâ—ment that commeth froÌ„ the child Ointment Remedies if the child be to big Causes of Abortment annexed to the Mother Outward cause Medicines fâ— abortment Hippocrat Diuers wom Physitions Ouid. Why women did studie Physicke Higinus Women forbid to studie Physicke A notable Hystorie There haue been Midwiues from the beginning Lib. de Carnibus Lib 3. de Facul natural Midwiues iâ— Galens time Lib. de Causis morborum Socrates mother a Midwife Lib. 1. §. 1. de Extraordinaria cognitione Two sorts of cunning women Gal. in 62. lib. 5. Aph. Hippocrat First office The second office Act. 3. Scen Andr. Quod iussi ei dare bibere quantum imperani daâ— The Midw 〈…〉 must be paâ—â— child bearing The third office Another office of Midwiueâ— The quality of a Midwife for her person Her manners And. Act. â— Sc. â— Saue polâ—â—lla tonulâ—nâ—aest mulâ—er temeâ—â—ria necsatis digna cuâ— câ—m 〈◊〉 pâ—mi sarin wherem Drunkennessâ— reproued Her mind The chieâ—fice of a 〈◊〉 wife Lib. 7. de 〈◊〉 partium Admira 〈…〉 thing The bedde Women in trauaile muâ—â— walke Rest is oft profitable Diuers sorts of bringing womeÌ„ to bed The best way to be deliuered The placing of a woman in trauaile Another help for a woman in labour De generat 〈…〉 Animal Actites Genes Euripides Women deliuered without paine Men that lye in Signes oâ—â—ing in tr 〈…〉 The placing of the Midwife The meanâ— to know hâ—â— the child commeth The water must not be let foorth The Nauell string must be vndone Meanes to draw forth the after-burthen What must be done to the child A notable storie How the Nauell must be tyed Where the Nauell must be cut The Nauell must fall of it selfe The measure in tying the Nauell A common saying of Women Precept of Hippocrates Auicens Method What must be giuen the child after he is borne They must beware of taking cold The woman in child bed must bee in quiet Gen. 3.15 Causes of difficult deliuery Cause from outward things Lib. 28. cap. 6. Opinion of Plyny Story of Alcmena Coldnes or heate doth hinder the deliuery Effect of sweet smels Causes from the Mother Fatnesâ— The Bladder Leanenesse From her disposition Hippocrates Lib. de natura pueri A thing worthy to bee obserued A story of Auerrhoes A true story Another storie The deliuery that is too soone or too late doth prooue difficult Effect of too much drines A good obseruation Causes from the child A double conflict of the child Why the child is staid from comming foorth Another cause of difficult deliuerie Diuers situations of the child Cause from things annexed to the child The retention of excrements hinders the deliuerie Direction for the Chirurgian Meanes to help them that are too fat Considerations for the Bladder The woman must be prouoked to make water An Obseruation A thing worthy to be noted A notable storie The excrements must be voided Another storie Remedy for the dainty Fear of paine A good deceit Cause of the most troublesome deliuery Why Conuulsions are dangerous What must bee done in fluxes and convulsions Lib. de super faetatione A good sentence of Hypocrates A good obseruation Sometimes the waters must bee let forth Caution concerning the fluxe of bloud When they must not bee deliuered in a fluxe of bloud A worthy seÌ„tence of Hippocrates Lib. 1. de Morb. Mulier Other accidents that may hinder the deliuery Cure when the fault is froÌ„ the child When the deliuery must be hastned Ointments made for the purpose A Clyster Amatus Lusitanus Rondeles Two things must be considered in these deliueries Considerations concerning the mother The mother doth hazard her life in the deliuery Remedyes must not bee disâ—amed Signes of the childs being aliue Signes that the child is dead The child commeth after diuers fashions Situation fit in al deliueries The right placing of them The commoditie thereof The clots of bloud must be taken away The inner neck may be dilated How the feet may be found A storie The Chirurgion must foretell the danger Another storie They must rest in a flux of bloud The third storie The fourth historie An Admonition for young Chirurgions Another storie Another storie agreeing with this purpose Stories concerning convulsions The Chirurgions wisdom A wonderfull story Another storie When the after burthen comes formost there is a fluxe of bloud How the child is stifled ObseruatioÌ„s to draw forth the after burthen Another obseruation When the afterbirth must be drawne forth Lib. 1. de morbis Mulier The after-birth must come last It must bee puld gently A story The remedy What must be done wheÌ„ the childe coms ill The woman must be speedily helped Skill in drawing forth the child Obseruation in vsing the Crochet The child may be surely drawne out by the shoulders Safe way to draw the child by the feete Inconueniences to turne the child Considerations in vsing the Crochet QuestioÌ„ whether the Crochet may bee vsed The dead child swels and is puft vp The child that is aliue may likewise be swolne In how many fashions the head may be placed When the Mother the child striue in vaine How the child breaths How to find which way the childs head leaneth Way to bring the head straight Another way The hand comming foorth hinders the deliuerie The arme comming foorth fals into a Gangrene Inconuenience of drawing the child by the arme The practize The woman must be hartned The deliuery where both armes come formost is not so dangerous The practise What must be obserued concerning the child An obseruation when the two arms are stretched out A story A terrible kind of deliuerie Meanes to helpe the trauaile A surer way to draw forth the child The Authors opinion A dangerous situation Meanes to help the child Another consideration One may bee safely deliuered of two children How he must deliuer the woman when the twins come ill The way to deliuer a woman of two twins His Nauell must be tyed The afterburthen must bee taken away speedily Meanes to know whether the child be a monster or no. WheÌ„ the first is come hee must be taken away It must be knowen which is aliue The meanes to know it How you must draw him out The After-burthen may be stop't Causes of the retention of the after-burthen Other experiments Pilles Sneesing expels the after-burthen The manner of doing it Ill smells Bloud lettinâ— brings dowâ— the after-birth What must be done in thâ— suppurating of the after-birth A Cordiall Electuary Hip. lib. 2. Epidem A true story Lib. 4. Obseruat 185. Another storie Marcell Donat. Histor medic mirabil lib. 4. cap. 22. Lib. 2. §. Dâ— mortuo efferendo sepulchro aedificando What the Chirurgion must obserue An experiment The Methode of making the incision The womâ—â— is thicke The way tâ— open the wombe The Authâ—â—â— opinion oâ—