A general treatise of the diseases of maids, bigbellied women, child-bed-women, and widows together with the best methods of preventing or curing the same
Pechey, John, 1655-1716.
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A General
TREATISE
OF THE
DISEASES
OF
Maids, Bigbellied Women,
Child-bed-Women, and Widows,
TOGETHER
With the best Methods of Pre∣venting
or Curing the same.

By J. PECHEY of the College
of Physicians in London.

LONDON,
Printed for Henry Bonwick, at the
Red-Lyon in St. Paul's Church-Yard,
1696.

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THE PREFACE
WOMAN of all the Crea∣tures
is the Fairest and
most Beautiful, kind Nature hav∣ing
bestow'd on her a delicate
and fine habit of Body, and de∣sign'd
her only for an easie Life,
and to perform the tender Offices
of Love; whereas, she compos'd
Man of more robust Principles,
that he might be able to protect
the Woman, to delve and ma∣nure
the Earth, and to undergo
the other Toils of Life.

But by reason of this Curious
Frame, the Fair Sex (as other
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fine things are) is subject to ma∣ny
Injuries, for besides the com∣mon
Calamities, there are many
great and dangerous Diseases pe∣culiar
to Women arising from
their Constitutions, monthly Pur∣gations,
Pregnancy, Labours and
Lying in.

Their Constitution disposes
them to Hysteric Diseases, which
resemble almost all the Diseases
Mankind is subject to, viz. An
Apoplexy, Epilepsie, Palpitation of
the Heart, Coughs, Violent Vomiting,
Colick, Stone in the Kidnies, and
many other. Pains and sometimes
Swellings in the Jaws, Shoul∣der
Hands, Thighs and Legs
accompany these Diseases. Nor
can the Teeth free themselves
from this Disease: but the most
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cmomon Pain, is the Pain of the
Back. A dejection of Mind al∣so
accompanies this Disease con∣tinually.

A Suppression or Immoderate
Flux of the Courses, causes ma∣ny
disorders in the Body, so also
does their Flowing before their
due time, or their staying longer
than they should, and their com∣plication
with other Diseases
renders the Cure difficult.

All the time their being with
Child, which is a nine Months
Sickness, they are inclined to
Nauseousness, Vomiting, to
Pains of the Back, Reins, and
Hips, violent Coughs, Swellings
of the Legs and Thighs, Piles,
and many other Diseases, and
upon some Indispositions of the
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Body to Miscarriage, which is
the worst and most dangerous of
all. When they are in Labour,
and when they lie in, they are
encompassed with many difficul∣ties
and dangers, viz. an ill po∣sition
of the Child, suppression
of the Lochia, Floodings, Fe∣vers,
after Pains, Apostemations
of the Breasts, and many other
Diseases. So that if Nature had
not wisely tacked an Appetite to
things necessary, we must con∣clude,
the Preservation of Indi∣viduals
and of Species too would
not have been near so well pro∣vided
for as now it is.

The following Treatise is a
Collection from Rodericus a Castro
and others, that have wrote well
of Womens Diseases, and I judge
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it may be serviceable to Ladies and
Gentlewomen, who charitably
dispence Physick, and give advice
to their poor Neighbours in the
Country, where there is no Phy∣sician
near; and it may be also
of use to Physicians, Chyrugeons
and Midwives, it being a gene∣ral
Treatise of Womens Diseases
and the Methods and Medicines
contained in it, being approved
and frequently practised by the
most Renowned Authors of each
Physical Province.

From the Angel and
Crown in Basing-Lane,
LondonJune
the 16th. 1696.

John Pechey.

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THE INDEX.
Page.
ABscesses 194
Acrocordo 233
Acute Diseases of Women in Child-bed 165
After-pains 161
Allantois 84
Amnios 82
Back pains 98
Barrenness 53
Bath-waters 8
Belly-bound 96
Bloody-Flux 103
Breasts Cancerated 214
Caesarian Delivery 150
Chaps in the Nipples 173
Child-bed Purgations 161
Child dead 148
Choice of a Nurse 182
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Clefts of the Privities 233
Clitoris 61
Conception 73
Condyloma 233
Corion 82
Cough 100
Courses 14, 19, 22, 28, 30, 37, 45, 46, 104
Decoction 99
Delirium 170
Dropsie of the Womb 203
Eggs 69
Emulsion 99
Epilepsie 170
Fallopian Tubes 71
Ficus 233
Flooding 105, 158
Green-sickness 13
Hermophrodites 61
Hill of Venus 59
Hip-Pains 98
Hymen 63
Hysteric Diseases 1
Infant nourished 88
Inflation of the Womb 203
Labour hard 143
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Labour contrary to Nature 122
Legs swell'd 100
Liquid Laudanum 12
Loosness 102
Lozenges 115
Madness 170
Melancholy ibid 245
Milk 173, 179
Miscarriage 107
Mole 75
Myrtle berry Caruncles 64
Navel-string 86
Nymphs 60
Piles 101
Privities 59, 106, 191
Reins pain'd 98
Scabs of the Privities 233
Secundine retain'd 155
Sphincter 64
Stone of the Womb 226
Suckling of a Child 182
Superfaetation 78
Testicles 68
Thymus 233
Tumours from Milk 173
Ʋlcers corrosive 194
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Vomiting 97
Ʋrachus 87
Ʋrine difficult 100
Warts 233
Water breaking 121
Whites 52
Womb closed 42
Womb 65
Womb-Cake 80
Woman with Child managed 95
Womb bearing down 106
Womb falling 201
Womb Cancerated 214
Womb Worms 226
Wrinkles in the Belly 188
Page  1
A General TREATISE OF Womens Diseases.
CHAP. I.
Of the Hysteric Disease.
THIS Disease proceeds from a
weakness and confusion of the
Spirits, and is not only very
frequent, but also so wonder∣fully
various, that it resembles almost all
Diseases Mankind is subject to: For af∣ter
hard Labour, or some great disturbance
of the Mind, it occasions an Apoplexy, which
ends in a Palsie of half the Body. Sometimes
it produces violent Convulsions very like
the Falling-Sickness, and these are common∣ly
call'd Mother-fits. Sometimes it posses∣ses
the outward part of the head, causing
Page  2

violent pain continually fixt in one part,
which may be cover'd with the top of the
Thumb, and violent Vomiting accompa∣nies
this pain. It also occasions sometimes
a great Palpitation of the Heart, and
sometimes the Woman coughs without in∣termission,
but spits up nothing. Some∣times
rushing violently upon the region
under the Heart, it causes violent pain
much like the twisting of the Guts, and
the Woman Vomits exceedingly, and casts
up a green Matter, and sometimes Matter
of an unusual Colour; and often after the
Sick have been almost destroy'd by the said
pain, and the reachings to Vomit, it is at
length carried off by the Jaundice tinctur∣ing
the surface of the Body like Saffron.
The Sick is much dejected, and Despair as
certainly accompanies this kind of Hyster∣ic
Disease, as the Pain and Vomiting a∣bove
mention'd. When this Disease falls
upon one of the Kidnies, it plainly repre∣sents
by the pain it causes there a fit of the
Stone; and it is difficult to distinguish it
from the Stone, unless perchance some un∣lucky
accident disturbing the Womans
mind a little before she was taken ill, shews
that it was an Hysteric Disease. Nor is
the Bladder free from this false Symptom;
for it does not only cause pain there, but
it also stops the Urin. Sometimes falling
Page  3

upon the Stomach it causes continual Vo∣miting,
and sometimes a Loosness when it
is settled upon the Guts, but no pain ac∣companies
either of these Symptoms.

And as this Disease afflicts almost all the
inward parts, so sometimes it seizes all the
outward parts, occasioning pain, and some∣times
a Swelling in the Jaws, Shoulders,
Hands, Thighs, Legs; but the Swelling of
the Legs is plainer seen than the rest, and
contrary to Swellings in the Dropsie, is
most in the Morning; nor being pressed
does it leave a pit, and most commonly it
swells only one of the Legs. Nor can
the Teeth free themselves from the assaults
of this Disease, tho they are not hollow;
and tho there is no apparent Defluction,
that may occasion the pain, yet it is no
whit gentler nor shorter nor easier Cured.
But the pain of the Back is most common,
which most certainly all feel, how little
soever they are afflicted with this Disease.
Moreover this is common to the foresaid
pains, that the place whereon they were,
is tender and akes as if it were soundly bea∣ten,
but this tenderness goes off by de∣grees.
And this is worth observing, that
often a notable coldness of the outward
parts makes way for these Symptoms,
which for the most part does not go off
till the fit ends; which coldness is almost
Page  4

like that wherewith a Carcass grows stiff,
yet the Pulse is good. Moreover all Hy∣steric
Women complain of a dejection
and sinking of the Spirits, and sometimes
laugh excessively, and at other times cry
as much, without any real cause for either.
But the most proper and almost insepara∣ble
Symptom, is a Urin as clear as Rock-water.
Sometimes ill fumes are belched
up, and sometimes the Wind that comes
from the Stomach is sower just like Vine∣gar:
But their Minds are more affected
than their Bodies; for an incurable Despe∣ration
is mixt with the very nature of the
Disease.

A day would scarce be sufficient to reck∣on
up all the Symptoms belonging to this
Disease, and I think Demetrius reckn'd
pretty right, tho he mistook the cause of
the Disease, when he said, in an Epistle
to Hippocrates, that the Womb was the
cause of Six hundred Miseries and of in∣numerable
Calamities. The external cau∣ses
of this Disease are either violent moti∣ons
of the Body, or which is much oftner,
vehement disturbances of the Mind; to
these disorders of the Mind which are usu∣ally
the occasion of this Disease, is to be
added emptiness of the Stomach by reason
of long fasting, inmmoderate Bleeding, a
Vomit or Purge that works too much.

Page  5

In order to the cure, I order that eight
Ounces of Blood be taken from the right
Arm, and that the following Plaister be
apply'd to the Navel.

Take of Galbanum dissolved in Tincture of
Castor and strain'd three Drachms, of Tacama∣haca
two Drams, mix them, make a Plaister.

The next Morning let her use the fol∣lowing
Pills.

Take of the Pill Coch-major two Scruples,
of Castor powder'd two Grains, of Peruvian
Balsam four drops, make four Pills; let her
take them at five in the Morning, and sleep
after; repeat them twice or thrice, every Morn∣ing,
or every other Morning, according to the
Womans strength, and as they work.

Take of the Waters of Black-Cherries, Rhue,
and Compound Briony, each three Ounces; of
Castor ty'd up in a rag, and hanged in the Viol
half a Dram; of Fine Sugar a Sufficient quan∣tity,
make a Julep, whereof let her take four
or five Spoonfulls when she is faint, dropping
into the first dose, if the fit is violent, twenty
drops of the Spirit of Harts-horn.

After the Purging Pills just described are
taken, let her use the following.

Take of the filings of Steel eight Grains,
with a sufficient quantity of extract of Worm∣wood,
make two Pills, let her take them early
in the Morning, and at five in the Afternoon,
for Thirty days, drinking upon them a
Page  6

draught of Wormwood Wine. Or if she like a
Bolus better;

Take of the Conserves of Roman Wormwood,
and of the yellow peel of Oranges each one
Ounce, of Angelica and Nutmegs candied and
of Venice Treacle each half an Ounce, of can∣died
Ginger two Drachms, make an electuary
with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Oranges.

Take of this electuary one Drachm and an
half, of the filings of Steel well rub'd eight
Grains, make a Bolus with a sufficient quanti∣ty
of Syrup of Oranges, to be taken in the
Morning, and at five in the Evening, drink∣ing
upon it a Glass of Wormwood-wine.

Take of choice Myrrh and Galbanum each
one Drachm and an half, of Castor fifteen
Grains, with a sufficient quantity of Balsam
Peru, make twelve Pills of every Drachm; let her
take three every Night, and drink upon them
three or four Spoonfuls of Compound Briony
Water through the whole course of this process.

But if these Pills move the Body, which
sometimes they do in Bodies that are very
easily purged, the following may be used
instead of them.

Take of Castor one Drachm, of Volatile Salt
of Amber half a Drachm, with a sufficient quan∣tity
of extract of Rue, make twenty-four
small Pills, let her take three every Night.

But Steel Medicines, which must be noted,
occasion sometimes in Women great dis∣orders
Page  7

both of Body and Mind, and not
only on the first days, which is usual almost
in every body, but also all the time they
are taken: In this case the use of Steel must
not presently be interrupted, but Lauda∣num
must be given every night for some
time in some Hysteric water that they may
the better bear it.

But when the Symptoms are mild, and
it seems the business may be done with∣out
Steel, I think it sufficient to Bleed and
to Purge three or four times, and then to
give the altering Hysteric Pills above-men∣tioned
morning and evening for ten days,
which method seldom fails, when the Dis∣ease
is not violent, yea the Pills alone
Bleeding and Purging being omitted, do of∣ten
a great deal of good.

But some Women can't bear Hysteric
Medicines, and are much injured thereby,
therefore they must not be given to such.

If the Blood is so very feeble, and the
confusion of the Spirits so great, that Steel
ordered to be used according to the method
prescribed is not sufficient to cure the Dis∣ease,
the Sick must drink Tunbridge-waters
or the like, for they cure Diseases more e∣fectually
than any preparation of Iron; but
if in drinking of them any Sickness happen
that belongs to Hysteric Symptoms, the
Sick must forbear drinking them a day or
Page  8

two, till that Symptom that hindred their
passage is quite gon. And it is to be noted,
that Purging must be avoided all the time
the Woman drinks these waters. But if
this Disease does not yeild to Steel-waters,
the Sick must go to the Bath, and when she
has used the waters of it three mornings
following, the next day let her go into the
Bath, and the day following let her drink
them again, and so let her do by turns for
two months, for in these and others of what
kind soever they are, the Patient must per∣sist
in the use of them till she is quite well:
Venice-treacle used often and a long time is
a great remedy in this Disease. Spanish-wine,
with Gentian, Angelica, Worm-wood,
Centory, and other strengthening
things infus'd in it, does a great deal of good,
some spoonfuls of it being taken thrice a
day, if the Woman be not thin and of a
cholerick habit of Body. And truly a large
draught of Spanish-wine taken by it self at
bed-time for some nights has been very be∣neficial
to some Women. Jesuits-powder
also wonderfully comforts and invigorates
the Blood and Spirits, a Scruple of it be∣ing
taken morning and evening for some
weeks.

But if the Remedies above-mentioned
don't well agree, which often happens in
thin and choleric Constitutions, then a
Page  9

Milk-dyet may be used, for some Women
(which one would wonder at at first) that
have been a long while afflicted with Hy∣steric
Diseases, and could be relieved no
other way, have been recovered by Diet∣ing
themselves for some time only with
Milk; and especially those that Labour
with an Hysteric Cholick, which can't be ap∣peased
by any thing but Opiates, to which
repeated Women are much accustom'd,
the pains returning as soon as the vertue
of the Opiate fades. But riding on Horse
back or in a Coach every day for a long
while is the best remedy.

This is the general way of Curing this
Disease, which is apply'd to the original
cause, namely, the weak constitution of
the Blood, and so is to be used only when
the Fit is off, therefore as often as the Fit
comes join'd with any one of the fore-said
Symptoms, if the Disease be such or so great
an one that it will not bear a Truce till it
may be cured by Medicines that strengthen
the Blood and Spirits, we must presently
make use of Hysteric Medicines, which
by their strong and offensive smell, recall
the disorderly and deserting Spirits to their
proper Stations; whether they are taken
inwardly or smelt to, or outwardly ap∣ply'd,
such are Assa-faetida, Galbanum, Spi∣rit
of Sal Armoniac, and lastly whatever
Page  10

has a very ungrateful and offensive smell.

In the next place you must take notice,
that if some intollerable pain accompanied
the fit, or violent Vomiting, or a Loos∣ness,
then besides the Hysterics above∣mentioned,
Laudanum is to be used, which
is only able to restrain these Symptomes.
But in quieting the pains which Vomiting
occasion we must take great care that they
are not mitigated either by Laudanum or
any other Opiat before due evacuations
have been made, unless they exceed almost
all humane patience. Therefore in lusty
Women and such as abound with Blood a
Vein must be opened, and the Body purged,
especially if they have been lately seized
with the fit. But if weak Women and those
of a quite contrary Constitution labour with
such a fit and pain, and have been afflicted
with it not long ago, it will be sufficient to
cleanse their Stomachs with a gallon of Pos∣set
drink taken in and ejected by Vomiting,
and then to give a large Dose of Venice-Treacle,
and a few spoonfuls of some Spi∣rituous
Liquor, that is pleasing to the taste,
with a few drops of Liquid Laudanum, to
be taken presently after. But if the Sick
has Vomited a great while, and there is
danger lest by a further provocation by
Vomits the Spirits should be put into a rage,
and the Sick too much weakened, in this
Page  11

case you must give Laudanum without de∣lay,
and such a Dose that is sufficient to
vanquish it.

But here two things are to be chiefly no∣ted,
first that when you have once begun
to use Laudanum after due and necessary
evacuations, it must be taken in the same
Dose, and must be often repeated till the
Symptom is quite conquered: only such a
space must be betwixt each Dose, that we
may know what the former has done, be∣fore
we give another: and then when we
treat the Disease with Laudanum, we must
do nothing else, and nothing must be eva∣cuated,
for the gentlest Glister of milk and
sugar is sufficient to spoil whatever has
been repaired by the Laudanum, and to oc∣casion
a return of the Vomiting and pain.
But though the Pains above mentioned are
apt to overcome the vertue of the Lauda∣num,
yet violent Vomiting indicats the lar∣gest
Dose of it, and that it should be very of∣ten
repeated, for by reason of the Vomiting,
the Laudanum is cast up before it can do
any good, unless it be given afresh after
every time the Sick Vomits, and chiefly in
a solid form, and if it be given in a liquor
the quantity must be so small that it must
but just wet the Stomach, so that by reason
of the small quantity of the matter it can∣not
be cast up, for instance, some drops
Page  12

of Liquid Laudanum in one spoonful of
strong Cinnamon-water, or the like; and the
Sick must be admonished to keep her self
quiet presently after taking the Laudanum,
and that she keep her Head as much as is
possible immoveable, for the smallest moti∣on
of the Head provokes Vomiting more
than any thing else; and when the Vomit∣ing
ceases, and is as it were tam'd, it is ex∣pedient
to give a Dose of Laudanum morn∣ing
and evening to prevent a relapse, which
also ought to be observed after a Loosness,
or Hysteric pains.

And because frequent mention has been
made of Liquid Laudanum in this Chapter,
and it is much used in other Diseases Wo∣men
are subject to, I will here set down
the best way of making it.

Take of Spanish-wine one pint, of Opium two
ounces, of Saffron one ounce, of the Powders of
Cinnamon and Cloves each one Drachm; let them
be infused together in a Bath for two or three
days, till the liquor comes to the consistence of a
thin Syrup; strain it and keep it for use. The
Dose is sixteen or twenty Drops, to be taken in
a small draught of Beer, or in some distilled-water.

Page  13
CHAP. II.
Of the Green-Sickness.
THE Green-sickness is an ill habit of the
Body proceeding from Obstructions,
it is accompanied most commonly with a
beating of the Heart, difficulty of breath∣ing,
and a longing for absurd things, and
an unfitness for motion, and other Sym∣toms;
the Face and whole Body are pale,
and sometimes of a leaden and green colour,
there is an inflation, and as it were a swel∣ling
upon the Eye-lids; the Legs also swell,
especially about the Ankles; there is a hea∣vy
and often a lasting pain of the Head, the
Pulse is quick, the Sick are drowsie, and
have an aversion for wholsome food; lastly,
the Disease increasing and the Obstructions
being multiplied, a suppression of the
Courses at length follows, which shews the
Disease is confirmed.

This Disease most commonly is not dan∣gerous,
but if it be neglected too much, it
occasions great Diseases, as hard Swellings,
a Dropsie, and other grievous Diseases,
which at length kill the Patient.

When the Disease is small and chiefly a∣rises
from Obstructions of the veins of the
Womb, it is easily cured by Marriage in
Page  14

young Virgins. Those that have had this
Disease a long while are either Barren, or
bring forth Children that are Sickly and
short lived.

The Cure is to be perform'd by the same
Method and Medicines proposed in the fore∣going
Chapter for the cure of the Hysteric
Diseases.

CHAP. III.
Of Women that never had their Courses.
THE flux of the Courses is an undoub∣ted
sign that a Woman is mature, yet
there are some Women that never had them,
tho' they have had conversation with their
Husbands, and some of them have had
Children, and others not; some of them
have enjoyed good health, and others have
been sickly: the cause of this defect is in
general two-fold, the first is common to
the whole Body, namely, because a Wo∣man
is fleshy, laborious, and her parts
are so disposed that every Member takes up
and expels what is convenient for it, so
that there is no room for a menstruous pur∣gation,
these are of a hot Constitution and
such as are termed Virago's, they are of a
Page  15

brown Colour, of a compact Body, and
their Loins and Buttocks are large, so are
the Breasts and Shoulders, they have a great
voice, are strong and hairy, and this Con∣stitution
tho' it be the reason that Women
are in health, yet it is contrary to their
Sex, and the Course of Nature; and there∣fore
to be accounted vitious. But other
Women are sickly upon this account.

If this Disease proceed from an hot In∣temperies
of the Womb, it may be known
by a great pain in the part, and by the
heat of the whole Belly: a dry Imtempe∣ries
may be known by long Fevers going be∣fore,
and a thin habit of Body, but in time
they grow Gross and Cachectical by reason
of the want of this evacuation. If it pro∣ceed
from an ill Formation, there are swel∣lings
of the Belly, pain and a weight.

If it arise from a hot Intemperies, as it
doth most commonly, it must be Cured by
four kinds of Remedies, first by cooling
Diet, they must eat Chicken, Veal, or the
Broth wherein hath been boiled cooling
Herbs, as Endive, Sorrel, Lettice, Spi∣nage,
and the like; Oranges are also good,
and roasted Apples, and stewed Prunes;
their Drink must be small Beer; their Sleep
and Exercise must be moderate; for violent
Exercise and frequent walking are plainly
injurious, and so are disturbances of the
Page  16

Mind. Secondly they must Bleed twice or
thrice a Year in the Foot, and for some
days they must take such things as are pro∣per
to qualifie the hot and bilious Humours,
as the waters and syrups of Purslain, Succory
Endive, Violets, and the like, and let them
be Purged with the following Medicines.

Take of the best Rhubarb two Scruples, infuse
it a whole night in four ounces of Endive water,
strain it in the morning, and add to it an ounce
of Manna, or of the pulp of Cassia, and an
ounce of syrup of Roses solutive.

Thirdly, let them use such things as lei∣surely
attemperate the heat of the Hu∣mours
and Part; as Conserve of Roses, or
of Violets, with Endive-water, or a Ptisan
before Meals, or Goats-milk in the morn∣ing
with the flowers of Violets and Borrage:
But the use of Cooling Apozems is much
praised in this Case.

Take of cleansed Barly three pugils, of the
Roots of Borrage and Succory, each Ounce, of
the leaves of Burrage, Succory, Endive, Fumi∣tory
and Sorrel, each one Handfull, of the Cordi∣al
Flowers, and of the Cold Seeds, each one Pu∣gil,
of Anniseeds one Dram, of Prunes Twelve,
of Raisons one Ounce; Boyl them in a sufficient
quantity of Water to one Pint and an Half; to
the strained Liquor add a sufficient quantity of
Sugar, make a clear Apozem, aromatize it with
a Drachm of the Species of the three Sanders.
Page  17

But if you intend to have it Purge a little, add
towards the latter end the Leaves of Senna, and
of the Pulp of Tamarinds, each one Ounce,
and after it is boyled, three Ounces of Syrup of
Roses solutive, or of Succory with Rhubarb▪

Fourthly, Topicks must be applied to the
lower part of the Belly.

Take of Oyl of sweet Almonds (washed with
the Waters of Barly, Gourds, and Roses, each
a like quantity) one Drachm of Hens-fat, But∣ter,
and Goats-milk, each half an Ounce, of
the Juice of Gourds, Endive or Violets, each
six Drachms, with Wax make a Liniment, Oynt∣ment
or Plaister, as the Woman likes best. But
it will do most good, if the Part be Fomented
before with a Decoction of Lettice, Violets,
Marsh-mallows, Fumitory, Mallows, and the
like; and to open the Passages, add the Leaves
of Maiden-hair, Mercury and Mugwort▪
a Bath may be also made of these.

Night Glisters also wonderfully Cool the
Womb and the whole Body.

Take of Chicken-broath altered with the fore∣said
Herbs six Ounces, of the Oyl of Sweet-almonds
and Violets, each two Ounces, of Sug∣gar
one Ounce, Yolks of Eggs two, mingle them,
let it be retained, if she can all the Night; and
when the Heat is very much, stuff the Chicken
for this Decoction with Conserve of Roses.

If the Disease proceed from Dryness, it
must be Cured with moistning Meats of
Page  18

good Nourishment, and with Drinks; and
the Woman must walk often, but not so
much as to tire her self, and Frictions
must be used above the region of the Womb,
that the parts may be dilated so that the
menstruous Blood may be allured to the
Womb. Baths are also proper, and Oynt∣ments
made of mucilages of the Seeds of
Psyllium and Quinces and the like; and
Glysters also do good.

Take of the Decoction of Marsh-mallows,
Mallows, and Violets six Ounces, of fresh
Butter three Ounces, mingle them, make a
Glyster.

But all Evacuations must be avoided, for
they increase the Dryness.

If the Disease proceeds from an ill For∣mation,
Medicines are most commonly un∣profitable;
and therefore you must endea∣vour
to lessen the Blood, if it abound, or
to divert it another way; therefore you
must Bleed three or four times a Year in the
Arm, or in the Foot, if Blood seem to a∣bound
in the Womb. But if the strength
of the Woman cannot bear Bleeding, then
she must use a thin Diet, and frequent Exer∣cise,
and Frictions all over the Body, es∣pecially
early in the Morning, for so the
Blood may be turned from the Inner Parts
to the Outward, and part of it discussed.
Baths moderately hot are also good, and
Page  19

these things may be sufficient for Married
Women, which by conversation with their
Husbands are somewhat discharged; but
they will not be sufficient for Maids and
Widows; and therefore it will be necessary
to provoke the Hemorrhoids or to open Is∣sues.
But if the Disease proceed from ob∣stinate
Obstructions, it must be treated as
is proposed in the Chapter of the Suppres∣sion
of the Courses.

CHAP. IV.
Of the Courses breaking out by places not Natural.
THE Menstruous Flux happens to
break out by contrary wayes, upon
two accounts; for either Nature providing
for the safety of the Womans Body, when
she knows there is any Impediment in the
Womb, and the Veins of it, that hinder the
Blood from passing, seeks another pas∣sage,
whereby she may be unburthened,
and the health of the Woman preserved;
or forgetting the Natural passages, she ei∣ther
accustoms her self to another, or wan∣dring
about, she sometimes uses this pas∣sage,
sometimes that; for in some the men∣struous
Blood is discharged by the Mouth,
Page  20

in others through the Nostrils, by the Eyes
and Bloody Tears, by the Dugs and Piles,
also by the Fingers and Urine, and some∣times
by a Redness in one of the Cheeks,
and if there be an Impediment in the
Womb, that hinders the passage of the
Blood that way, it is better it should flow
these ways than not at all, for so says Hippocrates,
Menstruis deficientibus sanguinem e naribus
erumpere bonum est.

The cause of this Disease is most com∣monly
some violent Passion of the Mind, or
some great disturbance happening when the
Courses are near flowing; it comes also
from Obstructions of the Womb, or by
reason of violent Pains, and great Diseases
of the upper Parts, also from the weakness
of them, when the VVomb and lower Parts
are strong; for the weak Parts always re∣ceive
what the stronger put upon them.
It also comes from some external Cause,
as by drinking cold Water unseasonably,
or by washing the Feet and Legs unseasona∣bly,
or by the use of Vinegar, when the
Courses are near.

The Scope of the Cure is Two-fold,
the First is the Evacuation of the Blood
abounding, the other is the Recalling of it
to the lower Parts, which is chiefly done
by Cooling the upper Parts, and by Heat∣ing,
Moistning, and Opening, the lower
Page  21

Parts; but both may be well answered by
Bleeding in the Foot three or four days
before the Blood flows, and by applying
Cupping-glasses to the Thighs Legs and
Hips, sometimes Dry, but most com∣monly
with Scarification, and also by
provoking the Hemorrhoids, by Frictions,
by Walking, by hot Baths natural or
artificial; by Fomentations made of open∣ing
Herbs, by Unctions, Pessaries, and
uterine Glisters. But see more of this in
the Chapter of Suppression of the Courses.
The two following Remedies are peculi∣arly
proper for this Disease, viz. Bleed∣ing
in the Foot for several Months at
the times we have mentioned, and the
Bath-waters wherein the Woman must be
Bathed early in the Morning, and must
continue a while in them; but this must
be noted, that the Waters must not reach
above the region of the Liver, and in the
mean while the upper Parts must be
•anned.

Page  22
CHAP. V.
Of the Courses coming before their due time, and of staying longer than they should.
IN many Women the Courses flow before
their accustomed time, and sometimes
they stay longer than they should; and
this anticipation and delay are sometimes
orderly and sometimes disorderly. The
Causes are either the Vice of the Womb, as
the ill Figure of it, or a Solution of the
Continuum, and sometimes a hurt on some
other account; as a Vitious humour that
irritates before the time, by reason of
plenty of Blood, or the thinness or sharp∣ness
of it; the quantity of humours occa∣sioning
it may be known by the dulness of
the Body, by the sanguine habit of the
Woman, by a sedentary and idle Life, by
excess in eating and drinking, or by some
other Evacuation stopped or lessened. The
Acrimony of the Blood may be known by
the Heat, Erosion, and Pain in the Excre∣tion,
or by the Vitious habit of the Wo∣mans
Body, and the course of her Life
foregoing, or by the Diet she was wont
to use, and the like. But if it come lea∣surely,
Page  23

and without pain, the retentive
faculty is weak; it may also be occasioned
by a blow or fall.

If it proceed by reason of the Loosness,
and fault of the retentive faculty, it must
be strengthened by proper Remedies; if it
come from a plenitude, it must be reme∣died
by a sparing Diet and moderate Ex∣ercise,
and by taking away so much Blood
as is agreeable to the strength in the mid∣dle
of the Month, or a little before the
Courses flow. Frictions also in the Arms,
and in all the upper parts of the Body are
proper; the Woman must abstain from
Wine, and all Strong-waters, and instead
of them Chalybeats must be used; and if
these things do not do the business, she
must be blooded in the Arm; but if it pro∣ceed
from the Acrimony of the Humours,
she must eat freely Meat of good nourish∣ment,
and must exercise a little, and such
Medicines must be used as attemperate the
humours, and she must be purg'd, and
Uterine Glisters must be injected made of
two Ounces of Oyl of Violets, and four Oun∣ces
of the Decoction of Mallows; but care
must be taken that the Courses be not quite
stopped, because it is dangerous. Lastly,
if a blow, a fall, or difficult labour occa∣sion
this disease, the following Cataplasm
must be applied to the Womb and Neigh∣bouring
parts.

Page  24

Take of the Powders of Dragons-blood, Fran∣kincense,
Mastich, and of the greater Comfry,
each two Drams, with a sufficient quantity of
Turpentine make a Cataplasm.

If the Woman be of a hot Constitution,
apply the following Plaister.

Take of the Powders of Roses, Myrtles, and
Balaustins, and Mastich, each one Drahom, of
fine Flour one Ounce, with the Whites of Eggs
make a Plaister.

The Courses stay beyond their time by
reason of age, when they are about to go
away, or by a vice of the whole Body or
of the womb: If it proceed on the account
of age, you must only endeavour to pre∣vent
those inconveniences which are wont
to follow, especially the Gout, and a pain
in the Hip, which may be done by a spare
Diet, much exercise, and by bleeding
yearly, till Nature has been accustomed
to the want of the menstruous Purgation:
But if it proceed from a Vice of the whole
Body, it must be treated as a suppression
of the Courses. If it proceed from a pe∣culiar
disorder of the Womb, it requires
a peculiar Cure, and is a Symptom of the
kind of the vitiated action of Excretion,
either because it is hindred by the ill For∣mation,
or a gross Humour that Obstructs.
The Causes therefore are these three, which
are contrary to the anticipation of the
Page  25

Courses, viz. the weakness of the Faculty,
the fault of the Humours, and the dulness
of the Sense. The impotence of the Facul∣ty
is occasioned by the frigidity, or moi∣sture
of the Temperament, or by the de∣praved
Figure of the Instrument; the Hu∣mour
is faulty upon the account of its thick∣ness,
siccity and clamminess: The Sense
is rendred dull most commonly by moisture
abounding. The weak Faculty by reason
of Frigidity, is known by the Womans
perceiving a weight and disturbance after
the time of the coming of her Courses is
past. The fault of the Instrument may be
known by what went before, as by hard
labour, a tumour, cicatrix, leaping or a
fall, whereby the Womb, or a part sub∣servient
to it is displaced, or the figure of
it deformed. The fault of the Humour
may be known by those things that are
evacuated by the Blood, as if it be whitish
it may be seen, if it be gross and clammy,
a sedentary life, and a gross and flegmatic
Diet went before; the Woman is of a soft,
pale and leaden habit of body, and is fat;
and by the Bloods flowing slowly, and by the
long continuance of the Courses sometimes,
and by their ending in a slime. If when
they stay a long time before they come,
the Woman does not perceive any disturb∣ance
in the Womb and neighbouring Parts,
Page  26

the Sense is dull. If the Disease arise from
a thick and clammy Humour, as it does
most commonly, it must be cured accord∣ing
to Galen, with three sorts of Remedies;
First, by a thin and heating Diet, by mo∣derate
exercise, and frictions of the Legs:
Secondly, by attenuating and heating Poti∣ons
made of opening Roots of Calaminth,
Fennel, Saxifrage, Burnet, Hysop, and
the like, Saffron and Cinnamon being ad∣ded
to them, and the Cure must be begun
presently after the Purgation of the Cour∣ses.
Let the Woman take every Morning
five or six Ounces of the following Apo∣zem.

Take of the Roots of Smallage, Fennel, and
Parsley, each two Ounces, of the Leaves of
Feverfew, Cat-mint, Penny-royal, Maiden-hair,
each one Handful and an Half, of the
Seeds of Anise and Fennel, each one Drachm
and an Half; boyl them in a sufficient quan∣tity
of Water to a Quart; in the strained Li∣quor
dissolve of the Syrups of Mugwort and
Maiden-hair, each three Ounces; the Syrup of
Hysop, or of the Five Opening Roots made with∣out
Vinegar is also very good, being mixed with
the Waters of Fennel, Cat-mint, Penny-royal,
and Parsley, and other things may be used
which are mentioned in the Chapter of the Sup∣pression
of the Courses. 3dly, She must be Pur∣ged
with Agarick Trochiscated, or with the
Pill of Mastick, Or,

Page  27

Take of the Pills of Agarick, and Aloephar∣gin,
each two Scruples, with the Syrup of Mug∣wort;
make four Pills.

Fourthly, Those things which draw the
the Blood downwards must be used, as
bleeding in the Foot three or four days be∣fore
the accustomed time of the Courses;
these things being done, the Legs and low∣er
Belly must be fomented with a decocti∣on
of Fenugreek, Camomile, Dill, Meli∣lot,
Fennel, Parsly, Daucus. And while
she is bathing let her take one of the Tab∣lets
called Diacalaminth; afterwards let the
Parts be fumed with Spices, and use Fricti∣ons
and Ligatures to the Legs, and let
Cupping-glasses be applyed to the Claves of
the Legs without scarification; and if the
Courses do not yet flow, let the Woman
be purged every third day with four or
five of the Pills mentioned before. Let the
lower Belly be anointed with the Oyls of
Capers, White Lillies, Dill, Cinnamon,
and Saffron, and let Uterine Glisters be
injected made of four Ounces of the De∣coction
of Penny-royal, Horse-mint, Thym,
and Cresses, with two Ounces of Oyl of
Rue, or of Dill, which wonderfully rouze
the dull sense of the Womb.

Page  28
CHAP. VI.
Of the Courses corrupted, or suppurated.
THE Courses may be corrupted four se∣veral
ways; First from drawing
a putrid quality from the whole Body:
Secondly, from the mixture of some putrid
humour in the passages: Thirdly, by a
long suppression: Fourthly, from an in∣temperies
in the Womb, or from an abun∣dance
of putrid humours contained in and
about it, and are coloured and disordered
according to the nature of the humours;
they are White, Pale, Livid, Green, Black,
Skinny, Fibrous, Membranous, Windy,
Fetid, and they have Sand and Worms in
them.

The Cure is in a manner the same which
is proposed for the Cure of the Whites;
for an exact course of Diet being ordered,
the Woman must be purged with Agarick
trochiscated, or with the Pill of Mastich,
if a Phlegmatic humour abounds; if a bi∣lious
humour be the cause, let her be pur∣ged
with Rhubarb, as

Take of the best Rhubarb, four Scruples, of
yellow Myrobalans one Drachm and an Half,
infuse them a Night in three Ounces of Succory
Page  29

Water; to the strained Liquor add of Syrup of
Roses Solutive, and of Manna, each one
Ounce.

If Melancholy Humours abound,

Take of Senna one Ounce, of the Seeds of An∣nise
one Drachm, infuse them in four Ounces of
Fumitory-water; to the strained Liquor add of
Pulp of Cassia, and of Syrup of Roses Solutive,
each one Ounce.

If the Courses are suppurated, such things
must be used now and then, as evacute a
dust and Cholerick humours, which may
be easily prepared with Agarick, Rhubarb,
and Senna; and sometimes Glisters must
be used, and moderate exercise, which
purge the Body and Womb; and if the
Stomach abounding with Flegm be the
cause, a Vomit used by Intervals is pro∣per,
that what is daily heapt up there
may be purged off before it enters the
Veins.

Thirdly, Such things must be used as
are able to eradicate the Disease, and if
the Humours are cold and gross, sudorifics
must be used, as a Decoction of Sarsapa∣rilla,
Guiac, China, and the like. But if
Choler or Melancholy be the cause, ba∣thing
is most proper; but gentle Frictions
and Pessaries are proper for both, and a∣noint
the Belly with the Oyl of Sweet
Almonds, or with the Oyl of Violets, which
Page  30

are also to be put up the Womb. But if
these things do no good, an Issue must be
made in one or both the Arms, which is of
excellent use.

CHAP. VII.
Of the Complication of the Courses with other Diseases.
THere is scarce any thing that does di∣sturb
Physicians more, and which
makes them err so much, as the complica∣tion
of the Courses with Diseases; and
this happens chiefly six ways. First, When
a Disease happens just when the Courses are
about to come. Secondly, If by reason of
the invasion of a Disease, the Courses come
before their due time. Thirdly, If the
time of the Courses and of the Disease
are complicated, so that they come toge∣ther.
Fourthly, If the Courses being sup∣pressed,
delayed or lessened, a Disease
comes upon them upon an other account.
Fifthly, If by reason of a Disease pre-ex∣isting,
a suppression or delay of the Cour∣ses
is the cause of the increase of the Di∣sease
and its Symptoms. Sixthly, If when
there is a Disease, the Courses flow.

Page  31

If therefore the Courses are just about
to flow, when the Disease is beginning, or
in the process of it, we must consider
whether the Disease be one of those, which
is occasioned by the Womb, in which case
if the Disease requires bleeding without
any delay, we must draw it from the foot,
that it may be let out by a convenient
way, that the Womb may be evacuated,
and the cause expelled. But if the Di∣sease
arises from the whole Body, or from
some principal member of it; that Vein
of the Arm (most affirm) must be opened,
which chiefly respects the part affected:
but this opinion, if it be generally received,
seems to me injurious, and we ought rather
to distinguish concerning the number of
the days, the acuteness of the Disease, and
the plenitude of the Body; for if the Di∣sease
be not acute, Blood ought to be
drawn from the Foot, and especially, if the
Woman be within three or four days of
her Courses, and in this case she ought to
be blooded in the Foot, although the Di∣sease
be acute, and this both reason and
experience confirms; for Nature is to
be evacuated that way she tends, if it be a
convenient place; for if the Woman be
blooded in the upper parts, we often see
that she becomes delirious, and that watch∣ings,
sleepy Diseases, difficulty of Breath∣ing,
Page  32

and at length Death it self follow. But
if there be eight days, or thereabouts, be∣fore
the time of the Courses, and there is a
great plenitude, and the Woman cannot
be so sufficiently evacuated by the Foot,
as the Disease requires, then all agree that
she must be blooded in the Arm, especi∣ally
if the Disease be acute; but purging
Medicines, Vomits, and Sudorisicks must
be deferred till the Courses are over, or
you must use those that are very gentle,
lest Nature should be hindred, or divert∣ed;
for if so, the Blood may be unseaso∣nably
detained, or may rush upon some
principal part, or increase the Disease.
But if it happen that the Womans Cour∣ses
are procrastinated, it is lawful to
Purge; for sometimes we see that Purg∣ing
brings the Courses. If the Disease be
Chronical, it is best to Purge eight days
after the Courses are gon off.

But if the Courses come before their
due time in Diseases, which is the second
way of complication, nothing in curing
Womens Diseases is so difficult and dan∣gerous,
especially at the beginning of the
Disease, before universal Remedies have
been given; for at other times if we do
nothing, there is the less perplexity; but if
at the beginning you Bleed or Purge, you
hinder the menstruous Purgation, and if
Page  33

you do neither, the Disease increases.
Those things that are proper for the Di∣sease,
stop the Courses; and if they flow,
they do not relieve the Disease, because
they are then Symptomatical; for such
an evacuation, is almost always pernicious
at the beginning of the Disease, for Na∣ture
at that time seldom promotes any
useful evacuation; wherefore we must
diligently consider what good or hurt
comes from it, and from what cause the
anticipation of the Courses in Diseases
proceeds; for in the beginning and in the
increase, as we said, it is full of danger,
but in the state and declination, the crup∣tion
of the Courses, if they flow easily, is
wont to be advantageous, by reason of the
fitness of the Season for evacuation, if it
be not complicated with some other eva∣cuations
of Nature. The Anticipation of
the Courses proceeds from many causes:
but from whatever cause it come, if there
be a plenitude, the Cure must be begun
by bleeding in the Foot. But if the Cour∣ses
flow at their accustomed time, and hap∣pen
to come at the beginning of the Di∣sease,
you must first wait on Nature, and
if after twelve hours the Flux is not, or is
not like to be sufficient, you must bleed
in the Foot, to compleat the natural eva∣cuation
of the Woman; and moreover,
Page  34

you must take away so much Blood, as
the Disease requires, for we must respect
Custom and the Disease too, and this may
be understood of violent Diseases; yet it is
chiefly to be used in small ones; and
therefore that they should not grow to be
violent, you must incourage the Courses
by all means, by Ligatures, Frictions, Sup∣positories,
Glisters, and other things, which
are sufficient to provoke the parts near the
Womb; and if the Disease arise from a
cold cause, you must give such Medicines
as promote the Courses, and also respect
the Disease: But if a Purge be necessary,
you must defer it till the Courses are over,
lest the Blood being moved and disturbed
thereby, greater mischief should be occa∣sioned.

But if the Disease be one of the greatest,
as a Quinsey, Frensy, Plurisie, or an acute
Fever, you must first bleed in the Foot,
afterwards the same day, you must bleed
in the Arm; but in the mean while you
must apply Ligatures to the Legs whilst
the Blood flows, and this is good Practice;
for the Indication of the most violent Di∣sease
is always to be respected before that
Indication which is taken from the Cour∣ses,
and in the same manner you must pro∣ceed
in the other Seasons of the Disease,
wherein you ought to defer Purging, Vo∣miting
Page  35

and Sweat, if the Disease requires
them, till the Courses are gone off; for the
Indication of the Courses is greater than
the Indications of these helps, unless a
Sanies flow beyond the appointed time,
which is not to be accounted at that time
to proceed from fulness, and in this case,
an Indication for purging being urgent,
you may Purge.

The Fourth Case was, when upon the
Courses stopt a Disease came. In this case
we must first consider whether the Courses
are but now stopt, or whether they have
been stopt a long while; and moreover,
whether the Disease proceeds from this
suppression; for if it arise from hence, you
must without doubt bleed in the Foot first,
nor must we Purge, Vomit, or Sweat be∣fore;
and afterwards in the Arm, if the
Disease require it, especially if it be four
days past the accustomed time of the Cour∣ses.
But if the suppression be new, and
the Disease not urgent, before you use
other means, you must expect a while the
flowing of the Courses, especially if you
do not understand rightly the nature of
the Disease; for it is more secure, the
Courses being stopt to bleed in the Foot
than to Purge, Vomit, or Sweat. But if
notwithstanding bleeding in the Foot, the
Courses flow but slowly, you ought to
Page  36

give such Medicines as move them; and it
will be proper to give them before they
begin, if you suspect that Nature will not
do the business throughly her self.

But if the Courses delay, and the Disease
grows worse thereby, most affirm that the
Cure must be begun by those helps, which
the Disease and its Cause require, without
respect to bleeding in the Foot. But I am
not of the same Opinion; for in slight Dis∣eases,
and in such as will bear a Truce, ex∣perience
has taught me that it is best to
bleed in the Foot; for the indication from
the Courses stopt is more to be minded than
a small Disease, and therefore they ought
to be provoked, first by Ligatures, Cup∣ping-glasses,
Frictions, and Medicines, and
afterwards you must provide for the Dis∣ease:
But if the Disease be violent, as a
Quinsie, Pleurisie, or the like; then cer∣tainly
those Remedies must be given which
the Disease requires, without considerati∣on
of the Veins of the Foot.

But when the Courses should come at the
time of the Disease, and are stopt, by rea∣son
of the Disease and its Cause, without
doubt we ought to bleed in the Foot, and
to take away so much Blood, as the pleni∣tude
of the Womb requires, or till the
Courses flow, and if there be occasion we
may Purge gently, and not divert the
Page  37

Course of Nature. Lastly, if when the
Disease is present, the Courses flow by drops
before their time, you must proceed as in
the second Case concerning the Anticipati∣on
of the Courses in Diseases: Or, if it
happen at their due time, you must treat
them as in the third Case when the Courses
happen with the Seasons of the Disease;
only the dropping of the Courses signifies
a greater oppression of Nature, and there∣fore
requires larger bleeding.

CHAP. VIII.
Of the Courses coming difficulty, and with violent Symptoms.
THis Disease is like a Dysury or adifficul∣ty
of Urine, for it is accompanied with
Pain and a great disturbance, the Symptoms
often come before the Courses, and some∣times
with the Courses; the Blood comes by
drops and is attended with violent Pain.
This Symptom comes upon an Obstruction
of the Courses, sometimes upon Solution
of the Continuum, an Ulcer, Erosion, and
painful disorders in the neighbouring parts,
The Courses, as was said before, come some∣times
drop by drop, and sometimes plenti∣fully;
Page  38

sometimes by intervals, and some∣times
continually; sometimes orderly, and
sometimes disorderly.

It is most commonly occasioned by the
same Causes from whence a suppression of
the Courses proceeds, but gentler; for there
is not a total Suppression, but an unequal
Obstruction of the Vessels of the Womb,
by reason of thick clotted, and feculent
blood, which stretches the Vessels, and Na∣ture
violently endeavouing to Evacuate it,
a gross wind arises, which distending the
Vessels, and the neighbouring parts, occa∣sions
the violent pain, which continues un∣till
the clods are ejected. Sometimes the
Blood flows plentifully, yet the Courses are
counted difficult and lessened; because tho
a great quantity is evacuated, yet it is not
answerable to the plenitude. The second
Cause is an Ulcer, or some preternatural
Tumour in the Womb or neighbouring
parts, which are provoked and hurt by the
commotion of the Blood. The third is the
acrimony of the Humours. This Disease
is known by a pain in the Head, a pain in
the Stomach, Restlesness, pains in the Loins,
and of the lower Belly, just like the pains
of Child-bearing, coming with the Courses,
or eight days before. There is often also
fainting and convulsions, and a palpitation
of the Heart; and by these you may know,
Page  39

that the Blood is clotted or thick, and a
small swelling is sometimes perceived in
one or both of the Groins, by reason of
clotted Blood contained in it; and just be∣fore
the evacuation of the clotted Blood,
the pain is most violent, and at the same
time if wind be joined with it, it breaks
from the Womb or backwards with a noise,
and there are wandring pains about the
Loins and Hips. If an Ulcer be the cause,
Sanies or Pus is mixed with the Blood, and
the Courses flow always with a fixed pain.
This Disease afflicts Virgins and those that
are Barren. The Cure is two-fold, the first
respects the Cause, the second the mitigating
the Pain. If it proceed from feculent gross
and clotted Blood, a thin Diet and mode∣rate
Exercise must be ordered, and Medi∣cines
that cause Revulsion and Evacuation,
must be used. Blood therefore must be drawn
from the Arm if there be a great quantity
of it, but if the quantity be small, from the
Foot; and the clotted Blood that cannot be
evacuated, must be drawn out by Cupping-glasses
applied to the Thighs and Legs with
Scarification, and by Ligatures upon the
Legs, and the Humour may be turned by
applying Leeches to the Fundament if the
pain continue after the Courses are stopp'd,
but they must not be used before.

Page  40
Secondly, Evacuation must be used with
this distinction, when feculent and gru∣mous
Blood is the cause, you must Bleed;
when an Ulcer, Wind, or an Acrid Matter,
you must Purge most.

Thirdly, The Passages must be Relaxed
and Opened, and the Pain mitigated;
wherefore, if the matter be thick, slatulent,
feculent, or clammy; a Dram of Venice
Treacle, or of Mithridate must be taken at
Bed-time in three Ounces of Balm-water;
and Baths must be provided, and Lotions
for the Legs made of a Decoction of Marsh-mallows,
of the Seeds of Flax, Fenugreek,
Dill, Rhue, and Mugwort, and the Feet
must be bathed in it hot a while, and the
vapours must be received, and a Spunge
dipt in it must be applyed to the Privities,
and the lower Belly must be Fomented after∣wards
with Flannel dipt in Wine and Oyl
of Roses, or with a Bladder half full of
warm Oyl; but it will be better to anoint
the Navel, and the region below it with
Oyl of Saffron, of White-lillies, the Seeds
of Flax, of Capers, of Yolks of Eggs, or
of sweet Almonds, among which or with
one of them must be dissolved a Drachm of
Treacle, a Pessary dipt in the same is also
is of great use; or the foresaid Parts may
be annointed with Hens-fat and Butter; or
with Butter and some of the foresaid Oyls.
Page  41

The following Oyntment is also very pro∣per.

Take of the juice of Angelica one Drachm, of
Oyls of Capers and of White-lilies, each one
Ounce and an half, of White-wine half an
Ounce, with Wax make an Oyntment.

The following Cataplasm is also very
good.

Take of common Oyl, of sweet Wine, and
fresh Butter, each two Ounces, of Bran three
Ounces; boyl them gently, apply them hot and
repeat them frequently.

But if acrid and eroding Matter be the
cause you must use gentle Oyntments, and
Fomentation of warm Water, or Purslain
and Lettice Water with Emulsions of the
cold Seeds; and the Parts must be anointed
with the Oils of sweet Almonds, of Violets
and of Roses.

If the Disease proceeds from an Ulcer,
you must endeavour the Cure of it, and you
must mitigate the Pain by injecting uterine
Glisters made of four Ounces of warm Wa∣ter;
and if the heat be very much, the
Water must be sweetned with Sugar, and
you must add one Drachm of the white Tro∣ches
of Rhasis. Or, the Glister may be
made with three Ounces of Allum-water,
which is of excellent use; or with so much
Barly-water with an Ounce of Syrup of
Roses; or with Milk-water with Sugar; or
Page  42

with an Ounce and an half of Milk it self,
with the like quantity of a Decoction of the
Leaves and Seeds of Plaintain, to which
may be added half an Ounce of the emulsion
of the cold Seeds; and if the Pain and Heat
is very violent, inject two Ounces of the
Decoction of Henbane, or white Poppies.
But if these things will not do the business,
some Opium must be mixed with the De∣coction
before mentioned. Lastly, if other
remedies will not do the business, an Issue
must be opened in the Leg.

CHAP. IX.
Of the Closure of the Womb.
VIrgins labouring under this Disease are
said to be Imperforate. This closure
is wont to be in three places, viz. in the
mouth of the Womb, in the neck of it, and
in the Privities. It is occasioned either in
the first Formation when a Membrance co∣vers
the Orifice of the Womb, or its Neck,
or by a Wound, or Ulcer preceding,
which growing together stops the Neck of
the Womb, or joins the Lips, or it is oc∣casioned
by Humours, or a Compression.

Page  43

If the Closure be in the Privities, it may
be easily known, but if it be in the Neck,
or Orifice of the Womb, it is not found
out till the Courses begin to flow, or till
Women are Married; for at the time of the
menstruous Purgation, Pains and Gripes are
perceived in the region of the Womb at
certain times, with a sense of weight, yet
no Flux follows. Moreover, you may guess
at it, if the Maid be of good habit of Body
not Cachetical, and without Obstruction,
the Disease continuing the Womb swells,
so that Virgins seem to be with Child, and
sometimes the whole Body, which looks li∣vid:
But if the Neck of the Womb be clo∣sed,
it may be known in the first Copualti∣on,
because it cannot admit the Virile Mem∣ber.
Lastly, if the Orifice of the Womb
be shut, it is difficultly known, but it may
be found out by the hand of a Skilful Mid∣wife.

As to the prognostick, if the Closure be
in the Orifice of the Privities, it is easily
Cured by a small Section: But if it be in the
inner Parts, the Cure is much more diffi∣cult.

When a Membrane shuts the passage, it
is easily Cured, but when the Closure is from
fleshy Matter, as it happens after Ulcers,
then the Cure is much more difficult.

Page  44

The Closure of the inner Orifice of the
Womb is Incurable, for Chirurgcial In∣struments
cannot work upon it.

If the Closure of the Womb be contra∣cted
from the Birth, it must be opened by
simple Section; but if it takes its rise from
an Ulcer, as it often happens in the French-Pox;
we must consider, whether it be an
Excrescence of Flesh that does not wholly
stop the passage; and whether it quite stops
For if it be only an Excrescence, we must
endeavour (convenient Evacuations going
before) first to hinder the increase of the
Flesh by drying and discussing Medicines,
and afterwards we must lessen the Flesh by
Medicines made of Frankincense, Birth∣wort,
the Bark of Frankincense, Roses, Ba∣laustins,
Mastick, Myrrh, Aloes, and the
like; and if these things are not sufficient,
we must use burnt Allom, Unguentum,
Aegyptiacum, and the like; or the Flesh
may be cut off by that Instrument that is
used for extirpating a Polipus. But if the
Neck of the Womb be wholly shut, we must
endeavour to renew the Ulcer, and to take
off the superfluous Flesh by the foresaid
Medicines, or it must be cut.

If a Tumour shut the passage of the
Womb, it must be removed by proper Re∣medies.

If it be occasioned by a Compression of
Page  45

the Neck of the Womb, that which causes
the Compression must be removed, namely, a
Stone in the Bladder, a Tumour of the right
Gut, or the like.

When the passage is too narrow, it most
commonly proceeds from hardness and dry∣ness;
and therefore you must use moistning,
emollient, and relaxing things; as half
Baths, Fomentations, Liniments, and Pes∣saries;
and so the part being relaxed, you
must put a leaden Pipe, or white Wax fit∣ted
for the purpose, moistened with Butter,
or some emollient Oyl, and she must always
wear it, or at least a-nights; and a-days;
let a Pessary made of Cotten be used
anointed with Oyntment Marsh-mallows,
or the like.

CHAP. X.
Of Suppression of the Courses
THere is said to be a Suppression of the
Courses, when in Women of a ma∣ture
Age, that neither give suck nor are
with Child, the Evacuation of Blood by
the Womb, which is Naturally wont to be
Monthly, flows seldom, or sparingly, or
is wholly stopt.

Page  46

Because this Suppression proceeds from
Natural and Preternatural Causes, the signs
of both shall be distinctly proposed, lest
the Practitioner should be deceived by Wo∣men
being with Child by Illegitimate Coiti∣on,
and so rashly prescribe Medicines to
provoke the Courses.

First therefore, Women with Child
most commonly retain their Natural Co∣lour,
and others do not.

Secondly, the Symptoms which do happen
to Women with Child at the beginning,
abate Daily, but on the contrary in Sup∣pression
of the Courses, the longer they are
stop'd, so much the more the Symptoms are
increased.

Thirdly, In Women with Child after the
third Month, the motion and situation of
the Child may be sensibly perceived by lay∣ing
the hand on the Belly. But in others
the Swelling is not at all hard, nor is it
always contained within the Limits of the
Womb.

Fourthly, If the inward Mouth of the
Womb be touched by a Skilful Midwife,
she will find it not exactly closed, as it is in
Women with Child; but rather hard, con∣tracted,
and somewhat painful.

Fifthly, Women with Child are most
commonly cheerful; but on the contrary
in a Suppression, they are most commonly
sorrowful and sad.

Page  47

A Suppression of the Courses is very dan∣gerous,
and many desperate Diseases arise
from it.

The Cure of this Disease must be varied
according to the variety of the Causes, and
first, if it proceed from too great a quanti∣ty
of Blood, bleeding must be ordered in
the Arm, and a large quantity of Blood
must be taken away; afterwards it must
be drawn downwards by opening the low∣er
Veins about the time the Woman used
to have her Courses before she was ill.

If by reason of want of Blood the Courses
stop, as after long Fevers, after great E∣vacuations,
and when the Body is much
wasted, you must not endeavour to provoke
the Courses till the Body is replenish'd, and
a sufficient quantity of Blood is bred, which
being done they generally flow of their own
accord; but if it happens that Nature for∣forgets
her Office, she must be rous'd up
by opening the lower Veins, and by Me∣dicines
proposed in the Chapter of Hyste∣rick
Diseases: But the quantity of Blood
must be moderate, lest the strength should
be dejected, and the Sick should fall into a
Consumption. yet it must be carefully no∣ted,
that every wasting of the Body does
not shew a want of Blood, but only that
which succeeds great Evacuations, and the
like. For sometimes it happens that the
Page  48

Courses being suppressed and detained in
the Veins, occasion an ill quality, whereby
the Blood is rendred unfit to nourish the
Parts, upon which account the Body wasts,
tho the Veins are full of Blood, in which
Case large bleeding is required.

As to the suppression of the Courses
which happens by a preposterous motion
of the Blood, when it is evacuated by
bleeding at Nose, by Vomiting, Spitting,
or Hemorrhoids, and other parts, the
Cure of it is perform'd by repelling the
Blood from the parts through which it
flows contrary to Nature, and by draw∣ing
it back to the passage of the Womb.
The first is performed when the Blood
rushes out of the upper parts, by washing
the Arms, Head, and Face, with cold Wa∣ter,
and by forbearing the exercise of
those parts, especially singing and speaking
aloud. The second is perform'd by open∣ing
the lower Veins, three or Four days
before the Blood breaks out, and by Cup∣ing-Glasses
applied to the Thighs and
Legs sometimes with, sometimes without
Scarification, by provoking the Hemorr∣hoids,
by Running, by Walking, Fomen∣tations,
and Baths made of opening Herbs;
but the Bath water is especially commend∣ed,
and the Sick must bath in them often
a good while after Meals, but the water
Page  49

must not rise above the Navel, and at the
same time the upper parts be cool'd by fan∣ning
them.

If the Blood flow by the Hemorrhoids,
the Cure is very difficult; for if you use
things to draw downwards, they bring
them also to the Fundament, and if you
use astringent things to it, they by near∣ness
of the parts, repell what should be
brought to the Womb; so that the only
way of Cure is to apply such things to the
Womb as may allure the Blood thither,
after you have used such things as draw the
Blood downwards.

CHAP. XI.
Of an Immoderate Flux of the Courses.
AN immoderate Flux of the Courses
comes either in Child-bed, or at o∣ther
times, as to the first that afflicts Wo∣men
most on the first day after a difficult
Labour, and is accompanied with a long
train of Hysteric Symptoms; and as it hap∣pens
only on the first days so usually does
not last long, for if a thickning diet be or∣der'd,
it soon abates: The following Drink
may be also used.

Page  50

Take of Plantain water and Red wine, each
one Pint, boil them till a third part be consumed,
sweeten it with a sufficient quantity of white
Sugar, and let her take half a pint twice or
thrice a day, and in the mean while the follow∣ing
Medicine tyed up in a rag, may be often
held to her Nose.

Take of Galbanum and Assa foetida each
two Drams, of Castor one Dram and half, of
Volatile Salt of Amber half a Dram, mingle
them: Or instead of it, Spirit of Sal armoniac
may be used.

But as to the Flux which happens out of
Child-bed, you must bleed in the Arm, and
eight Ounces of Blood must be taken away,
the next Morning the following Purge
must be given.

Take of Tamarinds half an Ounce, of Sena
two Drams, of Rubarb one Dram and an half,
infuse them in a sufficient quantity of Fountain
water, in three Ounces of the strain'd Liquor,
disolve of Manna, and Syrup of Roses solutive
each, an Ounce, make a Purging Potion, which
is to be repeated every third day for twice.
Every Night at bedtime through the whole
course of the Disease give an Ounce of Dia∣codium
mixt with two Ounces of Black Cher∣ry
water.

Take of the Conserve of dried Roses two
Ounces, of the Troches of Lemnian Earth a
Dram and an half, of Pomgranate peel and of
Page  51

red Coral prepared each two Scruples, of Blood
Stone, Dragons Blood, and Bole-armenic each
two Scruples, with a sufficient quantity of Sim∣ple
Syrup of Coral, make an Electuary, where∣of
let her take the quantity of a large Nutmeg
in the Morning, and at five in the Afternoon,
drinking upon it six Spoonfuls of the following
Julip.

Take of the waters of Oakbuds and of Plan∣tain
each three Ounces, of Cinnamon water
hordeated and of Syrup of dried Roses each
one Ounce, of Spirit of Vitriol a sufficient quan∣tity
to make it pleasantly acid.

Take of the Leaves of Plantain and Nettles
each a sufficient quantity, beat them together
in a Marble Mortar, and press out the juice,
clarifie it, and give six Spoonfuls of it cold
three or four times in a day; after the first
Purge apply the following Plaister to the region
of the Loins.

Take of the Plasters of Diapalma and ad
herniam each equal parts, mix them and
spread them on Leather.

A cooling and thickening Diet must be
order'd, only it may be proper to allow
once or twice a day a small glass of Claret
to recover the strength.

Page  52
CHAP. XII.
Of the Whites.
THis obstinate and lasting Disease may
be cured by bleeding once, and by
Purging with two Scruples of Pill Coch-Major
four times, and by the following
strengthening Medicines.

Take of Venice Treacle one Ounce and an
half, of the Conserve of the Yellow Peel of
Oranges one Ounce, of Diascordium half an
Ounce, of Ginger candied, and Nutmegs can∣died
each three Drams, of compound Powder
of Crabs eyes one Dram and an half, of the out∣ward
Peel of Pomgranats, of the roots of Spa∣nish
Angelica, and of the troches of Lemnian
Earth each one Dram, of Bole-Armenic two
Scruples, of Gun-arabic half a Dram, with
a sufficient quantity of Syrup of dried Roses
make an Electuary, whereof let her take the
quantity of a large Nutmeg in the Morning,
and at five in the Afternoon, and at Night,
drinking upon it six Spoonfuls of the following
infusion.

Take of the roots of Elecampane, Master∣wort,
Angelica, and Gentian, each half an
Ounce, of the Leaves of Roman Wormwood,
white Horehound, the lesser Centory and Ca∣laminth
Page  53

each one handful, of Juniper-berries
one Ounce, cut them small, and infuse them
in five pints of Canary Wine, let them stand
in infusion, and strain them only as you use
them.

CHAP. XIII.
Of Barrenness.
BArrenness proceeds from many causes,
but they may be reduced to four Heads,
according to the four Natural Operations
which are required to perfect Conception.
The first is that the Woman in Copulati∣on
receive the Mans seed: Secondly, that
it's retain'd a due time: Thirdly, that it
is nourished in the Womb: Fourthly, that
the Woman afford due Matter for the
forming and necessary increase of the Em∣broy;
and hence four impediments of Con∣ception
arise.

First, The Reception of the Seed is hin∣dered
by many causes, as immature Age,
when by reason of the narrowness of the
Genital passages the Woman cannot admit
the Mans Yard, or at least not without
great pain, which makes her dislike Co∣pulation;
and Old Age has the same effect;
Page  54

for in elderly Virgins the Genital parts
for want of use, are rendr'd so strait,
that they can't easily receive the virile
Member, and such as are lame, or
have their Limbs distorted, or their Hips
depressed, can scarce lye in such a posture
as is necessary for a fit Reception of the
Seed; too much fat also stops the passages,
and makes the Copulation incommodious:
And lastly, a cold intemperies of the
Womb makes the Woman dull, so that
she scarce injoys any pleasure in Copula∣tion,
or is so flowly moved, that the in∣ward
Orifice of the Womb does not open
seasonably to receive the Mans Seed. The
Passions of the Mind also are a great hin∣derance,
especially hatred between
Man and Wife, whereby the Woman
having an aversion for such pleasure does
not supply Spirits sufficient to make the
Genital parts turgent at the time of Co∣pulation;
nor does the Womb kindly meet
the Seed, and draw it into its Cavity, from
whence and from mixture of both the Seeds,
Conception arises.

The Reception of the Seed may be also
hinder'd by Swellings, Ulcers, Obstructi∣ons,
Narrowness or Distorsions of the Ge∣nital
parts, or of the Neighbouring parts,
or by a stone in the Bladder or the like.

Conception may be also hindred by rea∣son
Page  55

the Seed is not retained upon the ac∣count
of too great moisture of the Womb,
namely when its fill'd with many excremen∣titious
humours, whereby being render'd
too laxe it cannot be contracted, as it
ought to retain the Seed received, but this
chiefly happens by reason of miscarriage
or hard labour, whereby the Fibres of the
Womb and its inner Orifice are torn, but
the Whites are the most common cause of
Barrenness.

Conception is also hindred when the
Seed is not sufficiently nourished in the
Womb, as when the Intemperies of the
Womb is so very cold, that it extingui∣shes
the Seed, or so hot as that it dis∣sipates
it, or over-moist or dry.

The Age fit for Conception is from
fourteen to fifty, and therefore those Wo∣men
that are younger or older do not con∣ceive,
by reason of a defect of Seed and
menstruous Blood, yet it must be confessed,
that some Women have conceived who
never had their Courses.

A disproportion betwixt the Mans and
Womans Seed is also the occasion of Bar∣renness,
tho there is no sensible defect in
either, and it happens sometimes that the
same Man has Children by another Wo∣man,
and the same Woman Children by
another Man, when together they were
Page  56

Childless. It comes to pass sometimes
that after a Woman has conversed ten or
more Years with her Husband, and has
not conceived, afterwards she has had Chil∣dren,
the cause whereof is the change of
her Constitution by time.

Having made frequent mention of Wo∣mens
Seed, I must here acquaint you that ma∣ny
Learned Physicians and Anatomists deny
that Women have any Seed, for some Wo∣men
send forth no humour as is called Seed,
and yet they are Fruitful enough, yea some
after they have begun to emit such an hu∣mour,
tho indeed they took great pleasure in
Copulation, yet grew less fruitful than be∣fore.
'Tis also said by some that a semi∣nal
Air or Vapour arising from the Mans
Seed, and not the Seed it self causes Con∣ception;
but passing by Controversies and
nice Speculations, I according to my way
of Writing, set down such Methods and
Medicines as are approved of for the Cure
of this Disease.

And First, the narrowness of the geni∣tal
parts by reason of youth, in progress
of time will grow large enough, and there∣fore
there is no need of any other Cure,
but in the mean while Copulation must be
forbid, for by the too early use of it, the
natural constitution of the parts is disor∣dered,
but if it proceed from small stature
or age, it is incurable.

Page  57

Over-fatness may be corrected by a
spare and proper Diet, and by convenient
evacuations.

If Barrenness proceeds from a disorder∣ly
Diet, as from excessive eating or drink∣ing,
the Woman must be reduced to a re∣gular
course of Life.

Such as are robust and of a manly Con∣stitution
must by all means be reduced to a
womanly state; that they may become fit
for generation, they must forbear strong
Meats and Labour, and the Courses must
be forced, and by Bleeding and Purging
and the like, the habit of the Body must
be rendred cold and moist.

But the most frequent cause of Barren∣ness
is a cold and moist disposition of the
whole Body and of the Womb, which the
Whites often accompany, and for the
cure in this case, the Whites must be cured
by the method prescribed in the Chapter
of the Whites, and the following things
must be ordered, which are peculiarly pro∣per.

And First the flegmatick humours must
be evacuated by Medicines that purge
Sweat and force Urine, and revulsion must
be made by Issues in the Arms, Neck and
Legs, and the principal parts must be
strengthened by Treacle, Mithridate, Con∣fection
of Alkermes and the like.

Page  58

Afterwards such things must be used as
are proper by a specific quality to strength∣en
the Womb and to help Conception.

Take of the roots of Eringo and Satyrion
candied each one Ounce, of green Ginger can∣died
half an Ounce, of Hazel Nuts, Pine
Nuts, and Pistachies each six Drams, one
Nutmeg candied, of the Seed of Rocket and
Cresses each two Drams, of the ashes of a
Bulls Pisle, of the Reins of Scinks and of the
raspings of Ivory each one Dram, of confecti∣on
of Alkermes three Drams, of Diambra
and sweet Diamoch each one Ounce and an half,
of Ambergriese half a Dram, with the Syrup
of candied Citrons, make an Electuary, let her
take the quantity of a Nutmeg at bedtime,
drinking upon it a glass of good Wine.

Some count the Secundine of a Woman dried
and powderd very effectual, one Drachm of it
being taken.

The Seeds of Bishops weed are also much
commended.

Many good Authors affirm, that if a
Woman drink six Ounces of the juice of
Garden Sage with a little Salt, the fourth
day of her Menstruous Purgation, and a
quarter of an hour after has Conversation
with her Husband, she will infallibly con∣ceive.
And by the use of this remedy
Aetius says, the Egyptian Women became
fruitful after a great Plague.

Page  59

It's said many have conceived when their
having Children has bin despair'd of, by
thrusting up far in the Privities Garlic
heated with Oyl of Spike, and wrapt in a
fine rag, for it powerfully forces the Cour∣ses,
and cleanses and delights the Womb.

CHAP. XIV.
Of the Parts of Women that serve for Generation.
THE Parts serving for Generation in
Women may be divided into the Pri∣vities,
the Womb, the Testicles, and the
Vessels that prepare and carry. That part
is called the Privities which appears at first
sight without dissection, it reaches from the
lower part of the Os Pubis, within an Inch of
the Fundament; it is less and closer in Maids,
than in those that have born Children. It
hath two Lips, which toward the Pubes
grows thicker, and meeting upon the mid∣dle
of the Os Pubis makes that rising that
is called the Hill of Venus; its outward sub∣stance
is Skin covered with Hair, as the
Lips are, which begin to grow in this place
about the age of Fourteen; the inner sub∣stance
of the Hill of Venus chiefly consists
Page  60

of Fat, which makes it bunch up, which in
Copulation hinders the bones of the Pubes
of the Man and Woman to hit one against
another, which would by causing pain abate
the Venereal pleasure. A Muscle springing
from the sphincter of the Fundament lies
under this Fat. Its Office is to straighten
the Orifice of the Sheath. The Nymphs
and the Clitoris appear when the Lips are
drawn a little aside: The Nymphs stand next
the Urine, as it spouts out from the Blad∣der,
and keeps the Lips from being wet;
they are placed on each side, just within the
Lips, they are two fleshy and soft Producti∣ons
beginning at the upper part of the Pri∣vities,
where they make that wrinkled
membranous Production, which cloaths the
Clitoris like a Fore-skin: They are in shape
and colour like the Thrils that hang under
a Cocks Throat, they have a red substance
partly Fleshy, partly Membranous; with∣in
Soft and Spongy, composed loosly of
small Membranes and Vessels, so that they
are very easily distended by the influx of the
Animal Spirits and Arterial Blood. They
are larger in grown Maids than in Young,
and grow larger upon the use of Venery,
and after the Bearing of Children; their use
is to defend the inner Parts, and to cover
the passage of the Urine, and a good part
of the Orifice of the Sheath in the upper
Page  61

part of the Privity. Betwixt the Nymphs
is placed the Clitoris; it answers to a Man's
Yard, in shape, situation, substance, erecti∣on,
and differs from it only in length and
bigness. Those that are called Hermo∣phrodites
have it so long and big, as to be
able to Converse with Women in the man∣ner
of Men. They are not of two Sexs as
is commonly reported, only their Stones
are placed in the Lips of the Privities, and
their Clitoris is preternaturally extended:
But in most it does not appear unless the
Lips are drawn aside: It is a little, long and
round Body, it lies under the fat of the
hill of Venus, and puffs up in Venery, and
straightening the Orifice of the Sheath
makes it embrace the Virile Member the
more closely: Its outward end is like the
Glans of a Men's Yard, and as the Glans
in Men is the seat of the greatest pleasure
in Copulation; so is this in Women:
There is as it were a hole in it, tho indeed
there is really no such thing, most of it is
covered with a thin Membrane from the
Conjunction of the Nymphs: It has two
pair of Muscles, the upper are round and
spring from the bones of the Hip; these by
straitening the roots of the Nervous Bodies,
that arise on each side from the bunching of
the Os Ischium detain the Blood and Spirits
in them, and so erect the Clitoris, even as
Page  62

those in Men do the Virile Member; the
other rise from the Sphincter of the Funda∣ment,
and these serve to straiten and nar∣row
the Orifice of the Sheath: It has Veins,
and Arteries, and Nerves, which are some∣what
large. In some Eastern Countries the
Clitoris is wont to be so large, that for its
deformity, and the hindrance it causes in
Copulation, they used to cut it quite out,
or to sear it, to hinder its growth.

The Sheath is so call'd because it receives
the Virile Member like a sheath, it is soft
and loose, uneven and wrinkly, of a ner∣vous
but somewhat spongy Substance,
which is puft up in Copulation to embrace
the Yard the better: Its about seven fin∣gers
breadth long, and as wide as the
strait Gut; but the length and width
differ in respect of Age, and as the Woman
is more or less provoked to Copulation:
The wrinkles are much more numerous and
close in Virgins, than in those that have
Born many Children, and in Whores that
use frequent Copulation, and in Women
that have had the Whites a long while.

It has very many Arteries and Veins,
some whereof inosculate one with another,
and others not. By the Arteries that open
into it, the Courses sometimes flow in
Women with Child, that are full of Blood.
These Vessels bring plenty of Blood to it
Page  63

in Copulation, which by heating and puf∣fing
up the Sheath increases the pleasure,
and hinders the Man's Seed from cooling,
before it is conveyed to the Womb. All
along the Sheath there are abundance of
Pores, from whence a thin Humour always
flows, especially in Copulation, and in∣creases
the pleasure of the Woman, and is
that which is supposed to be her Seed. Near
its outer end, under the Nymphs, in its
upper part, it receives the Neck of the
Bladder. In Virgins its passage is so narrow,
that at their first Conversation with a Man,
they have commonly more pain than plea∣sure,
by reason of the extension of it by the
Virile Member, which breaks some small
Vessels, from whence Blood issues.

The Hymen is a thin nervous Mem∣brane,
interwoven with fleshy Fibres, and
endowed with many little Arteries, and
Veins, behind the insertion of the Neck of
the Bladder, with a hole in the midst, that
will admit the top of ones little finger,
whereby the Courses flow, it is also called
the Girdle of Chastity. But it is broken
and bleeds at the first Copulation, and ne∣ver
closes again. But tho' a Man when
he finds these signs of Virginity, may cer∣tainly
conclude he has Married a Maid;
yet if they are wanting, it does not neces∣sarily
follow that Virginity is wanting;
Page  64

for the Hymen may be corroded by sharp
Humours flowing through it with the Cour∣ses,
and from other Causes; or, if a Maid
be so indiscreet as to become a Bride while
her Courses flow, or within a Day after,
then the Hymen and the wrinkled Mem∣brane
of the Sheath are so relaxed, that the
Virile Member may enter without any ob∣struction,
and so give suspition of Uncha∣stity,
when there is really no occasion for
it. Sometimes in old Maids the Hymen is
so strong that it cannot be penetrated with∣out
difficulty; and in some it is naturally
quite closed up, and so their Courses are
stopt, which much endangers their Life; if
it be not opened with a Chirurgical Instru∣ment.

The Myrtle-berry Caruncles lie close to
the Hymen, the largest of 'em is uppermost,
standing just at the Mouth of the passage
of the Urine, which it shuts after making
water; opposite to this at the bottom of
the Sheath there is another, and in each side
one. But of these, there is only the first in
Maids, the other three being made by the
broken Hymen. These three when the
Sheath is extended disappear in Labour, and
cannot be seen till the Sheath is contracted
to its natural straitness.

The Sheath near its outer Orifice, has a
Sphincter Muscle about three fingers broad
Page  65

that contracts it as the case requires; and
therefore Men and Women need not doubt
but that their Genitals will be proportion∣able,
for the Sheath is so artificially made,
that it can suit with every Penis.

The Womb is seated in the lowest part of
the Belly, betwixt the Bladder and straight
Gut, its hindmost part is loose, that it
may be extended as the Child increases, but
its sides are tied fast by two pair of Liga∣ments.
Its substance is whitish, nervous,
and compact in Virgins, but a little spon∣gy
and soft in Women with Child. It has
two Membranes, the outer is strong and
double arising from the Peritoneum, the
inner being proper is Fibrous and more
Porous. Betwixt these Membranes, there
is a certain fleshy and fibrous contexture,
which in Women with Child, together
with the said Membranes, imbibes so much
of the nutritious Humours, that then flow
thither, that the more the Child increases,
the more fleshy, fibrous, and thick does the
Womb grow, so that in the last months it
is an inch thick, and some times two fin∣gers
breadth, tho' it be extended to so much
greater compass, than it has when a Wo∣man
is not with Child, and yet within three
weeks after Delivery it is as thin as before,
and contracts so wonderfully, that it may
be held in ones hand. In Virgins it is a∣bout
Page  66

two fingers breadth broad, and three
long; in those that have Copulated, it is
a little bigger, it is like a Pear, only a lit∣tle
flattish above and below, but in Women
with Child it becomes more round. In
Maids its cavity is so small, that it will hard∣ly
contain a large Hazel-nut; it is divided
be a Line that goes length-ways, much like
that in a Man's Cod. Its Arteries spring
partly from the Spermatick and Hypoga∣strick;
they run along the Womb, bending
and winding, that they may be extended
without danger of breaking, when the
Womb is stretched with the Child. The
monthly Courses flow by these Arteries in
greatest quantity into the Womb it self:
But in less quantity by the Branches that
open into the Neck of the Womb, and a
small quantity of the Courses come out of
the Sheath. It is much disputed what is the
reason of the Courses, whether they flow
by reason of too great quantity of Blood,
or whether at set times; there is also a
fermentation of the Blood, which opens the
orifices of the Arteries: But it is most
probable that it proceeds from a fermenta∣tion
at appointed times, for if a Woman
feeds high and so breeds much Blood, the
Courses flow never the sooner, tho' per∣haps
they may be in a greater quantity; and
if she use the greatest abstinence and spare∣ness
Page  67

of Diet, they will not be the longer
before they come, so that when through
such effervency the Blood flows plentifully
into the Vessels of the Womb, and the Veins
of the Womb are not able to carry it all
back again by Circulation, it flows out of
the extremities of the Arteries so long, till
the too great quantity of the Blood is les∣sened,
and the fermentation ceases, which it
does usually after three or four days. The
Courses seldom flow in Women with Child,
and the wanting of them is their first item
of having Conceived.

The Veins spring from the Preparantes,
and from the Epigastrick, the Nerves from
the greatest plexus of the mesentery of the
Intercostal Pair, and from the lowest plex∣us
of the same, and also from the Nerves
of the Os Sacrum, and the same run also to
the Testes or Ovaria. These plexus of
Nerves are chiefly affected in Hysterick Fits,
and are Convulsive, and often happen when
the Womb is not at all in fault; and the
Ball that seems to rise from the bottom of
the Belly in these Fits, and to beat strongly
about the Navel, which is usually supposed
to be the rising of the Womb, is nothing
but a Convulsion of these Nerves; for some
Men are troubled with the same Symp∣tom.

Page  68

The use of the Womb is to receive into
its capacity the principals of the formation
of the Fetus, to afford it nourishment, and
to preserve it from injuries, and at length
to expel it.

The neck of the Womb seems to be a
part of the Fundus, only it is much more
narrower, for its cavity is no wider in Vir∣gins
than a small Quill, and in Women
with Child its inner orifice does either quite
close its sides together, or is daubed up with
a slimy yellowish Humour, so that nothing
then can enter into the Womb. It has the
same Membranes, and the same Vessels
with the Womb.

Womens Testicles differ much from
Mens, their situation is within the Body, on
each side two fingers breadth from the bot∣tom
of the Womb, to the sides whereof
they are knit by a strong Ligament; they
are flat on the sides, in their lower part
oval; their Superficies is more rugged
and unequal, than in those of Men, they
differ in bigness, according to Age; in
those newly come to Maturity, they are
about half as big as those of Men, but
in such as are in Years, they are less
and harder, tho' they sometimes grow
preternaturally to a vast bigness, for seve∣ral
Quarts of Liquor has been found con∣tained
in them, in a Dropsie of the Womb;
Page  69

they have but one Membrane that encom∣passes
them round; but on their upper side
where the preparing Vessels enter them,
they are about half way involved in ano∣ther
Membrane that accompanies those
Vessels, and springs from the Peritoneum;
when this cover is removed, their substance
appears whitish, but is wholly different from
Mens Testicles; for Mens are composed of
Seminary Vessels, which being continued to
one another are twenty or thirty Ells long, if
they could be drawn out at length without
breaking; but Womens do principally consist
of a great many Membranes and small Fibres,
loosly united to one another; among which
there are several little Bladders full of clear
water; the liquor contained in those Blad∣ders
has been always supposed by the fol∣lowers
of Hippocrates and Galen, to be Seed
stored up in them; but Dr. Harvey and
many Learned Physicians and Anatomists
suppose these little Bladders to contain no∣thing
of Seed, but that they are truly
Eggs, analogous to those of Fowl and o∣ther
Creatures, and that the Testicles so
called are not truly so, nor have any such
Office as those of Men, but are indeed an
Ovarium, wherein those Eggs are nourished
by the sanguinary Vessels dispersed through
them, and from whence one or more, as
they are fecundated by the Man's Seed, se∣parate,
Page  70

and are conveyed into the Womb by
the Tubae Falopianae: If you boyl these Eggs
their Liquor will have the same colour,
tast, and consistency with the white of Birds
Eggs, and they do not want shells, because
they are sufficiently defended by the Womb.
These Eggs in Women are commonly a∣bout
the number of twenty in each Testi∣cle,
whereof some are far less than o∣thers.

The Spermatick Vessels are of two sorts;
Arteries and Veins; the Arteries are two
as in Men. They spring from the great
Artery a little below the Emulgents (ve∣ry
rarely either of them from the Emul∣gent
it self) and pass down towards the
Testes, not by such a direct course as in
Men, but with much twirling and winding
among the Veins, with which they have
no inosculation, as has been generally said.
But for all their Winding, when they
are stretched out to their full length, they
are not so long as those of Men. The
Veins are two, arising as in Men, the right
from the Trunk of the Cava, a little below
the Emulgent, and the left from the Emul∣gent
it self, but they are much shorter
than in Men; both the Arteries and Veins
as they pass down are covered with one
common Coat from the Peritoneum, and
near the Testes they are divided into two
Page  71

Branches, the upper whereof is implanted
into the Testicle by a Triple-root, and
the other is subdivided below the Testes
into three twigs, one of which goes to
the bottom of the Womb, another to the
Tuba and round ligament, the third creep∣ing
by the side of the Womb, under its
common Membrane ends in its Neck,
where it is Woven with the Hypogastrick
Vessels like a net. By this way it is that
the Courses sometimes flow in Women
with Child, for the first Months, and not
out of the inner Cavity of the Womb.

The use of these Spermatick Vessels is
not to Minister to the Generation of Seed,
according to the Ancient Doctrine, but to
the Nutrition of the Eggs in the Ovaria
or Testes, according to the new, and to
the nourishment of the Fetus, and of the
solid parts, and the expurgation of the
Courses.

The carrying Vessels that go straight
from the Testes to the bottom of the
Womb, and were supposed to emit the
Seed from the Stones into the bottom of
the Womb, are accounted by de Graef only
Ligaments of the Testicles to keep them
in their place; for they come not to the
Inner Cavity of the VVomb. The Fallo∣pian
Tubes are very slender and narrow
Ducts, nervous and white, arising from
Page  72

the horns or sides of the VVomb, and at
a little distance from it they become lar∣ger,
and twist like the tendrel of a Vine,
till nearer their end, where ceasing their
winding they turn very large, and seem
membranous and fleshy, which end is very
much torn and jagged like rent Cloths,
and has a large Foramen, which lies
closed, because those jaggs fall together,
but it being opened, they are like the ut∣most
Orifice of a Brass Trumpet. These
Tubes, according to Dr. Harvey, are the
same in VVomen, that the horns of the
VVomb are in other creatures, for they
answer to those both in situation, connexi∣on,
amplitude, perforation, likeness, and
also Office. The capacity of these Ducts
varies very much; for in the beginning, as
it goes out of the VVomb, it only admits
a Bristle, but in its progress, where it is
largest, it will receive ones little finger;
but in the outmost extremity, where it is
divided into jaggs, it is but about a quar∣ter
so wide. They are very uncertain al∣so
in their length, for from four or five
they sometimes increase to eight or nine
fingers breadth long. Their use is in a
fruitful Copulation to grant a passage to
a more subtile part of the Masculine
Seed, or to a Seminal Air towards the
Testes to bedew the Eggs contained in
Page  73

them, which Eggs, one or more being by
that means fecundated, and dropping off
from the Testes, are received by the ex∣tremity
of the Tubes, and carried along
the inner Cavity to the Womb. But it
may be objected that the narrowness of
the Tubes are not fit for such a use; yet
•e that considers the straitness of the in∣ner
Orifice of the Womb, both in Maids
and in Women with Child, and yet ob∣serves
it to dilate so much upon occasion,
as to make way for the Birth of a Child,
cannot wonder that to serve a necessary
end of Nature, the small duct of the Tubes,
should be so far widened, as to allow pas∣sage
to an Egg, seeing its proportion to their
duct is many times less, than of the Child
to the usual largness of the said Orifice.

CHAP. XV.
Of Conception.
COnception is nothing else but an action
of the Womb, whereby the prolifie
Seeds of the Man and Woman are there
received and retained, that an Infant may
be engendered, and formed out of it.
Page  74

There are two sorts of Conception, the
one true, according to Nature, to which
succeeds the Generation of the Infant in
the Womb; the other false, as a false
Conception, Mole, or any other strange
Matter.

It is not absolutely necessary, that the
Mans Seed should be received, and retain∣ed
entire; for a small quantity of it may
be sufficient, nay a meer steam of it, to
impregnat.

Conception may be known by the more
than ordinary delight in the act, and
some few Months after, the Woman per∣ceives
a small pain about her Navel, and
some little Commotions in the bottom of
her belly. The inward Orifice of the
Womb is exactly closed, she longs for
strange things, she is often troubled with
Nauseating and Vomiting, her Courses are
stopt, the Navel starts, her Nipples are
very obscure or dark coloured, with a
yellowish circle round about, her eyes
are dejected and hollow, the Whites of
them dull and troubled, her Blood, when
she has Conceived some time, is always
bad; the Belly is flat: Yet it must be ac∣knowledged
that some of these signs are
also to be found upon an Obstruction of
the Courses in Virgins; wherefore judg∣ment
upon Conception must not be too
Page  75

positive, especially, when the Woman is
upon tryal for her life, for some upon
having their Courses have been judged not
with Child, and yet after Execution have
been found to be so.

The Infant moves it self manifestly a∣bout
the forth Month, sooner or later as
the Woman is strong or weak. Some Wo∣men
feel it from the second, others about
the third Month, and some before that
time. At the beginning, the first motions
are very small, but grow greater propor∣tionably,
as the Infant grows bigger and
stronger.

CHAP. XVI.
Of a Mole.
A Mole is deformed and useless Flesh
contained in the Womb, and is oc∣casioned
by the corrupted Seed of the Man
and Woman, for it is never generated
without the use of Copulation; it is co∣vered
with a Membrane and sticks to the
Womb, the longer it is retained in the
Womb the harder it grows, and is more
difficultly expelled: Most commonly there
is but one, yet sometimes more; when it
Page  76

is ejected in the second Month it's called
a false Conception.

It's difficult to distinguish a Mole, from
being with Child, for the Courses are stopt,
the Belly grows big by degrees, and the
Breasts are increased. But the first sign of
it is a leaden colour in the Face, the Belly
is harder and sorer than when a Woman
is with Child, and it is very troublesome
and painful to go with, and it falls on
whatsoever side she turns; there is a great
weariness in her Legs and Thighs, she
finds a great heaviness at the bottom of
her Belly, and her Urin is obstructed; but
it may be certainly known, if no motion
be felt after four or five Months, or when
her Reckoning is out. Some have a Mole
two or three Years, and sometimes much
longer.

As to the Cure, I shall speak only of that
part of it which may be performed by Me∣dicines,
for if it stick much to the bottom of
the Womb, or is very large, it will scarce
be expelled unless a Chyrurgeon extract
it.

Give the Woman a Spoonful of Syrup of
Mugwort Morning and Evening for three
days following, either by it self or mixt
with an Ounce of Penny-royal-water; after∣wards
Purge her every other day, or every
third day with the fetid Pill, two Scruples
Page  77

or a Dram may be taken at a time early in
the Morning, and let her sleep if she can
till they begin to work; let her be purged
in this manner five times.

Things that loosen must be also applied
frequently to the Womb to open the pas∣sages
likewise to the Belly, Groins, Loins,
and Hips, with Spunges and Flannels; the
following Fomentation is of excellent use.

Take of the leaves of Marsh-mallows and
Mallows each one handful, of the roots of
round and long Birthwort each one handful, of
the leaves of Mugwort, Mercury, Feverfew,
Sage, Hysop and Calaminth each half an
handful, of the Seeds of Flax, Marshmallows,
Fenugreek, Anise, Lovage, each half an Ounce,
of the Flowers of Camomile, Melilote, Rose∣mary,
Broom, Mugwort, each one Pugil, of
Bran one Pugil; hoyl them in a sufficient
quantity of Water to five quarts; add of Oyl
of Olives half a pint, of the Oyls of Camomile
and sweet Almonds each four Ounces, of the Oyl
of Lillies two Ounces; foment the parts as a∣bove
directed, and afterwards anoint them
with Ointment of Marshmallows.

Page  78
CHAP. XVII.
Of Superfoetation.
THere is a great dispute whether a Wo∣man,
who hath two or more Chil∣dren
at once, conceived of them at one
or several coitions: Some will have this
to be superfoetation; but there are signs
whereby we may know the difference, whe∣ther
both Children were begotten at once,
or successively one after another. Supefoe∣tation,
according to Hippocrates, is a rei∣terated
Conception, when a Woman be∣ing
already with Child conceives again the
second time. That which makes many be∣lieve,
that there can be no Superfoetation
is, because as soon as a Woman has Con∣ceived,
her Womb closes, and is exactly
firm, so that the Seed of the Man, absolute∣ly
necessary to Conception, finding no place
nor entry, cannot, as they say, be recei∣ved,
nor contained in it: But it may be
answered, that tho' the Womb be usually
exactly shut and close, when a Woman
has Conceived, yet it may be sometimes
opened to let pass some ferous slimy Excre∣ments,
or especially when a Woman is
much delighted in the act of Copulation.
Page  79

But this second Conception is very rare;
for we must not imagine, that when a Wo∣man
brings forth two or more Children
at once, there is a Superfoetation; because
they are almost always begot in the same
act, by the reception of abundance of Seed
into the Womb.

When a Woman brings forth one or
more Children at a Birth, begotten at
once, which are usually called Twins, it is
known by their being both almost of an
equal bigness and thickness, and by having
but one common after-birth, not separated
one from the other, but by their Mem∣branes:
But if there are several Children,
and a Superfoetation, they will not have a
common burthen, nor will they be of an
equal bigness.

To conclude, Of a hundred Women that
have Twins, ninety of them have but one
burthen common to them both, which is a
certain sign they had no Superfoetation.

Page  80
CHAP. XVIII.
Of the Womb-Cake, of the Membranes involving the Child, and of the Hu∣mours contain'd in them, of the um∣bilical Vessels, of the parts of a Child that differ from those of the adult.
THE Womb-Cake, otherwise called
the Womb-Liver, for the likeness of
substance, is soft, and has innumerable Fibres
and small Vessels; it is two Fingers breadth,
thick in its middle, but thinner near the
edges, and a quarter of a Yard over from
one side to the other, when the Infant is
near the Birth; on that side next the Foe∣tus,
it is smooth and something hollowish,
like Navelwort, and is knit to the Chori∣on;
but on that next the Womb, it is ve∣ry
unequal, having a great many bunchings,
whereby it sticks fast to the Womb.
VVhen there is but one Child in the Womb,
it is but one; but if there be Twins there
are two Womb-Cakes, and a particular
rope of Umbilical Vessels is inserted into
each from each Child; it grows not out of
the Womb originally, but its first rudi∣ments
appear like a woolly substance on
the outside of the outer Membrane that
Page  81

invests the Embrio called Chorion, about
the eighth or ninth Week, upon which in
a short while a red fleshly and soft substance
grows, but unequally and a little in knobs,
and then it presently thereby sticks to
the Womb, and is very conspicuous a∣bout
the twelfth or thirteenth Week, till
now the Infant is increased and nourished
wholly by the apposition of the Cristalline
or albugineous liquor, wherein it swims
loose in the inner Membrane, called Am∣nios,
having no Umbilical Vessels, where∣by
to receive any thing from the Womb-Cake.
But when it grows bigger, and
begins to want nourishment, the extremi∣ties
of the Umbilical Vessels begin to grow
out of the Navel by little and little, and
are extended towards the Womb-cake, that
they may draw out of it a more nourishing
juice, and carry it to the Infant, as Plants
do from the Earth by their roots. It has
Vessels from the Womb and from the
Chorion; the former are of four kinds,
Arteries, Veins, Nerves, and Lymphe∣ducts;
all which tho' they be very large,
and visible in the Womb, and also where
the Womb-Cake is joyned to it, yet they
send the smallest Capilaries to the Womb
it self. Those that come from the Cho∣rion
are Arteries and Veins. The Arteries
and Veins that come from the Womb,
Page  82

spring from the Hypogastricks, and also
that branch of the Supermaticks that is in∣certed
into the bottom of the Womb;
those that come from the Chorion are the
Umbilical Vessels of the Infant. The
Womb-Cake after it is joyned to the
Womb, sticks most firmly to it for the first
Months, as unripe Fruit does to the Tree,
but as the Infant becomes bigger and ri∣per,
and nearer to the Birth, by so much
the more easily will it part from the
Womb, and at length it falls out of the
Womb, and makes part of the After∣birth.

Next to the Womb-Cake follow the two
Membranes, viz. Chorion the outer, and
Amnios the inner, wherein the Child is
wrapt: Betwixt these two after the Child
is perfectly formed, there is a third, viz.
Allantois. The Chorion is pretty thick,
smooth on the inside, but without somewhat
unequal and rough, and in that part of it
which sticks to the Womb-cake, and by it
to the Womb, it has very many Vessels
which spring from the Womb it self and
the Umbilical Vessels. Twins are both
inclosed in one Chorion, but have each a
particular Amnios; it invests the Egg or∣riginally,
which Egg being brought to the
Womb, and becoming a Conception, this
Membrane imbibes the moisture that be∣dews
Page  83

the Womb plentifully at that time.
This Liquor that it imbibes, is thought
to be the Nutritious Juice that ouzes out of
the Capilary Orifices of the Hypogastrick
and Spermatick Arteries, and is of the
same nature with that which afterward is
separated in the Womb-cake, and carried
to the Infant by the Umbilical Vein; and
with that also which abounds in the Amnios
even till the Birth.

The Amnios is the inmost Membrane
that immediately contains the Child; it is
not knit to the Chorion in any place save
where the Umbilical Vessels pass through
them both into the Womb-cake; it is ve∣ry
thin, soft, smooth, and pellucid, and
encompasses the Infant very loosly, it has
Vessels from the same Origins as the Chori∣on.
From a limpid Liquor contained in
this Membrane, the first lineaments of the
Embrio are drawn. But because this Li∣quor
is so very little, there sweats through
this Membrane presently part of that Nu∣tritious
Albugineous Humour that is con∣tained
in the Chorion, which it had imbi∣bed
out of the Womb, and by the addition
of this Humour to the undiscernible Ru∣diments
of the Embrio, it receives its in∣crease.
But tho' the Amnios have its ad∣ditional
Nutricious Liquor at first only by
Transudation, yet when the Umbilical
Page  84

Vessels, and the Womb-cakes are formed, it
receives it after another manner, for then
being separated from the Mothers Arteries
by the Placenta, and imbibed by the Um∣bilical
Veins of the Infant passes directly to
its Heart, from whence being driven a
great part of it down the Aorta, it is sent
forth again by the Umbilical Arteries, out
of whose Capillaries dispersed plentifully
through the Amnios, it issues into its cavi∣ty.
A third Membrane which invests the
whole Infant is the Allantoides; it has the
same Figure as the Chorion and Amnios,
betwixt which it is placed in their whole
circumference. Now, tho' it must be sup∣posed
that this as well as the other two is
originally in the Egg, yet there is no ap∣pearance
of it, till after the Umbilical
Vessels and the Womb-cake are formed,
and the albugineous Liquor ceases to be im∣bibed
by the Chorion out of the Uterus; but
as soon as the Infant begins to be nourished
by the Umbilical Vessels, and the Urachus is
permeable, then presently this Membrane
begins to shew it self, containing a very
thin Liquor, which is the Urine of the In∣fant
brought into it by the Urachus, and
wherewith it is filled daily more and more
till the Birth: It may be known from the
Chorion and Amnios by this, that they have
numerous Vessels dispersed through them;
Page  85

but this has not the least visible Vein or Ar∣tery;
it is very hard to separate the Cho∣rion
from it, but towards the Birth it be∣comes
so turgid with Urine, that the Amni∣os
which immediately contains the Infant,
swims 〈◊◊〉 Liquor that it contains
is the Urine 〈◊◊〉 brought hither
by the 〈◊◊〉 soon as the In∣fant
is perfect 〈…〉, its Kidneys must
needs perform 〈…〉 Office of separating
the Serum from the Blood, for otherwise
it would be affected with an Ansarca; I
say, the Serum is separated in the Kidneys,
and glides down from thence into the Blad∣der,
wherein there is a pretty large quan∣tity
when the Infant is five or six months
old: Now it flows not out of the Bladder by
its orifice, because at that time the Sphincter
is too contracted and narrow, and if it
should pass that way, it would mix with
the nourishing juice wherein the Infant
swims in the Amnios, and wherewith by
taking it in by its mouth, it is partly nou∣rished,
and so would defile and corrupt it.
Nature therefore has provided it another
passage by the Urachus inserted into the
bottom of the Bladder, which tho it grows
solid like a Ligament after the Child is
Born, as the umbilical Vein does, yet
while the Infant is in the Womb, it is open
and conveighs the Urine into the Allantoi∣des,
Page  86

that is placed betwixt the Chorion
and Amnios, where it is collected and pre∣served
till the Birth.

The Naval-string is membraneous, wrea∣thed,
and unequal, and arises from the Na∣vel;
it reaches to the Womb-cake; it is a∣bout
half an Ell long, and a finger thick,
The Vessels contained in this string, and
covered with the common coat called Funi∣culus
are four, one Vein, two Arteries,
and the Urachus; the Vein is larger than the
Aretries, and arises from the Liver of the
Infant at the trunk of the Vena porta, and
from thence passing out of the Navel it
runs along the Funiculus to the Womb-cake,
into which it is implanted by innu∣merable
Roots; but before it reaches it,
it sends some little twigs into the Amnios.
The umbilical Vein serves for conveying to
the Infant the nutricious juice separated in
the Womb-cake from the Mothers Arte∣ries;
but together with this juice returns
so much of the Arterial blood, that comes
from the Infant, as is not spent upon the
nourishment of the Womb-cake, or of the
Chorion and Amnios.

In the Funiculus are included also two
Arteries, which are not both of them to∣gether
so big as the Vein; they spring out
of the inner Iliacal branches of the great Ar∣tery,
and passing by the sides of the Blad∣der,
Page  87

they rise up to the Navel, out of
which they are conducted to the Womb-cake,
in the same common cover with the
Vein and Urachus wherewith they are twi∣ned
and wreathed like a Rope. Spirituous
blood is driven from the Infant by the bea∣ting
of its Heart to the Womb-cake, and
the Membranes, for nourishment, from
which, what Blood remains circulates back
again to the umbilical Vein together with
nutricious juice, imbibed afresh by its Ca∣pillaries
dispersed in the Womb-cake. But
besides Arterial Blood, there flows out of
the Navel by them part of the Nutricious
juice, that was imported by the umbilical
Vein, I say flows out by these Arteries, which
by their branches, that are dispersed
through the Amnios, discharge it by their
little mouths into it. The fourth Umbili∣cal
Vessel is the Urachus, or Urinary Vessel,
it is a small, membranous, round Pipe indu∣ed
with a straight cavity arising from the
bottom of the Bladder up to the Navel;
out of which it passes along within the com∣mon
cover and opens into the Allantoides.
These four Vessels, as has been said above,
have one common cover, which also keeps
each of them from touching the other; it is
called Funiculus; it is membranous, round
and hollow, indifferent thick, consisting of
a double coat, the inner from the Perito∣neum,
Page  88

and the outer from the Paniculus
carnosus. It has several knots, which Dr.
Wharton thinks are little Glands, through
which the nutricious juice distills out of the
capacity of the Funiculus into the cavity of
the Amnios.

Midwives guess by their number how
many more Children the Mother shall have,
but without reason. When the Infant is
Born, its Navel-rope is wont to be tyed a∣bout
one or two fingers breadth from the
Navel, with a strong Thread cast about it
several times, and then about two or three
fingers breadth beyond the Ligature to be
cut off; what is not cut off is suffered
to remain till it drop off of its own ac∣cord.

As to the way how the Infant is nouri∣shed
there has been great Disputes, some
affirm by Blood only, and that received by
the Umbilical Vein, others by Chile only
received in by the Mouth; but indeed ac∣cording
to the different degrees of Perfecti∣on,
that an Egg passes from Conception to
an Infant ready for the Birth, it is nouri∣shed
variously. For, First, As soon as an
Egg Impregnated descends into the Womb,
it presently imbibes through its outer
Membrane some of that albugineous Liquor,
that at this time plentifully bedews the in∣ternal
Superfices of the Womb, so that as
Page  89

soon as the first Lineaments of an Embryo
begin to be drawn, out of that Humour
contained in the Amnios, they presently re∣ceive
increase by the apposition of the
said Liquor filtrated out of the Chorion
through the Amnios into its cavity; and
this same Liquor, that thus increases the
first rudiments of the Embryo, Dr. Harvey
calls Coliquamentum. But when the parts
of the Embryo begin to be a little more
perfect, and the Chorion becomes so dense,
that not any more of the said Liquor is im∣bibed
by it, the Umbilical Vessels begin to
be formed, and to extend to the side of the
Amnios which they penetrate, and both
the Vein and Arteries pass also through the
Allantois and Chorion, and are implanted
into the Womb-Cake, that at this time,
first gathering upon the Chorion joins it
to the Womb; and now the Hypogastrick
and Spermatick Arteries, that before cast
the nutricious Juice into the cavity of the
Womb, open by the orifices into the
Womb-cake, where they deposite the said
juice, which is absorded by the Umbilical
Vein, and by it conveyed, first to the Li∣ver,
then to the Heart of the Infant, where
the thinner and the more spirituous part of
it is turn'd into Blood; but the more gross
and earthy part of it descending by the
Aorta enters the Umbilical Arteries, and
Page  90

by those branches of them, that run
through the Amnios, is discharged into
its cavity.

The grosser nutricious Juice being depo∣sited
by the Umbilical Arteries in the Amni∣os,
as soon as the Mouth, Gullet, and Sto∣mach,
and the like are formed so perfectly,
that the Foetus can swallow, it sucks in some
of the said Juice, which descending into
the Stomach and Intestines, is received by
the Lacteal Veins, as in grown Persons.
The Infant therefore is nourished three se∣veral
ways, but only by one Humour: First,
by apposition of it, while it is yet an im∣perfect
Embrio, and has not the Umbilical
Vessels formed: But after these are per∣fected,
it then receives the same nutricious
Juice by the Umbilical Vein, the more Spi∣rituous
and thin part whereof it changes
into Blood, and sends forth the grosser part
by the Umbilical Artery into the Amnios,
which the Infant sucks in at its Mouth,
and undergoing a new Concoction in its
stomach, is received out of the Intestines
by the Lacteal Veins, as is done after the
birth.

A Child in the Womb differs from an
adult Person in many parts, the parts are
less, the colour of the whole reddish, the
Bones soft, and many of them gristly and
flexible in the Head: There are several
Page  91

differences: First, the Head, in respect to
the proportion of the rest of the Body,
is bigger, the Crown is not covered with
Bone, but only with a Membrane; the
Bone of the Forehead is divided, as also
of the under Jaw, and the Os Cuneiforme
is divided into four. The Bone of the
hinder part of the Head is distinguished
into three, four or five Bones. The Brain
is softer, and more fluid, and the Nerves
very soft. The Bones that serve the Sense
of Hearing are wonderfully hard and big;
the Teeth lie hid in the little holes of
the Jaw-bone; the Dugs swell, and out of
them in Infants new born, whether Male
or Female, a serous Milk issues forth
sometimes of its own accord, and some∣times
with a gentle pressure: The Ver∣tebrae
of the Back want their spinous pro∣cesses,
and each of them made of three
distinct Bones: The Heart is remarkably
big, and its Auriculae large: There are
two Unions of the greater Vessels, that are
not conspicuous in grown Persons: First,
the Foramen ovale, by which there is a pas∣sage
open, out of the Cava into the Vein
of the Lungs, just as each of them are o∣pening,
the first into the right Ventricle,
and the latter into the left Ventricle of the
Heart, and this Foramen, just as it opens
into the Vein of the Lungs has a Valve
Page  92

that hinders any thing from returning out
of the said Vein into the Foramen: Se∣condly,
the Arterial Channel, which two
fingers breadth from the Basis of the Heart
joyns the Artery of the Lungs to the Aorta;
it has a pretty lage Cavity, and ascends a
little obliquely from the said Artery to
the Aorta, into which it conveys the
Blood, that was driven into the Artery of
the Lungs, out of the right Ventricle of
the Heart, so that it never comes into the
left Ventricle, as the Blood that is sent
out of the left Venticle into the Aorta ne∣ver
came in the right, except a little that
is returned from the nutrition of the Lungs,
but past immediately into it out of the
Vena Cava by the Foramen ovale, so that
the Blood passes not through both the Ven∣tricles,
as it does after the Child is born.
You may know whether Infants killed by
Whores, and which they commonly affirm
were still-born, were really so or no, by
putting the Lungs of the Infant in Water;
for if they were still-born the Lungs will
sink, if alive, so as to breath never so lit∣tle
while, they will swim. The Gland
Thymus is very large, and consists as it
were of three Glands; the Umbilical Ves∣sels
go out of the Abdomen; the Stomach
is narrower, but pretty full of a whitish
liquor: The Caul is scarce visible, the
Page  93

Guts are seventimes longer than the Body;
the Excrements in the small Guts are fleg∣matick
and yellow, but in the thick some∣what
hard and blackish, sometimes green∣ish;
the Caecum is larger than usual, and
often fill'd with Faeces: the Liver is very
large, and extends it self into the left side,
and covers all the upper part of the Sto∣mach,
it has a passage, which is not in
grown Persons, called the Veiny Channel,
which arising out of the Sinus of the Porta,
carries the greatest part of what is brought
by the Umbilical Vein directly, and in a
full stream into the Cava above the Liver:
But this passage presently closes, as soon
as the Infant is born, and turns to a liga∣ment,
as doth the Urachus and the two
Umbilical Arteries. The Spleen is small;
the Gall-bladder is full of yellow or green
Choler; the Sweet-bread is very large and
white; the Kidneys are bigger and unequal
in their Superficies; the Renes Succentu∣riati
are exceeding large; the Ureters
are wide, and the Bladder stretched with
Urine; in Females the VVomb is depressed,
the Tubes long, and the Testes very large;
the little Bones of the VVrists and Instep
are gristly, and not firmly joyned toge∣ther.

Its Knees are drawn up to the Belly,
its Legs bending backwards, its Feet across,
Page  94

and its Hands lifted up to its head, one of
which it holds to the Temple or Ear, the
other to the Cheek, where there are white
spots on the Skin, as if it had been rub∣bed
upon; the Back-bone turns round,
the Head hanging down towards its Knees,
its Face commonly towards the Mothers
Back; but near the birth, sometimes a
VVeek or two before, it alters its situati∣on,
and tumbles down with its Head to
the Neck of the VVomb, and its Feet up∣wards;
then the VVomb also settles down∣wards,
and its Orifice relaxes, and opens;
and the Infant moving up and down tears
the Membrans wherein it is included, and the
waters flowing into the Sheath; but some∣times
the Membranes come forth whole; at
the same time the neighbouring parts are
loosened and become fit for distension, and
the Bones near are so much relaxed in their
Joynts, that they make way for the Infant,
and the motion of it so much disturbs the
VVomb, that the Fibres of it and the Mus∣cles
of the Belly contract altogether to ex∣pel
it.

Page  95
CHAP. XIX.
Of the Management of a Woman with Child.
THE Woman ought to be kept in a
good moderate and clear Air, and she
must Eat what she likes best, and be sure
not to Fast too long; only she must observe
not to eat too much at a time; and to com∣fort
the Stomach, which is always weak in
this condition, she may Drink a little
Wine, or for want of it strong Beer at
Meals. As to Sleep, a Woman with Child
requires more sleep than she does at other
times. As to Exercise and Rest, she must
order her self according to the different
times; for at the beginning she ought to
keep her self quiet, and not to use Copula∣tion:
Riding on Horse-back, or in a Wag∣gon,
or indeed in a Coach is not safe at a∣ny
time of her being with Child, especial∣ly
when she is near her time, for such Exer∣cises
often cause Miscarriage. But she
may Walk gently, or be carried in a Chair.
She must not carry or lift heavy Burdens,
or lift up her Arms too high, and there∣fore
ought not to dress her own Head. Let
her Exercise be gentle walking in low-heel'd
Page  96

Shoes; but she had better Rest too much
than Exercise too much, for more hard La∣bours
are occasioned by violent Exercise
than by any other thing. Moreover, it is
convenient that the Woman should abstain
from Copulation the last two months, for
the Body is very much moved, and the Bel∣ly
compressed in the action, which causes
the Child to take a wrong posture.

If the Belly be bound, as it is often at
this time, Prunes stewed, or Veal Broath
may be often used, or the following Glister
may be used.

Boyl an Handful of Mallow Leaves, in
three quarters of a Pint of Milk, let the Milk
just boyl up, add to it two Ounces of brown
Sugar, and a little fresh Butter, strain it for
use.

She must moderate her Passions, and great
care must be taken that she be not Frighted,
and that Melancholy News be not sudden∣ly
told her, but you must endeavour to
keep her as chearful as possibly you can, the
sudden surprizes of joy must be also avoid∣ed,
for excesses on either hand are preju∣dicial.
The Cloaths of a Woman with
Child should sit easie, for any immoderate
pressure is apt to make the Child deform∣ed,
and hurts the Breasts, and very often
causes miscarriage. Unnecessary Bleeding
must be avoided, so must all strong Purges
Page  97

but if Purging is requisite, only such things
as Purge gently must be used, as Cassia,
Rubarb, and Manna. The Cassia is best
sucked out of the Canes, the Rubarb may
be chewed, and an Ounce and a half or
two Ounces of Manna may be dissolved in
Posset-drink, and used upon occasion in the
Morning.

Vomiting often afflicts Women with
Child, but if it be moderate and at the
beginning and without great straining it is
beneficial; if it continues longer than the
third or fourth Month it ought to be reme∣died;
in order to which let the Woman
use good food, and a little at a time, and
let her use with her meat the juice of Oran∣ges,
she may eat now and then Broth mix∣ed
with the yolk of an Egg, for it's very
nourishing and of easie digestion, and after
meals let her eat a little Marmalade of
Quinces, and she may drink a Glass of Cla∣ret;
she must forbear fat meat and Sauces,
and sweet and sugar'd Sauces. But if the
Vomiting continues notwithstanding this
regular Diet till the Woman is above half
gon, she must take the following Purge.

Take of Tamarinds half an Ounce, of Sena
one Dram, of Rubarb one Dram and an half,
boyl them in a sufficient quantity of water, in
three Ounces of the strained Liquor dissolve an
Ounce of Manna, and an Ounce of Syrup of
Page  98

Succory with Rubarb; make a purging potion
to be taken in the Morning. It may be repeated
once or oftener upon occasion.

And it may be proper for the Woman in
the Winter time to were a Lambskin or
the like upon her Stomach and Belly.

If pains of the Back, Reins and Hips are
violent, the Woman must be blooded, and
take at bed-time sixteen drops of the Liquid
Laudanum mentioned at the latter end of
the Chapter of Hysteric Diseases in a glass
of Canary Wine, or in any thing else she
likes, and she must keep her Bed till the
pain abates; if the pain is continual, the
Belly must be supported with a Swaith fit∣ted
for the purpose.

If after the third or fourth Month the
Breasts are very painful, 'tis convenient
the Woman shou'd bleed in the Arm, if
she be full of blood, and use a Diet that is
moderately cooling and nourishing; but if
the pain comes at the beginning, we ought
to leave the whole business to nature, only
the Woman must have a care that she re∣ceives
no blows on those parts, nor must
she be strait laced, for fear the Breasts
shou'd impostumate.

If incontinence or difficulty of Urin be
occasion'd by the weight and bigness of the
Belly, the Woman may remedy it, and
ease her self, if when she wou'd make wa∣ter,
Page  99

she lift up with both her hands the
bottom of her Belly, or she may wear a
large Swaith fitted for this use, to bear up
the Belly, but the best way is to keep her
in Bed.

If a sharpness of Urin causes an Inflam∣mation
on the Neck of the Bladder, it may
be appeased by a regular cooling Diet, and
emulsions of the cold Seeds used Morning
and Evening.

Take of blanched Almonds number twelve,
of the four greater cold Seeds each one Dram
and an half, of the Seeds of Lettice and white
Poppies each half a Dram, beat them in a
Marble Mortar, and pour on them gently three
quarters of a pint of Poppy Water, make an
emulsion for two doses, add one Ounce of Sy∣rup
of Violets and half a Dram of Sal Prunella.

If the Inflammation and Sharpness of
Urine be not removed by the things above-mention'd,
a little Blood may be taken
from the Arm, and the neck of the Blad∣der
may be bathed with the following De∣coction,
with Flannels dipt in it and pressed
out.

Take of the roots of Marsh-mallows one
Ounce, of the Leaves of Mallows, Marsh-mal∣lows,
Pellitory, and Violets, each one handful,
of the Flowers of Melilote one handful, of the
Seeds of Flax and Fenugreek each two Drams,
boyl them in a sufficient quantity of Water to a
pint and half.

Page  100

But if the Woman notwithstanding she
observes these directions cannot make wa∣ter,
it must be drawn out with a Catheter
by an Artist.

If the Woman be troubled with a vio∣lent
Cough she must be blooded in the Arm
at any time of her being with Child, for
this is apt to occasion miscarriage, and all
salted and spiced meat and sharp things
must be forborn. She may now and then
use juice of Liquorish, Sugar Candy, and
Syrup of Violets, and if the Body be bound
a Glister of Milk and Sugar may be inject∣ed.
The following Syrup is very proper
in this case.

Take half a pint of Claret Wine, one Dram
of Cinnamon, half a Dozen Cloves, and four
Ounces of Sugar, burn the Wine, and boyl it
to the consistence of a Syrup, whereof let the
Woman take three spoonfuls at Bedtime.

The Woman must go loose in her
Clothes, and if the Rheum be very thin,
and the Cough tickles much, Sixteen drops
of the Liquid Laudanum mentioned in the
Chapter of Hysteric Diseases must be now
and then taken at bedtime in some liquor
she uses to drink.

If the Legs and Thighs swell and are
painful, they must be swaithed with a
Swaith three or four Fingers broad, begin∣ning
to swaith from the bottom; but in
Page  101

this case 'tis best for the Woman to be
kept in Bed; if there be signs of fulness of
blood, she must be blooded in the Arm.

If the big bellied Woman be troubled
with the Piles, and abound with Blood,
she must be blooded in the Arm, and if her
Body is Costive, the emollient Glyster men∣tioned
above must be used, and afterwards
to ease the Pain they must be anointed oft∣en
with Populean Ointment mixt with a
few Grains of Opium: For instance,

Take of Populean Ointment one Dram, of
Opium five Grains, beat them well together in
a Mortar, and anoint the Piles with it twice or
thrice a day.

But if the Inflammation and the swel∣ling
are much, you must apply Leeches to
the part affected, and let her keep her
Bed.

If the Piles bleed of themselves immo∣derately
(for if the Flux be moderate at
this time the Woman being full of Blood
she may be relieved thereby) a cooling and
thickening course of Diet must be order'd,
as three parts of Fountain water, and one
of Milk boyl'd together and drank cold,
roasted Apples, Barly-broths, and the like,
also thickning and cooling Juleps and Emul∣sions.

Take of the Waters of Plantain and Cinna∣mon
hordeated each four Ounces, of distilled
Page  102

Vinegar half an Ounce, of True-bole and Dra∣gons-blood
each half a Dram, of the Liquid
Laudanum mentioned in the Chapter of Hysteric
Fits thirty drops, of Syrup of Myrtles one
Ounce and an half, mix them and make a Ju∣lep,
let her take four or five Spoonfuls every
night at Bed-time.

Take of the four greater cold Seeds, each
one Dram and an half, of sweet Almonds num∣ber
four, of the Seeds of white Poppies two
Drams, Plantain Water eight Ounces, of red
Poppy Water four Ounces, of Cinnamon Water
hordeated one Ounce and an half, make an
Emulsion, to which add three Drams of pearled
Sugar, and half an Ounce of the Juice of Cevil
Orange, mingle them, let her take four Ounces
thrice a day.

Bleeding in the Arm is also proper in
this case to turn the Flux.

If a loosness comes upon a Woman with
Child, and continues above five days, she
must use Food of easie digestion and little
at a time, and let her Drink be Claret
Wine mixt with Water, wherein Iron has
been quenched, and now and then Milk
boyl'd with thrice the quantity of Water,
or the white Decoction made in the follow∣ing
manner.

Take of Calcined Harts-horn powder'd two
Ounces, of Fountain water two quarts, boyl it
till half is consumed, strain it gently through
Page  103

a linnen rag, and add to it three Ounces of
Syrup of Quinces.

And before Meals she may eat a little
Marmalade of Quinces. But note, that
before she uses these astringents, it will be
convenient to purge off the ill humours with
the following Potion.

Take of Rubarb one Dram and a half, of
Sena two Drams, boyl them in a sufficient
quantity of Water, to three Ounces of strain'd
Liquor, add one Ounce of Syrup of Succory
with Rubarb, and two Drams of Cinnamon-water.
Let it be taken in the Morning.

But if the Loosness turn to the Bloody-flux,
the case is very dangerous, and there∣fore
after the use of the purging Potion
above mention'd, if the Woman has
strength enough to bear it, you must im∣mediately
give sixteen drops of the Liquid
Laudanum so often mentioned in this Trea∣tise,
in two or three Spoonfuls of Cinna∣mon-water
hordeated or the like, which
must be repeated every night at bedtime,
and in the Morning too, if the Flux con∣tinue
violent, and to keep up the strength
four or five Spoonfuls of the following Ju∣lep
may be taken often.

Take of the Waters of Black-cherries and
Strawberries each four Ounces, of Epidemic
water and Compound Scordium-water, and of
Cinnamon-water hordeated each one Ounce, of
Page  104

Pearls prepared one Dram and an half, of
Chrystaline Sugar a Sufficient quantity, make
a Julep.

The VVomans Drink in this case must be
the Milk water, or the white Decoction
above described, and when she is very
weak, she may take for her ordinary Drink,
a quart of Fountain water boyl'd with half
a pint of Sack; and she may eat sometimes
Panada, and sometimes Broth made of lean
Mutton, and she must be kept in Bed:
Moreover a Glister made of half a pint of
Cows Milk, and an Ounce and an half of
Venice-treacle must be injected daily.

If the VVoman has her Courses after
the fourth or fifth Month of her being with
Child (for some VVomen have them till the
Fifth Month, without any manner of pre∣judice
to themselves or their Children)
you must endeavour to stop them then, and
before too if you suppose they slow by
reason of the heat and acrimony of the
Blood, or the weakness of the Vessels, and
not from an abundance of Blood, which
may be known by her having her Courses
much when she was not with Child.

To stop this Flux, the VVoman must be
kept in bed, and forbear all things that
may heat the Blood, especially anger; she
must use a strengthening and cooling Diet,
feeding on Meat that breeds good blood
Page  105

and thickens it, as Broths made of Poul∣try,
Necks of Mutton, Knuckles of Veal,
wherein may be boyl'd cooling Herbs; she
may eat new lay'd Eggs, Gellies, Rice-milk,
Barly-broth, and the like, and Iron
must be quenched in her Beer, and she must
forbear Copulation, and the Belly must be
bathed about the region of the VVomb with
Tent, wherein Pomegranate-peel, Pro∣vence
Roses and Cinnamon has been boyl'd.

But if the VVoman be taken with Flood∣ing,
the case is extreamly hazardous, and
if it continues violent, she must be deli∣ver'd
without delay, for otherwise death
will necessarily follow: Yet it is to be no∣ted,
that it must not be done presently as
soon as the Flux is perceived, because some
small Floodings have been sometimes sup∣pressed
by keeping quiet in bed, by bleed∣ing
in the Arm, and the use of Remedies
above mention'd: If therefore the Blood
flows, but in a small quantity, and conti∣nues
but a little while, she must not be de∣livered;
but if it flows in so great abun∣dance
that she falls into Convulsions and
Faintings, the Operation must not be de∣ferred,
whether she has pains and throws
or not.

And because in Floodings, weakness and
faintings ever follow, we must endeavour
to preserve that little strength the VVo∣man
Page  106

has left, and to increase it if possible,
that so she may be able to bear the Opera∣tion;
to which purpose there ought to be
given her from time to time good strength∣ening
Broths, Gellies, and a little good
VVine, she must always smell to Vinegar,
and have a warm toast dipt in VVine and
Cinnamon appli'd to the region of her heart,
which do her more good than solid Food,
and to prevent the Blood from flooding in
great abundance before she can be deliver∣ed,
a Vein in her Arm may be open'd to
turn the course of it, and Napkins dipt
in VVater and Vinegar may be apply'd all
along her Reins.

If the Woman be troubled with a bear∣ing
down of the Womb, her best way is
to keep in Bed; but if she cannot conve∣niently
do so, she must wear a broad
Swaith to keep up her Belly; but if the
bearing down proceeds from humours that
relax the Ligaments of the VVomb, she
must be kept to a drying Diet, her Food
being rather roasted than boyl'd, and must
refrain from Copulation and must not be
strait Laced.

If the lips of the Privities are much
swelled, by reason of watery humours fal∣ling
upon them, you must scarifie with a
Lancet all along the Lips, that the hu∣mours
may distil out, and you must fo∣ment
Page  107

the Parts with the following De∣coction.

Take of the leaves of Bays, Sage, Rosemary,
and of the Flowers of Camomile each one hand∣ful,
boyl them in a Sufficient quantity of Foun∣tain
water; to a pint and half of the strain'd
Liquor, add a quarter of a pint of Brandy,
and bath the parts affected often with a Spunge
dipt in the hot Liquor.

CHAP. XX.
Of Miscarriage.
TO prevent Miscarriage, all indisposi∣tions
of the Body which are wont
to occasion it must be removed, as fulness
of Blood, ill humours, and peculiar Di∣seases
of the VVomb, as Swellings, Ulcers
and the like.

Fulness of Blood opens the Veins of the
VVomb, or Strangles the Infant, and there∣fore
the VVoman must be Blooded, and so
much Blood must be taken away, as will
sufficiently discharge nature.

If an ill habit of body and ill humours
are the cause of Miscarriage, the VVoman
must be frequently purged, and a small
Page  108

quantity of Blood may be taken away, and
betwixt the Purges, such things must be
used as correct the indisposition of the
Bowels, and the sharpness of the humours,
and the humours must be thickened if they
are too thin. And if Flegmatick humours
abound, they must be carried off by Sweats
and such things as force Urin: Issues in
the Arms and Thighs are also very proper
to prevent Miscarriage, whatever ill hu∣mours
abound in the body.

The peculiar Diseases of the VVomb, as
over great Moisture, Swellings, Ulcers,
and such like, must be cured by their pro∣per
Remedies: And first, if Moisture a∣bound,
let the Woman be purged with
two Scruples of the Pill Coch-major twice
a week, and when she does not Purge, let
her drink Morning and Evening of the fol∣lowing
Decoction.

Take of the roots of Sarsaparilla four Oun∣ces,
of China two Ounces, of white and red
Sanders each half an Ounce, of the rasping of
Harts-horn and Ivory each three Drams, in∣fuse
them, and boyl them in eight pints of
Fountain water till half is consumed; add a
quarter of pound of Raisins of the Sun, and
if the Woman be of a Flegmatick constitution,
instead of China, add two Ounces of Guia∣cum
rasped. Let her drink half a pint Morn∣ing
and Evening.

Page  109

Take of Franckincense, Myrrh, Mastich,
Storax, Calamite, Gum of Juniper, Lada∣num,
each one Ounce, with a sufficient quanti∣ty
of Turpentine make Troches, and let one or
more of them be cast on live Coals, and let the
fume be received into the Privities through a
Funnel.

If a Swelling be the cause, you must
make application according to the nature
of the humour, and the time and other
Circumstances of the swelling; if it be
hot and made by fluxion, which may be
known by the pain and suddenness of the
swelling, as also by the Tension and Pul∣sation,
and by being accompanied with a
Fever, Bleeding must be used in the first
place, and the Woman must be frequent∣ly
purged with the purging Potion men∣tion'd
in the foregoing Chapter, made of
Tamarinds, Sena, Manna, and the like,
and after Evacuations you must apply
cooling and repelling things to the Reins
and the lower part of the Belly, as Oyl
of Roses washed in Vinegar and the like,
and the following Decoction may be in∣jected
into the Womb.

Take of the leaves of Plantain, Water Lil∣lies,
Night-shade, and Endive each one hand∣ful,
of red Roses two Pugils, boyl them in
three pints of Fountain water till a pint is
consumed, add to it of Oyl of Myrtles one
Ounce, of Vinegar half an Ounce.

Page  110

But note you must not use cooling and
repelling things too long, lest the Tumour
be hardened thereby and turn to a Scirr∣hus,
and therefore soon after the begin∣ning
of the Swelling, emollient and resolv∣ing
things must be mixt with Repellents,
Mallows, Marshmallows, Mugwort, Fe∣nugreek,
Camomile and Melilote; and if
the pain be violent, you must inject into
the Womb Goat or Sheeps milk, with
Opium and Saffron each three or four
Grains, to which may be added a little
Rose Water.

But if the swelling cannot be resolved
and tends to Suppuration, it must be fur∣thered
by the application of the following
Pultis.

Take of the roots of Marshmallows, of the
Flowers of Camomile and Melilote, of the
Seeds of Flax and Fenugreek each one Ounce,
of fat Figs number eight, boyl them to the
consistence of a Pultis, then add the yolks of
four Eggs, of Saffron half a Scruple, of Oyl
of Lillies and fresh butter each one Ounce, make
a Cataplasm.

If the Swelling be made by congestion, it
is slow and without pain, and generally
cold, and the matter of it is either thin
and serous, or thick and flegmatick and apt
to grow hard. In this case Steel Medi∣cines
used as directed in the Chapter of
Page  111

Hysteric Diseases do good, but purging
must go before: Issues in the Legs are also
proper, and emollient and resolving Medi∣cines
must be apply'd outwardly in the fol∣lowing
manner.

Take of the Roots of Marshmallows and
Lillies each two Ounces, of the leaves of Mal∣lows,
Violets, Marshmallows, and Bears∣breech
each one handful, of the Seeds of Flax
and Fenugreek each one Ounce, of the leaves
of Mugwort and Calamint half a handful, of
the Flowers of Camomile and Melilote each
one Pugil, boyl them in three pints of Foun∣tain
water till a third be consumed, and fo∣ment
the region of the Pubes and Groin with a
Spunge dipt in it and pressed out: Of the same
Decoction the dose of the Simples being increas∣ed,
a bath may be made, which is very ef∣fectual
in this case, and more powerful than
the Fomentation▪ Glisters also and Injections
may be made of the same Decoction, and fre∣quently
used, whereunto may be added the Oyls
of Lillies, Camomile, and sweet Almonds.

But these Medicines must be used with
great caution, lest the swelling shou'd de∣generate
into a Cancer, and indeed 'tis to
no purpose to use Medicines when the
Swelling is without pain and of a stony na∣ture.

Page  112

But if an Ulcer be the cause, the cure of it
must be performed by stopping the Fluxion
of the humours, and by cleansing and con∣glutinating
the Ulcer; and first if the Bo∣dy
abound with Blood, or if the Ulcer be
accompanied with an Inflammation, a Vein
must be opened in the Arm, and Bleeding
must be repeated as often as there is dan∣ger
of a new Fluxion, especially at the
times of the Courses, to lessen them, for
they are wont to increase the matter of the
Ulcer, and to promote the Flux of other
humours to the Womb. Purging is al∣so
very necessary to cleanse the Body from
ill humours, but it ought to consist of gen∣tle
Catharticks, as of Sena, Rhubarb, Ta∣marinds,
Myrobolans and the like, or the
Purging Potion of Tamarinds may be used
but if the Woman Vomits easily she may
take the following Vomit or the like.

Take of Vinum benedictum six Drams, of
the Water of Carduus Benedictus one Ounce,
of Oxymel of squills half an Ounce, mingle
them, make a Vomit, let it be taken about four
in the afternoon, and she must drink a large
draught of Posset Drink after every time she
Vomits.

The days the Sick does not Purge, a
Vulnerary Decoction must be used a long
while in the following manner.

Page  113

Take of the leaves of Agrimony, Knot-grass,
Burnet, and Plantine, each one handful, of
the roots of China three Drams, of Coriander
one Dram, of Raisins half an Ounce, of red
Sanders one Scruple, boyl them in Chicken
broth, strain it, let the Sick drink it Morn∣ing
and Evening.

If there be a Fever, and if a great
quantity of matter be evacuated, Whey
is very proper, half a pint or more being
taken in a Morning with a little Honey
of Roses, and if there is an Hectick Fever
and the Body begins to wast, Asses milk
must be taken with Sugar of Roses for a
whole Month.

Turpentine washed in some proper wa∣ter
for the Womb, as in Mugwort or Fe∣verfew
water, or in some water proper
for the Ulcer, as Plantain or Rose wa∣ter,
and taken with Sugar of Roses clean∣ses
and heals the Ulcer.

To cleanse dry and heal the Ulcer va∣rious
injections are proposed, but they
must not be used till the Inflammation is
taken off, and till the pain is quieted, and
therefore upon account of the Inflammation
an Emulsion of the cold Seeds, or the
Whey of Goats Milk, or Milk it self may
be injected first, and if necessity requires,
a Decoction of Poppy heads and tops of
Mallows may be injected. Some Practitio∣ners
Page  114

say, the Sick may be much relieved
by injecting frequently warm water, and
when the heat and pain is quieted, we
may use such things as cleanse, beginning
with the gentle, and proceeding gradually
to the stronger. The gentle are Whey
with Sugar, a Decoction of Barly with
Sugar, or Honey of Roses, but Simple
Hydromel cleanses most. But if the Ul∣cer
be very sordid, the following Decocti∣on
may be used.

Take of the roots of Gentian, Rhaponticum,
Zedoary, and round Birthwort each one Ounce,
of White-wine three pints, boyl them to the con∣sumption
of a third part; in the strain'd Liquor
dissolve half a pound of Sugar, and keep it for
use; a little Ʋnguentum Aegyptiacum may
be added to it if there be occasion to cleanse
more.

If the Ulcer be deep, the fume menti∣on'd
above may be used; when the Ulcer is
very obstinate, Cinnabar must be added,
which is of excellent use.

If these Diseases happen when a Wo∣man
is with Child, the difficulty is great∣er,
because bigbellied Women cannot so
easily bear all kind of remedies, yet lest
being destitute of all help they shou'd re∣main
in extream danger of Miscarriage
and Death, some kind of Remedies are
to be used; therefore if she be too full of
Page  115

Blood, she must have a Vein opened, tho
she be with Child, especially in the first
Month, and so twice or thrice if need be,
but much Blood must not be taken away
at a time. And when there is abundanee
of ill humours, gentle purging must be
used and repeated, especially in the mid∣dle
Months, and in the mean while those
astringent and strengthening▪ Medicines
must be used all the time the Woman
is with Child, that are proper to hinder
Miscarriage.

Take of Kermes Berries and Tormentil
roots each three Ounces, of Mastich one Dram
and an half, make a Powder, whereof give
now and then half a Dram, or as much as
will lie on the point of a knife, or let her take
every Morning some grains of Mastich: Or

Take of conserve of Roses two Ounces, of
Citron Peel Candied six Drams, of Myrobo∣lans
candied, of the Pulp of Dates each half
an Ounce, of Coral prepared, Pearl prepared,
and shavings of Harts-horn each one Dram,
with Syrup of Quinces make an Electuary, of
which let the Woman take often the quantity
of a Nutmeg.

The following Lozenges are very good
for they strengthen, and by little and lit∣tle
free the Body from Excrements, tho
they do not sensibly purge sometimes.

Page  116

Take of Mace, of the three Sorts of San∣ders,
Rubarb, Sena, Coral, Pearl, each one
Scruple, of Sugar dissolved in Rose-water
four Ounces, make all into Lozenges weighing
three Drams apeece; let her take one twice
a Week by it self, or dissolved in a little
Broth.

The following Plaster may be apply'd
to the Reins.

Take of the Plaster ad Herniam and de
Minio each equal parts, spread it on Leather,
and apply it to the small of the Back.

But Plasters must not be worn long to∣gether,
lest they should cause an heat of
Urin, and the Stone in the Kidnies.

In the use of these things, the Woman
must keep her self as quiet as possibly she
can, both in Body and Mind, and must
abstain from Copulation.

But if notwithstanding the Medicines a∣foresaid,
by reason of the Vehemence of
the cause, whether it be outward or in∣ward,
the Sick be ready to miscarry, we
must do the best we can with the follow∣ing
remedies, and in the first place so soon
as Pains and Throws shall be perceived
in the lower part of the Belly, and in the
Loins, we must endeavour to allay them
both by Medicines taken inwardly and
outwardly apply'd according to the varie∣ty
of the Causes, and if Crudities and
Page  117

Wind are the cause, as they are most usu∣ally
when the cause is within, a Powder
must be given made of Aromaticum Rosa∣tum
and Coriander Seeds, and we may
give of the Imperial Water if Flegm and
Wind abound.

At the same time let Carminative Medi∣cines
be apply'd below the Navel of the
Patient, such are Bags of Anise Seeds, Fen∣nel
Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds, Flowers of
Camomile, Elder, Rosemary and Stechas,
mixt together, or a Rose Cake fryed in a
Pan with rich Canary, and sprinkled with
Powder of Nutmegs and Coriander Seeds,
or the Gaul of a Wether new kill'd or
his Lungs lay'd on warm. If by these
means the pains cease not, let a Glister be
injected made of Wine and Oyl, wherein
two Drams of Philonium Romanum may be
dissolved, or Narcoticks may be given
inwardly in a small quantity to allay the
Violence of the humours and wind, as we
are wont to do in pains of the Colick. But
if Blood begins to come away, Frictions
and painful Ligatures of the upper parts
must be used to turn the course of the
Blood, and if the Woman be full of Blood,
it will not be amiss to take some Blood
from her, especially before it begins to
low, but it must be taken away at several
times a little at once.

Page  118

And if the Flux of Blood continues we
must proceed to an astringent and thick∣ening
Diet and Medicines, as mentioned
above. Astringent Fomentations may be
also used outwardly made of Pomgranate-peels,
Cypress Nuts, Acorn Cups, Balau∣stines,
and the like, boyl'd in Smiths wa∣ter
and Red wine: Or a little bag full
of Red Roses and Balaustines may be
boyl'd in Red Wine and apply'd hot to
the Womans Belly: And the Plaister
above mentioned may be used. It is be∣lieved,
that the two following Medicines
will certainly retain the Child in the
Womb if they be used before it is torn
from the Vessels of the Womb.

Take of leaves of Gold, Number twelve,
of Spodium one Dram, the Cocks treading
of three Eggs not addle, mix all very well till
the Gold be broken into small peeces, after∣wards
dissolve them in a draught of White
Wine, and give it three Mornings follow∣ing.

At the same time let the following Ca∣taplasm
be applied.

Take of Male Frankincense powdred two
Ounces, the whites of five Eggs, let them be
stirred together over hot Coals, add Turpen∣tine
to make them stick, then spread them
upon Tow, and lay them upon her Navel as
hot as she can possibly endure them twice a
Page  119

day Morning and Evening on the three days
afore-said.

CHAP. XXI.
The Signs that precede a Natural and Ʋnnatural Delivery.
THE signs preceding a natural La∣bour
a few days before, are sinking
down of the Belly, which hinders a
Woman at that time in walking as
easie as she used to do, and thence flows
from the Womb slimy humours, appoint∣ed
by nature to moisten and smoothen
the passage, that its inward Orifice may
the more easily be dilated, when it is ne∣cessary,
which beginning to open a little
at that time suffers that slime to flow a∣way.

The signs accompanying present Labour
are, great pains about the Region of the
Reins and Loins, which coming and re∣doubling
by intervals, answer in the bot∣tom
of the Belly with reiterated Throws,
the Face is red and inflamed, because the
Blood is much heated by the continual en∣deavours
of the Woman to bring forth
Page  120

the Child, as also because that during these
strong Throws, her respiration is ever
intercepted, for which reason much Blood
hath recourse to the Face, her Privy
Parts are swelled, because the Infants
head often thrusts, and causes the Neigh∣bouring
Parts to distend outwards; upon
which account they appear swell'd in this
manner; she is often subject to vomiting,
which makes many believe, who know
not the cause of it, that the Women are
for this reason in danger: But it is ge∣nerally
the sign of a speedy delivery, be∣cause
the good pains are then excited and
redoubled every moment, until the busi∣ness
is finished.

When the Birth is very near, Women
are troubled with an universal trembling,
and chiefly of the Legs and Thighs, with
the heat of the whole Body and Humours,
which then flow from the Womb, and they
are often discoloured with Blood, which
with the signs above mentioned is an in∣fallible
sign of the nearness of the Birth.
This the Women usually call shows, and
if one then puts up their Finger into the
Neck of the Womb, they will find the
inner Orifice dilated, at the opening
whereof, the Membranes of the Infant
containing the Waters present themselves,
and are strongly forc'd downwards with
Page  121

every pain the Woman has, at which
time one may perceive them to resist the
Finger, more or less as the pains are
stronger or weaker. These Membranes
with the Waters in them, when gathered
(that is, when they are advanced before
the head of the Child, which makes the
Midwives call it the gathering of the Wa∣ters)
presenting themselves at this inward
Orifice, do then resemble very well to the
touch of the Finger, abortive Eggs which
have yet no shell, but are only covered
with a simple Membrane. After this
the pains redoubling continually, the Mem∣branes
are broken by the strong impulse
of the Waters, which incontinently flow
away, and then the head of the Child is
easily felt naked, and presented at the
opening of the inward Orifice of the
Womb: now all these or the greatest part
of them meeting together, at what time
soever of a VVomans going with Child
it be, whether at the full time or no, one
may be assured she will soon be deliver∣ed:
But great care must be taken not to
hasten her Labour before the necessity of
it be known by these signs; for that
would but torment the VVoman and Child
in vain, and put them both in danger of
their lives:

Page  122

Labour contrary to nature is when the
Child comes in an ill Figure and Situation,
as when it presents any otherwise than
the Head first; as also when the Waters
flow away a long time before it is born;
also when the After-burthen comes first.
The Labour is also grievous when accom∣panied
with a Fever, or any other conside∣rable
Disease which may destroy the Child
in the Womb; also when pains are small
and come slow with long intervals and lit∣tle
profit, upon which account the Wo∣man
is extreamly tired; but the wrong
posture of the Infant is most commonly
the cause of difficult Labour. As soon as
it is known that the Woman is certainly
in labour by the signs above mentioned,
then must all things necessary to comfort
the Woman in her Labour be got ready,
and the better to help her, care must be
taken that she be not strait laced; a pret∣ty
strong Glister may be given her, or
more than one, if there be occasion, which
must be done at the beginning, before the
Child be too forwards, for afterwards it
is very difficult for her to receive them▪
in the mean while all things necessary for
her Labour should be put in order, as well
for the Woman as the Child; her Mid∣wifes
Stool, or rather a Pallet-bed girted
Page  123

placed close by the Fire, if the Season re∣quire
it; the Pallet ought to be so placed,
as to be turned round about when there
is occasion, the better to help the Woman.
If the Woman be full of Blood, it may be
convenient to Bleed her a little, for by
this means her Breasts being disingaged,
and her Respiration free, she will have
more strength to bear down her pains,
which may be done without danger, be∣cause
the Child being about that time rea∣dy
to be born, hath no more need of
the Mothers Blood for its nourishment,
which has been often practised with good
success. Besides, this Evacuation often hin∣ders
her having a Fever after delivery,
and to preserve her strength, it will be
convenient to give her some good Gelly
Broaths, new laid Eggs, or some Spoon∣fuls
of burnt Wine from time to time,
or a Toast dipt in Wine, avoiding solid
Food. Above all she must be perswaded
to hold out her pains, bearing them down
as much as she can, at the instant when
they take her. The Midwife must from time
to time touch the inward Orifice with her
Finger, to know whether the Waters are
ready to break, and whether the Birth
will follow soon after; she must also a∣noint
all the bearing place with emollient
Page  124

Oyls, Hogs grease or fresh Butter, if she
perceive it can hardly be dilated; and
all the while she must be near her Wo∣man
to observe her gestures diligently,
her complaints and pains; for so she may
guess pretty well how the Labour ad∣vances,
without being obliged to touch
her Body so often. The Woman may by
intervals rest her self on the Bed to refresh
her self, but not too long, especially if she
be a little short thick Woman, for they
have always worst Labours, if they lie
much on their Beds in their Travail, es∣pecially
of their first Children, than when
they are prevailed with to walk about
the Chamber; (but they must be suppor∣ted
under the Arms, if it be necessary)
for by this means the weight of the Child
causes the inward Orifice to dilate sooner
than in Bed. When the Waters of the
Child are ready and gather'd, the Mid∣wife
ought to let them break of them∣selves,
for the breaking of them before
the Infant be wholly in the passage pro∣longs
the Labour; for by the too hasty
breaking of these Waters, which ought
to help the Child to slide forth with grea∣ter
ease, he remains dry, which hinders
afterwards the Pains and Throws, so that
they cannot be so effectual in excluding
Page  125

the Child, as otherwise they would have
been: It is therefore better to let them
break of themselves, and then the Mid∣wife
may easily find the Child bare by the
part which first presents, and so judge
certainly whether it comes right, that is
with the Head, which she will find hard,
big, round, and equal; but if it be any
other part, she will perceive something
unequal and rugged, and hard or soft,
more or less according to the parts; im∣mediately
let her dispatch to deliver her
Woman, if she be not already, and assist
the Birth, which ordinarily happens soon
after, if natural, in the following man∣ner.

After the Waters be broke of them∣selves,
as above-said, let the Woman be
presently placed on the Pallate provided
for her to this purpose, near the Fire,
or she may, if she like it better, be de∣livered
in her ordinary Bed; for all Wo∣men
are not accustomed to be delivered
in the same posture, some will be deliver∣ed
on their Knees, others standing, lean∣ing
with their elbows on a Pillow, upon
a Table, or the side of a Bed, and others
lying upon a Quilt in the midst of the
Chamber. But the best and surest way
of Delivery is in Bed, to avoid the in∣convenience
Page  126

and trouble of being carried
thither afterwards, in which case it ought
to be Furnished rather with a Quilt than
a Feather-bed, having upon it Linnen
and Cloaths in many folds, with other
necessaries to be changed upon occasion,
that the Woman may not be incommo∣ded
afterwards with the Blood, Waters,
and other filth, which is voided in La∣bour.
The Bed must be so made, that
the Woman being ready to be delivered,
should lie on her back upon it, with her
Head and Breast a little raised, so as that
she be neither lying nor setting; for in
this manner she breaths best, and will
have more strength to help her pains,
than if she sunk down into her Bed; be∣ing
in this posture she must spread her
Thighs abroad, folding her Legs a little
towards her Buttocks, somewhat raised
by a small Pillow underneath, and her Feet
must be staid against some firm thing;
moreover let her hold some By-standers
with her Hands, that she may the bet∣ter
stay her self during her pains. Being
thus placed near the side of her Bed,
with her Midwife by to help upon occa∣sion,
she must take courage, and further
her pains the best she can, bearing them
down, when they take her, which she may
Page  127

do by holding her Breath, and forcing
her self all she can, just as when she goes
to stool. In the mean while the Midwife
must comfort her, and persuade her to
endure her Labour bravely, and put her
in hopes of a speedy delivery. The Mid∣wife,
with her Hand anointed with Oyl
or fresh Butter, may gently dilate the in∣ward
Orifice of the Womb, putting her
Fingers ends into its entry, and stretch∣ing
them one from another, and thrust∣ing
by little and little the sides of the
Orifice towards the hinder part of the
Childs Head, anointing these parts also
with fresh Butter. When the Infants
Head begins to advance to the inward
Orifice, it is commonly said it is crown'd,
and when it is come so far, that the ex∣tremity
begins to appear manifestly with∣out
the privy Parts, it is then said that
the Child is in the passage, and the Wo∣man
in Travail imagins, tho it is no
such thing, that her Midwife hurts her
with her Fingers, finding her self as it
were scratched, and pricked with Pins in
those parts, by reason of the violent dis∣tension,
which the bigness of the Childs
Head causes there.

When things are in this posture, the
Midwife must seat her self conveniently
Page  128

to receive the Child, which will soon
come, and with her Fingers ends, her
Nails being close paired, endeavour to
thrust, as above-said, this crowning of
the Womb, back off over the Head of the
Child; and as soon as it is advanced as
far as the Ears, or thereabouts, she may
take hold of the two Sides with her two
Hands, that when a good pain comes, she
may quickly draw forth the Child, taking
care that the Navel-string be not then
intangled about the Neck, or any other
part, lest thereby the After-burthen be
pulled with violence, and possibly the
Womb also, whereunto it is fastened, and
so cause Flooding, or else break the string,
whereby the Woman may come to be
more difficultly delivered. It must also
be observed, that the Head be not drawn
forth straight, but shaking it a little from
one side to the other, that the Shoulders
may sooner and easier take place, im∣mediately
after it is past, which must be
done without losing any time, lest the
Head being past, the Child be stopt there
by the largeness of the Shoulders, and be
in danger of being suffocated in the pas∣sage:
But as soon as the head is born,
if there be need, the Midwife may slide
in her Finger under the Arm-pits, and
Page  129

the rest of the Body will follow without
any difficulty. As soon as the Midwife
has in this manner drawn forth the Child,
she must put it on one side, lest the Blood
and Waters, which follow immediately
after should choak it; afterwards let her
be very careful to examin that there be
no more Children in the Womb, which
she may know, if putting her hand up the
entry, she finds there another Water gather∣ing.
If it be so, she must have a care not
to go about to fetch the After-burthen,
till the Woman be delivered of all her
Children; wherefore the first string must
be cut, being first tied with a Thred
three or four double, and the other end
must be fastened with a string to the Wo∣mans
Thigh.

As soon as the Child is born, before
the Navel-string is tied or cut, the Woman
must be freed of the After-burthen. To
perform this, the Midwife having taken
the string must wind it once or twice a∣bout
one or two of her Fingers of her
left hand joined together, the better to
hold it, wherewith she may then draw
it moderately, and with the right Hand,
she may only take a single hold of it a∣bove
the left near the Privities, draw∣ing
likewise with that very gently, rest∣ing
Page  130

the Fore-finger of the same Hand ex∣tended,
and stretched forth along the
string towards the entry of the Sheath,
always observing to draw it from the
side, where the burthen cleaves least.
Above all things care must be taken, that
it be not drawn forth with too much vio∣lence,
lest by breaking the string, you
are obliged to put the whole Hand into
the Womb to deliver the Woman, or
the Womb be drawn down forth with
it; also by drawing it out with too much
violence, a great flooding may thereby
happen. To facilitate the expulsion, the
Woman may blow strongly into her
Hands shut, or she may put her Finger
into her Throat, as if she would provoke
Vomiting, or she may strive as if she
were going to stool, bearing always down,
and holding her breath. When all these
circumstances have been observed, if you
meet with difficulty, you may, if need
be, after that you know on which side
the After-birth is situated, command an
experienced Nurse-keeper to press the
Belly lightly with the flat of her Hand,
directing it gently downwards by way of
Friction; above all being careful not to
do it too violently; but if all this be in
vain, then must the Hand be directed
Page  131

into the VVomb to loosen and separate
it.

As soon as the VVoman is delivered of
both Child and Burthen, it must then be
considered whether there be all, and care
had, that not the least part of it remain
behind, not so much as the skirts or clods
of Blood, which ought all to be brought
away with the first; for otherwise, being
retained, they cause great pains. When
the Woman has two Children, you must
not fetch the Burthen, as was said be∣fore,
till both the Children are born, and
then it may be done without danger, sha∣king
and drawing it always gently some∣times
by one string, sometimes by the
other, and sometimes by both together,
and so by turns till all is come. When
the Infant comes right and naturally, the
Woman is brought to Bed, and deliver∣ed
with little help, for which the mean∣est
Midwifes are capable, and oft-times
for want of them, a simple Nursekeeper
may supply the place. But when it is a
wrong Labour there is a great Mystery
belongs to it; for then the skill and pru∣dence
of a Surgeon is for the most part
requisite.

Immediately after the Woman is de∣livered,
and the Burthen come away, care
Page  132

must be taken that the loosening of it be
not followed with a Flooding; if it be
not, a soft closure must be immediately
applied to the Womb, five or six times
double, to prevent the cold Air entring
in and stopping the Vessels, whereby the
Womb should cleanse by degrees when the
VVomb is so closed: If the VVoman was
not delivered upon her ordinary Bed, let
her presently be carried into it by some
strong Body or more if there be need,
rather than to let her walk thither; which
Bed must be ready warmed and prepared,
as is requisite for the cleansings. But if
she were delivered on it, which is best and
safest to prevent the danger and trouble
of carrying her to it, then all the soul
Linnen and other things put there for
receiving the Bloud, VVaters, and other
filth, which comes away in Labour, must
be removed, and she must be placed con∣veniently
in it for her ease and rest,
which she much wants to recover her of
the Pains and Labour she endured in Tra∣vail,
she must be placed with her Head
and Body a little raised for to breath the
freer, and to cleanse the better, especial∣ly
of that Blood which then comes away,
that so it may not clod, which being re∣tained
causes very great pains. All this
Page  133

will happen if they have not liberty to come
freely by this convenient Situation, in
which she must put down her Legs and
Thighs close together having a small Pil∣low
for her greater ease, if she desire it
under her Hams, upon which they may
rest a little. Being so put to Bed, let
her lie neither on one side nor the other,
but just on the middle of her Back, that
so the VVomb may repossess its natural
and proper place.

It is an ordinary custom to give the
VVoman, as soon as she is delivered, two
Ounces of Oyl of Sweet Almonds, and as
much Syrup of Maiden-hair, which is
good to sweeten and temper the inside of
the Throat, which was heated, and hoarse
by her continual cryes, and holding her
breath, to bear down her Throws during
her Labour; it is also good to prevent
the Grips; but this Potion goes so much
against the Stomachs of some VVomen,
that being forced to take it with an aver∣sion,
it may do them more hurt than
good; therefore let none have it, but
those that desire it and have no aversion
for it: But good Broath taken after she
is a little setled may be more beneficial.

Having thus accommodated her, and pro∣vided
for her Belly, Breasts, and lower
Page  134

parts, leave her to rest and sleep if she
can, making no noise, the Bed-Cur∣tains
being close drawn, and the Doors
and VVindows of her Chamber shut, that
so seeing no light, she may the sooner
fall asleep.

As soon as the Bed is cleansed from
the foul Linnen and other impurities of
the Labour, and the Woman therein pla∣ced,
let there be outwardly applied all
over the bottom of her Belly and Pri∣vities,
the following anodyne Pultiss
made of two Ounces of sweet Almonds
with two or three new laid Eggs yolks and
whites, stirring them together in an earth∣en
Pipkin over hot Embers till it comes
to the consistence of a Pultiss, which be∣ing
spread upon Cloath, must be applyed
to those parts indifferently warm, having
first taken away the Closures which were
put to her, presently after her Delivery,
and likewise such clods of Blood as were
there left. This is a very fit Remedy to
appease the Pains which Women common∣ly
suffer in those Parts, by reason of the
violence then endured by the Infants Birth;
it must lie on five or six hours, and then be
renewed a second time, if there be occasion.
Afterwards make a Decoction of Barly,
Linseed, and Chervil, or with Marsh-mal∣lows
Page  135

and Violet Leaves, adding to a Pint
of it an Ounce of Honey of Roses, where∣with,
being luke-warm, Foment three or
four times a-day, for the first five or six
days of Child-bed, the bearing place,
cleansing it very well from the Clods of
Blood and other Excrements which are
there emptied. Some Persons only use
for this purpose luke-warm Milk, and ma∣ny
Women only Barly-water. Great care
must be taken at the beginning that no stop∣ping
thing be given to hinder the cleans∣ings,
but when ten or twelve Days are
past, and she has cleansed sufficiently,
Remedies may then be used to fortifie the
Parts, for which purpose a Decoction is
very proper made of Province Roses,
Leaves and Roots of Plantain and Smiths
water, and when she has sufficiently and
fully done Cleansing, which is usually af∣ter
the eighteenth or twentieth Day, there
may be made for those that desire it, a
very strong astringent Lotion to fortifie
and settle those parts which have been
much relaxed, as well by the great exten∣sion
they received, as by the Humours,
wherewith they have been so long time
soak'd; this Remedy may be composed
with an Ounce and an half of Pomgranat
Peel, an Ounce of Cypress Nuts, half an
Page  136

Ounce of Accorns, an Ounce of seal'd
Earth, an Handful of Provence Roses,
and two Drachms of Roch-allom, all
which being infused in a Quart and half
a Pint of strong Red-wine, or that it
may not be too sharp, some Smiths water
may be mixed with the Wine, afterwards
boil it to a Quart, then strain it, squeez∣ing
it strongly; and with this Decoction
Foment the inferior parts Night and
Morning to strengthen and confirm them.
But they will never be reduced to the same
state they were in, before the Woman
had Children. A small Plaister of Galba∣num,
with a little Civit in the middle may
be also applyed to the Womans Navel.
As for Swaiths they need not be used the
first Day, or at least very loosly, especial∣ly
if there has been hard Labour, because
the least compression of the Womans Bel∣ly,
which is then very sore, as the Womb
also is, proves a great inconvenience to
her; wherefore let her not be swaithed
until the second Day, and that very gent∣ly
at the beginning. The use of Swaiths
and of a good large square Bolster over
the whole Belly may be continued the first
seven or eight Days to keep it a little stea∣dy;
but they must be taken off and re∣moved
often to anoint the Womans Belly
Page  137

all over, if it be sore, and if she has After-Pains,
with Oils of sweet Almonds and
St. Johns-wort mixed together, which
may be done every Day. But after that
time they may be degrees begin to swaith
her straiter, to contract and gather to∣gether
the parts which are greatly extend∣ed,
during her going with Child, which
may be then safely done, because the
Womb by these former cleansings is so
diminished, that it cannot be too much
compressed by the Swaiths.

Proper Remedies may be applied to the
Breasts to drive back the Milk, if the
Woman will not be a Nurse; but if she
intends to be a Nurse, it will be sufficient
to keep her Breasts very close, and well
covered with gentle and soft Cloaths to
keep them warm, and to prevent the curd∣ling
of the Milk; and if there be danger
of too much Milk being carried thither,
anoint the Breasts with Oyl of Roses
and a little Vinegar beat together, and put
upon them some fine Linnen dipt in it, ob∣serving
that if the Woman do Suckle the
Child, she give not the Breast the same day
she is brought to Bed, because then all her
Humours are extreamly moved with the
pains and agitation of the Labour; there∣fore
let her defer it at least till the next
Page  138

day; and it would be yet better to stay four
or five days or longer, to the end the fu∣ry
of the Milk, and the abundance of the
Humours, which flow to the Breast at the
beginning, may be spent, in which time
another Woman may give it Suck.

Although a Woman be naturally Deli∣vered,
yet notwithstanding she must ob∣serve
a good Diet, to prevent many ill acci∣dents
which may happen to her during her
Child-bed, at the beginning whereof she
must be directed in her Meat and Drink
almost in the same manner as if she had a
Fever, that so it may be prevented, in as
much as she is then very subject to it; for
this reason she must be regular in her Diet,
especially the three or four first Days,
in which time she must be nourished only
with good Broaths, new-laid Eggs, and
Gellies, without using at the beginning
more solid Meats: but when the great a∣bundance
of her Milk is a little past, she may
with more safety eat a little Broath at Din∣ner,
or a small piece of boyl'd Chicken,
or Mutton; afterwards, if no accident
happens, she may be degrees be nourished
more plentifully, provided that it be a
third part less than she was accustomed to
take in her perfect health, and that her
Food be of good and easie Digestion; as
Page  139

for her Drink, let it be a Ptisan made of
Liquorish, Figs, and Anniseeds, boyled in
Water: She may also, if she be not Feve∣rish,
drink a little white Wine well mixed
with Water, but not till after the fifth or
sixth Day. But it is to be noted that la∣borious
Women of a strong Constitution
require a more plentiful feeding; yet not∣withstanding,
if they do not change the
quality, they must at least retrench the
quantity of their ordinary Food.

The Child-bed Woman must likewise keep
her self very quiet in her Bed lying on her
Back, with her Head raised, and not turn∣ing
often from side to side; that so the
Womb may be the better settled in its
first Situation: She must free her self at that
time from all care of Business, let her talk
as little as may be, and that with a low
Voice, and let no ill News be brought to
her, which may affect her, because all
these things do cause so great a commotion
of the Humours, that Nature not being
able to overcome them, cannot make the
necessary Evacuation of them, which has
been the Death of many. The Woman
ought always to keep her Body open with
Glisters, taking one once in two Days,
which not only evacuate the gross Excre∣ments,
but also by drawing downwards
Page  140

cause her to Cleanse the better. When she
has observed this Rule a Fortnight or three
Weeks, which is very near the time of ha∣ving
Cleansed sufficiently, that those
Parts may be throughly cleansed before
she goes abroad, and begin upon a new
Score, let her take a gentle Purge of Sen∣na,
Cassia, and Syrup of Cichory, with Ru∣barb,
which is good to Purge the Stomach
and Bowels of those ill Humours Nature
could not evacuate by the Womb: This
Purge may be repeated upon occasion.

Women in their first Labours have ma∣ny
times bruises and rents of the outward
parts of the Womb, and they must never be
neglected, lest they degenerate into malig∣nant
Ulcers; for the heat and moisture of
these Parts, besides the filth which conti∣nually
flows thence, easily contributes to
it, if convenient Remedies be not timely
applied; wherefore as soon as the Woman
is laid, if there be only simple contusions
and excoriations, apply a Pultiss made of
yolks and whites of new-laid Eggs and Oil
of Roses seethed a little over warm Em∣bers,
continually stirring till it be mixed,
and then spread it upon a fine Cloath, and
apply it very warm for five or six Hours,
when being taken away, lay some fine Rags
dipt in Oil of St. Johns-wort on each side
Page  141

the bearing place, and renew them twice
or thrice a Day. Foment these parts with
Barly-water and Honey of Roses to cleanse
them from the Excrements which pass,
and when the VVoman makes water, let
them be defended with fine Rags to hinder
the Urine from causing pain and smarting.
Sometimes the bruises are so great, that
the Bearing-place is inflamed, and a very
considerable abscess follows, in which
Case it must be opened just below the
Swelling in the most convenient place; and
after the Matter is evacuated, a detersive
Decoction must be injected into the Cavi∣ty,
made of Barly-water and Oyl of Roses,
to which Spirit of Wine may be added,
if there be any danger of Corruption, and
afterwards the Ulcer must be Dressed ac∣cording
to Art.

Sometimes it happens that the Perine∣um
is so rent, that the Privities and the
Fundament is all in one; in this case, ha∣ving
cleansed the Womb from such Excre∣ments
as may be there with Red-wine, let
the Rent be strongly stitched together with
three or four stiches, or more, according
to the length of the separation, taking
at each stich good hold of the Flesh, that
so it may not break out, and then dress it
with Linimentum Arcaei, or the like; clap∣ing
Page  142

a Plaister on, and some Linnen above
to prevent, as much as may be, the falling of
the Urine, and other Excrements upon it,
because the acrimony of them would make
it smart, and cause Pain; and that these
parts may close together with more ease,
let the Woman keep her Thighs close to∣gether,
without the least spreading until
the Cure be perfected: but if afterwards
she happens to be with Child, she will be
obliged to prevent the like mischief to a∣noint
those parts with Emollient Oyls,
and Oyntments, and when she is in Labour,
she must forbear helping her. Throws too
strongly at once, but leave Nature to
perform it by degrees, together with the
help of a Midwife well Instructed in her
Art; for usually when these parts have
been once rent, it is very difficult to pre∣vent
the like in the following Travail, be∣cause
the Scar there made does straighten
the parts yet more; wherefore it were to
be wished for greater security against the
like accidents, that the Woman should have
no more Children.

Page  143
CHAP. XXII.
Of hard Labour.
MAny Causes may be assigned that oc∣casion
hard Labour, as the natural
weakness of the Mothers Body, or her
Age, she being too Young or too Old; or it
may be occasioned by Diseases that she
had with her big Belly, leanness or too much
dryness of the Body, or Fat compressing
the passages of the Womb, the ill confor∣mation
of the Bones encompassing the
Womb, as in those that are Lame, may
also occasion it; Wind swelling the Bow∣els,
a Stone or Preternatural Tumour in
the Bladder that presses the Womb may
be the occasion; so may the ill constituti∣on
of the Lungs, or of the parts serving
respiration, for the holding of the Breath
conduceth much to the Exclusion of the
Child. Various Diseases of the VVomb
may also render the Delivery difficult, as
swellings, Ulcers, Obstructions, and the
like. The hard Labour is occasioned by
the Child, when by reason it is Dead, or
Putrified, or any way Diseased it cannot
confer any thing to its own exclusion; al∣so
Page  144

when the Body or Head is too large, or
when there are more than one; so Twins
most commonly cause hard Labour, or the
ill situation of the Child is the cause, or when
the Hands or the Feet offer first, or when
one Hand or one Foot comes out first, or
when it is doubled, or when the Membranes
break too soon, so that the VVater flows
out and leaves the Orifice of the VVomb
dry at the time of Exclusion, or when the
Membranes are too thick, so that they can∣not
be easily broken by the Child.

Cold and dry Air and a North-wind are
very injurious to VVomen in Labour, be∣cause
they bind the Body and drive the
Blood and Spirits to the inner parts, and
they are very injurious to the Child com∣ing
from so warm a place. And hot
Weather dissipates the Spirits, and weak∣ens
the Child. Crude Nourishment and
such as is difficultly concocted and binds
taken in a great quantity before Labours
renders it difficult, the Stomach being weak∣ned,
and the common passages contracted,
which ought to be open in this Case.
Drowsiness hinders the action of the Mo∣ther.
The unseasonable motion of the
VVoman much retards the Delivery, as
when she refuses upon occasion to stand,
walk, lie, or sit, or slings her self about
Page  145

unadvisedly so that the Child cannot be
Born the right way, being turned prepo∣sterously
by the restlesness of the Mother. Urine
in the Bladder, or Excrements in
the right Gut, or the Piles when they are
much swell'd hinder Natures endeavours,
by narrowing the Neck of the VVomb.
Fear, Sorrow, Anger make the Labour
difficult. A Blow, a Fall, or a Wound,
may also much obstruct the Labour. Want
of good assistance to lift the Woman up
just at the time of Delivery, and an Igno∣rant
Midwife who orders the Woman to
endeavour an expulsion, and to stop her
breath when the ligaments of the Fetus
stick firmly to the Womb, so that the
Woman is tired before the time of her De∣livery.

In hard Labour Women commonly give
a Spoonful or two of Cinamon-water, or
Cinnamon powder'd with a little Saffron,
or half a Dram of Confection of Alker∣mes
in Broth, or half a Scruple of Saffron
alone in some Broth, or every hour a lit-VVine.

If these things are not sufficient the fol∣lowing
may be used which have been fre∣quently
found very effectual.

Page  146

Take of Dittany of Creet, and both the
Birthworts, and of Troaches of Mirrh each
half a Scruple, of Saffron and Cinnamon each
Twelve Grains, of confection of Alkermes half
a Dram, of Cinnamon-water half an Ounce,
of Orange-flower-water, and of Mugwort-wa∣ter
each one Ounce, make a Potion. Oyl of
Amber and of Cinnamon, and extract of
Saffron are very effectual in a small quanti∣ty,
namely five Grains of extract of Saffron,
four or five drops of Oyl of Cinnamon, twelve
or fifteen drops of Oyl of Amber in Wine,
Broth or some other Liquor; and let the Wo∣man
take Sneesing Powder for it hastens deli∣very.

The Midwife must frequently anoint
the Womb with the Oyls of Lilies or
of Sweet Almonds, and the Belly must be
fomented with a Decoction of the Roots of
Marshmallows and Lilies, of the Leaves
of Mallows, Violets, Mugwort, of the
Seeds of Fenugreek and Flax, of the
Flowers of Camomile and Melilote. Sharp
Glisters must be also injected to stimulate
the Womb, and to carry off the Excre∣ments.
Anoint the Navel with Oyl of
Amber.

Page  147

If the Child begins to come forth pre∣posterously,
as with one Arm or Foot,
the Midwife must thrust them back,
and turn the Child right, which may be
done by placing the Woman on her Back
upon a Bed with her Head low and Feet
high.

Page  148
CHAP. XXIII.
Of a dead Child.
WHEN the Child is dead the mo∣tion
of it ceases, which either the
Woman felt before in the Womb, or the
Midwife with her Hand; a sense of weight
with pain afflicts the Belly, and the Child
falls like a Stone from side to side; the
Belly feels cold, the Eyes are Hollow,
the Face and Lips pale, the extream parts
cold and livid, the Breasts flaccid, and at
length the Child putrifying, stinking
matter Flows from the Womb, and an
ill and strong smell exhales from the
Womans Body, and her Breath stinks. If
the Secundine be excluded first, it is a cer∣tain
sign that the Child is dead.

The whole cure consists in the exclusion
or extraction of the Child.

Take of the Leaves of Savine dryed, of the
roots of round Birthwort, of the Troches of
Myrrh and of Castor each one Dram, of
Cinnamon half a Dram, of Saffron one Scru∣ple,
mingle them make a Powder, whereof let
her take one Dram in Savine Water.

Page  149

Foment the Pubes, Privities, and Pe∣rineum,
with an Emollient Decoction
made of the Leaves of Mallows, and Marsh∣mallows,
and the like and let a Pessary be
put up the Privities.

Take of the Roots of round Birthwort, Or∣ris,
Black Hellebore, of Coloquintida and
Myrrh each one Dram, of Galbanum and
Opopanax each half a Dram, with Ox Gall,
make a Pessary.

If after having tried Medicines a long
while, the Child cannot be ejected, it must
be extracted by a Surgeon, either with In∣struments,
or with the Hand alone.

Page  150
CHAP. XXIV.
Of the Caesarian Delivery.
THE Caesarian Delivery is a dextrous
extraction of a Living or Dead Child
from the Mothers Womb, which cannot
be other ways excluded, and that with∣out
endangering the Life of both, or of
either, and without spoiling the Faculty
of conceiving; and by this Art the first
Scipio Africanus of the Romans was cut out
of his Mothers Womb, and therefore was
called Caesar. This Caesarian Section is
thought to be necessary, when the Mother
and the Child are so weak, that they can∣not
be preserved any other way. The
use of it is twofold, one, that a living
Child may be extracted; the other, that
the Mother may be preserved alive; and
tho' it is very hazardous, yet in a des∣perate
case it is better to do something
than nothing; especially when a confe∣deracy
is like to be broken by the death
of a Wife; or when a Family is like to
be extinguished; or some Kingdom or
Principality is like to be lost. In this
manner we find in the Annals of Spain,
Page  151

the King of Navar was preserved; for his
Mother being wounded in the Belly by
the Saracens, as she was Hunting, a No∣ble
Man coming to her help, saw the Child
put its hand out of the Wound, and
drew it forth, and educated it privately;
and afterwards, when the Nobility was
contending about the Election of a Prince,
he brought out the young King, and so
the Controversie ended.

The causes which require this operati∣on
are, a too great Child, or Twins,
or more that endeavour to be born to∣gether;
or if a fleshy Mole join to the
Child, the ill posture of it, and if it can∣not
be reduced to a better, either by its
own help, or the help of others; or be∣cause
it is dead, or so much swell'd by
a Disease, that the Naturall passage is too
narrow: But in this case, it is best to
take it away peece-meal. The causes on
the Mothers part are the narrowness of
the passages, either naturally, by reason
she is too young, or too old; or because
the VVomb is shut, either by a Cicatrix
or a Callous. Moreover many tumours
in the Womb, or the Mouth of it may be
the cause: In these cases, tho it be very
dangerous, yet it is very necessary to use
Section, and the operation may be hap∣pily
Page  152

performed, as may appear by se∣veral
Experiments to him that reads
Rousel.

But before you enter upon this Ope∣ration,
you must consider, whether the
Child can be Extracted any other way
that is safer and easier. You must more∣over
consider whether there are Signs of
Death, and if so, you must not enter up∣on
the Operation, lest the Womans Death
be laid upon the Section, and your rash∣ness:
But when you have througly weigh∣ed
all things, if the Woman be of a
strong Nature, tho by reason of the La∣bour
she is weak, you may venture upon
the Operation.

Most Authors would have it made on
the left side of the Belly, because it is more
free from the Liver; but I, says Mauri∣ceau,
think it will be better and more
skilfully made just in the middle of the
Belly between the two right Muscles: be∣cause
in this place there is only the cover∣ings,
and the white line to cut. To dis∣patch
then with more ease and speed, the
Chyrugeon having placed the Woman so,
that the Belly may be a little raised; let
him take a good sharp incision Knife,
very sharp on one side, with which he
must quickly make an Incision, just in the
Page  153

middle of the Belly between the two
right Muscles unto the Peritoneum, of the
length and extent of the Womb, or
thereabouts; after that he must only
peirce the Peritoneum with the point of
his Knife, to make an Orifice for one or
two of the Fingers of his left hand, in∣to
which he must immediately thrust them
to cut it, lifting it up with them, and
conducting the Instrument for fear of
pricking the Guts, in proportion to the
first incision of the coverings, which hav∣ing
done, the Womb will soon appear,
into which he must make an Incision in
the same manner, as he did in the Peri∣toneum,
being careful not to thrust his
Instrument at once too far in; having
then so opened the VVomb, he must like∣wise
make an incision in the Infants Mem∣branes;
taking care not to wound it with
the Instrument, and then he will soon see
it, and must immediatly take it out of
the burthen, which he must nimbly se∣parate
from the bottom of the VVomb,
and finding it to be yet living, let him
praise God for having so blessed and pros∣pered
his Operation. But the Children
so delivered are usually so weak, if not
quite dead, as it often happens, that it is
hard to know, whether it is alive or dead;
Page  154

yet one may be confident the Child is
living, if by touching the Navel-string,
the Umbilical Arteries are perceived to
move, as also the Heart, by laying the
Hand on the Breast, and if it prove so,
means must be used to fetch it to it self,
by spouting some VVine into the Nose
and Mouth, and by warming it, until it
begins to stir of it self.

But it is to be noted, that Mauriceau
much disapproves this cruel Operation, and
says it ought not to be performed until
the VVoman is dead, for that the VVo∣man
always dies in the operation, or pre∣sently
after.

Page  155
CHAP. XXV.
Of the Secundine retained.
IN a natural Birth the Secundine is usu∣ally
excluded presently after the Child;
and when it is not, the Life of the Wo∣man
is much indangered. It is retained
by the too great thickness of the Coats,
the swelling of them, and by an afflux of
Humours occasion'd by hard Labour; also
by the strutting of the Mouth of the
Womb after the exclusion of the Child.
The External Causes are, Coldness of the
Air, whereby the Secundine is repelled,
and the Orifice of the Womb shut. Cer∣tain
perfumes, whereby the Womb is
allured upwards, violent passions of the
Mind, as Fear, and sudden Frights, the
perverseness of the Woman, who will not
abide in such a posture, or use such en∣deavours
as are requisite, the weight of
the Child, whereby the Navel is broken,
the After-birth remaining within, the un∣skilfulness
of the Midwife who cuts the
Vessels of the Navel too soon, or does not
hold them in her Left Hand as she ought,
for if she let them go, they are drawn
Page  156

back into the Womb, and are hid there
with the Secundine.

It is easie to know when the Secundine is
retained in the VVomb, but sometimes a
piece of it is separated and remains in
the Womb, which is not so easily perceiv∣ed,
yet it may be known, because the
Womb after Delivery endeavours to eject
something; but tho its endeavours are but
small, a sense of heat and pain is per∣ceived
in the Womb, and after a few
days a cadaverous smell exhales from the
Womb. The retention of the Secundine
is very dangerous, and if it continues
some days, an acute Fever, Nauseousness,
Faintings, difficulty of Breathing, Cold∣ness
of the extream Parts, Convulsive Fits,
and at length Death follows.

The Secundine retained, is expelled by
the same remedies, which are proposed
for a dead Child, to which may be added
some Specificks deliver'd by Authors. Ru∣landus
says, he has given with success
thirty drops of Oyl of Juniper. Some or∣der
the Woman to bite an Onion three or
four times and to swallow the Juice, and
presently after to drink a small draught
of Wine. The Juice of green Lovage
drank in Rhenish-wine is also commended.
Sneesing is also good; but the best way is
Page  157

to have it drawn out by a skilful Chy∣rurgeon,
before the Inflammation is in∣creased.
If the Secundine cannot be e∣jected
by any means, but sticks firmly to
the Womb, and putrifies there, Suppura∣ratives
must be injected; to this purpose
Basilicon may be dissolved in the following
Decoction.

Take of the Leaves of Mallows with the
roots three handfuls, of the roots of both the
Birthworts each six Drams, of Flax Seeds
and Fenugreek Seeds each half an Ounce, of
Violets one handful, of the Flowers of Camo∣mile,
and the lesser Centory each half an hand∣ful,
make a Decoction in Water mingled with
Oyl, if you would have it suppurate much,
but to cleanse add a little Ʋngentum Aegyp∣tiacum.

Page  158
CHAP. XXVI.
Of the Flooding of a Woman new laid.
FLooding is a more dangerous accident
than any other which may happen to
a Woman newly laid, and which dispatch∣es
her so soon, if it be in a great quan∣tity,
that there is not often time to pre∣vent
it; wherefore in this case conve∣nient
Remedies must be speedily ap∣plied
to stop it; to which purpose it is
fit to consider what causes the Flooding,
and if it be a false Conception, a piece
of the burthen or clodded Blood remain∣ing
behind, all diligence must be used
to fetch them away, or to cause a speedy
expulsion of them. But if when nothing
remains behind in the Womb, the Blood
notwithstanding continues to flow, you
must Blood in the Arm to make diversion,
and let her Body be laid flat, and not
raised, that so the Blood may not be sent
down to the lower Parts. Let her keep
Page  159

her self very quiet, and not turn from
side to side; the upper part of her
Belly must not be Swathed or Bolstered,
and her Chamber must be kept a little
cool, and the Coverings of the Bed must
not be many, that so the Flooding may
not be promoted by the heat.

But if notwithstanding all this the
Blood flows continually, the last remedies
must be tryed, which is to lay the Wo∣man
upon fresh Straw, with a single
Cloath on it, and no Quilt, that so her
Reins may not be heated, applying along
her Loins Cloaths wet in cold Vinegar
and Water, unless it be Winter, and
then it must be a little warmed; and to
the end her strength may be preserved,
which is extreamly wasted, let her take
every half Hour a little good strong
Broath with a few Spoonfuls of Gelly,
and between whiles the Yolk of a new
laid Egg; but too much Food must not
be given at a time, because her Stomach
cannot digest it. Her Drink must be Red
Wine with a little Water wherein Iron
has been quenched; and if there is the
least appearance of Excrements contained
in the Guts, make no Scruple to give a
Glister to evacuate them. But if not∣withstanding
Page  160

the Blood continues Flood∣ing,
then the Woman will often have
Fainting Fits, and be in great danger of
losing her Life, because we cannot apply
in those places the Remedies fit to stop
the opening of the Vessels as we can in
another.

Page  161
CHAP. XXVII.
Of a Suppression of the Child-bed Pur∣gations, and After-pains.
THE Suppression of the Lochia is one
of the worst Symptoms that can be∣fall
a Woman in Child-bed, especially if
they happen to be totally and suddenly
stopt the first three or four days, which
is the time they should come down plen∣tifully.

To bring the Lochia well down, let
the Woman avoid Passion, and all di∣sturbances
of the Mind, which may stop
them; let her lie in Bed with her Head
and Breast a little raised, keeping her
self quiet, that so the Humours may be
carried downwards by their natural ten∣dency.
Let her observe a good Diet,
somewhat hot and moist, and apply an
Hysteric Plaster to her Navel.

Take of the Conserves of Roman Worm∣wood
and Rue each one Ounce, of the Tro∣ches
of Myrrh two Drams, of Castor, Eng∣lish
Page  162

Saffron, Volatile Salt of Armoniac, and
of Assa fetida, each half a Dram, with
a sufficient quantity of the Syrup of the five
opening Roots, make an Electuary. Let her
take the quantity of a Large Nutmeg every
third Hour, drinking upon it three or four
Spoonfuls of the following mixture.

Take of the Water of Penny royal and
Balm each three Ounces, of Compound Briony
water two Ounces, of Syrup of Mugwort
three Ounces and an half, of Saffron two
Drams, of Castor tied up in a rag and hang∣ed
in a Glass one Scruple, mingle them.

If these things are used presently upon
the Suppression, they generally take it off▪
but if they have been used so long that
all the quantity is taken, and the Lochia
are still stopt, in this case we may use
Laudanum for once, but it is best to mix
it with Hesterick things: For instance,
take sixteen drops of Liquid Laudanum in
a Spoonful of Compound Briony, or Water.
But it must be carfully noted, that if after
having once taken it, the business is not
done, Opium must not be repeated again,
but having waited a while, to see what it
will do, we must return again to Emme∣nagoges
mixt with Hystericks, and after∣wards
we must inject a Glister; but what
Page  163

was said before of Opium, is to be taken
notice of in respect of Glisters, for un∣less
the first bring down the Lochia, no∣thing
is to be hoped for from more.

These things therefore being done, it
is safest and the duty of a prudent Phy∣sician
to wait and see what time will do,
for if the Woman live over the twenti∣eth
day, she will be in a manner out of
danger, and then she will be able to bear
such a method as is proper and effectual
enough to force the Lochia.

If the After-pains are more than usual,
you must Swath the Womans Belly gent∣ly,
that it may subside, and not move hi∣ther
and thither, as it often happens af∣ter
delivery, upon so sudden an evacua∣tion,
and then give three Ounces of Oyl
of Almonds fresh drawn, mixt with one
Ounce and an half of Syrup of Vio∣lets.

And Glisters may be injected made of
Milk and Sugar, and yolks of Eggs, and
the Belly must be anointed with the Oyl
of Dill, or of Rue, or of Jasmine. A Fo∣mentation
may be also made of a De∣coction
of Mugwort, Feverfew, Baulm,
of the Leaves of Bays, and Calaminth,
of the Seeds of Daucus, Cummin, and
Carraways, of the Flowers of Camomile
Page  164

and Wall-flower, made in Water and
White-wine, or in Milk. It is also pro∣per
to cover the Belly with a Sheeps-skin,
fresh flead off, and appli'd hot. The fol∣lowing
Powder taken presently after de∣livery
preserves the Woman from Pain in
a wonderful manner; and some think if
the Woman takes it in her first lying in,
she will never be troubled with these
Pains.

Take of Comfry dryed one Dram, of the
Kirnels of Peach stones, and of Nutmegs,
each two Scruples, of Amber half a Dram,
of Ambergrise half a Scruple, make a Pow∣der,
whereof let her take a Dram with White∣wine,
and if there be a Fever with Broth.

If the Woman after delivery be trou∣bled
with a pain in the Groin, it may be
taken off by applying a Plaster of Galba∣num
and Assafetida to the Navel, in the
middle whereof some Grains of Musk must
be placed.

Page  165
CHAP. XXVIII.
Of acute Diseases of Women in Child-Bed.
A Putrid Fever seises Child-bed Wo∣men
at various Seasons, and upon
several occasions, sometimes presently af∣ter
delivery, especially if it has been dif∣ficult
and hard, sometimes on the first,
sometimes on the second, third, or fourth
day, but the later it begins, the better
it goes off.

It begins and proceeds most commonly
in the following manner, after a previ∣ous
indisposition, the Fever begins most
commonly with a shaking and shivering,
which Heat presently follows, and after
that Sweat, the first or second day fits of
Heat and Cold succeed one another, and
then all the Blood being inflamed, the
Lochia if they were not suppressed before,
flow but little, or quite stop; if the Di∣sease
be acute, and of quick motion, it
comes to its height the third or fourth
day; the Heat is violent, and the Thirst
Page  166

very much, the Pulse vehement and quick,
watchings obstinate, there is a great rest∣lessness,
that the sick tumble from one
side of the Bed to the other continually;
the Urin is thick and red, and there are
many other grievous Symptoms; when
the Fever is in its state, no Crisis is to be
expected, for I never saw this Disease
go off by a critical Sweat.

The acute Diseases of Women in Child-bed
are sometimes accompanied with a
Quinsie, Plurisie, Peripneumonia, Bloody-flux,
Small-pox, and the like; of these a
Quinsie, Plurisie, and Peripneumonia, by
reason of the great Smilitude of the
Cause, and Analogy of the Cure, may be
considered together; presently at their
first beginning we must endeavour that
the Blood fixed any where, and beginning
to be extravasated be restor'd to Circula∣tion,
lest an Imposthume should be occa∣sioned;
wherefore internal remedies which
free the Blood from Coagulation must be
used, of which sort are Diaphoreticks a∣bounding
with Volatile Salt, as Spirit of
Harts-horn, of Soot, and Urine, also
Testaceous and Bezoartick Powders, La∣pis
Prunella, Decoctions and a Julep made
of Vegetables that force Urine and the
Courses, with all which must be mixt
Page  167

such things as have been found by expe∣rience
to be proper for Uterine Diseases.
Moreover discutient Medicines, which dis∣perse
the matter impacted, such are Lini∣ments,
Fomentations, and Cataplasms,
must be carefully applyed to the parts
affected; in the mean while the violent
Motion and immoderate effervescence
must be driven far from thence, and the
filth must be driven as much as is possi∣ble
downwards; to this end Frictions,
Ligatures, Epispasticks, and if there be
occasion, Cupping Glasses, must be applied
about the Legs and Feet. If the Disease
be very violent Bleeding is indicated, and
unless there be a Plethora in the whole
Body, and the Inflammation be very acute
in the part affected, it were be best to open
a Vein in the Foot, or to apply Leeches
to the Hemorrhoidal Veins; but if ne∣cessity
urge, we may bleed in the Arm,
and afterwards, if it can be admitted, in
the Foot; but you must take notice, that
Bleeding must be cautiously used in these
Cases, for unless it does good, which I
have seldom found, the Sick is in a worse
condition, being render'd weaker there∣by.

The Bloody-flux is very often deadly,
and so much the rather, because such
Page  168

things as qualifie the Blood, and that
moderately bind, are indicated; but the
Flux of the Lochia forbids them, where∣fore
in this case till she has been well
Purged by a long Flux of the Lochia, the
fierceness of the Symptoms must at pre∣sent
be only appeased.

The Indications in the Small-pox are
not only contrary to those above describ∣ed,
but also to one another; for the Flux
of the Lochia must be moderately re∣strain'd;
but in the mean while the efflore∣scence
of the Blood, and gentle Sweating
must be continued, wherefore such things
as are of an Alexipharmic and Astrin∣gent
Nature must be boyl'd in their
Broths, as the Roots of Tormentil and
Bistort; and in this case the Woman
must not eat Flesh, or the Broths of it,
nor must she rise, but be kept as quiet
as is possible, and the whole business must
be left in a manner to God and Na∣ture▪

All Women in Child-bed have an in∣bred
Venom, and they ought to be care∣ful
of it, and to avoid it as much as the
greatest Malignity; wherefore they ought
to use an exact course of Diet, whereby
the impurities of the Blood and Humours
may be purged in Child-bed without the
Page  169

danger of a Fever, and that the disorders
of the Womb may be healed, and their
strength weakned by delivery may be re∣stored,
to which end three things are to
be minded, first an exact course of Diet
must be ordered, viz. That they be fed
for a Week at least with Water-gruel,
sometimes made with Beer, sometimes
made with Water mixt with White-wine,
or with Panada, and other things
of easie Digestion: Secondly, They must
take great care that they do not catch
cold, whereby the Pores and the Lochia
may be stopt; wherefore let them conti∣nue
in Bed at least till the tenth day:
Thirdly, The Lochia must be gently pro∣voked;
to this end Midwives when af∣ter
hard Labour, there is danger of the
stoppage of the Lochia, give Sperma Ceti,
Irish Slates powdered, or White-wine
Tinctured with Saffron, and they make
the Gruel with Water and White-wine,
wherein as also in Posset-Drink they boyl
Marygold Flowers, the Leaves of Penny-royal,
or Mugwort.

Page  170
CHAP. XXIX.
Of the Melancholy, Madness, Deliri∣um, and Epilepsie of Women in Child-bed.
THese Diseases happen in Child-bed, for
want of a sufficient evacuation, by rea∣son
of the fault of the Blood, the Suppressi∣on
of it, or too great an Evacuation; or by
Fevers, an ill Vapour rushing upon the
Brain, whereof Lusitanus mentions an
observation of a very Beautiful Lady,
that presently after delivery fell Melan∣choly,
and was mad for a Month, but
by the use of a few Medicines recovered
her Senses; and I, says Rodericus a Castro,
have often cured a Dutch Merchants Wife
who was frequently distracted after deli∣very.
These Diseases are thus distinguish∣ed,
Melancholy is a Delirium without
a Fever, occasioned by a Melancholy
humour possessing the Seat of the Mind.
Madness is more outragious, and a hot
Intemperies is the occasion of it; whereas
Melancholy proceeds from a cold In∣temperies:
Page  171

An Epilepsie is a Convulsion
of all the parts of the Body, not perpe∣tual,
but by intervals, with a depravati∣on
of Sense and Jugdment. Lastly, a De∣lirium
is an alienation of the Mind, and
proceeds most commonly from a bilious
Fever, and therefore is not a Disease, but
a Symptom.

These are the general Indications; if
these Diseases proceed from an immode∣rat
Flux, it must be stopt, the strength
must be kept up, and the cold and dry
Intemperies must be corrected. If they
proceed from a Suppression of the Child-bed
Purgations, they must be forced; if
they are occasioned by a fault in the
Blood, they must be treated as the Me∣lancholy
of Virgins and Widows.

The most Grievous Symptom of these
Diseases are obstinate Watching; in this
case apply often to the Temples the fol∣lowing
Oxyrrhodine.

Take of the Waters of Roses and Plantain,
each four Ounces, of Oyl of Roses, three
Ounces, of Vinegar of Roses one Ounce, the
Powder of Red Sanders, one Drachm, mingle
them, apply it in a Rag, or Populeon Oynt∣ment
mixed with Oyntment of Roses, three
Grains of Opium, and one Scruple of Saffron;
Page  172

or a live Pigeon cut in two may be applied
hot to the Head. And if these things do not
do, one Dram of Philonium may be given in
Lettice Water and a little Wine at Bed-time.
Note that in an Epilepsie the Oxyrrhodine a∣bove
mentioned is not so proper, because it
cools the Head too much, and in Melancholy
such things must be added to it as moisten
more.

Page  173
CHAP. XXX.
Of driving away the Milk, of Tumors from Milk, of want of Milk, and of Chaps of the Nipples.
IF the Milk flow too freely into the
Breasts, a Thin and Spare Diet must
be ordered, and the Breasts must be often
sucked to prevent the Inflammation of them,
and the immoderate effervescence of the
Blood; and if it be not thought conveni∣ent
that the Woman should give suck▪
it is customary on the first or third day
of Lying in, to apply over the Breasts
moderately astringent Cerecloths, or the
Populean Oyntment, and Galens cooling
Cerate equally mixt, and spread on Lin∣nen;
some use Linnen dipt in Luke-warm
Verjuice, wherein a little Allom has bin
dissolved, that so it may be more astrin∣gent;
but great care must be taken in the
application and change of these things,
that the Woman catch not the least cold,
as also that no Inflammation or Impostume
be caused, instead of driving back the
Page  174

Milk: Wherefore things are to be applyed
according to the variety of the case.

But the best way to drive away the
Milk is the causing an ample Evacuation
of the Lochia, which is much further'd
by keeping the Belly open with Glist∣ers.

Milk is the occasion of many tumours
of divers kinds: The differences may be
thus enumerated; if the Ferment of the
Breast be over active, it separates the
Milk with too great violence, causing
thereby an over Fermentation in the
part, which usually produces a Tumor
called a Phlegmon, if the Serum be hot,
or partakes much of Blood; otherwise it
raises a Tumor called an Oedema; or if
the matter be disposed to Coagulate, the
Kings Evil: And these are the most fre∣quent
Species of Tumors generally repu∣ted
to arise from Milk, and either of
them may degenerate into a Scirrhus,
and that Scirrhus into a Cancer. The
Signs are Visible; if the first happen,
there are all the Symptoms of a Phlegmon,
Heat, Redness, Tension, Pulsation, and
the like; if the Second, large distension
with pain, but no heat; if the Kings
Evil, then hard Kernels are easily felt.

Page  175

Swellings made by the over eagerness
of the milky Ferment go easily off, if
no other Symptom attend them. Sucking
and drawing the Breast for the most part
discharges the Milk, as fast as it can be
generated, and then all goes off well.
But if the Fermentation produce any dis∣order
in the Blood, there is more or less
danger according to the quality of the
Tumor produced, viz. A Phlegmon is
apt to occasion a Fever, Oedematous Tu∣mors
are apt to grow Ulcers, and some∣times
Scrophulous, and Scirrhous, and
require a long time for their Cure. Be∣cause
it frequently happens to Women in
Child-bed, that their Breasts do swell
extraordinarly by reason of abundance of
Milk, which flows into them, and occasions
Inflammations, Impostumations, and the
like; therefore their Diet ought to be
slender, and of such a quality as may less
dispose the Humours to ferment, as Wa∣ter-gruel,
Panado, and the like. But
if the Inflammation be not violent, or the
Patient weak, Chicken Broath may be al∣lowed
with Wood-sorrel, Purslain, Let∣tice
boiled in it, or a boiled Chicken, a
Potched Egg, and such sort of Meats of
easie digestion. The Medicines proper to
diminish the Milk, are Lettice, Purslain,
Page  176

Endive, Succory, Smallage, and the like,
the Seeds of wild Rue, Cummin, Basil
powdered and given to the quantity of
one Dram daily in Broath, will dry up
the Milk, as Authors write.

The Milk is usually drawn out of the
Breasts by the Infants sucking them: But
if the Child be so weak, it cannot suck,
or does not discharge them enough, some
body else must do it, or young Whelps
may suck them, or the Mother may draw
her own Breasts her self by an Instrument
sold for that purpose.

The swelling made by the Milk is re∣strained
by the application of Night-shade,
Lettice, Plantain, Vine-tops, Bramble-buds,
Horse-tail, and the like, or with the Oyl
of Myrtles and Vinegar.

It may be discussed by the application
of Mints, Catmints, Rue, the Seeds of
Fenugreek, Cummin, Fennel, and the
like, or dried up by applying Cloaths dipt
in Lime water, or a Solution of Sacharum
Saturni in the Water of Frogs Spawn; du∣ring
which time fine Tow may be sprink∣led
with Ceruss, and applied to the Arm∣pits:
But these things must be only used
at the beginning of the Fluxion.

But if the Inflammation be gon too far
towards Suppuration, then it must be pro∣moted
Page  177

with Suppuratives, and opened by
Incision or a Caustick.

Where the swelling has been hard, and
not inflamed, use the following Cerat.

Take of the tops of Wormwood powdered
two Drams, of the Seeds of Fenugreek and
Fennel, each one Ounce and an half, of the
Juice of Henbane and Hemlock, each three
Ounces, of Oyntment of Marsh-mallows two
Ounces, of Ducks Fat, and Goose Grease,
each one Ounce, of Deers Suet two Ounces,
of Liquid Storax half an Ounce, with a suf∣ficient
quantity of Wax, make a Cerat.

Hemlock boyled in Wine, and beaten
up with Hogs Lard resolves the hardness
of the Breasts. Green Mints, or Chick∣weed
are common applications, and of
good use, either alone or mixed with
other Medicines, in all the hard Swellings
of the Breast occasioned by Milk. All
Plasters applied to the Breasts must have
a hole sniped in them for the Nipples,
lest they be fretted by them, especially
that the Milk may be drawn forth whilst
the Medicines lye on.

But it is best to prevent such Swellings
at the beginning by procuring an ample
and large Evacuation of the Lochia. For
Page  178

the Chaps and Excoriations of the Niples,
Rags dipt in Plantain-water may be ap∣plied,
or the Oyntment called Diapom∣pholigos
may be used: But great care
must be taken that nothing be applied to
disgust the Child; wherefore some only
use Honey of Roses: But if the Excoria∣tion
and Pain be much, the Woman must
forbear giving the Child suck.

If the Child has wholly sucked off the
Nipples, the Milk then must be quite dri∣ed
away, that so the Ulcers which re∣main
may be the sooner healed.

Page  179
CHAP. XXXI.
Of want of Milk.
THE cause of want of Milk is a Vice
of the Blood, the weakness of the
Body, or of the Child, the smallness of
the Breasts, the narrowness of the Ves∣sels,
any immoderate Evacuation by ano∣ther
part, as by the Mouth, by the Cour∣ses,
by the Nostrils, or by the Hemor∣rhoids,
by immoderate Cold, ill Diet,
Fasting, great Labour, or Sorrow.

The whole Cure in a manner consists
in Diet. If therefore it be occasioned for
want of Blood, or by a dry Intemperies,
from whence it chiefly proceeds, it must
be cured by a hot and moist Diet, and
the Air must be moist and moderately
warm. Sleep is better than immoderate
Watching. The Bread must be Wheaten
and well fermented. Goats or Sheeps
Milk boil'd with Yolks of Eggs, and
sweetned is good; so is Rice boild with
Milk and Honey, Potched Eggs, Chicken
Broath, Mutton or Veal Broath, or Broath
Page  180

of Phesants, or the Flesh of them with a
Sauce made of Rocket and Honey; the
Udders of Animals are also good. Of
Fishes, a Trout, Mullet, a Salmon, Soles,
Place, Pikes, and the like are good; and
for the second Course, Sweet Almonds,
Raisins of the Sun, Pistaches, Pine Nuts,
Rocket, Parsnips roasted under the Em∣bers,
or prepared with Honey. Dia∣scorides
and Avicenna commend Fennel
and Smalage; Lettice is also good, so
are Cabbage, Wild Thime, Leeks, Rocket,
Fennel. Let her drink be sweet Wine,
or White-wine, or Barley water with the
Seeds of Fennel, or Ale; wherein if you
boyl Butter, Sugar, and Bread, you'll
Scarce find a better Diet for this pur∣pose.
The German Women use this for
their Meat and Drink almost all the time
they give suck. All things that are acid,
acrid, bitter and very hot must be avoid∣ed.
But if this defect proceed from heat
or choler, you must use cooling things,
and the Body must be purged according
to the Nature of the Humour: But if the
Blood be Flegmatick, and the Vessels ob∣structed,
you must open the Obstructions
and attenuate the Blood; therefore you
must give hot things, as Smallage, Dill,
Penny-royal with Wine: But you must be
Page  181

careful not to give things that are too hot;
for they dry up the Milk. And as those
things which Moderately provoke the
Courses breed Milk, so those that vio∣lently
force them lessen it.

Blood is never to be drawn, nor are
strong Purges to be used: But if it be ne∣cessary
to use Purging by reason of the
fault of the Humours, the Nurse must
take four days before such things as in∣crease
the Milk, and such Medicines must
be given as increase the Milk. As

Take of thee Seeds of Fennel, of Leeks, and
Rocket, each two Drams, of Mace one Dram,
of the Leaves of Mallows half a handful, boyl
them in Chicken Broath, and let her take six
Ounces of the Broath, and wash▪ the Breasts
with the Broath.

But if the want of Milk proceeds from
the smallness of the Breasts, foment them
with a Decoction of Fenugreek, and Ca∣momile
made in Wine, or with hot Beer
and Butter. But if these things do not
good, you must chuse another Nurse; but
you must try all things first, for change of
Milk is very injurious to the Child.

Page  182
CHAP. XXXII.
Of a Woman suckling her own Children, and of chusing a Nurse.
THE Mothers Milk is fittest for the
Child, because it is most agreeable to
it Nature: Besides the Mother will be
more vigilant and careful than a hired
Nurse; for none can love, the Child so
well as the own Mother, who upon the
account of her affection is unwearied in
the attending of the Child, and thinks
she never does enough for it, and is pre∣sently
awaked by its crying; whereas
mercenary Nurses often overlay Children
and suffocate them. Moreover the Body,
and the disposition of the Mind are more
framed by the Milk and Nourishment,
than by the nature of the Seed; and as
you often observe that the Child is purg∣ed
when the Nurse is Purged; so the Bo∣dy
and Humours are in a manner the
same with hers, as Trees partake of the
nature of the Soil they are planted in. Be∣sides,
it is the duty of a Mother to nurse
Page  183

her own Child; for those that do not are
but half Mothers, and to be sure cannot
love them so well as those that do. Up∣on
this account a Roman Youth of the Fa∣mily
of the Gracchi, returning Rich and
Victorious from the Wars, being met by
his Mother and his Nurse, gave his Mo∣ther
a Silver Ring, and his Nurse a
Gold Chain; whereat his Mother being
offended; You, said he, nourished me on∣ly
Nine Months in the Womb, and then
rejected me, this Woman received me
into her Arms, and suckled me two Years,
and taught me to be orderly. The Water
nourishes what is bred in the Water, and
the Earth nourishes what is bred in the
Earth: Nor is there any Beast so cruel,
as not to nourish its young ones. Tygers,
Lions, and Vipers take care of their
young ones, and only Man makes Found∣lings
of his: Oh! incredible and execra∣ble
Villany, what can be more cruel,
than to expose a tender Infant that im∣plores
his Mothers help, as soon as pos∣sibly
she can get rid of it? But God in
his Providence often punishes their Inhu∣manity;
for their Milk often curdles in
their Breast, and occasions dreadful pains,
so that those Breasts, which were denied
their Children are forced to be suckt by
Page  184

Puppies; nor is this all, for their Breasts
are often Inflamed and Suppurated, and
must be cut with Knives, or burnt with
red hot Irons, or becoming Cancerous,
the rotten Flesh drops from them piece∣meal.
But some will object in their ex∣cuse,
that they are either too young or too
weak, yet without doubt if they are able
to Conceive, they may Suckle too; for
God never gave them Breasts full of Milk
to no purpose. But if they have not
Milk enough, which is the only real ex∣cuse,
a Nurse must be chosen, who ought
to be of an age betwixt twenty and thir∣ty;
she ought to be of a strong Constitu∣tion,
well Coloured, not too Fat, nor
too Lean; she must not have rotten Teeth,
nor a stinking Breath, nor be affected
with Scabs, Ulcers, the French-Pox,
Gout, Consumption, or any other Di∣sease.
Thirdly, Her Manners are to be
considered; for the Child sucks them in
with the Milk; whereof the Nurse ought
to be good tempered; she must not be
subject to violent Passions, nor wholly
without Passion, nor of a weak Judgment;
she must not be squint eyed, lest the
Child should be so; she must be Chast,
and not have Conversation with her Hus∣band,
lest her Courses should flow, or the
Page  185

Blood be disturbed, and consequently the
Milk; or be with Child, whereby the
Milk would be lessened, and become vi∣tious:
but some think that the Courses
flowing moderately does not vitiate the
Milk, but rather cleanses the rest of the
Blood. Fourthly, we must consider the
time from Delivery; for she must not
give suck too near Delivery, nor too long
from the time of it. She must not give
suck until she be free of the Child-bed
Purgations; the time most approved of,
is from the Second Month to the Sixth,
and she should have Nursed a Child be∣fore.
Fifthly, The Breasts are to be con∣sidered,
which ought to be moderately
full, not loose and hanging down; but
solid and firm, of a moderate bigness
and hardness, and the Veins of them
should look blew, and dispersed into ma∣ny
streams, moderately elevated, that
they may contain the more Milk; for if
they are dense, and the Milk is bound
up in them, and as it were suffocated,
the Child can scarce draw it, and so
either takes a distaste, or if it suck on,
the Nose is flattened by the pressure.
Sixthly, The Paps must not be so short
as that the Child cannot take hold of
them with his Lips, nor so long and
Page  186

thick, as to fill the Infants Mouth, so that
it cannot readily use its Tongue to suck
or swallow. Seventhly, The nature of
the Milk must be considered, which, be∣sides
the clearness and sweetness of it,
which are the first requisits, must be also
sweet-sented, not too thick nor too thin,
which may be tried by dipping a hair in
the Milk, hanging it up, if the Milk slide
off, it is naught, but if it compass the
whole hair it is good. Eightly, chuse a
Nurse which was last delivered of a Male
child. Ninethly, Such an one as is not
wont to miscarry. Tenthly, She must not
be with Child. The Nurse so described
on the first days she begins to suckle must
use a simple Diet, lest too much Milk
should overwhelm the tender Infant. Af∣terwards
let her have good Meats: She
must not Drink excessively, she must ab∣stain
from Wine, and from salt, sharp,
and a stringent Meats, and Leeks, Onions,
Garlick, Rocket and Spices. She must
avoid all perturbations of Mind, and Co∣pulation;
let her moderately exercise
her Arms and upper Parts. Lastly, Her
Diet must be such, as the Nature and
Constitution of the Infant requires; if
the Child be of a hot Constitution, she
must use a cooling Diet; but if the In∣fant
Page  187

be of a cold Constitution, a little
Wine and Spices must be allowed, and
stronger exercise, and if the Nurse be not
well, she must be purged, and Diet must
be ordered according to the faults of the
Milk, and the disorders of the Child. The
Nurse must be always chearful, and laugh∣ing,
and singing with the Child. She must
keep it clean. She must speak distinctly.
She must assist the Child in sucking by
pressing gently her Breasts; but she must
not let the Child suck too much at once.

Page  188
CHAP. XXXIII.
Of Wrinkles in the Belly and Breasts after Delivery.
WHen the Child in the Womb grows
big, it stretches the Belly, or
maks it chap, so that after Delivery
Wrinkles remain in the Belly, and her
Breasts grow small after the Milk goes a∣way
for the same reason. The Chaps
may be prevented, if after the fourth
Month of being with Child, a Linnen
cloath dipt in the Oyl of sweet Almonds
be applied to the Belly. The Wrinkles
left after Delivery may be taken off by
two sorts of Remedies.

First therefore, If the Womans Month
be not out, apply to the Belly the follow∣ing
Oyntment.

Take of Sperma Ceti two Drams, of Oyl of
Sweet Almonds, and St. Johns Wort, each
one Ounce and an half, of Goats Suet one
Ounce, of new Wax a sufficient quantity,
make an Oyntment.

Page  189

Secondly, After the Womans lying in,
such things may be used as gently bind,
and render the Belly solid and firm.

Take of the distilled Water of Mallows,
and Marsh-mallow, each one Quart, of Rose-Water
a Pint and half, two Lemons▪ peeled
and sliced, of unripe Sloes one Pound; infuse
them together two days, and then distil them
in a Glass Alembick with a gentle fire, and
bath the Womans Belly with it. But the fol∣lowing
makes the Belly more solid.

Take of Figs one Pound, of the Meal of
Barley and Beans, each half an Ounce, of
the Meal of Rice two Ounces, of Galls, and
Cypress Nuts, each one Dram, of Mastich,
and Myrrh, each one Dram and half, of the
Seeds of Fennel one Dram; boyl them all in
Smiths Water till they are a little thick, then
apply them to the Belly; or after bathing with
a Decoction of the foresaid things: apply the
following Pultiss to the Belly.

Take of the Meal of Beans, Rice, Acorns
and Almonds, each two Ounces, of Bricks
powdered one Ounce, of Bole-armenick two
Drams, of Dragons Blood one Dram, of
Cypress Nuts half an Ounce, of Kermes three
Drams, of Galls half an Ounce, of Oyl of
Myrtles six Ounces, of the Waters of Med∣lars,
Page  190

and Sloes, each one Pint, of Rose-water
one Pint and an half; boyl them to the consist∣ence
of a Pultiss, apply it to the Belly.

It also makes the Breasts solid. But
lest the Breast and Bowels should be of∣fended
by its frigidity and binding qua∣lity,
add of Mastick two Drams, of Nut∣megs
three Drams, of Florentine Orris
half an Ounce. Myrrh mixed with these,
the Decoction of it, or used any other way
renders the Belly smooth and firm, and
the Breasts hard compact and small, and
narrows the Privities, and is accounted a
great secret in this case.

Page  191
CHAP. XXXIV.
Of straitning the Privities after De∣livery.
AFter Delivery the Privities are lax;
and hence Barreness, and a falling
of the Womb are sometimes occasioned.
The Cure is performed by two sorts of
Remedies.

First, if the Privities are too moist,
such things must be used as dry; the
following Uterine Glister is very pro∣per.

Take of Galls number four, of Spodium
two Spoonfuls, powder them very fine, and add
Six Ounces of Stiptic-wine; afterwards put
up the following Pessary.

Take of the Bark of the Pine two Drams,
Allom one Dram, of Cyprus one Pugil, boyl
them in Wine to the consistence of a Pultiss,
apply them often with a rag: Or infuse
Galls in Rain-water eight days, and with soft
Wool sprinkled with Sulphur, and dipt in
Page  192

this Water and dried without pressing, make
a Pessary.

But Secondly, And chiefly you must use
Astringents, Foment the Genitals with the
Water or Decoction of Acorns, unripe
Sloes, and of Horse-tail; or Foment the
Parts with Allom-water, or with Stiptic-Wine,
that is, red and rough Wine boyl'd
with Galls, Leaves of Myrtles, Red Ro∣ses,
Pomgranet-peel Balaustines, and Cy∣press
Nuts: Or,

Take of Cypress Nuts and Galls, each one
Pound, of Roch-allom, and the filings of Iron
prepared in Vinegar, each half a Pound, boyl
them in a sufficient quantity of the Waters of
Galls, which Tanners use, and Foment the
Parts often with it.

The following Water is counted excel∣lent.

Take of Galls, and of Cypress Nuts, each
half a Pound, of Allom six Drams, Bole∣armonick
half a Pound, of the Meal of A∣corns,
and of old Beans, each half a Pound,
the Whites of twelve Eggs, of Powder of
Brick one Pound; let them be all finely pow∣dered,
and infuse them three Days in Smiths
Page  193

Water, or in a decoction of Sloes, Medlars,
or Horse-tail, with half a Pint of Rose Vi∣negar;
then Distill them in a cold Still with
a gentle Fire; add to the Water that comes
off, of the Powders of Mastick, Myrrh, and
Dragons Blood, each two Drams. Set the
water in the Sun in the Summer for ten
days, this straitens the Privities, smoothens
the Belly, and makes the Breasts solid.

Page  194
CHAP. XXXV.
Of Abscesses and Corrosive Vlcers ari∣sing from Distempers of the Womb in Childbed.
THE Womb is sometimes terribly
affected in Child-bed, and produces
Fevers of very Malignant and Veno∣mous
Natures, which soon cause Phleg∣mons,
and worse Tumours, in the Womb
it self, and sometimes in other parts of
the Body, there being none of them on
which the Uterine Ferment has not an in∣fluence.
The Exhorbitances or Degene∣rations
of that, whether from an hurt
in Labour, from part of the After∣birth
left behind, from cold taken, or
the Lochia stopt, soon produce such Vi∣rulent
Distempers in the Blood as make
it cast out a Tumor, either upon the
part it self, or else outwardly upon the
Muscles of the Body, where when they
Page  195

light, they prove corrosive, sometimes
eating out the Flesh in which they lodge,
which falls off in whole pieces, without
that change of colour in the Skin, which
is in Gangreens, so that sometimes the
Bone it self is laid bare by them.

The Causes are hard Labour, the
Womb hurt, or part of the Secundine
left behind; Cold taken in Child-bed, and
a predisposition in the Humours, by rea∣son
of their peccancy in quantity or qua∣lity.

The Prognostick may be taken from
the largness, or other qualifications of the
Abscess, and the Symptoms that happen
to the Body thereupon. If the Tumor
happens only from some little distur∣bance
in the Womb of a Person other∣wise
of a good habit of Body, the cure
is hopeful. If part of the After-birth
be retained, there is no hope's of Cure
till that be removed, nay if it stay so
long, as to induce Putrefaction of the
part, it will be too late then to remove
it.

Page  196

If the Body be of an ill Habit, the
Tumours are apt to Degenerate into
very Venomous and Malignant Abscesses,
which if they do not suddenly kill, do
at least produce ill conditoned Ulcers, hard
of Cure, and for the most part mortal
in the long course of the Disease.

In the Cure of these Abscesses, you
are to inform your self how the Womb
is disturbed, and appease that; and
if any part of the After-birth be left be∣hind,
to endeavour the bringing that
away, and by good Sudorificks, Cor∣dials
and the like, to expel the Venom,
and fortifie the Spirits against the Malig∣nity
that is thereby contracted, and to
attemperate the heat, and the Acrimony
by Julips and Emulsions.

The Swellings arising from these re∣quire
to be treated in their beginning with
moderate Repellents and Discutients af∣terward,
according as the Matter pre∣predominates,
make way for its dis∣charge.

Page  197

A young Woman after Child-bed was
seized with a great Pain and Swelling
in her Groin, with a Fever. Bleeding
and Lenient Purgatives to Evacuate the
Humours were prescribed, also Cordial
Juleps, and the like, to attemperate the
Heat, and fortifie the Spirits; and Mode∣rate
Repellents mixed with Discutients
in Fomentations, and Plasters with Ban∣dage
were used, which dispersed the Hu∣mor
in the Thigh, and restored that
part to its former temper: But in the
mean time the Tumor increased in the
Groin, and was suppurated after the
manner of a Bubo; it was opened, and a
detersion was endeavoured; but the Si∣nus
reaching down the Twist, the Matter
could not be discharged without laying
it more open, as in Sinous Ulcers, by
which method it was cured.

A Gentlewoman in Child-bed was seiz∣ed
with a Fever, and the Ninth Day
complained of a pain in her Foot. Dis∣cutients
were prescribed, together with
things proper for the Fever to breath
out the impacted Matter in her Foot;
but the pain increasing, the upper part
of the Foot from the Instep to the Toes
Page  198

were Oedematous; but from the inside
of the Ancle to the middle of the Sole
of her Foot inflamed, and seeming to
apostumate. The ill consequences of an
Apostumation in that part amongst the
Tendons and Bones, and where the
Skin is usually so hard and tough, that
our strongest Causticks could difficultly
penetrate, being feared; It was resol∣ved
to endeavour the restraint of the
Influx, and so to dry up the Humour af∣fecting
the part; to which purpose was
applied the following Plaster.

Take of Barley Meal Six Ounces, of
Flax Seeds powdered Six Drams, of the
Flowers of Camomile and Elder, each three
Drams, of the Flowers of Red Roses and
Balaustins, each one Ounce; these with the
addition of Honey of Roses and Oyl of
Myrtles were boyled to the consistence of a
Plaster in red Wine, and at Bed-time
an Anodyne Draught was given to cause
rest.

The next Morning the Patient was
somewhat relieved, and when the Dres∣sings
were taken off, the Tumor and
Inflammation seemed less. This way of
Page  199

dressing was continued with Compress
and Bandage, and the Humour was in
few Days dried up, and the Foot seem∣ed
well; but there appeared again a
Swelling on the Foot, and Apostumated
in the Sole of the Foot in three several
places, which were opened with a Cau∣stick,
to prevent the increase of the Mat∣ter,
and the Eschars were divided to
give a vent, and they were dressed with
Basilicon and the Plaster as before, and
the flowing of the Matter was indea∣voured
to be hindred dayly by Compress
and Bandage; but the Position of the
Foot gave way, and it sunk lower, so
that there was a necessity of applying
another Caustick, which proved effectu∣al
to the Discharge of it; so that the
upper Orifices healed, but this last Es∣char
separated slowly, and left the great
Tendon bare; the Separation was fur∣thered
by the use of Oyl of Turpen∣tine
with Basilicon applied warm, and
the Tendon was incarnated with a
Sarcotick composed of a mixture of
Powder of Orris, Myrrh, Sarcocoll, and
Mercury precipitate, with Honey of
Roses and Turpentine, and the Ulcer
was cicatrized with the Epuloticks. Af∣ter
Page  200

it was cicatrized the Sole of her
Foot was so relaxed and tender, that upon
setting it on the Ground it became very
much subject to a pituitous Swelling:
But by the use of a Fomentation and a
laced Stocking, the weak parts were
strengthned, and she was cured.

Page  201
CHAP. XXXVI.
Of the Falling of the Womb.
FOR the Cure of this Disease, regard
must be had to two things; the first
is to reduce the Womb to its natural
place; the second is to strengthen and to
keep it there.

If the Womb be quite out or turned,
the Woman must first of all render her
Urine, and a Glister must be given to
Evacuate the gross Excrements that are
in the right Gut, that so the Reduction
may be the easier performed: Then place
her on her Back with her Hips raised a
little higher than her Head, and then
foment all that is fallen out, with a lit∣tle
Wine and Water luke-warm, and
with a soft Rag put it into its proper
place, thrusting it back not all at once,
but wagging it by little and little from
side to side. In case this be too painful,
because it's already too big and swell'd,
anoint it with Oyl of Almonds, for the
more easie reduction of it; but wipe oft
Page  202

the Oyl, as soon as it is reduced. But
if it cannot be put up by reason of the
great Inflammation and Tumor, there is
great danger that it will gangrene.

As to the second part of the Cure,
which consists in the retention of the
Womb in its place, and the strengthen∣ing
of it, let the Woman keep her self
in Bed upon her Back having her Hips a
little raised, her Legs crossed, and her
Thighs joyned together to prevent the
falling of it out again. But the best way
is to put up a Pessary into the Neck of
the Womb to keep it firm.

Take of Oak Bark two Ounces, boyl it in
two Quarts of Fountain Water, add at the
latter end an Ounce of Pomgranat-peel bruis∣ed,
Red Roses, Pomgranat Flowers, each two
handfuls, and then add half a Pint of Red∣wine;
strain it, and bath the part affected
with Flannels dipt in it in the Morning two
hours before the Woman rises, and at night
when she is in Bed; continue it till the Symptom
is quite gone.

Page  203
CHAP. XXVII.
Of a Dropsie and Inflation of the Womb.
THE Inflation and Dropsie are con∣founded
by almost all Authors; but
they are to be distinguished; for there is
a certain Inflation of the Womb
which ought not to be called a Dropsie,
Viz. When the Womb is Inflated, and
stretched suddenly by Wind rushing in;
upon which account a violent Pain is
occasioned; this often happens in Hyster∣ick
Diseases. Wherefore a Dropsie of the
Womb is two-fold, one from Wind,
which is like a Tympany; another from
a watery Humour, which is like a Dropsie
of the Belly.

As to the Diagnostick of these Disea∣ses,
many things are to be enquired in∣to.

First, How they may be distinguished
from an universal Dropsie.

Secondly, How the Species of it may be
known, viz. Whether it proceeds from
Wind, Water, or Flegm▪

Page  204

Thirdly, If it arise primarily from the
Womb, or be occasioned by the fault
of some other part.

Fourthly, Whether the peccant Mat∣ter
be contained in the Cavity of the
Womb, or within the Membranes of it,
or in Bladders.

Fifthly, How it may be distinguished
from other Tumours of the Womb.

Sixthly, How it may be distinguished
from being with Child.

Seventhly, How it may be distinguished
from a Mola.

First, It is distinguished from an uni∣versal
Dropsie, for that in a Dropsie of
the Womb, the Tumour possesses more
the bottom of the Womb, and there is
not so soon a paleness and wasting of the
whole Body, as in an universal Dropsie.
Besides, in a Dropsie of the Womb, the
thirst and driness of the Tongue is not
considerable, and Wind breaks out by in∣tervals,
or a little Water flows out, which
manifestly shew, that Wind or Water is
contained in the Womb.

Secondly, The Species of Dropsies in
the Womb are thus distinguished, if it
be occasioned by Wind, the bottom of
the Belly sounds being struck; there are
pricking pains in the Belly, which some∣times
Page  205

run through the Diaphragm, Sto∣mach,
Loins, Navel, and other parts,
and sometimes the Wind does evidently
break through the Neck of the Womb;
the Disease grows worse upon eating and
drinking, and they often belch, and are
better after it; they sometimes perceive
a pain in the Region of the Hypogaster,
so that they cannot bear an Hand laid
on it; these signs are also in an Inflation
of the Womb; but there is this differ∣ence,
for an Inflation is but for a small
space, and a Dropsie from Wind con∣tinues
much longer.

But if a Dropsie of the Womb is oc∣casioned
by Water, that Region appears
soft and flaccid, for Wind causes a ten∣sion;
there is a greater weight in the
part, and a sound as it were of Wa∣ter
floating, and Water sometimes drops
from the part. And if it proceed from
Flegm, there is a greater softness and
flaccidity of the part, which dayly in∣creases,
and afflicts the neighbouring
parts with oedematous Swellings.

Thirdly, If there be signs of the
whole Bodies being ill affected, as by
long or acute Fevers, by immoderate
Hemorrhagies, by weakness of the Sto∣mach,
swelling of the Liver or Spleen,
Page  206

or by other obstinate Diseases of those
parts, by which the Dropsie of the
Womb began, and increased with them;
there is good reason to conjecture that
the Matter of the Dropsie is received in
those parts; but if when the whole Bo∣dy
is well, such a Tumour happens,
and succeeds particular Diseases of the
Womb, as hard Labour, suppression of
the Courses, or too large an Evacuation
of them, or Ulcers and Tumours, we
may guess that the Dropsie of the
Womb proceeds from them.

Fourthly, The Matter which is con∣tained
in the cavity of the Womb cau∣ses
a much greater Tumour than when
it is contained within the Membranes.

Fifthly, a Dropsie of the Womb may
be distinguished from Tumours that pro∣ceed
from a Phlegmon, or an Erysipe∣las,
because in these there is a Fever
and Pain upon the least touching; it may
be distinguished from the Scirrhous,
or Cancerous Tumour by the hardness
that resists the Finger.

Sixthly, When a Woman is with
Child, the Tumour is not equal and de∣pressed,
but thrusts it self out above the
Navel; and when a Woman is with
Child, after some Months she is most
Page  207

commonly better; but the longer a Drop∣sie
lasts, the worse it grows, and the
motion of the Child is plainly to be
felt after the third or fourth Month; yet
in a Dropsie that arises from Wind, a
palpitation may be sometimes perceived
in the Womb, and when a Woman is
with Child, the Breasts swell, but in a
Dropsie they wax small.

Seventhly, In a Mole there is a weight
felt in the Body, which is not perceived
in a Dropsie of the Womb, and when
the Sick lies on either side, a weight is per∣ceived,
as if a Stone rolled thither. More∣over,
in a Mole there are violent Fluxes
of the Courses by intervals, namely, eve∣ry
third or fourth Month, which does not
happen in a Dropsie of the Womb; and
lastly, in a Mole the Breasts swell, and
have Milk in them sometimes, but there
is no such thing in a Dropsie.

As to the Prognosticks, a Simple Inflati∣on
of the Womb is not dangerous, but
if it continue long, it may turn to a
Dropsie.

If Wind or Water is contained in
the cavity of the Womb it is easier cu∣red
than when it is included in the Mem∣branes,
or in Bladders.

Page  208

This Disease is cured much the same
way as a Dropsie or Green-sickness is;
but some things peculiar to this Disease
must be added: If the Disease be new,
and occasioned by an Obstruction of the
Courses, and if there be a fulness of
Blood, Bleeding may be proper, other∣wise
it is injurious; but Purging is al∣ways
necessary, and must be often re∣peated,
and after sufficient Purging, A∣peritives,
Diureticks, and such things
as move the Courses must be used,
to which may be added the follow∣ing.

Take the Roots of Smallage, and Madder,
each half an Ounce, of the Leaves of Savin,
Feverfew, and Penny-royal, each one Pugil,
of the Seeds of Daucus, one Dram, boyl them
in the Broaths of young Pidgeons, and let
her take it strained in the Morning for ma∣ny
Days. But before she takes the Broath,
let her swallow one of the following Pills,

Take of the best Castor, Myrrh and Mad∣der,
each half a Dram, of Saffron one
Scruple, with the Juice of Lemons, make
nine Pills; after the use of which Medicine,
violent Exercise must be used, that thereby
the Excrements bred in the Bowels, and in
Page  209

the habit of the Body may be dissipated, and
also all that which is contained in the Womb,
the Skins being broken by the violence of the
Exercise, and if the Woman Vomit easily, it
will be proper to Vomit her twice a Week.
The following Bolus is very effectual to discuss
the Humour contained in the Womb.

Take of Mineral Borax, half a Dram,
of Saffron half a Scruple, with the Juice of
Savin, make a Bolus, to be taken twice a
Week.

Sudorificks are also very proper; in
the mean while the heat of the Sto∣mach
must be strengthened by things
taken inwardly, and outwardly applyed.
The Womb must also be strengthened by
proper Topical Medicines: First by Fo∣mentations
and Baths made of a Decocti∣on
of the Roots of Briony, and wild
Cucumber, of the Leaves of Dwarf El∣der,
Mercury Elder, Wild-marjoram,
Calaminth, Wormwood, Rue, Sage,
Marjoram, Thym, Bays, Penny-royal,
Mugwort, of the Seeds of Broom, Dau∣cus,
Cummin, Anise, Fennel, of the Ber∣ries
of Lawrel and Juniper, of the Flow∣ers
of Camomile, Melilot, Rosemary, of
which may be made Bags to be boiled in
Wine.

Page  210

But that the forementioned Fomentati∣on
may succeed the better, you must
apply it before and behind, and the Sick
ought to Sweat, if she can, in the Bed
or in a Bath.

In a windy Dropsie dry Fomentations
are more beneficial, with Bags made of
Grommel, Salt, Cummin and Bran, torri∣fied
in a Frying-pan, and sprinkled with
Wine.

After the Fomentation, anoint the low∣er
Belly with the Oyls of Nard, Dill,
Rue, Worm-wood, Southern-wood, and
if they are Chimically prepared they will
be the more effectual.

After the Anointing the Belly, apply
the Plaster of Lawrel-berries, or a Pul∣tiss
made of Cows-dung, Sheeps-dung, of
the Seeds of Smallage, Parsley, and Cum∣min
boyled in Honey. Glisters must be
frequently injected, made of a Decoction of
Wormwood, Wild-marjoram, Penny-royal,
Rue, Centaury, and the like; or
of the Oyls of Rue, Nutmeg, Dill, and
Whitewine, or in Malago Sack, wherein
must be dissolved Benedictum Laxativum,
Diaphenicon, Hiera diacolocinthidos,
Turpentine, Confection of the Lawrel∣berries,
Honey of Rosemary, and the
like. Injections for the Womb may be
Page  211

prepared in the following manner to
evacuate the Humours contained in it.

Take of the Roots of Asara-bacca, three
Drams, of the Leaves of Penny-royal, and
Calaminth, each half an handful, of Savin,
one Scruple, of Mechoacan, one Dram, of
the Seeds of Anise and Cummin, each half
a Dram, boyl them and strain them, and in
six Ounces of the Liquor, dissolve of Oyls
of Orris and Elder, each one Ounce; make
an Injection.

For the same purpose Pessaries may be
made thus.

Take of Coloquintida and Mechoacan;
each one Dram, of Nitre, half a Scruple,
with a sufficient quantity of boyled Honey;
make a Pessary. or,

Take of Elaterium, half a Dram, of Figs
bruised a sufficient quantity.

When the Inflation proceeds from
Wind a Fume from Nutmegs is very
good, and is commended by Solinander
in these words, A VVoman in Child-bed
by exposing her self to the Air too
soon, fell into intolerable Pains, nor
Page  212

could be relieved by any means, at length
an Old and Skilful Midwife was called,
she ordered three Nutmegs to be grosly
beaten, which she put into a Chaffing-dish
with live Coals, and placed the
Chaffing-dish so, that the Fume of the
Nutmegs by the help of a Funnel in∣verted,
passed into the VVomans Privi∣ties,
and she received the same Fume
into her Mouth and Nostrils after the
same manner, and as soon as the Fumes
had Penetrated, the Woman cryed out
presently she must go to Stool, and as
soon as she had so spoken a great noise
was heard like the shooting of a Gun,
and the Woman was Cured in the same
moment; and being encouraged by this
Success, I used it, says he, often in like
Case, and it succeeded well.

A Cupping-glass with much Flame ap∣plyed
to the Navel wonderfully discusses
Wind: But when the Disease is Hu∣moural,
Issues in the Legs evacuate by
degrees the filth of the Womb. The
Bath waters used inwardly and outward∣ly
are also very good, if the Body be
not very hot. Amatus Lusitanus com∣mends
the VVater or Decoction of Ca∣momile
Flowers to ease the Pain of
the VVomb: In this Case he orders four
Page  213

or five Ounces of it to be given at a
time.

Lastly, if the Inflation happens after
Delivery, there is no need of any other
Cleansing, than what is done by the
Womb: But if it does not proceed well,
it must be helped with Pessaries, and
Cupping-glasses applyed to the Thighs,
and with other Remedies described for
the Suppression of the Courses: And if
there be VVind, the Fume of Nutmegs
above proposed are very proper.

Page  214
CHAP. XXXVIII.
Of a Cancer of the Breast and Womb.
A Cancer is the name of a Tumour
arising as it is thought from an
adust, or atrabilious Humour. It is
round, unequally hard, and if not in∣flamed,
of a Livid or Brown Colour with
exquisite pricking Pain, the Veins ap∣pear
turgid in the Skin upon the surface
of the Tumour.

The remote cause of this Tumour is
either a fault in the original Constitution
of the Body, or an acquired one, as by
a Bruise, or the like; or by an error in
Dyet.

The differences of Cancers are many;
some are with Ulceration, others not;
some are loose and moveable, and so hard
that they have knocked one against ano∣ther
like Peebles; some are fixed to the
Bones, and some lie superficially; other
differences may be taken from the Hu∣mour
to which they owe their Original.
If the Matter be not very Corrosive, their
Page  215

growth is slow, and they are not very
painful. These are called the milder sort,
and some of them affecting the Breast
have been palliated a long time with easie
remedies.

A Lady laboured many Years of an ul∣cerated
Cancer, it eat deep into the left
Breast, and was fixed to the Ribs, but
not with much pain; in progress of time
the Lips inverted, and united as it were,
and lay covered with a crusty Scab, the
Humour in the mean while spent it self
upon the Nerves and caused a Species of
the Palsie in some parts of her Body, and
the Gout in others. She lived long, and
in her latter Age tolerably healthful; this
is to be judged a Scirrhous Cancer, yet
by ill management, or by an increase of
acrimony, this and such like frequently
terminate in raging Cancers, and tor∣ment
the Patient with exquisite darting
pains; an instance or two whereof I shall
set down, to make the Young Practi∣tioner
more cautious in undertaking the
Cure of them.

A VVoman had a painful hard Swel∣ling
in one of the Glands of her Breast;
she was advised to forbear the use of
all Cataplasms and Plasters that might
heat her Breast, and to dress it with Va∣lentia
Page  216

Stramonij, but she was otherwise
perswaded, and thereby increased her
Misery. About half a Year after she had
a stinking sordid Ulcer with lips turned
out, and the Breasts fixed to the Ribs,
with a hard unequal Swelling reaching to
the Clavicle and side of the Neck, Apostu∣mated
in some parts and Ulcerated in
others, from the pectoral Muscle it crept
up to the Shoulder, and affected the
Arm-pits, and by the compression of
the Vessels the upper part of the Arm
Swelled Scirrhous, from the Elbow
downwards it was Oedematous to the Fin∣gers
ends, she made use of many Eminent
Physicians and Chyrurgeons in the City,
but dyed miserably.

There is also a sort of Bleeding Can∣cers,
which become such either from the
eruption of some Vessel, which makes
the vent often at the Nipple or some
other Pin-hole, the Breast remaining
whole, or else from the spreading of in∣finite
capillary Vessels in a Fungus,
which in ulcerated Cancers is not rare.
These do very much spend the Strength
of the Patient, so that she soon Dyes ex∣hausted
and tabid.

Page  217

Of all the Diseases which afflict Man∣kind,
the Cancer is the most grievous
and rebellious, and is generally Incure∣able
by reason of its corrosive and ma∣lignant
venome fermenting in the Hu∣mours,
which so far as we can find,
yields neither to Purging, Bleeding, Re∣pellents,
Discutients, Suppuratives, nor
any other Medicine, inward or outward.
Those which lie superficially under the
Skin may be attempted by the Chyrur∣geon's
Hand, or if they rise from an
External Cause, as a Bruise, or the like,
tho they lie deeper they may be cut off or
otherwise extirpated: But those that a∣rise
from a corrosive quality in the Hu∣mours,
though they may be cut off, or
otherwise extirpated, yet the success is
most doubtful.

The Cure of a Cancer in general con∣sists
in these Intentions,

First, in the Generation of good
Blood.

Secondly, In Correcting and Evacua∣ating
the Atrabilious Humours in the
Body.

Thirdly, In preventing the Growth
of the Tumour, and disposing it to Dis∣cussion.

Page  218

We endeavour to perform the First
intention by an exact regulation of Diet▪
and way of Living, advising to abstain
from such sharp, salt, and gross Meats▪
as may dispose the Blood to acrimony▪
and order such as are Cooling and Moist∣ning,
of easie Digestion and of good
Nourishment.

The Second intention is to prepare
and purge all the acrimonious Humours;
and if there be a Plethora, or a Sup∣pression
of the Hemorrhoids, or Courses,
a Vein may be opened and a Glister gi∣ven,
and the Humours may be also eva∣cuated
by a convenient Purge. as

Take of the three Cordial Flowers, one
Handful, of Sena three Drams, of Dodder
of Thym, two Drams, infuse them in Whey,
and strain it, add an Ounce of the Purging
Syrup of Apples, and six Drams of Manna;
mingle them.

Traumatick Decoction are also usual∣ly
prescribed.

Take of the Roots and Leaves of Avens, of
the greater Celandine, of Burnet, Groundsel,
Gentian, Plantain, each one Handful, boyl them
in two parts of Water and one of Wine to the
Page  219

quantity of three Pints, sweeten it with Su∣gar,
and let a Pint be drunk thrice a∣day▪

The following Electuary is also re∣ckoned
very good.

Take of the Powders of Frogs and Snails
prepared, each half an Ounce, of the Pow∣der
of River Crabs, one Ounce, of the Bone
of a Stags Heart, one Dram, of Citron Peel
Candied, one Ounce, of the Conserve of
Borrage and Wood-sorrel, each two Ounces,
of the Syrup of the juice of Citron and of
Gilly-flowers, a sufficient quantity, make an
Electuary. Take the quantity of a Chesnut,
Morning and Evening.

Emulsions, Distilled Milks, and Opi∣ates
are also very proper to attemperate
the Acrimony and to ease the Pains.

The Third intention is to restrain the
growth of the Tumour, and to discuss
it moderately. Whilst the Humours are
are evacuating, we apply Repellents, and
afterwards we add Discutients; the Re∣pellents
ought to be of the milder sort,
lest they render the Humours too gross
and unfit for resolution, as Lettice, Pur∣stain,
Plantain, Navel-wort, Night-shade
Page  220

and Housleek: Lentils boyl'd in Vine∣gar,
also Clay tempered with Vinegar.

The Medicines ready Compounded are
the White Oyntment, Nutritum Populeon
of Tutty and of burnt Lead, and Lead
it self.

All the Oyntments prescribed, must
be beaten up in a Leaden Mortar. Thin
milled Lead is usually worn in this Case;
so are Plates of Gold. Oyl of Frogs is
commended, and is made by Baking
them with Butter in their Mouths. Frogs
Spawn Water is proper to be used in Sum∣mer,
Cloaths being dipt in it and applyed,
but they must be shifted as often as they
dry. But in the Winter the following
Cerat is better.

Take of a green Frog, three Drams, of
the Powder of River Crabs burnt, half an
Ounce, of Lytharge of Gold, two Ounces, of
burnt Lead and Tutty prepared, each two
Drams, of Cerus, six Drams, of the Juice
of Night-shade and Plantain, each six Ounces,
of Vinegar, two Ounces, of Oyl of Frogs,
and of Populeon Oyntment, each three Ounces,
of the Suet of a Calf, four Ounces, of Wax
a sufficient quantity, make a Cerat. Or,

Take of the Seeds of White Poppy, one
Page  221

Ounce, of the Seeds of Henbane, half an
Ounce, of Opium, one Dram, of Gum Ara∣bick,
half an Ounce, powder them, and with
the Oyls of Roses and Myrtles, each three
Ounces, of Wax a sufficient quantity, make
a Cerat.

This is proper in case of Pain, in the
extremity whereof you may double the
quantity of Opium, or in such Cases you
may Foment the Tumour with a Decocti∣on
of Poppy Heads, Flowers of Roses,
and tops of Mellilot, and apply the fol∣lowing
Oyntment.

Take of Old Treacle, one Ounce, of the
Juice of River Crabs half an Ounce, of the
Juice of Lettice, and of Oyl of Roses, each
one Ounce and an half, of the Yolks of Eggs
roasted under the Embers number two, of
Camphor, half a Dram, beat them in a Lea∣den
Mortar▪

The Discutients are Ceterach, Agrimo∣ny,
Ducksmeat, Scabious, Thorn-apple,
the Juice of Coriander, Frogs, Snails,
River Crabs, Raisins of the Sun stoned
and beaten, with Rue and Garden Night-shade
made into a Pultits are proper to
resolve them.

Page  222

Many such Medicines are designed to
this purpose, Cancers requiring variety
of Applications.

If notwithstanding all your Endea∣vours,
the Tumour increases, and is like
to ulcerate, you may do well to forewarn
the Patient of the danger, and if it be
loose, propose the extirpation of it, pro∣pose
it to them, lest afterwards they de∣sire
it when it is too late. But to under∣go
this Operation Successfully, the Pa∣tient
ought to be of a strong Constituti∣on,
and of a pretty good habit of Bo∣dy,
and not in declining Age, when the
Courses are ceased. It were also to be
wished that the Cancer took its original
from some Accident or Bruise, and the
like; and the Operation ought to be
performed in the Spring or Autumn of the
Year.

For a Cancer of the Womb Topicks
must be applyed, which moderately Bind
and Cool.

Take of Oyl of Myrtles and of Roses, each
two Ounces, of the Juice of Night-shade,
and of Housleek, each one Ounce, beat
them all in a Leaden Mortar with a Leaden
Pestle till they grow black, then add of Ly∣tharge
and of Ceruss washed in Scabious wa∣ter,
Page  223

each three Ounces, of Tutty prepared two
Drams, of Camphir, ten Grains, make a
Liniment, wherewith Anoint the Part three or
four times a-day.

The following is said to be better,
and with it the Tumours of the Paps,
which are counted Cancerous may be
Cured.

Take of the Oyl of Yolks of Eggs, two
Ounces, of the Juice of Night-shade and
Speedwel, or of Housleek, each half an Ounce,
of crude Mercury two Drams, stir them about
in a Leaden Mortar with a Leaden Pestle,
till they acquire the consistence of a Lini∣ment.

The foresaid Liniments are to be ap∣plyed
to the Womb with a long Tent,
or with a Wax Candle wrapt round with a
Rag: But Injections may be much easier
used.

Take of Barley water, half a Pint, of the
waters of Night-shade and Plantain, each
two Ounces, of the water of speedwel one
Ounce, of the white Troches of Rhasis, two
Drams, of Sacharum Saturni one Dram, make
an Injection.

Page  224

If the Pain be very violent add to four
Oounces of the Injection, one Ounce of
Syrup of Poppies. If the Cancer be Ul∣cerated,
the Dose of the Mercury to be
added to the foresaid Liniment must be
increased, and the Ashes of River Crabs
may be conveniently added.

But all these things are not sometimes
sufficient to appease the violent Pain,
which sometimes will not suffer the Sick
to sleep or rest, so that we are forced
sometimes to use Narcoticks, and in∣deed,
they are not injurious in this
Disease.

I knew a Woman, that was affected
with a Cancer in her Breast, who took
every Night for four Months, two or
three Grains of Laudanum, and was much
relieved thereby.

If much Blood flow from a Cancer ul∣cerated,
as it often happens; inject into
the Womb the Juice of Plantain with a
little Frankincense.

Lastly, Seeing a perfect Cure cannot
be expected, whether the Cancer be ulce∣rated
or not, we must endeavour to hin∣der
the breaking of it, and the increase
of it, when it is broken, and in both we
must qualifie the violence of the Pain by
such things as evacuate the whole Body,
Page  225

and by other Remedies which alter and
evacuate the melancholy Humour, and
hinder its growth, as by Bleeding in
the Arm, the Hemorrhodial Veins, in the
Foot, by the use of Potions, Apozems,
Juleps, Broath, Milk, Whey, Mineral
Waters, and the like, which are com∣monly
prescribed; but Purging must more
especially be repeated.

Page  226
CHAP. XXXIX.
Of Worms, and of the Stone of the Womb.
THough many are of the Opinion that
Worms are Generated only in the
Intestines, yet it is manifest by Experi∣ence,
and the Testimony of Learned
Men, that they are Bred in many other
parts of the Body, as in putrid Ulcers in
the Teeth, in the Ears, in the Reins, and
in the Bladder, tho' rarely, by reason
of the acrimony and saltness of the Urine.
In the Womb also Worms are sometimes
generated, tho' it be rare, because the
passages of it are so open that they will
not suffer the Humours, tho' they are
gross and crude, to continue there so long
as to generate Worms. They are most
commonly Ascarides, and they are most
commonly in the Privities, or in the
Neck of the Womb, they are very like
those that are in the right Gut, per∣haps
they creep thither from the A∣nus.

Page  227

The material cause of Worms, is a
cold phlegmatick and crude Humour,
which is apt to putrifie.

When there are Worms in the Womb,
the whole Body is restless and uneasie,
the Mouth of the Womb is always
moist, the Women are thin and weak,
and sometimes the Worms are expelled
with the Courses, and sometimes they
may be seen, the Lips of the Privities
being opened. Women so afflicted sleep
disturbedly, and often wake in a fright,
they have disorderly Fevers, and all
other Symptoms which appear in Worms
of the Intestines.

As to the Cure, we must endeavour to
hinder the generation of them, and to
kill them when they are generated; this
may be done by three sorts of Reme∣dies.

First, By a thin hot and drying Dyet,
by acid and bitter Meats, yet they must
consist of good Nourishment, and be ea∣sily
concocted, and that are free from all
crudity; the flesh of Chickens, of Hens,
of small Mountain Birds, and the Broath
of them with the juice of a Lemon are
good: Among Fruits Oranges, Cap∣pares,
Olives with Vinegar: Among
Herbs, Endive, Sow-thistle, and Ground∣sel:
Page  228

Let her Drink be a Decoction of
Cinnamon, Rubarb, the Seeds of Purslain,
the Roots of China, Scorzonera, or Sar∣saparilla.
All Meats of Milk, Fish, and
whatever generates Flegmatick Humours
must be avoided, and full Feeding, and a
disorderly course of Dyet.

Secondly, Those things must be used
which Concoct, and Purge off Phlegmatick
Humours; as Syrup of Wormwood, Suc∣cory,
Succory with Rhubarb, of the acid
juice of Citron with the waters of the
same Herbs, or of Grass, Purslain, and
Sorrel, and the Flegm must be constant∣ly
Purged off with Pills of Mastick, of
Agarick, or the like.

Thirdly, Such things must be used as
kill Worms, and uterine Glisters to that
purpose must be injected made of a De∣coction
of Wormwood, Southernwood,
and Centaury with Allom. Or,

Take of Mint, Calaminth, Penny-royal,
each one Handful, boyl them till the third part
of the Water is consumed, mingle Honey with
it and inject it. Or

Take of the Decoction of Lupins six
Ounces, of Aloes three Drams, of Honey one
Ounce, which may be injected also with the
Page  229

like quantity of Decoction of Mercury and
Wormwood; or the following Pessary may be
used.

Take of Bulls Gall, one Dram and an
half, of the Powder of Lupins, two Drams,
of Oyl of Wormwood, two Ounces, of good
White-wine, half an Ounce, mingle them,
and dip the Cotton for the Pessary in it.

At the same time apply to the Regi∣on
of the Womb the following Oynt∣ment.

Take of the Leaves of Wormwood, Cost∣mary,
and Calaminth, each one Handful,
of Peach Leaves half an Handful; boyl them
in the sharpest Vinegar, or in Wine for the
Womb, to the strained Liquor, add of Aloes
and Agarick, each half an Ounce, of Colo∣quitida
three Drams, of Oyl of bitter Al∣monds,
and of Bulls Gall, each a sufficient
quantity, with a little Wax, or without it,
make an Oyntment. You may also make a
Cataplasm of the same Herbs boyled and bruis∣ed
with the Meal of Lupins, Oyl of Worm∣wood,
and Ox Gall, and the Pill of Aloes,
or of Hiera, must be taken often, a Scruple
at a time.

Page  230

That the Stones grow in every part of
the Body, Galen testifies, as in the Blad∣der,
Reins, Liver, Intestines, Lungs; and
therefore it is no strange thing if they
should be generated also in the Womb,
as Aetius writes: but they are not alto∣gether
like the Stones of the Bladder, nor
are they loose, for if so they could not
continue in the Womb; but they grow to
the Tunicks of the neck of the Womb.
The causes of them are the same, as of
the Stone in the Bladder, namely, gross
and viscid Humours. The signs of them
are a dull pain in the Womb, and the
Courses are inordinate, and a Finger be∣ing
put up the Anus, the Stone may be
selt. But if the Stone be in the neck of
the Womb, the pain is great, and af∣fects
the neighbouring parts, and the
Womb, and the Woman can not sit with∣out
pain.

As to the Cure, an emollient and lubri∣cating
course of Diet must be used, and
the gross and viscid Humours must be Purg∣ed
off: But the chief part of the Cure is
to be performed by extracting the Stone,
but first the parts must be quieted by an
emollient Glister made of a Decoction of
Mallows, Marsh-mallows, Fenugreek, of
the Seeds of Flax, and a great deal of
Page  231

Oyl of Roses and of Lillies to make the
Manual operation the easier, which must
be performed in the following man∣ner.

The Womans Thighs being spread,
the Chirurgeon must thrust up two of
the Fingers of his Left-hand, and with
his Right he must press the upper part
of her Belly to force the Stone out, and
this may be the easier done, if the Stone
be in the Neck of the Womb, but if it
be in the Womb it self, the Operation
will be more difficultly performed: But
if the stone grow to the mouth or neck
of the Womb, and cannot be extirpated
this way, it must be cut out, the Woman
being rightly placed, and the parts dila∣ted
with a Speculum Matricis, which be∣ing
done, those things must be injected
into the Womb which cure Ulcers, first,
Astringents, and such things as stop
Blood, and afterwards drying things, and
an exact Course of Diet must be ordered,
and the Woman must be Purged twice
in a Year, lest the Stone should grow
again.

The Cure of the Stone in the Bladder
in Women is to be managed much in the
manner as in Men, but it seldomer hap∣pens,
and is easier Cured, because the
Page  232

passage of the Urine is larger, and shor∣ter,
and straighter in Women. But if
it happen, and must be extracted, the
Chirurgeon must put two of the Fingers
of his Left-hand, (the VVoman being
placed as above directed) into the Privi∣ties,
and with his Right he must press
the Bladder, and force the Stone to the
neck of it, so as to make it pass the Mus∣cle
that shuts the neck of the Bladder,
and then a little above the wings of the
Privities, at which place the Stone oc∣curs
he must cut, so that the Stone may be
extracted with a pair of Forceps. Lastly,
the Ulcer must be Cured by Astringent,
and Incarnating Medicines.

Page  233
CHAP. XL.
Of a Condyloma, of the Hemorrhoids, Warts, Thymus, Acrocordo, and a Ficus, and of Scabs of the Privi∣ties, and of Chaps, and Clefts of the same.
A Condyloma is a Tubercle arising
from an Inflammation, and re∣sembles
the Knucles when the Hand is
shut. It is cured by four kind of Re∣medies,
First by Diet and Purging Me∣dicines
that respect the antecedent cause;
Secondly, By drying and repelling To∣picks,
if the Callus be newly bred, as
by Baths and Vapours of a Decoction of
Vervain, of the Leaves of Brambles, of
Acacia, Ivy-leaves, to which must be ad∣ded,
by reason of the Pain, Camomile
Flowers; and if the Condyloma be
Inflamed such things must be used as
mitigate the pain, as the following de∣coction.

Page  234

Take of the leaves of Melilot, Mallows,
and Marshmallows, each half an handful,
of the Seeds of Flax and Fenugreek, each
three Drams, of the Flowers of Camomile two
Pugils, boyl them, and to a Pint of the
Decoction, add two Ounces of Roses, inject
it by a Syringe; or warm Milk may be so
injected. If the Condyloma being old is
grown hard, and does not yeild to the fore∣said
Medicines, Aetius commends as a won∣derful
remedy Mineral Misy mixed with
Turpentine; or instead of it Roman Vitriol,
a Dram of the Troches of Steel reduced to
powder, and mixed with the Oyls of Roses
and Wax, and made into an Oyntment with
half an Ounce of the Juice of Mullein is
also very good. The following is also much
commended.

Take of Tuty thrice burnt and washed,
of Ceruss washed, of the Froth of Silver wash∣ed,
each two Drams, of the Yolks of two
roasted Eggs, Wax, Sope and Oyl of Roses,
each two Ounces; make an Oyntment.

But if these things do no Good, it must
be cut off, and if there be many of them,
they must be burnt off, and the Ulcer
must be regularly cured: but cutting or
Page  235

burning in these parts is dangerous and
must not therefore be used unless there be
an absolute necessity.

If there be Hemorrhoids, they are
either in the Mouth or Neck of the
Womb, or in the Womb it self, or in
the Privities; they are as divers as those
in the Anus, they are either blind or
open; they are with or without Inflam∣mation;
they differ also upon their big∣ness,
Number and Figure; they are oc∣casioned
by Chaps, and by a Condylo∣ma,
but chiefly by gross and feculent
Humours falling upon the Veins of the
Womb, or by an inordinate defluxion of
Menstruous Blood into those Veins. This
Disease may be known by a weight in
those Parts, and Women so affected are
weak and subject to Spontaneous Lassi∣tude:
But if the Hemorrhoids of the
Womb, or Anus flow moderately, they
cure and prevent many Diseases, and the
unseasonable stopage of them occasions
the Falling Sickness, and many other Di∣seases.
They are cured as the Piles of
the Anus.

There are four sorts of Warts of the
Womb and Privities.

Page  236

The First are Acrocordones, which hang
as by a Thred.

Secondly, Thymus which is a rough
and oblong Tumour, and without pain,
if it be gentle and white, or redish;
but if it be Malignant it is livid and
painful.

Thirdly, Ficus or Mariscae, which differ
from a Thymus only in bigness.

The Fourth is Clavus, which is a
hard white and round prominence like
the Heads of Corns. These Tumours in
general are of a Scirrhous nature, and
come by immoderate Copulation, and
are sometimes Malignant, by reason of
the French-Pox. The gentle are known
by their white or redish colour, and by
the absence of pain, the Malignant by
their hardness, leaden colour and pain.

They are Cured by four sorts of Re∣medies.

First, By a Diet that is not apt to breed
gross Humours, and by Catharticks to
Purge such Humours off, and by Sweats,
if they are obstinate.

Page  237

Secondly, By discussing Medicines,
which are most proper for the Thymus
and Clavus as by dried Sage, with fat
Figs, or Old-shoes burnt and powdered
and mixed with Wine and applyed: But
the Soles of Shoes and a dried Gourd
powdered by themselves, and afterwards
mixed and applied with Wine to Warts
do very well, or you may take of Rue
and Pennyroyal, each equal parts; let
them be burnt and powdered; the Bark
of Frankincense, the Leaves of Basil
Wine and Vinegar, Shoomakers Ink,
boyl them in the VVater that drops out
of a Vine cut; moisten the part with
this Decoction; this is reckoned an excel∣lent
Medicine.

Prick with a Needle the Eye of a
Goat newly killed, and anoint daily the
part with the Liquor that flows from it,
and within Six Days, as Aetius writes;
Myrmecies will be extirpated, which con∣sist
of broad Roots, and they itch.

Thirdly, Things that burn and eat are
proper for Myrmecies and Acrocordos, as
the juice of wild Cucumber with Salt,
or the like: But corroding things must
Page  238

not continue long upon the part, for
when they have been applied an hour or
thereabout, the part must be washed
twice or thrice with Astringent Wine;
and the Neighbouring parts must be de∣fended
by an Oyntment made with Bole∣armenick,
sealed Earth, Rose-water and
Vinegar.

Fourthly, If they may be cut off, they
ought to be so, but some bind the root
of these with a Horse-hair; and straight∣en
it daily till they fall off.

In the Privities and Mouth of the
Womb, especially in such Women, as
have the French-Pox, Pustles arise; they
often itch; they are occasioned by the
abundance, and grossness of a bilious and
adust Humour, or by the French-Pox,
they may be easily seen by a Speculum
Matricis. They are to be cured by four
sorts of Remedies.

First, By Meats of good juice, and by
abstaining from all acrid, acid and salt
things.

Secondly, By Universal Evacuations, as
by Bleeding and Purging, and such things,
Page  239

as attemperate the Humour must be used,
as Syrup of Borrage, Violets, Fumitory
and Succory, and the like. Decoctions
of Sarsa, or of Guiacum with Sweating
are also very proper, and Purges and Su∣dorificks
must be often repeated.

Thirdly, Topicks must be applyed,
and if the Pustles are gentle bathing is
proper, and afterwards wash the part
with hot Wine and Nitre.

For Pustles and Scabs the following
Oyntment of has bin found very successful.

Take of the Roots Elecampane, Burnet and
sharp pointed Dock, each three Ounces, of
Fumitory Water Six Ounces, of the sharp∣est
Vinegar, or of the best Wine, for Di∣seases
of the Womb, two Ounces; having
bruised the roots well, infuse them a day
and a night, then boyl them, and press them
strongly; to the strained Liquor add half a
pound of Turpentine, of Oyl of Roses three
Ounces, of Wax half an Ounce, boyl them
again to the Consumption of half, and add
of Sulphur one Ounce and an half, of Cerus
five Ounces, of Roch-allom half an Ounce,
of Sal Gemma two drams, of Oyl of Eggs,
six Drams, mix them by beating of them well
Page  240

together, then wash the whole Composition in
Fumitory Water.

But if the Pustles are Malignant, and
Obstinate, you must use stronger Desicca∣tives,
which correct the Venom of the
Pustles, and at the same time you must
use sudorific decoctions.

Take of Plantain and Rose Water each four
Ounces, of Sal Gemma, Nitre, and Allom,
each two Drams, of Sublimate one Dram
and an half, boyl them till a third part
is consumed; to the strained Liquor, add of
Verde-greese one Scruple; after you have
used this two or three dayes, you must for∣bear
a while, and use gentler things, and
return again to the use of it, till the Pustles
are quite taken off.

This moreover must be added, which
is of excellent use, having first bathed
with a decoction of Fumitory, Lupins,
Beans, and a little Salt.

Take of the Roots of Elecampane cut
small four Ounces, boyl them well in a suffi∣cient
quantity of Water with a little Vinegar
or Wine, then beat them in a Mortar and
Pulp them through a Sieve, and add of fresh
Page  241

Lard three Ounces, of Juice of ground El∣der,
and of Fumitory, each one Ounce and
an half, of Quick-Silver extinguished in
fasting Spittle, or in the Yolk of an Egg,
half an Ounce, of Ceruss and Lytharge, each
one Ounce, of Brimstone one Dram and an
half, stir them about for an hour, and mix
the Powders by degrees.

But because Pustles continue sometimes
a long while, you must make an Issue in
the Leg, before they are quite dryed
up.

Clefts and Chaps are sometimes in the
Mouth of the Womb, as in the Anus,
Hands, Lips, and Nipples, by reason of
violent Cold, a North Wind, and the
like; they are small, long and narrow
Ulcers, sometimes deep, and sometimes
only superficial; they are also ocasioned
by hard labour, by Acrid and Corroding
Humours, or by a great dryness in the
Womb.

They are to be cured by five sorts of
Remedies; by a moistening and smoothen∣ing
Diet, avoiding such things as are a∣crid,
and stop the Belly; therefore let the
Woman eat Chicken, Mutton, Veal, and
Page  242

Broaths made of Succory, Bugloss, Bur∣rage,
Spinage, and the like; let her
Drink be rather Beer than Wine, she
must avoid Cheese and Spices, Violent
Exercise, and Copulation: And if Acrid
humours be the cause, she must be blood∣ed,
if there be a plenitude; afterwards
she must be Purged with Cassia, Manna,
and the like, and the Humours must be
attemperated with the Syrups of Suc∣cory,
Roses, Violets, Borrage, Fumitory,
and with the Waters of the same Herbs.
If they are occasioned by hard labour,
and Bleed, the Blood must be stop'd by
the following Uterine Glister.

Take of the leaves of Plantain one hand∣full,
of Roses four Pugils, boyl them in a
sufficient quantity of Water till half is con∣sumed.
To six Ounces of the strained Li∣quor
add of the Powders of Dragons Blood,
Bole armenick, Myrrh, Frankincense, Birth∣wort,
each half a Dram.

If the Chaps are dry, hot, and itch,
the part must be Fomented with things
that moisten, as the following Decocti∣on.

Page  243

Take of the flesh of Frogs, Snails, and
River Crabs, each two Drams, of Barley
two Pugils, of Mallows and Ducks meat,
each one handful, of Flax Seeds one Ounce,
boyl them in a sufficient quantity of Water,
and let six Ounces be injected in the man∣ner
of a Ʋterine Glister, and anoint the
part affected with the Oyntment of Ceruse
with Camphor; and if the pain and heat
be much, anoint it with the following Oynt∣ment.

Take of the Populeon Oyntment one Ounce,
of Camphor two Scruples, of Ceruss washed
in Rose Water one Scruple, and the white of
one Egg, mingle them.

Oyl of Flax hot is also good for
Chaps of the Anus and Womb, so is
Pomatum; Oyl of the Yolks of Eggs, or
of Flax Seeds stir'd about in a Leaden
Mortar is also proper, and if they are
occasioned by driness, Barly boyled in
Water in Linnen Baggs, and applyed
for nine days are very beneficial. But
if the Chaps are malignant, apply the
following.

Page  244

Take of good Aqua vitae one point, of Sub∣limate
powdered one Scruple, of Verdegrease
half a Scruple, the Whites of three Eggs,
stir them well together, and anoint the part
every other day, and apply over a Plaster
of Diachylon.

Page  245
CHAP. XLI.
Of the Melancholy of Virgins and Widows.
MElancholy befalls Virgins, Wid∣dows,
and Barren VVomen, oft∣ner
than other VVomen; there are two
Causes of it.

First, the Nature of a Woman which
is tender, and the Mind easily deject∣ed.

Secondly, Gross Blood.

The signs of it are a Pulsation about
the Back, which is a Symptom almost per∣petual
in VVomen so affected; the Skin
is sometime squalid, wrinkley and rough,
especially in the Arms, Knees and joints
of the Fingers; much Cogitation, Suspi∣cion,
Shame-facedness, Dejection of
Mind, disturbed Sleep, frightful Dreams,
a preposterous Judgment; the Breast is
often very Hot and hath a Pulsation in
it, and when the Vapour rises upwards,
there is a Palpitation of the Heart, or
Fainting; there is a rising in the Throat,
Page  246

as in Mother-fits, the Belly is most com∣monly
Bound, they are Thirsty, and sub∣ject
to VVatchings, to Despair, and to
VVeeping and Sorrow, and sometimes the
Melancholy is so high, as that they grow
almost Distracted, and are ready to make
away with themselves.

There are three Degrees of this Dis∣ease,
according to which the Danger
is more or less, and the Cure is to be
varied accordingly.

The First, Is when the Signs are
small.

The Second, when the Disease has
lasted a long while, and has disordered
the VVomans Mind so, as that she is
continually Sorrowful and Sad.

The Third, Is when the VVoman, is
so overcome with it, that she will not
speak, nor give any answers, and this
is near to Madness.

The First Degree of this may be re∣moved
by a sparing Diet, by Exercise,
and by variety of pleasant Company, and
if she be not Married, she must be
Blooded in the Arm every third or fourth
Page  247

Month, in the middle of the Month:
But if she be most Melancholy at the
time of her Courses, she must be Blood∣ed
in the Foot two or three days be∣fore
or after them.

But if the Disease be in the Second De∣gree,
the Curative Indications are prin∣cipally
four.

The First, to hinder the Congestion
of the Blood in the VVomb, by such
things as force the Courses.

The Second, is to expel the Melancho∣ly
that is heapt up.

The Third, Is to discuss the VVind.

The Fourth, To provide for the Head,
Heart, Womb, and the whole Bo∣dy.

It is to be Cured therefore by five sorts
of Remedies.

First, By a moistning Diet, as let the
Dinner be of a boyl'd Chicken, with the
Roots of Fennel, Parsley, red Vetches,
and Saffron: And the Supper of new-laid
Eggs, roasted, and stewed Prunes, or
Page  248

Borrage prepared with Almond-milk, by
reason of Watchings, wherewith they
are much troubled; or a Ptisan with a
little Anniseeds and Cinnamon, to expel
the Wind. Let the Drink be Rhenish
or VVhite-wine with Borrage flowers in
it, midling Beer medicated with Elecam∣pane
or Balm, or water boyled with the
Herb Maiden-hair, with the Roots of
Scorzonera, Lemon-peel, and Citron∣seeds.
If the Belly be bound, use the
following Glister.

Take of the Roots of Fennel and Parsley,
each one Ounce, of the Leaves of Mallows,
one Handful, of Polypody of the Oak, one
Ounce, of the Seeds of Bastard Saffron, Flax,
and Fenugreek, each one Dram, boyl them to
a Pint, to the strained Liquor add of the Oyls
of Dill, Camomile, Violets, and of Brown-Sugar,
each one Ounce, of Diacatholicon,
half an Ounce.

Secondly, Evacuations must be used, and
if there be a plenitude, Bleeding must be
ordered, and purging Medicines fre∣quently;
but the Humour must be first
prepared by the following Medicines, or
the like.

Page  249

Take of Syrups of Borrage, of Apples, and
of Epithymum, each one Ounce, of the waters
of Borrage and Balm, each two Ounces, min∣gle
them, and when the Woman has used this
six or eight Days, let her take every other
Week one Dram of the Pills of Aloes, of
Mastick, or of Agarick; or rather be∣cause
the Pills dry and heat, let her take three
or four times in a Year a Bolus made with an
Ounce of the pulp of Cassia, and two Drams
of the Powder of Sena: The following Syrup
is much commended.

Take of the waters of Borrage, Succory
and Hops, each ten Ounces, of the juice of
Borrage clarified eight Ounces, of the juice of
fragrant Apples, six Ounces, of the Leaves
of Sena three Ounces, of the Cordial Flowers,
each one Pugil, of the Roots of Scorzonera cut
small, or of Angelica, two Ounces, boyl
them over a gentle Fire till the twentieth part
is consumed; to the strained Liquor add of
choice Rubarb, and of Agarick trothiscated,
each four Drams and an half; after it has
boyled gently, strain it out, and add of the
powder of the Stone called Lazulus prepared,
and tied up in a rag two Drams, of Sugar
a sufficient quantity, make a Syrup of a mo∣derate
consistence: The Dose is three or
four Ounces.

Page  250

The following Medicine is much com∣mended.

Take of the Leaves of Spleen-wort, Penny-royal,
Maiden-hair, Thym, Fumitory, Bor∣rage,
Mugwort, and Agrimony, each half an
Handful, of the Roots of Succory, Endive,
Smallage, Angelica, Fennel, Asparagus, and
Eringo, each one Ounce, of the flowers of
Borrage, Stechas, Rosemary, Violets, each
one Pugil and an half, of Epithymum, and
of the leaves of Sena, each half an Ounce,
of Doronicum, of the Seeds of Anise, Fen∣el,
Basil, and Citron, each two Drams and
an half, of Cinnamon half an Ounce, of all
the Sanders, each half a Dram, boyl them in
a sufficient quantity of Water to a Quart; at
the end add of the Bark of the Root of black
Hellibore, and of choice Rubarb, each four
Scruples, of the stone called Lazulus tied up in
a rag, one Dram, of sweet smelling Flag, of
Zedoary, and of the Seeds of Peony decorti∣ated,
each half a Scruple, strain it, and with
a sufficient quantity of white Sugar make a
clear Potion; aromatize it with one Dram
of Diamosh. The Dose is five or six
Ounces.

But if these things do no good, four
Page  251

Grains of Stybium prepared may be safe∣ly
given; but it is best to begin with
two Grains. But some in a desperate
Melancholy have not feared to give three
four or five Grains of Vigo's precipi∣tate
with an Ounce of good Wine, or in
Conserve of Roses.

Thirdly things that discuss Wind must
be used, and the following Glister must
be frequently injected.

Take of the Roots of Fennel, and Parsley,
each one Ounce, of the Seeds of bastard Saf∣fron,
Anise, Flax, and Fenugreek, each one
Dram, of the Leaves of Mallows, one
Handful, of Polypody of the Oak, half an
Handful, boyl them in a sufficient quantity of
Water to a Pint; add of the Oyls of Ca∣momile,
and Dill, each one Ounce, and an
half, of Lenitive Electuary, and of brown Su∣gar,
each one Ounce; make a Glister.

And it is convenient to anoint the
Spleen with the following Liniment.

Take of the Decoction of Tamarisck, Ca∣pers,
and Spleen-wort, each two Ounces, of
Oyl of Capers, and Lillies, each one Dram,
of Treacle and Mithridate, each two Drams,
Page  252

with a sufficient quantity of Wax make an
Oyntment.

Fourthly, Such things must be used as
cause Sleep, whereof there is so great
want in this Disease, that this Symptom
often takes up the whole Cure; it happens
by reason of the siccity of the Brain, and
therefore things that moisten are to be
used. To this purpose, the Feet and
Legs are wont to be washed with a De∣coction
of Mallows, Roses, Camomile,
Violets, and the Flowers of Lettice, and
sometimes Henbane, and the heads of
whith Poppies are added to it, and the
Head is to be Embrocated in the fol∣lowing
manner.

Take of the foresaid Decoction a Quart,
of the Oyls of Poppies, and Roses, each three
Ounces, mingle them, and pour them gently
being warm upon the Head; but the Hair
must be first shaved off. Afterwards apply to
the Head a Rag dipt in the Oyls of Roses and
Camomile, or of Poppies, if the Watchings
be very great, or in Womans or Goats Milk,
and if these things are not sufficient, anoint
the Nostrils with Populeon Oyntment; or take
of Oyntment of Roses one Ounce, of Opium
four Grains, mingle them, and anoint the
Page  253

Nostrils, the Temples, and the Palms of the
Hands, and the Soles of the Feet, and the
Pulse, and let her take inwardly the following
Emulsion.

Take of Sweet Almonds blanched four
Ounces, of the Seeds of Melons, and Gouras,
each one Ounce, of the Seeds of Lettice, and
Poppies, each two Drams, beat them in a
Marble Mortar, and pour upon them a Pint
of Barley water, and a little Rose water,
sweeten it with Sugar and make an Emulsion;
let it be taken just after Supper, and at Bed∣time
give the following Anodyne.

Take of Cowslip water, two Ounces, of
Diacodium, one Ounce.

Lastly, such things must be used, as
strengthen the Brain and Heart, apply the
following Epithem to the region of the
Heart.

Take of the waters of Balm, Orange flow∣ers,
and Borrage, each three Ounces, of good
White-wine, two Ounces, of the Juice of fra∣grant
Apples, one Ounces and an half, of the
Powders of Diamosck, Diambra, of the Bark
of Citron, each half a Dram, mingle them;
or anoint the region of the Heart with the
Page  254

Oyntment of Flowers of Oranges, and let her
Eat now and then Citron▪ Bark Candied, or
the Roots of Bugloss, or Scorzonera Can∣died.

But if the Disease be so high, that the
Woman is plainly Delirious, which is
the third Degree of this Disease; the
same Remedies in a manner must be
used, only the most effectual must be
chosen, and care must be taken, that a
cold and dry Intemperies be not con∣tracted,
and therefore less Blood must
be taken away, and she must be Purged
strongly with a Dram of the Pill De La∣pide
Lazuli, or with the like quantity
of the following.

Take of Epithymum, six Ounces, of A∣garick,
four Drams, of the Bark of black
Hellebore, one Dram and an half, of the spe∣cies
of simple Hiera, four Drams, with Ho∣ney
of Roses make a Mass. But the follow∣ing
Electuary is better.

Take of the Stone called Lazulus, one
Dram, of the Leaves of Sena, one Dram
and an half, of the best Agarick two Drams,
of the Syrup of Purslain, or of the Juice of
Fumitory or of Hops, three Ounces, of Con∣serve
Page  255

of Roses or of Violets, one Ounce, min∣gle
them; let her take an Ounce once a
Week.

And the Body must be moistned by
all means, by Baths and the like; where∣with,
and with a moistning Diet Galen
cured Melancholy, and such things must
be used as provoke the Courses; but if
they will not flow, the application of
Leeches to the Hemorrhoids is very pro∣per,
because Hippocrates and Galen say
that Melancholy Blood is drawn by these
Veins; they may be opened two ways;
by rubbing the Fundament with a course
Cloth, and by Leeehes, which must be
of a moderate bigness, and they must be
taken from a clear and running Water,
they must not be green, pale, nor hairy;
but reddish, and after they are taken
they must be pressed, that they may
Vomit up the Venom, if they have any;
then they must be kept in a Glass full of
clear Water sweetned with Sugar, and
the Water must be changed once a Week.
When they are to be applied, you must
Foment the part with a Decoction of
Camomile, Mallows, Mullein, and the
like; then rub it, that the Mouth of the
Veins may appear, and to each of them
Page  256

apply a Leech; if they will not stick,
anoint the place with Chickens Blood,
or the like; and whilst they are suck∣ing,
let a hot Decoction of Camomile,
Dill, Roses, and Mallows be put under
them, that the vapour of it may comfort
them. A sufficient quantity of Blood
being drawn, they generally fall off of
themselves; if they do not, pinch them
by the Tails, or sprinkle upon their
Mouths Ashes, Salt, or Aloes. If the
Blood slow too long, apply Rags dipt
in stiptick Wine, or the white of an Egg
with some astringent Powder.

FINIS.
Page  [unnumbered]
Books Printed for Henry Bonwike, at the Red Lyon in St. Paul's Church-yard.
COllections of Acute Diseases, in five
parts: 1. Of the Small Pox, and
Measles. 2. Of the Plague and Pestilenti∣al
Fevers. 3. Of Continual Fevers. 4. Of
Agues, a Pleuresie, Peripneumonia, Quin∣sie,
and the Cholera Morbus. 5. And
Lastly, Of the Bloody Flux, Miscarriage,
of Acute Diseases of Women with Child,
a Rheumatism, Bleeding at Nose, Apoplexy,
Lethargy, and several other Diseases. in 8o

A Collection of Chronical Diseases, viz.
The Cholick, the Bilious Cholick, Hyster∣ick
Diseases, the Gout, and the Bloody
Urine from the Stone in the Kidnies. 8o.

Promptuarium Praxeos Medicae; Seu me∣thodus
medendi, praescriptis Celeberrimorum
Medicorum Londinensium Concinnata. Et in
Ordinem Alphabeticum Digesta. 12o.

The Compleat Herbal of Physical
Plants. Containing all such English and
Foreign Herbs, Shrubs and Trees, as are
Page  [unnumbered]

used in Physick and Surgery; And to the
Vertues of those that are now in use, is ad∣ded
one Receipt, or more of some Learned
Physician. The Doses, or Quantities of
such as are prescribed by the London Phy∣sicians,
and others, are proportioned. Al∣so
Directions for making Compound Wa∣ters,
Syrups, Simple and Compound, E∣lectuaries,
Pills, Powders, and other sorts
of Medicines. Moreover the Gums, Bal∣sams,
Oyls, Juices, and the like, which
are sold by Apothecaries and Druggists, are
added to this Herbal; and their Virtues
and Uses are fully described. 8o

The Storehouse of Physical Practice:
Being a General Treatise of the Causes and
Signs, of all Diseases afflicting Human Bo∣dies.
Together with the shortest, plainest
and safest way of curing them, by Method,
Medicine and Diet: To which is added for
the Benefit of Young Practisers, several
Choice Forms of Medicines used by the
London Physicians. 8o

These Five by the Author of this Treatise.
Pains afflicting Human Bodies: Their
various Difference, Causes, Parts affected,
signals of Danger, or Safety; shewing the
Tendency, of Chronick and Acute Di∣seases,
Page  [unnumbered]

for a seasonable prevention of fatal
Events. With a Tract of Issues and Setons.
By E. Manwaring, M. D. 8o

The Compleat Chyrugeon; or the
whole Art of Chyrurgery explain'd, by
way of Questions and Answers. Contain∣ing
an exact account, of its Principles, and
several parts; Viz. Of the Bones, Mus∣cles
Tumours, Ulcers, and Wounds Sim∣ple
and Complicated, or those by Gun∣shot;
as also of Venereal Diseases, the
Scurvey, Fractures, Luxations, and all
sorts of Chyrurgical Operations; together
with their proper Bandages and Dressings.
Whereto is added a Chyrurgical Dispen∣satory;
shewing the manner, how to pre∣pare
all such Medicines as are most neces∣sary
for a Chyrurgeon; and particularly
the Mercurial Panacaea. Writen in
French by M. Le Clerc, Physician in Or∣dinary,
and Privy Counseller to the
French King. Faithfully Translated into
English. 12o

Pia Desideria, or Divine Addresses. In
three Parts. 1. Sighs of the Penitent Soul.
2. Desires of the Religious Soul. 3. Ex∣tasies
of the Enamour'd Soul. Illustrated
with 47 Cuts. Written in Latin by Herm.
Hugo; Englished by Edm. Arwaker. 8o

Page  [unnumbered]

The Art of Catechizing, or the Compleat
Catechist: In four Parts. 1. The Church
Catechism resolv'd into Easie Questions.
2. An Exposition of it, in a continued,
full, and Plain Discourse. 3. The Church
Catechism resolv'd into Scripture Proofs.
4. The Whole Duty of Man reduced in∣to
Questions. Fitted for the meanest ca∣pacities,
the Weakest Memories, the
Plainest Teachers, and the most uninstruct∣ed
Learners. 12o

Country Conversations: Being an Ac∣count
of some Discourses that happened
in a Visit to the Country last Summer, on
Divers Subjects, chiefly of the Modern
Comidies, of Drinking, of Translated
Verse, of Painting and Painters, of Poets
and Poetry. 8o

The Christians Manual. In two Parts.
1. The Catechumen: or an account given
by the Young Person of his Knowledge in
Religion, before his admission to the
Lords Supper; as a Ground Work for
his Right understanding the Sacrament.
2. An Introduction to the Sacrament:
Or a short, safe and plain way to the
Communion Table; being an Instruction
for the Worthy Receiving the Lords Sup∣per.
Page  [unnumbered]

To which is added the Communi∣cants
Assistant; being Devotions to that
purpose: fitted to be used before, at, and
after the Receiving the Blessed Sacrament.
Collected for, and Familiarly addressed
to every particular Communicant. By
L. Addison, D. D. Dean of Litchfield. 12o

Letters of Religion and Virtue to seve∣ral
Gentlemen and Ladies; to excite Pie∣ty
and Devotion; with some short Re∣flections
on Divers Subjects. 12o

A Practical Discourse of the Sin against
the Holy Ghost: Shewing plainly. 1. What
it is. 2. How any Person may certainly
know, whether he has been Guilty of it.
Designed to bring Incouragement to the
Faithful Penitent; Tranquility of mind to
the Obedient; Joys to them that love;
and the Returning Sinner from Despara∣tion.
8o

A Discourse Proving from Scripture and
Reason that the life of Man is not Limi∣ted
by any Absolute Decree of God. By
the Author of the Duty of Man. 8o

The Best Gnide to Devotion; being
short Prayers, Meditations and Thanks∣givings
taken out of Scripture and fitted
to all occasions. 24o

Page  [unnumbered]
Advertisement.
EXcellent Purging Pills, prepar'd by
the Author, are to be sold, by Mr.
Henry Bonwicke, at the Red Lyon in St.
Paul's Church-yard. They cure the Scur∣vey,
the most reigning Disease of this King∣dom;
they Purge the Head, Breast, Sto∣mach
and Reins, and Cleanse the Blood;
and are a very proper Purge for those that
cannot confine themselves when they want
Purging, but are forced to go abroad a∣bout
their Business. The Price of each
Box is One Shilling Six Pence, with Di∣rections
for use.

FINIS.