JuJi Fublijtid9 ARiftotle’s Works in four Parts. Containing, i. The Compleat Mafter-Piece, difplaying the Secrets of Na- ture in the Generation of Man ; Regularly digefted into Chapters and Sections, render- ing it far more Ufcful and Eafy than any yet extant. To which is added, A Trea- sure of Health, or the Family Phyfician : Being choice and approved Remedies for all the feveral Diftempers incident to Human Bodies. 2. His Compleat and Experienc’d Midwife. 3. His Book of Problems, wherein is contain’d divers Queftions and Anfwers, touching the State of Man’s Bo- dy. 4. His iaft Legacy, or his Golden Cabinet of Secrets, open’d for Youths De- lightful Paftime. 1. The Compleat Englifh Fortune-teller. 2. The whole Art of Pal- tneftry. 3. A Treatife of Moles. 4. The Interpretation of Dreams. 5. Observati- ons of the Fortunate and Unfortunate Days. 6. A Compleat Book of Riddles, 7. The City and Country Jefter ; being a Collect don of new and witty Jefts, Punnis and Bulls. To which is added, the molt com- pleat Canting Didnonary. Tranllated into LngUjh by Dr. Saman, Student in Aftrology. Frinted and Sold by the Bookfellers of London. Price 15.6 d. JR IS TO TL E’s Compleat and Experienc’d MIDWIFE. in Two Parts. I. A Guide for Child-bearing Women, in the Time of their Conception, Bearing and Suckling their Children ; with the belt M cans of helping them, both in Natural and Unnatural Labours; Together with fuitablo Remedies for the various Indifpofitions of Newborn Infants. il. Proper and fafe Remedies for the Curing all thofe Diflempers that are incident to the Female Sex ; and more efpecially thofe that are any Obftrudion to their Bearing of Children. A WORK far more perfed than any yet Extant, and highlyNeceflary for all Surgeons, Midwives, Nurfes? and Child-bearing Wo* men. Made Englifh by W—S , M, D. The Eighth Edition. London: Printed, and Sold by the Book- fellers, TO THE MIDWIFES- IT isfor your Sake s, worthy Matron', that J tender'd this excellent Treatife of M.id-tvifry into Englifti j. Amd therefore is vou if moft properly dedicated ; For though t( h nmjfarft to be known by all Women, y*t to you does the ft apical Part thereof p rim if ally belong, adnd indeed the Deficiency that J have feen in that pretend to your Office, in the doing of their P’ifinefs, was the great, if not the only Motive that caufed me to tranflate it :■ For tho’ their Ignorance ad- danced my Practice j yet the Regard I had to the faving the Lives of fo many Perfons, as I faw every Day in Danger of Peri/hing, by the committing them j elves into the Hands of urishilfut Midwives, was much mere than any private Inter (ft I could propfe to my [elf. For when I faw how many Perfons took upon them that great and ’Weighty Employment of a Midwife, without any regard to their own Qualifications and Fitnefsfor fuel: a Work, having an Eye to nothing but their own Gain, I could not but deplore th< mifernhU State of Mankind, whom I faw tn fo great a Danger of Dying, almoft before they were born, And that Compaffion that I had for Mankind un- dyrfuch deplorable Circumftane.es, put me upon confidcr- lng hew I might beft remedy fo great an Evil, And that which m:ft ’readily.occurred to my Thoughts, was tn fnder into Englifti the great Arlftotle’j moft elaborate dreatife on thisSubjeSt, as being that which is moft proper for the InftruSiion of Midwives andChildbearingWomen which is done in a plain and familiar Stile, fitted to the To the Mid wives of England, meafieft Capacities ; that thereby being fully in- ftrutted in their Duty, they might perform their Office with more Reputation to themfelvesfand lefs Danger to their Parents. And this I was the rather inclined to do, hecaufe my own Daily Brattice con- fiantfy informed me wherein the Deficiency of many Midwives lay,andalfo brought me acquainted with many particular fecrets,relating to thefafe andfpee- dy Delivery of Travelling Women; my Bufnefs be- ing generally when either the Unskil/uhefs of the Midwife, or the Hardnefs or Difficulty sf the Wo- •man’s Labour,render’d my AJJiftunce. necefary which tnufi needs qualify me fo much tbs better, for this U- ndertaking wherein lam now engaged. However it he, ihave ventured uton it and will perform it, \with the Divine AJpftancs, as well as my Ability will give me leave ; for if I fail, it will he inPow~ tr, and not in Will and I hope all tbofe that ft and in need thereof willfollow our great Examples fo far ms to accept of the JViU for the Deed. And to make this Treatife the more methodical, Ariftotle herein has not only treated of the Delivery ofWcmen,when ihe Time of their Travel come, hut alfo what Jhali he a Guide to them and you both in their Conception, Bearing and Suckling of them. For it is neceffary you fhould be able to dirett them in thofe Things. And ihd this Book will be a Guide for all Childbearing Women into whffie Hands it will come; (and it were io be wijh’d that every Childbearing Woman had one of them ; for ehferving the Rules he has here laid down they would eafeyou of much Trouble you have with them) yet it cannot be expetted, but that the moft part muft have their Directions from you-,and I hope you are not Ignorant that upon Womens well order- To the Midwives or England, hg themfelves during the Time they are Bearing Children, the Prefervation of them’ehes aid Chil- dren in a very great Meajure depends : For how- many are they, that for want of Care herein, dor mu both themfelves and Children t But were the Rules that are here laid down at- tended to, and put in Traffics, you need not have *boje Difficulties to encounter with, which yen o'ita find-, and which make you Jo often ftand in need of tny AJJifi 7are. For Irmtft tell you, (thd it be again# my owi Inter eft) that it is a Difparagement te you, Q-nd reflects both upon your Reputation and Prof f- don, when you cannot deliver a Woman without the Pis Ip of a Man Midwife, Which thd it may be for fhe Safety of the 7 ravelling Woman, is yet a Dif- credit to you, who ought to be fo accomplift’d, as to So through with the Work you have undertaken, and to perfeff it yourfelf; end that you may fo do, is the ■Deftgn of this Ireatife. For it is to your Knowledge, Care and Skill, that the wellbeing of a Woman in labour is committed, and the Life of every Chili you help to bring into the World, from the firfi Mo- ment that it draws its Breath Andat your Hands, if it mifcarry thrd the want of Skill, as well asCars, Shall it be required. Which if duly conftdered,o light to deter all thofe from Undertaking this Noble Of- fice f which is no lefs than being the Hand-maid of Nature) in bringing into the World the chief eft of her Works, (for fuch is Alan) without they know them- felves duly qualified for it. And Its no ordinary Qualification will ferve; For a Midwife ought to t* as quick ftghted as Argus; and to have always aft her Wits about her ; for when her Books are eft Home, her Bufinefs is Abroad: And all the fjfec~- To the Midwives of England. tions that can be in a Woman, ought to be in a Midwife. And all the Knowledge both of Galen and Hippocrates in the Art of Phyfete, for the Office of a Midwife is not only to bring forth a Child when it comes to the Birth, but to know readily what to apply upon all Occafons, , according to the various Exigents tn which Jhc finds the Patient 5 for Want of which Knowledge, many Women have made their Childbed their Deathbed, who might other-ways have recover'd and done very nsjell. In the Secci’l Part of this Byok he has endeavour'd to make the Midwife a skilful Phy/ician by treating of all toufeDifiempers incident to Women, even from the Cradle to the Grave j that fo /he may know how to adminifier in ail thofe various Ills with which her Patients maybe af- feßed ; And this he did the rather, becaufe he knew that fiuch is the Pudor and Ba/hfulnefs of many young Women, who happen to be affeßed with thofe Difiempers that are common to their Sex, that they had rather die than dif- cover them to the Doßor ; who yet at the fame time will freely enough difclofe them to a Midwife: Whom he has therefore in this SscondPart furnifhed with fafe and pro- per Remedies for all thofe Difiempers that are incident to the Female Sex, that Jibe need not in any Cafe be at a Lofs. To conclude therefore as I began, tho’ the Theory of this Book be very requifite to all Women, yet the prac- tical Part thereof being more peculiarly our Province, I thought it rnofi proper to make the Dedication to you: And if you fh all think fit to make a Trjai of what is her e ■written, you will find the Rules here laid down to be very plain, and very eafy not jo many as to burthen your Memory, nor fo few, .as to be infufficient for every Exigent and 'pereffity. And if in the faithful Dif- < large ef your Office, you add Diligence to your Skill j and be as careful top-event Evils before they come, as to provide for them when they are come, you will not on- ly find the good Ejfeß of it while yon live, hut alfo the Comfort of it when you come to die. Which that you may ./Jo, is the earnefi Defire of, Your Well-wittier, W. S. 1 The Compleat Experienc’d M IDWIFE P A R T I. A Guide for Child-bearing Women, GW The INTRODUCTION. f Have given this Book the Tide of. The Cotnfrlent ar.d Experienc’d MID IE IFE, both because it is chiefly defign’d lor thofe that profeU Midwilry, and contains whatsoever is nscelfary for them to know in the Pradiice thereof, and alfo hecaufe iris the •Kefult of many Tears Experience, and that in the molt difficult Cafes; and is theref re the more to be depended upon. AMidwite is the moft Neceffary and Honourable Office, being indeed a Helper of Nature i which there- fore makes it neceflary for her to be well acquainted with all the Operations of Nature in the Work of Genera- and the Initrumcms with which fhe works: For Iho fhat knows not the OperationsofNature, dot with what fools the works, muft needs be at a Lofs how to alilft her therein. And feeing the Inftruments ol Generation both in Men and Women, are thofe Thing? by which Mankind is produced, it is very nccelTary that alJMid- wives Ihould be well acquainted with them, that they the better underftand their Bufmefs, and affiit Na- ture, as there lhall be Occallon. The fuftThing there neceiTary, as introductory to this Treatife, is an AN A- The Experienc'd Midwife. TOMICAL DESCRIPTION of the fcveraJPartsofGe* neration, both in Men and Women jand having defign- ed throughout to comprehend much in a little Room, i fhall avoid all unneceffaty and impertinent Matters, with which ocher Books of this Nature are for the molt Part too much clogged j and which are more curious than needful. And though I fhall be neceffirated to fpeak plainly, that fo I may be underllood, yet I fhall <3o it with that Modelfy, that none {hall have need to blufh, unlefs it be from lomething in themfelves, rather than from what they foall find here, having the Motto of the Royal Garter for my Defence, which i", Honi foit qui maly ■penfe j or Evil to them that Evil thinks. CHAP. I. An Anatomical Description of tht Infruments of Gene- ration both in Man and Women. Safi. Of the Parts of Generation in Man. AS the Generation of Mankind is produced by the Coition of both Sexes, it neceffarily follows, that the Inhrumcnts of Generation are of two Sorts, to wit, Male and Female, the Operation of which arc by Ad ion and Paffion j and herein the Agent is the Seed, and the Patient Blood, whence we may eafily colled that the Bo- dy of Man being generated by Adion and Pafiion, he jnuft needs be fubjed thereunto during his Life. Now 'fince the Inftruments of Generation are Male and Female at will be necefiary to treat of them both diftindly, that the honeft and dilcreet Midwife may be well acquainted with their fevcrsl Parts, and their various Operations, as they contribute to the Work of Generation. And in doing this, I fhall give the Honour of Precedence to my own Sex, and fpeak firft of the Parts of Generation in Man,which will be comprehended under fix Particulars, Gvrfut jfuricofum, the The Experienc’d Midwife. Efiicles, or Stones, rhtVafa Defertntia, the Stmtnal * eJTe Is, and the Turd-, of each of which in their Order* i .The Firft are the Vafa Prefarentia or Preparing e -which are in Number four, tv/o Veins, and as rnany Arteries i; and they are called Preparing Vejpls fom theirOffite,which is to prepare that Matter or Sub- stance which the Stones turn into Seed, to fit it for thai *york ?Whence you may note, That the Liver is the Or- iginal ot Blood, and diftributes it through the Body by the \- elns, and not the Heart, as fome have taught, as to the Original ot rhefeVeins, the right Vein proceedeth the Vena Cava, or gre;kt Vein, which receives the- -blood from the Liver, and diftributes it by its Branches to all the Body; the left is from the Emulgcnt Vc\ny is one of the two main Branches o! the hollowr v ein palling to tne Rein;. As to the Arteries, they both stile from the great Artery, which the Greeks call which is indeed the great Trunk and Original of *ll the Arteries, But I will not trouble you with Greek derivation of Words, affedling more to teach you the Knowledge ofthings than Words. . 2-The next Thing to be fpoken to, is the Corpus ric chi sis an Interweaving of the Veins and Ar- teries which carry the Vital and Natural Blood to the Btoncs to make Seed ol.Thefe, cho* at their firft Defeca- tion they keep at a fmall Diftance the one from the o- ther, yet before they enter the Stones, they make an ad- mirable Intertexture of Twitting the one from the other, Ip that fometimes the Veins go into the Arteries, and. foinetimssthe Arteries into the Veins j the Subftance of which is very hard and Jong, not much unlike a Pyramid 3n Bonn, without any fenfible HollowmefsThe Ufe is make one Body of the Blood and Vital Spirits, which they both mix a.nd change the Colour of, from Red tq *Vhite; that fo the Stones may both have a fit Matter to 'vork upon, and do their work the more eafilyi for Reafon, this Interweaving reacheth down, to the Ve*T Stones, and pierceth info thyir Subftante, 4 Ehe Experienc'd Midwife. 3* The Stones are the third Thing to be fpoken to \ Called alfo "TcjHi les j in Latin Tejle-, that is, a Witnefs, becaufe they witnefs.one to be a Man : As to tbefe, I need not tell you their Number, npr where Nature has placed them j for that is obvious to every Eye. Their Subifance is Loft, white, andfpungy, full of flnall Veins and Arteries, which is the Reafon they Iwell to fuch a Bignefsupon the flowing down of the Humours in them. Their Form is Oval; but moft Authors are of Opinion that their Bigneisis not equal, but that the Right Is the biggsftjtbe hotted, and breeds the bed dranged Seed. Each of thefe Stones hath a Mufcle, called Cremojrer, which Signifies to hold up,becaufe thev pull up the Stones in the Adi of Coition,that fo tbeVeflels being blacken’d may the better void the Seed : Thefe Mufcles are weak- ened both by Age and Sicknefs; and then the Stones hang down lower than in Youth, and Health. Thefe Stones are of great Ul'e, for they convert the Blood and Vital Spirits into Seed. For the Procreation of Man, but this mud not be underftood as if they converted all the Blood that comes into them, into Seed, for they keep fome for their own Nourifamenr. But be/ides this, they add Heat, Strength, and Courage to the Body j which is evident from this, that Eunuchs are neither fo Hot, Strong nor Valiant as other Men Nor is an Ox fo Hot or Valiant as a Bull. 4. The next in order are the Vafa Deferentia, which are the Veffels that carry the Seed from the Stones to the •Seminal Vejfels, which is kept there till its Expulfion. Thefe arein Number two, in Colour white, and in Sub- llance nervous, or finewy} and from-a certain Hollow - siefs which they have in them,are alfo called Spermatick Pores. They rife not far from the Preparing VeiTeis ,* and when they come into the Cavity of the Belly, they turn back again* and pafs into the Backfide of the Blad- der, between it and the right Gut, and when they come near the Neck of the Bladder, they are joined to the Seminal Cellstwhfeb fojncwbat referable the Cells of an Ehe Experienc’d Midwife. 5 Honey cosnb ; which Ceils contain an. oyly Subftance ; Hr they draw the fatty Sublfance from the Seed, which they empty out into the Urinal Pajf.ge ; which is done Hr the moft part, in the Aft oi Copulation ; that fo the Hin internal Skin of the Yard futfers not through the ■Acrimony or Sharpnefs of the Seed. And when the va- fp Defcrentia har palled, as above declared, they fall ln‘o the Glandula Projlrate, which are the VelTels by 'vhich Nature ordained to keep the Seed, and which arc fiext to be fpoken to. 5- The Seminal Veffeh, called Glandulum Seminole, are certain Kernels placed between the Neck of theßlad- and the right Gut; compofing about the Vafa De- Ercntia, the Urethra, or common Paffkge for Seed and Urine, palling through the midft of it , and may proper Enough be called the Conduit of the Yard; At the Mouth H the Urethra, where it meets with the Vafa Deferentia Here is a thick Skin, whofe Office is to hinder the Semi- ni>l Velflds,which arc of a fpungyNature, from {bedding Heir Seed againft their Will ; this Skin is very full of °°res, and through the Heat of the Act of Copulation, He Potes open and fo give Paifage to the Seed, which being ofa very fubtle Spirit, and efpecially being mo- ed, will pafs through this Caruncle or Skin, as Quick- fiver through a Leather ; and yet the Pores of his Skin ®re difcernable, unlcfs in the Anatomy of a Man who bad fome violentßunnlng of theßelns when he died,and Hen they are conlpicuous, thofe VefTels being the prop- Per Seat of that Difeafe. 6. The laid of the Parts of Generation in Man to be Toke to, is the Yard, which has a principal Share jn the Work of Generation; and is called Penis from its hanging without the Belly; and it c onfiihof Skin, Te- n. ns, Veins, Arteries, Sinews, and great Ligaments, and long and round ; being ordained by Nature both for the Paflage for the Urine, and for the conveying of Seed >nto the Matrix: It hath fome Farts common with it to tle rett of the Body, as the Skin, or the Membrana Cor- 6 ’Ehe Experienc'd Midwife. nofa, and feme Parts it has peculiar to itfelf, as the two Nervous Bodies, the Septum, the Urethra, the Giansy the four Mufcles, and the VeJJels : The Skin, which the Latins call Cutis, is full of Pores,thro’which the Sweat and Fuliginous, or foory black Vapours of thethirdCon- codlion (which concofts the Blood into Flelh) oafs out -f thele Fores are very many and thick, but hardly vifible to the Eye ; and when the Yard ftands not, it is Tbut when it ftands it is ftifF;the Skin i, very fenfible, be- caufe the Nerves concur to make up its Being: for the Brain gives Senfe to the Body by the Nerves. As to the Carnus Memhrana, or ftelhy Skin, it is fo called, not becaufe its Body is flefhy, but becaufe it lies between the Flefh, and palfeth in other Parts of the Body under- neath the Fat, and flicks dofe to the Mufcles, but in the Yard there is no Fat at all only a few Superficial Veins and Arteries pafs between the former Skin,and this, which when the Yard ftands are vifible to the Eye j thefe are tkeParts common both to the Yard and to the reft ot the Body. I will roc fpeak to thole Parcs of the Yard which are peculiar to itl'df, and to no other Partts of the Body ; And thefe are likewise Six, as has been al- ready laid, of which it will alfo be neceffary to fpeak particularly. And, x.Of the Nervous Bodies-. Thefe are two, tho’ joined together, and are hard, long, andftnewy j they are Spun- gy within,and full of black Blood, the Spungy Subftance of the Inward Part of it feems to be woven together like a Net, confiftlng of Innumerable Twigs of Veins, and Arteries. The black Blood, contained therein, is very full of Spirits, and the Delights or Defire of Heat to thefe, which cauleth the Yard to ftand j and that istheßeafon that both VeneralSights andTaleswill do it; Nor need it be ftrange to any, that Venus being a Planet cold and moift, Should add Heat to thole Parts fince the Moon (tho’colder and than She, ’will burn byNight, as the Plalmift teftifies,P/«/.i2i. 6. Now this hollow fpungy Intertexture or Weaving, was foor- The Experienc'd Midwife. by Nature.on purpofe to contain the Spirit ofVe> r*er»l Hear,that the Yard may not fail before it has done lfs Work. Thefe two Side-ligaments of the Yard,. they are thick and round, arife flora the lower *art of the Share-bone, and at the Beginning are fepa- Jated the one trom the orher,refemblinga pairol Horns, °rthe LetterY, where the Urethra, or common Palfage !°f Urine and Seed pafTeth between them. i.Thofe Nervous Bodies of which I have fpoken, fo f°pn as they come to the joining ot the Share-bone, are joined by the Septum Lucium, which is the Second in- ternaJ Part to be deferibed which inSubftance is white ®nd nervous, or Chewy, and itsUle is to uphold the two Side-ligaments and the Urethra. . 3* The third Thing in the internal Parts of the Yard, Is the Urethra, which is the PaCage or Channel by which the Seed and Urine is conveyed out thro’the Yard, of it is finewy, thick, loft, and loofe, as Side-ligaments are; it begins at the Neck of the gladder, and being joined to it, palfeth to the Gians. 'J* has in the Baginning of it three Holes, of which the largeft of them is in the midlt, which receives the Urine l|;to it; the other two are fmaller, by which it receives the Seed from each Seminal Veflel. 4- The Yard has four Niufcles on each Cde two: thefe h'mfcles are Inftrumcnts of voluntary Motion, without jfhich no Part of the Body can move irfelf: Itconhfts of hbrous Flelh to make up its Body of Nerves for it>Senfe, Veins for its Nourifhment, of Arteries for his vital heat, °f a Membrane or Skin to knit it together, and to di- itinguifh one Mufcle from another, and all of them from the Flefh ; of thefe Mufcles, as I laid before, the Yard has two of each Side* and the ufe of them is to ere£t the * ard, and make it Hand, and therefore are they slfo caT led Ere Sores; But here you mult note, that of the two °n each Side, the one is Ihorter and thicker than the o- thcr: And thefe are they that do ereft the Yard> and fo %rs saUei freSsru; £yt the other two beipg longer and 8 ‘The Experienc'd Midwife. fmaller, their Office is to dilate the lower Part of the Urethra,both lor making Water, an 1 emitting the Seed, upon which Account they are called A celeratores. 5. Tha [which is called the Glansps theextreamPart of the Yard j which is very loft, and ofa- moft exquifue Feeling by Reafon of the Thinnefs oF the Skin, where- with it is covered : This is covered with the Prretunium, oi Foreskin, which in home Men covers the Top of the Yard quite clofe, but in others it doth not; which Skin moving up and down in the A£f cf Copulation, brings Pleafure both to the Man and Woman. This outerS'kin is that which thefrws were commanded to cut off in the eighth Day. This Praeputium or Foreskin is ty’d to the Gldns by aLigament orßridle,which is called Frnenum. 6. The laid internal Part of the Yard, are the Vejjels thereof, Veins, Nerves, and Arteries. Of thefe tome pafs by the Skin, and are vifible to the the Yard Hands i others pafs by the inward Parts of the Yard the Arreriesare admirably difperfed through the Body of the Yard, much exceeding the Difpetfion of the Veins} for the right Artery is difpetl’ed to the kit Side, and the left to the right Side, Jt hath two Nerves, the ieffier whereof is beftowed upon the Skin, the greater upon the Mufcles and Body of the Yard. But this much {hall fuffice to be faid in Defcribing the Parts of Generation in Men, And lhall therefore in the next Place proceed to deferibe thole of Women } that fo the Honeft and Indultrious Midwife may the better know how to help them in their Extremities. Seft. 2: Defcriling the Parts of Generation in Women. WHatever ignorant Perfons may imagine, or Tome good Women think, that are unwilling thofe pri' vate Parts, which Nature has given them,(hould be thus cxpofcd i yet it is in this Cafe abfolutely Neceffary ; for I do pofitively affirm, tha! it L impoflible truly to ap- prehcnd what a Midwife ought to do, if thefc Parts are Tbs Experienc'd Midwife. 9 r*ot perfectly underftdodby them. Nor do 1 know any they have to be aflaamed to fee or hear a parti- Defcription of what God and Nature has given tfiem fince it is not the having thefe Farts, hut the un- •awful ufe of them, thatcaufes Shame. To proceed then in this Defcription more regularly jl /peak in order to thefe following principal Parts. Jft, 0/ the Privy Pajpzge. 2d, Of the V/orr.h. gd, Of the or Stores, ij.thly, i f the Sfermatick Veffels. ift. Of the Privy Pajfage. Under this Head 1 fhall c°n/iJer the fix following Parts ; 1. The hif>s, which are villble to the Eye, and are de ‘!Rned by Nature as a cover to the Fiffu'-a Magna, or Heat Orifice; Thefe are framed of the Body, and have Hetty ftore of fpungy Fat; and their 1/fe is to keep the Internal Parts from Cold and Dull: Thefe are the only hings chat ara obvious to the Sight , the reft are con- and cannot be feen unlsfs thefe two Lips are ftretched afundcr, and the Entry of the Privities opened. 2. When the Lips are fevered, the next thing that Appears in the Nymfh&, or Wings: they are formed of and fpungy Fie/h, and are in Form and Colour like Comb of a Cock. 3- In the uppermoftPart, juft above thcUrinaryPaf- ;age, may beobferved the CVr/or/h,which is a finewy and p-*td Body, full of fpungy and black Matter within,like me Side-ligament of the Yard, representing in Form the of a Man, and fuffers Eretftion and Falling as mat doth ,• and it grows hard, and becomes eredfed as a ban's Yard doth, in proportion to the De/ite a Woman ''ath in Copulation ; And this alfo is that which gives a Oman Dehght in Copulation ; For without cblsaWo- hath neither a Dehre to Copulation, and Delight TfYi nor* Conceive by it: And I have heard thatfome Y °men have had tkeir Clitoris fo long, that they have abufed other Women therewith 3 nay, foma have gone to fay that thofe Perfons who have been report- ed to be Heimophrodites, as having the Genitals both of The Experienc'd Midwife. Men and Women, are only flich Women to whom the Clitoris hangs out externally, rd'emhling the Form ot a Yard. But do’f will not be polmve in that, yet it is certain that the larger the Clitoris is in any Woman, the more luftful fhe is. 4 Under the Clitoris, and above fhe Neck, appears the Orifice, or Urinary Palfage, which is much larger in Woman than Men, -and caufes their Water to c m 2 from them in a greater Stream j on both fides thcUrinary Faifage may be feen two fmall membranous Appendices, a little broader above than below, iffuing forth of the inward Parts of the great Lips, immediately under the Clitoris, the Uie whereof is to cover the Orif.ee of the Urine, and defend the Bladdder from the cold Air; So that w'hen a Woman piffeth, fhe contracts hcrfelf fo, that fhe conduds out the Urine,without fuffeiing it to fpread along thePrlvities,and often without fo much as wetting the Lips ? And therefore thefe fmall membranous Wings are called the Ay.-;/ ■,/?, because they govern the vYomens Water. Some Women have them fo great and long that they have been necdlitated to cut off fo much as has ex- ceeded and grew without the Lips. 5. Near this are four Carunclei, or flefhy Knobs,cprr>- monly called Caruncles Myrtiformes j thefe are placed cn each fide two* and a fmall one above* juft under the Urinary Paffage-' And in Virgins are reddiftyandplump, and round, but hang flagging when Virginity is loft:In Virgins they are joined together by a thin and finewy Skin or Membrane, which is called theNy/nen;and keeps them in Subjediom and makes them referable a kind of Rofe-bud half blown ; This Difpofition ofthe Caruncles is the only certain Mark ofVirginity; it being vain either to fearch for if eifewhere, or hope to be informed of it any other way : And ’tis from the prefiing and bruifing forcing and breaking the little Me- mbranes (whmh is done by theVard in the firft Ad ofCo- pulation) t. At there happens an Effufion of Blood: after which? they remain feparated) and never recover their "the Experienc'd Midwife. 11 firft Figure ; but become more and more fiat, as thcAfts Copulation are increafcd j rnd in rhofothat have had fo'drcn? they a e almoft totally defeated by Reafbn of the greet diftention thefe Parts luffer in the Time of their Cahour -.Their Ufc is to ftraftsn the Neck of the Womb, t0 hinder the cold Air from incommoding it j and like- to enercafs the mutual Pktfure in the Aft of Cor b°n 5 for thefe Carunclei being then cxrreamly fwelled* filled with Blood a id Spirits, the' c'ofe with more PWfure upon the Faro of the Man j whereby the Wo- is much more delighted. What I have j id of the ®-®sfjpn of Blood which happens in the frit Aft of Co- Pl|lation,thoVhen h fo happens it is sn undoubted Sign Virglnity>fhow»ng the CarundesMyrttfirmes have ne- er been prefled till then •, yet when t>.ere happens no j?:°od, it is not always a S;gn that Vjrginity is loft be- *or®> for the Hymen may be broker, wi thou' Copulation 57 the Deflufiion of fharp Humours, which fm.comes "appcns to youngVirglns? hecaufe in them if «.s t hin- ;lt bealfo done by :he unskilful ap ly-r -i Pa- ftaries to provoke the Term ? f&c. But :heieTbii.,,s Inp- pen fo rarely, that thole Virgins to whom it fo happens do thereby bring themlelves under juft Snipicion. <5. There is next to be fpoken to? 'he Neck of th* Wombjw'hich is nothingelfe but the Dikb.ir.ee between the Privy Pafli'ge, and the Mouth of ’he Womb, into ''dhch the Man’s Yard enters in the Aft of Copulation j in Women of realenable Stature? is about eight In- ®oesin length j Its of a memb.anous Subftance, flefhy Without, skinny? and very much wrinkled within j and t-at both becaufe it may retain the Seed caft into it in the Aft of Copulation j and alfo that it may dilate and extend itfelf to give lutficient Paffage to the Infant at its .Birth. It is compofed of two Membranes? the inner- of them being white? nervous? and circularly, u[rink led much like the Palate of an Ox? that fo it might Either comraft or dilate itfelf? according to the Bignefs 0r length of the Man’s Yard--And to fheEndthat by the 12 The Experienc'd Midwife. Cellifion,' or Squeezing, or Prefling made by the Yard in Copulation,the Pie alb re may be naturally augmented; The externa] or outefmoft Membrane is red and rfelhy, like the Mufcle of the Fundament, furrounding the Frit to the End the Yard may he the better doled within it and it is by means of this Membrane, that he Neck ad- heres the Wronger both to the Bladder and cherightG'uc The Internal Membrane in youngQirls isvery loft and de* lie ate ; but in Women much add! died to Copulation, it grows harder.-And in thole that are gro.vin Aged, if they hwebeen given much toVenerydt is almoftbecome grifly- a. Having fpoken to the 'Privy FaJJage, I come now to fpeak of the Womb,which the Lad n s call Matrixes: the only EngltjbWord is the Womb. Its Parts are Two* the Mouth of the Womb, and the Bottom of it: The Mouth is an Orifice at the Entrance into it> which may be both dilated and (hut together like a Purler For altho* in rheAdd of Copulation, it be big enough to receive the Glam of the Yard j yet after conception it i s fo elefe (hut, that it will not admit of the Point of a Budkin to enter; And yet again at the Time of the Wotmn’sDeli- very, it is opened fo extraordinary, that the Infant palP eth thro’ it into the Word *. Ar which Time this Orifice wholly difappearsjand the Womb feemsto have but one greatCaviry from its Bottom to the very Entrance of the Neck. When a Woman is not with Child, Ms a little oblong,and of Subftance very thick and dole: but when fhe is with Child, irisfhortned j and its Thicknefs dimi- nilheth proportionable to its.Diftention. And therefore it is a Miftake of feme Anatomifts, to affirm that its Subftance waxerh thicker a little before a Woman's La- bour : For any one’s Reafon will inform them, that the more it isdiftended, the thinner it muft be : And the nearer a Women is to the Time of her Delivery, the fhorter her Womb muft be extended. As to the Aftion by- which this inward Orifice.of theWomh is open’d and fhut it is purdyNature: for where it otherway, there would not be many Baftards begotten as there are j nor would I'he Experienc'd Midwife. 13 •fiany married Women have fo many Children, were it at their ownChoice,but they would hinder Conception, tho' they would be willing enough to ufeCopu/ation,for Mature has attended that Adtion with fomething fo plea- ng and deligbtfubthat they are willing to indulge •elves in the Ule tbereofinotwithihndingthcPainstkey cndure> and the Hazard of their Lives that follows it; And this comes to pais not fo much any inordinateLuft in Women, as for that the Great of Nature, for the Fncreafe and Multipli- cation of Mankind, and even of all other Species in the r^mentaryWorld, hath placed itich a MagnetickVirtuc *h the Womb, that it draws the Seed to ie> as the Load- < done draws Iron, TheAU THOR of Nature has placed the Womb in the ™ Oman’s Belly, that the Heat might always be main- hjtned by the Warmth of the Parts furrounding it,* it is therefore feated in the middle of the Hyfogajiriam) or lower Part of the Belly) between the Bladder and the or right Gut)hy which alio it is defended from deceiving any hurt thro' the hardnefs of the Bqrcs ; and ,s placed in the lower Part of the Belly,for theConveni- of Copulation, and of Birth’s being thruft out at the full Time. It is of a Figure aimoft round, inclining fomewhatto ?n Qblong, in Part refembliwg a Pear ; for from being toad at the Bottom, it gradually terminates in the Point the Orifice, which is narrow. ThsLength>BreaddiandThicknefsofdie Womb, dii- according to the Age and Difpofition of the Body : hot inVirpfms not ripe, ’tis very fmall in all its Dimenfi- °ns> but in Women whofe Terms flow in greatQuantx- ties, and fuch as freqUentJy ufe Copulation, it is much arger>and if they have had Children, it is larger in them than in fuch as have had none j but in Women of a good btature, and welMhaped, it is (as I have faid before) t?hi the Entry of the Privy Parts, to the Bottom of the ufually about eight, but the Length of 14 *the Experienc'd Midwife, the Body of the Womb alone* does not exceed three Inche», and the Breadth thereof is near about the fame and of the Thicknefs of the Little Finger* when the W- oman is not pregnant ,• but when the Woman is wtthChid, tt becomes of a prodigious Greatnefs ; and the nearer Ihe is to her Delivery, the more is the Womb extended. Ir is not whhout Reafon then that Nature (or the God of Nature rather) has made the Womb of a membra-' nous Subftance ; for thereby it does the eafier open to conceive,and is gradually dilated from the Growth of the Fcetus, or young One ; and is afterwards contracted and doled again, to thruft forth both it and the After-burden; and then to retire to its primitive feat. Hence alfo it is enabled to expel any noxious Humours,which may fome- times happen to be contained within it. Before I have done with the Womb, which is the Field of Generation, and ought therefore to be the more particularly taken Care of. (For as the Seeds of Plants can produce no Fruits, nor fpringunlefs fown in Ground proper to waxen and excite their vegetative Virtue ; fo \lkewife the Seed of Man, tho’ potentially containing in all the Parts of a Child, would never produce fo admira- ble an Effect, if it were not call into that fruitful Field of Nature, the Womb.) I lhall proceed to a more parti- cular Defcription of the Parts thereof, and the Ufcs to which Nature has defign’d them. The Womb then is compofed of various fimilaryParts; that is, of Membranes, Veins, Arteries, and Nerves. Its Memferanes are two,and they compofe the principal Part of its Body, the outmofc of which arifeth from the Pe- ritonum, or Cawl, and is very thin, without fmooth, but within unequal, that it may the better cleave to the other, which is indeed the molt propper Membrane of the Womb, as it were flcihy .and thicker than any elfe we meet with in the Body, whenaWomanis not pregnant and is interwoven with all forts of Fibres, or fmallStrlngs, that it may the better fuller the Extension of the Child, and the Waters caufed during Pregnancy; aad alfo that it may the eafier dole again alter Delivery. The Experienc'd Midwife. The Veins and Arteries proceed both from the Hyfoga«. ft ricks, and the SfermatickV'cJJeh, of which I fiiall fpeak by avd by j All thefe are inferred and terminated in the Proper Membrane of the Womb. The Arteries fupply lt with Blood for its Noun foment,‘which being brought tbuher in too great quantity, fweats thro’ the Subftance it, and diftilsas it were a Dew into the Bottom of its b-aviry ,• from whence do proceed both the Terms in tipeVirgins, and the Blood which nourifheth theEmhrio In breeding Women. The Branches which iffue from the Spermatick Vejfrlss are inferred in each Side of the totn ot the Womb,and are much Jefs than thofc which Proceed from the Hyfogajiricki, thole being greater.and bedewing the whole Subftance of it. There are yet fome °ther lina 11 VeffeJs ,which arifing theonelrom the other conduced to the internal Orifice,and by thefe thole !$« are pregi.ant, do purge away the Superfluity of their u rrRS’ wben tbe7 happen to have more than is ufed in Oe Notirifoment of the Infant j by which means Nature hath taken fuch care of the Womb, that during its Pxeg- Jjancy,it foall not be obliged to open itfelf, for the pal- ing away thole excrcmentitious Humours; which foould lt forced to do, it might often endanger Abortion. As touching the Nerves,they proceed from the Brain, v''brch furnifo.es all the inner Parts of the lowerßelly with them ; which is the true Reafon it hath fo great a Syno- Pn,hy with the Stomach, which is likewile very confide- rably furnifoied from the fame Part ■, fo that the Womb C;’nnotbe afflv&ed with any Pain but the Stomach is im- mediately fenfible thereofj which the Caufe of thole bathings, or frequent Vomitings which happen to it. . befides all thefe Parts which compole the Womb, • L hath yetfourLigamcntr, whofe Officejs to keep it firm 3.n Place ,aad prevents its conlianc Agitation by thecon- Motion of the Inteftine, which lurround it, two w which are above, and two below :*Thefe above are Cahed the broad Ligaments, bccaufe of their broad and Membranous Figure, and are nothing eife but the Pro- 16 The Experienc’d Midwife. ducfion of the Peritoaien Women have abundance of Whites, and to purge ay from time to time the fuperfluity of the Blood, as lt doth every Month by the Evacaticn of the Blood, a Woman is not with Child. And thus much ffiall office for the Defcription of theWon.b, in which 1 have the larger, becaufe, as I have faid before, it is the of Generation. The next Thing to be defcribed in the Genitals Women, is theTcfticles, or Stones, for fuch Women , ave as well as Men, but are not lor the fame UTe, and indeed are differentfrom thofe in Men, in feverai Parfi- Cu|arsj as iff, in Place, as being within the Eellyj . nereas in Men they ate without. 2dly, In Figure be* jfS uneven in Women, but fmooth in Men. Ir Magnitude, being idler in Women than in Men. 4 lily, 1 hey are not fixed in W’omen by Mufclcs, but by Liga- cuts, they have no Proftrates, or Kernels, as er> have. 6thJy, They differ in Form, being -epreiicd fiattifh in Women, but Oval in Men. ythly. They ~ave but one Skin, whereas Men have four j ior the ' f2,nes of Men being more expofed Nature has provided for rhem accordingly. Sihly, Their suh~ ance is more fori than in Men. And pthly. Then Tem- perature is colder than Men. And as they differ iirall e‘e Relpetffs, fo do thev alio in their Ufe, for they per- not the lame- A&. ?as M- ns, as 1 ff. foevv pie- JPAy '■ As for their Sear, it is the H . < eis of the boomeay and therefore not extream , .dulous, but refi upon the Ova 01 Egg. ’Tis true. G.o ea and H , po- V‘.afex did erbniouffy imagine tho the Stones inW mea contain and elaborate the Seed as thofe Co in » but it is a great mi (take : For the Teft teles a Oman are as it were no more than twoClufters 0 Eggs p ;Ich lie there to he impregnated by thr mud fpintuous articles or animating Effluvium j conveyed out of the 18 The Experienc’d Midwife. Womb thro’ the two Tuber, or different Veffels: B^1 however, the Stones in the Woman are very ufefui; fo* where they are defe<£ilve, Generation work is at anEncf For tho’ thefe little Bladders which are on their Superb' cles, containing nothing of Seed, yet they contain Eggs, (commonly to the Number of Twenty in each Tefticle) one of which being impregnated in the Afte* Coition, by themoft fpirituous Part of the Seed of th< Man, defeeads thro’ the Oviducts in'o the Womb, afi^ • there in Procefs of Time becomes a living Child. IV. I am now to fpeak of the Sfermatick Veffels i*l Women, which are two, and are fatten'd in their whoff Extent, by a membranous Appendix, to the broadLiga' ment of the Womb; Thole do not proceed from the Jr' Jh'cles, as inMen, but are diftant from them a Finger'*; Breadth at leart ,• and being difpos’d after the manner o> the Mi/eraick Veins, are train’d along this Pittance between the different Veffels and the 'Ttjiicles• Their Subftance is, as it were, nervous and moderately hard, they are round, hollow, big, and broad enough a£ their End, joyning to the Horn of the Womb. Soirtf Authors affirm, that by thefe Women difeharge thei* Seed into the Bottom of the Womb ■, but the whole Cuf' rent of our Modern Authors run quite anotherWWat and are pofitive that there is no Seed at all in their Vef, fels i but that after the Egg or Eggs, in the Ovaria ot Tefticles arc impregnated by the Seed of the Man, they defcend thro’ thefe two VefTels into the Womb, whert being plac’d, the Embrio is nourifh’d Thefe Veflels art (hotter in Women than they are in Men ; for the Stone* of a Woman lying within the Belly, their PalTage mufti needs be (horter, but their various Wreathings and Wind' ings in and out makes amends for the Shortnefsof their j Pafiage. Thefe Veflels are not united before they come to the Stones, but divide themfelves into two Branches* whereof the biggeft only paffes thro’ the Tefticles, the lefler to the Womb, bpth for the Nourifliment of itfel* and the Infant in it. I will only obferve further, That' The Experienc'd Midwife. 19 Spermatlck Veins receive the Arteries as they pals b>’ the Womb and lb there is a mixture between vital and natural Blood, that lb the Work might be the better fought; and that it is fo, appears by this, That it you up the SpcrmatickVein, you may perceive the right ar*d left VelTel of the Womb blown up i from whence a*f° the Communion ofali the Vcffels of the Womb may be eafiiy perceived. The Defer/ntia, or CarryingVeflels, fpring from the Wer Part of the Telticles, and are in Colour white,and *n Subttance finely, and pal’s not the Womb Itraighf, but wreathed with feveral Turnings and Windings, as fa id of thtSpermatick Veflels, that fo the fhortnefs pfthe Way mjfy be likewife recompensed by their winci- ng Meanders j yet near the Womb they become broad aßain. They proceed in two Parts from she Womb, referable Horns, and are therefore called the Horns °f the Womb. And this is ail that is needful to be known treated of, concerning the Parrs of Generation both in Men and Women. Only lince our modern Anatosnifts and Phyficians are Sentiments from the Ahcients, touching the Woman’s contributing of Seed for the formation of the >hild, as well as the Man ; the Ancients firongly affirm- lng it, but our modern Authors being generally of ano- !**®r Judgment, I will hear declare the feveral Reafons lor their different Opinions, and fo pals on. 3- Of the Differen :es between the ancient and mo- dem Phyficians, touching the Womens conti ibating Seed to the Formation of the Child. IWILL nor make myfelf a Party in this Controver- sy, but fet down impartially, but yet briefly, the ■^rgaments on each fide, and leave the judicious Reader t0 judge for himfelf. Tho’ it is apparent, fays the Ancients, that the Seed is the principal, efficient and beginning of A&i- 20 'The Experienc*d Midwife. -on, Motion an d Generation ; yet that the Woman a f fords Seed, and contributes to the Procreation of tWj Child, is evident from hence, 1 hat the Woman hasSe' minal Vefiels, which had been given her in vain, had; fhe w-nted Semina! Excrelcence j but fince Nature doth nothing vahv it muff be granted they were madeforthc ufe of Seed and Procreation and fixed in their ptopd Places to operate, and'contribute Virtue and EfficacyU the" Seed ; And this, fay they, is further proved frolfl hence. That if Women at Years of Maturity ufe not Co' pulation to ejedf heir Seed, they often fall infoftrange Difeafes, as appears by young Women and Virgins and alfc it is apparent that women are better pleafed, than when they are often fadsfied this way, which at' gues fhe PJeaure and Delight they take therein, which Pleafure and Delight, Ay they, is double in women, t° what it is in Men ; For as the delight of Men in Co- pulation, con (ids chiefly in the Emiflion of the Seed) fo women are delighted both in the Emiflion of theif own, and the Reception of the Man’s. But againft all this, our modern Authors affirm, That the Ancients were very erroneous j foralmuch as theT ■ ificles InWomen do not afford Seed, but are two Egg■>, like thofe ofFowds and otherCreatures,neither have th / any fuch Offices as thofe of Men but indeed arc an 0- 'uarium, or Recepticles lor Eggs, wherein thefe EggSi are nourifhed by the fanguinary Veffels, difperfed rhro’ them i and from thence one or more, as they are foe- cundated by the Man’s Seed,are conveyed into the womb by the Ovidudls. And fheTruth of this, fay they, is fo plain, that if you boil them, their Liquor will have the fame Tafte, Colour, and Confifiency, with the Tafteot Birds Eggs. And if it be objected, That they have no Shells, the An Aver is eafy, For the Eggs of Fowls, while they are in the Ovary, nay, after ’’ey are fallen Into the Uterus, have no Shell j and tho’ they have one when they are Jain, yet it is no more than a Fence* which Nature has provided for them agaipft outward In- The Experienced Midwife. 21 Juries, they being hatched without the Body: butthofc iman ; being hatched within theßody hath no need °f any other Fence than the Womb to lecure them. They alfo Farther lay, There are in the Generation of y'e Postut, or young one, two Principles, Acrfve and the Adive is the Man’s Seed, elaborated in the Chicles, out of the Arterial Blood, an 1 Pailive Principle is the Ovum or Egg impregnated the Man’s Seed • For to fay, that Women has true (fay they) is erroneous. But the Manner of Con- ation is thus: The molt Spirituous Part of Man’s Seed' lr> (he Ad of Copulation, reaching up to the Ovarium, f eiUclesof the Woman (which contains diverfeEggs,. more, fometimes fewer) impregnates one of which being convey’d by theOviduds to the Boc- ,Crn of the Womb, prefently begins to fweii bigger and and drinks in theMoiftuvc that is plentifully lent ‘’dher after the fame manner that Seeds in the Ground the fertile Moiilure thereof, to make rhem Ipront. . But not with tfanding what is here urged by our modern Ariatomifts, there are fome late Writers of the Opinion g the Ancients,", ‘u/s.That Women have both,and emie in the Adi of Copulation j and the good Wom«n ,etofelves take it ill to be thought mecrly paflivt in wherein they make flich vigorousEncoumers, M pohtively affirm they are fenlible of the Emilfion p their Seed in thole Engagments, and that in it a great jj\rt tA the Delight which they take in that Ad con- p/s • I will not therefore go about to take any of their . aPpinefs away from them, but leave them in the Pof- hofl of their imagined Felicity, thus laid the Foundation of this Work, in the e!criptJon I have given of the Parts dedicated to the jj °rk of Generation both in Man and Woman, 1 will i>r,,ceed to fpeak of Conception, and of thofeTbings *j>?tar? necefiary to be obferved by Women, from the t lrnc of their Conception, to the Time of their DeJive- 'The Experienc'd Midwife. CHAP. 111. Of Conception f whst it is, the Signs thereof whethetl conceive of a Male or Female j how Women art til order themfelves after Conception, Ses. i. What conception is, and the {Qualification ft" quifite theretor 4 Conception is nothing elfe but an A&Ion of th® Womb, by which the Prolifick Seed is receive* and retained, that an Infant may beingendered and form' ed out of it. Their are two Sorts f Conception, fhe one according to Nature, which is followed by the Generation of the Infant in the Womb, the other is^fte and wholly againft Naiure ; in which the Seed change into Water, and produce only falfe Conception, jot other ft range Matter. Now there are three Thing5 principally neceftary, in order fo a true Conception, that Generation may follow; to wit, Diverfity «f Se3C>J Congreffion an i Emiflion of Seed. Without Diverfifl of Sexes there can be no Conception : For cho’ fome wm have a Woman to be an Animal, that can eagendar0' herfelf, it is a great VUftake; for there can be no Cond ception without a Man to difeharge his Seed into he* Womb : What they alledge of Pullets laying Eggs with' out a Cock’s treading them, is nothing to the Purpofe: For thufe Egg- Ihouid they be let under a Hen, ver become Chickens, became they never received an/ Prolifick Virtue from the Male which is abfolutely ne' ceffary to this Purpoie, and is fufficient to convince us» that Diverfity of Sex is necelfary, even to thofs Animal, as well as to the Generation of Man, But diverfity 0* Sex tho’ It be neccftary to Conception, yet it won't d° alone, there muft alio be aCongrcfiion of thole different Sexes ; for diverfity of Sex would profit little if Copu' lation did follow : I con lei's I have heard of fome fi>h' tile Women, who- to cover their Sin and Shame, ha^e The Experienc'd Midwife. 23 to perfuaie Tome Peafant, that they y/ere I)e'rer touched by Men to get them with Child, and that G?e ia particular, pretended ; to conceive by going info °»th wherein a Man had walhed himfelf a little before, Ipent his Seed in it, which was drawn and fuck’d ?to her Womb, as ihe pretended, hut fueh Stories as vjQte are only fit to amul'e them that know no better.— too,v that thefe different Sexes fliould he obliged to come he Touch which we call Copulations, or Coition,be- j,.es the natural Defire of begetting their Like, which up Men and Women to it, the Parts appointed for deration,and indowed by Nature with a delightful and _ u'ual Ifcfa, which begets in them defire to the Adion > llhout which, it would nor be very eafy for a Man j)',rriJor the Contemplation of Divine Myfteries,to join the way ot Coition to a Woman,in regard of the [*channefs of the Part and of the Adion, and, on the |tiler Side, if Women did but think of tbofe Pains and conyenicnees to which they are fubjedby their great and thofe Hazards even of Life itfelf,befides the a, v°idablePains that attend their Delivery,it is reafon- to believe they would be affrighted from it. But e,ther Sex make thefe rededions till after the Adion is e.r,confidering nothing before hand but thePleafure of that it is from this volumptuouskeh, that VfK*tUre °bfigefh both Sexes to this Congrellion. Upon Uch the third thing followech of Courfe, to wit, the of Seed into the Womb, in the Ad of Copula- in°n,^0r fb- Woman having received this ProlifickSeed to ber Womb, and retained it there, the Womb there- Pun becomes compreffed, and embraces the Seed fo jj] ely, that being doled, thte Point of a Needle, as faith cannot enter it without Violence y and now , e Woman may be Laid to have conceived ; feeing re- by Its Heat from Power into Action ; The feve- acuities which are in the Seed it contains, making. 2of the Spirits with which thetjqjd abounds,and which The Experienc'd Midwife. are the Inflruments by which ir begins to trace out the flrft L ineaments of. all the Purr ,• to which afterwards, of making ul'e ot the menftur -us Blood flowing to it, it gives in time Growth and final perfection ‘And thus proceed to fhew. Setft; 2. The Signs of Conception. I 1""' Here aremanyPrognofticks, or Sign; of Concep- -1 tion. I will name fome of the chief, which are the molt certain, and let alone me reft. 1. If aWo'nan Ins been more than ordinary defirous of Copulation, and hath taken more Pleafure than ufual therein, (upon which Recoliedtion Ihe may eafily know it is a Sign of Conception. 2. If ihe retain the Seed In her Womb, after Copu- lation j which ihe may know if (he perceives it not to flow down from the Womb, as it ufed to do before I for that is a fure Sign the Womb has received it into the inward Orifice, and there retains it. 3. Iflhe finds a Coldnefs and Chillinefs after Copula- tion, it Ihews the heat' retired to make the Conception* 4. If after this Ihe begins to have Loathings to thofe Things which file loved before, and this attended with a Lofs of Appetite j and a Defire alter Meats, ro which ihe was not affeefed before and hath often Nan heat- ings and Vomitings, with four Belchings, and exceed- ing weabnefs of Stomach. 5. After Conception, the Belly waxed very flat be- came the Womb cfofeth itfclf together, to nourifh and cherifh the Seed j cod trading itfelf fo as to leave no empty Space.- 6. If the Veins of the Breal! are more clearly lecn than they are want to be, if is r, Sign of Conception. 7. Sole is alio ii the I ops of the Ripples look redder than formerly, and the Breafts begin io I’well, and grow harder than ufual, efpecially if this be actcoded withFa'U. and Sorenefs. The Experienc'd Midwife. 25 j 8. If a Woman has twining and griping Pain?, much thole of the Cramp, in her Belly, and about her avC, it js a Sign the has conceiv'd. 9- It under the lower Eye-lid tbeVcns he fweil’d, and- aPpear clearly, arid the Eye be iofre-hing difc. Cured is * Certaui Sign {he is with Child, unlefs fine have her Men- tk' at.the lama Tirpe upon her, or that The has fetrup- e Night before. This Sign has never failed.' , 10. Some abb make thisTrt*! of Conception, they CJP the WOman’s Urine dole in a Glai’s orVlal for three' Jays, and then ftrain ic-through a fine Linnen Cloth, Snd i>they find fmaJl Jiving Creatures in it, they con- that -he Woman has certainly conceived. , 11 • This alia is another ealy Trial: Let the Woman luppole Ihe has conceived, take a green Nettle, such IJTit into her Urine, cover itclofe, and let it remain 'herein a whole Night, if the W< man be with Chffd, it be full of red Spots on the boor row > nut if (he be lot with Child, it will be b'ackilb. v 12* fheiaftSign I fhaii mention, is that which is molt -oviouj to every Woman, which is the Suppreffion of ,le berms: For alter Conception, Nature makes ufe of at Biood for the Nourifhment of the Embrio,which be- was calc out by Nature, becaul’e it was too great in xEanrlty. For it ic an Error to think that the Menftrual . u°d, limply in itfelf consider, is bad : For ii a W6- ar*s Body be in good Temper, the Blood muft needs s good , and that it is voided monthly is becaufe it of- tn-ds in Quantity, bur not in Quality; But tho’.theSup* Pillion ot me Terms is generally a fure Sign of Concep- coduch Perfons as have had ’em orderly before, yet ls nT -the having them always a Sign there is no Con— cption : Forafmuch as many that have beer, •>> ith Child * av’ei had' there Teams, and fame even till the filth or ‘•'t h Month j which happens according to the Womans- more or lefs Sannuine : For it a Woman has m -re food than will I'ufficefor thcNourilhmeßtot the£wAr/0.- -afore continues to avoid it in theulualWay, Whence The Experienced Midwife-. *he experienc’d Midwife may learn, there are very fetf general Rules, which do not lb me times admit ofan Ex' cepfion. But this lhall luffice to be fpoken of thcSigni and Frognofticks of Conception. Se(ft. Whether Conception he of a Male or Female. AUTHORS give us feveral Prognofticks of th!s> tho’ they are not all to be trufted, yet there is lbme Truth amonglt 'em : The Signs of a Male Child con' ceived, are. i. When a Woman at her riling up, is more apt to Itay herfclf upon her right Hand, than her left. 2. Her Belly lies pounder and higher, then when (he has conceived of a Female. 3. She fir ft feels the Child to beat on her right Side. 4. She carries her burden more lighter, and with k& Pain than when ’tisa Female. 5. Her right Nipple is redder than her left, and bet light Bread harder, and more plump 6. Her Colour is more dear, nor is (he fo (warthy aS when (he has conceived a Female. 7. Obferve the Circle under her Eye,which is a paR and bluilh Colour j and if that under her right Eye be mod apparent, and mod difcoloured, (he has conceived of a Son. 8. If (he would know if (he bath conceived of a or a Daughter, Jet him milk a Drop of her milk into a Bafon ol fair Water , if it fpreads and fwinvsa 1 op, is certainly a Boy } but if it links to the Bottom as k drops in round in a Drop, it is a Girl. This lalt is infallible Rule. And in all it is to be noted, that what is a Sign of Male conception* the contrary hold good 0* a Female. The Experienc'd Midwife. 27 4. How a Woman ought to order h erf el/ at Concept tion. MY Defign in this Treadle being Brevity, I fhall pretermit all that others lay of the Causes of jfWuis, and, whether there be any fuch Thing asSuper- '°etarh)ns, or a fecund Conception in a Woman, which is common enough , and as to T wins, 1 ihail have *Wcafion to fpeak of them, when I come to fhew you how the Midwife ought roproceed in the Delivery of thofe Women that are pregnant with them. But hav- *,ng already fpoke of Conception, I rhi nk it now necef- lary to fhew how fuch as have conceived ought to order *hertifelves during their Pregnancy, that they may avoid {hofe Inconveniences which olten endanger the Life of *he Child, and many times their own to boot. A Woman after her Conception, during the Time of her being with Child,ought to be look’d on as indifpos’i °r Sick,tho’ in good Health, for Child bearing isakmd V Nine Months Sickncfs, being all that time in expedia- r,pn of many Inconveniences, which fuch a Condition* Lhially caules to thole that are not well governed during- |hat Time. And therefore ought to refemble a good Pi- ■f» who, when failing in a rough Sea and full of Rocks avoids and ihuns theDanger,it he ftcers with Prudence, hut ll not,’cis a thouLnd to one. hut he futfersShipwreck: like manner a Woman with Child, is often in-Dan- ger ol Mifcarrying and Joling her Life, if fhe is nor ve-~ |y careful to prevent thofe Accidents, to which {he is übjcdf all the Tims of her Pregnancy: All which i ima Care muft be double, firft oi herfelf, and lecondiy *be Child Ihe goes with j for otherwife a fingleError. J>ay produce a double Mifchief; for if fhe.receives any- rejudlce, her Child alio fuffers with her. Let a Woman therefore alter conception obferve a- good Diet, fuitablc to her Temperament, Cuftom,Corr ■ and Quality : And, iffhscan, hg the Air where 28 The Experienc'd Midwife, ffee ordinarily dwells ha clear and well tempered, fee from Extreams eiiher of Heat or Cold; for being tao Hot, it dillipaterh the Spirits too much, and caufeth many Weakneffes, and by being too cold and foggy, it may bring down Rheums and Diffillations on the Lungs and fo caufe her to cough, which, by its impetuous Mo- tions forcing downwards, may make her mifearry; She ought ajfo to avoid ail naufeous and ill Smells, for fome- times the Stink of a Candle notjyeli put out, may caufe her ro come before her Time ; and I have known the Smell of Charcoal to have the fame Effedf. Let her al- fo avoid fmelling to Rue, Mint, Penny royal, Caflor, Trim if one, fe5,-. But with refpeft to her Diet, Women with Child have generally fo greatLoathingsand fo many different Long' ings, that ic is very difficult to prei'eribe an exadfDict for them. Only this I think advifeable, that they may ufe of thofe Meats and Drinks which are to them molt deli- table, though perhaps not in themfelvesfb wholcTome as feme others, nor it may be fo pleafant: But this Liber- ty muft be made ufe of with this Caution, that whatfne fo defires be not in itfelf abfolutely unwholefome ; and alfo that in every Thing they take care of Excels. But if a Child-bearing Woman finds not herfelf troubled with fuch Longings as we have fpoken of, and in fuch Quan- tity as may be fufficient for herfelfand the Child, which her Appetite may in a great Meafure regulate: For it is a like hurtful for her to fall too long, and to eat too ■much, and therefore rather let her eat a little and often; d'peciaiiy let her avoid eating too much at Night; be- caufe the Stomach, being too much filled, compteffeth the Diaphragms, and thereby caufes Difficulty of brea- thing. Let her Meat be eafy of Concodfion, fuch as the tendereft Parts of Beef, Mutton, Veal, Fowl, Pullets, Capons, Pidgeons and Partridges, either boyl’d orroafl- ed, as fhe likes beft: New laid Eggs are alio very good for her: And let her put into her Broths thole Herbs that purify h, ns Sorrel, J-ettice, Succory, and Bumge, The Experienc'd Midwife. for they will purge and purify the Blood : Let her a- whatever is hot-feafoned, efpecially Pies and baked 'treats j which being of hoc Digeftion over charge the Stomach. Jf fhe delires Filh, Jet it be frdh, and fuch as is taken out of Rivers and running Streams. Let her ea*Quinces or Marmalade, to ftrengthen her Child, for Much purpofc, fwect Airnonds, Honey, fweet Apples, and full ripe Grapes are alio good. Let her abftain from ad fharp, four, bitter and fait Things, and all Things fhat rend to provoke the Terms, fuch as Garlick, Oni- °ns, Olives, Milliard, Fennel,with Pepper and aliSpices, eXcept Cinnamon, which in the three left Months is good for her, li at firft her Diet be fparing, as fhe increafes ,n bignefs, let her Diet a!fo be increafed j for fhe ought to confider fhe has a Child as well as berfelf to nouriih. her be moderate in her drinking ; and if fhe drinks p >ne, let it be rather Claret than White (which will breed good Blood, help the and comfort the btomach, which is always but weakly jduring her Preg- nancy) but White Wine being diuretic, or rhac which Dov kes Urine, ought to be avoided. Let her have a Care of too much Exercife, and Jet her avoid Dancing, B Ting in a Coach, or whatever elfe puts the Body into yiolent Motion,efpecially in her firft Month. But to be particular, I fhall here fee down Rules proper for every Month, for rhe Child bearing Woman to order bsrfeif, from the Time (he has firlf conceived, to the ■*-itne of her Delivery, Rules for the firjl two Months. AS foan as a Woman knows (or has Reafon to be- lieve ((he has conceived, (he ought to ahiian from violent Motions and Exercife, whether waik onFoot 0r tide on Horfeback, or in a Coach, it to he very gently-—-Let her alio abftain from Ven'ery, to which ®fter Conception, ihe has ufually no grean Inclination) there he a Mole or Supexfceucion, which is the ad- 30 The Experienc'd Midwife. ding of one Embrio to another.—Let her beware Ihe life not her Arms too high, nor carry great Burthens,nor re- pole herfelf on hard and uncafy Seats.—Lee her mode- rately ufe Meat of good juice, and eafy Concoction } and let her Wine be neither too ftrong; nor too (harp, but a little mingled with Water, or if fhe be ver/ablte- mious, fhe may ufe Water wherein Cinamon is boiled, Let her avoid Failings, Thirft, Watching, Mourning, Sadnel's, Anger, and all other Perturbabions of the Mmd Let none prefent any if range or unwholefome thing ro her, not lb much as name it, Jeff fhe fhouid defire It, and not be able to get it, and lb either Caule her toMif- carry, or the Child have fome Deformity on that Ac- count. Lei her Belly be kept loofc, with Prunes Rai- fins, or Manna in her Broth. And let her ufe the follow- ing Eledfuary, tolfrengtben the Womb and the Guild. Take Cofsrve of Barrage, Buglofs and red Rofes, each two Ounces j of Balm an Ounce, Citron feel, and Shth t Miroholans candsd, each an Ounce j Extract of Wood aloes, a Scruple j Pearl prepared, half a Dram red Coral, Ivory, each a Dram j precious Stones, each o Scruple j candied Nutmegs, two Drams; and with Syrup of apples and Quinces, make on Ele&uary. Let her ufe the following Rules. Take Pearls prepared, a Dram j red Coral prepared, end Ivory,each half a Dram,precious Stones, each a Scru~ f le,yellowCftronpeeli,Mace,Cinnamon,Cloves,ea< b half a Dram ,• Saffron a Scruple, Wood aloes half a Scruple, u4mhergreece fx Drams j and with fix Ounces of Sugar, dijfolved in Rofe water, make Rouls. Let her alfo ap- ply Streagrhners to the Navel, of Nutmegs, Mace, Ma~ Jltch made up in Bags, or a loajl dipped in Mamfey, fprinkled W’th Pozvder o*Mints, If fhe happens to de- fire Clay, Chalk or Coals (as many Women with Child do) give her Beans boiled with Sugar: And if Ihe hap- pens to long tor any thing which Ihe can’t obtain let her prefmtjy drink a large Draught of pure cold Water; The Experienc’d Midwife. Rules for the “Third Month. JN this Month, and the next to be fure to keep from Bleeding ; for tho’ it may be fafe at other l imes, it nor be lb to the End ol the fourth Month And yet *f too muchßlood abound,or iome incidentDifeafe hap- pen, which requires Evacuation, you may ufe Cuppings Rial's,withScarificaticn, and a little Blood may bedrawrj *rom the Shoulders andaArms, efpecially iffhe has been accultomed to bleed.-—Let her allb take care of lacing herfelf too liraightly,hut give herfelf more liberty than file ufes to do j for inckfirg her Belly in too llrait a Mould,fhe hinders thelnfant from taking itsfree growth, and often makes it come belore its Time. Rules for the Fourth Month, IN this Month you ought alfo to keep the Child-bear- ing Woman from Bleeding, unlels on extraordinary Cafes ■, out when this Month is pall, B1 od-letring and Phyfick may be permitted, if it be gentle and mild; and perhaps it may be neceffary to prevent Abortion. In this Month ihe may purge in an acute Dil’eafe * but Purging may be only ufed from the beginning of this MonthT to the end cl the Sixth $ but let her take care, that in Purging fhe ufcs'no vehement Medicine, nor ve- ry bitter, as Aloes, which is an Enemy to the Child, and °pens the Mouth of the-VefTeismekher let her uie Colo- fkindita, nor Scammony, nor Turbith, but Ihe may ufe Manna, Rhubarb, ftgarick and Senna ; but £>y- °cidoniurn furgans is belt, with a little oi the EJediuary the Juice ofßofs. I Rules for the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Month. thefe Months Child-bearing Women are often trou- bled with Coughs, Heart-beating, Fainting, Watch- Pains in the toyns and Hips, and Bleeding .—The The Experienc’d Midwife. Cough is from a {harp Vapour, that comes to the Jaws and rough Artery from thg Terms, or from a rhin Part of that Blood gotten into the Veins of the Brealt, or fal- ling from the Head to the Breaft ,• this endangers Abo- rtion, and ftrength fails from Watching ; Therefore purge the Humours that tall from rheijreaft w'ith Rhubarb and dgarick j and Itrengthen the Head as in a Catarrh, and give fweet Lenitives, as in a Cough,*—Palpiafion a4nd Fainting arife*' from Vapours that go to it by the Arte- ries, or from Blood that aboundeth, and cannot get 0.. C at the Womb, but afcends, and oppreffeth the Heart; And in this Cafe Cordials fnould be ufed both inwardly and outwardly.—Watching is from fharp dry Vapours tha.t trouble the Animal Spirits : And in this Cafe ufe FridHohs, and let the Woman wafh her Feet at Bed-time j and let her take Syrup of Poppies, dried Roles, Emul- fiens of fweet Almonds, and white Poppy feeds. It fire be troubled with Prinsin her Loins and Hips, aslnthefe Months the is fubjeff to be,from the weight of theChiW, who is now grown big and heavy, and lb ifretchech the Ligaments of the Womb,andParrs adjacent, let her hold it up with 1 waffling bands about the Neck—Aboutthis Time alio the Woman often happens to have a Flux of Blood, either at the Note, Womb, or Hermorthoids, from Plenty ol Blood, or from the■ weaknefs of the Child that takes it not in jorelfe from evil Humour yin the Blood that ftir up Nature to fend it forth ; And fome- times it happens that the Vefiels of the Womb nv y be broken, either by fome violent Motion, Fall, Cough, or Trouble of Mind (for aoy of thel'e will work that tffotff) and this is fo dangerous, that n fuch a Cate the Child cannot be well: but ii it be from Bid A only, the Dan- ger is the lefs, provided it flown, by. the Veins ol the Neck of the Womb, lor then it prevens P e hbry, and takes not away the Nourifhment of the Child ; But if if proceeds from the Weaknefs of the Child that draw.s if not, Abortion of the Child often follows, of, nard Tra- vail j©r elfc fhe goes deyopd her Time., But if it fl The Experienc'd Midwife. ff the inward Win- of the Womb, there is more Danger 9? the Oppennei’s of the Womb. If it come from evil ®lood rhe Danger is alike from Cacochimy, which is hke to fall upon both : If it arife from PJet-hory, open a e»n, bur with very great Caution, and ufe Aftringents: which, this following will be well : Take Pearl* pre- pared a Scruple, red Coral two Scruples, Mace, Nutmegs, e<*ch a Dram ; Cinamcn half a Dram ; make a Powder with Sugar Rouls. Or give this Powder in Broth. red Coral a Dram, Pearl half a Dram, precious P}aes, each half a Scruple j red Sander half a Dram, *~°le a Dram, fealed Earth, Torment il roots, each two tropics, with Sugar of Rofes and Manus Chriffi ; with f&rlfiveDrams make aPovuder You may alio ftrengthen Child at the Navel j and if there be a Cacochimy, ?yer the Humours 5 and it you may do it fafely)evacuate: fou may likewife ufe Amulets in her Hands and about Neck. In a Flux of Hemorrhoids beware of the ain> and let her drink hot Wine with a toafted Nutmeg. "~"ln thefe Months the Belly is alio fubjeft to be bound, ut if it be without any apparent Difeal’e, the Broth of 0 Chick n. or of Veal fodc/en with Oyl or with the De- cf&ioK of Mallows, or Marfb Mallows, Mercury, andLin- fd fut tP in a Cliff tr, will not be amifs, hue in lefs 'hentity then is given in other Cafes j to wit, of the De- c°&ion five Ounce >ef common Oyl three Ounces of Sugar txvo zunces o/'Cailia Fijlula one Ounce. But it the will take aClifter, one or two Yolks of new laidEggs,or a Jfw Peafc-Pottage warm, with a little Salt and Sugar, Iff fed up a little before Meat, will be very convenient: if her Belly fhall bediftended and ftretched our with md, a little Fennel Seed and Annifeed reduced into fiwder, and mingled with Honey and Sugar, made after Manner of an Eleßuary, -will do very well. Aifo if the ' highs and Feet fwell, let them be anointed with Ox~ fh rod in uni [which is a liquid Medicine,made withVine- ia>' and Rofe water) mingled with a little Salt. 3 4 The Experienc'd Midwife. Rules Jor the Eighth Mar.th. THE Eighth is commonly the moft dangerous, and therefore the greateft Care and Caution ought «o be ufed? And her Diet ought to be better in Quality, but not more, nor indeed fo much in Quantity as before: Eut as fte mull abate her Diet, fo {he muft increafe her Exercife : And becanfethen Women with Child byßea- Ton the lharp Humours alter the Belly, are aceuftomed to weaken their Spirits and Strength ; they may well take before Meat an Eleduary of Diarrhoden,oxi4roma- ticum Ro/atum, or Diamargariton and form times they may like a little Honey; as they with loath and naufeat their Meat, may take Green Ginge, condi ted with Sugar or the Rhinds of Citron and Oranges condited. And let her often ufe Honey fo; the Strengthing of the Infant. When fhe is not far from her Labour, Jet her eat every Day feven toafted figs before Meat ,• and fometimes let her lick a litfle Honey. But let her beware of Salt and powdered Meat ; for it is neither good for her nor the Child. Rules for the Ninth Month. IN fheNlmhMonth; Jet her have aCare of lifting an y great Weight ; but let her move a little more to di- late the Parts, andftir up natural Heat- Let her take heed of ftooping, and neither lit too- much, nor lie on her Sides, led thereby (he gives the Child an Occafion to turn itfelf, hut let her lie with her Face upwards, or up- on her Back; neither ought (he to bend herfelf much ieftrheChild beunfolded infheUrabilical Ligament, by which means it often perilhed. Let her walk and ftir often, and let her Exercise be rather to go upwards then downwards: Let her Diet now efpecially be light and eafy of Digeftion; as Damask Pruufs with Sugar; or Fig* and Raifins, before Meat; and alfo the Yolk of Egg?* The Experienc’d Midwife. 35 efii and Broth of Chickens, Ends, Partridges,andPhea- “Jnts; Aftrlngent and roafted Meats, with Rice, hard jjggs,Millet,and fuch iike other Things are very proper, ■“aths of (weet Water with emollient Herbs,ought to be uf«d by her this Month with feme Intarmiffion. And ®*ter the B' th, Jet her Belly be anointed with Oyl of and Violefsjbut for her Privy Parts,it is better to an©int them with the Fats of Hens, Geefe, or Ducks, or Qyl of Lillies, and the DecofHon of Linfced and f'erinihreek, boiled with Oyl of Linfeed and Marfh- j or the following Liniment; Lake of Mallows and Marjh mallow s, cut andjhred of eJ>ch one Ounce ; of Linfeed one Ounce , let them he boiled trom twenty Ounces of Water to ten ; then let her take ifee Ounces of the boiled Broth, of Oyl of Almonds, and °f flower de luce of each one Ounce j of Deer Suity three Ounces j let her bathe with this, and anoint her ith it warm. L for fourteen Days before the Birth, Ihe do every "jorning and Evening bathe and morlten het Belly with "iufcadlne and Lavender Water, the Child will be much lengthened rhereny. And If every Day (he eat toalted read it will hinder any thing f r m growing o rheCnild. Privy Parts may be alfo gently ftroaked down with’ ‘hu Fomentation, ‘hake thretOunce s of Linfeedyf Mallows and of Marjh• Jhcid, of each one Handful; let them he fut in- aßag and bohtd immediately,ax\A Jet the Wom- nwi th Lhild everyMoin’ngand Evening rake th< V 'pour of T*is ecodlionin a hollowStool,taking greatheed that no wind Air come to hqr in any Part ; And then let her wipe Part fo anointed with a Linnen Cit'th, tha fhe may ar*oint the Belly snd Groins, as at firft. When fhe is Sptneib near her Time as to be yvithin ten or tout teen thereof, if The begins to feel any imre than ordi- *^rV Pain. Let her ufc every Day the following Bath : Take Mallows andMarfh mallows ofeach one Hand; ulj Camomile, Herb Mercury Maiden-hair, of each half a 36 The Experienc'd Midwife. Handful of TJnfecd four Ounces’, let there he I oiled to faeh a fuff dent Quantity of Water, as may make a Broth oherewith : But kt her not fir too hot upon the Seat,nor higher than a little above her Navel j nor let her fit on it longer than above half an Hour, left her ftrength Janguiftand decay j for it is better to ufe it often, than to ftay too long in it. And thus have I fhewn how a Child-bearing Woman ought to govern herielf in each Month during her Pregnancy : How fhe muft order herfelfather Delivery, ftiall be fbewn in another Chap' ter, after 1 have firft (hewn the induftriou Midwife how the Child is formed in the Womb, and the Manner of its Decumbiture there. 0/ the Parts proper to a Child in the Womh. How it is formed there, and the manner of its Situation therein. CHAP. IV. IN the laft Chapter I treated of Conception, Ihewed what it was, how accomplifhed, its Signs, and hoW fhe who had conceived ought to order herfelf during the Time of her Pregnancy; Now, before I come to fpeak of her Delivery, if is neceffary that the Midwife be firft acquainted with theEkrts proper to a Child intheWomb j and alio, that fhe know how it is formed, and the Man- ner of its Situation or Decumbiture there ; which are \o neceffary to her, that without thdvnowledge thereof, no one can tell how to deliver a Woman as fhe ought. This therefore, fha 11 be the Workof this Chapter. I lhall begin with the Firft of thefe. Sed. i. Of the Parts proper to a Child in the Womh. IN this Sedion I muft fiift tell you what I mean by the Parts proper to a Child in the Womb, and they are only thole that either help to nourifh if, whiilf it is lodged in that dark Repplitory of Nature, and that help The Experienc’d Midwife. to cloath and defend if there; and are caft away, as of more ufe, after it is born ; and rhei'e are two ; to !t, the Umbelicars or Navel-Veflcls, and theSocundi- : By the firft it is nourilhed, and by the fecond and defended from wrong: Of each of tfeefe I fti3.il fpcik diftindliy ; and firft, 37 OF the Umhelicars, cr Havel-VcJJels. XHefe arc four in Number, viz, One Vein, two Ar- teries, and the VcfTel which is called Uraehos ; l* The Vein isrhat by which the Infant isnourilhed from J?.*-' f imcof its Conception, till the Time of its Delivery.- being brought into the Light of this World, it has JB'famewayof concoclingifs Food that we have This . c'n arifeth from the Liver of the Child, and is divided two parts when it hath palled the Navel; and thefe are again divided and fubdivided, the Branches be- J,n§ upheld by the Skin called Chorion, (ol which I fhall Pgak by and by and are joined to the Veins of theMo- her’s Womb ; from whence they have their Blood for Nounfnrnenc of the Child. 2. The Arteries arc two each Side, which proceed from the black Branches of ‘e great Artery of the Mother; and the Vita), Blood is arried by thele to the Child, being ready concofled by Je Mother. 3-. A nervous or fihewy Production is led Jorn the Bottom oi the Bladder of the InfaW, totheNa- , L and this is called Urachos 5 and its ufe is to convey ‘e Urine of the- Infant from the Bladder to the yflantois. Vl3tomifts do very much vary in their Opinions concern- &lhis, fome denying any fuch Thing to be in the Deli* inry °f Women; and others on the contrary, affirm- But .Experience has teliified there isfuch ..Thing, .°r Bartholomew Cat brolius, the Ordinary Diffeftor of to the College of Phylicianj at Montpelier in ’ecords the H:lK,ry of a Maid, whole Water be- a long Time Hopped, at lall ifiled out through her ?vel;and jfohannes Fernelius fpeaks of the lame I bing the Experienc'd Midwife. that happened to a Man of thirty Years of Age, who having a Stoppage in the Neck, of the Bladder, his U- ilne iffued out at his Navel, many Months together, and that without any Prejudice at all to his Health which he afcribes to the ill lying of his Navel, whereby the Vrtichor was not well dried. And Volcher Coites quotes fuch another Inftance, in a maid of 34 Years ot Age at Nuremhurg in Germany: Thefe Inlhnces, tho* they happen but feldom, are yet lufHcient to prove, that there is Inch a Thing as an Urachos in Men. Thefe 4 VefTels, before mentioned, to wi!f, one Vein, two Arteries, and the Urachoj, do joyn near to the Navel, and are u- nited by a Skin which they have from the Chorion, and fo become like a Gut or Rope, and are altogether void of Senfe ,• and this is that which the good Women call the Navel' String. The VeiTels are thus joined together, that fo they might neither be broken, fevered, nor in- tangled i and when the Infant is born, are of no the, fave only to make up the Ligament which ftops the Hole of the Navel, and lome other Phyllcal Uie, &c. Of the Secundine, or after Birth. SEtting afide the Name given to this by the Greek and Latins, it is called in Englifh by the Nature of Secundine, yffter Birth and \/dfter~Burden j which are held r© be four in Number. x. Thefirft is called Placentia, becauCe it relembles the form of a Cake, and is knit both to the Navel and, Chorion} and makes up thegreatert Part oftfeeSecundine or Alter Birth. The Flelh of it is like that of the miif or Spleen, foft, red, and tending fomethmg to Blackness and hath many fmall Veins and Arteries in it: and ceX' tainly the chief UTeof it is for the containing theChiid in the Womb. 2. The fecond is the Chorion ; this Skin, and that C»P led the Amnios,involve the Child round,both above underneath, and on both Sides, which the jllantoti doth fthe Experienc'd Midwife. 39 not- This Skin is that which is moft commonly called the Secundine, and is thick and white, garnilhed with tnany fmall Veins and Arteries, ending in the Placentiat before named.being very light and flippery. ItsUfes is not only to cover the Child round about, but alio to re- ceive and fafely bind up the Root, and the Veins and •Arteries, er Navel-VdTels before defcribed. . 3. The third Thing which makes up the Secundine ,s the Alantois, of which there is a greatDifpute amongft Anatomilh, I'orne fay there isl'uch a Thing, and others tb# there is notT hofe that wif have it to be aMem- Prane, fay if is whit® and foft, and exceeding thin, and 3uft tinder the Placeitia, where it is knit to the Urachos Ijom whence it receives the Urine : and its Office is to it leperate tro/n the Sweat, that the faltnels of it niay not offend the tender Skin of the Child. 4 The fourth and laft covering of the Child i)s called AmnioSy and it is white, fofr and tranfparent, being by fame very fmall Veins and Arteries. Its 'Jfe is not only to enrap the Child round, but alfo to letain the Sweat'of the Child. . Having thus defcribed the Parts proper to the Child the Womb. I will next proceed to fpeak of the For- of the Child therein ; affoon as I have explained k e hard Terms in this Sedlion j that thofe for whole Pp3p this is ddigned. may underfbnd what they read. ■Jbere is none fure can be lo ignorant as not to know (har z Vein is that which receives Blood from the Liver, diftnbures it in feveral Branches to all the Parts of Body, Arteries proceed from the Heart, are in a ccntinualMor>on,and by their continualMoaon quicken Body. Nerve is the fame with a Sinew, and is that ky which the Brain adds Senfe and Motion to the Body, properly fignifes a Sugar-cake , but in this ®e<3ion it is ufed to fignify a fpungy Piece of Flefh, re- siding aCake,full of Veins and Arteries, and is made the Mother’s Blood appointed for the Infant’s in thcWomb. Chorion is the outward Skin 40 fThe Experienf d Midwife. which compaffeth the Child in the Womb. The Amnio* is the inner Skin which compaflerh the Child in "e Womb : The Alantois is the Skin rhar holds the Uiins of the Oyld,during rhcTime rhat it abides in the Wombr The Ur acha is the Veffel that conveys fhe Urine irons the Child in the Womb to the Alantois.-—1 now pro' ceed to. Setft. 2. Of the Formation of the Child in theWomh. ♦ TO fpeak of the Formation of the Child in the Womb, we muft beg n where Nature begins , and that is at the Ad of Coition, in whiTi the Womb hav- ing received he generative Seed, without which there can be no Conception, the Womb immediately (huts up itfelf fo cloferhat not the Point of aNeedle can enter th® inward Orifice: And this it does partly to hinder the if' firing out at the Seed again, and partly to cbenfh it by an inbred Heat, the better to ptuvoke it to Adion ; which is one Realon why Women Bellies a e fo lank at their firft Conception. Ihe Woman having thus conceived, the firft Thing winch is operative in the Conception is the Spirit, whereof the Seed is full, which Nature quick* ning by the Heat of the Worm, Ifirs it up to Adion. This Seed confifts ■ i very ditferen Farts, ot which fame are more, and Tome are let's pure: The internal Spirits therefore feparateth thole Parrs that are Id’s pore which are thick, cold and clammy, from thole that are more pure and n -ble. Fh left pure are aft to •he outrides, and with them the Seed is circled round, and of mem the Membranes are made, in which that Seed winch is the raoft pure is wrap ;ed round, a d kept clofe toge' ther, that ;t may be defended fr -m Cold and other AC' cide: s, and operate the better. ThefirftThii g hat is formed is the Arvniosftte neXc the Chorion, and they enwrap the Seed round as it wefe a Cur dn Soon after this, (tor the Seed thus fhutnp the Woman lies not idle,/ the Naval Vein 'll bred, which The Experienc'd Midwife. 41 l’lcrceth thole Skins, being yet very tender, and carries aFftop of BJood from the Veins of the Mother’sWomb |,0 the Seed ; from which Drop is formed the Liver, r°m which Liver there is quickly bread tho.Vena Cava °r Chief Vein, from which all the reft of the Veins that the Body fpring , and now the Seed hath fome- to nouriftir,whi)ft it performs the reft of Nature’s and alfo Blood adminiftfated to every part of it t0 form F left. ' "This Vein being formed, the Navel-Arteries are fbon ter-formed, then the great Artery, of which all others Branches,and then the Heart: For the Liver fur-* 'fteth the Arteries with Blood to form the Heart, the Series being made of Seed, hut the Heart and theFiefh v. Flood. After this the Brain is formed, and then the ervcs, to give Senfe and Motion to the Infant. After- .■aHs the Bones and Fleft are formed, and of theßones r*'t the V and then the Skull, f&c\ w. to the Time in which this curiousPartof Nature’s g °rkmanftip is form’d, Phyficians aflign four different eafbns, wherein this Microcolm is formed, and Its For. j ‘Stion perfe&cd in the Womb: The firft is immediate, ) after Coition ; the f'econd Time of forming,fay they, 'hen che Womb by the force of its own innate Power J ® Virtue makes a manlfett Mutation or Coagulation in i e Seed, fo that all the Subftance thereof fecms Coagu- ted Fjefhand Blood, which happens about the twelfth r Fourteenth Day after Copulation: And tho’ this Con- ret|on or ftefty Mafs abound with Spirits yet it remains 1 'ngulftable, without any Form, aad may be called tough Draught of the Foetus or Emhrio. The third lfne in which this Fabrick is come to fome furtherMa- j. flfy,is when the principal Parts may be in fome Mc»- iftinguifhed ; and one may difcern the Liver,Um- Veins, Arteries, Nerves, Brain and Heart j and is about eighteen Days after Gonception.The fount* Time afiigned by Phyftcians for the Formation J the Child, is about the thirtieth Day after Conception 42 The Experienc’d Midwife. for a Male, but for a Female they tell us forty two, of forty five Days is required, tho’for what Reafon I knotf not i nor does It appear by the Birth > for if the Malt receive its Formation fifteen Days fooner than the Fe male, why fhouid it nor be born lb much fooner too it But, as to that, every Days Experience fhews us the contrary ; for Women go the lull Time of nine MonthS) both with Males and Females, But at this Timeof thirty Days (or forae will have it 45)theoutwardPammay be alfo Teen exquifltely elaborated, and diftinguifhed by Joints 5 and from this Time the Child begins to beani' mated, tho’ as yet there is no fenfible Motion; and ha* all the Parts of the Body, though fmalland very tender yetintirely formed and figured, altho’ no longer in the whole, than one’s middle Finger; And from thence forward, the Blood flowing every Day more and more*0 the Womb, not by Intervals, like their Courfes, but continually, it grows bigger and fttonger to the End of nine Months, being theTuil Time of aWoman’s ordinary Labour, Very great have been the Difputesamongboth Philo' fophers and Phyfidam, about the Nourifhment of the Child in the Womb, both as to what it is, and which way it receives it i Aim&cn was of Opinion, that the Infant drew in his Nourifiiment by his whole Body, be-* caufc iris tare and fpungy, as a Spunge fucks in Water on every Side ? And To he thought the Infant fucked Blood, not only from its Mother’s Veins, but alfo from the Womb. Democritus held, that the Child fucked in the Nourifhment at its Mouth, Biffocritus affirms, that the Child fucks in both Nourifhment and Breath by it* Mouth from the Mother, for which he gives two Reg- ions. i. That it will fuck as foon as it ’tis born,and there' fore muft have learnt to fuck before, a, Becaufc thets are Excrements found in the Guts as foon as *ns born* But neither of thefe Reafuns are fufißclent to prove b** Affertiom For as to the firft, That a Child will fuck a* foon as it is horn, 'tis from a natural Injlinfi, for take a jThe Experienc’d Midwife. young Cat, that never law her Dam catch a Moufe,an(i yet Ihe will catch mice herself as foon as (he is able: And as to his feconci Reafon, it is a fufficient Anfwer to fay that the Excrements found in the Guts of an Infant new born, are not Excrements of the firft Concoflion, which is evident, becaufe they dont ftink ; but are the thick- eft Part of the Blood, which is conveyed from the Vef- fels of the Spleen to the Guts. Having therefore faid e- nough to confute the Opinion of the Child's receiving the Nourifhment by the Mouth, I do affirm that the Child receives its Nourilhment into the Womb by the Navel; and that it fhould be fo, is much more cor.fonant to Truth and Reafon: Which being granted, it will eafily follow, That the Nourifhment the Child receives, is by pure Blood conveyed into the Liver by the Navel-Vein, which is a Branch of the Vena Porta, or Gate-Vein,and palfeth to the fmall Veins of the Liver. Here thisßlood is made more pure, and the thicker and rawer Part of ic is conveyed to the Spleen and Kidneys.and the thick E- xcrement of it to the Guts,which is that Excrement found there lb foon a,s they are born. The pure partis convey- ed to the Vena Cava, and by it dlftrlbuted throughout the Body, by the fmall Veins which like fo many fmall Rivulets, pafsto every Part of it. This Blood is accom- panyed (as all Blood is) with a certain watry Subftance; the better to convey it thro’ the Paffage it is to run in ; 'vhich as in Men is breathed out by fweating, and con- tained in the Amnios, as I have already faid. Seft. 3. 0/ the 'Manner of the Child's lying in the Womb. I Come now to fliew after what manner the Child lies in the Womb, a Thing fo effential for a fcnow, that fhe can be no Midwife that’s Ignorant of it: And yet, even about this, Authorsextrcamly differ j for there is not Two inTen that agree what is the Form that *he Child lies in, in the Womb, or in what Fafiuon it *>es there -• And yet this may arife in a great Mealure 44 • Experienc'd Midwife. from the different Figure that the Child is found in, ac- cording to the different Times of the Wormn’sPregnan- cy : For near the Time of its deliverance out of thofe Winding Chambers of Nature, it oftentimeschanges the Form in which it lay before for another Hippocrates affirms the Child is foplaced in the Womb, as to have his Hands, and his Knees, and his Head bentdown towards fusJFeet, fo that he lies round together, his Hand upon both his Knees, and his Face between them ; fo that each Eye toucheth each Thumb, and his Nofe betwixt his Knees ; and Bartholinus was alfo ot the fame Opi- nion. Columbus del'cribes the Pofture of the Child thus; The right Arm bowed, the Fingers whereof under the Ear, and above the Neck; the Head bowed down, fo that the Chin toucheth the Breaft, the left Arm bowed above both Ereaftand I ace ; and the left Arm is prop- ped up by the bending of the right Elbow ; the Legs are left upwards, the right of which is fo lifted up, that the Thigh toucheth the Belly, the Knees the Navel, the Heel toucheth the left Buttock, and the foot is turned back, and covered the Secrets, the leftT high toucheth the Belly, and the J..eg is lifted to the Breaft, the Back lying outward. And thus much (hall fuffice touching the Opinion of Authors. I will now Ihew the feveral Situations of the Child in the Mothers Womb according to the different Times of Pregnancy, by which thofe that are contrary to Na- ture, and are the chief Caufe of all ill Labours, will be ths more calily conceived by the underttandingMid wife: It ought therefore in the firft Place to be obferved, that the Infant as well Male and female, are generally fitu- ated in the Midft of the Womb ; for tho’fometimes to appearance a Woman’s Belly feems higher on one Side than the other, yet it is fo with refpeeft to her Belly on- ly, and not of her Womb, in the midft of which it is always placed. But in the fecond Place a Woman’s great Belly makes different figures, according to the different Times of The Experienc'd Midwife. 45 Pregnancy: for when fhe is young with ChiJd the Em- brio is always foundTff a round Figure, a little Oblong, having the Spine moderately turned inwards,theT highs, folded, and a little railed, to which the Legs are fo joyned, that the Heels touch the Buttocks the Arms are bending, and the Hands placed upon the Knees,-to- wards which the Head is inclining forwards, io that the Chintoucheth the Breaft: In which Pofture it relembles one fitting to cafe I'&ture. and flopping down with the Head to fee what comes from him. The Spine of his Pack is at that Time placed towards the Mother’s) the Head uppermoft,the Face forwards, and the Feet down- wards j and proportionably to its growth, it extends its Members by little and little, which were exatftly folded in the firft Month- In this Pofture it ufually keeps till the feventh or eighth Month, and then by a naturalPro- penfity and Difpofitlon of the upper part of the Body ; the Head is turned downwards towards the inwafdOrlfice- of the Womb, tumbling as it were over its Head,fo that then the Feet are uppermoft, and the Face towards the Mother’s great Gut j And this turning of the Infant in this manner, with his Head downward =, towards the lat- ter End of a Woman’s Reckoning, is fo ordered Joy N- ature, that it may thereby be the better difpofed for its Paffage into the World, at the Time of its Mother’sLa- hour, which is not then far off, (and indeed fevcral Children turn not at all, untill the very Time of Birth) for in this Pofture all its Joynts are molt eafily extended ln coming forth 5 for by this Means the Arms and Legs Crtnnot hinder its Birth becauie they cannot be bended the inward Orifice of the Womb 5 and the reft: °f the Body, being very fupple, palfsth without any difficulty after the Head, which is hard and big, being; Paft the Birth. ’Fis true, there are dlverfeChildren that fie in the Womb in another Pofture, ;>nd come to the ®irth with their Feet down vards, efpccially if there be * v*ins j for then by their different Motions vhey do fo diftiub one another, that they feldom come both in the The Experienc’d Midwife. fame Pofture at the Time of Labour,- but one will come with the Head, and another with the Feet, or perhaps .lye Crofs; And fomecimes neither of them will come tight. But however, the Child may be fituated in the Womb, or in whatever Pofture it prefent itfeJf at the Time of Birth, if it be not with its Head forwards, as I have before delbribed, it is always againft Nature ; and the Delivery will Occafion the Mother more Pain and Danger, and require greater Caret and Skill from the Midwife* than when the Labour is more Natural : Of which the following Scheme will give a greatDemonftra- tion j which is the Form of a Child in the Womb ready for the Birth j naked and difrobed of all itsTunicles, pro- per and common. CHAP. IV. A Guidefor Women in Travel,(hewing what is to ie done when they fall in Labour, in order to their Delivery. THEEnd of all that we have been treating of,is the bringing forth a Child into the World, withfafety to the Mother and the Infant, and the wholeTirne of aWoman’sPregnancymay very well be term’d a kind of Labour for from the Time of her Conceptions to the Time of her Delivery, (he labours under many Dif- ficulties? isfubjed to many Diftempers, and in continual Danger, from one Efted to another, till the Time of Birth comes, and when that comes, the greateft Labour and Travail comes along with it, infomuch that then all her other Labours are forgotten, and that only is called the Time of her Labour,and to deliver her fafelyis the principal Bufinefs oftheMidwlfe.And toaffill her there- in, (hall be the chief Defign of this Chapter. The Time of the Child’s being ready ioi her Birth,whenNatare en- deavours to call it forth? is that which is properly the Time of a Woman’s Labour, Nature then labouring to be cafcd of its Burden. And fince many Child-bearing The Experienc'd Midwife. 47 (efpecially of their flrft Child) are often mi- in their Reckoning, and lb when they draw near JheirTime,take everyPaln they meet with lor their La- bour, which oft prove pre}udicialand troubklbme to ’em, it is not fo, I will in the firlf Se&ion of tbisCbap- tet fet down fo ne figns by which a Woman may know the true Time of her Labour is come. 1. The Signs of a true Time of a Woman’s Labour. Women with Child, efpecially of their firft perceive any extraordinary Fains in their Belly, immediately fend for their Midwife, as taking it for flteir Labour,and then if the Midwife be not skilful and ludieloas Women, to know the Time of her Labour,but Jakes it for granted, without further Enquiry, (for feme [uch there are) and fo goes about to put her into Labour, before Nature is prepared for it, (he may endanger the both of Mother and Child, by breaking the Am *jos and Chorion. Thele Pains whch arc often mitiaken Labour, are removed by warm Cloaths laid to the elly, and the Application of a Clyfter or two,by which wiofe Pains that precede a true Labour, are rather fur- Jkcred than hindered. There are alfo other Pains ind- ent to Woman in that Condition, from a Flux of the belly j which arc eafily known by the frequent Stools *kat follow them. The Signs therefore of Labour, fme few Days before re. That the Woman’s Belly, which before lay high, *nts down, and hinder her from walking fo eafily as *”e ufed to do: alfo there flows from the Wemb flimy •Rumours, which Nature has appointed to moillen and Ifnoocb the Paffage, that its inward Orifice may be the eafily dilated, when there is Occafion j which be- inning to open at that Time, Puffers that Slime to Bow which proceeds from the Glandules called Prefia- tcs- Thefe are Signs prececding Labour; but when Ihe is Ptefently falling into Labour, the Signs are great Pains ’The Experienc'd Midwifi. about the Region of die Reins and Loins, which coming and reiterating by In ter vals~an!'wer to the Bottom of the BdJyby congruous Throws: And fometimes the Face is red and inflamed, the Blood being much heated by the endeavours a. Woman makes to bring forth her Child > and, Jikewife,_becaufe during thefe (trong Throws, h£f Refpiration is Intercepted,which caufes theßlood to have recourfeto her Face : Alfo her Privy Parts are fwell’d by the Infant’s Head lying in the Birch, which, by often thrufting, caufes thole Pains to diftend outwards. She B much fubjedd to Vomiting, which is a Sign of good La* hour and Ipeedy Delivery, though by ignorant Womell t bought otherwise, for good Pains are thereby excited and redoubled ; Which Vomiting is occafioned by the Sympathy there is between the Womb and the Stomach, Alfo when the Birth isnear, Women aretroubied with * trembling in the Thighs and Legs, not with Cold, like the beginning of an Ague fit, but with the Heat of the whole Body, tho’ it muff be granted, thisdoestlpt hap* pen always. Alfo if the Humours, which then flow from »he Womb,are dilcoloured. with Blood, it is that which tlicMidwives call Shows, and is an infallible Mark of the -Births being near. And if then the Midwife puts up her finger into the Neck of theWomb,lhe will find the in- ner Orifice dilated j at the opening of which, theMern* hranes of the Infant, containing the Waters, prefent themfelves, and are ftrongly forced downwards with each Pain fhs hath j at which Time one may perceive ihem fometimes to refift, and then, again prefs forward the Finger, being more or lei’s hard and extended, ac- cording as the Pains are ftronger or weaker.ThefeMem' branes, with the Waters in them, when they are got be' fore the Head of the Child, which thtMidwives call the fathering of the Waters, refemble, to the Touch of the Finger, thole Eggs which havejioShell, butarecovered only wifh aflmple Membrane. After this, the Pains ftifl redoubling,the Membranes are broken by the ilronglm- pulfion of the Waters? which prefently flow away, and The Experienc'd Midwife. 49 lfeen the Head of the Infant is prefently felt naked, and, presents itfelfat the inward Orifice of the Womb: When thefe Waters come thusaway, thentheMidwife maybe afTured the Birth is very near, this being the moft cer- tain Sign that can be ; for the Amnios and Allantois be- ing broken, which contained thofe Waters) by the prel* fingforward ofthe Birth j the Child is no better able to fobfift long In the Womb afterwards, than a nakcdMan in a Heap of Snow: Now theie Waters, it the Child come prefently after them facilitate the Labour, by taking the PalTage flippery"5; and therefore let no Mid- wife (as feme have loolifhly done) endeavour to force away the Water, for Nature knows belt when the true Time of the Birch is, and therefore retains the Water till that Time. But if by Accident the Water break a- way too long before the Birth, then fuch Things as will halfcn it may be fafely admitted : And what thole are, I (hail fnew in another Sefiion. Sedf. 2. How a Woman ought to be when tot Time of her Labour is come. "Vlf/"Hen it is known that the traeTitne of her Labour: W is come, by the Signs laid down in the fore-go-j ing Sedtion, of which thole chat are moft to be relied onj! are Pains and If rong Throws in theßelly,fovcing down’ wards towards the Womb, and a Dilation of the in- Ward Orifice* which may be perceived by touching It with the finger, and the gathering of the Waters before the Head of the Child,and thruff ing down of the Mem- branes which contain them $ through which, between the Pains, one may in fome Manner with the finger dif- cover the Part Which prefems, (as was faid before) e- fpecially if it be the Head of the Child,by its roundnefs and hardnefs, I fey, ifthefe Things.concur, and are evi* dent, the Midwife may be fure it is the Time of her L- abour 5 and Care mull be taken to get all Things ready, arc neceffary to comfort the Woman in that Time, The Experienc'd Midwife. And, the better to Help her, be lure to fee Ihe be not ftrait-Jaced • You may alfo give her a pretty ftrong Cly- or more, if there be Occafion ; provided it be done at the beginning, and before the Child be too for- ward, for it will be difficult for her to receive them af- ferwards. The Benefit accrewing hereby will be, that they excite the Guttodlfcharge itfelf of its Excrements, that fa the Reflum being emptied, there may be more Space for the Dilatation of the Paffage ~ likewife to caufe the Pains to bear the more downwards, through the Endeavours fhe makes when fhe is at Stool: And in the meanTime all other neceifary Things for her Labour fhould be put in Order, both for the Midwife and the Child. To this End feme will get a Midwife’s StooU a Pallet-bed girted, is much the beft Way, placed near the Fire, if the Seafon fo require •, which Pallat ought fo to be placed, that there may be eafy Accefs to it on every Side, that the Woman may be the more readi- ly aflifted as there is Occafion. If the Woman abounds with Blood,to bleed her a little «nay not be improper ; for thereby fhe will both breathe the better, and have her Breafts more at liberty,and like- wife more Strength to bear down her Pain ; and this fhe may do without Danger, becaufe the Child being about that Time ready to be born, has no more need of the Mother’s Blood for its Nourifhment; Befides, this Eva- cuation does many times prevent her havinga Fever after Delivery: Alfo before her Delivery, if her Strength will permit, let her walk up and down her Chamber i and that fhe may have Strength fo to do, it will be necceflary to give her fome good ftrengthening Things, fuch as Jel- ly-broth, new laid Eggs, or fome Spoonfuls of burnt Wine. And let her by all Means hold out her Pains, bearing them down as much as fhe can, at the Time when they take her: And let the Midwife from time to time touch the inward Orifice with the Finger, to know whether the Waters are ready to break, and whether the Birth will follow foon after: Let her alfo anoint the Wo- The Experienc’d Midwife. with emolllentOyls,Hogs-greefp and frelTi gutter, if Ihe finds they are hard to be dilated. Let the Midwife be likewife the while near the labouring WO" and diligently oblerve her Geltures, Complaints Pains, for by this fire may guefs pretty well how her Labour advanceth ; for 'when fheefiangeth her ordinary load Cries, it is a Sign the Child is very near the Birth j for at that Time hef Pains are greater and' toore frequent. Let the Woman likewife bylntervals, teft herfelfon the Bed, to regain her Strength, but not too long ; cfpecially, if Ihe be little, ihort and thick for fuch Women have always worle Labour, if they lye tong on their Beds in their Travail, if is better therefore that they walk as much as they can about the Chamber, the Women fupporting her under their Arms, it it be fleceilary ; for by this Means, the Weight of the Child oaufeth the inward Orifice of the Womb to dilate fooner than in Bed. and her Pains being ftronger and frequen- ter her Labour will not be near fo long. Let not the Labouring Woman be concerning at thofe QiJalms snd Vomitings which perhaps fhe may find come uP°n her j for they will be much lor her Advantage in the Iffue, however uncafy Ihe many be for the Time, for they further her Throws and Pains, provoking down- wards. But to proceed : When the Waters of the Child are ready, and gather- ®d, which may be perceived through the Membranes to prefent themfelves to the inward Orifice, of rhe bignefs °f the whole Dilation, the Midwife ought to let them break of themfelves; and not, like ibme haily Mid- wives, who being impatient of the Woman’s long La" hour, break them, intending thereby to haften their Bu- finefs j when inftead thereof, thereby retard itFoe by the too haily breaking thefe Waters: (which Na- tnre defigned to caufe the Infant to Hide forth the mere 5a%) it remains dry, by which Means the Pains and; Throws of the labouring Women are lefs efficacious to| bring forth the Infant than they would otherwifo have The Experienc'd Midwife, been : It is therefore much the better Way to let tffe Waters break of rhemteives; after which the Midwife may with eafe feal the Chil i bare by that whjch firft preterits, and thereby diteern whether it comes right that is, with the Head foremoft, for that’s the mote pro- per and natural way of its Birth j If the Head corne\ right,fne will find it round, big, harsh and equal, but it it be in any other Parr, fhe will feel it unequal, i gged and foft or hard,according to the Nature of the Part it is. And this being the true Time when the Woman ought to deliver, If Nature be not wanting to perform its Office : And therefore when the Midwife finds the Birth thus coming forward, Jet her haften to allilt and deliver it j for it ordinarily happens foon after, if it be natural. But if it happens, as fometimes it may, that the Wa- ters break away too long before the Birth in fuch a Cafe,thofeThings that haftenNature may he fafely ad- mitted:! o which purpofe, Jet her make ufe of Penny royal, Dittany, Juniper-berries, red Corah Bettony, Featherlow boyPd in White-wine, and a Draught of it drunk,Or ic would be much better to take the Juice of it when it i.s in its Prime* which is in M.iy j and having darify’d it, let them make it into a Syrup with double its Weight of Sugar, and keep it by them aH the Year, to ufe when Occafion calls for if. Mugwort, ufed in the fame manner, is alfo good in this Cafe. Alio a Dram of Cinnamon Powder given inwardly, profits much in this Cafe. And fo does Tanfey bruifed and applied to the Privities,or an Oyl csf it fo ihade, and ufed as you were taught bcfore.TheStones ALtites held to the Privities, is of extraordinary Virtue, and inftantly draw away both Child and After-burden, but great Care mult be taken to remove it prelently, or it will draw forth the Womb and all, for fuch is the magnetick Virtue of this Stone, that both Child and Womb follow it as readily as Iron doth the Load-ftone> or as the |-oid-ftone doth the ■ The Experienc'd Midwife. 53 There are many other Things that PhyficiaßS affirm good in this Cafe-. Among which are an Afs’s or Hoof, hung near the Privities: A Piece of red hung near the faid Piace: A Load ftone helps held in the Woman’s left Hand, the Skin which *Snake bath caft off girt about the Middle next the Skin. ' hel'e Things are mentioned by Mizaldus j but fetting Things alide, as not fo certain, notwithftanding "Pizaldus quotes them? thefollowing Prefcriptions are very good to give fpeedy Deliverance to Women inTra- vaiJ. 1 •HDecoßion of White-wine made tnSavoury'and drunk. 2. Take wild Tanfy, or Silver-weed, bruije it, andap- f h it to the Womans Nqfrils, 3. Tah el) ate-it ones, and heat them to Powder, and let J{r take half x Dram of them in White wine at a Time. arfly,and hruife it, and pref out the f nice, and dip a Linnen Cloth in if, and put it up fo dipped into the "hath of the Worth, it will perfectly caufe the Child to (vrns away thd it he dead; and will bring away the /if- tfr burden aljo-flhe fuice of Parjlyis a Thing of fo great f Iftue (efpecially Stone Par(ly) that being drunk by a ' ojrran with Child, it cleanjeth not only the Worn hi bat aH° the Child in the Womb of all grofs Humours. 5* H Scruple of C aflorum in Powder,in any convenient is very good to be taken in fuch a Cafe j andfo °tyo is two or three Drops of Spirit of Caflorum in any cPfvenjcnt Liquor j alfo eight or nine Drops of Spirit of ylyrrh, given ifi any convenient Liquor, gives fpeedy de- ”veran e. Give a Woman in fuch Cafe another Woman*sMilk *° drink, it will caufe fpeedy delivery, and almofi with- *ut any pain. < , 7* Phe Juice of Leeks being drank with warm Water, a mighty Operation to caufe fpeedy delivery. ,8. Take Piony feeds, and beat them in Powder, and the Powder withOyf with whichOyl anoint the Loins Privities of the Woman with Child, it gives her de~ 54 The Experienc'd Midwife. liver ance very fpeedily, and with lefs fain than can D I 1 imagined. 9. ‘Take s Swallow's Nejl, and diffolvt it in Wattfi Jlrain it, and drink warm, it gives delivery with gre^ Jfeed and much eaft. Note this alfo in general, That all Things that move the Terms, ate good for making the Delivery eafy : Such is Myrrh, white timber in White-wine, or Lilly* water> two Scruples or a Dram ; Or give a Drop of Oy lof dm' ber in Vervain-water : Or Cajfia Lignta, Dittany, each a Dram, Cinnamon half a Dram, Saffron a Scruple i give a Dram : Or, Take Borax Mineral a Dram, Caff* Lignea a Scruple; Saffron 6 Grains, and give it in Sack Or, Take Cajfia Lignea a Dram : Dittany, dmber, °J each half a Dram : Cinnamon, Borax, of each a Dram and half: Saffron a Scruple : and give her half a Dram '■ Or give her Jome Drop s of Oyl of Hazel in convenient Liquor, or two or three Drops of Oyl of Cinnamon in Vef' vain-water. Some prepare theSecundine thus ; Take the. Navelfiring and dry it in and Oven: take two Drams of the Powder, Cinnamon a Dram, Saffron half a Scruple’ with Juice of Savin make Torches give two Drams of wafh the Secandine in Wine, and hake it in a Pot: the* wafb it in Endive-water and Wine : take half a Drum of it, long Pepper, Galangai, of each half a Dram ’■ Plantain and Endive feed, of each a Dram and a halfl Lavender-feed four Scruples; make a Powder : Or, Laudanum two Drams, Storax, Catamite, Benzoin half a Dram: Musk, dmbergreefe, each jtxGrainf Make a Powder, or Torches for a Fume: Or ufe PeffzTieS to provoke the Birth. Take Galbanum diffolvedin gar an Ounce : Myrrh two Drams, Saffron a Dram, w Oyl of Orris make a Peffary, An Oyntmentfor the NaveJ. *TakeOyl of jfiTez'r, two Ounces ff nice of Savin an Outi((t of Leeks and Mercury each half an Ounce toil thetn W the Conftmpthn oj the Juice; and Galibamm difjolved I* The Experienc'd Midwife. 55 ''gar half an Ounce, AtyrrA two Drams, Sforax/*%ff a Warn, round Birthworf, Saffron If the Birth be retarded, through theWe.kr.er ofthe pother, rcfreflr her with applying Wine and Soap to VNofe, Confeß, Jlkermes, Dtamofc Duimarg. vThefe Things Ly be applied to help■£«*«= *« delivery when the Child comes to the Birth the n » K and ye. the Birth is retarded i But if (he hods the comes the wrong way, and that Are « »*•«''“ Oliver the Woman as (he ought to be, by hripl?? V and faving both Mother and Child •’ (For it is more fafety and cafe, and lets hazard both toWo and Child) then let her fend fpeedilyfor Help; and not as I once knowa M'dwile, '"hen a Woman (he was to deliver had hard Labour,* - V than a Man midwife (hould be lent for, would u"‘ Nature is not dilatory in the bringing fortJi; without Come ill Accident intervene, whidf ten' ders it natural. The third is. That the Child be for all wall grant, that the being delivered of a de*<* Ch.Jd, is very unnarurrl. The fourth Thin* requifi'A to a natural Birth is, That the Child come fori‘ the Pofition ot the Childf in the Womb be contrary t° what is naturaland the Event proves it fo too often : making that which Ihould be a Time of Life the Dea th both ot the Mother and Child. Having thus told you what I mean by natural Labour* J mall next (how how the Midwife is to proceed there*11 in order to the Woman’s Delivery : When ail the fore' going Requires concur, and after the Waters be bruk<* of thetnfelves, let the labouring Woman to a Pallet-bed,provided near the Fire for that PurPofe, as has been already faid: and let there rather be a Quilt laid upon the Pallet Bedhead, then a Feather bed h»' ving thereonLinnen andCJofhs in many Folds, with fad* other Things as are neceflary, and may be changed ac- cording to the Exigence requiring It, that lb the Women may not be incommoded with the Blood, Waters and ofherFUth which is voided inLabour. The Bed ought o to be ordered, that the Woman, being ready to be de- in'Trnn^00- d YP °a h*r Back Uflon ic> havi4 her Body JJLiJ Trf°ftrL|tht is» her H«d and Bread 3 ttle ratfed, fo that the be between lying and fitting^ being f0 placed (he » beft capable of Breathing,*^ thliT-ffl,W/ Ihr m(°re Strength t0 bear her Pains, then if die lay otherwife, or funk down in her Be l. Be- ini hePr T ’ T, her ThiShs foJj' L l 6 toTrds her Butr«cI's, fomewhat fhonld I 3 1 PjlIT°Yunderneathr tothe End her Rump mould have more Liberty to retire buck j and Jet her The Experienc'd Midwife. ?eet be ftai'd again!! feme firm Thing : Befides this, let er take hold of fome of tha good Women attending her her Hands, that Ihe may the better Hay herfelf du- her Pains. She beingIthus placed near the Side of ber Bed, having her Midwife by, the better to alllft up- °n Occafio«, let her take Courage, and help her Pains c?e heft (hecan, bearing them down when they take her: }/ hich Ihe mull; do by holding in her Breath,and forcing herfelf as much as poffible, in like manner as when Ihe to Stool : For, by inch (training, the Diaphragms, Midriff being Ihongly thruft downwards, necelTarily B{ces dowm she Womb, and Child on it. In the mean *une let the Midwife endeavour to comfort her all Ihe 5arh exhorting her to bear her Labour couragloufly? tell* her it will be quickly over, and that there is no fear o'at that (he will have afpeedy Delivery. Let the Mid- alfo, having no Rings on her Hand, anoint it with offrelh Butter, and therewith dilate gently thein- of the Womb, putting her Fingers Ends in- to the Entry thereof, and then ftretch them one from the other, when her Pains take herßy this Means endea- voring to help forward the Child, and thruftlng by lit- £|e and little the Sides of the Orifice towards the hinder * art of the Child’s Head, anointing thefe Parts alfo with *relh Butter, if it be ncceffary. . When the Head of the Infant is fomewhat advanced ,nto this inward Orifice, the Midwife’s Phraife is. It if 'pv'wned, becauie itgirds and iurrounds it juft as aCrown, bl?t when it is lo far that the Extremity begins to appear Vthout the Privy Parrs, then they fay, Ihe Child is in fhe Pajfage ; and at this Time the Woman feels herfelf ?s it were fcratch, or picked with Pins, and is ready to that theMidwile hurts her,when it is occalion’d by the violent Diftantion of thofe Parrs, and the Lacera- 1-10n which at fometimesthe bignelsofthe Child’s tlead there. When Things are in this Pollute, let the Midwife feat herfelt conveniently to receive the Child* tyhich will now ccnae quickly * and with her Fingers 58 The Experienc'd Midwife. Ends (which fhe muft be fure to keep clofe pared) let her endeavour to thruft the Crowning of the Womb (ot which I have fpoken before) hack over the Head of fhe Child : And as foon is it is advnnced as far as the Ears» or thereabouts, let her take hold of the two Sides with her two Hands, that when a good Fain ccrmes, Ore may quickly draw forth the Child> taking care that the Navel' firing be not then entangled about the Neck, or any o* ther Part, as fometimes it is, loft thereby the after-bur- den bepulled with Violence, and perhaps the Womb alio to which it is fafiened j and lb either caufe her to Flood or elfe break the Strings 3 both which are of bad Confe* quence to the Woman, whofe Delivery may thereby be rendered fhe more difficult. It muft alfo be carefully heeded, that the Head be not drawn forth ftraight, but fluking it a little from one Side to the other, that the Shoulders may fooner and eafief take their Place, in*' mediately after it be paft, which muft be done without Joftng any Time left the Head being paft, the Child be ftopt there, by the largenefsof theShouldersund fo come inDanger of being fuftbeated and ftrangled in rhePafiage i as it fometimes happens, for want of care therein* But fo foon as the Head is born, if there be need, fliemay Aide in her Fingers under the Arm-pits, and the reft of the Body will follow without difficulty. As foon as the Midwife hath in this Manner drawn forth the Child, let her put in on one Side, left the Blood and Waters which follow immediately fhould do it an In' jury* by running into its Mouth and Nsfe, as it would do if it lay on her Back, and fo endanger thechoaking it* The Child being thus born, the next Thing requifite is to bring away the after burden ; But before that, let the Midwife be very careful to examine whether there be n° more Children in the Womb 3 for fometimes a Woman may have Twins that expetfted it not 3 which theM’d- wife may eaflly knew by the Continuance of the Pains after the Child is born, and the Bi‘gnefs of the Mother’s Belly : But the Midwife may be more fure of it, if fhe The Experienc'd Midwife. |*,uts her Hand up to the Entry of the Womb, and finds j ?re another Water gathering, and a Child in it prefcnt- to the Paffage j and, it flie finds fo, the muff have f are of going about to fetch the After-Birth, till the be delivered of all the. Children (he is pregnant f.uh; Wherefore the firftString muft be cut, being firft: . with a Thread three or four double, and fallen the er End with a String to the Woman’s Thigh, to pre- ,erU the Inconvenience it may caufe by hanging between Jr Thighs. And then removing the Child already born, |/e nivift take care to deliver her of the reft, whether or lefs , observing all the fame Circumftances as to the firft. All which it will be neceffary to /tcb away the After-birth or Births. But of that I treat in another Section ; and firft ftew what is to ' e to the New-born Infant. 2. Of the Cutting ofthe Child's Navel firing. j ■"''Hough this is by many accounted but a Trifle, yet I JL great Care is to be taken about it j and ic fhews of the leaft Art and Skill of a Midwife to do it as if I be And that it may be fo done, the Midwife -vSht to obferve. i. The Time. 2. The Place. 3. 'He Manner. 4. The Event. . The Time is as fbon as ever the Infant comes out of HWomb, whether it brings part of the After-birth wlth it or not: For fometimes the Child brings into the j* orld a Piece of the Amnios upon its Head, and is what il6 good Woman call the Caul j and ignorantly attribute Qttie extraordinary Virtue to the Child that is fo born : this Opinion is the only Etfefi of their Ignorance j for 1 Hen a Child is born with fuch a Crown (asfome call it) a Ihort Life. But to the Matter in Hand : As as the Child is come into the World, ccnfider whe- fler it be weak or ftrong,- and if it be weak, let the Midwife gently cut back part of the vital and natural The Experienc'd Midwife. Blood into the Body of the Child by its Navel J for that recruits a weak Child ;(the vital and natural Spirits beins communicated by the Mother to the Child by its Navel' firing.) But if the Child be firong, that Operation is needlefs. Only let me advertile you, that many CbU' dren that are born feemingly dead, may be foon brough. to Lite again, if you Squeeze out fix or leven Drops o* Blood out of that Part of the Navel-firing which is cuc off, and gives it to the Child inwardly. As to the Place in which it fhouid be cut, that is, whe' ther it ihould be cut long or Short, it is that which An* thors can Scarce agree in. and which many Midwive5 Quarrel about j home preferibing it to be cut at four Fingers Breadth ; which is at the heft but an uncertain Rule, unlefs all fingers were one Size ; it is a received Opinion that the Parts adapted to Generation are either contradfed or dilated, according to the Cutting of the Navel firing ; and that’s theßeafon that Midwives are generally fo kind to (heir own Sex ; that they leave 3 longer Part of the Navel-firing of a Male, than of a fe* male ; becaufe they would have the Males well provided, for the Encounters of Venus. And the Realon they give why they cut that of females Ihorter, is, becaufe they be- lieve it makes them modeft, and their Privities narrower, which makes them more acceptable to their Husbands. Mizaldus was not altogether of the Opinion of thefc Midwives; and therefore he orders the Navel-firing to be cut long in boihMale and female Children ; for which he gives thisßeafon, that thelnfiruments of Generationfol* lowing the Proportion of it; and therefore if it be cut too fliort in a female, it will be a hindrance to her having Children-1 will not go about to contradidf this Opinion Miza/Tus, beciule he was a great Searcher into the Myfteries of Nature : And for that Reafon, I will ac- quaint you with two Things more out of Mizaldus, Experience has made good .- The one is, That it the Navel-firing of a Child alter it is cut,be fuffered to touch the Ground, the Child will never hold its Water, nei" The Experienc'd Midwife. 61 fleeplng n >r waking; but will be fubjecft to an in- y°luntary making of Water all its Lite-time. The other ls> That a Piece of the Child’s Navel ftring carried about lb thar it touch his Skin, defends him that wears it °fh from the falling-ficknefs and convulfiuns. ,As to the Manner how it mull be euf. Let the Mid- . take a brown Thread four or five Times double,of Ell long, or thereabouts, tied with a fingle Knot at ' of the Ends, to prevent their entangling ; and with I1’5 Thread lb accommodated (which the Midwife muft 1 'ave in a ReadlneL before the Woman’s Labour, as alfo j good Fair of Sciflars, that fo no Time may boloft) ,et her tie the Spring within an Inch of the Belly with a I j Knot; and turning about the Ends of the Thread, -et her tie two more on the other Side of the String, re- stating it again, if it be neceflary » then let her cutoff Qe-Navel another Inch below fheLigature, towards the Stet Birth ; fothat there only remains but twolnchesof ae String, in the midft of which will be the Knot we Peak of; which mufl: be fo ftrait knit, as not to fuffer * Drop of Blood to fqueeze out of the Veffels, but care be taken not to Knit it fo ftrait, as to cut it in twoj therefore the Thread muft be pretty thick, and pret- ty ftrait knit, it being better too ftrait, than too 1 oofs i fome Children have miferably loft their Lives with ad their Blood, before it was difcovered, becaufe the N- ay w-as jjot wej| tiecj. Therefore great Care muft e faken that no Blood fqueeze through;for if there do-, y Knots muft be made with the reft of the String; [ need not fear to bind the Navel String very i -ard, becaufe it is void of Senfe, and that Part of it Jyhich you leave on, falls off of its own'accord in a very Days ; ordinarily fix or feven, and Ibmetimes Ibon- y : But rarely tarries longer than the eighth or ninth. When you have thus cut the Navel -ftring, then take care Piece that falls off, touch not the Ground, for the . eafon I told you Mizaldus gave, which Experience has j * The Experienc'd Midwife. As to the laft Thing I mentioned which is the Even1' or Gonfequence, or what follows cutting of the Nave* firing: As foon as the Navel-firing is cut off, applyj little Cotton or Lint to the Place, to keep it Warm, the Cold enter into the Body of the itwil* moft certainly do,if you have not bound it hard enough. If the Lint or Cotton you apply to it be dipt in Oyl °* Roles, it will be the better j then having put an©tbtf fmall Rag three or four times double upon the Belly ’ Upon the Top of all, put another fmall bolder,’ an® then fwathe it with a Linnen Swathe, four Fingers bro*** to keep it fteady j left by tolling too much, or by being, continually ftitred from Side to Side, it comes to fall op before the Navel firing which you left remaining, 1s fallen off. It is the ufuai Cuftom of Midwives to puc ® Piece of a burnt Rag to it> which we commonly ca'1 Tinder; But I would rather advife them to put a lh^e of Bole Armoniac to it, becaufe of its drying Quality But this (hall fuffice to be fpoken, as to the Cutting 0 the Navel-ftring. Setff. 3. How to bring away ths Aftrr-burden. A Woman cannot be fald fairly to be delivered, tho the Child be till the After-burden be aff° taken from her j herein differing from cnoft Animal who, when they have brought forth their Young, caft forth nothing elfe, but fome Waters, and the Membranes which contained them. But Women have an After I*’ bour> which fometimes prove more dangerous than the firft ; And how to bring it fafely away, without Preju* dice to her, ftiaH. be my Bufinefs to ftiew in this Sc joint® together, the better to hold it, with which fhe may draW it moderately,and with the right Hand Ihc may only take The Experienc’d Midwife. 63 } fingle hold of it above the left near thePrivities,draw- 'r*g likewife with that very gently, reftingthe while the fore-finger of the fame Hand, extended and ftretcbed *°rth along the String towards the Entry of the Vagina} ays obfetving for the more Facility, to draw it from Side where the Burden cleaves leaft, for in fo doing the reft will feperate the better : And Ipecial Caremuft p taken, that it be not drawn forth with soo muchVio *®rice, left by breaking the String near the Burden, the "lidwife be obliged to put the whole Hand into the Womb, to deliver the Woman } and {he had need be a Ve*y skilful Perfon that undertakes it, left the Womb which this Burden is foraetlmes very ftrongly fattened p not drawn away with it, at it has fometimes happen. ** is therefore be ft to ufe fucb Remedies as may affift Mature. And here take Notice, that what brings away Birth, will alfo bring away the After birth. And therefore, for the efleding this Work, I will lay down fhe following Rules: *. Ufe the fame Means in bringing away the After- “ltth, that you made ufe of in bringing away iheßirfh j for the fame Care and Circumfpediion is needful now, was then. i-Confider thcLabouringWoman cannot but be much •Pent by what {fee has already Undergone in bringing Orth the Infant j and therefore be fure to take care to Blve her fomething to comfort her. And in this Cafe good Jelly-broths, aifo a little Wine and Toaft in it, a,Jd other comforting Things will be very neceffsry. « 3* A little white Hellebore in Powder, to make her neeze. Is in this Cafe very proper. Tanfy and the Stone jElitis, applied as before di- e is alfo of good ufe in this Cafe. vJ5* If you take the Herb Vervain, and either boil if in lne, or make a Syrup with the Juice of it, which you fy do by adding to it its double Weight of Sugar (ha- Mified the Juice before you boil it) and a Spoon- °r two of that given to the Women, is very efficaci- 64 The Experienc'd Midwife: ous to bring sway the Secundine ,• and fcacherfew and Mugwort,have rht fame Operation,taken as the forme*"' 6. Alexander boiled in Wine; and the Wine drank j alfo fweet Chcrvile. fweet Cicely, Angelica roots, and Mufter-woro are excellent Remedies in this Cafe. 'j. Or if thefe fail, the Smoak of Marigolds received up aWOman’s Piiviti.es, by a funnel, have been know11 to bring away the After-bitch, even when the Midrib Jet go her hold. 8. Which is all I (hall add in this Cafe . Boil Mid' wort in Water, till it be very foft j then take it out>aM apply it in a mariner of a Pultis to the Navel of alabou*" ing Woman] and it inftantly brings away bothßirth and After-birth j but fpecial Care mull be taken to remov® it as foon as they come away,left by its longer tarrying it fhould draw away the Womb allb. But thus muck /hall fuffice to be Ipoken of bringing away the After-bo*' den in all' Natural Labours. StLi. Of Laborious ond Difficult Labours, and how the Midwife is to proceed therein. TO proceed In this Se a great flooding, frequent Con- dons, bloody flux, or any other great Diftemper. The Experienc'd Midwife. Alfo Excrements retained caufe much difficulty, and To does a Stone in the Bladder* or when the Bladder «s full of Urine, without being able to void it j orwhenthe Woman is troubled with great and Painful Piles. It ma/ alfo be from the Paffages.when the Membranes are thick* the Orifice too ftrait, and the Neck of the Womb is nor fufficiently open, thePaflages are drefled and ftrained by Tumours in the adjacent Parts, or when the Bones afc too firm and will not open, which very much indanger* Mother and Child * or when thePaflagesarenotflippery by realbnof the Waters having broke fo foon, or of thc Membranes being too thin. The Womb may be ah° out of Order, with refpecl to its bad Situation or Con' formation, having its Neck too ftrait, hard, and callou5' which may eafily be lb naturally, or may come by Ac' cident, being many times caufed by a Tumour, Ap°' ftume, Ulcer, or luperfluous FJelh. As to hard Labour, occafioned by the Child, it when the Child happens to ilick to a Mole, or when‘c is fo weak it cannot break the Membrane , or if it be too big all over, or in the Head only, or if the Nave}' ’cfTels are twifted about its Neck * when the Belly iS diydropical, orwhen.it is Mouftrous, haying two Head* or being joyned to another Child, alfo when the is dead, or fo weak that it cannot contribute nothingco its Birth, Jlkewifc when it comes wrong, or when the*6 are two more. And to all thefe various Difficulties,thef?, is pften times one more * and that is, the Ignorance the Midwife, for want of Underftanding her hinders Nature in her Work, inftead of helping her. , Having thus looked into the Caufes of hardLaboo*;* will notfhew the induftrious Midwife howihe may nifter fome Relief to the labouring Woman under the* difficult Circumftances. But it will require ingand Judgment in the Midwife>whenflie finds a man in difficultLaboun to know the particularObftrudb OD, or Caufe thereof, that fo a fuitable Remedy maV applied; As for Inftance, when it happens by the The Experienc'd Midwife. 67 being too young,and too ftrair, fte muft be gently tfeated, and the Paflages anointed withOyl, Hog’sLard, ftdh Buffer* to relax and dilate them the ealjjer; left vr*I>H1>H is born, tor fometimes thzPeritorueum breaks with eSkin, from the Privities to the Fundament. But if v Woman be in Years of her firft Child, ler her lower . arts be anointed to mollifie the inward Orifice, which ltl hich a Cafe, being more hard and callous, does not *% yield to the Diftention of Labour; which is tb* f*i€ Caufe why fuch Women are longer in Labour,?1? why their Children, being forced againft the inward of their Womb (which, as I have faid,is a little jl‘lous) are born with great Bumps and Bruifes on their n eads.Thofe Women that are very fmall and mifhapen, uld not be put to Bed, at leaft till their Wafers are f°ke f but rather kept upright, and affifted to walk a- f the Chamber, by being fuppcrted under the Arms; Jhy that Means they will breathe more freely, and their Pains better than on the Bed, becaufe there ?*y He all on a Heap. As for thofe that are very lean, have hard Labour from thatQaufe, let them moiften f.e Parts with Oyls and Oyntments,to make them more fy.°ofh and flippery,that the Head of the Infant and the t] be not fo comprefTed and bruifed by the hard- ly s°f the Mothers Bones which from thePaffage. If jje Caufe be Weaknefs, flic ought to beftrengthed the ] ,[er to fupport her Pains, to which End give her good Broths, and a little Wine with a Toaft in it. If *ears her Pains, let her be comforted, alluring her , will not endure many more, but be delivered in l'ont^e ®ut er Pa>ns he flow and fmall, or ty * at all, they muft be provoked by frequentand pret- r°ng Clyfters, that fo they may be excited thereby: t(Je*which, let her walk about the Chamber, that fo sie p e*ght of the Child may help ’em forward. But if L Pj°od or have Convolfions, flie i»uft then be helped a Speedy Delivery, the Operation whereof 1 fliall re- 68 The Experienc’d Midwife. late in this Seftion of Unnatural Labours. If {he beO? hive let her ufe Clyftcrs, which may alio help to diipe the Cholick, at thole Times very Injurious, becauie ac' tended with ufelefsPains,becaufe fuch as bear notdow’fl' wards, and fo help not forward the Birch. If fhe find5 an Ohftruiftion or Stoppage in Urine, by Reafon tbe Womb bears too much on the Bladder, Jet her lift®? her Belly a little with her Hands, and try if by that lbe receives any Benefit ■, if fhe finds (he does not it willbe Tiecellary to introduce a Cartheter into her Bladde(> thereby draw forth her Urine. If the Difficulty from the ill Pollute of a Woman, let her be place® otherwifej in a Pofture more fuitable and convenient^ her: AJfo if it proceed from the Indiipofitions ot 'Womb, as from its oblique Situation, &c. it muft remedied as well as can be, by the placing of her Bod) accordingly: Or if it be by a vicious Conformation, h*' ving the Neck too hard, too callous, and too ftraif, , mull be anointed withOyls andOyntments, as before di' redled. If the Membranes be fo ftrong,as that the ters don’t break in due Time, they may be broken wif*1 the Fingers, if the Midwife be firlt well allured, tb*j the Child be come very forward into the Paffage, ready to follow prefently after , or elfe by the break’ ©fthefeWaters too foon,the Child may be in Dangcr° remaining dry a long Time, to fupply whichDcfen by no Means i for the Infant having no furtherOc- Cafion for it, it would be but an Obftacle if it were put UP» in this Cafe it muft be cut off having tied the Na- Vel-ftring i and afterwards draw forth the Child with all fpeed that may be, left it be fuffocated. Se Birthwot, each a Dram *l>ake a Powder, add Ammoniacum difjolved in Wine„ gall, each two Drams j vutth Oyl of Kier make an ytment. Or, This Pcffary Take Birthwort, Orris, Hath Hellebore, Coloquintida Wyrtb, each a Dram fowdered, Ammoniacum diffolved The Experienc’d Midwife, in Wine, Ox gall, each two Drams. Or make a Fume with AlTes Hoof burnt, or Galbanusn, orCafior, and let it be taken ih with a Funnel. To take away Pains and {Lengthen the Parts, foment with the Decoction of JVfugwort, Mallows, Rofemarf, Wot rtwood, Mirtles, St. John’s wort, each half an Ounce, Sperma Getz two Drams, Deers Suet an Ounce, with wax make an Oynt merit, Or, ■Take IVax four Ounces, Sperms Ceti an Ounce, melt them, dip Flax therein, and lay it all ever her Belly. If none of thefe Things will do, the lalt Remedy i* to ufe Chyrurgery j and then the Midwife ought with- out delay to fend for an expert and able Man-midwife, to deliver her by Manual Operation j of which I fhall treat more at large in the next Chapter. Of Unnatural Labour, and what is to be done therein. CHAP. VI. IN {hewing the Duty of a Midwife, when the Child- bearing Woman’s Labour is unnatural, it will be re- quire to {hew in the firrt place what Imean by unnatural Labour, for, for women to bring forth Children in Pain and Sorrow, is natural, and common to all. Therefore that which I call unnatural, is when the Child comes to the Birch in a contrary Pollute to chat which Nature or- dained,and in which the generality ofChildren come in- to tbs world. Now as Truth is both one, but Error di- lates itfelfinto Infinite Variety fo it is in this Cafe-• There is but one proper, right and natural way or To- rture, in which Children come to the Birth but there are as many wrong and unnatural ways of Birch, as there are different Poftures ofChildren when they come to be born ; The right and natural Birch, is, when the Child comes with its Plead firil, and yet even this is too fhorC a Definition of a natural Birth , for if any Part of the Head but the Crown comes firft, fo that the B ;dy follow The Experienc'd Midwife. 73 •ot in a ftrait Line, Vis a wrong and difficultßlrth, eve*1 fW the Head comefirft: Therefore if the Child come Hth its Feet; or with the Side a crofs, it is quite con* tfary to Nature; or to Ipeak more plainly, that which CaH unnatuia). Now there are four general Ways that a may come wrong: The firft is. When any of the I"ore-parts of the Body firft prefent themfelves. Second- ly> When by an unhappy Tranlpofition, any of the Hinder-parts firft prefent themfelves : Thirdly, When Either of the Sides ; or, Fourthly, the Feet, prefenC themfelves firft:To thele four, all the particular and dif- ferent wrong Pofture that a Child can prefent itfelf in, hpr theßirth may be reduced : And therefore I fhaii con- hne myfelf herein to treat only of thefefour more gener- al wrong Pofrures. 2. How to deliver a Woman of a dead Child, by Manual Optration. THE laft Sefiion of the laftChaptcr, was about the Delivering of a Woman of a dead Child,wherein *®veral Things were dlreded to he applied in order to theDelivery: But when all thefe fail, a Manual' Operation is ablolutely neceliary : In order to which, let *he Operator acquaint the Woman with the abfolute Ne- there is of fuch an Operation •, and that as the has already loft its Lile, there is no Way left the faving ot hers i Jet him alfo tell her, for her P-ncouragement> that he doubts not but with the Divine ■"Jelling, to deliver her fafely, and that the Pain rifing will not be lb great as Ihe fears. And then let him endeavour to ftir up the Woman’s Pains, by giving *ler fome {harp and itrong Glitters,to excite her Throws i 0 bear down gnd bring forth the Child: And if this pre- Vaiis not, let hlhn proceed with this Manual Operation* Pint,therefore let her be placed crofs theßed,that ha ‘n.ay Operate the eafier; and Jet her lie on her Back, Hips a little higher than her Head, or at leaft 74 The Experienc'd Midwife. the Body tq lally placed, when it is neceffary to put back or turn the Infant, to give it a better Pollute, be- ing thus Unrated, Ihe mull fold her Legs fo as her Heels be towards her Buttocks and herThlghs fpread,and held fo by a Couple of ftrong Perfonsj there mull be others sjfo to fupport her under her Arms, that the Body map not Hide down when the Child is drawn forth,for which fometimes a great Strength is required } let the Sheets and Blankets cover her Thighs for decency fake and with tefped to the Affillanee,and alio to prevent her catching cold j the Operator herein governing himfelf as well with Helped to his own Convenience, and the Facility and Surety of the Operation, as fo the other Things- Then let him anoint the Entrance of the Womb withOyl or frelhßutter, if it be neceffary, that fo he may with more eafe introduce his Hand,which mull alio be anoint- ed : And having by the Signs beforementioned received Satisfaction that it is a dead Child, he mull do his vourto fetch it away as foen as poffible he can, and it the Child offers the Head firll he mull gently put it back until he hath Liberty to introduce his hand quite into the Womb j then Hiding it along under the Belly to find the Feet, let him draw it forth by therm being very careful to keep the Head from being locked in the Paffage, ani that it be not feparated from the Body i which may h* effeded the more eafily becaufe the Child being very jotten and putrified, the Operator, is not fo mindful C° keep the Ereaft and Face downwards, as he is in living Births. But if notwithllanding all thefe Precautions? by Rea Ton of the Child’s Putrefadioa, the Head Ihould be lep; rated, and left behind in the Womb, it mull be drawn forth according to theDiredions which fhall be given in Sed. 3. of this Chajter, for that Purpofe.- But when the Head coming firft, isfo far advanced tha£ it cannot be well put back, *tis belter to draw it forth f°» then torment tfceWoraon too much by putting it back? to turn it, and bring it by the Feet: But the Head bei*l# a part round and flippery* it may fo happen that the The Experienc'd Midwife. Operator cannot take hold of with his fingers by reafon °1 its Moifture, nor put them up to the Side of it, becaufe the PafTage is filled with its Bignefs, he mull take a pro- per Inftrument, and put it up as far as he can without violence, between the Womb andthe Child’s Head, ob- serving to keep the Point of it towards the Head, (for the Child being dead before, there can be no Danger in the Operation) and lethim faften it there, giving it good hold upon one of the Bones of the Skull, that it may not Aide; and after it is well fixed in the Head, he may therewith draw it forth, keeping the Ends of the Fingers °fhis left hand flat upon the oppofite Side, the better to help to difengage it, and by wagging it by little and lit- tle, to conduS it diredly out of the PafTage, until the Head be quite born ; and then taking hold of it with the Hands only, the Shoulders may be drawn into the Paf- lage, and fo, Aiding the Fingers of both Hands under the Arm pits, the Child may be quite delivered ; and then the After-burden fetched, to finifh the Operation ; being careful not to pluck the Navel-ftring too hard, left it break, as it often happens, when it is corrupted.. If the diad Child comes with the Arm up to*the Shoul- ders fo extreamly fwelled that the Woman muft fuffer too great a Violence to have it pur back, ’tis then (beingfirft '►ell allured the Child is dead) beft to take it oft at the Shoulder joint, by twitting three or four Times about,. Which is very eafily done, by reafon of the foftnefs and tendernefs of the Body ; after the Arm is fo feparated, arid no longer poflefling the Paffage, the Operator will have more room to put up his Hand into the Womb, to fetch the Child by the Feet, and it away. But altho* the Operator be fure the Child is dead in the Womb, yet he muft not therefore prelently ufe In- struments, becaufe they are never to be ufed', but when Hands are not fuffictem, and there is no other Remedy to prevent the Woman’s Danger, or to bring forth the Child any other Way: And the judicious Operator will chufc that Way which is thekaft hazardous and moft fafe, ~ ‘ ~ 7 6 The Experienc’d Midwife. SeFt. 2. How a Woman rr.ujl hi delivered, when the Child's Feet come firjt. THere is nothing more obvious to thole whole Bu- hners it is to affill labouring Women, than that the leveral unnatural Poftures in which Children pre- lent themfelves at their Births, are the Occalion of moll of the bad Labours and ill Accidents that happen unto Women in Inch a Condition. And fince Midwives are very often oblig’d, becaufe of the unnatural Situations, to draw the Children forth by the Feet, I conceive it to be moll proper tofhewfirft bow a Child mtift be brought forth that preients itfei( in that Pofture, becaufe it will be a Guide to feveralot the reft. I know indeed that in this Cafe, ’tis the Advice of fe- deral Authors to change the Figure, and place the Head lb, that it may prefent to the Birth ; and this Counfel I fhould be very inclinable to follow, could they but alio Ihew how it muft be done : But it will appear very diffi- cult, if not impofible, to be perform’d, if we would •avoid the Dangers that by fucb violent Agitations both ••the Mother and Child muft be put into; and therefore my Opinion is, That ’tis better to draw it forth by the ■Feet, when it prefents itfelf in that Pofture, than to ven- ture a worfe Accident by turning it. As foon thereforeas tbeWaters are broke, and it h known that the Child comes thus, and that the Womb is open enough to admit the Midwife’s or Operator’s Hand into it, or eife by anointing the Paflages with Oil or Hog’s-greafe, to endeavour to dilate it by Degrees, ufwg her Fingers to this Purpofe ; fpreading them j>ne from ifee other,after they are together enter’d, and continuing to dofo till it be fufficiently dilated, then taking Care that her Nails are well pared, and no Rings on her Fingers, and her Hands well anointed with Oil or frejh Butter,and the Woman plac’d in the Manner dlreded in th* former Section, let her gently Introduce in' ¥he Experienc'd Midwife. fothe Entry of the Womb; where, finding the Child’s _cet, let her draw if forth in the Man: er I fhaii prcfenrly dired ; only let her firft lee whether it prefents one foot 0t both ; and if but one foot, fhe ought to confidet Whether if be the right foot er the left; and alfo in "foatfafhion it comes ,• for by that means fhe will foon- come to know where to find the other ; which as joon as Ihe knows, and finds, let her gently draw it forth with the other; but of this (he mull he efpecially careful, viz. that this Second be not the Foot of ano- focr Child ; for if fo, it may be of the moft fatal Con- fo'juence, for fhe may fooner fplit both Mother and Children then draw them forth ; but this may be eafily Invented, if fhe does but Aide her Hand up the firft Ccg and Thigh, to the Twift, and there find both bfiighs joyn’d together; and depending from one and foe {ame Body: And this is alfo the bell Means to find foe other foot, when it comes with but one. As loon as the Midwife hath found both the Childrs foct, fhe may draw them forth, and holding them toge- ther, may bring them by little and little in this Manner, foxing afterwardshold of the Legs and Thighs as foon as foe can come at them, drawing them fo till the Hips be c°me forth : Whihi this is doing, let her obferve to "'rap the Farts in a fingleCJoth, that fo her Hands being already greafy, Aide not on the Infant’s Body, which 15 very flippery; becaufe of the vifeous Humours which are all over if, and prevent one’s taking good hold of it> "fo'ch being done, fhe may take hold under the Hips, fo *° draw it forth to the Beginning of the Bread, and then et her on both Sides with her Hand bring down thcArms afong the Child’s Body, which fhe may then eafily find; then let her take care that the Belly and Face of the Child be downwards: for if it fhould be upwards, there w°uld be fome Danger of its being ftopt by the Chin over the Share-bone: And therefore if it be not fo, fhe turn it to that Pollute: which may be eafily done, fo foe take hold on the Body,when the Breaft and Arms The Experienc’d Midwifi. are forth in the Manner we have faid,ard draws it wtdl turning it in Proportion on that Side which it moft in' dines to, till it be turned with the Face downwards, fo having brought it to the Shoulders, let her lofe n° Time, defiring the Woman at the fame Time to b®*£ down; that fo at drawing the Head at that Inltanf, m*l take its Place, and not be Hope in the PafTage. Sotfe Children there are whofe Heads are fo big, that whd1 j the whole Body is born, yet that flops in the Paffagot tho’ the Midwife takes all the Care pofllble to prevent if» And when this happens, fhe muft not endeavour only t0 draw- forth the Child by fhe Shoulders,left fhefometim®5 fepaiate the Body from the Head ; as I have known ,c done by a Midwife; but fhe muft difchs,rge j/f bylitck and little from the Bones in the PafTage with theFingef5 of each Hand, Aiding them on each fide oppofite the one to the other, fometimes above, and fometimes of>' der, until the Work be ended, endeavouring to difpatcj1 it as foon as poffible, left the Child be fuftbeated, as iC will unavoidably be, if it fheuld remain Jong in tha( Pofture, and this being well and carefully effected, Al® may foon after fetch away the After-birth, as I have b®' fore direfied. Seel. 3. How to bring away the Head of the Child, u’h(f> federated from the Body, and left behind in the Hrorr>b' THO’the utmoftCare be taken in bringing away the Child by the Feet, yet if the Child happen to h* dead, it is fometimes lb putrified and corrupted, th*c with the leaft Pull the Body feparates from the Heaa> and remains alone in the Womb, and cannot be broug^£ away but with Manual Operation, and Difficulty, fof being extreamly flippery.by reafon of the Place where lt is, and from the Roundnels of its Figure on which hold can well be taken : And fo great fnany Time5 ,S the Difficulty in this Cafe, that fometimes two or tht^6 able Practitioners in the Art ofMidwifry, have oneafr® fhe Experienc'd Midwife. 79 'he other left the Operation unfinilhed, as not able to it, alter the utmoft Efforts of their Induftry, Skill, and Strength :So that the Woman, not being able to be perifhed. To prevent which fatal Accidents *°f the Time to come, let the following Operation be °hferved : When the Infant’s Head, feparated from its Body, if *efr alone behind, whether through Putrefadfion, oro- fherwife, let the Operator immediately, without any delay, whilft the Womb is yet open, direff up his right Hand to the Mouth of his Head (for no other hold can lhere be had) and having found it, let them pat one or J*o of his Fingers into it, and his Thumb under the Shin, and then let him draw it by little and little, hold- *nS it fo by the Jaw j but if that fails, aslbmetimes it *ul, when putrefied ; then let him puli forth his right Hand, and Aide up his left, with which he mult fupport Jhe Head/ and with the Right let him take a narrow In- ‘Humcnt called a Crotchet, but let it be ilrong> and with jungle Branch, which he mutt guide along, the Infide of .is Hand, with the Point of it towards is for fear ofhurt- Irig the Womb \ and having thus introduced it, let him it towards the Head, for to ftrike either into an Eye- r*°le, or the Hole of an Ear* or behind the Head>or clfe “fctween the Stature, as he finds it moll convenient and and then draw forth the Head fo fattened, with the **jd Inftrument, ftill helping to condudl it with his left Hand ; but when he hath brought it near the PafTage, be *ng ttrongly fattened to the Inftrument, let him remem- er to draw forth his Hand* that the Palfage, not being fUed with it, may be the larger and eafier, keeping **ll a Finger or two, on the Side of the Head, the bet- ter to difeng-ge it. . There is alio another Way to this,with more cafe and e's hard than the former : Which is this, Let the O- Ptrator take a fofe Fillet or Linnen flip, of about four mgers breadth, and the length of three Quarters of an or thereabout* * taking the two Ends with the left The Experienc'd Midwife. Hand, and the Middle with' the right And let him put it up with his right, as that it may be beyond the Head,to embrace it as a Sling doth a Stone : And aftef' wards, drawn'forth, the Fillet by the two Ends together it will eafily be drawn for'h, the Fillet not hindering j the kali PalTage, becaufe it takes up little or no Place. When the Hand is thus fetched out of theWomb,cafe mult be taken that not the leaf! Part of it be left behind) and likewil'e to cleanfe tkeWoman well of herAfter-but" den, if yet remaining. Some have queltioned whethe* the Child’s Head yet remaining in the Womb, and th® After-birth too, which ought to be brought away firft■ The Anfwer to which Qoeftion may be by way of Dl' ftindllem j that is to fay, It' the Burden be wholly fep4' rated from the Sides of the Womb, that ought to be fid’’ brought away ; becaufe it may alfo hinder the talent* hold of the Head; out if it ftill adheres to the Womb) it mull not be meddled with till the Head be brought a' way,- for if one fhould then go about to feparate it iro& the Womb, it might thencaufe aFlooding, which wod. be augmented by the Violence of thcOperation ; tbeVei' fels to which it is joined, remaining for the moft pafj open, as long as the Womb is diftended, which theHe3. caufeth while it is retained in it,and Cannot dole till th,s ftrangeßndy be avoided ; and then it doth by and comprefling itfelf together ; as has been more iulW before explained. Befides the After-birth remaining thd cleaving to the Womb, during the Operation} prevent* it from receiving eafily either Bruife or Hurt! \ Sedl. 4.. How to deliver a Woman when the Side of d' Child’s Head is frefsntcd to the Birth. THO'Tome may think it a nafuralLabour, when Child’sHead may comefirft j but yet >f theChiL* Head prel’ents not the right way, eventhatis an unn»ttJ ral Labour,- and therefore tho’ theFlead comes firft, Ve. if it be the Side of the Head# inltead of the Crown# ‘ The Experienc’d Midwife, 81 very dangerous both to the Mother and Child : for the ~f)ild may fooner break its Neck than he born in that anner ; and by how much theMother’sPa'ms continue bear the Child, which is ifnpoffible, unlefs the Head ~e tightly placed,the more the Paflagesare ftopt; there- Ore as loon as the Portion of the Child is known, the mult belaid with all fpeed, left the Child **°uld advance further in this vicious Pollute, and there- by tender it mere difficult to thrull it back; which muff done in order to place the Head in the PafLge tight 53 it ought to be. .To this put pofe therefore place the Woman fothat her may be a little higher than her Head and Shoulders, her to lean a little upon the oppofite Side to the gild’s illpoflure; then let the Operator Hide up his v-and well anointed withOyl, by the Side of fheChild’s to bring it right gently with his Fingers between Head and the Womb ;but if the Head befo engaged it cannot be done that Way, he mull then put his up to fcsShou!ders,that fo,by thmfting them back r ‘‘ttle in the Womb fometimes on the one Side, and Retimes on the other, he may by little and little give q 3 natural Portion. I confefs it would be better if the Orator could put back the Child by its Shoulders with 3b his Hands, but the Head takes up fo much room, . he will find ado to put up one, with which he £Ufr perform his Operation with the Help oftheFinger ,3s of the other Hand, put up as far as necelfary ; ter which, let him excite and put forward the Child’s 'lt;b, as when the Labour is natural. ot®eChiidren prefent theirface firll,having their Heads (^rncd back jin which polture it is extreamly difficult t,at aChild fhould be born 5 and, if it continue fo long e Face will be fwelled, and withal black and blue, £ attb will at firll Sight feem Monflrous, which is ccca- cl as well by the Compreffion of it in that Place* as ' fheMidwife’sFisigers handling it too rudely in order * Ptaceit in a better Pollute: but this Blacknefs will The Experienc'd Midwife. wear away in three or four Days time, anointing it oftefl withOyl of fweet Almonds. To deliver this Birth, the fame Operation muft be ufed, as in the former, when 3 Child comes with the Side of the Head ; only let tbe Midwife or Operator work very gently, to avoid as mu^1 as poffible tbe bruiifing of the Face. Sed. 5- Hew to deliver a Woman when the Child frefenb one or both Hands, together with the Head. SOmetimes the Infant will prefent fome other part to' gecher with its Head ; which if it docs, it isufualty one or both its Hands,- And this hinderstheßirth, be' caufe the Hands fake up part of that PafTage which is Iff' tie enough for the Head alone j befides that, when thlS happens, they generally caufe the Head to lean on on® Side j and therefore thisPofition may be very well ftile<" unnatural. When the Child prefents that, the Thing to be done, after it is perceived, mult be to p*f' vent it from coming down more, or engaging further i*l the PafTage and therefore the Operator, having p^3' ced the Woman on the Bed,with her Head a little low®* than her Hips, muft put and guide back thelnfant’sHe3l;|. with his own as much as may be> or both of them, 1 they both come down, to give way to the Child’s Hez°> and this being done,if the Head be on one Side* it muft b* brought into its natural Pofture, in the middle of the?3 , fage, that it may come in a ftrait Line, and then proc® as direded in the foregoing Sedion. Sed. 6. How a Woman is to be delivered,when the Ha and Feet of the Infant come together. THere is none but will readily grant, that when t|* Hands and Feet of an, Infant prefent Labour muft be unnatural, becaufe it is impoffibl® Child Ihould be born in that Manner: In this thef£ fqre when the Midwife guides her Hand towards the jThe Experienc’d Midwife. of the Womb, (he will t erceive only many Fingers together,- and if if be not fufficientiy dilated, it be a good while before the Hands and Feet will be Gadfly diftlhguifhed j for they are fometiraes fofhut and PrelTed together, that they feem to be all of one and fame Shape, but where the Womb is open enough to introduce the Hand into it, (he will eafily know which the Hands, and w'hich are the Feet; and having well ,**€n Notice thereof, Jet her Hide her Hand, and prefent- f direct it towards the Infant’s Bread j which (he will very near, and then iet her gently thruft back the towards the Bottom of the Womb, leaving the eet in the fame Place where (he found them : And ben having placed the Woman in a convenient Pofturej Is to fay, her Hips a little railed above her Bread *rui Head,(which Situation ought always to be obferved the Child is to he put back into the Womb) let Mtdwile afterwards take hold ©1 the Child by the and draw it forth, as is dire&ed in the lecond “edHon. . This Labour, tho* fomewhat troublefome,yet is much j-tter than when the Child prefents only his Hands: For Child muft be quite turned about, before it can be ra\vn forth but in this, they are ready, preferring .f’etnfelvesj and in thisthere is not much to do, but to **t and thruft back a little the upper Part of the Body is almoft done of itfelf, by drawing it alone by bl« Feet. v i confe(s there are many Authors that have written of *°our, who would have all wrong Births reduced to a tural Figure > which is to turn it, that it may come the Head hrft .• but thofe that have thus written .re fuch as never ftood thePra&ick Part -.For if they had - . {he leaft Experience herein, they would know, that ve.ry often impollible ;at leaft if it were to be done ,ac Violence muft necelfarily be ufed in doing it, that Quid very probably be the Peath of Mother and Child The Experienc'd Midwife. in the Operation. I would therefore lay down as a ge- neral Rule, That whenloever an infant prefenrs itfelf wrong to the Birth, in what Pofture foever from the Shoulders to the Feet, it is the beft Way, and fooneft done to draw it out by the Feet ; and that it is better fearcbing for them, if they do not prefent themfelves rather than to try to put it into a natural Pofture, and place the Head foremoft j for the great Endeavours ne' ceilary to be ufed, in taming the Jnfaßt in the Womb do fo much weaken both Mother and Child, that there remains not afterward Strength enough to commit tbs Operation to the Work of Nature j for ufually the Wo' man hath no more Throws,nor Pains fit for Labour, a*' ter fire hath been fo wrought upon j for which Reafon ic would be very difficult and tedious at theChild by fuch an Operation, made very weakpvould be in e*' tream Danger of perifhing, before it could be born. is therefore much better in thefe Cafes, to bring it immediately by the Feet; fearching for them, as * have already direfted, when they do not prefect theft5' fclves By which the Mother will be prevented of 3 tediousLabour,and the Child be often brought alive i*s' to the World,who otherwife would hardly elcape Death' And thus much fhall fuffice to be laid of unnatural La' boars j for by the Rule already given, as skilful will know how to proceed in any otherPofture inwhictl the Child (hall prefent itfelf. Sedf. 7. How a WomanJhall he deli vered that hasTwiflh which frefent themfelves in different Vojlures. WE have already fpoken fomethingof the Birth 0 Twins in the Chapter of natural Labours i i is not an unnatural Labour barely to have Twins, vided they come in a right Polition to the Birth. ™ when they fhall prefent themfelves in divers PoftureS| they come properly under the Denomination ofunnato** Labours. And if when one Child pvefents itfelf in TU Experienc'd Midwife. torong Figure* it makes the Labour dangerous and un- natural, it mull needs make it much more fo, when there are feveral ; and render it not only more painful to the Mother and Children, but the Operator aifo; for they are then fo cohftrained and preffed, that they often trouble each other and hinder both theirßirths; befides Womb is then fo filled with them, that the operator can hardly introduce his Hand, without much violence, which he muft do, if they are to be turned, °r thruft back, to give them a better Polirlon. When aWomanis pregnant with two Children, they farely prefent to theßinh together, the one being gcne- tallymore forward than the other, and that’s the Rea- son that butone is tek, and that many Times the Mid' 'vife knows not that there are Twins, till the firft is born, and rhatflie is going to fetch away the after-birth. In fhe fifth Chapter, wherein I treated of natuial Labour, I Woman fhould be delivered of Twins, Presenting themlelves both right ; and therefore before ■* dole this Chapter, ofnaturai Labours, it only remains, I (hew w'hat ought to be done, tyhen they either °°th come •wrong, or one of them only, as for the molt Part it happens: Ihe firft generally coming right, and (fie fecond with the Feet forwards, or in fome worfe Pofture. InfuchaCafe, the Birth of the fir It muft be as much as poflible, to make way for the fe. c°nd ; which is belt brought away by the Feet without endeavouring to place it right, even though it was fome- Mrat inclining towards it j becaule it bath been already and weakened by the Birth of the firft, as well as MoTer, that there would be greater Danger of its , eath, than likelihood of its coming out of the Womb tnat Way. But if when the firft is born naturally, the fecond *n°uld likewife offer its Head to the Birth, it would be men beft leaving Nature to finifh what fhe has fo well eSnn j and if Nature fhould be foo flow in hex Work, lon,e ofthofeThings mentioned in the fourth Chapter to The Experienc'd Midwife. accelerate the Birth, may be properly enough applied And if afrer that, the fecond Birth fhould be yet dday'l ed, let a Manual Operation be deferred no longer, but the Woman being properly pi ced, as has been before dirededjet the Operator dired bis Hand gen ly into the Womb to find the Feet, and fo draw forth the feconu Child i which will be the more eafily effe&ed, becufi* there is Way made fuffkient by the Birth of the £rft; and if the Wafers of this fecond Child be not broke it often hapoens, yet intending to bring it away by the Feet, he need not Scruple to break the Membranes with his Finger ; for tho’when the Birth ofaCbild is left*o the Operation of Nature, it is necelTary that the Watetf fhould break of themfelves, yet when a Child is brought out of the Womb by Art, there is no Dinger in break' sng them nay, on the contrary, it becomes neceflary (of without the Waters are broke, it wsuld be almotf impoffible to turn the Child. But herein principally lies the Care of the Operator, that he be not deceived, when either the Hands or Feet of both Children, offer themfelves together to theßirtb; in this Cafe he ought well to confider the Operation, a* whether they be not joined together, or any other Way* xnonftrousj and which Part belongs to one Child, and which to the other; that fo they may be fetched on* after the other, and not both together, asmightbe»if*t were not only confidered, taking the right foot of the one, and the left foot of the other, and fo drawing them together, as if they belonged both to one Body, becaufe there is a left and a right f by which Means tj would be impoffible ever to deliver them : But a skilful Operator will eafily prevent this, if having found two of three feet of feveral Children, presenting together i*l the Paffkge, and taking alide two of the forwardelf, 3 Right and a Left, and Hiding his Hand along the Leg* and Thighs up to the Twift, if forwards, oitotheßut' locks, if backwards, he finds they both belong to on* Body jof which, being thus allured, he may begin t0 The Experienc'd Midwife. raw forth the neared, without regard which is dronged °r weakeft, bigger or lei's, living or dead, having firft a little afide that Part of the other Child, which offers to have the more way ,• and lb difpatch the firft, when- eyer it is, as ibon as may be ,* obferving the fame Rules, 9s if there were but one, that is, keeping the Breatt face downwards, with every Circumftance dire&ed ‘n that Se&ion where theChildcomes with its Feet firft,* 9,1 d not fetch the Burden till the fecond Child be born, ppd therefore when the Operator hath drawn forth one he mail feparate it from the Burden, having s|,d cut the Navel firing; and then fetch the other by Feet, in the fame Manner j and afterwards bring a- the After-burden with the two Stiings, as hath been efore (hewed. If the Children prefent any other Part an the Feet, the Operator mud follow the fame Me- ,, °d as is direded In the foregoing Se&ion, where the ‘everal unnatural Pofuions are fully treated of. . C HA P. Vll. ‘reStions for Child bearing Women in their Lying in, IN the fourth, fifth and fixthChaptcrs, we have treat- Y creaies the After-pains, caufeth Swelling in theWo111 * and hurts the Nerves. As to her Diet, let it be hot,a** let her eat but a little at a Time. Let her avoid , Light for the three firft Days,and longer,iffhc be Tbe Experienc’d Midwife. L>r her Labour weaken her Eyes exceedingly, by a Har- mony between the Womb and them. Let her alfo a- Void great Nolfes, Sadwcfs, and Trouble of Mind. If the Womb be foul, which may be eafily perceived the Impurity of the Blood, (which then will either away in Clots, or Stinking, or if you fufpedl any the After-burden to be left behind j which may happen) make her a Drink of Featherfew, ragwort, Penny-royal, and Mother of Thyme, boyled ,ri Whitc-wine> and Sweetned with Sugar. Panada, and new laid Eggs, is the beft Meat for her 3t firft, of which flic may eat often, but not too much 9t a Time- And let her ufe Cinnamon in all her Meats 9nd Drinks; for it is a great Strengthener to the Womb. Let her ftiras little as may be,till after the fifth, fixth Days of her Delivery, if (he be weak. And *et her talk as little as may be, for that weakens her. Ifflie goes not well to frooJ, give a Clyfter made with the Deco&ion of Mallows, and a little brown *ugar. . When Ihc hath lain in a Week, or fomething more ufe fuch 1 hings as clofc the Womb, of which grafs and Comfry are very good, and to them you N? add a little Polipodium, for it will do her good, Q°th Leaves and Roots being bruifed. 2, Hew to renetdy thofe -decidtnts which a Lying* in Woman is fuhjsfted to. IHE firft common and ufual accident that troubles Women in their Lying in, is After pains, about '-aufe, whereof Phyficians make no fmall ftir, fonie jptrning one Thing to be the Caufe, and feme another: is moft certain, that they proceed from Cold and (|| contained in the Bowels, with which they are ca- rolled after Labour, becaufe there they have more Lorr) to dilate, than when the Child was in theW mb, “ they were compreft,and alfo becaufe theNou- The Experienc’d Midwife. rudiment and Matter contained as well in them as in the Stomach, have been fo confufedly agitated from Side to Side, during the Pains of Labour,by the frequent Throve which always .muft compreis the Belly, that they not be well digefted, whence this Wind is afterwards nerafed ; and by Confequence the Gripes which man feels running into her Belly from Side to Side, aC' cording as the Wind moves more or lefs, and fometime5 likewise from the Womb, becaufe of the Compreflio*1 and Commotion, which the Bowels make; This bein£ generally theCaufe,let us now apply a fuitable Remedy- i. Boil an Eggfoft, and four out the Talk of it, -wit" which mix a fpoonful of Cinnamon-water, and let hd drink it and if you mix with it two Grains of Ambd' greece, it will he the better, and yet Vervain taken $ any thing Ihe drinks, will be as effectual as the other. l. Give the lying in Woman,immediately after Def very, Oyl of fweet Almonds and Syrup of Maiden had mixed together. Some prefer Oyl of Walnuts, provilt" it be made with Nuts that are very good,but it taftes woti0 than the other at beft. This will Jenifie the Infideof the Intcftines by its undlaoufnefs, and by that Means brio# away that which is contained in them moreeafily. Take and boil Onions very well in Water, then fattf. them with Oyl, and Cinnamon and Seed in Powder ,fpr add a little Pidgeons Dung to it. Spread fame of this upon a Linnen Cloth, and apply it to the Reins of the Back of her that is troubled with After-pains, and it mill give her fpeedy Esfe. Daftly, Let her take half a Dram of Barberries, bea- fen into Powder, in a Draught of Maskadeh or Tent, 11. Another Accident to which Women in Childbed are fubjecft, is the Hemorrhoids, or Piles, occafion’4 trough their great {training, in bringing the Child in- to the World. To cure this, 1. Let her be let Blood in the Vein Saphaena. 2.. Let her ufe Polypodium in her Meat and Drink, °ruifcd and boiled. 3* Take an Onion, and having made a Hole in the Middie of it, fill it full of Oil, roafi it, and having °ruifed it all together, apply it to the Fundament. 4. Take a Dozen of Snails without Shells, if you can S-t them, or eifc fo many Shell finally, and pull them and having bruifed them with a little Oil, apply t!°em warm to the Fundament. 5. Take as many Wood-lice as you can get, and bruife * jetn ■ and having mixed them with a little Oil, apply *hem warm, as before. p Lf Jhe go well to Stool, let her take an Ounce of aHi a Fiftula, drawn at Flight going to Bed,Jhe needs %0 Change of Diet after. • , - , ill. Retention of the Menftrues is another Accident to Women in Childbed j and which is of £ dangerous a Confequence, that if not timely reme-* *ed ic proves Mortal. • Where this happens : vl’ 6t t^e W°man ta^e fu& Medicines asJhongly fru% fiv R the Ternjs> andf are Dittany, Betony, Pen- tlLKoya]> Savor7» Feaverfew, Centory, Juniper Ber> es» and Piony Roots. lhe Experienc'd Midwife. 2. Let her take two or three Spoonfuls of Briony-wa- tir every Marting, 3. Gentian-roots, beaten into Powder, and a Dram of them taken every Morning in Wine, is an extraor- dinary Remedy. 4. Tf R-Oocs of Birfhwort, either long or round, fo 1 fed and. taken as the former, is very good. g. Take twelve Piony feds, and heat them into very fine Powder, and let her drink them in a Draught of hot Cardus Poffet drink j and let her fweat after it. And if this lalt Medicine don’t bring them down the firli Time ill? takes it,let her take as much more threehours after, and it I'eJdom fails. IV. Over flowing of the Menftrues is another Ac* cldent incident to Child bed women. 1 .Take Shepherds purfe, either boiled in any convent? ent Liquor, or dried and beaten into Powder, and it will be an admirable Remedy to fop them j this being effect ally appropriated to the Privities. 2. The Flowers and Leaves of Brambles, or either of them,being dried, and beaten into Powder, and a Dram of them taken every Morning in aSpoonful of red IVine, or in a DecoSion of the Leaves of the fame, (which per' haps is much better) is an admirable Remedy for the immoderate Flowing of the Terms in Women, V. Excoriations, Brinies, and Rents of the lower par* of the womb, are often occaiioned by the violent Di' Mention and Separation of the four Caruncles in a wo- man’s Labour. For the healing whereof, As foon as the Woman is laid, if there be only Jimpß Centujions and Excoriations, let the AnodineCatapiafn* formerly direSed.be applied to the lower parts to eafe the Fain, made of the Talks and Whites of new laid Eggs’ and Oyl ofßofes boiled a little over warm Ji,mbcrs, cOf tinually firing it till it he equally mixed,and then fpreA upon fineClothft muf he applied very warm to the beat" ing place for five or fx hours,and when it is taken aveaf lay fame fineßags dipped in oyl of St. JohnVworth, °n each fide of the bearing-place j or let the Part excoriatf The Experienc’d Midwife. he anointed with oyl of St. John’s-worth; twice or thrice a Day, alfo foment the Farts with barley water and Ho- *-Iff R-°fes, to cleanfc them from tie excrements which pafs. And when the Woman makes Water, let them be defended with fine Rags, and thereby hinder the thine from caufi ng Smart and Fains. IV. The Curdling and Clotting of the Milk, is a" not her Accident thatoften happens to Women inChild- bed: Forin the beginning of Child bed', the Woman's jVlilk is not purified, becaule of the great Commotion her Body fufFered during her Labouriwhich afFedled all he Parts.and it is then mixed with many other Humours ow this Clotting of the MiJk,doe- for the molt Parc Proceed from the Breafts not being fully drawn ; and that either becaule ffae hath too much Milk,and that the trdant is too fmall and weak to flick all; or becaufefhe ;oth not defire to be a Nurfe/or the Milk in thofeCafes pNaming m the Breaft after Concoction, without be- i;6 ?rlwn>lofGfh the fweetnefs and the BilfamickQua- ty jt had,and byreafon of the Heat it acquires, and The oiong ftay it makes there, it fours, curdles and clots tike manner as we fee Runnet put into ordinary Milk tns it into Curds : This curdling of the Milk mav be .0 caufed by having taken a great Cold, and not keep- me Breaft well covered. - r But for whatcaufes foever this curdling of the Milk tfipCjje /i 6 m certa’n Remedy is, fpeedily to draw untill they are emitted and dried. But in re~ itiV*a Infanr’ Reafon ofits Weakness, Cannes Hen r?£nencm£h> tbe W()man h«’’ng hard marked g her Milk is f© curdled ;it will be moft proper to tom*1?, Woman to draw her Breafts untill the Milk V ree,y>and then Im? "’*v- the Child fuck. And f not alrerwarris be troubled with a furplu- lk* ™!leafibch Dief as gives but little uriftmentand that fhe keeps her Body open. Cilfu Cafe be fuch that the Woman neither can IlbeaNurfe, tis then necefiary to apply other T&tf Experienc'd Midwife. Remedies fortheCuring ®f this Dlftemper. For then it will be the bed not to draw her Breads, for that will be the Way to bring more Milk into them 3 which in this Cafe mvift by all means be;prevented;Fot whichPurpole 5c will beneceff:ary to empty the Body by bleeding in the Arm : Belides which, let the Humours be drawn down by ftrong Clyfters, and bleeding in the Foot, not will it be amifs to purge gently: And to digeil, refolve and diffipate the curdled Milk, apply the Cataplsftrt of pure Honey, or that of the four Brains boiling in a De- coftion of Saga,MUk,Smalkge andFennei,mixing with at Oyl of Camomile, with which let the Oyl Breads be ajfo welj anointed. This following Liniment is ai!o good to fcatter and diflipate the Milk. Lintnunt to fcatter and diffipate the Milk. Thar the Milk flowing back to the Breads, may with out Offence be diffipated, you mull ufe_this Oyntment 1 Take of pure Wax.two Ounces, of Lin feed Oyl had a Pound * when the Wax is melted, let a Linament be wherein Linncn cloths muft be dipped,and accord- ing to their Largeaefs be laid upon the Breaft and when be difcuffei and pained no more,let otherLinnen UPZfc(«'That the Cloths dipped in the diddled Wal*< «f Acorns, mod be ufed only by thofe that cannot nurff their own Children ; but if a Srfl.ng in the Breads them which give fuck do arife from abundance of stmTthreaten an M.tna.icn, let them the the fo-J Oyntment, but abilam from uftngthe diddled W Acorns. ffhe Experienc'd Midwife. CHAP. VIII. Directions for Nurfts, in ordering new-born Children. F Jf Aving in the formerCbapter (hewn how the lying in Woman ftiould be ordered,it is now high Time to take Care of the Infant: To whom, the full Service that feould be performed for it, is the Carting of the Navei'ftring, of which I have fpoken at large before, Page 59. Seifi. r. What is to be done to the new bora Infant, after cutting the Navel fring. WHEN the Child’s Navel ftringhath been cut ac- cording to the Rules before prefcribed. Let the Midwife prefently cleanfe it from the Excrements and Filth it brings into the World with itj of which foam *te within the Body, as the Urine in the Bladder, and fhe Excrement found in the Gutsj and others with- °hf, which are thick, and whltifh, and clammy, pro- Reding from the flimVnefs of the Waters: There arc Children fometimeslb covered aII over with' this, that °rie would fay they werp rubbed over with foftCheefe and fome Women are of fo eafte a Belief, that they *«ally think it fo j becaufe they had eaten fome while were with Child. From thefe Excrements Jet the Child be cleanfed with Wine and Water adittle warmed, vLaflt'ng every Fart of its Body therewith,hut chiefly the **ead, becauie of the Hair, alfo the Folds of the Groins f~Trn pits, and the Cods or Privities i which Parrs muft e gently cleanfed with a Linnen Rag, or a foft Spunge ppped in this luke-warm Wise. If this clammy 0r vi- jC°tis Excrement flick fo dofe that it will nor befo eafl- Pwafhed off from thole Places, it may beietchtofl’w;tjl >’l of fweet Almonds or a little frefh Butter melted uh Wine, and aft: wards well dried off; She rnuft *° make Tents of fine Bags, and, wetting them ;n this ‘The Experienc'd Midwife. .Liquor therewith unflop the Ears and Noftrils, but for the Eyes, wipe them only with a dry foft Rag, not dip- ping it in the Wine, left it fhould make them fmart. The Child being thus walhed and cleanfed from its native Blood and Impurities,which attended it into the World, it mult in the next Place be Cearched to lee whe- ther all Things be righ*- about it, and that there be no Faultor Dillocation ; whether its Nofe be ftrait, or its Tongue be tied j or whether there be any Bruife or Tumour of the Head, or whether the Mold be not over- Ihotcen; alfo whether the Scrotum (in cafe it be a Boy) be not blown up and fwelled ; and in fhort, whether it has fuffered any violence by its Birth in any Part of its Body,and whether all the Parts be well and duly fbap’d, that fo fihtable Remedies may be applied, if any Thing be not found right. Not is it enough to fee that all be right without, and that the OuHide of the Body be cleanfed, but (he muft chiefly obferve whether it dif- chargeth the Excrements retained within, and whe- ther the Railages are open,for fome have been born with- out having them preforated ; therefore let her examine whether the Conduits of the Urine and Stool be clear: For Want of which fome have died, not being able to void their Excrements, becaufe timely Care was not taken at flrft: As to the Urine, all Children, as welt Males as Females, do make Water as foon as they arc born, if they can. efpedally when they feel the Heat ol the Fire, and fometimes alfo the Excrements but not fo foon as the Urine. If the Infant does not Ordure it the firft DaV, then put up into its Fundament a fmall Sup' pofitory", to ftirlt up to be difeharged, that it m?.y not Caufe painful Gripes, by remaining fo longin its Belly* A fugar’d Almond may be proper for this Pur pole > nointed over with a little boyled Honey, orelfe a fman Piece of Caftle-foap, rubbed over with freft butter, ft6,, may alfo give the Child to thisPurpofe a little Syrup ot Rofes or Violets at the Mouth, mixed with forae Oyl ot fweet Almonds drawn without Fire, anointing the Belly alfowith the fame 0)1, or a little frefh Batter. The Midwife having thus wafhed and. cleanfed the Child, according to the before-mentioned Directions let her begin to Twaddle it in Swathing-cloaths, end when, fhe drefTes the Head, Jet her put fmall Rags behind the Ears to dry up the Filch, which ufually engenders there and fo let her do alio in the Folds of the Arm pits and Groins and fo fwathe it, having wrapped it up warm in Beds and Blankets; which there isTearce any woman fo foolifh> but knows well enough how to do, only letr* me give them this Caution,that Ihe fwathe not the Child- tooftreit in its Blankets, el'pecially about the Breall and' Stomach Chat it may breathe the more freely, and nof be forced to Vomit up the Milk it lucks,bccaufc thcSto. mach cannot be fufficiently extended to contain ir.There. foie let its Arms and Legs be wraped in itsßed, ilretch- ed out lfrait,and fwathed to keep them fo, viz. The Arms along its Sides,and its Legs equally both together, with a little of the Bed between them, that they may not be galled by rubbing each other. Then let cheHead he kept heady and hraight, with a Stay fattened on each Side the Blanket; and then wr.ip rheChild up in Man- tles and Blankets to keep it warm: Lt none think this of Swathing the Infant is needlefs to fet dowrn, for it is necelfary it fhoul J be thus (waddled to give its little body a ftraic figure, which is molt decent and proper for a Man, and to accuftom him to keep upon his feet, Which otherwise would go upon All-four, as mott ocher Animals do. The Experienc'd Midwife. the Experienc'd Midwife. C H A P. IX. Of the Incliff option of new born Infants, with fuita• bis Remedies for each. IN new-born Children there are fe many Diftempers they are fubjedl to, that daily Experience Ihews us, There ate not aboye half the Children that are born, which live till they are three Years old j which is oc- cafion’d as well becaufe of the Tendernefs of their Bo- dies, as the Feeblenefs of their Age, which hinders them from expreffing thelncommedities they labour under, any otherwife than by their Cries. The Buh- jnels of this Chapter therefore lhall be to difeover the Indilpofitions to which they are iubjeft, with the Re- medies proper for them. Sedy appearing fo fenflefs, and their Face fo blue and ”vid, that they leem to be quite choaked y and even fume Hot»rs? thjir Shewing any Signs of Lite, is The Experienc'd Midwife. attended with fo much Weaknefs. that it Jocks like a re- turn from Death, and that they are ftill upon the Bor- ders of his Kingdom. In this Cafe, the beft Way to help the Infant, is to lay him fpeediJy in a warm Bed and Blanket, and car- ry him to the Fire> and then let the Midwife (up a little Wine,and fpout it into his Mouth, repeating it often if there be Occa/lon, Let her apply Linnen to the Bread and Belly dipped in Wine j and let theEaca be uncover- ed, that he may breathe the more freely, alfo let the Midwife keep its Mouth a little open,and cleanfe rheNo- drlls with fmall Linnen Tents dipt in white-wine, that So he may receive the fmell of it; and let her chafe e- very Part of his Body well with warm Cloth, to bring back the Blood and Spirits,which being retired inwards thro’ weaknefs, oft puts him In Danger of being choak- ed. By the Application of thefe Means the Infant will infenfible recover Strength and begin to dir his Limbs by Degrees", and at length to cry, which rho* it be but Weakly at fird, yet afterwards, as he breathes more freely, will cry (Longer and (Longer, Seft. 2. Of the Fundaments being do fed up in a nsiv barn Infants. ANother ETcd that new-born Infants are liable to, is, to have their Fundament clofed up, by means whereof they can neither evacuate the new Excrements engendered by the Milk they fuck, nor that which w»s amaffed in their Inteftmes,whilll in their Mothers Beily» which is certainly Mortal, without a fpeedy Remedy* There have been fome FemaleChlldren, who have had their Fundament fo doled, and yet have voided the Ex- crements of the Guts by an Orifice whichNature,to fis?' ply that Defeft, had made within the Neck of the womb. For the Cure or Remedy of this>we mult take Notice that the Fuadaraent is dofed two ways *• Either hy.a tte Experienc’d Midwife. (ingle Skin,through which one may difc ver fomc black and blew Marks proceeding from the Excrements retain- ed, which if one touch with a finger, there is felt afoft- nefs u ithin ; and thereabouts it ought to be pierced; Or elfe it is quite (topped up by a thick flefhy Subftance, in fuch Sort, that there appears nothing without, by which its true Situation may be known. When rhere isnothing but the (ingle Skin which makes the Clofure, the Of era- tion is very eafie, and the Children may do very well: for then an Apertiun or Opening may be made with a fmall !nci(ion Knife, crofs-'ways, that it may the better receive a round form? and that the Place may not after- wards grow together taking great Care not to preju' dice theSpfeinfler or Muicleof the Re&um. The Inch. fi-n being thus made,fheExcremcnts will certainly have IlFue.Buf ifbyßealon of their Jor.g ftay in the belly they are become dry, that the Infant can’t void them j then let a fmall CJyfter be given, to moiflen and bring them away j after wards put a Linnen Tent into the new-made lundamcnr, which at firfl had belt be anointed wirhHo- fity of Rofes, and towards the End with a drymg Cica- trizing Ointmenqfuch as Unguentum Album, or Pom- foilix,obferving to cleanfe thelnfant of hisExcremcnts, and dry it again as foon, and as often as he evacuates them ,• that fo the Apcrtlon may be prevented from turning into a malignant Ulcer. Bur now if t fee fundament be flopped up in fuch Man- ner that neither Marknor A.pearancecan be either feen °r felt, then the Operation is much more difficult: And when it is done, the Danger is much more of the mfant’s efcaping it. And therefore if it be a female, and chat it fends forth its Excrements bytheWayl have before, ’/is better not to meddle, then by en- deavouring to remedy an Inconvenience,run an extream b*a2ard of the Infant’s Death, But when there is no for the Excrements, without which Death is una- voidable, there the Operation is juftifiable. f’he Experienc'd Midwife. 102 The Operation in this Cafe muftbe thus, Let the O- peraior with a I'mall Incifion-Knife that hath but one Edge, enter into the void place, and turning the Back of it upwards within half a Fingers Breath of the Child’s Rump which is the Place where he will certain- ly find the Inteftine, let him thruft it fo forward, that it may be open enough to give •free Vent to the Matters there contained,being efpecially carefulofthe Sphindet; after which, let the Wound be dreffed according to the Method above directed. Sefb 5. Of the Thrufh, or Ulcers in the Mouth of an In- fant. TH E Thrush is a Diilemper that Infants are very often fubjedd to : And it arifes from bad Milk, of from foul Humours in the Stomach for lometimes tho’ there be no illQuaiity in theMiik itlelf, yet it may cor- rupt in the Child’s Stomach, becaufe of its Weaknefs, or for fome other Indifpofition, in which acquiring, ah Acrimony, inffead of being well digefted, there arises from thence bittngVapours, which forming athickVif- cofity, do thereby produce this Difteraper. It is often difficult, as Phyhcians tell us, becaufe it is featedin hot and moift Places, where the Putrefatftioh is eafily augmented, and for that the Remedies cannot lodge there, being foon w&fhed away withSpittß* But if they arifefrom too hot a Quality in the Nurle’s MilkjCareraull betaken to temper and cool it,prefcrib'*ro her cool Diet: Bleeding and purging her alfo, if the*e be occafion. Take Lentils husked, Powder them, and lay it upon the Child’s Gums. Or> Take Meliutn in Flower hall tf Ounce, and with Oyl of R >fes make a Liniment. wafh theChild’sMouth with Barley, and plan'ane-wa_te* and Honey of Rofes, or Syrup of dry RofeS-mixing^’f, them a little Verjuice or Juice ol Lemons, as well & loofen and deanfe the viicous Humour, which cleave The Experienc'd Midwife, thelnfideof the Child’s Mouth, as to cool thefe Parts which are already over-heated. This may be done by Means of a fmall fincßag, faftened to the End of a little Stick, and dipped therein, wherein the Ulcers maybe gently rubbed, being careful not to put the Child to too much, lell an inflammation make the Dillemper worfc; The child’s Body »ufl alfo be kept open, that the Humours being carried to the lower Parts, the Va- pours may not afcend, as ’tis ufual for them to do, when the Body is coflive, and the Excrements too long re- tained. If the Ulcers appear malignant, let fuch Re- medics be ufed as do their Work fpeedily, that the evil Qualities that caufe them being thereby inflantlycor- mdled, theirMalignify may be thereby prevented: And *n this cafe touch the Ulcers with Plantane-water fhar- Pened with Spirits of Vitriol ■, for the Remedy mull: be made fliarp, according to the Malignity of the Diftem, Per* It will not be unneceffary to purge thefe ill Hu- mours out of the whole Habit of the child, by giving half an Ounce of Succory with Rhubarb. Vi. 6. Of Pains in the Ears, Inflamation, Moifiuret &C, THE Brain in Infants is very moift, and hath many Excrements which Nature cannot fend out at its Proper Paffages ; They get often to the Ears, and there caufe Pains, flux of Blood, with Inflamation, and Mat- ter with Pain. And in children is hard to be known, having no other Way to make it known,but by conftant Spying 5 you will alfo perceive them ready to feel their sars5ars themfelves, but will not let theorher touch them,if •hey could help it j and fometimes you may difeern the Parts about the Ears to be very red. Thefe Pains, if let *mne,are of dangerous Confequence, becaufe they may ming forth Watching and Epikpfie ,* for the Moifture breeds Worms there, and fouls the fpungy Bones, and by degrees caufes incurable Deafnefs. 104 The Experienc'd Midwife. To prevent all chefe ill Confequences, allay the Pain with all convenient fpeed>but have a Care ofufing ftrong Remedies. Therefore only ufe to warm Milk about the Ears, with the Decoffion of P >ppy-tops, orO}lofVio- lets: To takeaway the MoMlure, ufe Honey of Rofes, and let Aqua Mtllis be dropt into the Ears. Or, Take Virgin’s Honey half an Ounce, red Wine two Ounces, Allom, Saffron, Peter-Salt, each a Dram mix them at the Fire. Or drop in Hemp feed Oyl with a litrleWine. Seft. 7. Of Rednefs and Inflamation of the Buttocks, Gfoin and Thighs of a young Child, IF there be not great Care taken to change and wafh the Child’s Beds as foon.as they «re fouled with the Excrements, and to keep the Child very clean, their - crimony will be lure to caufeßednefs, and beget aSmart- ing, in the Buttocks, Groin, and Thigh of the Child i which, by Reafon of the Pain, will afterwards be fub- jedt tolnflamadons, which follows the fooner, through the Delicacy andTcndernefs of their Skin, from which the outward Skin of the Body is in a ihort Time he pa ra- ted and worn away* The Remedy ofthisistwo fold : That is to fay, fir'd To keep the Child cleanly: And in the fecondPlacc,To take off the fhafpnefs of its Urine. As to keep it clean' ly fhe is but a forry Nutfe that needs to be taught hovV to do it/or if fhe lets it but have dry, clean, and warns Bed and Clouts,as often and as foon as it has fouled and wet them, either by its Urine or Excrements, it will be fufficient. And as to the Second, thetakingoff the Sharp' nefs of the Child’s Urine, that mult be done by Nurfe’s keeping a cooling Dier, that herMllk may have the fame Quality, and therefore fhe ought ro abftaih from all Things that may heat if. Bur befidcs thefo coolinp and drying Remedies are requiflte to be apph to the inflamed Parts: Therefore let the Pains be bathed with Plantane-water, with a fourth Part of Lime wate* The Experienc'd Midwife. added to if, each Time the Child’s Excrements are wip’d off. And tf the Pain be very great, Jet it only be fo- mented with luke warm Milk. The Powder of a Poft to dry itvor a little Mill-duft ftrewed upon the Partsaffeg) give it lefs. If it be from corrupted Milk that is vomiting is Yellow and Green, or otherwise dl'coloured, and ftinking : In this Cafe, mend the Milk,as has been fhewed before.- cleanfe the Child with “oney of Rofes and Ihengthcn its Stomach with Syrup Mints and Quinces. Or> Take Wood Allies Coral, Maftich each half a Dram j Galangal half a Syrup ©f Quinces make an Eledury. If the Hu- mour be hot and Iharp give the Syrup of Pomegranates, and Coral; and apply to the Belly thePlaifter of "read, the Stomach CerotjJ or Bread dipt in Wine hot, 2Ee Experienc'd Midwife. Or, Take Oyl ofMaftich, Quinces, Mints, Wormwoods, each half an Ounce ; of Nutmegs by TLxffeJfion, had/ a Dram, chymual Oyl of Mint!, three Drops, Coral hath an occuJt Propriety to prevent Vomiting) and is there- fore hung about their Necks> Se&. 9. Of breeding Teeth in young Children, THIS is a very great, and yet necelTary Evil in aH Children,having variety of Symptoms joined with it: They begin to come forth not all at a Time, but one after another, about the fixth and feventh Month* the Fore-teeth coming firft, then the Eye teeth, and iaft of all the Grinders * the Eye teeth caufe more Pain to the Child than any of the reiljbecaufe they have a very deep Root, and a fmall Nerve, which hath Communica- tion with that which makes the Eye move. In the breeding of theirTeetb,firft they feel an itching in their Gum?, then they are pierced as with a Needle, and pricked by the Iharpßones * whence proceeds great Pains, Watching and Inftamation of the Gums, Fever, Loof- refs and convulsions, efpccially when they breed their Eye teeth. The Signs when children breed theirTeetb are thefe; Firft, It is known by thelrTlme, which is ufually about the feventh Month. 2. Their Gums are fwelled, and they feel a great heat there, with an itching, which makes them put their Fingers in their Mouth, to rub thenvfrom whence Moifturediftils down into the Mouth becaufe ef the Pain they feel there. 3. They bold the Nipple fafter than before. 4, The Gum is white where the Tooth begins to comejand theNurfe in giving them fuck finds the Mouth hotter, and that' they are nrucb changed, crying every Moment, and cannot fleep, of but very little at aTimc. The Fever that follows breed- ing of Teeth,comes from cholertck Humours inflam- ed by Watching, Pain and Heat. And the longerTeeih arc breeding, the more dangerous it; fo that msflf The Experienc'd Midwife. in the breeding of them die ufFevers and Convulsions. For Remedy» two Things are to be regarded j One is to preferve the Child from the evil Accidents that may happen to it by reafon of tbs great Pain The other to afiift as much as it may be the cuttingof rheTeeth,whcn they can hardly cut the Gums themfelves. For the flrft of thefe, t. e. the preventing thefe Acci- dents to the Child, the Nurfe ought to take great care to keep a good Diet, and to ufe all Things that may cool and temper her Milk j that fo a Fever may not follow tfcc Pain of theTeerh : And to prevent tbeHu- mour from falling too much upon the inflamed Gums, let the child’s Belly be kept always loofe, to gentle c,ly- fters, if he be bound j tho’ oftentimes there is o nee- of them, becanfe they are at rhofe Times ufually trou .d with a Loolenafs: and yet for all that, clyftefs not be improper neither. As to the other, which is toaffild in the cutting of ha Teeth, that the Nurfe mull do from time to time ma- lifving and looiening them? by rubbing them with her Finger dipt in Butter or Honey, or le the Chil i have a Virgins Wax-candle fo chew upon.Or noint fhcGurns with the Mucilage of Quince made whh Mallow* -a- ter, or, with the Brains of a Hate :A‘ form nt the Cheeks with the Decoction of Aitl- - 1 Camom’le^ flower and Dill, ot with the Juice o. ,• ws and trelh Butter. If the Gums are inflamed, a- ce of Night- shade and Lettuce. I have already fa I :ne Nurfe ought to keep a temperate Diet j I will now add Thatßarley- hrotb, Water-gruel, rorc Eggs, Pruens, Lettuce, and Endive, are very good for her; But let her avoid fait, *harp, biting and pepered Meats and Wine. Se&. i o. Of the flux of the Belly, orLoefenefs in Infants. IT is very ordinary lor Infants to have a Flux of the Belly or Loofenefs, elpecialiy upon the Jeaftlndifpo- hrion; nor is it to be wondered at, feeing their Natural 'The Experienc'd Midwife, Moiflnefs contributed fo much thereto 3 and if if be ex- traordinary violent, fuch are in betrer Store of Health, than thofe that are bound. This FluX> if violent* pro- ceeds from divers Caufes 3 as, r. From breeding of Teeth, and is then commonly attended with a feven in which the Concodcion is hindered- and the Nourifhment corrupted. 2. From watching. 3. From Pain. 4. From ftirring of the Humours by a fever. When they fuck or drink too much in a Fever; Sometimes they h“ave a flux without breeding of Teeth, from out- ward Cold in the Guts or Stomach, that nbftrutSs Con- ception. - It it be from Teeth, it is eaflly known, for the Signs in breeding of Teeth will difeover it. If it be from external Cold there are no Signs of other caufes. If from a Hurnoar flowing from the Head there areSignsof a Catarrh, and the Excrements are frothy. If crude and raw Humours are voided there is Wind, Belching, and flegmatick Excrements. If they be yel- low, green and ftink, the Flux is from a hot and fharp Humour. It is belt in breeding of Teeth, when theßel- ly is loofe, as I have faid before .• But if it be too vio- lent, and you are afraid it may end in a confumption, it mull be itopr, and if rheSxcrements that are voided be Black, attended with a Fever, it is very bad. The Remedy in this cafe, has a principal Refpedf to the Nude; and the condition of the Milk muff chiefly be obferved: The Nude mull be cautioned that fhe eat no green fruit, nor Things of a hard conception. If the child fuck not remove the flux with Purges, fuch as leave a blooding Quality behind them : As Syrup of Honey oi Roles, or a clyfter. Take the Decoiiion of Mi I Hum Myrohalans each two or three Ounces 3 -with an Ounce or two of Syrup of Rofes make a Clyfer. Alter cleaning, if it proceed from a hot caufs, give Syrup op dried Rofes, Quinces, Myrtles, Coral, Currans, or the Powder of Diamargariton, Coral, Ma/liih, Harts horn, red Rofes, or Powder of Myrtles, with a little Sanguis Draconic. Allb anoint with Oyl of Rofes, Myrtles,Ma~ The Experienc'd Midwife. fich, each two Drams, with Oyl of Myrtles and Wax, make an Oyntment. Or, Take red Rofes, Moulin, each a Handful, Cyprcfsrodts, two Drams ; make a Bag, boil it in red Wine, apply if to the Belly ; or ufe the Plaifter of' Bread, or Stomach Oyntment. If the Caufe be cold, and Excrements white, give Syrup of Maffick, and Quinces, with Mint water, Ule outwardly Mines, Mafich, Cummin ] as, Take Rcfefeeds an Ounce ] Cum- in in, adnnifeds, each two Drams ; with Oyl of Mafich, Wormwood, and Wax, make an Oyntment, 109 Se£t. 11. of the Epilepde and ccnvulfon in Children, THis is aDiftemper that is the Death of many young Children, and proceeds from the Brain firft, as When the Humours are bred in the Brain that caufe It, cither from the Parents, or from Vapours, or bad Hu- mours, that twitch the Membranes of the Brain jit is al- ibmetimes caufed from other Diftempers, and from kad Diet. Likewife the Tooth ach, when the Brain l’°nfents, caules it, and fo dees a fudden Fright.. As to Diftemper itfelf, if is manifeli, and well enough f nown were it is ; and as to the Caufe whence it comes, may know by the Signs of the Dileafe, whetherit Wittes from bad Milk, or Worms, or Teeth If thefe all absent, it is certain that the Brain isfirlhefFedled. it comes with Small-pox or Mealies, it ceafetb when lhey come forth, if Nature be ftrong enough. . ?or theßemedy of this grievous and often mortaJDi Striper, give this following Powder to a Child to pre-. V£ut it, as loon as it is born : Take Male Piony roots ga- *hered in theDecreaJc of the Moon, a Scruple j 'with Leaf~ make a Powder. °r, ‘Take Piony roots a Dram, iony feeds, Mijleto ofthe Oak, Pikes hoof, Man’s Skull, mleri) cash a Scruple j Musk two Grains : Make a owder. The belt part of the Cure is taking Care of Nurle’s diet, which mull not be diforderly by any eahs. If it be from corrupt Milk, provokes a\ omit; The Experienc'd Midwife. to do which, hold down the Tongue, and put a'Quill dipt in I'weet Almonds down the Thro&t. If if comes from Worms, give Things that will kill theWorms,as •you will be dirc&ed in the following Se&ion. If there be a Fever, refpeft that alio, and give Coral, Smaragd, and Elkes hoof. IMthe Fit, give Epileptick Water as Lavender-water and rub with Oy! of Amber, or hang a Piony-root, Elkes hoof, Smaragd about the Neck. As to aConvulfion,it is when the Brain labours tocaft out that which troubles it: The Matter is in the Marrow of the Back, and Fountain of the Nerves. It is aftub- bcrn Difeafe, and often kills. For Remedy whereof, In the Fit walh the Body, ef- pedaliy the Back-bone, with Deco&ion of jdlthaaLiF ly-rnots, Piony andCamomtU flowers, and anoint it with Man’s and Goofe greate, Oyl of IVorms, Orris Lillies, Foxes, Turpentine, Majiich, Stor ax and Calamint. The Sun-Bower is alfo very good, boiled in Water) to waih the Child. Sect. IZ. Of the IVorms in young Children. SEveral Phyficians have obferved, that Children have had Worms even in their Mother's Belly,and havc voided them after they were born : but they are not la common : The Truth is, Worms, generally fpeaking’ are bred by mixing Milk with other Meats, in hot an® moifi: conliituris nsj and from fweet Meats and Summef' Fruits, bpthwhich Worms love: As to their Form, lC is divers ; But they at« generally round and long, broad and little. And they are known to be in a where there is excellive crying, gnalhing of Teeth' troubleiome Sleeping} ftinkingßreath* and much SpiJlt" alfo a dry cough, Loathings* Vomitting, Hick-up, w3*1 of Appetite, or too mullThirit: a Belly fwelled, 0 bound, or too Joole, the Urine thick and white, away with Pain, when the Belly is empty, and £jV Worms want food • There is alfo a cold Sweat over Tbs Experienc'd Midwife. Face, and a high Colour, and then fudden PaJenefs ; and fometimes a Fever and ConvuJ/lon, which ceafeth prefently : But all thefe are Signs of round Worms ra- ther than flat; and thefe long round Worms are the wotft, and fometimes have eaten through the Guts and ■Belly ; with a Fever thefe are very dangerous : Thole that are of a white Colour, are better than thofe of o- ther Colours. As to the Remedy: J {ball £rR offer fomething by Way of Prefervation; it being better to prevent the breeding of Worms, than to expel them after they are bred : The Way to prevent the breeding of them is, by fating Meats of good Juice, with Oranges and Pome- granates, and avoiding all Sorts of Tweet, fat, and fliray Meats, Flefh, Milk, and Summer-Fruits ; and to drink Wine with Scurvy grafsand Sorrel-water in if, and with Powder of Hart’s-horn. And let the Belly he kept dole, Clyfters for Children ; or give the Decoftion of before theMeat,or ofWormwood andScordinm but Children will not takeTbings that are bitter; there- Uretake Grals-water, and Juice of Lemons or Citron, °r a Drop or two of Spirit of Vitriol. .For Cure, When you know that the Child has the ,y Orms, kill and repel them with Powder of Coralline, frmfeed, Hartrhorn, or eight Groins c/Mercurus Dul- W ; infufe them a Night in Graf, water, andcajt away {he Suhjlance of the Mercury, and give the Water. Or aheff'orm/eed twoDr am s,C or alline Hart s-horn prepared, tQch a Dram ; Roots of Fiony, Dittany, Mage (eery of Co- cash a Scruple : make a Powder • Or give the Ef- £Kee of Peach flowers, or the Decochen of Fern-water, an Ounee or an Ounce. If there be a Fever with ► e Wurms (as it fometimes happens) then ufe 'Juice of ftf>onsi Pomfgronates, Oranges, Vinegar, Harts-horn- jj eZoar, ConfeSHon of Hyacinth : Or this following Po, Q°n j 'la he Grafs-water, Syrup of Juice of Citrons, an }fnce i«/ Violets half an Ounce , Spirit of Vitriol two r‘ts > give two Spoonfuls. Or, Take Raifins ten, Figs, 112 The Experienc'd Midwife. fven> loil them in Water; take of it four Ounces, add Sugar an 0 unee and half; make a Clyfter, and give ic the Child. 1c is beft to ufe Variety, that the Worms may not be too familiar with one. If you can get the Child to take it bitter Things will be beft at the Mouth; but apply to the Fundament thofe that are fweet: And therefore a Clyfter of fweet Milk will be proper. Alfo apply Peach leaves to the Naveh bruited? for a Cata- plafm , of Ox'gall, Wormwood, Gith, Century, Worm- feed, Lupines, each half an Ounce ; with Oyl of Worm- feed and Wax half ar.OUnce, make an Oyntment. Or, Take half an Ounce of Treacle mix it with Juice * Wormwood» and apply it to the Navel. The End of the Firji Part. The Compleat and Experienc’d MIDWIFE PART 11. Containing Proper and Safe REMEDIES for the Curing of all tkofe Diftempers .that are Peculiar to the Female Sex; And especially thofe that are any Obftrudtion to the Bearing of Children. HAving finifhed the Firffc Part of this Book and therein I hope amply made good myPro- mife to the Reader; lam now come to treat °f the Diftempers peculiar to the Female Sex. In ’*hich it is not my Defign fo to enlarge as to treat of the Diftempers they [are incident to, but thofe ?ti]y to which they are moft Subjetft when in a Breed jftg Condition, and thofe that keep them from being !?: For each of which Diftempers I have laid down ch proper and fafe Remedies, as with the Divine may be fufficient to repel them. And finceas all the Difeafes to which Human Nature is there is none that more diametrically oppo- £s the very End of our Creation, and the Defign of ature in the Formation of different Sexes, and the °wer thereby given us for the Work of Generation, an that of Sterility or barrennels (which, where ic 114 ‘The Experienc'd Midwife. Prevails, renders the moft accomplilhed Midwife but | ufeleis Perfon, and deltrovs the Defrgn of our Book,1 think therefore Barrennefs is an Affc£ thatdeferves on1 firft Conlideracion. C H A P. I. Ofßarrennef • its feveral Kinds, -with frofer Remedy againft ; and the Signs of Infujficiency both in W end Women, . Se $ *the Experienc'd Midwife. theUniverfal Courfeof Nature being formed by the Al- mighty of a Compofition of Contraries, cannot be in- crsaf«d by a Composition of Likes : And therefore if the Conftitution of the Woman be hot and dry, as well *sof the Man, there can be no Conception : And if on the contrary, the Man flbould be of a cold and molft Conftitution* as weli as the Woman, the Effect would he the fame : And this Barrennefs is purely Natural, f he only way to help it is, for People before they Mar- fy, to oblerve each others Conftitution and Complexion »f they defign to have Children: If their Complexions *Rd Conftitution be alike, they are not fit to come to- gether : for the discordant Nature make the only Har- mony in the Work of Generation. Another Natural Caufe of Barrennefs, Is, want of Love between the Man and Wife: Love is that vital. Principle that ought to admire each Organ in the Atftof Generation, or elfe ’twill he fpiritlefs and dull: for if Jheir Hearts be not united in Love, how ftmild their heed unite to caufe Conception : And this is fufficiently evidenc’d in that there never follows a Conception upon therefore if Men and Women defign to have Children, let them take care to live fo that their Hearts well as their Bodies, may be united, or elfe they *fcay mifs of their Expectations. A tnird Caufe of Natural Barrennefs, is the letting p virgins Blood in the Arm, before their natural Ouries are come down : which is ufually in the four- eenth and fifteenth 1 ears of their Age.- fometimes Perhaps betort the thirteenth, but never before the And becaufe ufually they are out of Order, nd indifpofed before the Purgations come down, . ejr Parents run t© the Dotftor to know what is the j. atter» ar,d he ftrait preferibes opening a Vein in the lecing it was Pulnefs of Blood which was the Vaufe offending; and this makes her well at prefent ? jRd when the young Virgin happens to be in the fame ftordu again, the Moth*- ftrait runs to tlje Surgeon The Experienc'd Midwife. and ufes the fame Remedy j ’ and by thefe Means Blood is diverted from its proper Channel that i[ comes not down the Womb, as in other women .• An- and Barrennefs is * j diredl Oppofition ro the Law, and fruftrates the Vf J. of our Creation j and that it is fo great an to divers to be without Children, and often Man and Wife to have hard Thoughts one of anothjj each Party thinking the Caufe not in them : I here, for the Satisfaction of all well meaning fet down the Signs and Caufes of Inefficiency in Men and Women, prerailing this tirlt, that People have not Children, they mult not prefeO blame either Party, for neither may be in Fault, perhaps God fees it not good (for Realbns belt tohimfelf) to give them any jof which we haye ;i vers Inftancesln Story. And though the the Productions of Nature, works by natural yet where hewitholds his Blelfmg, natural ineffectual, for it is the Bldling which is the P°J ’The Experienc’d Midwife. and Energy by which Nature brings her Production forth, ■ Se and of the Spirits; infomuck that many who have been too much eddified to thatPlea- fure, have killed themfelves in the very A