ARISTOTLE's MANUAL Of Choice SECRETS, SHOWING The Whole Mystery of GENERATION.  
WITH Receipts to prevent BARRENNESS, And Cause CONCEPTION.  
Very Necessary to be Known and Practised by all Midwives, Nurses, & Young Married Women.  
Translated out of Latin by J. P.  
LONDON, Printed for John Back, at the Black-Boy on London-Bridge, 1699.   

 a wealthy woman is attended by midwives, one of whom holds her newborn baby, in her bedchamber  

Here the good Women do attend,  
The Child-bed-womans' Throws,  
Till God a safe Deliverance sends,  
And turns to Joy her Woes.    

ARISTOTLE's MANUAL Of Choice SECRETS.  

CHAP. I. The Office and Duty of an Expert Midwife, in giving a right Judgement whether a Woman has Conceived or not.  
A Midwife, when she is required to give her Judgement, must not do it hastily, but be very Circumspect and Deliberate in determining whether a Woman has Conceived or no, because many have Discredited themselves by Judging too Rashly in this Case, which has been very detrimental to their Practice; for there is nothing more Disappointing, and Ridiculous, than to assure a Woman she is with Child, & afterward it proves the contrary: For, though there may be some appearances, by the rising of the Belly, and a kind of motion, yet this may proceed from something else, as from Wind or Water, etc. which breaking away, causes a sinking of the Belly, and has indeed deceived many, especially Women in years.   

CHAP. II. Of True Conception, with the Signs of it.  
THe Signs of Conception are, If the Woman Receive an Extraordinary Delight in the Company of her Husband, and her Menses are stayed. If she has a kind of Yauning and Stretching, and feels within her (at certain times) a Shaking or Quivering, with a kind of Chilliness felt chief between the Back and Shoulders, attended with some Pains there and about the Navel; a Rumbling, or Disquietness about the Nether Belly, which happens upon the closing of the Neck of the Matrix on Conception, and the Shrinking of the whole Frame of it, to Embrace the Closer and Warmer the Materials of Generation; and thereupon she feels a kind of Tickling, yet in few days is afflicted with Squeamishness, much Spitting, Dullness, and a decay of Appetite, if not with Reaching, and Vomiting, Longing for one sort of Diet more than another, contrary to her wont Inclination at other times. If she finds her Belly fall or grow flat, and soon after Swell again, and grow bigger, her Hips and Reins enlarge, Then there is an undoubted Conception.  
Again, some indeed have, in some Measure, their Menses after Conception, but these are of a very Cold and Moist Constitution; yet, over and above the other signs, towards the second Month, their Eyes grow hollow, the Lids lose and Limber, the Veins in the Corner of the Eyes more swelled and bigger than at other times, the Whites of the Eyes turned Bluish, the Veins and Arteries of the Neck puffed up, and more apparent than usual; the Breasts grow Big, Hard, and are subject to small Pains and Prickings, and contain Milk. If the Urinal be White and clear, mingled with little Moats, and on the top, after settling, it appears in colours Clouded, as it were like a Rainbow, or of an Opal colour, and there appears at the bottom a thick sediment or settling, which shaken spreads itself into particles, Swimming up and down in the Urine like Carded Wool. Towards the end, the Urinal thick & Redish, by reason of the long retention of their Natural Courses.  
These Signs and Symptoms being seriously Enquired into, by a Sober Judicious Midwife, will give such a Light, that Joined with her own Experience, she can't easily be mistaken, because all the Learned in this Mystery, approve them as True Signs of Conception.   

CHAP. III. Of False Conception, and the Signs of it.  
FAlse Conception hath deceived many, & sometimes proved more painful and dangerous than True ones. Therefore I shall give an account what they are, with their Signs, etc. viz. It is sometimes a Lump of Flesh gathered together like the Gizzard of a Fowl, sometimes greater and sometimes lesser, according to the continuance of it; for Nature commonly Expelleth in the third or fourth, if not the Second Month: sometimes it is caused by a thing called a Mole, exceeding the other in bigness, with which some Women have been troubled a Year or two, and sometimes more. And of these there are two kinds. The one is a Mass without Shape or Form, though fleshy, hard and firm, bred within the Matrix, cleaving to the side of it, and this is called a true one. The other, called a false one, is of three kinds, viz. A gross collection of Windiness, Water a massed in Films, or a heaping together of Humours, and have their Places within the Womb. These are often bred together with the Child, and are frequently the Death of it, because the Child is deceived of its Nourishment which is carried to the Mole, or being Encumbered, cannot grow to Perfection.  
There are in these some Common Signs with the True one, as suppression of the Menses, depraved Appetite, Loathing of Meats, Peuking, Swell of the Belly and Breasts; and thereby many, even Midwives, have been deceived. However in these they differ, viz. In a false Conception or Mole, the Face is usually puffed up, the Breasts fall after Swelling, grow Limber and are without Milk. The Thighs, Arms and Legs grow Lame, the Face Wan & Meagre, though towards Night they puff out again suddenly and very hard, the Belly being for the most part of an equal roundness, with divers continuing Pricking Pains in the bottom of it; an uneasiness in going, and a Rumbling Windiness.  
As to the Motion, the false Conception not being animated when it moves, which is heavily, it proceeds rather from the Expulsive faculty of the Mother, than of itself, which having no Living Soul, endeavoureth not to come forth. If the Woman lies on her Back and Crushes her Belly, it will lie in the same form without Touching.   

CHAP. IU. Showing by the Signs, whether a Woman shall be delivered of a Boy or a Girl.  
THe Midwife having given her Opinion the Woman is certainly with Child, many times a Nice Question is started, viz. Whether it be a Boy or a Girl? For Mothers are very desirous to know what they carry, if it be possible for them to be certified in it: Then as before, she must Deliberate, and not Determine by Guests, for so, notwithstanding she may some times be in the right, but oftener in the Wrong, and be accounted of no knowing Experience in this Nice Point.  
If it be a Boy, the Nipple waxeth Red and sometimes Blackish, especially about the third or fourth Month, when the Woman gins to quicken, and the colour in the Mother's Face rather grows more Lively and fresh, than decreasing or declining to Paleness. The right Breast is harder and firmer; and the Milk grows whiter and thicker, and being spirted against a Looking-glass, or smooth Steel, the small Sparkles continue round like Pearls, and in Water mingles not, but sinks directly to the bottom; and if you make a Cake with Milk, it will in the Baking continue firm and very close, if the Milk of a Boy; if not, it will be Spongy. The Right Side of the Belly will be bigger and more Coppid than the Left. The stirring of the Womb is oftener and more lively. The Male Child lieth above the Navel, by reason of its heat. The Mother will be quick and Nimble, and of a healthful Constitution in her condition, etc.  
If it be a Girl, it lieth low in the Belly, as it were at the bottom, because of the Coldness and Weight of the matter that forms it. The Mother at sundry times has a Pale, Heavy, and Dusky Complexion, her Eyes not bright and sparkling or Lively. She is Froward, Fretful, and often Pained in the Back and Shoulders. Her Left Breast bigger than the Right, the Milk thin and bluish, her Belly often flatting, and the Motion lieth on the Left side; and is seldom quick till the fourth Month: The Veins of her Thighs and Groin are bigger and knottier on the Left side than on the Right. To make a further Experiment, take an equal quantity of Claret, and the first Urinal in the Morning, put them in a Urinal, and let them stand twelve hours, and if a gross Cloud appear in the middle, it denotes a Girl, but if at the bottom, a Boy; if nothing, that she is not with Child.   

CHAP. V To know whether a Woman shall have Two Children at a Birth.  
THe Signs of having two Children at a Birth seldom appear before the third or fourth Month, and then the Motions must be carefully observed, as also the Swelling of the Belly: For if the Motion be strong and forcible on either Side at one Instant, it denotes two Children in the Womb. Likewise if the Belly appear more swollen and bigger than in other Childbearing, and the Sides rise higher than the Middle of the Belly, so that there seems a kind of a valley or Line of separation from the Navel downwards; if the Burden be born with difficulty, and the Belly often fall on the Thighs and Hips, there is no great doubt of giving Judgement as to the premises; and whether they be Boys, or Girls, or both, I refer you to consider and compare the former observations.   

CHAP. VI How a Woman, during her going with Child, aught to be Dieted; and what kind of Meats and Drinks are most proper and conducing to her Health and safe Delivery.  
THIS much concerns childing Women to be careful in observing, if they would enjoy perfect Health, and bear strong and healthful Children; and in this I shall observe what things are particularly required, and what to be Avoided.  
In the first place, let her Dwell in a good and temperate Air, neither too hot, cold, or waterish; not subject to Fogs, Mists, cold Northwinds, or to moist South ones. For Hypocrates is of the Opinion, That bad Airs, or Cold, or Moist Winds blowing strongly, frequently cause Miscarriage, especially to those of nice and tender Breeding, by afflicting them with Rheums, Distillations, & troublesome Coughs. All ill Scents and Noisome Vapours are subject to do the like, so that Aristotle forbids Women with Child to come within the smell of the Snuff of a Candle newly put out, lest it cause Abortion, Miscarriage, or untimely Labour.  
Diet must be so chosen as it may be seasonable, and properly nourishing on this occasion, breeding good juice, and moderately drying, the Quantity sufficient for more than her own proper Nourishment at other times. Nor must she give herself to Fasting, especially to any Considerable degree, for if the Child wants its due Nourishment in the Womb, it will either not increase to the purpose, or dwindle away when it is increased; and being Born, will become Weakly and subject to Diseases.  
Too great a Quantity is however to be avoided, for that many times stifles a Child through too much abundance of Nourishment, or makes it so unwieldy it cannot keep in its Place, and therefore is constrained to come forth before its time, or grow Sickly in the Womb.  
All Meats which are either too Hot, too Cold, or too Moist, must be avoided, especially in the beginning of Meals, Salt Meats, and those heated with Spice, are hurtful. Aristotle forbids all manner of Baked Meats to Childing Women. Her bread must be good Wheat well Kneaded and Baked; and the most agreeable Meats are Pullet's, Chickens, Capons, Young Pigeons, Pheasants, Turtle Doves, Partridges, Larks, Veal, Mutton, and Broth; with a mixture of Hot and Cooling Herbs. For Salads, Lettuce, Endive, borage, Bugloss, Sorrell, or in lieu of these, to close the Stomach after Dinner, and temperate the Heat, cooling moderate Fruits, as preserved Pears, baked Wardens, Quinces, or Marmalades, Damisons, Plumbs, Apricocks, Ripe Grapes, Goosberries, Currants, but of none of these too much, lest they Create Phlegmes, and they cause offensive Coughing, etc. And tho' I may here prescribe, notwithstanding all, a Woman with Child has sometimes such a disorderly Appetite, by reason of a full and sharp Humour which is contained within the Membranes of the Stomach, that many times they desire things against Nature, as Couls, Chalk, Charcoal, white-wall, etc. that can be no manner of Nourishment, but certainly offensive. These, tho' unruly Appetite Crave, or make them, as they say, Long for them, yet be ruled by Reason. Let a Woman consider she is a Rational Creature, and aught to be guided by Reason, and not run into Extravagancy to hurt herself where that contradicts it. When any Impatient Long happen for things that are hurtful, the Mind must by degrees be turned from that, to something that is more agreeable, and so by degrees, they may wean themselves from all Extravagancies.  
As to Drinks, good nourishing Wine, not too strong, nor too much at a time, as Canary, Malago, Sherry, Claret; also Ale that is not Foul or Mudy, Beer not too Stolen, Rasberry, Cherry, or Currant Wines, new Milk, but very little either of Whey, Cider or Gooseberry Wine, or any sharp things, by reason they cause Gripe, and do much harm to Childing Women.   

CHAP. VII. Of Sleep, Exercise, Labour, and great Noises, as they tend to the Advantage or Prejudice of Women with Child.  
AS for Sleep, it must be Moderate, and in seasonable times in the Night, lying soft and easy, shifting sides as often as she wakes.  
Exercise Moderately performed helps the Birth by Losing the Cotiledons or vessels of the Matrix, whereby the Infant acquires its Nourishment; going a moderate Pace, or riding softly is well, but Jolting in Coaches, Wagons, or on Horseback, is very much to be avoided, by reason they frequently occasion Abortion.  
Too much Labour is hurtful: Yet, as Aristotle observes, moderate Labour contributes to a safe and easy Delivery, because thereby those Excrements are Consumed, which Sloth and Idleness would retain, or rather Engender. And to keep her Belly, soluble, which in this Case is required, she may take some Broth wherein Prunes are boiled; stewed Apples & Sugar, with a little Butter; Buglos, borage, Purslain & Lettuce, with a little of the herb Mercury shred into Veal Broth.  
Great Noises are very hurtful, as sound of Trumpets, Bells, beating of Drums, and shooting of Artillery: Also Thunder, or the violent roaring of Water, for upon any Frights, or sudden Starts, a Woman may easily Lose her Burden, especially the first Month, for then the Embryo is not firmly fastened and tied to the Womb; and though in the succeeding Month it grows faster and bigger, yet the weight may so press it on the Neck of the Womb, that it may come forth untimely.   

CHAP. VIII. Of Purges to be Taken: And of the Passions of the Mind.  
A Gentle Purge may be convenient, given on any occasion that requires it, from the Fourth to the Seventh Month, but after that, it is neither Practicable, nor by many held safe. All things that violently provoke Urinal, and consequently will have an Influence in provoking the Courses, are forbidden. As also Phlebotomy or Blood Letting, unless some great Necessity require it; as, the Woman being so full of Blood, that it is feared it may stifle the Child with the over great quantity; or in dangerous Diseases, as the Pleurisy, etc. For otherways, the Blood being taken away when the Child is grown, it causes a Leanness and decay of it for want of a due Nourishment, it requiring now much more than when it was very little.  
The Passions of the Mind are, in this Case, to be considered, as either Good or Hurtful, therefore the Childing Woman must prevail with herself, as much as possibly she can, to be Pleasant and Merry, avoidding Melancholy, Musing, Thought, or Vexing, Grieving, Freting, falling into a sudden Anger, Scolding or Exclaiming; neither ought she to be too violently Transported with Laughing, Coughing, Sneezing; with sudden Joy at any surprising News or Accident: Or, on the contrary, Fear; she must therefore have a settled and quiet Mind, not subject to any Passions or Surprise that may be Injurious to what she carries in her Womb. She must not give Ear to Lamentable Tales, sad and frightful Stories, etc. Nor see Fight, Fencing, Bear-Baitings, Executions, or any Cruel and Unnatural Sights, Avoid the Company, as much as may be, of Deformed Persons, Antic Pictures, etc. Lest the Imagination prove Strong, and make some Impression or Similitude on the Faetus or Embrio. And lastly, as to these particulars, when a Woman perceives herself with Child, she must let out her Lacing, and lay aside her Busk, not only for her own ease, which is proper enough, but least the Child being straightened in the Womb, become Writhed, Crooked, or Misshapen.   

CHAP. IX. How to prevent Diseases, and other Griefs, in a Childing Woman, by Oils, Ointments, Fomentations, and Internal Medicaments; with the several Receipts to make and apply them.  
HAving laid down Rules how a Childing Woman, in sundry respects, aught to manage herself, I now come to other particulars of as near a concern, requisite to be taken notice of, and done, in the Ninth Month, viz. To preserve Health, Beauty, and give a safe and easy Delivery. In the first place then, that her Breasts after her Delivery may not be too much puffed up, and hang down like Bags; hang, during her Childing, a little piece of Steel between them, by a String, or Chain, fastened about her Neck; and wash them with this Decoction, or Fomentation, pretty warm and often.  
Take Sage, Perriwinkle, the herb Ground Ivy, of each a handful; Hemlock as much as you can hold between your forefinger and Thumb, bruise them, and boil them in two quarts of water and one of Whitewine, till a fourth part be consumed; then put thereto a little Rose Vinegar, and wash your Breasts.  
This prevents them from Soreness and breaking after Delivery; and from many other ill conveniencies. That the Belly, when the Child Quickens, may be kept in order, from Swelling or growing too Unwieldy, a Swath is requisite, made fit for the purpose, to support it, and to keep the Skin from Furrowing, growing Knottey, or full of broken Veins wrinkled, Anoint it with this Pomander.  
Take the Suet of a Young Kid, and Hog's-Lard, each three Ounces, Goose-Grease and the Grease of a Capon each an Ounce and a Half, melt them in an Earthen Vessel, strain them when very hot into fair Water, and Temper them in it till they become very White, then melt them again, adding an Ounce of Stag's Marrow or Suet, wash them in Rose-water, and Anoint the Belly warm with it.  
Or take Oil of Roses an ounce and a half, Oil of St. John's Wort and sweet Almonds each two ounces, May-butter and Oil of Jessamin each half an ounce, Sperma Ceti a quarter of an ounce; melt these together, and take a soft washed Leather Skin, either Dog or Sheep, made fit for the Belly, Anoint it with these Ointment. This is usually required to be begun in the Fourth Month. In the Ninth Month, The Woman being Healthy, it is convenient that she walk gently before Meals, for the first twelve or fifteen Days; and after that, undertake some moderate Business, or convenient Exercise; and if any Pains or Weakness happen, make the following Bath, viz.  
Take Marshmallows with their Roots, and Motherwort, each two handfuls, white Lily Roots three ounces, Cammomile and melilot flowers each a handful, Linseed, Quince-seed, and Fenigreek-seed, each an Ounce, Boil them in running Water till a fifth part be consumed, and let the Party Battle in it, and being well dried, put into a warm Bed, her Belly, about an hour after, being supled with Oil of Roses, Cammomile, and sweet Almonds.   

CHAP. X. Of unreasonable Long, Hicup, and Vomitings; their Cause, and Remedy: Also Pains in the Stomach, Belly, Flanks, etc. Back, Hips and Groin; Difficulty of making Urinal, Palpitation of the Heart, and Swoonings; Cough, Sore Throat; Costiveness and Laxativeness; Swell in the Legs and Thighs, etc.  
UNreasonable Long are allayed frequently by eating Olives or Capers, boiled Salads, Meats that are Fat and Sweet, with Verjuice, Orange, Pomegranate, Citron, or any sharp Juice in their Sauces. Some commend much Toasted Cheese and dried Amillium, and hot Spices in Meats or Drinks, but no great quantity, for than they are hurtful; as also is much Drinking. And for Drinks, a Glass of Wormwood-Wine, or Hidromel, is very good: And for this a gentle Purge may be given, of Senna or Rhuebard boiled in White-wine; about a quarter of a Pint being drunk warm Fasting.  
The Hickup, and distastefulness of Meats, are very Incident to Women with Child, and prove uneasy to the Child, especially by weakening the Mother, and thereby it being deprived of sufficient Nourishment, causing her either to be Delivered Untimely, or produce a Weakly Child.  
Take, to Prevent or Remedy these, the Yolks of Eggs, Veal Broth, or Chicken Broth, wherein Endive, Succory and Lettuce have been shred, with Beets and Winter-savory; Anointing the Stomach and Belly with Oil of Sweet Almonds and Oil of Violets. If the cause proceed from a sharp bitter Humour, a gentle Purge is requisite to carry it downward, that may occasion no great Straining, and an hour after take Syrup of Violets an Ounce, in a quarter of a Pint of warm new Milk.  
Vomiting, is another defect, but must not however be too suddenly stopped, because if it be not violent it doth some good, by avoiding the abundance of humour amassed together in the Stomach, which is indeed the cause of it, or else some sharp and biting humour, that does stir and provoke it. But it happeneth oftentimes that this Vomiting is so violent, that even the Sustenance that should Nourish the Mother, and Child, cannot remain a convenient time for digestion, but is cast up; and therefore to Remedy this,  
Let the Person so afflicted, see that she use wholesome Diets, eat Moderately, and by degrees, not much, nor over-hastily. Take a gentle Purge, but in it neither Diagridium nor Colloquintida, but rather Rhue or Rhuebarb, infused in White-wine over a gentle fire: The compound Syrup of Cichory, with Syrup of Rhuebarb, which not only Evacuates but Strengthens; or the Syrup of Damask Roses, with Manna dissolved in it. These are so harmless, that the Niceness of the Dose need not be disputed.  
Pains in the Stomach, Flank, or Belly, often happens to Childing Women, and therefore let them know, these are in this case much occasioned by Windiness, the parts being Lax, or sometimes the Wind is shut up in the Womb. To take away this cause therefore, the party must shun all manner of Moist and Windy Meats. Take a grentle purge if it be requisite, and then apply this Fomentation, viz.  
Flowers of Cammomile and Featherfew, each two handfuls, Red-Roses half a handful, Anniseeds and Fennelseeds, each two Drams, Lawrel-bark, and Bay-berrys, each a dram, Bruise these grossly, and Boil them in three Pints of Claret, till a fourth part be Consumed; dip into the Liquor a Linen Cloth, and Foment the parts grieved as hot as may be; and lay on the solid matter Poultis-wise; and let the Party chew Fennel, Anniseeds, and eat first in a Morning a Toast soaked in Hippocras, or Drink a little Dram of the distilled Water of Citron or Limmon-Peels, infused in good Spirits.  
Pains of the Back, Hips, and Groin, and difficulty of making Urinal, are likewise incident to Childing Women; and this happens many times according to the carrying the Child in the Belly, viz. High or low, more backward, forward, or sidelings; and indeed the carrying very low is the occasion of most of these Pains, especially in the Hips and Groin, they proceeding more from the heavyness of the Children, than from any humour; for the Womb then being great and thick, on which side soever it resteth, it draws and strains the Ligatures on the other Parts.  
To prevent which, the Party must not be extraordinary stirring, especially not Jolted, nor attempting to Jump; Eat but little at a time, though the oftener, and of such Meats as are light and easy of Digestion, for the Stomach being overpressed by fullness, presses the Matrix by stretching the Belly. In this Case Swaths Anointed with Oil of Marsh-mallows and Cammomile, are proper to shrink and keep up the Belly, Anointing her Back with Vnguentum Comitissae, or take Mastic and Mirtle-Berrys, half an ounce each, Powder of Red Coral a dram, sealed Earth two drams; beat them unto fine Powder, then add three ounces of melted Bees-Wax and Oil of Roses, with Deers-Suet, as much as will make them up into a Plaster, and lay it to the Reins of the Back so that it may a little incline upon the Fla●ks; and  the Thighs and lower part of the Belly, with the Decoction of Marsh-Mallows, Watercresses, Pellitory of the Wall, Pimpernel, and bruised Linseed, each a little handful, boiled in a gallon of Water, to the Consumption of a third part.  
Palpitations of the Heart and Swoonings are to be considered in the next Place. The first of these being extraordinary, many times proceeds from Vapours arising from the Womb, and other parts nearer enclosed in the Arteries, and through them conveyed to the Heart, whose offensiveness disorders the pure Spirits, and causes those Unnatural Palpitations; the Heart Labouring by motion to expel those Vapours that make it Sicken, and occasion many Evils if not timely prevented or removed. And this is to be perceived by laying your hand on the Woman's Breast; for if it rise strongly, and the Ribs as it were are lifted up with it, keeping time to the Palpitation, than it proceeds from Vapours.  
To remove them, take a gentle Purge, and Bleed moderately; take such Powders, or Cordials, as fortify the Heart, fasting in a Morning, as Aqua Mirabilis, Dr. Stephens' Water, Powder of Bezars-stone, and the Powder of the Bone of a Stag's Heart mixed together, half a dram at a time; and these will not only dissipate the Vapours, but prevent Swoonings, Faintings, & cold Sweats.  
The Heart must likewise be outwardly Fortified, by laying a soft quilted Stomacher to the Stomach and Region of the Heart; and lay a cooling Cataplasm as Mallows, Grounsil, Cammomile and Orpin, beaten together with Oil of Roses and the white of an Egg. Then for a Fomentation, let her use the Water of Bugloss, Borage, Baum, Orange-flower, Roses, Cardus Benedictus, and Scordium; infusing in them Saunder, Coriander, or Angellica seeds, or any Cordial Flowers.  
The Cough is a very troublesome thing to Women with Child, and very dangerous if it be violent, causing Pains in the Head, Flanks, Sides and Belly; Vomitings, Unrest, and many other Miseries; with frequent Miscarriages and Abortions: And to keep from this Grievance, all Salt Meats, Spiced Meats, and all sharp and biting things, especially if the Cough be caused by Vapours, or distillation of a thinn or serous Humour.  
To Remedy this, boil a quart of Ale, that has well worked and settled, till a third part be consumed; then fill it up again with White-wine, and put into it four or five slices of Licorice, as many Blew-Figgs, a few Cammomile Flowers, Aniseed and Coriander seeds, each a quarter of an ounce, let them seethe about a quarter of an hour, strain and press out the Liquid part, and Drink a quarter of a pint three times a day very hot. And to make it more Palatable, it may be sweetened with white-Sugar Candy.  
If the Throat be Sore or Swelled with it, take Oil of sweet Almonds an ounce, White-Sugar in Powder half an ounce, Rose Water half an ounce, mingle these over a gentle Fire, with a quarter of an ounce of Alum dissolved in the Rose-water. Sleeping well, without any Medicines to enforce it, mainly contributes to the staying the Defluxion of Rheums that occasion the Cough. And after you have taken the former, going to Bed, take of the Syrup of Jubebs and Violets, each a quarter of an ounce, mixed with two drams of Diascordium.  
Costiveness is another accident afflicting Childing Women, causing them to strain themselves, and put themselves thereby in danger of Miscarriage. To prevent, or Remedy this, a good Diet must be had, eating Meats that moisten and keep the Bowels slippery and open. But this must be done with Discretion, lest too much moisture loosen the Ligatures of the Womb, and hasten the Delivery before it be convenient: And among other Meats I recommend Veal, Necks of Mutton, Place, Flounder, Baked Apples, Pruens, Salads of Lettuce, Pursleaine, Endive, and all strengthening Broths, without Spice or Saltness. Then  
Take half an ounce of the Tops of Senne, bruise it with three Scruples of Antimony, infuse them in half a Pint of Sherry over a gentle Fire; and Drink it hot.  
Laxativeness immoderately, is as hurtful as the other; for it puts the Woman very much in danger of Coming before her Time; and if it be not in time stayed, it is in likelihood to turn to the Bloodyflux, and there it often proves fatal. To stay this,  
Take Conserve of Red-Roses half an ounce, Baum and Mint tops Conserved, each a quarter of an ounce, Syrup of Sloes an ounce; put these into a pint of Red-Wine, mingle them well over a gentle Fire, and drink it Morning, Noon and Night, pretty hot: And for greater assurance, Administer a moderately astringent Clyster, viz. Of Plantain, Camomile, melilot, borage and Burglos Decocted in Whey or Skim-milk; adding two ounces of the Oil of Violets.  
Swelling in the Thighs and Leg, are many times incident to Women with Child, especially to those that before were wont to have strong Purgations; for the Blood being more than is required for Nourishment, altars and converts to Waterish or Dropsical Humours: But Women of Choleric Constitutions are seldom subject to this, because their great Heat dries up this Moisture; and these accidents usually happen the first four Months; yet if not removed, they many times remain to the Delivery.  
A good wholesome moderate Diet in this case must be used, rubbing the parts afflicted often with a warm Wollencloth, wrap them up hard and warm with Ash Leaves, or Vine Leaves, applied next, Anointed with Oil of Roses, dissolved Camphire, and the Juice of Sage, Marjorum, and Oil of Rosemary.   

CHAP. XI. To prevent a Woman's Coming before her Time, Signs of Abortion, or Miscarriage: With proper Remedies against them.  
COming before the Time, is called a Shift, or Sliping away; and Abortion in many Cases, though the Women call it a Mischance. The Slip is before the Womb can properly be said to be shut, or it may be afterwards, till such time the Child receives some manner of Form or Shape. Abortion is that which happeneth after Forty days, and sometimes to the beginning of the Ninth Month, it being a violent Expulsion, or Exculsion of the Child Form and possessed with Life, before the time Nature has prefixed.  
This happens sundry ways, by Accidents, as Agues, Frights, Flux of the Blood or Belly, Vomitings, violent Sickness, over Stirring, or the like. Also from excess of Venery, Passions of the Mind, Choler, Sadness, excessive Long, or strong Potions or Purges; or from the Weakness of the Child, wanting Nourishment, and sometimes from its being too Big and Unwieldy, so that the Womb can no longer contain it, whose struggling causes the Womb to Relax, and Dilate itself, and so it forces its Way: Sometimes from Leanness, and at other times from too much Fullness or Fatness, a Medium being the best for Women in Childbearing.  
Signs of Abortion, viz. When the Milk flows abundantly in the Breasts, and comes much out without any Compression; yet they remain Soft and Limber; if there be a bad Colour on the Nipple, as Blue, Yellow, Dusky, etc. When Water, than Blood and Slimy matter; and lastly, Blood flows from Nature's Secrets.  
To Remedy these, there must be a respect had to the Causes; in Sickness of timely care must be taken for suitable Remedies; all excess of Labour or Excercise must be avoided, and wholesome Diet taken, with some gentle Purges; and, if occasion require it, especially in those that are Sanguine, a moderate Bleeding; for too much Blood, or too much Nourishment is mainly Prejudicial, as well as too little. The Mother must be of as Merry a Temper as she can; nay seek for occasions to Divert, avoiding occasions of Grief, Fretting, or Pining, especially near the time of her Delivery; Let her keep her Chamber, if not her Bed, using Nourishing Meats easy of Digestion; and drinking Cordials or strengthening Liquors. Take Syrup of borage, burdock's, and Roses in Red-Wine warm. The The Syrup of Citron and Mirabolans in Milk, sweetened with Sugar-Candy. The distilled Water of Comfery, Sage, or Clary. And Anoint the Belly with Oil of Dill, Lavender, and some drops of Oil of Cloves, Binding or Swathing it moderately. Oil of Myrtle and Mastic is very good, where the Party is of a Cold or Phlegmatic Complexion or Constitution.  
A Cerecloth of Oxcycrotium Diaculum; sprinkled over with a little Myrrh and Nutmeg finely Powdered, is a great Strengthener for the Back and Flanks; helps the Womb to retain the Infant; and prevents untimely Birth.  
Thus having proceeded all along, by such easy Methods as brings a Woman to the true time of her Delivery, I shall now Treat of what is requisite in that Nature.   

CHAP. XII. How a Woman is to be Ordered when she comes to her Delivery; and to know when it is Labour or not.  
THE Time of Delivery hastening, no delay must be made for such things as are convenient. A Midwife ought to be attenting, sometime of waiting is required before she can perform her Office, there being many things to be done in order to cause an easy, and safe Delivery. The Woman must be kept waking; for too much Sleep or Drousiness, to which they are prone, causes Nature to be less Active: And this may be done, if she be not weak, by walking up and down her Chamber, and lying down by turns to rest. There being a good Fire, and all things necessary to prevent her catching Cold, and to Fortify her to undergo the Travel: Yet not so much but that she may Sleep moderately, to ease the tirements of Nature; and waking, take some refreshing Cordials, and strengthening Broths.  
The time of Delivery being come, which is known by these Signs, viz. The Midwife must consider whether the upper part of the Belly seem as it were Empty, and the lower very Big and full stretched. Inquire of the Childing Woman how she stands affected as to Pains; and in what manner they come and go, whether Little, or Great, or Frequent: Whether they begin at the Back, and proceed to run down the Belly, not staying at the Navel, but pass to the Groin, and end in the bottom of the Belly inwardly or the inner Neck of the Womb; and from these she may gather how near a Woman is to her Delivery; for they are Signs of her speedy falling in Travel, especially upon the dilating the outward and inward Orifice. If the Water descends, or there be any Flow, than the Midwife must place herself conveniently near the Woman; and proceed in her Office, in which (for Manners sake) I shall not give here Directions, as knowing there are many Judicious Midwives who need them not, my Main Scope being rather to direct the order of a Woman in Childbed for her own safety and that of her Child.   

CHAP. XIII. Of Natural and Difficult Births: And how the Child ought to be Ordered when drawn forth: With Receipts for many Cordials; and Directions for other things, useful on this Imergency.  
IF there be a Natural Birth, That is the Child coming with its Head forward, the Arms on the Side, and the Throws increasing, there is little Difficulty or Danger: Yet she must have great Courage herself, and Encourage the Woman, giving her Wine wherein Saffron has been infused, or such things as Comfort the Heart, as occasion requires, yet in little Quantity. Nothing must be done in Delivery hastily or rashly, but Nature must have its course in a good measure, it being the greatest helper in these Cases. And because the Child doth come Naturally into the World with the Face downward, when it is taken forth it must be turned on its Back, to prevent Suffocation, or drawing the Air too heavily. And if the Navel-string, as often happens, be twisted about its Neck, let her take it off gently.  
If it be feeble or faint, that it scarce can Breathe, spurt a little Canary into the Mouth of it, which, by its striving will open the Pipes. She may do the like into the Nose or Ears, but very gently, and but a very small quantity. When it gins to Cry, draw the Navel-string gently, that the Afterbirth may follow in its due time, the Woman Coughing or Straining a little, and holding Salt in her Hand fast grasped, recollect her Breath, and blowing hard, the Midwife, or her Assistant, stroking her Belly down gently. And the Child being separated, to prevent Fits, give it a little Spoonful of Black-Cherry-Water, with two or three drops of the Blood that proceeds from the Navel-string when cut, which must be done about two handful from the Belly, especially of a Boy, making a Knot before the Incision. Then dip Linen  in a warm Bath of Rose-Leaves, Penny royal, or any Comfortable Herbs or Flowers, wrap it up warm, and keep it near a Fire, but not in a place where a free Air cannot come to it, because the Lungs at first are weak and cannot draw strongly. Cover the Head however with a thin Linen Cloth, and let it not come too near a great Light suddenly, for fear of hurting and weakening the Sight. Then Swath it gently, and give it some little Food, or let it Suck some Woman whose Milk is of the same Sex, but not the Mother, because here's is not as yet proper for it, for many Reasons which I willingly omit.  
The Woman being thus safely Delivered, her Legs must be laid gently strait, and a fine Linen Cloth or Rapper diped in warm Water and applied, all cold Airs excluded. And after some Refreshment, she may Slumber a little to recover Nature's strength. Then take Candle, Panada, Water-Gruel, or what is most agreeable to stretch out the Bowels, fill in some measure the Vacancy, and prevent Windyness, which is very offensive to Women new Delivered. And if she find herself Faint, and Uneasy, let her take the following Cordial Drink.  
Take the Syrup of Maid-hair one ounce, Pellitory Water, Cardus Water, each half an ounce, mingled in a quarter of a Pint of warm White-Wine. And Anoint the parts with Oil of Almonds drawn without Fire.  
As for the Child, when it has well Breathed, and taken some refreshing Nourishment, give it three scruples of Mithridate or Venice Treacle in a Spoonful of White-Wine, or any proper Cordial Water.  
If the Woman be weak in her Parts, and Pains continue in her Back, Flanks, or Groin, take a Sheepskin that is newly pulled off, clap the Fleshy side about her, and wrap her up warm in it, and and it will wonderfully strengthen her, if it be repeated every two days. Or for want of this, lay a Hare's Skin or Rabits Skin taken off warm on her Belly. But in my Opinion, the former is a great deal better. And to Lenify the distended parts,  
Take Oil of Hyperion and St. John's-wort, each an ounce, an ounce of the Oil of Roses, and two whites of Eggs finely beaten together, and apply it as a Lineament and Pessary. Then let her gently raise up her Thighs, that her Knees may lie up to ease her Back. When the Skin is taken off, chafe her with Oil of Roses, Almonds and St. John's-wort. Swath her with soft Linen three or four times doubled; and beware she takes not Cold, suppling haet Breasts, if given to Chaping, Hardness, or subject to Knots, tumors, or the like, with Oil of Olives and Sweet Almonds. And above all things keep the Chamber close and warm, that she take not cold in any part; for the parts distended by the force of Travel, will easily contract Cold Airs: And when she is desirous of Sleep, before she goes to it, let her take a refreshment of some strengthening Broths, made of Veal, Chickens, or if she be more desirous of it, a couple of Poached Eggs.  
Difficult Deliveries require something more than what I have mentioned; and the Midwife must be yet more Careful herein, because not only her Reputation, but the Life of her Patient is mainly concerned in it. There are many Births that require great Skill and Labour to bring them forth, because they come Preposterously, or contrary to the Natural one; as lying side-ways in the Womb, coming straddling with the Feet forward, or the Arms spread over the Head, the Buttocks forward, or the like; and these must, by the Midwife's Skill, be reduced to their proper form if it may be, and so drawn forth, before the Woman be too far spent, the Vital Spirits wasted, or Nature enfeebled: And if a Midwife's strength or Skill prevail not, a Skilful Chirurgeon must be sent for before it is too Late. Some Midwives fancying in doing this their Reputations would suffer, have kept their Patients in Pain and Hope, till at last finding themselves Constrained to send, when the Case was desperate, they have been obliged to part with Woman, or Child, or both, to the Grave.   

CHAP. XIV. What ought to be done if a Woman come before or after her Time; and to bring away dead Children. Also to stay the Flux, and Remedy divers other Accidents happening to those newly Delivered.  
TRavel may likewise prove Painful or Difficult when the Woman is Delivered Before or After her Time. The First of these is, when it comes in Six, Seven, or Eight Months, which happens when the Womb is too Weak, or Moist, which softens the Neck of it, and makes it dilate and Emit the Child before the due course of Natures Expired. As also the Vessels to the Orifice, whereof the After-Burthen is fastened, begin to Relax, by which means the Infant cannot be supported, or remain in its Natural Situation.  
This Pain and Troublesome times happens when the Child grows so big, that it stretches, or Extends the Womb in every part, by a great increase, or over-staying the time, some times in the Tenth or Eleventh Month: For the Matrix and Muscles of the upper Belly being extended beyond measure, do enlarge the Fibers, which cannot be Easily drawn together again, having lost their Natural Strength and force.  
To help this defect, the cause being rightly understood, such Medicines must be used as are proper to Mollify and Strengthen the parts, especially the Membranes, that they may further dilate and stretch themselves, by being made more supple and Gentle. Anointing the Cartilages that Join the Os Pubis Sacrum Coceygis, and Ilium at the time of Delivery. And let the Woman take of Pellitory-Water two ounces, Oil of Sweet-Almonds one ounce, well mingled together, and pretty warm; and after this, some strengthening Cordials: And this likewise much avails where there is any Calosity, or hardness in the passage of Nature.  
There are also other Accidents which must be provided against, as the Flux of Blood and Convulsions in time of Labour. These are very dangerous to the Mother and Child, and often destroy both, especially the former, if of long continuance: Because the Blood being the treasure of the Life, the Spirits and Heart are carried away with it. And again, the Convulsions hurt the Brain, that it cannot Communicate so much Spirit as is needful in this imergency, for the Respiration of the Mother, and the Child, who Breathes only by the means of the Spirits that are Imparted by the Arteries of the Mother, for want of which it is many times suffocated. And these happen single, or both together. Make what haste you can to Deliver the Woman, after having fortified her with strengthening Cordials, which cannot however be conveniently done but by a Skilful Midwife of Courage and able Body, or Chirurgeon. For if it be not soon done, the Child will be brought forth Dead, or if Alive, hardly it lives long after. But it must in this Case be considered, whether the Woman be at her full Time, and a necessity of Delivery requires it; for some have Fluxes of Blood at four or five Months, and then it is not practicable, but rather to divert it by breaking a Vein, or using such Medicines that may turn the course of it. But at the full time, though some are of Opinion to let Blood, in such Cases is requisite, yet what I propose always proves much more effectual, the Woman being happily Delivered, of either the one Birth or the other, there yet remains a great deal more to be Considered, in order to restore her to an Uprising.  
Diet, in this Case, must be prepared that may be suitable to the Weakness of the Woman's Constitution: For soon after Labour, the Stomach cannot suffer, or at least well Digest strong Meats; and many that unadvisedly Eat such, fall into Fevers; and from them to the Grave. Broths, Panadas, Jellies, Poached Eggs, and Gruels, are the most proper for the first four or five days. Then Barleybroth; and so to stronger things by degrees, as Gellies, Chickens, or small Birds. And take a Drink between while, viz. French Barley, Corianderseeds, and Cinnamon boiled in spring Water, strained and Sweetened with Sugar. And for a Strengthening Liquor, or Cordials,  
Take a Capon, parboil it, then cut it in pieces; and take of Baum, borage and Bugloss, each a Handful: Put them with the Flesh of the Fowl into a Glass-Alimbec; sprinkle them over with a dram of the Powder of Pearl, and break in small pieces two or three Leaves of Gold, then pour in some of the Water the Capon was sodden in; Distil these in a double Glass, or Balneo Mariae, till there Issues a quart of distilled Water; and let the Woman take an ounce of it twice or thrice a day. This strengthens the Heart and Brain, prevents fainting, cold Sweats; and much fortifies Nature. If she be not Aguish or Feverish she may Drink a little White-wine, or Claret, wherein borage and Limon-Peel have been infused, mixing with them some Syrup of Maidenhair, or other Astringent Syrups. At eight days end, the Womb being well Purged and Cleansed, she may take stronger Meats: But must be kept quiet from great Noises, and close from too free an Air, avoiding all Sadness and Grief that may afflict or depress the Spirits.   

CHAP. XV. How her Belly, etc. must be Ordered after Delivery: And what Physic and Cordials are proper, from her Lying down to her Uprising. Which many other things needful to be known and Practised.  
CAre also must be taken of her Breasts and Belly, for the first, anoint them with Oil of Cammomile, and Myrtle, and Roses, well mixed together: Swath, or bind them up gently; and beside a strengthening Sear-cloath laid to the Back, apply to the Navel, a Plaster of Galbanum two or three fingers broad. And to keep the Milk from Curdling, anoint the Stomach and Breasts with Oil of Roses and Populeum.  
A Bath upon this account is very convenient to strengthen the Delivered Woman, which you may make by boiling Mother-wort, , Agrimony, Rose Leaves, Cammomile, Mallows, and flowers of melilot, in three parts Water and one of White-wine, in which she may Bathe herself all over, or the Liquor warm applied with Linen  to her Body; and before, she may take conserve of Roses, Bugloss, and Candyed Citron Peel, finly bruised and mixed in a Glass of Wine.  
Griping Pains are many times troublesome to Women after Delivery. To Remedy this, let her take an ounce of the Oil of Walnuts, and half an ounce of Sweet Almonds drawn without fire, in warm Ale or Wine. And foment the Stomach, Belly, and lower parts, with the Decoction of Cammomile, Marsh-mallows, Melilot, Pelitory, Linseed, and Mugwort boiled in Milk, and apply the Herbs warm Poultis-wise.  
If the Matrix fall down, Bath and Foment the Parts with the Decoction of Red-Roses, Cammomile and Lavender boiled in Milk; put it up gently, followed by a Pessary dipped in Red Wine, wherein Plantain, white Muller, and red Roses have been concocted.  
If Hurts, or Excoriations happen in the lower parts by Child bearing, take Oil of St. John's-wort and Oil of Roses, beat them up with the White of an Egg, and apply a Linen-cloth diped in this mixture, to the afflicted part; and lay a strengthening Plaster of Myrrh, Mastic, and white Bees-wax to the lower Region of the Belly.  
If the after Purge come not away kindly, or in over abundance, they must be helped or Restrained; and by these a Woman's Health or Sickness is guessed at, during the time of her Lying-in. For if they be of the Natural Colour, and soon congeal, it is in a sign she is in good Health, and will continue so to her Uprising. But being little in quantity, I'll coloured, and do not congeal suddenly, than Nature is out of order, and proper Remedies must be given to prevent or remove Sickness. If the Purge be excessive, then moderate letting Blood is held necessary; and taking such astringents as may in some degrees restrain them; for there is no means that makes better revulsions, and draws the Blood sooner from the place to which it floweth, than the opening of a Vein. And at the same time apply the following Cataplasm to the lower parts of the Belly, viz. Bole Armenick and Dragon's Blood, each an ounce, Gum Tragacanth half an ounce, Myrtle Berrys and dried Rose Leaves beaten to Powder, each a dram; the Juice of Plantain an ounce, make them into the thinness of a Plaster with Vnguetum Comitissae.  
To make the Purges come freely, boil a little Senna in White-Wine with a blade or two of Mace, Rosemary Flowers, or Tops, and a little slice of Rhuebarb; drink the Liquid part twice a day, two spoonfuls at a time, and apply to the Navel a Poltis of Featherfew, Groundsil and Melilot; drinking ever and anon a Glass of old Mallago wherein blue Currants have been boiled with some slices of Licorice. Eating such things as are Moistening and opening, to dilate the Orifices of the Veins, which are much stopped by the long restraint of their wont Flow. Sometimes the stayings proceed from sudden Griefs, or Anger, or other Passions of the Mind, which must be avoided, because they thicken and Vitiate the Blood.  
Taken then Succory, Burnet, Endive, Agrimony, Violet-Flowers, boil them in Sweet-Wine, and let the Woman drink a little Glass of it warm, with the Syrup of Maidenhair dissolved in it: and use a warm Fomentation of opening Herbs, as Cammomile, Mlliot, Parsly; let her Eat Green Peas, Asparagus, etc.  
To bring away a false Conception after Delivery, viz. If it be large and came not away with the usual Purge, it may be thought to stick to the side of the Womb, and in danger of turning into a Mole, which will prove yet more troublesome and painful. To bring them away, First she must use resolving Baths, to loosen and moisten the whole Body, that the Matrix may be enlarged, and the passage dilated. Secondly, Clysters of cooling and supling Herbs. Thirdly, Gentle Purges, to cause the excrements to avoid; as also to renew the Natural Courses. Fourthly, By Injections, which may provoke and stir up the Expulsive Faculties of the Womb, and with them move and bring away the False Conception.  
If the Neck or Sides of the Womb be Glutinated, or Joined together, the Woman must be Purged and let Blood, yet moderately; as also  are successful, made with Emolient Herbs, Barks, or Roots; and Fomentations of the like, used to the lower parts, to soften and moisten the affected Places.  
And thus much may suffice for the Ordering a Woman from her Lying in, to her going a broad again. And If I have passed over any Accident that does not usually, or by the course of Nature, etc. happen, no doubt but a Skilful Midwife or Nurse will find a means to Remedy it, or for defect of Skill, timely apply themselves to some able Surgeon or Physician. And so from hence I haste to the Child, which I have left so long, to give Directions for the well Ordering it, as to its Health and Thriving, etc.   

CHAP. XVI. Of Nurses, How they ought to be Qualified and Dieted.  
IN the first place, if you take not the care of bringing it up yourself, make choice of a good wholesome cleanly Nurse, whose Complexion and Constitution is agreeable to the Child's. See that her Milk be of middle Substance, neither too Thick or inclining to Curdling, or too Thin or Waterish; for the first clogs the Lungs and Stomach of the Child, being of a bad and hard digestion; and the latter Causes Scour, Gripe; and yieldeth but little Nourishment. As for the quantity of Milk, a Nurse should rather have too much than too little, that the Infant may draw it the more freely, without hard Sucking, to gather windyness in the Stomach, She must also be of a Merry Temper, not Peevish or Fretful, given to Anger, or any Violent Passions; for these tiring the Humours, have a great effect on the Child, in as much as the Natural Temperature of the Milk is in some measure altered or changed by it. And this is known by the Colour; if it be blue, it denotes the Woman given to Melancholy; if Yellowish, to Choler; if something inclining to Red, it is not well digested, and denotes a weakness in the Breasts through Cold, Hurts, or the like defects, or an Ill Quality or defect in the Blood. Therefore that which is Nourishing and wholesome, is very White; in a Medium between Thick and Thin; and this may be tried on a Looking-Glass, or any other smooth Body, for a little being spurted on it, if (when the Glass is reared a little sloping) it run off presently, than it is too Thin; if it sticks, and is hard to move, than it is too Thick, or Fat; but if it slide away leisurely, than it is between both.  
As to the Age of the Nurse's Milk, I am of opinion it is the best at two Months Lying-in; & so may continue pretty well till the eighth Month, but than it continually declines. It is also to be considered, that to breed good Milk, her Meats and Drinks, must be wholesome and Seasonable. She must avoid hot Spices, Strong-waters, Spirits, and Sweet Wines, at least not take any great quantity of them, or little quantities often. And by reason the Sex of the Nurse's Child is likewise to be considered, I hold that the Milk of a Male Child is to be preferred; and for this Reason, viz. Because it is hotter, better Concocted, and not so excrementious as of a Girl. And further, an enquiry ought to be made, whether the Nurse you propose went her full time, for this is of Moment; because, if she did not, she may happen to be of a Sickly weak Constitution, though she may at sundry times appear outwardly to be Healthful.  
Further, as to Diet, all Onions, Leeks, Garlick, Mustard, Strong Cheese, and Baked Meats with hot Seasoning, aught to be forborn. And Veal, Mutton, Chickens, Nourishing Broth, and such Meats, as breed good Juice, chosen. Fish is too cold and moist, unless she be of a hot Constitution. Then let her put into her Pottage Purslain, Sorrel, borage, Bugloss, Letuce, Succory Endive, etc. And drink Beer, Ale, or Wine and Water mixed; Mead, Metheglin, but not too much Cider, because it sharpens the Milk, and Gripes the Child. Her exercise must be moderate; and her hours of Sleeping seasonable; and take special Care to keep her little charge Clean and Sweet in all parts, viz. The Nose, Ears, Eyes, and Mouth, as well as the lower parts. If she perceives any part of the Child to Warp, or incline to Crookedness, she must be careful to Swath it in time, whilst it is tender, that by degrees it may return to straightness; or if it seem difficult to her to Acomplish it, let her Advise the Parents, or some able Surgeon, before it be gone too far; for this has been a misery to many in growing Crooked, that might at first have been prevented, with a little Care and Cost, when the Bones and Ligatures were more Flexible.   

CHAP. XVII. How to Order the Child in its Dress, Lying, Sleeping, Diet, etc.  
WHen the Child is opened to be Dressed, before a Fire, Rub and chafe the Back, Belly and Hips gently with your Hand, sometimes rubbing your hand over with Oil of Roses or sweet Almonds. This loosens the Skin, and supples the Flesh, stirs the Humours from settling too much in the Joints or any of the outward parts, and makes it grow. And above all, beware not to Swath it too hard, yet so that it may not Lax, or warp in any of its Members. And when it is placed in the Cradle, take care it lies not too long on the Back, or on one side, but shift and turn it, the Head being kept a little raised, that the Excrements may more easily flow from the Brain through the Emunctories. Let the Cradle be placed in a convenient warm Room or Chamber, not subject to too great a Light, or too much Gloomyness, for a great Light is offensive to the Eyes & Brain of a Child, they being but weak for a considerable time after the Birth; and too much dark keeps them so, and oppresses it by stirring up the Melancholy Humour. Too much Heat is apt to make it catch cold when it comes into the Air. And cold cause phlegmatic Humours, which glutination occasion stuff or stopping in the Head; and therefore the Medium is to be preferred. Set not the Cradle or Bed too near a Window or Fire, lest the Light of either, attract its Eyes; and by straining awry to look at it, becomes squinting: But let it be placed rather right against the Light, that it may look directly forward.  
And as for Sleeping, until he be two Years Old, there need be no restraint of it; but rather, when it is Froward or Restless, means used to provoke Sleep; unless imoderate Sleep, as sometimes it happens, be occasioned by a defect in Nature, as too great a Moisture or Wateryness of the Brain, etc. Then such Remedies must be used as may Remedy it, viz. Boil Cinnamon, Mace, or Nutmeg, in the Milk, or give it some of the distilled Water of these in a little Wine.  
Suckling the Child must be had a regard to, as to the Manner and Quality. As to the first of these, sometimes spirit some Milk either upon its Lips, or into its Mouth; and if it's drawing be strong, gently squeeze the breast with your finger, that the Milk may flow and become more easy, so that it may rather seem a Pleasure than Pain, but so that it may not swallow too fast, for fear of a suffocation, or too great an oppression of the Stomach. As to the second, the quantity cannot easily be set down, some Children, according to their stronger or weaker Constitutions, requiring more than others; and therefore the Nurse's discretion must proportion it; for too much is almost as bad as too little, for this breeds gross Humours, as the other on the contrary causes a Pining, or Wasting: And it is held for the first five days, Suckling twice a day is sufficient; and so as it gathers strength the times may be increased, but not too many, as many Foolish Nurses do, clapping the Child to the Breast every time it Cries, and seems froward.  
Sweetness and Cleanlyness about Children, much contributes to their Health and Growth; and this must be observed often, especially when it Wakes, or is taken up: And above all avoid Frighting them, for that makes them many times fall into Fits, and Epilepsies, or falling Sickness, and indeed intimidates their Spirits, by making so early an impression on them, that growing up with them they are apt to sudden Frights, Start, and fears at the fancy of Goblins, Spectres, and such Old Wives Tales as they have been Bugbeared with in their Infancy.  
But not to dwell longer upon what every Skilful Nurse cannot but understand, I shall proceed to what is more Material, viz. To Treat of the Diseases incident to Children; and prescribe proper Remedies, which a Nurse by these directions may give them for the restoring Health, etc.   

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Diseases Incident to Children: With their Cure.  
HUrts and Bruises often happen to a Child coming out of the Womb, especially in hard Labour; and when any such appear, immediately make a Fomentation of Roses, Melilot, Cammomile Flowers, and St. John's wort, in White-wine, and bathe the parts with it warm: Anointing it afterward with a mixture of the Oil of these. Give it a little Black-Cherry-Water, or Canary wherein Saffron has been tempered, and let it rest; laying a Lenitive Plaster of White-bread and  boiled in Milk.  
Swelling of the Head has sometimes its beginning from the Womb; for the Mother being with Child, and not careful of her Diet, Crudities, and Raw Humours are thereby gathered, and breed a Waterish Blood, which the Child feeding on, and not able to digest or evacuate during its being in the Matrix, it settles in the Head, and causes Swell; and sometimes from other Causes, viz. Windyness, etc. If it proceeds from Water, it subjects the Child to Vertigo's and Epilepsies, little Sleep, much Fretfulness, and Crying. Wind causes Pains and Drowsiness, for these let the Child have pleasant Scents to refresh the Brain, as Flowers or Spices, but not any strong Perfumes. Give not any thing that breeds much moisture, or Phlegm, or any ways subjects it to Windyness. Wash the Head with the decoction of Sage, Bettony, Agrimony, Calamint, Anny-seeds, Fennelseeds, Flowers of Cammomile, Red-Roses boiled in spring Water. And lay to the Crown of the Head and Temples a Plaster, viz.  
Bees-wax an ounce, Oil of Cammomile and Roses and Vnguentum Comitissae, each half an ounce; Sage and Bettony Dried to powder, each two dreams; and give it a little Manna dissolved in Milk, that may gently move the Humours. Children have sometimes excrescences of Flesh on the Roofs of their Mouths: The Lips cleft, commonly called a Harelip. And to Remedy these, it is properly a Surgeon's business, and beyond the Sphere of Nurses, by reason they require Incision; and therefore I forbear to give directions in them, and require the Nurse or Parents, as soon as the Child is of strength to endure the operation, to send for an ingenious Artist to Remedy these defects.  
Diseases in the Eyes, Ears, and Nose, often happen; and for the first, if there be a Dullness of Sight, Redness, or Watery Rheums in the Eyes, wash them with Plantain and Eyebright Water Morning & Evening, beat up a Yolk of an Egg with some Oil of Roses, a Rotten Apple, some Crumbs of White-bread, and a little Bole-Armorick, spread it thinn upon a fine Cloth, and clap another very thin Cloth upon it, to prevent its going into the Child's Eyes, and so bind it over them when it is laid down to rest; and renew it every six hours, and the effects will answer your Expectation.  
If the Nose be stopped with Slimy or Tough Matter, so that there is a great difficulty in Breathing, then dip a Lint in Vnguentum Rosatum and thrust up the Nose; and when it is taken out spurt up a little White-wine to make it sneeze, and keep it very warm.  
If the Ears run, or are stopped up, drop in a drop or two of the Oil of bitter Almonds once or twice a day, cleansing them with Lint twisted at the end of a small Bod-kin or Wire, diped in Bettony-water. If the Ears be Fretted behind or Galled, take Nut Oil half an ounce, the like quantity of White Bees-wax, and a little of the Juice of Housleek, temper them over a gentle Fire till they may be spread like a Plaster, and apply it to the Sore part.  
If an Ulcer or Thrush happen in the Child's Mouth, dissolve a quarter of an ounce of Allom in an ounce of honey, made thin with White-wine, and Gargoyle the Mouth with it. Then Cool the Mouth with Honey of Roses, Syrup of Violets, and Plantain Water, well mixed together.  
Inflammation, or Sweling in the Gums, to Remedy it, Rub the Nape of the Neck, the Jaws, and Temples, with Oil of Roses; as also the Gums with Honey of Roses, and then the Juice of St. John's-wort, well Incorporated over a gentle Fire; laying a hot Figg flit in sunder to the Swelled place.  
The string under the Tongue sometime comes from the bottom, and reaches to the tip. This requires only to be cut with a very small Instrument to a convenient proportion, that the tongue may neither be straightened, nor loll out to hinder the utterance of words; and to cure the pain it may occasion, rub it with honey.  
The Cough is dangerous to little children, by making them Strain & cast too much. To remedy it, take a little Licorice Aniseeds, Figs, and a blade or two of Mace, boil them well in Ale, sweeten it with white Sugar-Candy, and give the Child a spoonful or two at a time pretty warm.  
The Navel swelling is another Grief Incident to Children; wherefore, when it is any ways Inflamed, anoint it with Vnguentum Rosatum, and Populeon mixed together; and give it cooling things, so the swelling will abate by swathing gently with a Linen Cloth, and laying on a Poultis of Mallows, Cammomile, and Hoggs-Lard.  
Griping and Fretting of the Bowels, occasioned by too much Moistness or Saltness, is not only Painful but Dangerous to Children. For this, a Clyster of cooling Herbs boiled in Milk, and seasoned with Sugar, is a seasonable relief, taking immediately after it, a dram of Venice Treacle dissolved in a spoonful of Treacle-water.  
Worms are very frequent and troublesome in Children, Taints their Breath, and makes them Pine away, whether in the Belly or Stomach. Therefore to remove them, with the slimy cold Humour they are bred of, Boil some Tops of Rhue in White-Wine, sweeten it, and give the Child Morning and Night very warm. Then Cumminseed, Navel-wort, mix with them a little Ox-gall and grated Nutmeg, lay them between two thin , and apply them warm to the Belly, and Stomach.  
Teeth in Breeding cause Pain, and many times Fevers. To make them breed easily, beat Coral to Powder, mix it in a little dissolved Allom and Honey, rub the Gums hard with it, and it will make way for the Teeth to come out the easier: And if, notwithstanding, they come not forward kindly, an incision may be made in the Gums. And to assuage and ease the Pain in breeding Teeth, string the small Roots of Smallage like a Necklace, and tie it about the Child's Neck.  
Convulsions, or Fits of the Mother, are very dangerous and troublesome. For this anoint the Stomach and Temples with Oleum Ireum, or with Oil of Lilies; give it agrain of Bezor in a spoonful of Plantain-water; and  the Forehead with the distilled Water of sweet Marjorum.  
Ruptures, or the falling down of the Tail-gut, must be taken speedy care of. This happens sometimes to come into the World with them. To remedy this, the parts swelling Out, or falling Down, may be bathed with the Decoction of Roses, Melilot, Flowers of Cammomile, Knotgrass, in fair-water. Then apply this Plaster to the Part, or as near as may be, viz.  
Take Powder of Mastic, Olibanum and Sarcocol, each a dram, Syprus-Nuts two drams, bees-wax and Oil of Mastic each half an ounce, make them into a Plaster over a gentle fire by well mixing, bind and keep up the parts; and let the Feeding for sometime be sparing; especially give nothing that causes Windyness or Cold afflicting Humours, that Lax the Parts, and mainly occasion these defects; but rather take such things as are Drying and Restringent.  
To retain Urinal, and not Piss a Bed, Take the Powder of a dried Acorn, and that of the Inner Skin of the Gizzard of a Capon, give a dram at a time in a spoonful of White-wine.   

CHAP. XIX. Of the Small Pox in Children: It's Cause, Symptoms and Cure.  
THe Small Pox is a Disease very incident to Children, and is so generally known that I need not use many words to describe it: It proceeds from adust Blood mixed with Phlegm and Choler; and always beginneth with a Fever, soon after which there ariseth small Pustula's upon the Skin throughout all the Body, which do not suddenly come forth, but by intermission, in some more or less, according to the quality of the Body infected therewith.  
If these Pustula's appear read, with general pain, and great heat in the Body, it is a sign it proceeds from Blood. If they come from Choler, they will appear of a Yellowish Red and Clear Colour, with a Pricking Pain in all the Body. But if they come of Phlegm, they will appear of a Whitish colour, and scaly. And if they come of Melancholy, they will appear Blackish, with a pricking Pain.  
When they appear in a short time, and look red in their coming out, and white after they are come forth, growing speedily to Maturation, and that the Child draws its Breath easily, and the Fever leaves it, there is great hopes of its recovery. But when the Pox lies hidden within, and appears not outwardly; or if after they are come out, they strike in again, and Vanish away; or if they look of a Black Bluish, and Green colour, and are attended with difficulty of Breathing, and a Flux or Lask; also when the Pox run together in Blisters, like scalding Bladders, and then on the sudden do sink down, and grow dry, with a hard black Scar or Crust, as if it had been burnt with a hot Iron, all these are very ill signs, and denotes Death.  
In the Cure of this distemper, the usual way is to let Blood, in the Basilica Vein in the right Arm: But in Children, and those that are very weak, I hold it better to let it alone, and leave the work to Nature, especially in Sucking Children: For when we see Nature endeavouring to expel the Malignity, we ought not to use any means at-all, but leave the whole Operation to Nature; which we must only help by keeping the Body in a reasonable heat: But if the Pox is slow in coming forth, you must help Nature with Cordials, and by sweat to thrust it out from the interriour & Principal Parts: For which purpose the following Drink is excellent good:  
Take a quart of Posset-ale and a handful of Fennel-seed, boil them together till a third part be consumed, then strain it, and add thereto one dram of Treacle, and one scruple of Saffron in Powder, mix them together, and give two, three, or four ounces thereof to drink Mornings and Evenings, as the case requireth,  
But if the Child be so weak that it cannot expel the Disease, in convenient time, then Epithemate the heart with the following Epithemation.  
℞ Aquarum ros. Melissa, Card. B. 6. Bugloss, Morsus Diaboli, vini alb, of each 4 ounces, Aceti Ros. two ounces and a half, Pul. Ros. Rub. Trium Sanal. Cinamoni, Elect. Diamorg. frigid. of each half a dram, Mithridate one ounce, Treacle four drams, mix all these together, and let them boil a little, and so warm, Epithemate the heart. When you have done this, give some expulsive Drink, or Electuary, as the Cause requires, and cause him to sweat upon it.  
When the Pox are come out, to prevent Dis-figuring the Face, as Pitying, besure let them alone till they grow white, and come to maturation; and then open every Pustula on the top with a Pin, and then thrust out the Matter very gently with a soft Linen Cloth; and if you perceive them to fill again, open them as you did at first, for if you suffer the Matter which is in them to remain overlong, it will fret and corrode the Flesh, which causes those Pits that remain after the small Pox is gone. When you have done this, anoint the place with the following Ointment:  
Take Elder-leaves one handful, Marigolds two handfuls, French Mallows one handful, Barrows Grease six Ounces; bruise the Herbs in a Mortar, and then boil them with the Grease in a Pewter Dish, on a Chafing-dish of Coals, until the Juice of the Herbs be consumed; then strain it, and anoint the face therewith: The best time to make it, is in the middle or latter end of May. You must anoint the place grieved with a Feather, and as it drieth in, anoint it again; and so continue it, and it will soon dry them up, and keep the place from Pits and Holes: Also if you anoint the Pox with the Oil of Sweet-Almonds, newly drawn, three or four times a day, (which you must besure to do, as soon as the Pocks are grown white, and come to maturation, it will Cure them without Pits or Spots, and easeth the Pain and burning.  
If after the Pocks are come out, they do not grow to Maturation, you may help it by this decoction: Take Mallows one handful, Figs, twelve in Number, Water a quart; cut the Figs small, and boil all together until half or more be Consumed, and then wet a fine soft Linen Cloth therein, and touch the Place therewith oftentimes, and it will soon bring them to Maturation.   

CHAP. XX. Of Barrenness: Showing the Signs of Insufficiency in Men and Women, and Remedies against it: With other choice Secrets.  
IF it be a Blessing to have Children, as certainly it is, than Barrenness must needs be a great Curse. We will therefore inquire into the different kinds and occasions of it.— Barrenness is Natural and Accidental.  
Natural Barrenness is that which happens to Women, when there appears no visible obstruction either in her or her Husband: Which may proceed from a Natural Cause, for where both Men and Woman are of one Complexion or Constitution, they rarely have any Children: For if the Constitution of the Woman be hot and dry, as well as of the Man, there can be no Conception; and if on the contrary, the Man should be of a cold and moist Constitution, as well as the Woman, the effect would be the same: And the way to help this, is for Young People before they Marry, to observe each others Constitutions, if they design to have Children: For Discordant Natures make the only harmony in the work of Generation.  
There is another Cause of Natural Barrenness also, which is occasioned by letting Young Virgins Blood in the Arm, before their Monthly Courses are come down, which is usually in the fourteenth and fifteenth Years of their Age, and sometimes perhaps before the thirteenth, but never before the twelfth: For being before those Purgations usually indisposed by fullness of Blood, they commonly open a Vein in the Arm, which being often repeated, diverts the Blood from its proper Channel, that it comes not down into the Womb, which by that means dries up, and the Young Woman is thereby rendered Barren. The way to prevent which, is to let no Virgin Blood in the Arm till her Courses are well come down; but rather in the Foot, which will be a means to draw the Courses downwards.  
Another Cause of Barrenness is the Debility of Persons in Copulation; if Persons perform not that Act with all the Heat and Ardour that Nature requires, they may as well let it alone, and expect to have Children without it: For Frigidity and Coldness never produces Conception: To help this, such things are to be taken as do increase the Seed and stir up, to Venery, and further Conception, viz. Eggs, Milk Rice boiled in Milk, Sparrows Brains, Flesh, Bones and all; the Stones and Pizzles of Bulls, Bucks, Rams Boars; also Cock-stones, Lamb-stones, Partridge, Quails, and Pheasants Eggs. And take this for a Rule, That whatever any Creature is addicted unto, they stir up the same quality in the Man or Woman that Eats them. And therefore Partridges, Quails, Sparrows, etc. being extremely addicted to Venery, work the same effect in those Men and Women that Eat them. And in what part of the Body the Faculty which you would strengthen, lies, take the same part of the Body of another Creature, in whom that Faculty is strong, as a Medicine. As, to the present purpose, The Procreative Faculty lies in the Testicles; therefore Cock-stones, Lamb-stones, etc. are proper to stir up Venery. This also is a choice Secret, That all Creatures that are fruitful being eaten, makes them fruitful that Eats them.  
But that it may be known whether the Cause of Barrenness be in Man or Woman, I shall briefly show the signs of Insufficiency in either  
Signs and Causes of Insufficiency in Man, may be the Viciousness in the Yard, by being Crooked, distorted, or broken, whereby the ways and passages through which the Seed should flow, come to be stopped. Also the Weakness and Tenderness of the Yard, whereby it is not strongly enough erected to inject the Seed into the Womb: Also if the Stones are hurt, so that they can't perform their Office in producing Seed; or if they be oppressed with any Tumour or Inflammation, or drawn up within the Belly, not appearing outwardly. These are Signs of Insufficiency and Causes of Barrenness; Drunkenness and Gluttony; and other Excesses, do also hinder Men from Fruitfulness, and make 'em unfit for Generation.  
Signs and Causes of Insufficiency in Women, are many: Little Women are generally more apt to conceive than Great, and Slender than Gross; also those that are Black, than those that are Pale and Wan: To have the Veins very conspicuous, and the Breasts large, betokens Fruitfulness: And the others are the contrary. The Irregularity of the monthly Courses, the straitness of the Pudenda, or Privities, whereby Women become Imperforate; the Immoderate moisture of the Womb, which destroys the Seed, also the Immoderate heat of the Womb, are all Signs of Insufficiency, and Causes of Barrenness in Women.  
If you would know whether the fault lies in the Man or the Woman, Sprinkle the Man's Urine upon one Lettuce Leaf, and the Woman's upon another; and that which dries away first, is unfruitful. Also take five Wheat Corns and seven Beans, put them into an Earthen Pot, and let the Party make Water therein; let this stand seven Days, and if in that time they begin to Sprout, than the Party is fruitful; but if they Sprout not, than the Party is Barren whether it be Man or Woman. This is a certain Sign.   
FINIS.