SOME OBSERVATIONS Made upon the Maldiva Nut: SHOWING Its Admirable Virtue in giving an Easy, Safe and Speedy Delivery to Women in Childbed.  
Written by a Physician in the Country to Dr. Hinton at London. 1663.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1694.   

SOME OBSERVATIONS Made upon the Maldiva Nut; SHOWING Its Admirable Virtue in giving an Easy, Safe and Speedy Delivery to Women in Childbed.  
SIR,  
I Received your last, with your Request, to know what Specific I have observed in the Indies to be most Effectual against difficult Labour in Women, which amongst us in Europe sweeps away so many People. I must tell you, that I have been very Curious in taking Notice of this particular Case and have observed them to make great use of the Maldiva Nut, with very good Success.  
Dr. Grew tells us, that one of these Nuts was presented as a great Rarity to the Royal Society at Gresham-Colledge, generally esteemed in the Indies worth twenty five Pounds. It's Death for any Common People to meddle with them, as being the King's Profit.  
Augerius Clusius hath written a Book in Commendation of this Rare Nut, and given many Examples of the wonderful Cures wrought by it, and particularly of a Patient of his, a Citizen of Amsterdam, whose Life was in great Danger by an acute Disease, when all other Means failed, very much importuned him to prescribe him the Maldiva Nut, which the Patient had seen do great Cures in India, and particularly in women's difficult Labour, and therefore told Clusius it could do him no Injury if it did him no Good; upon which he gave it him, and the Man speedily recovered; upon which he gave Dr. Clusius a piece of the Nut, with which he gave Relief to many Women in Difficult Labour.  
Dr. Groll tells us of the Wife of one Bernardus, who had been tormented for three days with most violent Pains of Child bearing, and filled all the Neighbourhood with her Outcries; when all things had been given as are usual in that Case, and to no purpose, he then gave her the Powder of this Nut in a little Syrup and Water that's usual in that Case, upon the use of which she was speedily and safely delivered of a Child, to the great Joy and Comfort of the Mother.  
He also tells of a Shoemaker's Wife who endured great Misery, and was in great Danger, her long and acute Pains having caused a Favour; at length the Maldiva Panacea being administered, she was delivered of a dead Child.  
Dr. Clusius tells of the Son of a Duke, who was strangely recovered from a languishing Distemper, only by Drinking all his Liquid Aliment out of this Shell, it did mightily corroborate all the Power of Nature.  
The Famous Dr. Tulpias used frequently to prescribe this Nut with very good Success.  
And Mr. Parkinson in his Herbal tells us, that Persons of the Best Quality in India carry a piece of it always about them, fastened to a Chain, which they steep in Wine or other Liquor, as an Antidote against any Poison or Infections; and drinking out of the Cup made of the shell they look upon as a Preservative against all Diseases, and a Means to keep themselves in a sound and healthful state: He also commends it as very available in women's hard and difficult Labour.  
When I traveled in Spain, they used to call it the Egyptian Midwife, I suppose only by way of Allusion to the speedy Delivery of the Hebrew Women by their Means.  
For my own particular, I can truly say, that I have often experienced it to be admirable in that Case, if I may believe the good Women in our Country, and particularly one famous Midwife, who hath gotten great Reputation by the use of it.  
I knew a Country Gentlewoman who by very straight Lacing herself, and Eating Green Fruit, and Drinking Red Wines, used to have hard Labour, but after she had found out this Indian Remedy, never met with Difficulty in her Travels. I could name others but I forbear, because they are needless.  
FINIS.