¶Of Hemia, Cap. 56.
* 1.1HErnia is a skinne in the wombe, and is called Siphac, and breaketh some∣time. Siphae is a skinne that departeth the bowels from the gendring members: as Diafragma is a skinne, that depart∣teth and is set betweene the bowelles & the spirituall members: and so Hernia is as it were the neather midriffe, and Diafragma the ouer midriffe. And for Hernia the neather midriffe holdeth up the bowells, if it hap that this Hernia be broke, a great deale of the bowels fal downe into the codde of the genitours. Then if it happen that this skin, that is called Hernia be broke, by stretching and reaching, or working of heate con∣strained, or ••laked and softened by moy∣sture: then it falleth that the bowelles slide downward into the codde of the ge∣nitors, and that not without great sore∣nesse. This skinne is dealed or slaked, sometime by an outward cause, as by too great trauaile of bodye, or by great strogling and wrastling. Sometime by smiting or by falling, or by such other. And sometime by too great wayght and weying downewarde of the other mem∣bers, and by forcing; as by too great sin∣ging and crieng.
Sometime by an outward cause, and by great strength of heate and sharpnes of hot humours cutting and slitting the skinne. Sometime by too great moy∣sture, slaking & stretching the sinewes and brawnes, and in what manner it befal, it is more resely curable in the be∣ginning, and namely in a young men. And if that breach be great and old, and with breaking of the sinew, it is soudred vnneth or neuer. For it is healed with great difficultie, as Constantine sayeth. But ofte it is saued by dyet and medi∣cine: and sometime by cutting and sur∣gerie. Then Authours tell, that slopping things helpe such men, and medicines that soudreth, both in meate and in me∣dicine, as Electuaries taken within, and baulmings, and bathings, and Oynt∣mentes without. Ouer all things it is saide, that scarce dyet is best, and conti∣nence, namely of the seruice of Venus, and of all mouing. And such men shuld ouer all things beware of things that bréede ventositie, and winde, and swel∣ling. For as the Commentour sayeth, Ventositie and winde, grieue most Her∣nious men that be so broke.
Ther are three speciall kindes,* 1.2 Hernia aquosa, Hernia ventosa, Hernia carno∣sa, waterish, windy, & fleshy. These im∣pediments be ingendred in the coddes. Also there is Euterocela, Epiplocela, & Hidrocela. The first of these is, when the guts fall out of the bodye into the codde: ihe second is when the Pellicle or small rime falleth downe with the guts into the codde, the third anoyeth the stones. There is also Parocela, Sar∣cocela, Circocela, Flesh groweth in the codde about the stones, the swelling in the veynes, and the stayeng of the rupture.