CHAP. XXII. Of Caruncles, or fleshy excresc••u••••s which sometimes happen to grow in the Urethra, by the heat or sc••lding of the urine.
ASharpe humour which flowes from the Glandules termed Prostatae, and continually runs alongst the urenary passage, in some places by the way * 1.1 it frets, and exulcerates by the acrimony the urethra in men, but the necke of the wombe in women. In these, as also is usuall in other ulcers, there sometimes growes up a superfluous flesh, which oft times hinders the casting or comming forth of the seed & urine by their appropriate and common passage, whence many mischieves arise; whence it is that such ulcers as have carun∣cles growing upon them must be diligently cured. But first we must know whether they be new or old. For the latter are more difficulty to bee cured than the former, * 1.2 because the caruncles that grow upon them become callous and hard, being oft times cicatrized. Wee know that there are caruncles, if the Cath••ter cannot freely passe alongst the passage of the urine, but findes so many stops in the way, as it meets * 1.3 with Caruncles that stop the passage; if the patient can hardly make water, or if his water runne in a very small streame, or two streames, or crookedly, or onely by droppe and droppe, with such tormenting paine that he is ready to let goe his excre∣ments, yea and oft times doth so, after the same manner as such as are troubled with the stone in the bladder. After making water, as also after copulation, some portion of the urine and seed stayes at the rough places of the caruncles, so that the patient is forced to presse his yard, to presse forth such reliques. Sometimes the urine is whol∣ly stopped, whence proceeds such distention of the bladder, that it causeth inflam∣mation, * 1.4 and the urine flowing backe into the body, hastens the death of the patient. Yet sometimes the urine thus supprest, sweats forth preternaturally in sundry places, as at the fundament, perinaeum, cod, yard, groines. As soone as we, by any of the forementioned signes, shall suspect that there is a Caruncle about to grow, it is ex∣pedient forthwith to use means for the cure therof; for a caruncle from a very little beginning doth in a short time grow so bigge, that at the length it becomes incure∣able, verily you may easily ghesse at the difficulty of the cure by that we have for∣merly delivered of the essence hereof, besides, medicines can very hardly arrive ther∣at. The fittest season for the undertaking thereof is the spring, and the next thereto is * 1.5 winter; yet if it be very troublesome, you must delay no time. Whilest the cure is in hand, the patient ought wholly to abstain from venery, for by the use thereof, the kid∣neyes, spermaticke vessels, prostatae, and the whole yard, swell up and waxe hot, and consequently draw to them from the neighbouring and upper parts, whence aboun∣dance of excrements in the affected parts, much hindering the cure. You must be∣ware of acrid and corroding things in the use of detergent injections, for that thus the urethra being endued with most exquisite sense, may bee easily offended, whence might ensue many and ill accidents. Neither must wee be frighted if at some times wee see blood flow forth of secret or hidden caruncles. For this helpes to shorten the cure, because the disease is hindered from growth, by taking away portion of the conjunct matter, the part also it selfe is eased from the oppressing burden, for the ma∣teriall cause of caruncles is superfluous blood. Wherfore unlesse such bleeding hap∣pen of it selfe, it is not amisse to procure it by thrusting in a Cathaeter somewhat hard, * 1.6 yet with good advise. If the Caruncles be inveterate, and callous, then must they be mollified by fomentations, ointments, cataplasmes, plasters, and fumigations; you may thus a make fomentation. ℞. rad, alth. & lilior al••. an. ℥iv. rad. bryani••, & foe∣nicul. * 1.7