The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

CHAP. XLVIII. Of the cure of the strangulation of the wombe.

SEeing that the strangulation of the wombe is a sudden and sharp disease, it therefore requireth a present and speedy remedy, for if it be neglected * 1.1 it many times causeth present death. Therefore, when this malady com∣meth, the sick woman must presently be placed on her back, having her breast and stomack loose, and all her clothes & garments slack & loose about her, whereby she may take breath the more easily; and she must be called on by her owne name, with a loud voice in her eares, and pulled hard by the haires of the

temples and neck, but yet especially by the haires of the secret parts, that by provo∣king or causing paine in the lower parts, the patient may not onely be brought to her selfe againe, but also that the sharpe and maligne vapour ascending upwards, may be drawne downewards: the legs and armes must bee bound and tied with painefull ligatures, all the body must bee rubbed over with rough linnen clothes besprinkled with salt and vinegar, untill it be very sore and red, and let this pessary following be put into the wombe. ℞. succi mercurial. artemis. an. ℥ii. in quibus dissolve pul. bened. * 1.2 ʒiii. pul. radic. enulae camp. galang. minor. an. ʒi. make thereof a pessary. Then let the soales of her feet bee anoynted with oyle of dayes, or with some such like oyle, let a great cupping-glasse with a greatflame be applyed to the belly below the navell, to the inner part of the thigh, and to the groin, whereby both the matter that climes up∣wards, and also the womb it self running the same way, may be brought downwards or drawn back. There may be made a fumigation of spices to be received up into the wombe, which, that it may be the easier done, the wombe may be held open by put∣ting in this instrument here described into the neck thereof. Let it be made of gold, silver or latin into the forme of a pessary; at the one end thereof, that is to say, that end which goeth up into the necke of the wombe, let there be made many holes on each side, but at the lower end let it be made with a spring, that it may open and shut as you wil have it. Also it must have two laces or bands by which it must be made fast unto a swathe or girdle tyed about the patients belly.

[illustration]

The forme of a Pessary to be put into the neck of the wombe to hold it open.

[illustration]

The description of a vessell made with a funnell or pipe for to fumigate the wombe.

The matter and ingredients of sweet and aromaticke fumigations, are cinnamon, callam. aromat. lig. aloes, ladanum, benzoin, thyme, pepper, cloves, lavander, ca∣laminth, * 1.3 mugwort, penniroyall, alepta moschat. nutmegs, muske, mosse, amber, squi∣nant, and such like, which for their sweet smell and sympathy, allure or entice the * 1.4 wombe downewards, by their heat consume and digest the thicke vapours, and pu∣trefied ill juice. Contrariwise, let the nostrils bee perfumed with foetide and ranke smels, and let these be made with gum. galbanum, sagapenum, ammoniacum, assa foeti∣da, bitumen, oyle of Jeat, snuffe of a tallow candle when it is blowne out, with the fume of birds feathers, especially of Partridges and Woodcocks, of mans haire or goats haire, of old leather, of horse hoofes, and such like things burned, whose noy∣some or offensive savour the wombe avoyding, doth returne unto its owne place or seate againe.

Moreover it shall be very necessary to procure vomit by thrusting a goose feather downe into the throate, or else the haires of the patients owne head. Shortly after shee must use a potion of fifteene graines of blacke pepper bruised and dissolved in * 1.5 hydromel, or water and hony mixed together, or in some strong wine, which remedy Avicen holdeth for a secret.

Also in stead thereof three houres before meat ʒss. of treacle dissolved in ℥i. of the water of wormewood may be given her: Also it is thought that one drop of the oyle of Jeat dropped on the tongue, is a very profitable remedy. There bee some that allow a potion of halfe a dram of Castoreum dissolved in white wine, or in the * 1.6 broth of a capon: also it is profitable not onely to give her treacle to drinke, but al∣so

to inject it into the wombe, being first dissolved in aqua vitae, and in the meane time to drop two drops of oyle of sage, or some such chymicall oyle into the eares. * 1.7 If shee bee drousie or sleepy, she must be awaked or kept waking with sneesing pow∣ders of white ellebore and pellitory.

It is also requisite to inject glysters both into the fundament and secret parts, which must be made of the decoction of things that discusse winde, as of calamint, * 1.8 mugwort, lavender, pennyroyall, chamomel, melilote, and such like; and let pessaries or suppositories be made of ladanum, ginger, gallia moschat. treacle, mithridate, civet and muske, of the oyle of cloves, anniseeds, sage, rosemary, and such like, chymi∣cally drawne; this following is a convenient description of a glyster. ℞. radic. enu∣lae, * 1.9 camp. Ireos, ebuli, aristoloch. an. ℥i. fol. absynth. artemesiae, matricar. puleg. origani, an. m. i. baccarum lauri, juniperi & sambuc. an. p. i. sem. amios, cymini, rutae an. ʒii. florum sloechados, rorismarin. salviae, centaur. minor. an. p. ii. fiat decoctio, cape colaturae lb. i. in qua dissolve mellis anthosati, sacch. rubr. & bened. an. ℥i. diacharth. ʒii. olei aneth. nard. an. ℥iss. make thereof a glyster, and apply this plaster following to the belly. ℞. mass. empl. oxycrocei, & melilot. an. ℥iii. olei nard. as much as shall suffice to make it conveniently soft, make thereof a plaster, and spread it on leather, and apply it to the region of the belly when the fitte is ended: if she be married, let her forthwith use * 1.10 copulation, and bee strongly encountered by her husband, for there is no remedy more present than this.

Let the mydwife annoint her fingers with oleum nardinum or moschetalinum, or of cloves, or else of spike mixed with muske, ambergreese, civet, and other sweet pow∣ders, and with these let her rub or tickle the top of the necke of the wombe which toucheth the inner orifice; but her secret parts must first be warmed by the applying of warme linnen clothes, for so at length the venemous matter contained in the wombe, shall bee dissolved and flow out, and the maligne, sharpe and flatulent va∣pours, whereby the wombe is driven as it were into a fury or rage, shall bee resolved and dissipated, and so when the conjunct matter of the disease is scattered and wasted, the wombe, and also the woman shall bee restored unto themselves againe. Some hold it for a secret to rub the navell with the juice of garlicke boyled and mixed with aloes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The pulling the haire of the lower parts 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 both for this malady and for the cause of the same.
• * 1.2

  A Pessary.
• * 1.3

  The matter of sweet fumiga∣tions.
• * 1.4

  By what power sweet fumigati∣ons do restore the womb unto its owne nature and place. Stinking smels to be applied to the nostrils.
• * 1.5

  Avicens secret for suffocation of the wombe.
• * 1.6

  Castoreum drun∣ken.
• * 1.7

  Expressions in∣to the wombe.
• * 1.8

  The matter of pessaries.
• * 1.9

  A glyster scat∣tering grosse vapours.
• * 1.10

  A quick, certain & a pleasant re∣medy for the suffocation of the wombe. Tickling of the neck of the wombe.