The compleat midwife's practice enlarged in the most weighty and high concernments of the birth of man containing a perfect directory or rules for midwives and nurses : as also a guide for women in their conception, bearing and nursing of children from the experience of our English authors, viz., Sir Theodore Mayern, Dr. Chamberlain, Mr. Nich. Culpeper ... : with instructions of the Queen of France's midwife to her daughter ... / by John Pechey ... ; the whole illustrated with copper plates.
About this Item
Title
The compleat midwife's practice enlarged in the most weighty and high concernments of the birth of man containing a perfect directory or rules for midwives and nurses : as also a guide for women in their conception, bearing and nursing of children from the experience of our English authors, viz., Sir Theodore Mayern, Dr. Chamberlain, Mr. Nich. Culpeper ... : with instructions of the Queen of France's midwife to her daughter ... / by John Pechey ... ; the whole illustrated with copper plates.
Author
Pechey, John, 1655-1716.
Publication
London :: Printed for H. Rhodes ... J. Philips ... J. Taylor ... and K. Bentley ...,
1698.
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Subject terms
Obstetrics -- England -- Early works to 1800.
Medicine -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A53913.0001.001
Cite this Item
"The compleat midwife's practice enlarged in the most weighty and high concernments of the birth of man containing a perfect directory or rules for midwives and nurses : as also a guide for women in their conception, bearing and nursing of children from the experience of our English authors, viz., Sir Theodore Mayern, Dr. Chamberlain, Mr. Nich. Culpeper ... : with instructions of the Queen of France's midwife to her daughter ... / by John Pechey ... ; the whole illustrated with copper plates." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A53913.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 1, 2025.
Pages
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
The Contents.
OF the Genitals or Vessels dedicated to Generation in men or women. Page 1
Of the Vessels of preparation. p. 2
Of the Parastatae or Vessels where the blood is first changed. p. 5
The use of the preparing Vessels. p. 4
Of the Testicles in general. p. 6
Of the Tunicles of the Stones. p. 8
Of the suspensory Muscles. p. 9
Of the substance and temper of the Stones. p. 10
Of the actions of the Testicles. p. 11
Of the Vtility of the Testicles, and their parts. p. 12
Of the Vessels that casteth forth the Seed. p. 14
Of the Seminary Bladders. p. 15
Of the Kernelly Prostatae, or forestanders. p. 17
Of the structure of the Yard. p. 21
Of the several parts, constituting the Yard. p. 22
Of the action of the Yard. p. 26
Of the use of the Yard in general. ibid.
Of the use of the parts constituting the Yard. p. 27
Of the Genitals of Women. p. 29
Of those parts called Nemphae, and the Clytoris. p. 30
Of the fleshy knobs, and the greater neck of the Womb. p. 33
Of the Hymen. p. 34
Of the Vessels that run through the neck of the Womb. p. 36
Of the fabrick of the Womb. p. 37
Of the preparing Vessels in Women. p. 40
Of the stones in Women. p. 41
Of the deferent, or ejaculatory Vessels. p. 45
Of the actions and uses of the Genital parts in Women. p. 48
Of the action of the Clytoris, p. 49
Of the action and use of the neck of the Womb. ibid.
Of the uses of the Vessels running thro' the neck of the womb. p. 50
...
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Of the actions of the Womb. p. 50
Of the Vtility of the Womb. p. 51.
Of the Vtility of the preparing Vessels in Women. p. 52
Of the Vtility of the Stones. ibid.
Of the signs of Conception. p. 53
Whether she hath conceived a Male. p. 56
Whether a Female. ibid.
Of the Conception of Twins. p. 57
Of false Conception. ibid.
How Women ought to govern themselves, in the time of their going with Child. p. 63
The Womb-Cake. p. 85.
Of the mixture of the Seed of both Sexes, as also of its sub∣stance and form. p. 96.
Of the three Tunicles which the Birth is wrapt in, in the Womb. p. 97.
Of the true generation of the parts, and the increase of them, according to the several days and seasons. p. 98
Of the nourishment of the Birth in the Womb. p. 102
Of the condition of the Infant in the Womb, in the 6, 7, and 8 month. p. 103
Of the situation of the Child in the womb. ibid.
Of Midwives. p. 107
What ought to be observed when she is near the time of her lying down. p. 108
How to expell the Collick from Women in Child-bed. p. 110
How the Midwife may know when the pains of Travel do seize on a Woman. p. 111
Of the falling down of the Waters, a good while before the Woman Travels. ibid.
What the Midwife ought to do in time of Travel. p. 112
How to draw forth the Secondines. p. 114
What may be given to a Woman in Travel. ibid.
How to put the Womb again into its place. p. 115
Against the extream loss of blood, which happens to women, immediately after their delivery. p. 116
What is to be done to a woman presently after her Delivery. p. 117
Of Women that have a great deal of blood, and purge not nei∣ther in their Travel nor after. p. 118
...
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Of those who have but a little blood. p. 120
What is to be done to the Infant. ibid.
How to govern Women in Child-bed. p. 121
Of the bathings that a Woman is to use for the first eight days of her Lying-in. p. 122
How a Midwife ought to govern her self, in case a Woman be to be deliver'd of two Children. ibid.
Of the danger that a Woman hath, to purge her self for the first days of her Lying-in p. 124
Of the second washing for Women. ibid.
What is to be done to Infants as soon as they are born. p. 125
Of the last Washing for Women. p. 126
Of an Astringent for women, when they shall have occasion. 127
To make Cere-Cloaths for Women. ibid.
To cleanse a Woman before she rises. ibid.
How a woman lying in of her first Child, may avoid the gri∣pings of her belly. p. 128
The Queen of France, her Receipt. p. 129
Certain Precepts hindring the delay and difficulty of bringing forth. ibid.
How the Secondines are to be hasten'd out. p. 132
Pills for that purpose. p. 134
Of cases of extremity; and first, what is to be done to a wo∣man, who in her Travel is accompanied with a flux of blood, and with Convulsions. p. 135
Of ordering the woman after she is delivered p. 148
What is to be done to the Breast, Belly, and lower parts of the woman in Child-bed. p. 150
An Ointment. p. 151
An Ointment to keep the Milk from clotting. ibid.
A Fomentation much commended. ibid.
Of the choice of a good Nurse. p. 153
What is to be done in the extream parts of the Child. p. 154
What is to be done to such Children as are troubled with Flegm. p. 155
What is to be done to Children that have their Cods full of wind. ibid.
How to take away the Canker out of the Infants mouth. 156
What is to be done to Children whose Intestines are fallen. ibid.
To make an ointment to strengthen the thighs and legs of a Child, and to make him go. p. 157
...
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Of the relaxations of the Matrix, and the cause. ibid.
Of a Disease that happens by reason of the fall of the Ma∣trix. p. 159.
To remedy the fall of the Fundament in Infants. p. 160
Of the Diseases of Women: and first of the inflammation of the Breast. ibid.
Of Windy Tumours in the breasts. p. 169
Of Swelling from Milk. p. 164
Of the watry Tumour in the Breast. p. 172
Of the Kernel in the Breast. p. 174
Of the Scirrhus of the Breast. p. 176
Of the Cancer in the Breasts. p. 183
Of the greatness of the Breasts. p. 186
Of the defect, abundance, and coagulation of the Milk. 187
Of the Diseases of the neck of the Womb; and first of the Disease called Tentigo. p. 188
Of the narrowness of the neck of the Womb. p. 189
Of Wheals, Condyloma's of the Womb, and of Hemorrhoids. p. 191
Of the Vulcers of the neck of the Womb. p. 194
Of the Womb being out of temper. p. 200
Of the narrowness of the Vessels of the womb. p. 203
Of the puffing up of the Womb. p. 204
Of the inflammation of the Womb. p. 206
Of the Scirrhus of the Womb. p. 209
Of the Dropsie of the Womb. p. 210
Of the falling of the Womb. p. 211
Of the ascent of the Matrix, as also of the Wounds and Vl∣cers of the same. p. 213
Of the pain of the Womb. p. 215
Of the suppression of the Flowers. p. 216
Of the dropping of the flowers, and the difficulty of their co∣ming down. p. 220
Of the discolouring of the Flowers. p. 221
Of the inordinate flux of the Flowers. p. 222
Of the over-abundance of the Courses. p. 224
Of the Whites and Gomorrhea in Wom••n. p. 226
Of the Green-Sickness. p. 228
Of the Suffocation of the Matrix. p. 230
Of Barrenness. p. 243
...
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Of bringing up of Children, and their diseases. p. 246
Of the Diseases of the Head. ibid.
Bigness and swelling of the head in little Children. p. 248
Of the Diseases of the eyes, ears, and noses in Children. p. 249
Of certain Ʋlcers in Childrens mouths. p. 250
Of certain other Tumours called Paroulis, and Espoulis. ibid.
Of the two strings under the tongue of the Child. p. 251
Of the Coughing of Children. p. 252
Of breeding Teeth. ibid.
Of the Inflammation of the Navel-string in Infants. p. 253
Of the Worms. ibid.
Of the Convulsion in Infants. ibid.
Of the swelling of the Hypocondria in Infants. p. 255
Of Costiveness in Children. ibid.
Of looseness in Children. ibid.
Of Burstness in Children. p. 256
Of the inflammation of the Navel. p. 257
Of the jutting forth of the Navel. ibid.
Of the Stone in the Bladder. p. 257
Of the not holding of the Vrine. p. 258
Of the Intertrigo. ibid.
Of Leanness. ibid.
Of the difficulty that Children have to make water. p. 259
Of the Inflammation of the Almonds of the ears. ibid.
Of Vomiting. p. 260
Of the Hicquet. ibid.
Of the pain of the Belly in Children. p. 261
Of the Small Pox in Children. ibid.
The Contents of the SƲPPLY.
1. OF the generative Seed, its beginning, and particular∣ly of the four Concoctions. pag. 263
2. The Generation of Man, compared with the production of Plants. p. 266
3. By what means Parents may get wise Children. p. 268
4. The Signs of the several degrees of hot and dry in a Man. p. 272
...
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5. What Women ought to marry with what Men, that they may have Children. p. 273
6. How Males are gotten, and not Females; and con∣trary. p. 275
7. How to preserve Childrens wit, when formed. p. 278
8. Further Considerations of the gradual progress of the births formation in the Womb. p. 283
9. The Notes of Virginity, whether violable, but by Man. ibid.
10. Whether there may be a mutation of Sexes: and of Hermaphrodites.
The Contents of Sir Theodore Mayern's Rare Secrets in MIDWIFRY.
TO know the time of Delivery; whereby the woman may know the better how to prepare her self. pag. 295
Signs which precede Delivery. p. 296
To cause the Woman to contain the Birth. p. 297
An Emplaister to hinder the monthly flux in Women with Child. p. 297
An Emplaister for a Woman that is fearful of containing the Birth. ibid.
Preparatory Oyntments to be used before the time of De∣livery. p. 298
In case of Vomiting. ibid.
Regulation of Diet. p. 299
Other Advertisements relating to the several Accidents which may happen. p. 300
To accelerate and hasten the Labour before the time of Child-bearing. p. 305
An Oyntment for the Midwife's hands. p. 310
...
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After Delivery. p. 310
If the pains cease not, &c. ibid.
To strengthen the Womb. ibid.
To strengthen the Womb without the help of Swathe-bands. p. 311
A fomentation to provoke the After-birth. ibid.
Another for the same. p. 312.
A Pessary for the same. ibid.
Two other Pessaries for the same. ibid.
To expel the Child, and after-birth, in time of great ne∣cessity. ibid.
Another to expel the after-birth. p. 313.
To expell the Birth, whether alive or dead. ibid.
Against pains of the heart. ibid.
To dry up the Milk. ibid.
Another for the same. p. 314.
A Fomentation for the same. ibid.
Another. ibid.
An Oyntment against the curdling of the milk in the Breast. p. 315
To curdle the milk. ibid.
Against Fissures in the Breasts. p. 316
Another for the same. ibid.
Pain in the Breasts after Delivery. ibid.
An Opiate to be given to Children newly born. ibid.
Against Barrenness. p. 317
Another for the same. ibid.
To increase Lust, and help Conception. p. 320
An Opiate for the same. ibid.
Another for the same. ibid.
An Application to be made upon the Privities presently after Delivery. p. 321
The next day foment these parts with this Fomenta∣tion. ibid.
A Bath in Summer. p. 322
The third Bath. p. 323
After she hath bathed, let her foment for one or two days the lower parts of her Belly. ibid.
A Fomentation for the Womb the second day after the Bath. p. 324
...
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To cause the swelling of the belly to fall. p. 324
Pain after Delivery. ibid.
Against the swelling of the Belly after Delivery. p. 325
Against wrinkles of the skin after Child-bearing. ibid.
An oyntment to be used before a woman lyes down. ibid.
Another for the same. p. 326
A Pomatum for the same. ibid.
An oyntment for the same. ibid.
Another for the same. ibid.
Certain Instructions grounding upon practical Observations, fit to be known by all Midwives, and Child-bearing Wo∣men, &c. p. 327.
A second observation of a Woman that had been in Travel nine days. p. 330
Of a Woman here in Town that bare her Child eleven Months, and could not be delivered. p. 331
Of the common opinion, that a Woman seven months gone, ought to walk very much; and of the accidents that happen thereby. p. 333
Of a Child which they thought sick of the Epilepsie, occasion'd by the sickness of the Mother; and of the cause. p. 336
Of a young Woman, who being struck upon the belly by her Husband with his foot, was in great pain, and could not be brought to bed without the help of a Surgeon. p. 337
Of two Deliveries of one Woman. ibid.
Of a Woman that because she would not be ruled in her lying in, died. p. 339
Of certain women that bear children and Lye-in before their time; and others at their full time, who grow big, and full of humours; which causeth the death of the Child presently after their Delivery, their Children being nourished in their bellies like fish, only with water. p. 340
The observation of a woman who was thought unable to bear any more Children, yet contrary to expectation was deliver∣ed of one, and the reason thereof. p. 341
A good observation in the choice of Nurses. p. 342
Of a woman which I laid two several times, and of the differ∣ence of her bearing of two Children, proceeding from seve∣ral Causes. p. 344
Instruction of a famous and dying Midwife to her Daughter, touching the practice of this Art. p. 345
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