The store-house of physical practice being a general treatise of the causes and signs of all diseases afflicting human bodies : together with the shortest, plainest and safest way of curing them, by method, medicine and diet : to which is added, for the benefit of young practicers, several choice forms of medicines used by the London physicians / by John Pechey ...

CHAP. XCV. Of an immoderate Flux of the Courses.

AN immoderate flux of the Courses invades either in Child-bed, or at other Times: As to the first, that afflicts Women most on the first Days after a diffi∣cult Labour, and is accompanied with a long train of Hysterick Symptoms; and as it happens only on the first days, so usually does not last long, for if a thickning Diet be ordered, it soon abates. The following Drink may be also used.

Take of Plantain Water, and red Wine, each one pint; boil them till a third part is consumed: Sweeten it with a sufficient quantity of white Sugar, and let her take half a pint of it twice or thrice a day, and in the mean while some gentle Hysterick Julep may be used, and the following Nodulus may be often held to the Nostrils.

Take of Galbanum and Assa Foetida, each two drachms, of Castor one Drachm and an half, of volatile Salt of Amber half a drachm; mingle them, make a Nodulus. Or two drachms of spirit of Sal Armo∣niack may be often held to the Nose.

But as to the Flux which happens out of Child-Bed, though it befals Women at any Time, yet most com∣monly it invades a little before the Time they leave them, viz. when they are about forty five Years of Age, if they had them very young, and about fifty if it was late before they began to have them: And by reason of the great quantity of Blood, which is continually eva∣cuated, they are almost continually seized with Hysterick Fits; and though in this Case Hystericks both inward and outward may be used by the by (but you must for∣bear the strongest, lest they should further the Flux) yet the Cure must be managed by such things as stop the Flux.

You must bleed in the Arm, and eight Ounces of Blood must be taken away. The next Morning the following Purge must be given.

Take of Tamarinds half an ounce, of S••na two drachms, of Rhubarb one drachm and an half, infuse them in a sufficient quantity of Fountain Water: In three ounces of the strained Liquor▪ dissolve of Manna and syrup of Roses solutive, each one ounce; make a purging Potion, which is to be repeated every third day for twice, every night at bed-time, through the whole course of the Disease; let an Anodyn be given of an ounce of Diacodium.

Take of the conserve of dryed Roses two ounces, of the Troches of Lemnian Earth one drachm and an half, of Pomgranate peel, and of red Coral prepared, each two scruples, of Blood-stone, of Dragon's-blood, and of Bole-Armenick, each two scruples; with a suffi∣cient quantity of simple Syrup of Coral make an Ele∣ctuary, whereof let her take the quantity of a large nutmeg in the morning and at five in the after∣noon, drinking upon it six spoonfuls of the follow∣ing Julep.

Take of the waters of Oak-buds, and of Plantain, each three ounces, of Cinnamon-water hordeated, and of Syrup of dried Roses, each one ounce, of Spirit of Vitrial a sufficient quantity, to make it pleasantly acid.

Take of the Leaves of Plantain, and of Nettles, each a sufficient quantity, beat them together in a Marble-Mortar, and press out the Juice, clarifie it and give six spoonfuls of it cold three or four times in a day.

After the first Purge apply the following Plaster to the Region of the Loins.

Take of the Plasters of Diapalma, and ad herniam, each equal parts, mix them and spread them upon Leather.

A cooling and thickning Diet must be ordered, only it may be proper to allow once or twice a day a small Glass of Claret; which tho' it be not so proper, because it is apt to raise an ebullition, yet it may be allowed to recover the Strength. This Method may be also used to prevent Miscarriage, but the Juices and the Purges must be omitted.