Medicina practica, or, Practical physick shewing the method of curing the most usual diseases happening to humane bodies ... : to which is added, the philosophick works of Hermes Trismegistus, Kalid Persicus, Geber Arabs, Artesius Longævus, Nicholas Flammel, Roger Bachon and George Ripley : all translated out of the best Latin editions into English ... : together with a singular comment upon the first book of Hermes, the most ancient of philosophers : the whole compleated in three books / by William Salmon ...

CHAP. VIII. Of Abortion or Misearriage.

I. Abortion more dangerous then a Timely Birth.

IT is not only more dange∣rous, but more painful, by reason of the violent divul∣sion of the Immature Foetus; whence it is that many Dye, and such as escape, it is not without dangerous Sym∣ptomes, vehement Pains, Fe∣vers, &c. It is not unlike to unripe Fruit, which is diffi∣cully pulled off the Tree; whereas was it full ripe, it would drop of its own ac∣cord, whether it was ripe or no, which is the true cause of a mature or timely Birth. The danger is the more if the Foetus be in the sixth, seventh, or eighth Month, and the Woman be of a weakly Constitution; for that healthy Women never miscarry without eminent Danger.

II. Bleeding by the Womb, not always a sign of Abortion.

This is evident, for that some Women have their Terms all the time of their going with Child; and I have known some that have had them from the third Month to the last, after they had been stopt 3 Months, without danger; and there∣fore Midwifes ought to be very discreet in making Judgment: For though a Woman with Child may void much Blood by the

Womb, yet it may be no Miscarriage, but either be a natural Flux, as it is to some Women, or only fore∣shew a Danger, which ought by proper Means to be pre∣vented. Therefore Mid∣wifes ought diligently to examine the Matter exclu∣ded, whether it be Blood or Flesh, or Seed or Faetus, which by washing it in Wa∣ter will easily be discerned; and Judgment may be made accordingly, whether there be an Abortion or no.

III. A History of a Woman that Miscarried.

A Woman gon with Child fourteen Weeks Mis∣carried: First much Blood came away, then the Mem∣branes and Faetus: Two days after the Woman fell into a high Feaver; due means was used, and sufficient Cleansers; but the Placenta, or After-burthen stuck so fast, that it could by no means be removed; all the while she voided a filthy Cadave∣rous stinking Matter, and sometimes pieces of Flesh: on the tenth Day she died.

IV. A Spirit to prevent A∣bortion.

Take Spirit of Wine one Gallon Balaustians, Pome∣granates Peels, Oak-bark, of each four Ounces, Opium two Ounces; mix, dissolve the Opium, digest all toge∣ther, for six or seven days; then add to it a Gallon or five Quarts of fair Water; Distil in an Alembick, and draw off five Quarts of Li∣quor, which Dulcifie with white Sugar, and keep for use. Dose four or five Spoon∣fulls, two or three times a day. Salmon.

V. Another for the same, much stronger.

Take of the former di∣stilled Spirit a Gallon, Ca∣techu, Cortex Peruvianus, both in Powder, of each a Pound; mix, digest, shak∣ing it twice a day, for ten or twelve days, then keep it for use. Dose from one Spoonfull to two or more, Morning and Evening; it will scarely ever fail. Sal∣mon.

VI. A Powder for the same.

Take Antimony Diapho∣retick, Pearl, red Corral in fine Powder, Levigated Powder of Crabs Eyes, ana two Scruples, Balaustians in Powder, Nutmegs, ana five Grains; mix for a Dose to be given Morning and Eve∣ning. Salmon.

VII. Another Powder for the same.

Take Blood stone, Ma∣stick, Olibanum, ana fifteen Grains; make all into a fine Powder, for one Dose to be given Morning and Eve∣ning in a Glass of Tent. Sal∣mon.

VIII. An Emplaster for the same purpose.

Take Blood-stone in fine Powder half an Ounce, Ma∣stick, Frankincense, Oliba∣num, of each an Ounce, Su∣mach, Balaustians in Pow∣der, ana two Drachms, Gal∣banum two Ounces, Pine Rosin Venice Turpentine, enough to make a Cerecloth, which apply to her Belly, and continue the use of it 'till the seventh Month, or time of Birth. Let it be laid on the Belly, and on the Loyns on each side, the Back∣bone being left bare; and every ten or twelve Days it may be changed.

IX. A most excellent mixture for the same.

Take of our Guttae Vitae one Ounce, (see it in our Phylaxa, Lib. 1. Cap. 9.) and our Tinctura ad Catarrhos, four Ounces; mix them: Dose one Spoonfull every Night going to Bed, in a Glass of Ale: Tho' there be evident signs of Abortion, yet this will prevent it; I have proved it above a hun∣dred times with success. Sal∣mon.

X. A Plaster from Riverius.

If the Child be not seve∣red from the Cotyledous, ap∣ply this. Take Olibanum in Powder two Ounces, the Whites of five Eggs; stir them toge∣ther over the Fire, always keeping stirring that they may not run to a Lump; adding also a little Turpentine, that they may not stick too much. Lay it upon Tow, and ap∣ply it to the Navel as hot as

it can be endured, twice a day, Morning and Eve∣ning, for three or four days; in the mean Season also let her wear an Eagle-stone, or a Stone found in the Heart or Womb of a Hind, under her Arm-pits.

XI. A Cataplasm to comfort the Womb.

Take Crumbs of Hous∣hold Bread two Pound, Ca∣momil Flowers a handfull; Mastick, Olibanum, of each half an Ounce in Powder; Nutmegs, Cloves in Pow∣der of each an Ounce, Rose-Vinegar two Ounces, Tent or Malmsey-wine a suffici∣ent quantity: Boyl all over a gentle Fire, to the con∣sistence of a Pultice; put it into a Bag or folded Cloth, and apply it hot to the bot∣tom of the Belly.

XII. A Cataplasm to prevent Abortion.

Take of our Balsamum Amicum two Ounces, of our New London Treacle one Ounce; mix them, and with Powder of Rue make it of a consistency; apply it warm to the Belly. Salmon.

XIII. Prevention of Abortion.

A Woman who had mis∣carried four or five times, and dispaired of ever having a live Child, I Cured by the following Remedy. Take Rheubarb four Ounces, slice it thin; Anniseeds, Cara∣ways bruised, of each two Drachms; put all into a large thin Rag, with a stone in it, and so tie it up, which put in a Gallon of Ale in a Stone or Glass Bottle: after it has stood three or four days drink of it: This she drank of all the time of her going with Child, and she went her whole time out chearfully and well: I have prescribed the same to seve∣ral other Women with the same Success. Salmon.

XIV. An Observation worth noting.

Consider whether there be a real Miscarriage or no, viz. whether the Faetus be actually excluded, or only fears of it; If it be actually done, you must abstain from Astringents, and things pre∣venting Abortion, and then use Forcers, Loosners, and

Forcers, lest any of the Membranes, or after-Birth, or any part of it, or other foetid and putrid Matter should be left behind, by which the Woman would certainly Perish. But if the Child be not Dead, nor ex∣pelled, but only a Danger, and the foetus retreats, then you ought to use restingents, and things above directed, that Abortion may be pre∣vented, and the Child pre∣served. Salmon.

XV. A Medicine after Miscar∣riage.

If part of the After-birth should remain, and a conti∣nual Flux of Blood for some Months should accompany it, the most Excellent Sylvius has restored the sick by three ounces of the following De∣coction, taken twice or thrice a day. Take Bistort-root, three Ounces, Marjoram, Pennyroyal, ana, a handful; Water, White-wine, of each a sufficient quantity: Strain, and Sweet∣ten with Syrup of Mugwort a Tenth part: Cinnamon-water a Twentieth part. By Virtue of this, a piece of the Af∣ter-birth, as big as ones Fist was voided, and the Flux of Blood stopped and cured.