Dr. Willis's practice of physick being the whole works of that renowned and famous physician wherein most of the diseases belonging to the body of man are treated of, with excellent methods and receipts for the cure of the same : fitted to the meanest capacity by an index for the explaining of all the hard and unusual words and terms of art derived from the Greek, Latine, or other languages for the benefit of the English reader : with forty copper plates.

The Milky Feaver.

WE have already said, that as yet it was uncertain of what matter Milk was immedi∣ately made, and by what passages it is carried into the Breasts, moreover when this part appears not at all to anatomical inspection, I am of the opinion, that the Milky Chyme, being made out of Aliments in the Bowels, and from thence confused to the Bloud for nou∣rishing Juice, is presently again, for the most part of it, separated from its mass by the help of the Glandula's in the Womb, or in the Breasts, that it might supply the Child with nu∣triment, either in the Mothers Belly, or in her bosom by the Breasts. In the time of going with Child, although the greatest part of this is derived to the Womb, yet in the last months, a little quantity of it is laid up in the Breasts; but about the third or fourth day, after being brought to Bed, the Milk is more plentifully carried into the Breasts, and as it were with a certain force, that it quickly fills them to a stretching them forth, and begins to be troublesom. At this time, Women lying in (though not all, yet most) are wont to be troubled with a feaverish intemperature, with thirst, heat, and an inquietude of the whole Body, they complain of a pain very troublesom in the Back and Shoulders, of a fulness and burning of the Breasts: and unless the Milk be diligently drawn forth, it being too much con∣gested or heaped up, oftentimes brings forth an Inflammation, with an Imposthume follow∣ing of it in the Breasts. This Feaver, whilst the Lochia are in good order, hardly lasts three days, but that about that space it is wont to be allayed, a plentiful sweating arising of its own accord; yet this intemperature being excited by the coming of the Milk, is somewhat increa∣sed and continued longer, if that the Milk entring the Breasts in abundance, be not milked forth, but is again repelled from thence; for by its departure, as well as by its coming, a perturbation is wont to happen in the whole Body, with thirst and heat, which also more certainly comes to pass if it happens to be driven away violently, by repelling Topicks. But being driven by their help from the Breasts, or departing of its own accord, it is thrust forth, with the Lochia, in the form of a whitish humor, and a sweat, or more plentiful transpiration, exterminates the Reliques of the Disease. If that with this kind of intempe∣rance, brought in by reason of the commotion of the Milk, the Lochia be stopped, or errors in eating and drinking be committed, or any other evident cause should happen, that may in∣crease the fervor of the Blood, very often the Milky Feaver, presently acquiring worse Symptoms, changes into a Putrid or rather malignant Feaver.

The Cause, or formal Reason of the aforesaid Feaver (whilst the way of the Milk lies hid) may be only propos'd, from an Hypothesis, and as it were a certain Augury; for being sup∣posed, that this milky humor is carried to the Breasts immediately, by a peculiar passage, from the Viscera of concoction, without any commerce with the Blood, this feaverish Distemper arises, for that the Breasts being filled with Milk, and greatly distended, the sanguineous Vessels are so compressed, that they do not easily transmit the Blood flowing thither; from whence, the Blood being hindred in its circuit, begins to tumultuate through its whole mass, and the Spirits being inordinately moved, and wholly confused, it conceives a fervor, such as being induced by a Stopping, Surfeit, Inflammation, or Wound, constitutes ordinarily the simple Synochus; but if the matter of the Milk (as it is not improbable) passes through the Blood, this Feaver of Women in Child-bed, seems to spring from hence,

that when this Latex is transferred to the Breasts, having left the Womb, a great portion of it subsists in the mass of Blood, which indeed, for that it exceeds the provision of the nourishing juice, and so cannot be wholly assimilated, and besides abounds in heterogeneous parts, and as it were something extraneous, and not mingleable with the Blood, creates a trouble, therefore for the carrying it forth of doors, and putting it forth, this three days feaverish Distemper is employed; For when the milky Chile, being used to be separated a∣bout the Womb, by and by, after being Delivered of a Child, that wax of excretion is hindred, restagnating into the mass of Blood, it is there first of all heaped up more plentifully, than that the whole may go into nourishment, or be received into the Breasts: wherefore, the Milk, not only in its passage to the Breasts, but also in its return towards the Womb, brings forth the Feaver, to wit, by reason of either passage thorow the Blood.

But however the cause of this Disease is ordained, it matters little or nothing towards the Cure; for this is wholly committed to nature, and so long as the Lochia are in good order, it proceeds for the most part happily, without any Physical help, because af∣ter the growing hot of the Blood, for three or four days, either a plentiful sweat, or a more free transpiration, cures this Distemper, to wit, either the Particles of the Milky humor, degenerate in the assimulating, or the adust recrements, remaining after the deflagra∣tion of the Blood, or both of them at once supplying the food or tinder of the Feaver, are by little and little subdued, and evaporated out of doors, which being excluded, the Blood becoming free from the extraneous mixture, quickly recovers its pristine condition; yet in the mean time, certain vulgar Rules are wont to be observed, about the admission of the Milk into, or the driving away of the same, out of the Breasts. If the Milk too plentifully springs into the Breasts, that their inflammation, as also the immoderate growing hot of the Blood, may be prevented, at that time, a more thin and sparing dyet, to wit, no flesh broths, and also in a less quantity, is to be ordered: also the Breasts are to be frequently drawn. If it be not commodious for the Mother to suckle her Child, it is usual after the first or third day of her being Delivered to cover all the Breasts over with Sear-Cloaths moderately binding (as the Plaister of Red-lead, &c.) for so the spongious substance of the Glandula's, is somewhat constrained, or closed together, whereby they less readily receive the milky humor flowing thither, yet this kind of Remedy ought to be cautiously administred, lest if the Milk be wholly excluded, or driven out of the Breast too abruptly, restagnating suddenly in the Blood, it induces its disorder, the prodromus or forerunner of the Putrid or Malignant Feaver: of which it remains that we speak next.