The expert midwife, or An excellent and most necessary treatise of the generation and birth of man. Wherein is contained many very notable and necessary particulars requisite to be knovvne and practised: with diuers apt and usefull figures appropriated to this worke. Also the causes, signes, and various cures, of the most principall maladies and infirmities incident to women. Six bookes compiled in Latine by the industry of Iames Rueff, a learned and expert chirurgion: and now translated into English for the generall good and benefit of this nation.

CHAP. III. Of the three Coates, wherewith the Feature is invi∣roned, defended and covered.

THe little roome, or coffin being ingen∣dred after the conception; the vitall Spi∣rit inclosed in the same, rouseth and put∣teth forth it selfe, and then the defences or caules

are ingendred to the Feature conceived. And first, truely, of the uttermost face and superficies of the seede, because of the waterish moisture and humidity of womens seede, is ingendred a thin and slender membrane, or caule, which by reason of his moist quality, is extended and stretched abroad; at the first being so transpa∣rent and cleare, that we may see thorow it,* 1.1 but after the birth, it is contracted and drawne to∣gether into a little heape, named Chorion, or Se∣cundae. Besides, of the superfluous humidity, and moisture of this, there are ingendred also, two other little coats, or caules, which doe protect and defend the Feature from superfluous and noisome things: as from the Termes retained, and stopped after conception,* 1.2 and also from other superfluities, which neither serve, nor are profitable to the nourishment, nor increase of the Feature, but doe rather hurt and offend, yet neverthelesse they are retained in the Matrix, be∣tweene the caules, named Secundae, even untill the time of the birth, then they issue forth, a breach being made by themselves, or they are set at liberty, by the helpe of the Midwife.

Therefore the second coat or caule,* 1.3 named of

the Arabians, Biles, of the Grecians Allantoides, adjacent and lying neere to the connexed and united parts of the Feature, incloseth and infol∣deth all inferiour things from the Navell, which caule is wrinckled and somewhat pleated, not unlike to a pleated garment, into which the urine, and sweats doe distill, and also other sharpe, and eager humors, if any doe flow, and issue from the nature and ripe Feature, and are detained there, even untill the time of birth. For now, the Infants growne to greater maturity and ripenesse, doe not void and expell urine, by the urine-pipes and conduits, to the privie parts out of this vault, but by certaine passages thorow the Navell. Therefore the Feature is fortified and defended from the urine, and other noysome humours, by that coat or infolder, lest he should be molested, and grieved with the acrimony and sharpnesse of them, or else gather some impurity, or uncleanesse unto him.

The third Coate,* 1.4

[illustration]

or Caule, claspeth and imbraceth the whole Feature, com∣passing it inwardly round about, and doth defend & pro∣tect the tender Fea∣ture, both from noi∣some humours, and also frō the rougher outward coats, being a very soft and slender Caule; and therefore of the Grecians, is named Amnaea, because it commeth neer to the softnesse and tendernesse of a Lambe. But of some it is called the Armour of the conception, in the A∣rabian language, it is named, Abgas. But the Figure adjoyned, doth lay open the differences of these Coats, or Caules, with the interming∣ling of the seed contained in them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The first coat or caule of the Feature, is na∣med, Chorion.
• * 1.2

  Two little coats or caules ingendred, which defend the Feature from hurt.
• * 1.3

  The second coat or caule is named Biles.
• * 1.4

  The third coat is named Abgas.