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. V. Of the true Generation of the parts, and the in∣crease of the Feature, according to the daies and moneths.

AFter the Matrix naturally apt, and proper, for receiving seed of Generation (like unto a Load-stone attracting Iron, and Amber draw∣ing to it haires and feathers) hath received the begetting seed, and by heat hath inclosed both seeds together, after

[illustration]

the manner of the Runnet or as Egge;* 1.1 forthwith, from the first day, even unto the sixt and seventh day, very many most subtil, and slen∣der threds, or haires, as it were, named in Latine Fibrae, doe grow and spring up, bred by the motion of heat, in which the Liver incontinently with

his most principall organs and instruments is ingendred by naturall vertue: For Vital or lively Spirit,* 1.2 conveyed and sent by his instruments to the conceived seed, doth forme, frame and di∣stinguish the most principall members within the tenth day, being received in, and having en∣rance by certaine veines of the Secundine, to which the Matrix is affixed & fastned, by which blood is brought and conveyed into it, and of which also the Navell is ingendred, as is mani∣fest by the third Chapter. And in the same time, three little small white speckes,* 1.3 not unlike to curded milke, arise in the congealed seed, in the place of the Liver, Heart, and Braine, as this Figure doth testifie.

A little while after also a veine directed by the Navell,* 1.4 attracteth the grosser blood confu∣sed in the seed, fit and convenient for nourish∣ment, whereby a two-forked veine is ingendred according to the forme of this Figure.

In one branch of

[illustration]

that veine,* 1.5 blood is collected & gathered together, of which, first the Liver is pro∣created and ingen∣dred, in the same manner, as hath been spoken before of na∣turall vertue and fa∣cultie. Whereby it easily appeareth, and is evident,* 1.6 that the Liver is only congealed and clotted blood, I say, a cer∣taine sanguine masse, or bloody lump: and al∣so we may see, how many and divers veines it hath appropriate and commodious to it in the expulsive and attractive vertue. And in the other branch, those weavings, interminglings or webs of the veines are ingendred and framed, with the dilation and spreading abroad of other veines, also of the stomacke, splene, and guts in the lowest part of the belly. From hence after∣ward, by and by all the veines are recollected and gathered againe in the superior texture and combination of the Liver-veines, to the notable

and Master veine, named in Latine, Vena cava, as it were, branches to one stocke or body. That stocke againe forth with brancheth out, and sen∣deth from it branches and slips of veines to frame the Midriffe, named in Latine, Diaphragma, and also not a few into the superiour and higher part of the backe-bone, named in Latine, Spina dorsi, placed and scituated above the Midriffe or Diaphragma, also it directeth and sendeth them into the inferiour or lower part even as farre as the thighes.

[illustration]

Afterward the heart with the veines ex∣tended and stretched out from the Navell into the seede,* 1.7 is in∣gendred and produ∣ced, directed and dis∣posed to the ridge∣bone of the backe, named in Latine, Spi∣na dorsi, by the Vital and lively faculty and vertue, as this Figure doth demonstrate and expresse.

And these veines doe attract, sucke, and draw

unto them the hottest, the most subtile and pu∣rest blood, of which the heart is ingendred in the membrane or skinne of the heart, involving and lapping the same round about, named in Latin Pericardium, and the heart is fleshie,* 1.8 and of a grosse substance, by nature, as is necessary for such a hot member. But the notable and great veine, Vena cava, spreading out himselfe, and pe∣netrating into inward concavitie, vault, or pri∣vie-chamber of the right side of the heart, de∣riveth and carrieth blood thither, for the nou∣rishment of the heart.* 1.9 Also from the same branch of that veine in the same part of the heart; a certaine other veine doth spring up, named of some the unmoving or still veine, in Latine, Vena immota, vel tranquilia, so named, because it doth not beat and move, as other pul∣sive moving veines of the heart doe, named in Latine, Venae pulsatiles, but lieth hidden, being calme and still, ordained and destinated to this office, namely,* 1.10 that it should conduct and con∣vey blood digested in the Heart, unto the Lungs and Lights, which veine is environed and lap∣ped about (for which cause it is named Vena arteriosa, an arteried veine) with two coats, like

unto the Arteries. But in the concavity & hol∣low of the left part in the heart, a most great and notable pulsive or beating veine,* 1.11 called Aorta, doth spring up, diffusing and sending abroad vitall and lively spirit by the blood of the heart, into all the pulsive and moving veines of the body. For as Vena cava is the originall, fountain and spring of all the veines by which the body attracteth and draweth to it the whole nutri∣ment of blood: Even so, from this great veine, Aorta, are derived all the pulsive, moving, and beating-veines, on every side dispersing & pou∣ring forth vital spirit thorowout the whole bo∣dy.* 1.12 For the heart is the source and fountaine of vitall and lively heat, without which no living creature, no member can be cherrished.

Vnder the great veine Aorta, even now spo∣ken of,* 1.13 in the left cavity and vault of the heart, another veine as yet springeth forth, called in Latine Arteria venosa, the veined Artery. Al∣though that truely be a pulsive and moving veine, and convey vitall spirit, yet it hath on∣ly one coat, as those veines have which con∣vey blood; and that is framed and ordained, that it may drive and transport cold aire from

the Lungs to the Heart to refrigerate, coole, and refresh it, and to temper and allay, the immode∣rate heat.

But because veines doe breake forth from both the concavities and hollow cells of the Heart,* 1.14 and are implanted and inserted to the Lungs, the Lungs also formed and framed by them. For a veine proceeding from the right cavity and hollow of the heart, proceedeth and bringeth forth most subtile and pure blood, which, the Fibraes, threds or haires, being from thence afterward dispersed, is altered, changed and transmuted into the flesh of the Lungs.

And from the great veines of the Heart and Liver, that is to say, Vena cava and Aorta,* 1.15 the whole brest is ingendred, and also the legges with the armes successively and in their due order.

Within the afore spoken time,* 1.16 the highest and most principall part of this beautifull and admirable frame and Architecture of Nature, is formed and produced, that is to say, the

[illustration]

Braine, in the third pellicle or little skin of this masse or lump. For the whole masse or heape of seede being repleni∣shed and filled with Animal spirit, the same spirit contra∣cteth and draweth together a great part of the generative humour, and incloseth and shutteth it up in a certaine hollow cave,* 1.17 in the which the braine is formed and shaped. More∣over outwardly it is covered and defended with a certaine covering round about every where, which scorched and dried with heat, is brought and reduced into the substance of a bone, and is made the Scull, called in Latine Cranium, after the forme of the precedent Figure.

And the braine is so formed, that it may be able to conceive, retaine, and alter the natures, and qualities of all the vitall, and lively spirits; From the braine also the beginnings both of Reason,* 1.18 and all the senses doe proceed, and have

their originall: For as the veines derive their progeny from the Liver, and the Arteries from the Heart:* 1.19 So also the Nerves and Sinewes be∣ing of a softer and milder nature, doe spring and grow from the braine, not being hollow, after the manner of veines, but solid and massie. For indeede they are the first and principall instru∣ments of all the senses, by which all the motions of the senses are duely caused and procured through vitall and lively spirit.

After the Nerves and Sinewes, the Marrow of the backe-bone,* 1.20 (in Latine Spina dorsi) is in∣gendred from the braine, not unlike to the na∣ture of the braine, so that it may scant be called and termed Marrow,* 1.21 both because it hath no similitude, nor likenesse unto Marrow, and also because it doth not resemble the same in sub∣stance.* 1.22 For Marrow is a certaine superfluity of the nutriment of the members proceeding from blood ordained and destinated to moisten and cherrish the bones of the body: but the braine and Marrow of the backe-bone, or Spina dorsi,* 1.23 doe draw and derive their originall and prima∣cie from the seede, not deputed or allotted to nourish other members, and to make them

prosper in good plight, but that they should by themselves ordaine and constitute private and particular parts of the body, for the motion, emolument and use of the senses, that from thence all other nerves and sinewes may take their roots and beginnings.* 1.24 For many nerves doe spring from the Marrow of the back-bone, or Spina dorsi, from which the bodie may have sense and motion, as it is evident, by the Vital and Animal faculty and vertue by good de∣fence, as hath beene declared in the former Chapters.

Further, wee must here note and consider, that of the seede are ingendred Cartilages, or gristles,* 1.25 bones, the coats of the veines of the Li∣ver, and of the Arteries of the heart, the braine, with the nerves and sinewes; againe, the coats, and also both the other pannicles or caules, and wrappers, and coverings of the Feature. But of the proper and convenient blood of the Feature,* 1.26 the flesh is ingendred, and those things which are fleshie, as the Heart, Liver, and Lungs. And afterwards all these things doe flourish, prosper, and are nourished with menstruall blood, a tracted and drawne by the little veines

of the Navell, which veines are observed to at∣taine to the Matrix, from the orifices or mouths of the veines. All which things are distinctly and orderly caused and brought to passe from the conception even unto the eighteenth day of the first Moneth, at which time it is called seed, but afterward it beginneth both to be called and to be a Feature,* 1.27 which thing also some ancient Writers have comprehended in these Latine verses:

Sex in lacte dies, ter sunt in sang vine trini; Bis seni carnem, ter seni membra figurant.

Et aliter.

Injectum semen sex primis certe diebus Est quasi lac: reliquis{que} no vem fit sanguis, at inde Consolidat duodena dies: bis nona deinceps Effigiat: tempus{que} sequens producit ad ortum. Talis enim praedicto tempore figura confit.

Which verses, for the benefit of the unskilfull in the Latine tongue, may thus be Englished.

Sixe daies to milke by proofe, thrice three to blood convert the seed. Twice sixe soft flesh doe forme, thrice sixe doe massive members breed.

Or otherwise.

The first sixe daies, like milke, the fruitfull seed Injected in the wombe remaineth still; Then other nine, of milke red blood do breed, Twelve daies turne blood to flesh by Natures skill; Twice nine firme parts, the rest ripe birth doe make, And so foregoing time doth forme such shape.

[illustration]

Notes

• * 1.1

  From the first day, unto the sixt & seventh, many subtile slender threds doe growe and spring up.
• * 1.2

  Vitall spirit doth frame and distin∣guish the most principall members within the tenth day.
• * 1.3

  Three little white specks arise.
• * 1.4

  A two-forked veine ingen∣dred.
• * 1.5

  The generati∣on of the Li∣ver.
• * 1.6

  What the Li∣ver is.
• * 1.7

  The genera∣tion of the heart.
• * 1.8

  What the Heart is.
• * 1.9

  The unmove∣able and still veine.
• * 1.10

  The office of the unmove∣able and still veine.
• * 1.11

  Aorta.
• * 1.12

  The heart the fountaine of lively heat.
• * 1.13

  The Veyned Arterie.
• * 1.14

  The genera∣tion of the lungs.
• * 1.15

  The brest, legs, and armes in∣gendred.
• * 1.16

  The genera∣tion of the braine.
• * 1.17

  The skull, how it is made.
• * 1.18

  The Originall of Reason and the Senses.
• * 1.19

  The Originall of the Nerves and Sinewes.
• * 1.20

  The Marrow of the backe-bone.
• * 1.21

  Not unlike to the nature of the braine.
• * 1.22

  What Mar∣row is.
• * 1.23

  The Marrow of the backe-bone derived from the seed.
• * 1.24

  Many nerves do spring from the Marrow of the back bone.
• * 1.25

  Of the seede a e Cartilages or gristles, bones, &c in∣gendred.
• * 1.26

  Of the blood of the Feature the flesh is in∣gendred: also the Heart, Li∣ver, and lungs.
• * 1.27

  Feature.