Aristotle's manual of choice secrets shewing the whole mystery of generation : with receipts to prevent barrenness, and cause conception : very necessary to be known and practiced by all midwives, nurses, & young married women / translated out of Latin by J.P.

CHAP. VI. How a Woman, during her going with Child, ought to be Dieted; and what kind of Meats and Drinks are most proper and conducing to her Health and safe Delivery.

THIS much concerns childing Women to be careful in observing, if they would enjoy perfect Health, and bear strong and health∣ful Children; and in this I shall observe what things are particularly required, and what to be Avoided.

In the first place, let her Dwell in a good and tem∣perate Air, neither too hot, cold, or waterish; not sub∣ject

to Foggs, Mists, cold North-Winds, or to moist South ones. For Hippocrates is of the Opinion, That bad Airs, or Cold, or Moist Winds blowing strongly, frequently cause Miscarriage, especially to those of nice and tender Breeding, by af∣flicting them with Rheums, Distillations, & troublesome Coughs. All ill Scents and Noisome Vapours are subject to do the like, so that Aristotle forbids Women with Child to come within the smell of the Snuff of a Candle newly put out, lest it cause Abortion, Miscarriage, or untimely Labour.

Dyet must be so chosen as it may be seasonable, and

properly nourishing on this occasion, breeding good juice, and moderately drying, the Quantity sufficient for more than her own proper Nou∣rishment at other times. Nor must she give her self to Fasting, especially to any Considerable degree, for if the Child wants it's due Nourishment in the Womb, it will either not encrease to the purpose, or dwindle away when it is increased; and being Born, will become Weakly and subject to Dis∣eases.

Too great a Quantity is however to be avoided, for that many times stifles a Child through too much a∣bundance of Nourishment,

or makes it so unweildy it cannot keep in its Place, and therefore is constrained to come forth before it's time, or grow Sickly in the Womb.

All Meats which are ei∣their too Hot, too Cold, or too Moist, must be avoided, especially in the beginning of Meals, Salt Meats, and those heated with Spice, are hurt∣ful. Aristotle forbids all man∣ner of Baked Meats to Chil∣ding Women. Her bread must be good Wheat well Kneaded and Baked; and the most agreeable Meats are Pullets, Chickens, Capons, Young Pidgeons, Pheasants, Turtle Doves, Partridges, Larks, Veal, Mutton, and

Broth; with a mixture of Hot and Cooling Herbs. For Sallads, Lettuce, Endive, Borrage, Bugloss, Sorrell, or in lieu of these, to close the Stomach after Dinner, and temperate the Heat, cooling moderate Fruits, as preser∣ved Pears, baked Wardens, Quinces, or Marmalades, Da∣misons, Plumbs, Apricocks, Ripe Grapes, Goosberries, Currants, but of none of these too much, least they Create Phlegmes, and they cause offensive Coughing, &c. And tho' I may here pre∣scribe, notwithstanding all, a Woman with Child has sometimes such a disorderly Appetite, by reason of a full and sharp Humour which is

contained within the Mem∣branes of the Stomach, that many times they desire things against Nature, as Couls, Chalk, Charcole, white-wall, &c. that can be no manner of Nourishment, but certain∣ly offensive. These, tho' un∣ruly Appetite Crave, or make them, as they say, Long for them, yet be ruled by Reason. Let a Woman consi∣der she is a Rational Crea∣ture, and ought to be guided by Reason, and not run in∣to Extravagancy to hurt her self where that contradicts it. When any Impatient Long∣ings happen for things that are hurtful, the Mind must by degrees be turned from that, to something that is

more agreeable, and so by de∣grees, they may wean them∣selves from all Extrava∣gancies.

As to Drinks, good nou∣rishing Wine, not too strong, nor too much at a time, as Canary, Malago, Sher∣ry, Claret; also Ale that is not Foul or Mudy, Beer not too Stale, Rasberry, Cherry, or Currant Wines, new Milk, but very little either of Whey, Cyder or Gooseberry Wine, or any sharp things, by reason they cause Gripings, and do much harm to Childing Women.