A systeme of anatomy, treating of the body of man, beasts, birds, fish, insects, and plants illustrated with many schemes, consisting of variety of elegant figures, drawn from the life, and engraven in seventy four folio copper-plates. And after every part of man's body hath been anatomically described, its diseases, cases, and cures are concisely exhibited. The first volume containing the parts of the lowest apartiments of the body of man and other animals, etc. / by Samuel Collins ...

CHAP. XXIV. Of the Diseases of the Testicles or Ovaries of Women.

THe Ovaries of Women being composed of many Parts, Arteries Veins, Nerves, Lymphaeducts, Glands, and Vesicles full of Seminal Liquor, are capable of as many Diseases as Parts.

This rare System being in its own nature of small Dimensions, * 1.1 is some∣times highly Tumefied and so disguised by the strange alteration of its Glan∣dulous Substance and Seminal Vesicles, that it is turned into a Mole con∣sisting of divers Concreted Substances; some being Clammy and Gluti∣nous, others resembling Milk Coagulated; in some places Vesicles appeared full of clear watry Substances, other Parts were Cartilaginous and Bony. Learned Bonnetus giveth an instance of this case, * 1.2 Anatom. Pract. Lib. 3. Sect. 21. p. 1145, 1146. Anno (Ait ille) 1675, 18. Decembris. Cadaver puellae 14. circiter annorum, cui nomen Magd. Croesen, cultro nostro exposuit Vir Celeb. D. Vischerus. Ante menses 18. incepit laborare ventris intumescentia, sensim in intio, ast ultimis mensibus subito augmentata: decubuerat ante annos decem periculose, ad Septimanas 13. per aliquot dies vocem nullam edens.

Aperto ventre offerebat se omentum, ante undi{que} moli cuidam insigni totum ven∣trem occupanti, superius connatum, vasis insignibus mire scatens: Omento hoc dissecto, molem illam, mobilem omnino è corpore auferre annitebamur, ast obstitit arctissima ejus copula parte inferiore cum vasis Spermaticis, uteri{que} tuba dextra: His vero dissectis eam integram tabulae imponere licebat; Tuba haec loco illo toto qui inter fundum Uteri, & Molem hanc interjectus, octo ad minimum digitorum transversorum longitudinem habens, exilis valde, vix straminis crassitiem ha∣bens, angustior multo sinistra, cui testiculus adsitus bonae notae, qui in hoc latere affecto desiderabatur: Molem hanc dissectam ex plurimis colore, figura, consisten∣tia, toto genere diversis particulis, majoribus, minoribus compositam inveniebamus: Vesiculae hic erant multae, quarum quaedam materiam continebant aqueam, cla∣ram, tenuem; aliae subrubram, viscidam, Glutinosam, Concretae variae quasi Parenchymaticae, quarum tamen plurimis Cartilagineae, aliae Permixtae: Cavitates aderant innumerae substantiae Cartilaginosae insculptae, quae apertae pinguem quan∣do{que} medullarem, cerebro simillimam materiam exhibebant: Nonnullae lacti Coa∣gulato, modo consistenti modo granuloso admodum, modo instar stercoris Gallinacei albidioris, fluxili omnino: At quod omnium admirationem movebat, summa erat variis locis durities, non Cartilaginea, sed omnino ossea, adeo ut ne cultro quidem dividi potuerit: Nec tantum substantia hac per totam massam dispersa, sic ut variis locis particula talis se exhiberet, verum continua occurrebat non uno loco, im∣primis circa posteriorem molis partem, imo offerebant se particulae variae, in qui∣bus diversis locis pilorum saepius sat longorum, notabilis copia: vasa totam mas∣sam curioso spectaculo pererrabant, partim ab omenti vasis, partim ab iis quae Testis sunt, procedentia, Hepar ubi{que} lateri dorso{que} filamentorum ope adhaerebat, inferiore sui parte Tumefactum ac suppuratum: Lien, Ventriculus, Renes, Ve∣sica, bene se habebant.

This admirable case relating to the right Ovary, is not one, but a compli∣cation of many Diseases derived from a quantity of Seminal Liquor, con∣sisting of many distempered humors flowing from a depraved mass of Blood

and Chyme, carried by the Spermatick Arteries into the Glands and Vesicles of Seminal Juice belonging to the right Testicle, whereupon it grew very much Tumefied, and so disfigured, that the Author calleth it a Lump fast∣ned to the preparing Vessels and the right Tube, which can be nothing pro∣bably but the right Testicle (situated and connected to the said Vessels) highly swelled by a congestion of divers Substances, * 1.3 made up of a mucila∣ginous clammy Matter, accompanied with a substance like Coagulated Milk and the medullary substance of the Brain, which I conceive, proceeded from the serous parts of the Blood, mixed with a gross unassimilated Chyme, Con∣creted in the Glands of the Ovary.

This Glutinous Coagulated Matter, was associated with a Cartilaginous and Bony Substance, which was formed by the Seminal Liquor of the Testi∣cle, consisting of saline and earthly Particles, Concreting the Genital Juice into these solid substances by reason of its various nature, propagated from all parts of the Body in order to the formation of the Foetus.

The Ovaries are liable to many Diseases (to several sorts of Tumors pro∣ceeding from variety of humors) as Inflamations, Abscesses, Ulcers, Gan∣greens, Dropsies, Steatomes, Atheromes, &c.

Inflamations of the Testicles proceed from a quantity of Blood, * 1.4 or as of∣fending in grosness, imported into the Glands and Membranes of the Ova∣ries by the Spermatick Arteries; So that the Extremities of the Veins were not able to recovey it toward the Vena Cava, * 1.5 whereupon the Testicles grow first Tumefied, and afterward the Stagnant Serous, or Nutricius part of the Blood is turned in a purulent Matter, productive of an Abscess, which at last dischargeth it self in an Ulcer by breaking the walls of the Testicles, by throwing off the putrid Matter of the Ovaries into the cavity of the Abdo∣men; an inveterate Ulcer derived from malignant putrid Matter, * 1.6 degenerates into a Gangreen, manifested in a black humor contained in, and discolouring the Vesicles of the Ovaries.

Of this case Learned Riverius giveth an instance, Cent. 1. Observ. 60. Vi∣dua Dn. de Seielori, affectibus hystericis valde obnoxia, subito concidit in terram exanimis: Aperto Cadavere, inventus est Testiculus sinister Exigui Ovi magnitu∣dinem aequans, colore nigricante, eo{que} aperto substantia illius spongiosa nigra & veluti grangraena affecta visa est, &c.

An Inflamation of the Ovaries proceeding from a fulness of Blood in a Plethorick Constitution, doth denote Bleeding with a free hand, * 1.7 as also Emulsions of the Cooling Seeds, Ptisanes, Apozemes made of Cooling Herbs contemperating the hot mass of Blood.

In reference to Abscesses and Ulcers, Vulnerary Drinks may be advised made of China, Sarsa Parilla, Sassafras, Lignum Sanctum, Pilosella Major, Prunella, Ladies Mantle, &c.

Another Disease relating to the Ovaries, may be called a Dropsie, coming from a watry mass of Blood (in ill habits of body, carried by the preparing Arteries into the Glandulous and Membranous substance of the Ovary, where∣upon the Serous Recrements of the Blood being in some degree Secerned from Purple Liquor, are transmitted by secret passages of the Membranes into the Cavity of the Vesicles, wherein these watry Particles embody with and vi∣tiate the Seminal Liquor; whereupon the Vesicles grow much enlarged by reason of the access of the Limpide Serous Liquor, and thereupon are ren∣dred Hydropick.

This case I saw in a Hanged Woman Dissected in the Theatre belonging to the Colledg of Physicians in London, * 1.8 who had one Testicle very much

distended, as having its Vesicles rendred big with a quantity of excrementi∣tious watry Particles, making its dimensions far exceed the due limits of Nature.

The Hydropick disaffection of the Vesicles relating to the Ovaries, * 1.9 doth indicate gentle Hydragogues, purging the watry recrements of the Blood, as also gentle Diureticks and drying Apozemes of China, Guaicum, Sassafras, mixed with Pine, Firre, Watercresses, Brook-Lime, &c. as also Medicines prepared with Steel.

The Testicles of Women are also obnoxious to Steatomes and Atheromes, * 1.10 which take their rise, as I conceive, from the Chymous and Serous parts of the Blood conveyed into the Glandulous and Membranous parts of the Ovaries, and thence by their Minute Pores, into the Cavities of the Vesi∣cles, wherein the said Chymous and Serous parts are Concreted into a thick Substance, resembling sometimes a fatty, and othertimes a Pultaceous Matter.

Bonnetus giveth a History of this case, * 1.11 Anatom. Pract. Lib. 3. Sect. 33. Obs∣quarta. Ait ille, Puella quaedam ante pluris annos corrupta à Veneris usu forte diu abstinuit. Varia affectionis Hystericae Symptomata sensim successerunt: Tan∣dem immanes in Hypogastrio dolores, Tumores duri, Vagi, nucis referentes, im∣primis dextrorsum, nullis pacandi medelis pullularunt: Die 3. Octobris accersi∣tus, tabidam inveni decumbentem, tumidum ostendebat crus dextrum, vestigia comprimentis digiti circa malleolum retinens, sinistro quod prius intumuerat, ex∣treme emaciato: Inflatum etiam erat Abdomen, obliteratis prioribus extuberantiis, Sceleton dixisses: Die septimo Octobris Anni 1660, Circa horam quartam matu∣tinam, Annos quadraginta novem nata obiit.

Aperto Cadavere, Hepatis convexum, Intestina crassa, Livida & Grangrae∣nosa apparuerunt, in durato Stercore plena Vasa Spermatica preparantia Semine Albugineo, Viscido, Subcaeruleo plena erant: Testes, Uteri Tubae, Vasa defe∣rentia Vesicae Seminales, omnes inquam illae partes Semine inflatae mirum in mo∣dum turgebant, ita ut in quibusdam incoctum, in aliis omnino excoctum, cras∣sum Album & Naturale in aliis situ ita induratum esset ut Steatoma referret.

This Learned Author giveth not only a History of the Ovaries clogged with an Indurated Seminal Liquor, * 1.12 producing a Steatome, but also of a Com∣plication of Diseases appertaining to the parts of Generation, as the prepa∣ring Vessels stuffed with a white viscide and blewish Seed, and the Tubes or Deferent Vessels were overcharged with it.

Sometimes the Ovaries, the Preparing and Deferent Vessels are rendred Turgid, with a highly Concreted Liquor (in Gypseam duritiem Coagulato) resembling Plaister by reason of its hard Consistence, which is attended with violent Hysterick Fits, and a great Delirium.

The Lady of a Person of Honour was highly afflicted with great Suffo∣cations of the Womb, and high Convulsive Motions, much discomposing the Brain, as accompanied with a Delirium, and Death.

And afterward her Body being opened, * 1.13 the Organs of Generation were highly disaffected, so that the Testicles and the Spermatick Vessels and Tubes of the Womb, were discovered to be overburdened with a Seminal Liquor, in Gypseam soliditatem Concreto, which I conceive, proceeded from some Chy∣mous and Serous parts of the Blood (confederated with the Seed) as con∣sisting of saline and earthy Atomes, cemented with viscide Matter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Tumors of the Ova∣ries proceed∣ing from di∣vers kinds of Matter.
• * 1.2

  An instance of Swellings re∣counted by Bonnetus.
• * 1.3

  The Tumor of the Ovary from a Con∣creted Serous part of the Blood and gross unassi∣milated Chyme. The Tumor of the Testicle produced by Cartilaginous Bony Sub∣stance.
• * 1.4

  Inflamation of the Ovaries.
• * 1.5

  An Abscess and Ulcer of the Testicles.
• * 1.6

  The Gangreen of the Ovary.
• * 1.7

  An Inflamati∣on derived from a quan∣tity of Blood, denoteth Bleeding and Cooling Ju∣lapes. And Abscesses and Ulcersare cured by Vul∣nerary drying Diet Drinks. The Hyda∣tides of the Ovaries.
• * 1.8

  An instance of the Hydatides.
• * 1.9

  A Dropsie of the Testicles denoteth gen∣tle Hydra∣gogues and Diureticks and drying Decoctions.
• * 1.10

  Atheromes, S••eatomes, of the Ovaries.
• * 1.11

  Bonnetus his Instance of Steatom••s and Atheromes.
• * 1.12

  The obstru∣ction of the preparing Vessels with a viscide Mat∣ter.
• * 1.13

  A case of Suf∣focations and Convulsive Motions, cau∣sed by the Stoppage of the Vessels and Tubes of the Womb by a Concreted Seminal Li∣quor.