The English midwife enlarged containing directions to midwives; wherein is laid down whatever is most requisite for the safe practising her art. Also instructions for women in their conceiving, bearing and nursing of children. With two new treatises, one of the cure of diseases and symptoms happening to women before and after child-birth. And another of the diseases, &c. of little children, and the conditions necessary to be considered in the choice of their nurses and milk. The whole fitted for the meanest capacities. Illustrated with near 40 copper-cuts.

SECT. X. Of the several Fluxes happening to Women with Child.

SHE is Subject to three sorts of Fluxes, the Flux of the Belly, of the Terms and Fludings.

Of the Belly are three kinds, the first Lien∣teria, when the Stomach and Guts not digest∣ing the nourishments received let it pass a∣way raw. 2. Diarrhea, when they simply dis∣charge the humours and excrements which they contain. The 3d and worst is a Dysente∣ria, when with the humors and excrements she voids blood, with violent pains, caus'd by an ulceration of the Guts.

Any of these if they continue long put her in great danger of Aborting; if the first, the Stomach letting the food pass before it be turned into juice, whereof blood is made to nourish Mother and Child, they must both be weakened; if the 2d it will cause the same accident; because of voiding the Spirits with the humors; but most danger's i'th last,

because she hath then great pains and Gripes i'th Guts from their Ulcer; which excites them continually, by constant prickings, to discharge themselves of the sharp humors which causes a violent motion of the Womb, being pla••ed upon the right gut, and to the Child, and, by the compression the Muscles of the belly make on all sides, as also those that are made by them of the Midriff, which force themselves downwards in the endeavors she makes with pain so often to go to stool, the Child is constrained to come before its time, and the oft'ner by how much the prickings are greater: for according to Hippocrates; Aphorism 27 book 7. If a tenasm happen to one with Child, it makes her Miscarry. Now this tenasm is a great passion of the right Gut, which forceth it to make those violent en∣deavours to discharge it self without being a∣ble to avoid any thing but Cholerick humors mixt with blood, by which 'tis perpetually pricked.

This Flux happens to her commonly from a weak digestion of the Stomach, because of her bad dyet, which her strange appetite causes her often to long for, by the constant use whereof at last being weakened it suffers the food to pass without digestion, or if it stay longer 'tis turn'd into a corrupt juice,

which descending into the Guts iritates them by its sharpness to discharge themselves as soon as they can.

To proceed safely in the cure of these Fluxes, their nature must be consider'd, that the cause that maintains them may be re∣mov'd. If it be a Lienteria following Vo∣mitings, as is usual, which have so weakn'd the Stomach, and loosn'd its Skins, that have∣ing no longer strength to vomit up the food, it suffers it to pass downward without dige∣stion; then she must refrain all irregular appetites, and eat food of good digestion and little at a time, she may drink a little deep Claret wine, in which Iron hath been quench∣ed, if she have not a strong Feaver, for in a small one wine is to be prefer'd, because her Feaver is but symptomatick, from the weak∣ness of her Stomach, and will vanish as soon as it is fortified; which may be promoted if she take before and after meals, some of that burnt wine spoke of before for the Cough, or a little good Hippocras, or right Canary, or eat a little Marmalade of quinces before meals; and wear a Lamb-skin upon the pit of her Stomach; be sure to give no purge, for this is only caused by weakness.

If it be a Diarrhea simply voiding such ex∣crements as are in the Guts, and some super∣fluous humors, which nature hath sent to be expelled, and it be gentle and continue not long, she will feel no damage by it, and so 'tis good to leave it to nature without inter∣rupting it in the beginning; but if it conti∣nue above 4 or 5 days 'tis a sign there are ill humors cleaven to the inside of the Guts, and ought to be expell'd by some light purge after which it will certainly cease.

But if for all fit purges, it changes into a Dysentery, she is then in danger of miscar∣rying; which must be prevented if possible; therefore having purged the ill humor, and hindering, that no more be engendred, by Chicken or Veal broths, &c. with cooling herbs, pap with the yelk of an Egg well boild, let her quench Iron or Steel in her drink which must be small beer or water, with a little strong, or wine, if she be not Feaverish, for then half a spoonful of syrup of Quinces, or Pomgranates is better; and she may eat a little Marmalade of Quince, or other strengtheners, if she was purg'd be∣fore; and because there is always great gripes, they must be appeas'd, by Clysters made of the broth of a Calves or Sheeps head well boild, with 2 ounces of oil of Violets;

or good Milk and the yelk of an Egg; after the use of these as long as is judged neces∣sary, which she must keep as long as she can; you must proceed to clensers made with Mal∣lows and Marsh-mallows with hony of Roses, and then binding ones, in which must be nei∣ther oil nor hony, beginning first with gent∣lest made of Rose-water, with Lettice and Plantain water, then to stronger, of the roots and leaves of Plantain, tapsus barbatus, horse-tail, province Roses, rind of Pomgranates in Smiths water, adding of sealed earth and Dragons blood of each 2 drams; you may also foment the Fundament.

Of the monthly blood before, and if it be from to much blood 'twil do her a kindness.