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. XIII. Of the Dropsie of the Womb, &c.

THese waters are either bred in the Womb, or brought thither from some other parts, as in the Dropsie of the belly it passes by tra••sudation through the porous substance of the Skins of the Womb; and these have deceived the Midwifes as well as patients, who having along time hoped and been made to hope for a Child, at length find nothing but waters; whereof some have voided a pailful, of which are many relations by Physitians and Chirurgeons; These are bred i'th Womb when 'tis too cold or weak∣ned by a violent Labor before, or from sup∣pression of filthy humors. When these are sent to the Womb from other parts they are never wrapt in a particular skin, but retain'd only by its exact closure, and flow away as soon as it begins to open; but when bred in the Womb, which is for the most part after Copulation, if the seed be too cold, waterish, or corrupt, they are then sometimes contain∣ed within the Skin, which hinder the pati∣ents from a speedy discharge of them. She

going with it almost as long as with a Child; and this is it perswades them they are with Child.

But 'tis easie to avoid being deceiv'd, if you take notice of the Signs of a true Con∣ception; for in a Dropsie her brests are fall∣en, have no Milk, nor finds her self quicken at the usual time, but a bubling of moved waters; a greater weight in her Belly, and more equal, the Womb, Hips, Thighs and Legs swell, and worse Colour in her Face; and as it may come alone, so it may accom∣pany a true Conception, the waters being contained in the Womb without the Childs Skin. Some have voided 3 or 4 quarts above 2 months before they were brought to Bed, and then they are contained in the Womb without the Skins, or else the Child would be forc'd to be born presently after they are voided.

The best Remedy is to wait patiently the time of delivery, observing a dry dy∣et; but if 'tis only contained in the Womb, use diuretics, and endeavour to procure her Courses, and to destroy by purges the cau∣se of the Generation of such superfluities: of which the Womb is so full sometimes that it dischargeth some on the outward

parts and chiefly the nearest; as the Lips of the Privities, which are so swell'd that they are quite blown up, and in some are so big, that they can't close their Thighs, and hinders walking; now because this may be inconvenient to her during La∣bor, it will be requisite to remedy it be∣fore, which must be done by a Lancet, all along the Lips, then applying compresses dipt in astringent wine; Leeches though less painful are not so proper, because their small Orifices close again as soon as re∣mov'd, but the other may be made as big or little as one will, and kept open by ointment as long as is fit.