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. IV. Of the pains of the Back, Loins, Reins and Hips.

ALL these Accidents are but the effects of the widening of the Womb, and the compression it makes on the Neighboring parts by its weight. These are greater the first time she is with Child, for afterwards the Womb only receives the same dimensi∣ons it had before; and the cords which hold it in its natural place, as well round as large, suffer a greater stress, being much drawn and streightned by the bigness and weight of the Womb; to wit the large ones those of the Back and Loins, which answer to the Reins, because these two strings are strong∣ly fast'ned towards these parts; and the round ones cause those of the Groins, Share and Thighs where they end. These are sometimes so much stretch'd by this weight and higness of the Womb that they are torn, chiefly if the Woman chance to have a false step, which causes very great pains, and o∣ther worse accidents; as it happened to a certain Woman, being six months gone of

her first Child, who felt the like after she had stumbled, and perceived at the same time something crack towards her Reins and Loins, which was one of the large cords, made a noise by the suddain jolt she receiv'd; at the same instant she felt extream pains in her Reins and Loins, and all one side of her belly, which caused her immediately to vo∣mit, very often with much violence, and the next day was taken with a great continued Feaver, which lasted seven or eight days, without being able to sleep or rest one hour, all that time she vomited all she took, with a strong and frequent Hiccoup, and great pains, which seem'd as if they would hasten her La∣bor, which I was very apprehensive of, as al∣so of her death: but by the help of God, causing her immediately to be put to Bed, where she rested 12 whole days, she was thrice let blood in her Arm on several days, and took a grain of Laudanum at twice in the yelk of an Egg, a little to ease her violent pains, by giving her rest; taking also from time to time good strengthening Cordials; so that all these Symptoms, which at first seemed desperate, ceased by little and little, and she went out her full time, and then was happily delivered of a Son, which lived 15 months, notwithstanding all those mischie∣vours accidents befel her, which were enough

to have kil'd half a dozen others; but God sometimes is pleased to work Miracles by na∣ture, assisted with remedies fit for the pur∣pose, as well as by his Grace. And also the Womb causeth the pains of the Hips by its weight, in bearing too much upon them. And assure your selves there is nothing will ease all these pains better then to rest in Bed, and bleed i'th Arm, if there be any great exten∣sion, or breaking of any cord of the Womb, as was in this case; and when the Womb bears too much upon the Hips, if she cannot keep her Bed, she must support her Belly with a broad swaith.