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. VI. Of the Lochia, whence they come, if good or bad, their stopping, and what ensues.

THere flows waterish humors from the Womb as soon as the Child is born, besides those before, when the Skins break which are often bloody, because mostly blood's mixt with them, but immediately af∣ter the burden is loosen'd there flows pure blood, but after the 1st day there comes wa∣terish humors, when the Vessels close; then they become thickish by heat, more or less as they come in greater or lesser quantity, and the length of time they stay there, and then they resemble troubled milk, which makes People believe 'tis Breast milk.

Now I believe the cause of their change of colour, consistance, and diminution of ••heir quantity, to be no other then that in ••he suppuration of a great wound; as soon ••s 'tis made it bleeds fresh, and much but ••fter it yeilds only bloodish humors, then a

white matter; so you must imagine there is a kind of wound made by loosening the bur∣den from the Womb, and what comes from it is the Lochia: so that they are not what hath stay'd in and about the Womb, during all the time of Child-bearing; for that's the Secundine; neither is their any certain rule for their quantity and continuance, being ac∣cording to the Season, Country, Age, Tem∣per more or less, hot, or moist, the habit more or less full, and Vessels remaining long or short time open: but 'tis finish'd com∣monly in 15 or 20 days; but after a mis∣chance the less the fetus is, and the less time she is gone with Child, the less are the Lo∣chia.

If they be fresh but the 3 or 4 first days they are good, else 'tis a pure bloody flux, which will be very dangerous; if of no ill scent, without sharpness, so we know the Womb's without inflammation or corruption, and if they flow in so great quantity as to cause Faintings or Convulsions she's in danger of death, or very much weaken'd, grows lean, and pale, Legs and Thighs swell, and be∣comes Dropsical.

The diseases ensue upon their stopping are almost innumerable, so that to bring

them down let her avoid all troubles of Spi∣rit, lye quiet, with her Head and Breast a lit∣tle rais'd; if Feaverish use only broths with a little gelly, above all shun cold drink; give Clysters, and foment her lower parts rub her Thighs and Legs downwards, and bath them too, and apply large Cupping-Glasses, to the uppermost part of the inside of her Thighs; bleed i'th Arm first; if very full of humors, for i'th Foot would draw too much to the Womb.