CHAP. XXXVIII. Of the Menstrual and Haemo••rhoidal purgation.
NOt only reason, but also manifold experience induceth us to beleive, that women, by the benefit of their menstrual purgation escape, and are freed from great, pestilent, and absolutely deadly diseases; wherefore it must be procured by remedies, both inward∣ly taken, and outwardly applyed: these may be taken inwardly with good success, Cassia Lignea, Cinnamon,* 1.1 the Bark of the root of a Mulberry, Saffron, Agrick, Nutmeg, Savine, Diagridium, and divers others. But if the affect require more vehement medicines, the roots of Tithymal, Antimony, Cantharides (taken in small quantity) move the courses most powerfully; frictions and ligatures made upon the thighs and legs conduce hereto, as also cupping in the inner and middle part of the thighs, the opening of the vein Saphena, Leeches applied to the orifice of the neck of the womb,* 1.2 pesiaries, nodulas, glysters, baths, fomentations made of odoriferous things, which by the fragrancie of their odor, or rather by their heat, may attenuate and cut gross humors, open the obstructed orifices of the veins; such are the roots of Marsh-mallows, Orris, Parslie, Fennel, Kneholn, the leaves and flowers of Saint Johns-wort, Asparagus, R••cket, Balm, Che••vile, M••g-wort, Mints, Pennie-royal, Savory, Rosemary, Rue, Time, Sage, Bay-berries, Broom, Gin∣ger, Cloves, Pepper, Nutmegs, and the like; the vapor of the boyling whereof, let the woman, sitting upon a perforated fea••, receive by a funnel into the neck of her womb, covering herself warm on all sides, that so nothing may otherwise break forth. Of the same things may be made baths, as well general, as particular. Also pessaries are good made after this manner. ℞. theriac. mithrid. an. ʒ ss.* 1.3 castor. gum. ammoniac. an ʒi. misce cum bombace in succo mercurialis tincto, fiat pessarium. Or else, ℞. rad. petroselin. & foenug. sub cineribus coctas, deinde contusas cum pul. staphysag. pyreth. cre••o & oleo liliorum, so make a pessary in the form of a suppository or nodula. ℞. pulv. myrrh. &. aloës, an. ʒi. fol. sabin. nigel. arthewis. an. ʒ ii. rad. Helleb. nigr. ʒi. croci, ℈. cum succo mer••ur. & melle communi: make a pessary in cotton. This which follows is more effectual. ℞. succi rut. absinth. an. ʒii. myrrh. euphorb. castor. sabin. diacrid. terebinth. galban. theriac. an. ʒi. make a pessary ac∣cording to art; let a thred hang out of the one end of the pessaries, that so you may easily draw them forth as you please.
* 1.4But if this mestruous flux once provoked, flow too immoderately, it must be stopped by using meats of grosser and more viscid juice, by opening a vein in the arm, application of cupping-glasses un∣der the dugs, frictions and ligations of the upper parts, as the arms, putting up of pessaries, appli∣cation of refrigerating and astringent plaisters to the lower belly, share and loins, laying the wo∣man in a convenient place, and not upon a feather-bed.
This following injection stoppeth the blood flowing out of the womb. ℞. aquae plant. & fabror. an. lb i. nucum cupres. gallar. immatur. an. ʒii. berber. sumach. balaust. vitriol. rom. alum. roch. an. ʒii. bulliant omnia simul, & fiat decoctio: of this make injection into the womb. In the performance of all these things, I would have the Surgeon depend upon the advice of a Physician, as the occasion and place shall permit.* 1.5
But if nature endeavour to free it self of the pestilent matter by the hoemorrhoides, you may provoke them by frictions and strong ligatures in the lower parts, as if the thighs or legs were broken, by ventoses applied with great flame to the inner side of the thigh, by application of hot and attractive things to the fundament, such as are fomentations, emplasters, unguents; such