The practice of physick in seventeen several books wherein is plainly set forth the nature, cause, differences, and several sorts of signs : together with the cure of all diseases in the body of man / by Nicholas Culpeper ... Abdiah Cole ... and William Rowland ; being chiefly a translation of the works of that learned and renowned doctor, Lazarus Riverius ...

Chap. 9. Of a Scirrhus, or a Painless hard Swelling of the Womb.

THe Nature, Sorts, and Causes of a Scirrhus, or hard Swelling in the Womb, are the same which have been set down in our Chapter of the like Swelling in the Liver, and need not in this place be vainly repeated, but must be sought for in the said Chapter.

Howbeit among the Antecedent Causes, this is proper to an Hard-Swelling of the Womb, and is very frequent, namely, for women when the flux of their Courses or Child-bed purgations are upon them, undiscreetly to expose themselves to the cold Air, or to drink cold water; whereby the flux is stayed, and the retained blood grows thick, and is condensed, and at length produceth a Scirrhus or stony hard Swelling in the Womb.

The Signs of such a Swelling bred in the Womb, are, An hardness selt in the Region of the Womb, such as resists the touch, which hardness represents the compass of the Womb; an heaviness in the same place, and a sence of some weight bearing down, especially when the sick woman stands, as though the womb would fal down into the water-Gate; but when they sit or lie, it bears upon the streight Gut with its weight. There is no Feaver nor pain; wherein it differs from an Inflamation, or at most there is but very little pain in an imperfect Scirrhus, but in the Womb there is none. If it follow an Inflamation the Feaver and pain ceases, the hardness and resistence abiding. If it be in the Body of the Womb, it is easily discerned by handling the parts about the Share; but if it be in the Neck of the womb, it may be perceived by ones finger. It is distinguished from a Mole by the pre∣ceding Causes; and because in a Mole, if the Courses flow, they flow disorderly, but in this Hard Swelling they keep their order; and in a Mole, the womans Dugs strout with Milk, but in the Hard Swelling they are extenuated.

As for the Prognostick Signs, Every Scirrhus or hard stony Swelling, is very exceeding hard to cure; for an extream Hardness once contracted can hardly be softened; also Natural heat is so ve∣ry weak in that part where there is such a Swelling, that it can very hardly discuss an hard and almost stony substance.

A great and unvanquishable Scirrhus, or stony Swelling, doth at length bring the Dropsie to keep him company.

A Scirrhus, or stony hard Swelling of the womb, if it be tampered withal with over hot and moist Medicaments, it turns into a Cancer.

The Cure of this Disease aims at two things, the Antecedent Cause, and the conjoyned or conco∣mitant Cause.

In respect of the Antecedent Cause▪ a Vein must be opened, first in the Arms, if the Disease be of no very long continuance; afterward in the lower parts, especially when the Patients Courses are stopt.

The opening of the Hemorrhoid Veins, is also very profitable in this case: For they do both eva∣cuate dreggy blood, and they turn the Humor from the womb, because of the communion which the Veins have with the womb.

Purging is likewise necessary, by fits repeated, procured by such Medicines as purge Melancholly,

using first the gentler, and then the stronger sort by degrees.

And before the Purges, such things must be given as prepare the Melancholly Humor, and open the narrow passages of the Excrements, in the form of Apozems, Juleps, or Broths, according to the disposition of the sick party.

And besides the ordinary Openers, Medicines with Steel, must be likewise used, whereby those strongest Obstructions caused by thick and rebellious Humors in the Womb and other parts, may be dissolved.

And that superfluous humors may be derived from the womb, Issues may profitably be made in the Thighs, which are to be kept open until the Patients monthly Courses (which are commonly stopt in this Disease) shal return unto their ordinary form, in respect of time, quantity, and qua∣lity.

In respect of the conjoyned Cause, Emollient and Resolving Medicaments are to be applied out∣wardly, compounded after this manner:

Take the Roots of Marsh-mallows and Lillies, of each two ounces: the leaves of Mallows, Violets, Marsh-mallows, Bears-foot, of each one handful: Leaves of Mugwo••t, Nep, of each half a handful: Seeds of Line and Fenugreek, of each one ounce: Flowers of Chamomel and Melilot, of each a pugil. Make a Decoction of all, wherewith the Region of the Share, and the Groins must be fomented, a warm sponge being first dipped therein, and then squeez••d out, and so laid on, and held to the parts aforesaid.

For the greater mollifying, the Decoction may be made in Water and sweet Oyl, or in the Broth made of a Wethers Guts.

There may also be added to the Decoction, that it may become more powerful, the Roots of Brio∣ny and wild Cucumers; for we must begin with the milder, and proceed to the stronger by De∣grees.

Of the same Decoction (augmenting the quantity of the Simples) may a Bath be made for the Patient to sit in, which is very effectual in this Case, and more powerful than a Fomen∣tation.

••lso frequent Clysters and Injections into the Womb▪ are to be made of the same Decoction▪ whereunto the Oyls of Lillies, Chamomel, or sweet Almonds may be added.

Take of the Oyl o•• Lillies, and sweet Almonds, of each three ounces: Mucilage of Fenugreek seed extra••ted with white Wine one ounce: Hens, Gooses, and Ducks Fat, of each one ounce and an half: new Butter and Hogs Grease, of each two ounces: Wax and Turpentine as much a•• shal suffice▪ Make all into an Oyntment.

This which follows, is approved in al hard Swellings, being described by Rhasis in his Seventh Book, dedicated to King Almansor.

Take Bdellium, Ammoniacum, Galbanum, of each equal quantities: Beat them in a Morter with Oyl of Ben, and of Lillies; then add the Mucilages of Fenugreek Seed, Lin-seed, and Figs, in equal quantities. Make all into an Oyntment.

Of the same Materials, adding Wax, may a most effectual Plaister be made, to be applied to the Region of the Womb, both before and behind. Or a Plaister may be applied made of Emplastrum Diachylum ireatum.

A Cataplasm or Pultiss may be made of what remains after the Decoction aforesaid, being beaten and forced through an Hair Searce, adding of the meal of Lin-seed and Fenugreek seed, of each an ounce: six Figs: two drams of Orice Root: half a dram of Saffron: Hens Grease, and Oyl of sweet Almonds, of each a sufficient quantity. Make of al a Pultiss.

The Bitumenous clay taken out of Brimstone Baths, and such as are Bitumenous, is profitably ap∣plied as a Cataplasm.

The Fume of the Stone called Pyrites [that is, the Marchasite, or Fire-stone] being made red hot, and quenched in Vinegar, is by Galen wonderfully extolled for dissolving all stony hard Swel∣lings, so that it works like a Charm. In the said Vinegar, Savory and Pellitory may be boyled: but care must be had, lest your Lapis Pyrites prove to be the Stone called Plumbarius, or the Lead∣stone, which would do very much hurt.

Finally, All the Medicines, as wel internal as external, which were before described in our Cure of the hard Swellings of the Liver and Spleen, may also be useful in this case.

Yet must the••e ••edicaments in the whol course of the Cure be moderated and accommodated with the greatest judgment and discretion imaginable, left the hard Swelling become harder; or (which is much wor••e) degenerate into a Cancer, Which al Practitioners fear, when Medicaments are unwarily administred for a long time together: so that it is better somtimes to pause, and give or apply nothing, that we may mark what good is done by the former applications. For it is vain stri∣ving, when the Swelling (having lost al sence of feeling) hath put on the Nature of a stone.