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. 21. Of Immoderate Flux of the Loches, or Child-bed Purgations.

THe Immoderate Flux of Child-bed Purgations called from the Greek, Loches, is not to be esti∣mated from the quantity, or the time of continuance; because that in divers Natures, Ages, and Courses of Life, it is very different; but from the ill-bearing of the woman and her weakness there∣from arising.

The Causes of this immoderate Flux, are the over wide opening of the Vessels, or their rending in hard Travel, or the violent drawing forth of the After-birth; or a more than ordinary quantity of blood, which hath been collected in the Veins of the Womb, during the whol course of the Womans being with Child; or the thinness and sharpness of the said Blood, which doth too much open the Mouthes of the Veins, and provoke Nature to Excretion.

Immoderate flux of the Child-bed Purgations is known, as hath been said, from the strength of the woman which is dejected through the exhaustion of her spirits that issue with the blood; also the blood is clotted, and the Patient loaths all meat, is pained under her short Ribs, feels a distention of her Belly; her Pulse is weak and frequent, her sight is dimmed, she hath noise in her Ears, is sub∣ject to Swooning and Convulsions.

As all great Fluxes of Blood are dangerous, because blood is the Treasure of our Life, so immode∣rate flux of the Child-bed Purgations is more dangerous than the rest, because of the Travel which goes before, and weakens the Patient. But the danger is more or less, according to the greater or less quantity of the Blood which comes away, and as the Symptomes are more light or grievous which attend the same; which made Hippocrates to say, in the 55. Aphorism of the fift Section. If Convulsion or Swooning betides a Woman upon her Feminine Purgations, it's a shrewd sign.

The Cure of an Immoderate flux of Blood, consists in one only Point, viz. The stoppage of the said flux. Yet extraordinary care is to be taken, lest that be kept within, which by these Purgati∣ons was wont to be carried away, and so prove the cause of grievous Infirmities. And therefore if the flux do not extreamly urge, we must begin with lighter Medicaments, proceeding by little and little if need shall require, to such as are stronger.

And in the first place, The violent Motion of the Blood is to be bridled by an incrassating of thickening Diet, as by Panadaes, Gellies, Rice, Starch, with Calves-foot Broths, Pears, and Quinces boyled, Rosted Flesh sprinkled with juyce of Pome-granates.

Let her have pretty plenty of Meat, but not at once, but divers times one after another. For by this means the Heat and Spirit which in the Womb do aslist to the Expulsion, are called away to the Stomach, and by that means the Patients strength is restored.

Let her Drink be Water that hath had Iron quenched in it, or Gold, or in which a little Mastich hath been boyled. Then such things are to be used as do revel the Blood into the superior parts, as rubbings and bindings of the upper parts, Cupping-glasses fastened under the short Ribs on either side.

It is good likewise to bath the Patients hands in hot Wine, in which Confectio Alkermes, or Ve∣nice Treacle hath been dissolved.

Also let her Belly be moderately swathed with a Rowler or Swath-band; because hereby the Ves∣sels of Blood will be pressed together, and the immoderate flux hindered.

Let Linnen Cloths be applied to her Loyns moistened with a mixture of Water and Vinegar, by which the blood contained in the Vena Cava, is tempered, and the motion thereof hin∣dered.

If the flux be very immoderate, and weaken the Patient, so that there is danger of Death, we must have speedy recourse to stronger Remedies: Among the rest, this following Potion hath commonly good success.

Take Waters of Plantane, Orange flowers, and Roses, of each one ounce: Syrup of Corals, or where it is wanting of red Roses, one ounce: Sal Prunella one dram: Dragons blood ten grains. Make all into a Potion.

If the flux do yet continue, a Pouder, or an Electuary for divers Doses, may be prescribed after this manner:

Take Blood-stone four scruples: Pouder of Bole-Armoniack, red Coral, prepared Pearls, of each one dram: Seeds of Plantane, Coriander prepared, and grains of Sumach, of each two scruples, Mix all, and make them into a most fine Pouder, of which let her take one dram with the Decoction of Knotgrass and Syrup of Quinces.

Take Conserves of Roses and of Comfrey Roots of each one ounce: Bole-Armoniack, Troches de Carabe and prepared coral of each one dram: with syrup of coral or of dried red Roses make all into an Electuary, of which let her take the Quantity of a Chestnut, drinking a little of her ordinary drink after it.

Also a fomentation and an Oyntment will profitably be applied outwardly, made after this manner.

Take Topps of the red Mastich or Lentisch, Plantane, Cypress, Olive, and Solomons Seal of each one handfull: Red Rose Leaves two pugills: Myrtle Berries one ounce and an half: Cypress-Nuts, six: Peels of Pomgranates two pugils: Boyl all in Steel-quenched Water and astringent harsh red Wine, and with the strained Liquour bath the Privie Parts, very lukewarm, and almost coldish.

Take of the Countesses Oyntment or Uuguentum Comitissae two ounces: J••yce of Plantane one ounce: worke them together into one Oyntment, to be used after the fomentation.

Also an Injection may be made of the Juyce of Plantane into the Womb, commended by Galen in the fifth Book of his Method, or of the Decoction of the foresaid fomentation.

Other remedies not helping, to open a vein in the Arm is a present Cure, if the Blood be drown out in distant spaces of time; for experience hath taught, that many women given over as it curable have by this means recovered.

And finally, the disease still remaining, all Medicines prescribed for the immoderate flux of the monthly courses, may be used in this Case likewise.

And among the Medicines for immoderate Courses, Cataplasmes were propounded to be applied to the share, and Loines; unto which the following Cataplasm or pultis may be added, very good for all immoderate fluxes of Blood, but especial for these Child-Bed Purgations.

Take Pure Soot from the Chimney not mixt with Dart eight ounces: work it lustily with the strongest Vineger, and make a pultis to be applied to the Reines of the Back.

And it is here specially to be noted touching sleep; that while the Blood flowes plentifully, the woman must not be suffered to sleep, for many by that means are taken away, because the natural heat retiring inward, causes the flux to be greater. And if sleep in such a case cannot be avoided, some must be alwaies by of the servants to feel her pulse and mark how she fetches her Breath.

In a word, if clotters of Blood do settle in the Womb, and cause a pain and stretching therein; endeavour must be used speedily to bring it out, least coming to putrefy, they transmit filthy vapours to the Brain and Heart and cause a feaver. Therefore the Childing woman, if strong enough, ought to walk gently, or stand bolt upright for some time together, or to sit upon the groaning Chair, as if she had list to stool. And if this suffice not, the clotters are to be dissolved with a warm Deco∣ction of French Barly and a little Oxymel or honey of Roses injected into the Womb. But here we must go warily to work least while we bring out the clotters, the flux of Blood be afresh pro∣voked.