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. 4. Of the Whites.

A Woman is said to have the Whites, the Womans Flux, the Flux of the Womb, or the White Menstruals; when Excrementitious Humors do flow from her Womb, either continually, or at least without any certain order, or course of time observed in their flowing.

And the said Excrementitious Humors are somtimes white and flegmatick, very like to Whey, or Barley Cream; somtime they are pale, or yellow, or green by the mixture of Choller; somtimes watery by the admixture of serous Humors: somtimes blackish, by the admixture of Melancholly; somtimes sharp and Corrosive, so as to eat into, and exulcerate some parts of the Womb; somtimes they are of a strong and beastly smel, and other whiles again, not at all offensive in that kind.

This Disease is wont to seize upon grown Women for the most part, and such as are of riper Age; yet are not Virgins alwaies free from the same: so that some have done ill in daring to affirm, That such Maids as are troubled with this disease, have parted from their Virginity, taking their Ground from the straightness of those Passages Naturally: For if Virgins have the Veins of their Wombs so large, that their wonted Courses can flow through them, why may not the Whites likewise drop out by the same passages, seeing they are many times more thin and fluxive than the Blood it self, as being wheyish and chollerick. The same is confirmed by the produced Experience of most learned Physitians, and dayly Practice teacheth me as much, viz. That the most chast and perfect Virgins in the World have had this Infirmity, of whom there could be no suspicion that they had been corrupted. And Fernelius doth witness, That he saw a Girl eight yeers old which had this Disease, and was afterward a long time grievously troubled therewith.

The Excrementitious Humors aforesaid, are bred either in the whol Body, or in some principal Part of the Body, or in the Womb it self.

If the Humors flow from the whol Body, they proceed either from bad Diet, or from a vicious habitual distemper of the whol Body, and they take their course unto the Womb as unto a Sink, or Common-shoar, whereinto the rest of the parts of the Body disburden themselves.

The particular parts, by whose consent the Womb suffers in this Disease, are chiefly, the Brain, Stomach, Liver, Spleen, Mesentery, and the Bladder, which dispatch their Excrements unto such parts as are more weakly, and so more disposed to receive them.

These Excrementitious Humors are bred in the Womb, because when it is unable to digest its pro∣per nourishment, by means of the weakness of its Retentive or Concoctive Faculty, the greater part of its Aliment is turned into Excrements, being imperfectly digested, or corrupted rather. It is im∣perfectly digested in cold distempers of the Womb; and it is corrupted in hot distempers thereof. And seeing the Womb by want of Digestion, is defrauded of its Nutriment, it presently draws new Aliment, which being turned into Excrements, is by the Womb expelled as unprofitable; and new Aliment is continually drawn, whereby this flux of evil Humors from the Womb, becomes both plen∣tiful and continual. The Womb is weakened and more disposed to the Reception of these Excre∣ments by Child-bearing, travelling in Child-birth, Abortion, and Contusion, Inflamation, Impost∣humes, or Ulcers.

The Signs of this Disease, are referred to the Infirmity it self, to the part affected, or to the cause producing the Disease.

The Disease it self is easily known by relation of the sick party, and it is often times attended with divers Symptomes, viz. Paleness of Face, want of Appetite, sickness of Stomach, short breathing, weakness, swelling of the Eyes, fulness, pensiveness and sadness, thick Urines, turbulent, and many other accidents, which differ according to the diversity of the Humors offending, as we shall declare more distinctly by and by.

The part affected, and the place in which these Excrementitious Humors causing the flux are bred, may beknown by these following tokens.

If the matter of the Flux is bred in the whol Body, these signs do shew it; viz. Weariness and hea∣viness not proceeding from any work, of which the Patient is eased, having disburdened her self by the flux plentifully; and then again, when new matter is collected, she begins to be weary and heavy as before; her Veins are full; her Feet, Hands, and Thighs, are apt to be numbed. And these signs do especially discover only a plenitude of Humors. But that corrupt Humors do abound in the whol Body, is known by an evil habit in the whol Body [that is, an ugly sickly appearance in the looks, and whol outward state of the Body] a puffing up of the Hands and Feet, an itching and stin∣ging in the whol Body, if the Humor be sharp, and many such signs as these.

If the matter offending reside in some peculiar part; the Symptomes and Excrements proper to that part, discover the same; as for example: A pain, heat, and swelling of the Liver, with Cholle∣rick Excrements, do shew the Liver to be affected; and the same Symptomes happening on the left side, with Excrements of a Melanchollick appearance, do argue the flux to spring from the Spleen: Flegmatick Excrements, Stomach-sickness, want of Appetite, and somtimes extream Appetite, fre∣quent corruption of the meat, and sowr belchings, or fatty (as of the Dripping-pan, or over-scorched flesh) are sure tokens of the Stomachs faultiness.

Pain of the Head, Froathy Excrements, some usual evacuation by the mouth or nostrils being stopped, do witness that flux springs from the Head. If none of the aforesaid signs of some part af∣fected appear, then we may conjecture that the flux proceeds primarily from the womb. Also the Woman (in such a case) is well colored, the matter flowing is but little in quantity, being the excre∣ment of the womb alone. There have preceded such causes as weaken the Womb, as are hard Travel, Abortion, a Fall upon the Belly or Back, immoderate Carnal Embraces, especially if the woman have been too young married, Tumors, Ulcers, and other Infirmities of the Womb, whose signs are pro∣pounded in their proper Chapters.

The Humor causing the Flux is known chiefly by the colors of that which comes away, which were a little before declared, and which appear in the cloaths wherewith it is received, if, as Hippocrates teacheth in his second Book of Womens Infirmities, the said cloaths being dried, shall be after washed in Water alone, and dried in the shadow: for so they manifestly declare the color of that Humor which most abounds in the Excrements. Hereunto may be added the signs of an Humor abounding in the whol Body, usually delivered in that part of the Institution of Physick, which treats of Signs.

In the last place, We are to propound such Signs as distinguish this Disease from others like unto it; as namely, Excretion of Purulent matter proceeding from an Ulcer of the Womb, and the Go∣norrhoea, or flux of Seed.

It is distinguished from purulent Matter by the signs of an Ulcer in the Womb, which shall be set down in their proper Chapter; as likewise, because the Purulent Matter or Quittor, is much thicker, whitish, and lesser in quantity, if it be digested rightly; but if it be of a goary, sanious, and fleshy appearance, like blood and water mingled, there is then blood amongst the matter, and it is wont somtimes to come away with strings from the Womb, and with exceeding pain; also the Wo∣men that have Ulcers in the Womb or its Neck, admit not of Copulation but with pain, which exasperates their Disease; but those which are troubled only with the Whites, do willingly and pa∣tiently suff••r themselves to be embraced by their Husbands.

In the Gonorrhoea, the matter which comes away is not so much in quantity, is thicker, of a more shining whiteness, holds up longer from flowing, and seldom or never stinks. But if it be a virulent or venemous Gonorrhoea (such as accompanies the Letchers Pocks) it is known by sharpness of U∣rine, Ulcers of the Privy parts, and other Signs that argue Malignity.

The Predictions or Prognosticks of this Disease, are as followeth:

This Disease in one respect may be called good, in another respect bad: Good, forasmuch as commonly it is not attended with any danger of death; and bad, because it is a stubborn Disease, long lasting, and most exceeding hard to be cured; forasmuch as the flux of evil Humors having once taken this course, is very hardly turned out of its Channel, because the Womb (as we said before) is the Draught of the whol Body, whereby even in time of Health, the superfluous Humors of the whol Body are monthly evacuated.

If this Infirmity get head, it may bring many other Evils upon the Patient, as Barrenness, falling down of the Womb, Exulceration, Cachexia, Dropsie, and Consumption.

A Flux of Whites, blewish, bloody, stinking, is worse than the white, pale, not stinking.

The longer this Disease hath lasted, the harder it is to cure.

It attends old Women to the grave for the most part, because of their abounding with flegm, and the weakness of their Concoctive Faculty.

The Cure of this Disease is to be begun by a convenient purging of the Peccant Humor And be∣cause ••legmatick and wheyish Humors do most commonly oftend, such things as purge those Hu∣mors, must chiefly be used, and with them Purgers of Choller, or Expellers of Melancholly must be mingled, according as Choller or Melancholly is adjoyned to the Humor offending. An Apozeme therefore may be appointed both altering and purging for four or five daies by way of a solemn pur∣gation, alwaies remembring that to the purging Medicaments, some astringent and corroborating things are to be added, lest the Humors of the Body being stirred, should fall more abundantly into the Womb.

Touching Blood-letting, it is a question, whether it be convenient in this Disease or not: For see∣ing this Flux is caused by ill Humors in the Body, which by Blood-letting are drawn into the Veins and so may corrupt the Mass of Blood; it seems there is in this case no place for bleeding. Also, since in this lingring Disease, the Patients strength is much abated, and the Body often brought into a Con∣sumption, it seems unsit to weaken it yet more by blood-letting, and so defrauding it of its nourish∣ment. Which Controversie is thus decided; That if the flux be not pure and simple, but in some measure mingled with Blood, and it appear reddish, that then a Vein may be opened; as also if the Liver be very much heated, and the sharpness of Choller be joyned with the flux. In other Cases, especially if the flux have endured long, it is better to abstain from Blood-letting.

Bindings of the upper parts of the Body, and Cupping-glasses applied to the shoulder-blades, and to the back, wil be very useful to draw the Humors upward; also rubbings of those parts wil be spe∣cially profitable, first with finer and softer cloaths, than with rougher and courser, which Galen dayly practised upon the Wife of Boetius, whom he cured in the space of thirteen daies, as himself relates in his Book of Prognosticks dedicated to Posthumus, Chap. 8.

And besides the Universal Purgation already propounded, ordinary Purgations are also to be ad∣ministred, and frequently reiterated, that the superfluity of Excrements may be the better evacuated by little and little, and that Nature may get a custom to void those Humors by stool, which former∣ly had their recourse unto the Womb. To this intent, Magisterial Syrups, Pills, and usual Opiates may be compounded, suitable to the temper of the Patient, and the Humors offending. In this Dis∣ease caused by ••legm, Mercatus commends a Syrup of the Decoction of Lignum vitae, with Senna, Turbith, and Agarick; as also the following Pills:

Take of the Mass of Pills of Hiera picra, one dram: Agarick trochiscated one dram and an half: with Honey of Roses make them into Pills, of which let the Patient take early in the mor∣ning six or seven every third day: afterward, only three of them every fift or sixt day.

Or for the greater Astriction, as wel as purging, they may be thus compounded, in whatever Complexion.

Take Choyce Rhubarb oft-times sprinkled with the Juyce of Roses, two drams: Citrine colored, white and black Myrobalans steeped in the Juyce of Roses, of each one dram: Mastich one scruple: Spicknard half a scruple: With Syrup of Roses make all into a Mass of Pills. Let the Dose be one dram twice in a week.

For a Flux arising of Serosity, or Wheyish Excrements, Jallap is most excellent, which may be thus used:

Take Jallap finely poudered one dram: Cinnamon finely poudered half a scruple. Mix them, and with a draught of Chicken Broth, give it the Patient in the morning.

A Laxative Ptisan dayly taken for a month together, hath cured a stubborn Flux of Whites, when nothing else could, as is to be seen in our Book of Medicinal Observations.

Vomiting is likewise much commended in this Disease, especially in such as are easie to vomit, because such indigested humors as are wont to be gathered about the Stomach, are hereby both eva∣cuated, and powerfully revelled or drawn back from the Womb. Among convenient Vomits, Dia∣sarum of Fernelius his Invention is commended, half an ounce whereof, given in Water and Honey, or with one ounce of Oxymel, and warm Chicken Broth, twice or thrice in a month, moves three or four Vomits, without any trouble.

After sufficient Purgations, sweat may be procured to expel the remnants of the Excrementitious Humor; and also to cause a further Revulsion of the Humors falling into the Womb.

To this intent, a Decoction of Lignum vitae, and Sassaphras, will be good in such as are flegmatick; and of China and Sarsaparilla in such as are Chollerick and Melanchollick, cooling and temperate Herbs being added, lest the evil Humors be more exasperated, and become more sharp.

Or Sweat may be provoked by a Decoction of hot Herbs, as Nep, Calaminth, Fennel, Hysop, Elicampane, Chamomel, Dill, and such like, the evaporation of which Herbs being artificially re∣ceived upon the Patients Body, will procure sweat. A Bath may also be made of the same Decocti∣on, by which sweat may be provoked. But in hotter Constitutions, a Bath of fresh fair Water blood-warm, will be sufficient, in which moderate and gentle sweats only may be procured.

Sulphurous Baths do also powerfully cause sweat, and consume the reliques of this Disease: and by help of such Baths we have known some Women cured, that no other means could help.

As touching Piss-driving Medicines, its a weighty question whether or no they are fit to be admi∣nistred in this Disease? For they do not only provoke Urine, but the Courses likewise, by heating and attenuating the Humors contained in the Veins. Yet are they allowed by all Authors, and by Galen himself, who used them in the Cure of the Wife of Boetius: And the reason is, Because Piss∣drivers do provoke Urine Primarily, and the Courses Secondarily, and as it were by accident or chance. Again, the Kidneys do perpetually draw Wheyish Humors unto themselves, whereas the Womb does only receive them; whereupon it is credible that the greatest part of such Humors, will have recourse into the waies of Urine.

Now the Piss-driver which Galen used in the foresaid Woman, is a Decoction of Asarum and Smallage in fair Water; howbeit, it will be better temper'd, if it be made in Succhory Water.

A more compounded Piss-driving Broth, may be thus made:

Take the Roots of Asarum, and of Smallage, of each one ounce: Leaves of Calaminth, and Soldanella, of each one handful: Elder flowers half a handful: Polypody, and Carthamus seeds, of each half an ounce: boyl all to a pint. Give five ounces of the Liquor or Broth strained, in the morning. If you would make it purgative, add a little Agarick, and a little Turbith boyled with the rest, in a Rag.

It's questioned whether Issues in the Legs are good for this Disease; for by drawing the Humors downwards, they may decrease the Flux. Howbeit, experience hath shewed that they do good in old Fluxes, because by such passages, some part of the Excrementitious Humor is voided.

If Chollerick and sharp Humors cause this Disease; not only purgers of Choller are to be given, but likewise Alteratives which cool and thicken, and are moderately Astringent; such as these Ju∣leps following.

Take of the leaves of Succory with the roots, of Endive, Borrage, Lettice, and Purslain, of each half an handful: of new Sebestens and Jujubes, of each seven in number: of the four greater cool Seeds, and white Poppy Seeds, of each half a drachm: of red Rose-leaves a pugil. Boil al in Water sufficient, unto a pint, and in the strained liquor dissolve Syrup of Quinces, or of dried Red Roses three ounces, and make a Julep, for three Doses.

But if Melanchollick humors abound, they are to be altered and Purged away, by Medicines proper to that intent.

The use of Chalybeate milk taken forty daies together, the quantity of four or five ounces is very proper for either of the aforesaid Humors; whereunto may be added towards the end, a little Bole∣armoniack, or Terra Sigillata.

In the whole Course of Curing, it is to be considered, whether any part of the Body be misaffec∣ted, and so may send the matter of the Flux into the Womb; and if so, then care must be taken for the use of that part.

For if Humors flowing from the Brain, do cause this Disease, Remedies are to be applied to that part; especially such as revel and divert the Fluxion, viz. Cupping-glasses frequently fastned up∣on the shoulders and Back, Medicines snuft up into the Nostrils, Masticatories, Vesicatories, and Is∣sues made in the hinder part of the Head, or in the nape of the Neck; instead where of Setous may be used, which are more effectual. And Febritius Hildanus in the forty one Cure of his first Cen∣tury, relates that he cured a Woman long troubled with the Whites, and thereby Barren, by a Seton.

If the Humors flow from the Stomach, Liver, or any other part, suitable Remedies must be appli∣ed to that part.

The Body being prepared, and the offending Humor for the most part evacuated, or derived ano∣ther way: We must proceed to corroborating and Astringent Medicaments. But they must never be used until the Antecedent matter be wel evacuated, and diverted. Otherwise, those Humors re∣tained, do rush into the more noble parts, and stir up more grievous Symptoms. As Galen in the a∣fore-cited place relates to have befallen the Wife of Boetius, Whose Belly, swelled, by meanes of the unseasonable use of Astringents, by which the Wheyish Humors were retained in her Body, which were wont to pass away in the Flux. It is likewise to be remembred, that whilst we are in the use of Astringent Remedies, we do then divert the Antecedent Matter, and hinder the same from increa∣sing, by the Remedies aforesaid. Amongst these principal corroborating Medicines, Treacle is rec∣koned, which is to be used in flegmatick Constitutions. Conserve of Roses, and of Wormwood,

may be mingled with the Treacle; Or the following Opiate may be compounded,

Take Conserve of Rosemary flowers one ounce: Conserve of Calamus Aromaticus two drachms: Species of Diarrhodon Abbatis, and of Aromaticum Rosatum, of each one drachm: Red Coral prepared half a drachm: Treacle two drachms; with Syrup of preserved Citron peeles Make all into an Electuary. Or,

Take old Conserve of Red Roses, Roots of Comfry, Bugloss, and Citron peeles, of each one ounce: Red Coral burnt, shavings of Ivory, Bole-armoniack, Terra Sigillata, Dragons-blood, of each one drachm; with Syrup of Red Roses dried: make all into an Opiate.

The pouder of Sage, Salsa-parilla, and Baula stians taken every morning in broath, is the Court-La∣dies Medicine.

Zecheus commends this following Electuary, which he had often used with happy Success.

Take Gum Arabick, and Gum Tragacanth, of each two drachms: white and red Coral, burnt Eg-shels, Harts-horn, Dill seeds, Amber, of each four Scruples: Honey of Roses, as much, as will make all into an Electuary. Of which give half an ounce two hours before meat. Let the Pati∣ent swallow it down, and drink after it four ounces of Plantane Water, mingled with two drachms of red Wine.

Juleps may be made of Rose-water, Knotgrass, and Plantane waters, with the Syrup of Myrtles, dried Roses, and the like: Some of the aforesaid pouders being added.

Mercurialis saies he frequently used a Decoction of Oak-leaves, with the Runnet of an Hare; wherewith he cured many Women of this Disease. His manner of making his Medicine was thus.

Take of the Decoction of Oak-leaves five or six ounces: of the Runnet of an Hare, one dram:

Let her take this Medicine eight or then daies.

When the Disease comes from Choller, the following Syrup may be prepared, which is strengthen∣ing, Astringent, and cooling. Thus,

Take red Rose Water four pints: Spirit of Vitriol, so much as will make the Water a little sharp; but so as scarce to be perceived by taste: red Roses dried three pugils: Steep them in the Water cold, two daies, S••ain it, and add thereto so much Sugar of Roses, as will make a Syrup.

And Finally, Those Astringent remedies mustred up in the former Chapter, touching the Immode∣rate Flux of Courses, may be likewise useful in this Cure.

The Patient may use instead of ordinary drink, a Diet drink of China-roots, or Mastich wood, with Astringent Wine mingled.

The same time that the Patient takes in such things as are Astringent, and do strengthen the Womb, she must likewise use outward Remedies applied to the place affected, viz. Fomentations, Baths to sit, it, Oyntments, Plaisters, Injections, Fumigations, and Pessaries; such as have been pre∣scribed against Immoderate Courses.

But before these external Astringents are applied, the Womb must be well clensed. Otherwise such impurities would be therein retained, as returning back into the Body, may cause more grievous Diseases. And in our clensing, we must regard the Humor offending; for one sort of Clensers are fit for Flegmatick, another for Chollerick Humors.

If the Humor be Chollerick, let the Clensing Injections be made of Barley-Water, Whey, Water sweetened with Sugar. If it be Flegmatick, let them be made of Hydromel, or of the Decoction of Wormwood, Fever-few, and the like.

Also a Detergent Pessary may be made of Treacle, and Turpentine; or of Mercury leaves bruised, and wrapped up in a fine Linnen rag very thin worn.

Let the Patient use these Clensers, before the Astringents be applied, until her Womb be well pu∣rified; which may be known, if little or no Humors come therefrom.

After the Use of the Clensers, the Fumes are first to be received over a Close-stool, because they dry and strengehen the Womb; and they may fitly be made of Frankinsence, Ladanum, Mastich, Sanders, Nutmeg, and Red-Rose leaves. And afterwards we must proceed to other Astringent Remedies.