The London practice of physick, or, The whole practical part of Physick contained in the works of Dr. Willis faithfully made English, and printed together for the publick good.

The Lacteal Faver.

I Am of Opinion that the milky Chyme made of the Aliments in the Viscera, and thence mixt with the Blood for a Nutritive Juyce, is again presently separated, for the greatest part, from its Mass, by the help of the Glands in the Womb, or in the Breasts, even as the Serum is in the Reins; that it might afford Nourshment to the Foetus either in the Mothers Belly, or carried in her Arms. During the time of being with Child, tho the greatest part of it be derived to the Womb, yet in the last Months, a little of it is depos'd in the Breasts, but about the third or fourth day after Child-birth, the Milk is carried to the breasts more plentifully, and as it were with a certain Impetus, that it soon fills them to a Tension, and begins to load them. At this time Women delivered (tho not all, yet most) are wont to be affected with a feverish Distemperature, a Thirst, Heat, and Restlessness of the whole Body: they complain of a sad Pain in the Back and Shoulders, of a fulness of the breasts, and a burning, and, unless the Mild be dili∣gently drawn from thence, being heapt together too much, it often causes an In flammation with a following Abscess in the breasts: This Fever, so the Lochia pass as they ought, seldom last above three days, but about that time, a copious sweat spontaneously arising, is wont to be appeas'd: yet this Distemperature raised by the coming of the milk, is somewhat intended, and stays longer, if at any time the Milk being freeely entred into the Breasts, be not drawn away, but be again repell'd thence; for upon its departure, even as upon its com∣ing, a perturbation is wont to happen in the whole body, with a Thirst and Heat, whcih also more certainly comes to pass, if that happens to be violently driven away with repelling Topicks: but being driven from the breast by their help, or departing thence of its own accord, it is voided with the Lochia in the form of a whitish Humour, and a Sweat, or a full perspiration exterminates the reliques of the Disease. But if by this kind of distemperature, being caused by reason of the com∣motion of the Milk, the Lochia are stopt, or errours in dyet are commit∣ted, or some evident cause happens. so that the effervescence of the blood be intended, often the Lacteal Fever, joyning to it worse Symptoms, turns to a Putrid or Malignat.

The Cure of this Fever is committed wholly to Nuture, and as long as the Lochia are as they ought, it passes off for the most part well enough without any physical Help: for after an effervescence of the Blood, carryed on for three or four dayes, either a copious Sweat, or a free Transpirations, resolves this Affect: to wit, either the Parti∣cles of the lacteal Humour, degenerated in assimilating, or the adust Recrements remaining after the Deflagration of the Blood, or both of them together administring a Fuel to the Fever, are subdued by degrees, and evaporated forth, which being sent forth, the Blood being become free from its extraneous mixture, soon recovers its former state, tho in the mean while some vulgar Rules concerning the admission of the Milk, or thedriving away of the same from the breasts, are wont to be observed. If the Milk springs into the breasts in too great a plenty, then to prevent their Inflammation, and an immoderate effervescence of the Blood, let the dyet be thinn and spare, viz. of Broth wthout Flesh, and in a small quantity: also let the breasts be emptyed by a fre∣quent sucking: if it be not convenient for the Mother to give the In∣fant suck, it is usual on the first, or third day after delivery, to cover over all the brests with gently astringent Cere-Cloths, as withthe red Lead Plaister, &c. For so the spungy Substance of the Glands is some∣what constring'd, whereby they do not so readily receive the lacteous Humour flowing thither, tho this kind of Remedy ought to be cauti∣ously us'd, lest if the Milk be wholly excluded, or be driven away from the breasts too much in a croud, presently restagnating into the Blood, it causes a disorder of the same; as a forerunner of a putrid or malignant Fever: of which we must speak next.