Enchiridion medicum: containing the causes, signs, and cures of all those diseases, that do chiefly affect the body of man: divided into three books. With alphabetical tables of such matters as are therein contained. Whereunto is added a treatise, De facultatibus medicamentorum compositorum, & dosibus. / By Robert Bayfield.

CHAP. XVIII.

MENSIƲM SƲPPRESSIO, * 1.1 is either naturally, [ 1] or against nature: If natural∣ly, the woman is vexed with no grief of the bo∣dy, nor yet of the wombe.

If against nature, [ 2] it happeneth either through grossnesse, or slendernesse of body: the former have but little blood, the lat∣ter

no superfluous blood in them. Also grosse blood, bleeding at the nose, &c. sweating, conti∣nual vomiting, fluxes of the belly, hardnes, scars, or a peece of flesh ingendred in the mouth of the matrice, may be the cause: also carelesness, fear, and sorrow.

There is heaviness, a desire to vomit, * 1.2 abhor∣ring of meat, paines about the loynes, thighes, neck, eyes, and head; sometimes fevers, and blackish urine made with difficulty.

1. A cold distemper is known by dulness, a white and leady colour in the face, and a wa∣tery, thin and greenish urine.

2. A hot distemper of fulness, is known by vehement paine about the loynes, and privie members; with swollen veines.

1. For a cold distemper turn back to lib. 1. * 1.3 chap. 25. pag. 52. for a poor body let the leaves of savine be boyled in wine and drunk, or re∣ceive the fume of savine; it will force them: It doth also expell the dead child.

2. In a hot cause bleed on the feet, * 1.4 coole and moysten; and give syrrup of steel: And when the distemper is over, then observe the former directions: for fulness make a purgation with Diaphaenicon, Hierapicra, and benedicta laxativa: [ 3] * 1.5 Amongst simples that provoke the terms, are roots of parslay, sperage, [ 4] seeds of smallege and fennel: Anniseed, nettles: Also calamint, * 1.6 wormwood, origan, sothernwood, mugwort, peniroyal, hyssop, hore-hound, rew, mother∣wort, Ireos, laurel berries, madder, sage, cum∣min-seed, Enula, campana, root of Aristolo∣chia, and Savine: of these may be made deco∣ctions;

into which may be put a little sugar to drink.

4. Also Castoreum, Storax, Galbanum, fran∣kincense, * 1.7 Bdelium, and Benzoine: of these may be made suffumigations: Also if you turn back to the eighth Chapter of this book, * 1.8 and the ninth page, you shall find an excellent thing for this purpose; even the steel wine, to give the Pa∣tient of it evening and morning, with the syrrup of the same; and exercise. This potion follow∣ing is commended by Montanus in his Treatise Deaffectionibus uteri. * 1.9 Consilium 308. pag. 749.

℞. * 1.10 Agarici praeparati ʒ. ij. Rhabarbari ʒ.j. in∣fundantur in aqua betonicae per horas 24, & fiat expressio fortis. ℞. Diacatholiconis ʒ. ij. ss. Misce fiat potio brevis.

The same author praiseth Confect. diacimini, vel Diatrion pipereon. vel aromat. rosa. and lastly, Mi∣thridate in white-wine.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Causa.
• * 1.2

  Signa.
• * 1.3

  Curatio. Sabina.
• * 1.4

  Venae sectio
• * 1.5

  Purgatio.
• * 1.6

  Catalogus simplicium.
• * 1.7

  Fumigatio.
• * 1.8

  Vin. Cha•• lyb.
• * 1.9

  Montanus.
• * 1.10

  Potio pur∣gans.