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. XXIX.

DIFFICILIS PARTƲS: * 1.1 hard travel in child-birth, chanceth either through de∣fault of the parent, of the childe, of the secun∣dine, or through some outward cause.

1. Of the parent, as if she be grosse, fat, faint∣hearted, and unskilful of pain, or if the matrice be small, inflamed, or vexed with some other disease. Or if she be naturally weak, or labour before time: or if the neck of the matrice be crooked, or some peece of flesh ingendred there, of a bile or ulcer going before.

2. Default of the childe is, when it is of an unaccustomed bignesse or if it have two heads, or three feet. Or if it be dead, or if they be two or more: or weaknesse of the childe, may be the cause.

3. The travel is made difficile through the se∣cundine: If it be not pulled away, because of the grossenes of it: or if it break before it should, be∣cause of the thinnesse of it, and so the privities are left without moysture, which should make a slippery passage for the child.

4. Also it is caused of outward causes, as of cold, that thickens the matrice, and streight∣neth the passages: or through a great heat that dissolveth and weakneth the strength.

1. Outward causes are easily known by the telling of the Patient, * 1.2 or them that sit by them.

2. Weakness of the child is known by its flow motion.

3. Greatness of the child may be known by the greatness of the womans body, and the bigness of the Parents themselves.

4. Grosseness and thickness of the secundine, is known thus; none of the aforesaid signes are present, and the woman is strong, and the child stirreth lively.

1. The signes of a birth at hand, is pain un∣der the navel at the groine, and loynes, the Genitals swell with pain, and a certain fever like shaking, invades the body: the face wax∣eth red by reason of the indeavour of nature, armed unto the expulsion of the infant. Also when the infant by kicking, breaketh the mem∣branes, so that the humours runne out, is a certain sign the child is at hand: If the infant come forth with those waters, the birth proves easie.

2. The child in the wombe untill it be fully formed, sends forth his urine by the pas∣sage of the navel or Ʋrachus: but a little before the time of child-birth, the Ʋrachus is closed up, and then the man-child voydeth it by the conduit of the yard, and the woman child by the neck of the womb.

3. This urine is gathered together in the coat Chorion or Allantoides or Farciminalis (be∣ing all one membrane) together with other excrements as sweat; and wheyish superfluities of the menstruall matter.

4. He voyds two sorts of excrements, name∣ly urine, and sweat; in both which he swimmes.

5. If the woman have a man-childe she is merry, strong, and better coloured: The

males stirre in three months and a half, her right parts are strongest to every work or mo∣tion of the body. The right dug sooner waxeth hard; and that child stirreth most on the right side, if she have a female, contrary signes ap∣pear.

1. There be three concoctions, the first is performed in the stomach, which being dri∣ven down into the intestines, is voyded by the fundament.

2. The second cometh from the liver, and is threefold, first cholerick, a great portion where∣of is sent to the bladder of the gall, and part is expelled by sweat. The other is like whey which goeth with the blood into the veines, to nourish the whole body, and part thereof is expelled by sweat and urines. The third is the melancholy excrements, which being drawne by the milt, the purer part nourisheth the milt, and the remnant is purged by the Hemorroi∣dal veines, and partly sent to the orifice of the stomack, to instimulate appetite.

3. Thelast concoction is absolved in the ha∣bit of the body; and breathed out by insensible transpiration; is partly consumed by sweat, and other passages, as the brain unloadeth it self by the nose, mouth, eares, eyes, palat bone, and sutures of the scull.

Lastly, * 1.3 if the child be dead in the womb, it moveth not: the womans belly is cold, having great pain about the navel, [ 1] a naughty co∣l••ur of the face, and a stinking breath.

2. Also the waters are flowed out, and the secundine come forth: which are certain signes

of a dead child: Because the child breathing by the arteries of the navel, and the breath be∣ing received by the cotylidon of the arteries of the womb; It must of necessity come to pass (when the secundine is separated from the infant) that no ayr or breath can come unto it.

3. Moreover the child will be more heavie to the mother, falling like a stone to that side the mother inclines her body: she is vexed with sharp pains from the privities even to the navel: with a perpetual desire of making water, and going to stool, because nature is wholly busied in expulsion: The Genitals are cold, as well as the womb.

3. The child corrupteth in three dayes, and sendeth vapours up to the brain, and heart, &c. which causeth often swounding: Her dugs do fall, and her body is more puffed up then before.

5. If she be weak, having a feeble pulse, a cold breath, a livid and gastly colour: cold sweats, and cold in the extream parts, then judge death is nigh.

1. For the cure of hard travel in child-birth, * 1.4 First place her in such a posture as is fit; namely on a stool or chaire, that is hollow and lyned with cloath (and covered with linning) made on purpose, or else place her on a bed, in po∣sture like one that is ready to be cut of the stone.

2. Then let the midwife anoynt the mouth of the matrice with unsalted butter, oyle or hens-grease, and open it wide by little and little, having her nailes pared close, and her rings

taken off, if shee have them on.

3. A fearful woman must be comforted, and incouraged, commanding her to hold, and stop her breath strongly.

4. If adstriction be the cause, as through cold, foment with decoction of mallowes, fe∣negreek, &c.

5, If she be very weak give her fome cordial, and let her smell to vinegar.

6. If the infant be over-great, make the mouth of the matrice as wide as you can.

7. If an unnatural form of the child be the cause, bring him to a natural form, partly by putting back, drawing to you, partly by turn∣ing, and partly by making it streight; the mid∣wifes armes being bare all the time, and well well anoynted with some fat thing.

8. If there be 2, or 3, bring out that which seemeth most ready, driving back the rest.

9. But if it be dead, and the Physicians can∣not prevail (with potions, baths, fumigations, sternutatories, vomits and pessaries) to expell the dead child: It must then be done by chi∣rurgical extraction (if the woman be able to in∣dure the same) with instruments made on pur∣pose to tear in pieces, if necessity require the same.

10. If the tunicle or secundine be very thick and strong, cut it.

11. If the humour contained in the tunicle or secundine, cometh away, so that the places are dried up, and a hard labour like to follow: wash it all about with the whites of egges: and with the decoction of mallows & fenegreek, or

℞. Olei ex seminibus lini ℥.i.ss. * 1.5 olei de castoreo ℥. ss. olei liliorum ℥. ss. Galliae moschatae ʒ.iij. ladani ʒ.j. fiat linimentum.

12. Also this powder following is much commended, as an universal remedy to help all that have sore travel in child-birth.

℞. Ginnamomi elect. ʒ. ij. myrrhae, cassiae lig. * 1.6 ana ℈,j. succini alb. ʒ.i. ss. fiat pulvis.

If you please you may adde dictamni ʒ. i. ss. sacchari albi ad pondus omnium: but it is better without if they will take it, let them take ʒ. j. in pure odoriferous wine.

13. If the secundine stick to some part of the matrice, draw it out by little and little, but not violently; your arme being warme, and well anoynted.

14. But if the neck of the womb be shut, * 1.7 use somentations that can mollify and release.

15. If she be strong let her sneese, * 1.8 with casto∣re••m and pepper; use fumigations, and the same things you would use to procure the termes.

16. Seeth in a pot motherwort, Ireos, savin, penniroyal, calamint, dictamnus, and such like, put the pot under a close chaire, upon the which let the woman sit; If the womb will not open with this means, whereby you may draw away the secundine, yet it will rot and turn in∣to matter, and so fall away.

1. When the woman is delivered, give her 2, or 3, spoonfulls of oyle of sweet almonds, * 1.9 ex∣tracted without fire, or cullises, or gellies.

2. Let the secundine be presently drawne away (before the neck of the womb be clo∣sed,

according to the former directions.

3. Then must the navel-string be tyed with a double thred, an inch from the belly; let not the knot be two hard, lest that part of the na∣vel-string without the knot should fall away sooner then it ought: neither too slack, or loose, lest that an exceeding and mortal flux of blood should follow after it is cut off: when the knot is made, the navel-string must be cut in sunder the breadth of two fingers beneath it with a sharp knife: upon the section you must apply a double linnen cloth, dipped in oyle of roses or sweet almonds, to mitigate the pain, for so within a few dayes after, that which is beneath the knot, will fall away being destitute of life, and nourishment; By reason the umbilical vein and artery are tyed so close, that no life nor nourishment can come into it: commonly mid∣wifes do let it lye unto the bare belly of the in∣fant, whereof cometh grievous pain and gri∣ping by reason of its coldnesse: being destitute of heat: but it were better to roule it in soft cot∣ton, or lint, untill it be mortified, and so fall away.

4. Then the child must be wiped and clean∣sed from all filth with oyle of roses or myrtills; being first washed with warm water and wine, wherein is boyled the leaves of roses red, and myrtils; adding thereto a little salt is excellent: some use this lotion 5, or 6, dayes together, with very good success; for it washeth away all the filthy matter.

5. If there be any passages stopped, or cove∣red with a membrane, as often happeneth to

the eares, nostrils, mouth, yard, womb, and fundament: It must be cut, and tents put in to keep it open.

6. And if the ligamental membrane under the tongue be short and stiffer then it ought; it must be amended by an expert Chyrurgion.

7. If there be a chalky substance, both in colour and consistence, that sticketh on the in∣ner side of the mouth (which the French-men call the white Cancer) cleanse it with a linnen cloath bound to a little stick, and dipped in a medicine made with oyle of sweet Almonds, * 1.10 honey, and sugar: This cancer will not permit the child to suck.

8. Also give the child a spoonful of oyle of sweet Almonds, extracted without fire, and rub the inner side of the mouth therewith.

9. If the child be troubled with fretting in the guts, apply moyst or sweaty wool, macera∣ted in oyle of cammomel.

10. Children ought not to be weaned be∣fore their teeth appear.

11. Those that are scabby all over the heads, face, or body, voyding many excrements, are like to be strong and sound of body.

12. Those that are faire of body, gather the matter of many diseases in their bodies, which in time will appear. Certainly by the sudden falling of such matter into the back bone, many become crook-backt.

1. The belly of the woman must be bound about with a ligature, made of indifferent breadth and length, to keep out cold (which bringeth hysterical suffocations, painful fret∣tings

in the guts, and a fever with other mortal diseases) and to presse out the blood.

2. Then give her some capon broath, or caudle, with saffron, and to keep the belly from wrinkling,.

3. * 1.11 ℞. Spermatis ceti ℥.ij. olei amygdal. dulcium, & hypericon. ana ℥. i. ss. sevi hircini ℥. j. olei myrtillorum ana ℥. i. ss. cerae novae quantum sufficit f. unguentum: anoynt her body therewith.

4. For fretting in her guts,

℞. * 1.12 Anisi conditi ʒ. ij. nucis moschatae, cornu cervi usti ana ʒ.i.ss. ligni aloes, rad. conso∣lidae major. ana ʒ. i. ss. ambrae graec. gr. iv. f. pulvis.

Give her a dram at a time in white wine, if she have a fever, in capon broath.

5. If the woman cannot nurse, then to repel the milk, that it may be expelled through the womb,

℞. * 1.13 Olei ros. myrtini ana ℥.iij. aceti rosat. ℥.j.

Incorporate them, and therewith anoynt and besprinkle them with the powder of myrtyls: and then this emplaster following is good.

℞. * 1.14 Pul. mastichini, nucis moschatae an ʒ. ij. nu∣cis cupressi ʒ. iij. balaust. myrtil. an. ʒ.i. ss. Ireos, florent. ℥. ss. olei myrtini ℥. iij. tere∣binth. venetae ℥. ij. cerae novae q. s. f. em∣plast.

Or take the leaves of sage, smallage, rue, and Thervil, * 1.15 cut them very small, and incorporate them in vinegar and oyle of roses, and so apply them to her brest, and renew it thrice eve∣ry day.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Causa.
• * 1.2

  Signa.
• * 1.3

  Signa.
• * 1.4

  Curatio.
• * 1.5

  Linimen∣tum.
• * 1.6

  Pulvis.
• * 1.7

  Fomentatio
• * 1.8

  Sternuta∣mentum.
• * 1.9

  Ol amigdal. dulcium.
• * 1.10

  Medica∣mentum.
• * 1.11

  Ʋnguentū.
• * 1.12

  Pulvis.
• * 1.13

  Linimentū.
• * 1.14

  Emplast••ū.
• * 1.15

  Cataplas.