The compleat midwifes practice, in the most weighty and high concernments of the birth of man. Containing perfect rules for midwifes and nurses, as also for women in their conception, bearing, and nursing of children: from the experience not onely of our English, but also the most accomplisht and absolute practicers among the French, Spanish, Italian, and other nations. A work so plain, that the weakest capacity may easily attain the knowledge of the whole art. With instructions of the midwife to the Queen of France (given to her daughter a little before her death) touching the practice of the said art.

Chamberlayne, Thomas., Boursier, Louise Bourgeois, ca. 1563-1636.

Table of contents | Add to bookbag | How to cite

THE COMPLEAT MIDWIFE HER PRACTICE.

Of the Genitals or vessels dedicated to Generation in Men and Women.

<< Previous section Next section >>

CHAP. X. Of the vessels that east forth the seed.

THat passage which comes from the head of the testicles to the root of the yard, is called the Ejaculatorie vessel. This, as I said before, rises from the head of the testicles, and joyning downward to the testicle descends to the bottome, and thence being reflexed again, and annext to the preparing vessel, it returns againe to the head of the testicle, from thence it proceeds upward from the Testicle till it touch the bone of the small guts, still keeping close to the preparing vessel, till it pierce the pro∣duction of the Hypogastrium. Thence tending down∣ward through the hollowness of the hip, it slydes be∣tween Page 12 the bladder and the streight gut, till it reach the glandulous Prostatae or forestanders, and fix it self at the foot or root of the yard, and there end. It is not all one at the beginning, and at the end, for at the beginning, while it remains among the tunicles of the testicles, it is full of windings and turnings; neer the end it hath many little bladders like to warts.

Now we must understand that these seminarie vessels doe not onely containe the seed, but they per∣fit and concoct it, having a seminifie or seed-ma∣king qualitie, which they borrow from the Testicles. There are other uses of these seminary vessels: for neer the original of this vessel, that is to say, the head of the testicles many small passages, or as it were conduit-pipes, do stretch themselves forward into the body of the testicle, into which the genital seed that remaines is remitted, and also drawn or sucked from those passages; this seminarie passage is at length wound above the testicles, adjoyning all a∣long, but no where incorporated into the body of the Testicle, unless at the bottom, in which place it is thought that the seed doth again insinuate it self in∣to the testicles through those hollow fibres: being thence propagated and continually making supply to the stones.

It is to be noted also, that these vessels while they move to the Root of the yard, do not go by streigth passages, which would be then very short, but by crooked windings and turnings, make the pas∣sages as long as may be, that they may have longer time to containe and prepare the seed.

<< Previous section Next section >>