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. / Published with the approbation and good liking of sundry the most knowing professors of midwifery now living in the city of London, and other places. Illustrated with severall cuts in brass. By T.C. I.D. M.S. T.B. practitioners.

Of the inordinate flux of the Flowers.

THe disorderly flux of the courses is either the coming of them down before their time, or else the stoppage of them for some time after the usuall course of nature. They come down sometimes before their time, partly by reason of internall causes, and partly

by reason of external causes, as falls, blows, and such like casualities that open the veins: Or from the expulsive facultie of the womb too much provoked; 1. by the plenty of blood, which is known by this, that the blood which is sent to the womb from all parts is fluid, and of its natural constitution; signes of a Pletho∣ra, or fulnesse of blood, are apparent in the wo∣man. It is cured by blood-letting if the blood abound, by good diet, and frequent though gentle exercise. Secondly, it proceeds from the acrimony and sharpnesse of the blood, which is known by the hot temper of the bo∣dy, the blood it selfe is more thin and yellow∣ish. It must be cured by evacuating medecines, as Rheubarb, and such things as temper the blood, whereof we have already spoken.

It comes also when the retentive faculty of the womb grows lank, which may be known by the looseness of the vessels of the womb, be∣sides a moist & faint habit of the Body: in the cure beware of things which are too astringent; baths where in the force and strength of iron may be effectual may with safety be used. The subsistence and stay of the courses beyond the accustomed time, proceeds from a frustration of the expulsive faculty; as when there is smal store of blood, which is known by this, that the Woman is not troubled with the stay of the Courses; and especially, if she have over-exer∣cised her self, or used a spare dyet before. Se∣condly, the thickness of the blood, which is

known by the whitenes and clammines there∣of. In the performance of the cure, you must purge before too much blood be gathered to∣gether: next, the Courses are to be attenuated, for the performance of which Calamint and Mercurialis are to be most commended. In this case scarification of the heels is not amiss.

There is another difference of this disease which arises from the weaknes of the expelling faculty, caused either by the frigid distemper of the Womb, of which we have spoken alrea∣dy; or by a kind of numness thereof, of which we shal speak anon.