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 falling of the Womb.

THe falling of the womb is the falling of it down below the Abdomen, or Midriffe, proceeding from a loosnesse of the Liga∣ments.

The generall signes of this are, a pain in the loyns and hairy parts, and of the Os sacrum, or holy bone, to which the womb is fastned; at the beginning the pain is not very great, nor after long continuance, by reason of use: the weight thereof being onely troublesom, which is an impediment to the patient in going; the particular signes do vary, according as the tall is greater or lesse: for in the one the womb descends to the middle of the Hips, and lower; in the latter there is perceived the distention of the skin, and as it were the weight of a good big Egg about the privities.

The cure of this is difficult, if there be the greater falling of the womb, if the woman be in age, if a Fever, Convulsion, or other sym∣ptoms happen; if that be in women with child, it is deadly; and sometimes it is corrupted by the ambient aire, and turns into a Gan∣grene. The cure consists in the reputting of it into its own place; where you must ob∣serve first, to stop the inflammation, if there be

any; or if there be any swelling cau∣sed by the cold aire, you must foment the part first with the decoction of Mallows, Marsh Mallows, flowers of Camomill, and Laurel-berries. If there be any winde or ex∣crement in the gut, you must use Clysters first; it is also to be fomented and anointed with agglutinating and astringent or binding me∣decines; there is a Fumigation to be made of the skin of a salt Eele dried and powdered. When it is to be put into its place, the woman must be laid with her belly upwards; then must the Midwife, or other party imployed, with a linen cloth dipt in oyle of Roses a litle war∣med, gently thrust up the part which is fallen, as gently as may be, turning it a little. Now to keep it up, the woman must be kept lying on her back, with her thighs stretched out, and one laid upon another acrosse; the belly must not be too much bound, lest in the ejecti∣on of the excrement the womb should be a∣gain precipitated; neither must it be loose, lest the membranes binding the womb should be unloosed: then must you use agglutinating me∣decines, Pessaries, Fomentations, and Inje∣ctions; yet great care must be had lest you sup∣presse the courses. Of this there be some diffe∣rences, either by reason of the loosnesse of the Ligaments which are foure, which is discerned in that it is generated by degrees, and with lesse pain: It arises either from hard labour, or a ponderosity or heavinesse of the childe,

or from the concourse of flegmie humors; it is cured by the evacuation of humours, and by the use of astringent and corroborating Medecines; such as are the decoction of musk of the Oak▪ Harts-horn, Laurel leaves, and the Astringent plaister.

Another cause and difference ariseth from the rupture of the Ligaments; which is discerned by this, that the evil comes suddenly, and is more painful, and is sometimes followed with a flux of Blood; it arises from the heaviness of the Birth, or from a difficult labour, or from Abortion, or a difficult and violent extraction of the secundines.

Sometimes it happens because the ligaments are eaten away, and then tne signes of some ulcer are discerned by the flowing forth of mattier.

Sometimes it happens because the ligaments are eaten away, and then the signes of some ulcer are discerned by the flowing forth of mattier.