Document text
By Nicholas Culpeper, Gent. Student
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DIRECTORY
1300
MIDW I a8
Or, A Guide for
W OM E N,
Conception,
In their Bearing, and
Suckling their Children.
The Firſt Part contains.
The Anatomy of the Veſſels of Generation.
The Formation of the Child in the Womb.
What hinders Conception, and its Remedies,
What furthers Concepticn.
A Guide for Women in Conception.
Of Miſcarriage in Women.
Guide for Women in their Labour.
A Guide for Women in their Hing -In.
Of Nur/ing Children. |
To 2 all Diſeaſes in TVomen, Read the Second
Part of this Book.
O e Pee yn
in Phyfck and Aſtrology.
Newly Correct from many groſs Errors.
£ 1
Printed for S. BALLARD, R. Wars, S. BIRT,
Sos ren, and L. Hawes, and J. Hopces,
M. DC. LV. \ X
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* E —— 8 —— EXERER
XN. Je he NN
E ED S
* N
To the MIDWIVES of England, Nicholas
Culpeper wiſheth Succeſs in their Office
in this World, and a Crown of Glory
in that to come.
Worthy Matrons, E
* O U are of the Number of thoſe whom
my foul loveth, and of whom I make -
Gi mention in my Prayers, and ha-
ving (upon fixed "Reſolutions ) conſe-
crated the reji of my Life to the Service of my
Country, in what Knowledge I was brought
up in, or have ſpent the greateſt part of ny
Studies about: "The moving cauſe of which,
was a ſerious Conſideration of the notable In:
* juries offered to Men and Women and indeed
To the Kingdom in general, by abſconding the
Rules of Phyſic from them, either not writing
them at all, or to no purpoſe, whithis ſo appa
rent, that a Man needs not the Eye of a Lynx
| to ſee it, he may read it running, though he
s as blind as a Mole, if he hath but bat If fo
much Natural Viſtindt. What Inſis n. In-
; A 2 jury
To the Midivi. VES.
Jury 15 it, that Men and Women ſhould be
trained up in ſuch I gnorance, that when they
are Sick and have Herbs in their Gardens
conducin to their Cure, they are ſo Hoodwinked,
that they know not their Vertues. IJ not this to
#phold a Company of Lazy Dottors, moſt of whoſe
Covetouſneſs outweighs their Wits as much as a
Millſtone outweighs a Feather ? How they will anſ-
wer for it another Day, God knows, I pity their Con-
dition: This world will not laſt always. The Con-
de of this, I ſay, put me upon it, to write
hyſic in my Mother-Tongue, I thought, and, yet
T think I am not miſtaken in my thought, that it were
& goed, acceptable Work, well pleaſing both to God
and Man, to employ that talent God hath given me,
for the repreſſing of this ſo great, fo apparent, ſo
ſenſible an Evil, I 1 fail, it's in the Power, not
in Will; and God accepteth the Will for the Deed,
and ſo will godly People for Godlinefs is derived from
God's likeneſs, I conceived a few thoughts, aud I
hope to bring them to perfect Birth, viz. To lay
down ſome Rules whereby a Man may as well prevent
Sickneſs before it comes, as a Remedy for it when it 1s
come. And that this may be done Mathodically, for
things laok beſt when they are in Order, becauſe God
2s the God of Order, I determined to write of the
preſervation of Man, even from his Conception to his
Grave. What now remains, but to bring this De-
zerminatian into aft ? In doing which, I began here
and having began here, to whom ſhould TI Dedicate
it, but to you? And though I confeſs the Theory
. 0
—
8
To the Midwives.
of this be requifite, very requiſite to all Women,
yet to whom doth the Practical Part of it belong,
but to your ſelves ? If you pieaſe to make Experience
| of my Kules, they are very plain, and eaſy enough;
| nei: her are they ſo many, that they will burthen your
Brain, nor ſo few that they will be inſufficient for
your Neceſſity. If you make uſe of them you will
find your Work eafie, and you need not call for the
help of a Man-Midwite, which is a Diſparagement,
not only to your ſelves, but alſo to your Profeſſion.
And let me tell you this (and I'll tell you but the '
truth) to your Knowledge, Care, and Skill, is com-
emitted both the being and well being of Women in
- Labour. The Creator of Heaven and Earth, the
; Ged of all the World, the greateſt being of all things,
commits the Life of every Child of his to your Charge,
even from the very firſl Minute that he allots it ta
draw its Breath, and at your hands will he have
an account of it another Day. Oh! What manner
of Woman ought a Midwite to be ! With what
Knowleage, Skill, Care, Induſtry and Sincerity ought
ſhe to perform her Office? Let every honeſt Woman
that takes this Charge upon her, take Care of it,
and when ſhe comes to deliver a Woman, let her know,
that for that Day or Night's Work, ſhe muſt ano-
ther Day give account before Jehovah, the Lord
Jeſus Chriſt, and all the Angels. Þ
So ſoon as you have read this, you will preſently.
agree with me, that a Midwite ought to be as quick
fighted as Argus, her wits muſt be in her Head,
A 3 | for
To the Midioi ves.
for Becks are at home. Hippocrates was never bet-
ter ſeild in the Rules of Pas 2 ow a Midwife j
ought to' be. | ;
ad
& A. a
To ind 72 all in a dt ord, all the Affections that © ö
can be in a Woman, ought io be in a Midwiie, Ee
firſs flep to which is to know your Ignorance in that
part of Pkyſick «which is the Bafis of your att. When
you know- what you want, then you know what to \
crave; and you now who "ſaid, If any want Wi-...
(
.(®
dom let him aſk it of God (not of the College
of Phyſicians, fer if they do, they may hap to go
without their Frrand, unleſs. they bring Money ith
them) for he gives liberally to all Men, and up-
braideth no Man. Many of you are antient, but
if you be too Old to learn, you are as much too proud. 1
God ſpeaks not now by Voice to Men and Women as .
formerly he did, but he ſpeaks in, and by Men, and
*tis no part of Wiſdom for lo ſtop the Far againſt il.
Fhen Chriſt Preached in Noah, the Old World. did
fo, and you kuiw what came. after. I confeſs, God
hath given me ſome little Sparks of Knowledge, 1
F &o not call them little as they come from Goa, for |
F fuch à word*would hold forth, if not Blaſphemy, 2
F Jet exiream Ingratitude; but I call them little :
comparatively, in reſpect of what ſhall ſhortly be
revealed to the Sons 55 Men. Yeu all know the Day
; muſt break before the Sun riſeth, and this I know
(os ſurely as I know my 09 Name) if I reveal what
I know, this lighi ſhall increaſe in me a perfect Day.
VI bide it, I know as well what became of that Ser-
van
To the Midwives.
vant that wrapped up his Talent in a Napkin, and
/
* * buried it in the Ground; and when I think what will
become of him, I tremble to think what will become of
- | others that do the like.
To conclude: Grave Matrons, Be diligent in your
Office, and be as careful as diligent, as well to pre-
vent Evils before they come, as to provide for then
when zhey are come. So may you expe#? the Bleſſing
of God upon you and yours, the Lord will build your
Houſes as he did the Midwives of the Hebrews,
when Pharoah kept their Bodies in a great Bondage,
os Phyſicians of ous Times do your underſtandings.
And when the Days allotted for you to live in this
World are expired, and the time of your Change ſhall
come, the Lord will provide an Habitation for you
n t made with Hands, which will never paſs away.
You know whoit was that promiſed, It you be faith-
tul to Death you ſhall have a Crown of Lite.
.(®
have written in this Book, not to be according to truth,
. for am but a Man, and therefore ſubje to failings,
firſt judge charitably of ine: Charity and Honeity
always walk hand and hand together, and think
Ill of no Man. 2dly, Acquaint me wwith them, and
they ſhall be both ackuowledged and amended. As for
my ſelf, 1 defire durirs my Life, always to. remain,
Yours to what I may, or can,
Nich. Culpeper.
7
BOGRS Printed for S. BALLARD, R. WARE.
S. BIN T, C. Hirtcn, and L. HAwzs,
and J. Hopes.
T HE Erglh Phyſician enlarged, with there hundred
and fixty Medicines made o Engliſb Herbs, that were
not in any Impreſſion until this; being an Aſtrologo
Phyſical Diſcourſe of the vulgar Herbs of this Nation;
containing a compleat Method of Phyſick whereby a
Man my preſerve his Body in Health, or cure himſelf,
being fick, for three Pence Charge, with ſuch Things
as only grow in England, the being moſt fit for Engliſt
Bodies, &c. by Nich. Culpeper, Student in Phyſick and
Aſtrology, Price 2s 64.
The Ladies Diſpenſatory; or, every Women her own
Phyſician, treating of the Nature, Cauſes, and various
Symptoms of all the Diſeaſes Infirmities, and Diſorders,
natural or contracted, that moſt peculiarly affect the fair
Ses in all their different Situations of Life; as Maids,
married Women and Widows ; with a Variety of pro-
per Remedies in Words at length, adapted to each
particular Caſe, agreeable to the beſt modern Practice.
Alſo a compleat Index, an Explanation of difficult
Terms, and a copious Preface, including a pathetic
Addreſs to all faſhionable Mothers, in behalf of them-
felves and their tender Offspring. The ſecond Edition,
Price, 2s 6d.
An Eſſay towards a Complete New S{ſtem of Midwifry,
Theoretical and Practical. Together with the Diſcrip-
tions, Cauſes, and Methods of Removing, or Relie-
ving the Diſorders peculiar to Pregnant and Lying: in
Women, and New-born Infants. Interſperſed with, ſe-
veral New Improvements ; Whereby Women may be
delivered, in the moſt dangerous Caſes, with more Eaſe
Safety, and Expedition, than by any other Method
heretofore practiſed: Part of which has been laid before
the Royal Society at London, and the Medical Society
at Edingburgh ; after having been peruſed by many of
the moſt Eminent of their Profeſſion, both in Gree? Bri-
tain and Ireland; by whom they was greatly approved of.
AH Drawn up and Illuftrated with Several Curious
Obſervations, and Eighteen Copper-Plates. In 4 Parts.
By JOHN BURTON, M. D.
Of the Veſſels dedicated to
G EN E, RA T I
"=
BOOK I.
p R O OE MI U M.
H E Eternal God, the Creator of all things,
having made that wonderful Work of his the
frame of this World every jot of which ſhew
eth forth the infinite Power and Glory of
God to the Sons of Men; for God made the
orld to fhew his infinite Peaver and Wiſdem, and he will de-
frray the World to fhew' his Fnfice; and he yet preſerves the
World to fhew his Mercy and Patience to the Sens of Men)
he afterwards made Man in his own Image, an Epitome of
all that he had made, in ſuch a manner, that whatſoever
is to be ſeen in the World may be found in Man, And he
made him Ruler over the Workmanſhip of his Hands, ſo
that there is nothing within the whole Circle of the Creation
which God did not make ſubject to the induſtrious Capacity
of Man; but Man being thus happy, made himſelf a» un-
happy by his Fall, that he is loathſome even to himſelf and
others, even at his very Nativity, which is moſt pathetically
deſcribed in Ezek. 16. 4,5. And as fer thy Nativity in the
Day thou waſt Born, thy Navel was not cut, neither wwas thou
ewaſhed in Water to ſupple thee; thou craſt not ſalted at an
or fuoadled at all, No Eye pitied thee to do any of theſe un
to thee, to have compaſſion upon thee but thou waſt caſt out
into the open field, to the loathing of thy Perſon in the Day
that thon wwaſt Born: And from this original Sin pro-
ceed thoſe abominable Actions which we may daily ſee
in the World; for by it the underſtanding is blinded, the
Will perverted, and Conſcience ſhipwreck'd. After this the -
Lord in pure Mercy to Mankind, ſent the Lord Feſus Chriſt,
his only begotten Son, who was equal with the Father, to
take our Nature ppon him, and thereby unite us again to the
"7 2 Deity
2 . Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
Deity, and to ſatisfy his Juſtice to the uttermoſt for our
Sins, whereby we are again intereſted in Heaven ; what
remains then of us to be done more than by conſidering the
_ uncertainty of Man's Life, and. how many Caſualties he is
ſubject to here below, to labour what in us lies to icarch
out the ſecrets of Nature whereby we may preſerve our own
Lives the more to glorife 'our Maker and to communicate 5
that knowledge, which by our induſtry we have obtained, |
unto the Sons of Men our Brethren? Doubtleſs this was
that which moved Sz/czzom to make choice of Wiſdom, ac-
counting Riches but dung, and a Kingdom but vanity 3
neither did he keep cloſe his knowledge to himſelf (as 100
many now a-Days. do) but he publithed large Diſcourſes
both of Birds and Beaſts, Herbs and Trees, and of all the
Stars of Heaven, however through the Iniquity of the
Times they are ſince loſt. The very ſame Principles firtt |
moved me to publiſh what I knew to the World ; and ex- Y
1 witneſſeth to me, that the more I reveal that
nowledge God hath given me to the World, the more he
fill teacheth me; and being determined within my ſelf,
not to give over till I have finiſhed the whole Body of Phy-
fic, I begin firſt at the Principles. namely, The Anatomy
of the Veſſels dedicated to Generation; for above all
things I hold it moſt fitting that the Women ( eſpecially
Midwives } ſhould be well ſkill'd in the exact knowledge of
the Anatomy of thoſe Parts. Let it not oe objected to me
that many good Midwives are ignorant of it: What then, f
the more is the Pity, ſay I; muit not I teach my Child a |
reaſon for what it ſaith, becauſe a Parrot can ſpeak as
plain as it without it? A Midwife is jor elſe ſhould be) Na-
ture's helper; and how can any help Nature, and not be
well -{\iI'd in the Tools by which Nature doth her work?
This then is the Buſineſs of this Book, a7z.. To give you a
brief, yet very perfect Anatomy of thoſe Members which
Nature uſeth as Inſtruments to beget its like, to which I 1
have added ſome means how to preſerve them clean and (3
pure, the Neglect of which I conceive to be the reaſon of
moſt Miſcarriages in Women, nay, and of the Death of
Children in their Infancy : Which being done in all reaſon, |
the manner of Nature's forming the Work, and faſhioning | ;
CE IT TI IE. 1
— =
”
Wy .
wg
ou
| Culpeper's Midtoife Enlarged. - 3
the Child in the Womb, is next to enſue, ſhall (the Lord
aſſiſting me) in the next place be handled,
The Inſtruments of Generation are two ſorts, Male, and
Female: Their uſe is the Procreation of Mankind; the
Operation is by Action and Paſſion, the Agent is the Seed,
the Patient Blas; So that the Body of Man being compo--
ſed by Action and Paſſion, he muſt needs during his Life
be feet to them both. Let no Man object to me, that
many have written worthily of this ſubject before; tis very
probable, and 'tis true that there is no leſs reaſon and
underſtanding required to judge of Sciences formerly writ-
ten, than there is to be the firſt Writers of them. I have
been as plain as I can, and that ſatisfies me, and ſo I
hope it will do all honeft People.
To return to our purpoſe, that this may be made clear
and hone?, and Women know what they have to do, I
ſhall divide this Book into two Sections. FR
3 3 I. Genitals of MEN. |
VIZ, .
2. The Genitals of W OMEN.
All theſe are far more exatly deſcribed in Veſtingius's Aua-
tomy in Engliſh, Aud also in Riolanus's Anatomy, tvey are
mot clearly deſcribed, with the Diſeaſes incident 270 theſe Parts,
and the Seat of e Diſeaſes. And for the Cure of all Dejeajes,
fee Riverius's Prad e of Phyfick in Engliſh.
They that think the uſe of theſe Medicines is two brief
(it's fo only for cheapneſs of the Book) let them read
theſe Books of mine. viz. Platerus, Sennertus, Riwerius,
KRiolanus, Bartholinus, Fobnſlon, Veſtingius, &.
S
The Genitals of MEN, _
*
<
>
F Irſt for the Genizals of Men (for I hope good Women
will pardon me for ſerving my own Sex firſt) ſome pre-
pare Matter to make Seed of, and they are called Vaſa Præ-
parantia; ſome elaborate, or work this Matter, as the Car-
pus Variceſum; ſome make the By fruitful, as the Ts
h A ome
=
4 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
fome carry the Seed back from the Stones, and thoſe are
called Deferentia; ſome keep or contain the Seed ſo carried,
as the Seminal Veſels, or the Praſtatæ; ſome ejaculate or
caſt out this Seed from the Veſſels into the Womb, as the
Tard. I would willingly ſpeak a Word or two of each of
theſe Parts; but leſt kind Women (whom my intent is to
Pleaſe in this Treatiſe, if doing good to them will pleaſe
them) ſhould be offended that I explain not thoſe ſtrange
Names which the Rabbies of our and former Ages have uſed
to muffle up our Eyes, leſt we ſhould ſee the truth and fo
break the yoaks of Bondage from off our Necks) left ( I ſay)
they ſhould be offended, I deſire them to take notice, that
they ſhall find them explained in an Alphabetical Order at
the latter end of the Book ; the — of former times
Bath been ſuch, that I want fit Engliſh Terms to expreſs
them unleſs I ſhould Coin them, and that I leave to be done
by ſuch as affect Novelties, If I ſhould every time they
mention their outlandiſh Words (part of which are Greet,
part Latin) ſtand to explain them, it would trouble the Rea-
der's Patience much to read them, and mine more to write
them therefore when you meet with them, ſearch the Table
at the latter end of the Book and you may underſtand them.
I would defire ſuch Gentlemen that are ſkilled in Anato-
mies (of which I am afraid there are but few) to pardon me
in that I have not follow'd the vulgar Rules of Anatomy, I
deſire them to know that I am not unſkilled in moſt Anato-
mies that are written; and h2ve been an Eye-witneſs in all
I have written: My. Opinion is, that he is not very wiſe
that altogether neglects Authors, but he is a Fool in grain
that believes them before his own Eyes, I commit my wri-
up to the Tryal and Cer ſure of time, as they have done
before me, and fhall with gladaeſs embrace that Man that in
the Spirit of Meakneſs (which is next of kin to the Spirit of
God) elis me of my Errors. Be diligent, be diligent ; God
and good Men hate idle Men and Women; and that you
may be Methodically diligent, be pleaſed to accept of this
firit Section, ſubdivided into theſe enſuing Chapter; I hope
you will pardon me if I ſhould be a little critical, or at leaſt
fer: ear your cenſure till you know, and are able to prove I
am n an Error; he that cenſures before he knows, publiſh-
| ee =
. - _
e
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 3
eth to the World that he is an envious Fool. 8
would be knowing Fhyſicians, let them ſtudy theſe Books
US, Riolanus, Bar-
» of mine, wiz. Platerus, Sennertus, Riveri
tholinus, Fohnſlon, Veſtingius. _
Of the Preparing Veſſels,
Corpus Varicoſum 2
J The Teſticles or Stones 3 q
2 Vaſa Deferentia 4 ;
> _ The Seminal Veſels 5
1 The Tard. 5 | 6
Of all theſe in Order ; and although ( perhaps ) they may
be more than many of you have heard of, yet not one more
than is true, nor a tittle more than is uſeful.
| .
1 Of the Vaſa Præparantia.
| Their THESE Galen calls ai, —
Names. and the Latins Vaſa Preparantia, the fitteſt
term we in Engliſh can give them ( for we
: muſt borrow terms of other Nations that we may make the
common People believe wonders, that ſo our {elves may
if grow rich and proud, and keep, Folk in ignorance, though
( - to their own. undoing, and the loſs of many a dear
| J . Life) is Preparing Yefjels, which name is taken from
their office which is to prepare that matter of ſub-
| ſtance which the Stones convert into Seed and fit it for that
work ; they are in number four, two Veins, and as many
Arteries. |
And here by the way let me inſtru you in one notion
(for I make no queſtion that Phyſicians have kept you in
Ignorance enough) the liver is the original of Blood, and
iſtributes it through the Body by Veins and not the Heart,
as 4riftotle's waking Dreams was, viz. That the Heart was
firſt formed in Man, and is the ſeat of Blood, and the Sun
of the Body, as the Sum is the Hear: of the World: But we
ſhall prove another manner of Microceſmical Sun by and by,
. ; WAEN-
6 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged,
when we cone to ſhew Aſtrologically how Man is formed in
the Womb. Y:/ingins and many other Anatomiſts which
danced after 4/otle's Pipe, fell into the fame Error. It's
uſe is to nouriſh the Body and repair decaying Fleſh ; and
that you may conceive to be the reaſon why Men which keep
a very ſlender Diet, fall away in Fleſh, becauſe they want
Food to breed Blood enough to nouriſh them. The Heart is
the original of the vital or quickning Spirit, which it diſtri-
butes to the Body by the Arteries : I pray remember this
all along. For you will ſee ſome effects of it in the next
Chapter. |
The Veins (as I told you) are two, a right and
Number. a left; the right proceedeth from the Original
Jens Cava; the left from the Emulgent Vein, al-
though haply through that ignorance you have been trained
up in, you know not What belongs to theſe Veins, neither
is my preſent taſk to teach you ; yet hereby you may come
to a fight of your ignorance and that is the firſt ſtep to
knowledge; and I aflüre you, if) ou want love to know-
ledge no more than I want will teach you, you may {it God
hinder not) have more by one half than you have, before
you he two Years older. |
I confeſs the Learned make a grievous quoyl what the
reaſon is, theſe two Veins ſhould p.occed from a different
Root: I could quit them, and mine own Opinion too, and
I ſuppole you partly believe it; but I forbear, it being my
Opinion that young Naturaliſts as well as young Chriſtians,
ouzht not to be led into doubtful diſputations.
Both Arteries ariſe from the great Artery, which the
Greets call ax», which is indeed the great Trunk and
Original of all the Arteries.
Such as would cure all Diſeaſes, let them read theſe
Books of mine, wi2s. Platerus, Sennertus, Riverius Riolanus,
Barthelinus, Tohnfton, V. eltingius, &c.
CAP.
Of the Corpus Varicoſum.
Y O U remember what I told you was the uſe of the
Veins and Arteries: the preparing Veins and Arteries,
the
C
ſ
3:
— 2
8
pad 4 — — — — — Þ "2 Þ — 2 jay
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 1
the one carrying Blood the other vital Spirits, and all tend-
ing to the Propagation of Man: All four tend down directly
to the Stones; tis not my preſent ſcope to tell you which
way : They ſerve as. Labourers to carry the Stones
what they nced; as Labourers carry Brick and s Uſe.
Mortar to the Maſons to build an Houle, ſo theſe .
carry Blood and vital Spirits to the Stones to make Seed,
and now you know whereof Seed is made, iK. Vital and
Natural Blood or Blood and Vital Spirits (which you pleaſe)
concocted by the Stones. We ſhall have occaſion further to
ſpeak of this before we come to a concluſion of the Book, it
is not proper in this place. But ſtop a little, Labourers tem-
per their Mortar before they bring it to the Brick-layers ;.
neither is it fit the Stones ſhould & all the Work themſelves,
having ſour Servants to attend them, therefore theſe four
Veſſets, though at their firit deſcenſion they keep at ſmall
diſtance the one from the other, before they enter the Teſ-
ticles or Stones (call them by which Name you pleaſe) they
make a curious implication, intertexture, or twiſting the
ene from the other, which the Greets call axarmumzo (if
be not miſtaken) the Word ſignifies a 4%, ſometimes the
Veins go into the Arteries ; ſometimes the Arteries into the
Veins ; tuen they ſeparate again; the beholding of which
brings an exceeding deal of delight to the Eye, and. con-
tent to the Mind (I could ſhew it any Man in the Anatomy
of a Dog) this implication, weaving or Twiſting (as I call
before) is that which ſome Chirurgions called Pamfinforms,
and ſome Corpus Yaricoſum, which was the thing propound-
ed to be treated of in this Chapter. ̃
I do confeſs the ſame contexture of Veins and Arteries,
though not in the ſame form, may be found in other parts
of the Body, as in the Arms and Legs, elſe a Man being
there wounded could not bleed to Death, for unleſs the vital
Spirit comes out as well as the Blood, he might not looſe
thc Nouriſhment for the time, he could not looſe his Life.
But to proceed | |
The ſubſtance of this interweaving of. the
Sub/tance, Veins aud Arteries is very hard, long, almoſt
Form, in Form of a Pyramid; wichout any ſenſible
| hollowneſs, 6 0
5 25
— xx — — COIN —
8 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
Ve Their Uſe is to mix exactly the Blood and vita!
Spirit, and of them both to make one Body, they
28 alſo to change the colour of them from red to white,
that fo the Stones may have a fit matter to work upon, and
the eaſier Work to do; therefore the, inter weaving reacheth
down even to the Teſticles themſelves, till it even pierce
their Subſtance.
— Ea
CHAP, II.
2 Of the Teflicles, or Stones. $
6 & HE Stones are called in Latin, Tefes. that Names.
is witneſs, becauſe they witneſs one to be a 1
Man; aſk the Pope elſe, he will tell you I ſay true. The
Greeks call them 8%; becauſe they are two. I need not
tell you where they are placed, for every Boy that 4
knows his right hand from his left knows that. Place.
Their Subſtance is white, ſoft and ſpungy, full
of ſmall Veins and Arteries, and that's the reaſon Su Hances.
| that wien Humours flow down into them, they
ſwell to ſuch a bigneſs. 7
Their Form is oval, but their bigneſs is not a- Form. FC
like, ſay Authors ;. he that hath a mind to know. | Br
it's but feeling: They ſay the left is the biggeſt, but tbe |
right is the honeſt, which (ſay they) breeds the beſt and |
Krongeſt Seed; and ſo they ſee Nature together by the cars ö
with it ſelf, as through the Stones could not agree in their
_ own action. I ſuppoſe the firſt reaſon of this Fancy in au-
thors aroſe firſt from a truth (as indeed moſt Errors did) they
knew there was both a Microcgſirical Sun and a Microco/micat
Moon in the Body of Men; the one of which gave vital
Heat, the other radical Moiſture to it: Then comes old
Ariſtotle, and he finding that the Cæleſtial Sun ruled the right
Eye. and almoſt all the right part of the Man, and the Ce-
teſtial Moon the left, and having an over weening conceit of f
himſelf that he knew every thing. tho' indeed ne knew no
thing at all rationally of the influence of the Planets upon 7
Man, preſently concludes (before once he had looked whe
ther or no he could prove it ) that it was the Cœleſtial _ |
whic
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged 9
Which cauſeth the heat and ſtrength of the right fide of the
Body, which indeed is no ſuch matter, for it is the Microceſ-
mical Sun within the Body which gives the heat to it, and
the Microco/mical Moon which gives the radical moiſture, and
that I prove by Argument, becauſe Man is internally hotteſt
in the Winter-time, when the Cæleſtial Sun is the greateſt
diſtance from him, as appears by the quickneſs of his digeſ-
tion then. Each Stone hath a Muſcle, which the Learned
called Cræmaſter, from the Greek word rguau,
Muſcles, which ſignifies to old up, becauſe they pull up the
Stones in the Act of Generation, that ſo the Veſ-
ſels being ſlackned, may the better void the Seed. Age
weakens theſe Muſcles, and then the Stones hang down
lower than they do in Youth and Health. <
The uſe of the Stones is, Fi, to convert Blood
De. aud Spirit into Seed, for the Procreation of Man;
| and yet by your leaves, they convert not all the
Blood that come: to them into Seed, but keep ſome for their
own Nouriſhment. Secondly, They add heat, ſtrength and
eourage to the Body, and that appears, becauſe Eunuchs
are neither ſo ſtrong, nor hot, nor valiant as other Men;
neither is an Ox ſo hot, or valiant as a Bull.. As for the
Tunicles or Skin that cover and enwrap the Stones, they
2 nothing to our preſent ſcope, ſo I willingly onut
them. |
Tranſverſe the Stones into a ſmall Body like a filk Worm,
which is called Epididymis, by one extremity of which, the
Veſſels call'd Deferentia enter the Teſticles and from thence
carry out the Seminal matter; from the other extremity
paſſes that Veſſel call'd Jaculatorium. |
CHAP.
Of the Vaſa Deferentia.
HE Veſſels call'd Deferentia are thoſe which carry the
Seed, being perfected and throughly concocted by the
* Their heat and force of the Stones, from the Stones to
Office. the Seminary Veſlels, which. are ordained to keep it
till time ſerve or need require, its expulſion, |
| | +5 TIP
10 Culpeper's Migwife Enlarged.
- *They are in Number two, and no more, in co-
lour White, in ſubſtance Nervous or Sinewy ; Number.
they have a certain obſcure hollowne!s in them,
and therefore Heropbilus calls them Tops orTegwelnss, or the
' Spermatick Pore:. :
They ariſe up fromthe Stores even unto the Belly, not far
diſtant from the Preparing Veſſels ; when they are
come into the cavity of the Belly, they turn back Uſe.
again, and paſs to the back ſide of the Bladder, |
between it and the right Gut, when they come near the neck
of the Bladder, they are joined to the ceminal Cells, which
are not much unlike the Cells, of an Honey-Comb ; theſe
Celis contain an Oily ſubſtance, for they draw the ſofteſt ſub-
ſtance from the Seed, which they empty out into the paſlage
of Urine, chiefly in the Act of Copulation: The ſuppoſed
reaſon is, that the thin internal ſkin of the Yard be not of-
fended with the Acrimony or fharpueſs'of the Seed. The Vaſa
Deferentia having paſſed, theſe fall into the Glanduia Proftaice,
which are the Veilels- ordained to keep the Seed ; to them
now turn we.
To be ftkilkul Phyſicians, ſtudy theſe Books of mine,
viz. Platerus, Sermertus, Riverias, Riclanus, Bartholimus,
Fohnflon, Veſtingins.
. RE” | C H A P. V :
_ 34 > nn . Seminal - Vefjets.
* HE Praſtatæ or Glandule Seninates, are Deſcription,
of ſuch a body as the Vulgar when they
find the like in their Meat, call Kernels.
They are placed between the Neck of the Place.
Bladder aud the right Gut. Theſe compaſs about
the Vaſa Deferentia, and through the midſt of theſe paſſeth
the Urethra, 'or common paſſage both for Seed and Urine ;
vou may if you pleaſe, call it the conduit of the Yard, I
know not ſuddenly what fitter Engliſh word to give it; 1
am perſuaded, and I have {ome hunbred crabbed terms
to witneſs it, that the Phyſicians have taken far more pains
to lead Men into ignorance, than I ſhall or can do to dae
mem
Culpeper's AZdw:fe Enlarged. 11
them knowledge. The ignorance of our Fore -fathers made
Phyſicians laugh in their Sleeves; but the end of all things
haitens, and that knowledge is breaking out, which ſhall ſo
enlighten the world, that he who hath but half an eye may
ſee their baſeneſs without a pair of Spectacles. At the mouth
of the Urerhre, where it meets with the Vaſa Deferen ia,
which is (I told you in the Seminal Veſſels, is a Caruncle)
their is another of their Terms) in plain Engliſh a thick ſkin
its office is that the Seminal Veſſels, being of a Spungy na-
ture, might not ſhed their Seed againſt their Will. This Skin
which is very fullof Pozes,the Pores open through heat of the
act of Copulation, and io gives paſſage to the Seed, which
being of a very ſubti! Spirit (and the ſubtiler for being
moved) will paſs through as Quick-ſilver paſſeth through
Leather; you can fee no holes in the Leather by which
it paſſeth, neither can you ſee in this Skin, unleſs in we
Anatomy of a Man that had ſome violent running of the
Reins when he died, then they are conſpicuous; for indeed
theſe Veſſels are the proper ſeat. of that Diſcaſe, however
it came in time to be called the running of the Reins: I
haye often read that the Reins ſeparate the Urine, but that
they contain Seed is believed by none but by the Sons of
Tradition. 8 1 _ 2
Beſides, many times, by hanging of a Dog, his Breaſt
being ſwelled by retaining his Breath, and his Bowels be-
ing compreſſed by ſwelling of that hard dung ſticking in the
right Gut (which will always be if you give him binding
Meat the day: before you hang him) doth: io compreſs the.
Veſſels, that you may plainly.diicern theſe Paſiages or Pores
open. Many times when Children are cut for the Stone,
in drawing away the Stone, (which in my Opinion is a like-
lier way to cure Children) I ſay, many times in drawing
away the Stone, theſe Veſſels are torn, and then if -haply
the Patient happen to live, he may keep. other Mens Chil-
dren if he. pleaſe, but will never be able to get one of his
own. Their ſubſtance is hard, ſpungy, of the bigneis of a
+ Walnut, or very near; and their uſe was taught yon in the
former Chapter. 8 Worn
CHAR.
12 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
CHAP. VI. |
Of the Tard.
$ Ron Latins have invented very many Names for the
Yard, Iſuppoſe done by Venereous People( which Rome
it ſeems was fall of them, ſince which times Vices have in-
creaſed there faſter then Vertues) I intend not to ſpend time
in rehearſing the Names, and as little about its Form and
Situation, which are both well known it being the leaſt part
of my intent to tell People what they know, but teach them
what they know not. |
I. The Parts of it are partly common fo it,
and the reſt of the Body. 1/7. The outward ſkin, Parts cf
which inveſteth the whole Body; the Eyes, the Tard
Mouth, &c. excepted ; as alſo the top of the common.
Yard, the Greeks call it d p,, the Latins |
Cuticula; and we in Engliſh the outward ſkin, or Scarf.ſkin;
it is very thin, as thin as the Skin you peel off from the out-
ſide of a Codlin, it is eaſily loſt, and as ſoon grows again,
and is altogether void of Senſe; you may caſily thruſt a
Needle through it and feel ns pain: Its uſe is to defend the
| other Skin from Duſt, Smoak or what elſe might offend it,
or penetrate its ſubtile Pores 24. The Skin the Greets call
deu, the Latins Cutis which is ſomewhat thick and full
of Pores, through which the Sweat and Fulginous Vapours
of the third concoQticn (which concocts Blood into Fleſh)
paſs out; theſe Pores are very many, as thick as the holes
of a Sive, but not ſo big, indeed they are as thick as they
can be, and ſo ſmall that they are not viſible to the Eye;
therefore Phyſicians call Sweating and the Paſſage of Va-
pours through them, ſenſible Tranſpiration, intend they
are far wider in ſome Men and Women Bodies thaty they
are in other ſome, and that's the reaſon ſome Sweat more
eaſier than others do, and ſuch as do Sweat often and eaſily
are not ſo ſubje& to Fevers as thoſe are which do not, be-
- Cauſe Fevers are uſually cauſed by Sooty or Fuliginous Va-
Pours, which infect the Blood: which often Sweating con-
ſumes, and ſuffers them not to putrifie : Hence it comes to
| aſs
, P
mn PY we WW =
ASS. Ws,
GW &'w $4 wo
0" op $4... 4 0 0 1. # We 7 06... op Os
— — ——— —— —
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged 13
pals that Sweating is a laudable remedy in Fevers, I confefs
this Skin is ſomewhat thiner upon the Yard than it is upon
{ome other Parts of the Body flaggy when the Yard ſtands
not, but ſtiff when it doth ; this Skin is very ſenſible, be-
cauſe the Nerves concur to make up its Being. And here
T befeech you to take Notice of another grand Truth, wiz
That the Brains give Senſe to the Body by the Nerves or Sinews
(as the Vulgar call them.) And yet Ariftotle for all his great
Learning, was of Opinion that the Senſe lay in the Fleſh,
not in the Skin; and Avicer, a notable Arabian Phyſician,
held it lay in the Fat, which is more ridiculous than the
former. | 8 |
3. The Carreaa Membrane, or fleſhy Skin, ſo called be-
cauſe it lies between the Fleſh, not becauſe its Body is
fleſhy, paſſeth in other Parts of the Body underneath the
Fat and ſticks cloſe to the Muſcles ; but in the Yard there
is no Fat at all, only a few ſuperficial Veins and Arteries
paſs between the former Skin and this, which when the
Yard ſtands, are viſible to the Eye. . Theſe are the Parts
common both to the Vard and alſo to the reſt of the Body,
which although I have been ſomewhat large about, yet I
cannot account it tedious, becauſe it conduceth to the teach-
ing of Knowledge to my Couatry Men and Women, who
have been too long Reined in with the Bridle of Ignorance
by Phyſicians, that ſo they might the better be ridden by
them; for juſt for all the World as the Popiſh Prieſts ſerve
thoſe they call the Laity, which is but a Word derived from
the Greet Word a, which is People in plain Engliſh, as
though the Prieſts were no People, but either Angels (or
which is more probable) Monſters; as I ſay, the Popiſh
Prieſts ſerve their Laity, ſo do our Phyſicians ſerve the com-
monalty of this Nation, vi. hide all from them they can;
for they know jas well as I know I am alive) that ſhould
the Vulgar but be a little acquainted with their Myſteries,
all their Jugling and Knavery would be ſeen, and their
Wealth and Eſteem, which is the Diana they adore, would
be put to a non plus; and that's the reaſon when you hear
any of them cry out againſt me for writing Phyſic in my
Mother-tongue, they bring no other Arguments than what
the Papiſts bring for themſelves in the ſame Point; neither
have
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14 Cu Ipeper's Midwife Enlarged,
have they Wit enough to make any better. One holds the
Word of God, the other Phy/ic to be a Myſtery, and the Vul-
gar muſt be ignorant in them both, or elſe they will do
themſelves a miſchief. A learned Argument! Knowledge
doth Men a miſchief; what a mad Man was Solonon to atk
that when he had all the World to chooſe in? he ſhould
have aſked of God a heap of Money as big as Mount Za,
and then above three quarters of the People of this Nation
would have been of his Judgment. Thoſe parts of the
Yard which are peculiar to itſelf, and to no other Parts of
the Body are ſix. FH: IM
1. Two Neryous Bodies.
2. The Septum. Parts of
3. The Urethre, the Yard
4. The Glaus. 3 particular
&. The four Muſcles. to itſelf
6. The Veſels.
Of theſe in Order.
The two Bodies (for they are two, though joined together)
are long, hard and ſinewy; they are ſpungy within and full
of black Blood; the ſpungy Subſtance of the inward part
of it ſeems to be woven together like a Net, and conſiſts of
innumerable twigs of Veins and Arteries. The black Blood
contained therein is very full of Spirits, and the Latins call
it Pectiniformis. The delights or deſire of Venus adds heat to
theſe, which cauſeth the Yard to ſtand ; and that's the rea-
ſon venercal fights and venereal tales will do it; it needs be
no ſtranger to any, that Venus (being a Planet cold and
moiſt) ſhould add heat to thoſe parts, that than the Moon
(being colder and moiſter than ſhe) ſhould burn by night, as
the Scripture witneſtes, P/al. 121 6. An Aſtrologer can
give you a natural reaſon of either, and ſo ſhall I when I
come to handle the Formation of the Child in the Womb
Aſtrologically ; the hollow ſpungy intertexture or weaving
was ordained purpoſely to hold or contain the Spirit of ve-
nereal heat; ſo that the Yard may not fall before it hath
done its work ; you ſee what a rational piece the Lord made
when he made Man. Theſe two lateral or ſide ligaments
of the Yard, where they are thick and round, ſpring from
a „
— 2 |
. L. ©00 by hey ln) Pa a K 4 wei.
„„ v1 ES” Abb
J p ² V AS. IL. cn Ga
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 13
the lower part of the Share- bone, and not from the upper
part, as Galen dreamed; at the . they are ſepara-
ted the one from the other, and reſemble a pair of Horns,
or the Letter Y, where the Urethræ or common channel of
Urin and Seed paſſeth between them.
2. They, ſoon as they come to the joining of the Share-
bone are joined by the Septum Lucidum, which is my ſecond
internal part to be deſcribed; it is in ſubſtance white and
nervous, or ſinewy; its office is to uphold the two lateral
or fide ligaments, and the Urethre. | |
3. The Urethre is the third of the internal parts of the
Yard, and which for all Phyſicians have given ſuch an un-
couth word, it is nothing elſe but the Channel by which
both Seed and Urin is conveyed out. |
It is in ſubſtance ſinewy, thick, ſoft, and looſe, like to
that of the ſide ligaments before-mentioned, it begins at
the neck of the Bladder, yet doth not ſpring from it (for if
you boil the Bladder of any Beaſt, you may ſee it ſeparate
itſelf from it) but is only joined to it, and fo paſſeth to the
Glans. '
In the beginning of it are three holes; one in the midſt
2. which is largeſt, which receives the Urin into it; the other
two are ſmaller, which are ſent from each ſeminal Veſſel to
it, by which it receives the Seed.
The Muſcles of the Yard are four, two on each fide.
But before I treat of them, give me leave to tell what a
zZ Muſcle is. 4 Muſcle is an Inſtrument of weluntary motion,
| without which no part of the Body can move iifelf ; the Micro-
«| coſmical Sun moveth the whole Body, as we ſhall ſhew more
4 hereafter ; but becauſe there is no way from the beginning
of a thing to the end, without a mean, ſo the Microcoſmical
4 = in the Body makes uſe of the Muſcles to move the
Body.
It conſiſts of Fibrous Fleſh to make up its Body, of
2 Nerves for its Senſe, of Veins for its Nouriſhment of Arte-
Fries for its Vital Heit of a Membrana or Skin to knit it to-
gether, and to diſtinguiſh one Muſcle from another, and all
"4 of them from the Fleſh ; you may, if you look, eaſily diſ-
tinguiſn them in a Leg of Mutton or any other Meat where
they are. But to proceed, the Yard (as I told you} is
endued
16 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
endued with four of them, two on each fide. It is my pre-
the one of each ſide is ſhorter and thicker, and their uſe is
to ere the Yard and to make it ſtand, and are therefore
called Erectores. The. other are longer and ſmaller, and
their office is todilate or open the lower part of the Urethre
or Channel both for making Water, and voiding the Seed,
and are therefore called Acceleratores. 2
5. The Glaus is the extream part of the Yard, ſoft and of
wherewith it is covered; it is covered with the præputium or
fore-Skin, which in ſome Men covers the top of the Yard
| you cloſe, in others it doth not, which moving up and
own in the act of Copulation, brings Pleaſure both to the
Men and Women; The top of this\s that which the Jeu
were commanded to cut off on the eighth day. The Liga-
ment by which the Præputium or fore-Skin is tied to the
Glans, is called Franum, or the Bridle. |
6. The Veſſels of the Yard are Veins, Nerves and Ar-
teries. And yea /e/alus, (if Columbus ſpeaks true) affirm'd
(tho' moſt falily) that there was neither Vein nor Nerve in
it. Some Veins and Arteries paſs by the Skin, and, as I
inward part of the Yard ; here the Arteries are wonderfull
diſperſed thro' the Body of the Yard, far exceeding the Diſ-
perſion of the Veins, for the right Artery is diſperſed to the
eft ſide; and the left to the right ſide. |
It hath two Nerves, the leſſer of which is beſtowed upon
Nverius, Riolinus, Bartholinus, &C,
.
Of the Genitals in Women.
*
ſent ſcope to ſhew whence they ariſe only take notice, that
told you before, are viſible to the Eye, others paſs by the
the Skin, the greater upon the Muſcles and Body of the
Yard. To cure all Diſeaſes read my Platerus, Sennertus,
—
2 2
an exquiſite feeling, by reaſon of the thinneſs of the Skin
Aving ſerved my own Sex, I ſhall ſee now if I can,
pleaſe the Vomen, who have no more cauſe than Men
(that I knowof) to be aſham'd of what they have, and
would be grieved, as they had cauſe (for they _— C
; Ds ve)
z
3
*
*
*
0
*
*
wy
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 17
live) if they were without; but have cauſe if they rightly
conſider of it, to thank me for telling them ſomething they
knew net before I ſhall divide it into theſe Chapters: 1. OF
the privy Paſſage. 2. Of the Womb. 3. Of the Stones. 4.
Of the Spermatick Veſſels. | -
(All theſe are far more exactly deſcribed in Veſtingius's Anato- |
my in Engliſh. Ana alſo in Riolanus's Anatomy they are moſt
clearly deſcribed, with the Diſeaſes incident to the Parts, and the
Seat of the Diſeaſes. And for the Care of all Diſeaſes, fee Ri-
k » verius's Practice of Phyfick in Eng lis ) | |
C HAP. I.
Of the Privy Paſſage.
I N this I ſhall conſider but theſe ſeven following
1 Parts, | |
1. The Lips, which are viſible to the + You may fee
Eye at the htrit Sight, they are framed of what they are
the Body, + and have pretty ſtore of ſpungy in the beginning
fat; there uſe is to keep the internal Parts of the Chapter
from Cold and Duſt, the Tard.
2. The Mile or Wings, which appear when the Lips
are ſever'd, they are framed of ſoft and ſpungy Fleſh, and
the doubling of the Skin. placed at the fides of the Neck
they compaſs the Clitoris, and in Form and Colour reſem
bleing the Comb of a Cock, | EZ
3. The C/toris is a ſinewy and hard Body, full of ſpun-
gy and black Matter within, as the ſide Ligaments of the
Yard are; in form it repreſents tht Yard of a Man, and ſuf-
fers Erection and falling as that doth ; this is that which
cauſeth Luſt in Women, and gives delight in Copulation for
without this a Women neither defires Copulation, nor hath
Pleaſure in it, nor conceives by it. Some are of Opinion, and
{ could almoſt afford to ſide with them, that ſuch kind of
Creatures they call Hermaphrodites, which they ſay bear the
Genitals both of Men and Women, are nothing elſe but
ſuch Women in whom the C[:roris hangs ont externally,
and ſo reſembles the. form of a Yard ; I leave the truth or
falſhood of it to be judged by ſuch who have ſeen them A.
| 5 natomized :
18 Culpeper's Adwife Enlarged. \
natomized: However, this is agreeable both to Reaſon and
Authority, that the bigger the C/ztoris is in Women, the
more luſtful they are.
4. Under the Ciitoris, and above the Neck, is the Paſſaga 4 :
of the Womens Urine, ſo that the Urine of the Woman 5 l
comes not thro' the Neck of the Womb, neither is the Paſ- * A
fage of the Urine common as in Men, but particular and by I”; ;
itſelf ; and therefore Injections for ſuppreſſing of Urine in
Women, or the like, you may if yu... haye not a Care, ea-
ſily err, by putting the Syringe into the Neck of the Womb,
. Inſtead of the Paſlage of Urine. |
5. Near this are four Caruncles, or fleſhy Knobs, which
becavſe they reſemble the form of Mirtle-berries, the La-
tins call them Myrtiformes : Theſe are round in Virgins, but
hang flagging when Virginity is loſt ; the uppermoſt of them
is largeſt and forked, that ſo it might receive the Neck of
the Paſſage of Urine, the other are below this on the fides,
they all keep. back. both Air and other things from entering:
the Neck of. the Womb. —
6. In Virgins the Caruncles or Knobs are joined together
by a thin and ſinewy Skin or Membrane, interlaced with
many ſmall Veins, which hath a hole in the midſt thro'
which the Menſtrual Blood paſſeth, about the bigneſs of
ones little Finger; in ſuch as are grown up, this is that no-
ted Skin which; is called Hymen, and is a certain note of
Virginity where-ever it is found, for the firſt act of Copy-
lation breaks it. I confeſs much controverſie hath been
amongſt Anatomiſts concerning this; ſome holding there is
no ſuch thing at all, others that it is, but it is very rare; the
truth 1s, moſt Virgins have it; ſome hold all; I muſt ſuſ-
pend my own Judgment till more Years bring me more Ex-
perience; yet this is certain, it may be broke without Co-
pulation, as it may be gnawn aſunder by a Defluxion of
arp Humours, eſpecially in young Virgins, becauſe it is
thineſt in them, as, alſo by. unſkilſul Pęſaries, to provoke »
the Terms, and how many ways elſe God knows.
What Authors inſert of the Hymen, I can tell you; firt P
the Arabizns. held it to be a Conjunction of five Veins {© ©
placed on both ſides, that they are joined together: This ,
Opinion was long ſince exploded,
5 22 2 ky
„% „ 2 o e =» 2
bg yy — *
2. Fernelins
above the Neck of the Bladder. Whatſoever it be his tis
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 19
2. Fernellus and Linus were of Opinion that the ſides of
the Neck of the Womb ſtuck together, which in the firſt
Act of Copulation, were broken aiunder, , This is as vain
as the other;
3. Severinus Pinæus held it to be a Membrane, which
bound together thoſe four Caruncles, or ileſhy Knobs, as I
deſcribed it before. | | |
4. Veſalius, Fallopius, Caſſerius, and other Talian Anato-
miſts held it to be a tranſverſe Membrane, occupying the
whole Cavity of the Neck of the Womb, and placed a little
certain. |
Firſt, That where it is, it hath certain Veins in it which
bleed in the breaking of it; this was that note of Virginity
which God gave to the Hebrews ; and I mylelf believe it is
natural in all Virgins, unleſs they break it with their Fingers,
or by ſome other means. For it was no way probable, that.
God would have given them for a certain fign of Le xe
which Columbus and Ambroſe Parry ſay is not always found;
and Laurentius denies that ever he ſaw it. It is very pro-
bable the Hebrew Virgins were more chary in preſerving it,
than the Ztalians were; and good reaſon they ſhould, not
only for their Honour ſake, but alſo for the command of
God. The Caruncula or fleſhy Knobs, together with this,
reſembles the form of a Roſe half blown, and therefore an-
ciently called a Flower, and thence came the Word to de-
Hower a Virgin. | | |
7. The Neck of the Womb is nothing elſe but the dif-
tance between the Privy-paſſage, and the Mouth of the
Womb, into which the Man's Yard goes in the act of Co-
pulation, and in Women of reaſonable ſtature it is eight
Inches in length.
Its Subſtance is fleſhy without, ſkinny and exceeding
wrinkled within. And it is ſo wrinkled,
1, That it may better retain the Seed in the Act of Co- |
pulation.
-
ing of Children, and the Paſſage may be wider; the Neck
of the Womb is ſeated between the Faſſage of Urin and the
right Gut, to ſhew fond Man what little Reaſon he had a
B 2 be
2. That it may dilate and ſtretch in the Travail or Bear-
20 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
be proud and domineer, being conceived between the Places
ordained to caſt out Excrements, the very ſinks of the Body,
and in ſuch a manner that his Mother was aſhamed to tell
him how it hath two Membrane, and if you cut them you
may perceive between them a ſpungious Fleſh, ſuch as is
found in the fide Ligaments of the Yard which containeth
Spirits, and cauſeth it to ſwell in the a& of Copulation,
and furniſhed it with innumerable ſprings of Veins and Ar-
teries : To cure all Diſeaſes, read my Platerus. Sennertus,
Riverius, Riolanus, Bartholinus, Jobinſton, Veſtingius, &c.
CHAT. it
27 the Womb.
| E and Hippocrates, and moſt of the Greeks call the
Womb pray and „ae and ſome ase, and there:
fore the uſual Word the Septuagint gives for [great with
| Child} is 7 xæsg tg, the Latin, call it Matrix and
Names. Uterus ; and we Engl; ſome follow the Latin Word
Matrix, but the only Engliſn Word is the Womb.
Parts. Its Parts are two the Mouth of the Womb, and the
bottom of the Womb.
1. The Mouth is a hole at the entrance into it which may
be both dilated and ſhut together like a Purſe ; for altho' in
the Act of Copulation it be big enough to receive the Glans
of the Yard, yet after Conception it is fo cloſe ſhut, that it
will not admit the Point of a Bodkin to enter; yet again at
the Woman's Delivery it is ſo open, that it makes room
enough for the Child to come out, be it never ſo big. This
was the matter of Calen's Admiration, and gives cauſe to
every one of us to admire at the Wonderful Works of God
in the Creation of Man! Who is there that knows himſelf,
but may know there is an All. powerful God ?
If the Matrix be inverted, hardned, ulcerated, have
Scars on it, or-be too moiſt, there can be no Conception :
For if it be inverted, it is not directly oppoſed to the Yard,
then cannot the Seed be directly caſt into it, the Seed cools,
and by conſequence becomes unfruitful. If it be hardned,
it admits not the entrance of the Glans or top of the Yard :
H it be ulcerated, it flies the very touch of the Yard : If it
| | have
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 22
have a Scar on it, there is no way for the Seed to enter in
If too moiſt, it cannot retain the Seed when it is in. Of all
theſe their Signs and Cures, in another Chapter. Only
take notice, that Hippocrates in his firit Book of the Diſeaſes
of Women, affirms, that the often uſe of the act of Copu-
lation makes the Womb ſlippery, and hinders Conception.
As alſo, tho' Authors ſay, it is the Inverſion or Hardneſs, or
Ulcers or Scars of the Womb hinders Conception by ſueh
means as I recited, it is not probable to me; for Nature be-
ing ſent in the World by the Eternal God, for the Increaſe
and Multiplication of Things in the Elementary World,
hatteplaced a Magnetic Vertue in the Womb, that it draws
the Seed to it, as the Load-ſtone draws Iron, or the Fire
the Light of the Candle. I rather therefore think the rea-
fon why theſe hinder Conception, is this, becauſe the
Womb is fo buſied in ſaccouring itſelf, that it cannot per-
ſect any Conception, you know a Man that is fick or
wounded, cannot Work, tho' his Work lie beſide him.
The Womb itfelf in Figure is almoſt perfectiy Figures
round, in Virgins it ee not the bigneſs of a Walnut,
yet when a Woman hath conceived, it dilates itfelf to that
Capacity, that it is able to contain the Child with all its
Appurtenances, It is imall becauſe the Seed is bat little in
quantity, which it ought to embrace and cherith ;
it is made up of two Skins, the one internal, the I Frame.
other external, the external is thickeſt, and very
{mooth and ſlippery, if you except thoſe Parts where the
Spermatick Veſſels enter into the Wourb, the internal are
full of holes. | LE, 7
It differs much in form from the Matrix of Beaſts, and
that Galen was ignorant of, for indeed and in truth Galen
never ſaw a Man or Woman diſſected in his Lifetime, it be-
ing accounted abominable in his time to uſe ſuch ſuppoſed
Cruelty upon the dead Corps, and therefore he diſſected only
Apes, which was the cauſe he wrote ſuch an Apiſh Anato-
my: It ſeems the Grecians in Galen's Days were as peviſh
as our Citizens now-a-days are, who think their Children
or Friends were little leſs than Murthered even after they are
dead, if a Chirurgeon ſhould but open their Bodies to ſee
but of what Diſeaſe they died; which if they would but
B 3 {,. - duffer
29 _ Culpeper's Midiviſe Eularged.
Auffer, it would tend infinitely to the increaſe of know-
ledge in Phyſicians, and the good of Mankind in ge-
neral, yea, and to the preſervation of their own Children
then living ; for I know divers that have buried their own
Children of one and the ſame Diſeaſe. It hath but one
only Cavity, and yet Mundimus his Opinion was, That there
Ware ſeven Cells in it; and he and Galen (becauſe they were
famous Men, were followed as little God-a-mighties ihat
they cannot err) have ſo poiſoned the World with this Doc.
trine, that moſt Midwives that I have talkod with, hold in-
deed that the Womb hath ſeven Cells, each able to contain
a Child a piece, forſooth ; and ſo a Woman may have ſe-
ven Children at a Birth naturally, and no more; and this
is juſt as true as the Moon is made with green Cheeſe.
There is in truth but one only Cavity in the Womb, and I
cannat but admire why any that hath ſeen a Woman Ana-
tomized, ſhould be of any other Opinion, unleſs they ſhould
take the Holes where the Spermatick Veſſels come into the
Womb, to be Cells. I ſhall (God willing) in my next
Book ſpeak more of the Conception of Twins in the Womb,
and alfo how they are ſeparated. I ſhall here end with the
Womb: For what elſe neceſſary concerning it is to be deſ-
cribed, the next Book will manifeſt.
CHAP. III.
EY. 0 rbe Stones.
| FEE Stones of Women (for they have ſuch kind of
Toys as well as Men) differ from the Stones of Men,
1. In Place; for they are within the Belly in Women,
but without in Men. | |
2. In Magnitude ; for they are leſs in Women than in
5 In Form ; for they are uneven in Women, butſucoth
FRY They are not Raid in Women by Muſcles, but by Li-
gaments.
5. They have no Profates.
in
6. They
—
Wn OOO. OO.
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged, 23
6. They differ in Figure; for they are depreſſed or flatiſh -
in Women, but oval in Men.
7. They have but one Skin, whereas Men have four;
and the reaſon is, becauſe Mens are expoſed to the cold as
being without the Belly, ſo arenot Womens.
8 Their Subſtance 1s more toft than m Men. 1 3
9. In Temperature they are colder than Mens are.
The uſe of the Stones in Women is the fame that they are
in Men, wiz: Two concoct Seed, and of this Judgment
was Hlippocrutes in ancient Days, and yet Aiſtotie had the
face to deny that Women had any Seed at all, though againſt
both Reaſon and Experience. Alfo Jouian Puntamm in his
Caleſtial Obſervations, goes about to prove the very ſame
thing in the Moon, which Ariftatle quotes in Women; he af-
firms, That the Moon only ſupplies matter for the Sum to
work upon in the Generation of things here below; even as
the Female doth the Male in the Generation of Man; and
that he learned of ri/forke, and fo he confeſſes; But thoſe -
that have ſtudied Hermetical-Phytoophy know. well enough,
that the moiſture which the Meer bettows' upon the Earth,
hath an active Principle in it, yea ſuch an active Principle
that the World cannot ſtand without it, nor Philoſophers
operate without it. Other Opinions there are, which I ſhall
not mentian here beeauſe they belong not properly to the
point in Hand, but reſerve them to their proper Place.
And thus much briefly for their Scn aer.
| D the Senunal Veſſels. L ig
HE Spermatick Veſſels in Women alſo are divided into
Præparantia, or preparing Veſſels; and Deferentia, or
carrying Veſſels. 5 | 4
The Preparantia differ not in number from thoſe in Men;
for they alſo are four, two Veins and two Arteries ; their
Riſe and Original is the ſame alſo as in Men: The right
Vein ſpringeth from the Trunk of the Yewa Cawa (what he
Vena Cava is, you ſhalt be taught at the latter end ef the
Book, where all hard Names ſhall be explained, and that
5 B 4 . Courſe
_— . 8
24 Culpeper's Midtviſe Enlarged.
Vein I ſay ſpringeth from the Trunk of the Vena Cava under
the Emulgent, but the left ſpringeth from the Emulgent of
the ſame ſide, both Arteries ſpring from the great Artery,
which the Greets call dos * 7 |
Vet there is ſome difference between the Preparing Veſſels
in Men, and thoſe in Women ; elſe I needed not have trou-
bled myfelf about them. :
1. They are ſhorter in Women than they are in Men, be-
cauſe their Paſſage is ſhorter, the Stones of a Woman lying
within the Belly, but of Men without, in lieu of which
they have far more wreathings-to and fro, in and out, than
they have in Men, ſo that the ſubſtance they carry may be
the better prepared: They often turning to and fro, making
amends for the ſhortneſs of the Paſſage.
2. They are not united as they are in Man, before they
whereof the greater only paſſeth the Stones, the leſſer to
the Womb, for nouriſhment both of itſelf and the Infant in
it. One quaint Obſervation let me note, and then I have
done with the Preparing Veſſels: It is thus; The Sperma-
tick Veins receive the Arteries as they paſs by the fide of the
Womb, and ſo there is a mixture between the vital and na-
For if you blow up the Spermatick Vein with a Quill, you
may perceive both the right and left Veſſels of the Womb
munion of all the Veſſels of the Womb. The Deferentia or
Carrying Veſſels ſpring from the lower part of the Stones.
They are in colour white, in ſubſtance finewy, they paſs
not to the Womb ſtraight, but wreathed,. that ſo the ſhort-
neſs of the way may be recompenced by the multitude of
the Windings ; near the Womb, they become broad again.
They proceed in two Parts from the Womb, which reſemble
Horns, and are called the Horns of the Womb : And they
may be ſeen in Female Beaſts as well as in Women, tho'
rentia end, and by them paſs into the Womb.
Such as would be {kiltul Phyſicians, let them read thoſe
| e | : Books
-
” "a
_ Courſe hereafter will I keep in all my Writings.) The right
come ta the Stones, but are divided into two Branches,
tural Blood, that ſo the Work might the better be wrought :-
blown up from whence may be eaſily apprehended the Com-
their Wombs differ far: In theſe Horns do theſe Vaſal Defe-
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 25
Books of mine, wiz. Platerns, Sennertus, Riverius Riolanus,
| Bariholimis, Fohnflon Veſtingius, &C.
SKC T. .
How to preſerve the Juſtrumen ts of Generation pure.
JF is ſo apparent a Truth, that it needs no proof, that
the reaſon why ſo many Infants die in their Infancy is to
be ſought for in the Parents, it being clear that the Children
of unhealthful Parents ſeldom live long; this was clearly
ſeen by the ancient 4/chymiſts, who referred the Original of
all Diſeaſes to the Seed of the Parents, even as the Original
of Plants is in their Seeds; for the Diſeaſes have not their
Original from the Elements, but from their own proper Seed
of that Diſeaſe in them. PZ:Joſophers know that the Sun
makes Gold of one Earth and Flints of another, according
as they are ſitting, let ſuch therefore as defire to have their
Children live, ute ſuch means as may keep the 1/?ruments of
| Gereration pure and clean, and their Blood pure, that ſo their
Seed being pure Nature having pure matter to work upon,
make her work perfect and ſo ſubject to live, and not prone
to die: To this end. I ſhall give here two. general Reme-
cies to two general Evils, which. I conceive to be the chief
cauſe of the Death of Children in their Infancy, and ler
ſuch Parents as defire their Children ſhould live, be very
careful in obſerving: of them; as for particulars, they may
be found hereafter in this Book. n |
The firſt, Temparence of Diet.
The ſecond, Exerciſe of Body.
And let each ſtand in a Chapter by itfelE,
CHAP. I
*
Of 7. emparence in Diet.
| 5
Xcellent and true was the Speech of Galen, Plures gula
Feriere quam gladio, The Throat deſtroys more than the
Sword doth; Exceſs in either Meat or Drink cauſeth Crudi-
ties; Crudities cauſeth ill Blood; of ill Blood cannot be
B | made
*
26 Culpeper's Midwife Enularged.
made good Seed, and by this means Parents often come by
the Death of their Infants, even in their Infancy, and know
not of it. | |
The Cure of Intemperaney is to be performed by Tempe-
rancy, and they that uſe it ſhall find by Experience that it
will not only as a means under God, lengthen the lives of the
Children but alſo bring ſingular Benefits both to the Bodies
and Minds of the Patents, for look how much difference there
is in Purity between Water which is muddy, and Water which
is clear, ſo much and more alſo there is between the Blood
and the Seed of thoſe that keep a Temperate, and thoſe
that keep an Intemperate Diet. I ſhall be very brief in
Jaying down this, that fo I. may, as much as lies in my Pow-
er, inſtruct you, and do you good, and not tire your Pati-
ence with a tale of a Cock and Bull; therefore conſider.
I. That by a Temperate Diet, I intend that ſuch an ex-
act quantity of Meat and Drink ſhould be taken into the
Stomach, as the Stomach is well able to concoct and digeſt
perfectly, which ſufficeth the due Nouriſhment of the Body
differently according to the Imploy ment either of the Body
er Mind; the Meaſure of Food ought to be as much as poſ-
Kbly may be proportionable to the quality and condition of
tze Stomach, the reaſon is clear becauſe it is the Office of
the Stomach to digeſt it: Hence it appears.
1. That ſuch as lead a ſtudious Life ought not to Eat fo
much as thoſe that lead a laborious Life, becauſe the Di-
geſtion 15 not ſo good ; therefore their Meats ought to be leſs
in quantity, and lighter of Digeſtion,
2. The meaſure in reſpect of Quantity is not the ſame to
all ſorts of People, but very different, and that three ways.
Firft, In reſpect of the diverſity of the Air, for ſuch as
hve in hot Countries muſt eat leſs Meat than thoſe that live
in cold, and leſs in Summer than in Winter, in one and the
fame Country.
Secondly, In reſpect of the Perſons themſelves Eating: For
divers People are of divers Complexions ; and diverſity of
Complexions requires a diverſe quantity of Food: The
way for a Man to find out what Complexion he is of, and
il - allo what quantity of Food is agreeable to that Complexion,
__ >
| Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 27
| is very plainly laid down in my Tranſlation of Galen's ant
of Phyfic, to which J refer you. a |
Thirdly, In reſpe& of Age, for Youth requires à greater
quantity than old Age; and fo do thoſe that are in ealth
require a greater quantity than thoſe that are Sick: And
hereby the way, IJ have wiſhed an hundred times, and do
wiſh fill, chat one fooliſh Faſhion in this Nation were left,
namely, inciting Sick People to Eat much ; whereas if the
Diſeaſe come out of Repletion, as moſt Diſeaſes do, Faſt-
ing is far better Cure for them than Feeding. : 5
3. Hence it comes to paſs that a greater quantity of ſome
Meats is to be taken then of other ſome. Meats are more
appropriated to one Stomach then another, and ſome Meats |
are lighter of Digeſtion then other ſome. . |
4. Such as uie bodily Exerciſe ought to take a greater
quantity of Food, and ſuch as is harder of Digeſtion, then
ſuch as only lead ſtudions Lives, and exerciſe the Faculties
of the Mind only; the reaſon is clear; for the Exerciſes of
the Mind hinder Concoction, becauſe they call up the whole
Powers of the Spirit to ſuccour the Brain and Underſtand ing;
hence it comes to paſs, that a Man that is intent upon his
Study, he regards not what he ſees, nor hears, not what his
deareſt Friends ſay to him but either he anſwers.them not at
all, or elſe nothing to the purpoſe. This is the firſt Conſider-
ation.
I Conſider that the greateſt Dfficulty lies in this ar. 1
finding out the exact meaſure of Diet: This I ſhall labour
to remove | 8
1. By ſhewing you the Grounds of this Difficulty,
2. By giving you ſome Remedies to remove it. |
I. The Grounds of the Difficulty ſeem to me to conſiſt in
Pleaſure; for Pleafure knows not the Bounds of Neceſſity,
neither doth Luſt know where Neceſſity ends; for if you mind
it you ſhall find. | „
Firſt, That Appetite is many times prolonged far beyond
the Satisfaction of Hunger or Thirſt, ſo that three or four
times fo much as would fuffice Nature is thruſt into the
Body af | Liquorifhnefs. _ | Sy
Secondly, Appetite many times proceeds from the Appre-
henſion of the Fancy; Fancy conceives Meat to the de-
; "WY lightful
—
—
—— —
28 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged,
lightful and pleaſant, and Appetite ſollow's them, when
Reaſon itſelf teſtifies it to be hurtful. |
. 2. I ſhall give you ſome Remedies or Rules whereby you
may find out the fit Meaſure of Meat and Drink; and they
are theſe; _ * | |
Fir, If you take ſo much Food at a time, (be it Meat or
Drink, it matters not) as makes you unfit for Study, or
other Duties of the Mind, then it is apparent you have ex-
ceeded the due meaſure ; for it is very clear that all the Of-
fence that proceeds to the Brain by way of Food, ariſeth
from the abundance of Vapours which are ſent up from the
Stomach to the Head, which either would not be at all, or
elſe ox be pure, if you had not either eat or drank too
much. :
_ Secondly, If you find a dulneſs, heavinefs and wearineſs
after Food, or a proneneſs to Sleep fo ſoon as you have
eaten, be ſure you have taken too much ; for Meat and
Drink ought to refreſh the Body, and make it chearful, and
not to oppreſs it, and make it dull. | |
Thirdly, Avoid all forts of Food by which you afterward
End Prejudice, tho' you delight your Palate never ſo much
when you eat. them; for that which pleaſeth the Palate.
doth not always pleaſe the Liver; and if they agree not
with the Liver, they cauſe Curnidities, Cloudineſs and
Dizzineſs of the Brain, Wind, Diſtillation upon the Lungs,
So.
.. Fourthly, I ſhall only give you one Caution more, and
that is this, ſubſtract from your exceſs in Diet by little and
little; for Nature abhors all ſudden Changes, tho they be from
10 to good; As ill Cuſtom got Poſſeſſion over Nature by
leprees. |
| o Come we now. to the laſt Conſideration, in which we
ſhall endeavour to prove, that Intemperance in Diet in the
Parents, cauſeth the Death of many of their Children in
their Infancy, even before any Direction in their Nativities
come to cut them off: That we ſhall endeavour to do thus:
Fir, If it cauſe Corruption in the Blood and Seed of the
+ Parents, it muſt needs haſten the Diſſolution of the Children;
the firſt cf which we ſhall prove thus: Almoſt all Diſeaſes
have their Original from Repletion ; vis. Taking =
| 5 * eat.
* ——
n
2 2 —
: Ds of noe N
1 T
£2. — — 3
Body of the Parent conduceth to the Life of the Child,
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 29
Meat and Drink than Nature requires, or the Stomach can
well digeſt, as is excellently well laid down by the Wiſe
Man, Eccleſ. 37, 29, 30, 31. Be not unſatiable in any dainty
thing, nor too greedy upon Meats ; for exceſs of Meat bringeth
Sickneſs, and Surfeiting will turn into Choler. By Surfeiting
hath many Periſbed, but he that taketh heed, prolongeth his Life.
Secondly, Conſider, that all Crudities are nothing but an
imperfect Concoction of Food; for when the Stomach re-
ceives more Food than it can digeſt, the Chyle made of ſuch
Meat muſt needs be crude, becauſe the Stomach maketh a
Corruption inſtead of a Concoction. Then conſider,
Thirdly, The Liver cannot turn bad Chyle into good
Blood; neither can the Teſticles convert bad Blood into
good Seed, becauſe the ſecond Concoction cannot amend
the fault committed in the firſt, nor yet can the third amend
the Faults committed in the ſecond : Hence you ſee that it
comes to paſs that Men and Women give the occaſion of
the Death of their Children before they are begotten.
Foaurthly, On the contrary, for contraries mightily illuſt-
rate one another; from a 'Temperate Diet is good Chyle
cauſed, ſuch as is agreeable to Nature from good Chyle is.
good Blood bred ; and from good Blood good Seed; and
from good Seed, ſtrong Children, luſty and healthful,
which according to the Principles of Nature are ſubject ta
live. And ſo much for this Chapter.
K
Of the Exerciſe of the Bech.
"Hat ever God ordain'd Men or Women ſhould live idly;
" 1 never yet read nor heard; and Zycurgus the famous
Spartan Commander, being aſked the reaſon why he forced
Young Virgins to Labour? Anſwer'd very wiſely and diſ-
creetly, that thereby cleanſing their Bodies of evil Excre-
ments, they might bring forth luſty Children when they
were Married; a prudent Speech well beſ:eming: the Man
that uttered it, and very fit to be practiſed in every Come
mon-wealth. But that I may ſhew how the Exerciſe of the
conſider
—
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30 Culpeper per's Midwife Enlarged.
conſider it ſtirs up natural Heat in them, there is as much
difference between 2 Man's Body when natural Heat is ſtir-
red up, and when it is not ſtirred up, as their is between the
Earth in V inter and Summer; when the Sun Rirs up natural
Heat in the Element, the Earth rejoiceth and brings forth
its increaſe ; when the Sun departs, and by his diftance can-
not fiir up natural Heat, then the Earth is diſmantled of
the Beauty which the Spring beſtowed upon her, and mourns
like the Frees in O?ober : 3 ſo in the Body of Man, if
natural Heat be capable of Concocting pure and goed Seed
for the Generation of Man, which it cannot do ſo long as
# lies Suckling in his own Center, the Microcoſmical Sun.
2. Moderate Exerciſe equally diſtributes the Spirits
throughout the Body; and if fo, then of neceſſity they
mult needs be equally diſtributed in the Seed; thoſe that
have ſtudied Natura] Philofiphy, know well enough that it is
the unequal diftribution of the Elements which caufeth the
Death of all Things ; and the more they are unequally dif-
tributed in a Thing, the fatter its Diſſolution haſtens; ſo that
you may reſt aſfuredly confident of the Truth of this, that
the more equally your Spirits are diſtributed in your Bodies,
the more equally will they be diſtributed in your Seed; and
by conſequence ſo much the more probable are your Chil-
dren to live.
3. Moderate Exerciſe by opening the Pores, cleanſeth the
Blood of thoſe fuliginous or footy Vapours which uſually
offend it: And this is the reafon Sweating is ſuch a good
Remedy in Fevers. Now then, if the Blood be cleanſed of
what ofiends it, or corrupts it before it be ſent down to the
Teſticles to be Wan ee into Seed, the Children bred of
this puriſied Seed muſt needs be ſtronger, and by conſe-
quence more fubject to live. - |
Thus you fee what Reaſon faith to the Point, viz That
moderate Exerciſe of the Parents conduceth much to the
Lives of the Children. I ſhall call up my other Brother
E. Doctor Experience, to Teftify the truth of this. |
You ſee, nay, you cannot but ſee, unleſs you are wilfully
blind, that poor People fuch as work hard, and fare hard,
and are ſeldom Idle, have more Children, and thoſe
and luſtier of Body, and uſually longer lived than hich won
Ive
n *
n 8
{IE ES” .
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 2r
live Tdly, and fare deliciouſly ; tell me elſe what becomes of
all our Citizens Children, there being ſcarce fo many of them
to be found now, as may be proved have been born in half a
Year's time? I am confident not ſo many of them are now ©
to be found of ſeven Years of Age : They that will -
let them be Wile. Rx, 5 y that will be Wiſe,
A ND thus much fer my Firft Book, which contains the Anatomy
of the Parts dedicated to the Procreation of Man, or at
leaft of fo many of them as may ferve for a ground Work to the
follbauing Diſcourſe ; and this needs no Guide, as being itſelf the
Guide and Baſis to ihe whole Work,
— 4. a. a. i —_— * __— _T * 46 5 =_ — —_— — * =
= „ Anm
Of the Formation of the CHII D in be
— 2 — Ml _ —_— _ — — — —
BOOK H.
—
PROOEMIU M.
1 Would willingly have omitted here to the proud Con-
ceits of the Learned Rabbies of our Age, to wit. That
no Creature is Rational but Man (as intending to write of
it hereafter in another Treatiſe) whereas indeed there is no
natural Wiſdom which Man hath found out by his Study,
but the ſame is naturally to be found in the Creatures taken
in ſenſu conjuncto, nay, and far excelling Man, nay, the beſt
of Men breathing, when they have ſpent their time, and
tired their Brains in Study: it's poſſible a few Creatures (as
Horſes, and Oxen, and Aſſes and the like) which Man
hath brought up in Slavery, may not be io rational as their
Mafters. A Bird that has been brought up in a Cage, will
fly into the Cage again, tho you take him out and ſet him
on the further fide of the Table; but a Bird that was brought
up in the Woods, and ſo knows what Liberty is, if you
nut him in a Cage, he will go near to die
* 8
*
Ss
"RP
*
e a *
32 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
The reaſon is, becauſe the firſt knows not what Liberty is,
but by Bondage is in a fort deprived of Reaſon. Did not
the wiſeſt of Men ſay, Oppreſſion will make a wiſe Man mad?
And is madneſs ought elſe but deprivation of Reaſon ? We
cannot know whether Creatures at Liberty have any Religi-
on or Knowledge of God or not; we may gueſs from P/a/.
104. If we do but mark what we read that they have ;
however this 1s. certain, They never went together by the
Ears about it as we have done ; but as for an abſolute Com-
mon-wealth, take it as a. Free State, or Monarchical, Man
comes as far ſhort of the Wiſdom of Creatures, as I do of
the Wiſdom of Solomon. 1
1. That ſuch of the Creatures that hold a Free State, and
if -Agur may be believed, ſuch are Locus; The Loeuſts have
no King, yet they go forth in Bauds; They have no Kings
therefore a free State ; they go out in Bands, therefore have
they Government. The Word (Band) ſignifies Government
as well as Number; for Soldiers ungoverned, will ſooner
make a Rout than a Regiment.
2. Take another Monarchical. State, and they are Bees,
read but Butler's Book of Bees, written altogether from Ex-
perience,. and you ſhall ſee what an admirable Martial Com-
mon- wealth they keep, how patient in private Wrongs ; for
if you abuſe a Bee in the Field ſhe will not iting you if ſhe
can poſſibly get away without, yet do but affront them at
home, then the Wrong is publick, then if you would fave
yourſelf you muſt run for it. The Truth is, no Monarchy
of Men throughout the whole Univerſe was ever compared
to them, and yet they never read Et,ics, and are utterly un-
acquainted with Machiawaliani/m, whereas Man for all his
Reaſon he brags ſo much of, and all his Reading and Learn-
ing could never frame ſuch a Monarchy, but may, nay hath
undone itſelf even by Civil Wars, (the worſt of all other)
| witneſs the Græcian and Roman Monarchies, that I may not
ſpeak one Word of England. 6;
The very Truth is, Man hath far more Pride than other
Creatures (the Lord keep me from ſuch Reaſon) who have
ing torn a little Knowledge from one Creature, and a little
from another, and by comparing what one Creature doth,
with what another dath, having a few of them bred up in
"os ſubjection
a at - n 1 1 8
ſubjection and flavery that they can have no commerce one
with another, unleſs it be to pity one another in their ſlavery
(for it's probable that Birds and Beaſts underſtand one ano-
thers Language, though we underſtand but little of theirs
the Czc4ozv excepted) fo that for want of Liberty they gan-
not come to the knowledge of their own State; and then
Man vapours that he is the only Rational Creature upon the
Earth. Oh abominable Pride h
I was ſomething the larger upon this Subject, - becauſe the
knowledge of it is one means to move Men to look upon
Teſus Chriſt, and expect his Spirit, and to long after an U-
nion with God through him, when they do but ſee what
miſerable Creatures Sin hath made them: Beſides hereby a
Man may ſooner come to the knowledge of himſelf, which
is the greateſt of all Earthly Knowledge.
Jam come now to the matter, which js „ hew proud, though
miſerable, Man is formed in the Womb.
Hs matter being of great Importance not only in
Phy/ic, but alſo in Plz:/ophy ; I ſhall be as Methodi-
cual in it as I can, therefore I ſhall treat of it in a double
Way. 5
1. Phyfically.
2. Afiralogically.
And let each ſtand in a Section by itſelf.
2 s
The Phyſical way of Formation of the Child in the Wan.
THAT this may be orderly done (for all things look beſt
when they are in Order, becauſe God is the God of
Order) I ſhall note, |
1. The proper Parts of the Child, 1
2. The Formation of the Child and its Situation in the Womb.
3. Anſiwer to ſome needful Dueftions, ; 1
And let each of theſe alſo make the Complement of one
C H A P
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 20:
: l
: ;
#
U
— RT - - |
E
„
— CT
— — - — - —— - —
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*
:
— P IN Pr ag
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nn . n _ wal r 2 a
7 « *
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4
—_— —
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muſt uſe Greek Words, elſe how ſhould we keep People in
34 Culpeper's Mitwife Enlarged.
"CHAD. 1.
OF the Parts proper to the Child in the Womb.
Call thoſe Parts proper to the Child in the Womb only,
* which help either to nouriſh it there, or to cloath or de-
fend it there; and either caſt away, or are of no uſe, un-
leſs perhaps Phyfical or Medicinal; it being Born.
Theſe I ſhall divide into two Parts.
1. The Unbikcars, or Navel-Ieffels.
2. The Secuudine. 85
The ft, ſerves for its internal Uſe. The fſcond for its
external. The i nouriſheth it; the g cloaths it, and
defends it from Wrongs.
© Of the Untelicer, or Nvel Vaſcli.
They are in Number Four; One Vein, Two Arteries
and the Veſſel which is called Uraches ; of all which ap-
part
1. The Vein is the Nouriſher of the Infant even from
the beginning of the Conception, to the time of Delivery,
till it breath Air and Concoct its Food as we do. :
It ariſeth from the Liver of the Child; and when it hath
paſſed the Navel it is divided into two Parts, and theſe two
are again divided and ſubdivided, the Branches being up-
held by the Skin called Chorion (of which more anon) and
are joined to the Veins of the Mother's Womb, from
—_ they haye their Blood for the Nouriſhment of the
2. The Arteries are two, one on each ſide, which proceed
from the Thac Branches of the great Artery of the Mother;
by theſe is the Vital Blood carried to the Child, being ready
concocted by the Mother. _ 3
3. A Nervous or ſinewy Production is led from the bot-
tom of the Bladder of the Infant to the Navel, and this is
called Urachos, and its ufe (as the Word fignifies, for we
Ignorance)
Culpeper's Midwiſe Enlarged 35
Ignorance) is to convey the Urine of the Infant from the
Bladder to the Allantois.
I confeſs various are the Opinions of Anatomiſts concern-
ing this, ſome denying any ſuch things to be in the Delivery
of Women, but only in Beaſts Some ſhew their Ignorance,
others their Skill in the Art of Piſputation, and ſome few
their Experience, which I ſhall quote, Barthalozrenw Corbro-
lius, a Chirurgion, and the ordinary Diſſector of the Ana-
tomies to the College of Phyſicians at Montpelier in France,
records an Hiſtory of a Maid whoſe Water being a long
time ſtopped ; did at laſt iſſue out through the Navel.
Jolm Fernelius, Pathol. Cap. 13. Records the like of a
Man of 3o Years of Age, who having a Roppage in the
Neck of the Bladder, his Urine iſſued out of his Navel
many Months together, and that without any Prejudice at
all to his Health, which he aſcribes to the ill tying of his
Navel, whereby the Urachos was not well dried. Felchier
Coiter quotes ſuch another, in a Maid of 34 Years of Age
at Noremberg in Germany; I confeſs there are but ſeldom,
yet hereby may be proved ſuch a thing as an Urachos in
Men. |
Theſe four Veſſels, to wit, one Vein, two Arteries, and
the Uraches, do join near to the Navel, and are united by a
Skin which they have from Chorion, and ſo become like a
Gut or Rope, and are altogether void of Senſe, and this is
that Women call the Narel-ftring. Women may if they
pleaſe, when they have cut it off, take the Pains to open it,
and fee for their own Content, and thoſe about them, that
what I have written here is the Truth. de e
The Veſſels are thus joined together, that ſo they might
neither be broken being ſevered, nor entangled together z
theſe when the Infant is born are of no uſe ſave only to make
up the Ligament which ſtops the hole of the Navel, and
ſome other Phyſical uſes, which I may happen to touch up-
on before the end
| | Off the Secundius.
THE Greeks call this xd Nervig & rd S5ege, the Lating
imitating them, call them Secundas, and n
36 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
and our Women the Sccundine, After - birth, and
After- burden. They are in Fumbe: held to be four,
where here I ſhall only deſcribe and few their uſe, and let
the forming of them alone till I come to the next Chapter.
1. The firſt is that which is called Placenta, a kind of
Latin Word given to a Sugar-Cake. becauſe it reſembles the
Formof a Cake; it is knit both to the Navel and to the
Chorion, and makes up the greateſt part of the Secund:ne, or
After-birtn. 8
The Fleſh of it is like that of the Milt or Spleen, ſoft,
red, and tending ſomething to blackneſs, and hath very
many ſmall Veins and Arteries in it ; and certainly the
chief uſe of it, is for the firmer containing the Child in the
Womb. |
2. Of the Chorion; this Columbus denies to be Skin; you
ſee acute Men may be miſtaken, and if ſo, What an ill-fa-
voured. Maſter Tradition is! whereas it is moſt certain that
the Chorion and Ammon involve the Child round, Both above,
and underneath, and on both ſides ;. Allantois doth not io.
The Skin, Hippocrates commonly in his Book of the Diſeaſes
of Women, calls the Secundine, or at leaſt gives this parti-
cular Name, the Secundine in general (whereas C:/umbus
; _— — —
5 Ar > SY — 8 _ ——
222
—
op —
—
in the Placenta, very light and ſlippery.
Its uſe is not only to cover the Child round about, but
alſo to relieve and ſafely bind up the Root, and the Veins
and Arteries, or Navel Veſſels before deſcribed.
3. Of the Allantois: This ſome deny to be found in the
Body of Man; and truly thoſe. that prove it to be there,
prove it more by Reaſon than Experience. If I had ſo ma-
ny Children in Holland as I have had in Ergland, 1 could
have better certify'd you of. the Truth of it; for in
Holland all Men are preſent at their Wives Labours : They
are delivered upon their Huſbands Laps, and not upon a
Stool. Galen ſaid there was ſuch a thing in Women as well
— —
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been no better than Galen's Apes, and yet Galen never ſaw
Man-nor Woman Anatomized. However if it be, good
Women may find it if they look for it; it is, they ſay,
ä N | | | white
miſtook this for the Placenta) it is a Skin thick and white,
arniſhed with very many ſmall Veins and Arterics ending
as in Beaſts, and the e part of our latter Writers have
2
4 3 A * 1
2 r 8 2 88
**
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. | 37
White and ſoft, and exceeding thin, and juſt under the Pla-
centa, Where it's knit to the Urachos, from which it receives
the Urine, and its Office is to keep it ſeparated from the
Sweat, that the ſaltreſs of it may not offend the tender Skin
of the Child. 5 7
4. The laſt covering of the Child yet remains, which is
called Amnois; it is white, ſoft, thin and tranſparent, nou-
riſhed by ſome very ſmal! Veins and Arteries.
Its ule is not only to enwrap the Child round, but alſo to
retain the Sweat of the Child : the uſe of which Sweat, I
fhall haply touch upon hereafter. | |
And thus much for the firſt Chapter, wiz.. The Parts pro-
per to the Child. 4
CH AF.
The Formation of the Child in the Wemb.
Hs ſpoken of the proper Part of. the Child, we
come next to ſpeak of its Formation ; but before I be-
in this, give me leave to promiſe, that this is my difficul-
teſt Piece of Work in the whole Book, nay in the whole
Study of Anatomy, becauſe ſuch Anatomies are hard to be
gotten ; moſt Women that he on their Death- beds when
they are with Child, miſcarry before they die, if not all;
beſides, Galen never ſaw a Woman Anatomized in his Life- -
time, as I ſhall prove by and by (and yet our Anatomiſts
follow him as a little God-a-mighty, and his ie dixit ſerves
the turn; and ſo the Blind leading the Blind, you know
what will become of them both) Columbus in the moſt rati-
onal in this Point that I know; the reſt, ſome follow Galen,
ſome Veſalius, ſome their Fancies, and ſome Quibble about
it. Myſelf ſaw one Woman opened that died in Child bed,
not delivered, and that is more by one than moſt of our
Dons have ſeen, yet they are confident as Afop's Crow was,
that he was an Eagle, but he was made a Mocking-ſtock to
the Boys for his Labour; and fo will they be ſhortly for
their fooliſh Model of Phyſic, that I may give it no worſe
And
Name.
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38 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
And then ſecondly, I hope you will = me leave to be
a little Critical; for there is need enongh, if you knew but
ſo much as I; if I commit any Failings they are unknown
to me : Let the; Honeſty of my Intentions. deface them with
a Deleatur. 2 |
>
7
New. the Baſergb.
1. The Tefticles or Stones of a Woman Womens Te/-
are for Generation of Seed, where many times ticles, . hite.
(if the Doors and Chirurgeons were not high
baſe and denied. your Admittance) you might ſee it in an
Anatomy, white, thick, and well concotted.
2. In the Act of Copulation, the Woman ſpends her
Seed as well as the Man; and both are united to make the
Conception,
3 The reaſon why ſometimes a Male is conceived, ſome-
times a Female, is the ſtrength of the Seed: Why ſometimes
For if a Man's Sęed be ſtrongeſt, a Male is a Boy in Con-
conceived; if the Woman's; a Female; the ceived, and
greater Light obſcures the leſſer by the ſame ſomemetimes a
| Rule, and that's the Reaſon weakly Men get Girl.
moſt Girls, if they get any Children at all.
This ſhews a manifeſt Difference between Difference be-
Nature and Appetite: Nature ſtrives to be- tween Nature
ger its like, Men to beget Men, Women to and Apperite.
get Women,; but for. Men to deſire Girls,
and Women Boys, is Appetite, not Nature: And yet you
ſee the Wiſdom of moſt Men and Women, deſire to plea-
ſure Appetite and not Nature, and ſo plainly make them -
ſelves Slaves to their own Senſe. Experience ſhews us,
that a Girl of a Vear old fancies Men more than Women,
and Boys of the ſame Age the contrary. If the Horſe or
or Mare Trot, it were a Wonder if the Foal ſnould Amble;
and yet you ſee alſo where Nature is ſtrong, it will vanquiſh
Appetite, do it the wort it can.
4 The Seed of both Sexes being united, the Womb in-
ſtantly ſhuts up, partly to hinder the extramiſſion or paſſing
out of the Seed, partly to cheriſh the Seed by its unbred
Heat, the better to provoke it to Action. And that's the
5 | | 1 5 Reaſon
bg hoped
*
Reaſon Womens Bellies are ſo lank at their firſt Conception :
Then inſtantly Nature goes to work.
1. You muſt conſider, that the firſt thing which is Ope-
rative in the Conception is the Spirit, whereof the Seed is
full: This Spirit Nature quickeneth by the Heat of the
Womb, and ſtirs it up to Action. |
2. The ſeed, though it ſeems to be but one Maſs yet
indeed it conſiſts of very different Parts, of Which ſome are
pure, ſome are impure.: The internal Spirit therefore ſeve-
reth thoſe Parts, thoſe that are thick, cold and clamy, from
thoſe that are pure and more noble : Theſe are caſt to the
outſides, and with theſe is the Seeds circled round, and of
theſe are the Membranes made, in which the pure Secd is
wrapped re und, and defended from cold and other Acci-
dents, and kept cloſe together, that ſo it may operate the
8
3. You may more than gueſs at the Truth of this, if you
do but conſider the growth of Trees, which is a very fami-
liar Example (though heeded by few) for if you do but
note it.
1. The cold of Winter congeals and putrifies the Vital
Spirits in the Trees, which is again reſolved in the Spring
by the Heat of the Sun. Þ*
2 By this Nature opens the Pores of the Trees, and diſ-
tils Drops, always ſeparating the pure from the impure ;
of the pure it makes Flowers; of the impure, Leaves;
and of the groſs, Bark. But to return again to our Pcople.
1. The firſt thing that is formed, is the Skin 4nmois, the
next the Chorion, and they enwrap the Seed round as a Cur.
tain: To let the idle 1deas of Arantius his Brain alone (who
was of another Opinion) as not worthy of an Anſwer.
2. Very ſpeedily after this (and yet this is done in a very
hort time) leſt the Seed thus ſhut up fliould corrupt or
> Which is moſt proper that it might not lie idle (for God and
Nature hate Idleneſs) is the Navel-Vein bred, which pier-
ceth thoſe Skins being yet very Tender, and carries a —
of Blood from the Veins of the Mother's Womb to the Seed,
of which Drop is formed the Liver, from which Liver is
ſoon bred the Yera Cava, or chief Vein, from which all
the reſt of the Veins that nouriſh the Body ſpring, and no
LEA h
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 39
40 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
hath the Seed ſomething to nouriſh it, whilſt it performs
Part of it to form the Fleſh.
ol it; you may take it, and walk a Fool in the Horn-fair
with it; for I aſſure you, he that builds his Faith upon Tra-
dition all Day, may fit down in the Chimney-corner at
Night, and ſcratch his Head with a pair of Fool's Nails.
And I pray tell me, if it be not learned Divinity which
you ſhall ſometimes hear taught in Pulpits for Othodox,
finition of Ariſtotle, and the Peripatetichs, nor of all the
ſelf to Believers by the Perſon of Jeſus Chriſt.
| Praſeutem mom ſtrat quelibet Herha Deum.
have no ſkill in if they can get Money, they have gotten their
Deſtire. Let them tell me the Reaſon of the Antipathy be-
tween the Herbs Rue and Baſil, that one will not grow near
another, and yet both Garden-Herbs ; but what do I talk
to a learned College of Phyſicians of Magnetic Vertues ? Talk
to them how they ſhall raiſe their Fees from Ten Shillings
to Twenty. I proceed. ES |
- 3. "This Vein being formed the Navel Arteries are ſoon af-
ter formed, then the great Artery ; of which all other are
but branches, and then the Heart, and ſo according to Co-
lumbus, all the Arteries are formed before the Heart, and
good Reaſon too, for I told you before, that the Body was
quickned by the Arteries, and that the Navel-Arteries were
a 1734
„45775
the reſt of the Work, and alſo Blood adminiſtred to every
And now tell me I pray you, if this be not better Rea-
fon, than to hold all the Members are formed together, as +
Man contend ſtoutly for and they no nal Fools neither; or
if you like Tradition better than Reaſon, I will not rob you
That the Heart lives firſt, and dies laſt, when the Liver lives,
before the Heart is framed? I weigh not a ruſh the nier De-
Fools that dance after their Pipes; how that firſt a Man lives *
the Life of a Plant, then of a Beaſt, and after that of a a
Man. They know what the Life of a Plant is, as much as
doth a Hobby-horſe, and but little more. "Tis the Com-
- munication of the God head to a Plant that makes it grow, |
though not in ſuch a ſpiritual Way as he communicates him- |?
Every Graſs ſhews God is preſent with it, and 'tis the
withdrawing of God that makes it wither ; this is that they
3
*
8
80
2
1 Thy
OT."
bred from the Arteries of the Mother; good Reaſon then
"5 hh | 5 that
" L410 4-SW45, + 0 Fg . Ga es 1D © 4 * —
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 41
that they ſnould be formed next, to give the Seed vital Blood
for the forming and quickning of the Body; ſince now the
Liver hath fitted them with Blood, as Matter to build up
this frail Houſe of Fleſh withal.
4. The next of all, the Liver furniſheth them with Blood
to form the Heart : for the Arteries are made of Seed, but
the Heart, as alſo all Fleſh, of Blood. | id
5. After this the Brain is formed, then the Nerves to give 4
Senſe and Motion tothe Infant. | |
Here Atifotle and the Peripateticks are an hundred | |
Ariſtotle's Miles from the Truth. Judge if they do not make 4
Foolery. a Saving Voyage, that will needs have the Heart ;
formed firſt, and that the moſt noble Part of the 1
Body ; whereas the Brain is a more noble Part, as being the oF
Seat of Reaſon, and it muſt be alſo the Fountain of Blood; and 9
many other Falſities, which I have heard Miniſters deliver 2
in a Pulpit, as confidently as yp will eat Acorns: Are ſuch
Miniſters of God, I pray, or A4r:/totle ? |
6. If you aſk me which of the Bones be formed firſt, I an-
ſwer, the Vertebræ and Skull; of the Order of forming the
reſt ; as alſo of forming the Fleſh I am ignorant; 4ri/otle was
of Opinion the Yertebr were firit formed of all the Bones,
and there the Man hit the Nail on the Head. F
To be a ſkilful Phyſician, ſtudy theſe Books of mine, viz. |
Platerus, Sennertus, Riverius, Riolanus, Bartholinus, Fohnſton, 4
Veſtingius, &C. |
© AP: Ut,
An Anfwer to ſome needful Queſtions about the Formation of the
hs Child in the Womb, :
1 N anſwering theſe, 7 all anger ſome, and ſome 1 Shall |
teach; I. Hall pleaſe others and not deſpleaſe myſelf. | 7
Many and large have the Diſputes of the Ancient and Mo-
dern Writers been about 'Trifles in this Caſe, which I ſhall
pa: paſs by. As, |
1. Whether the Seed be the efficient auſe of our Forma«
tion or not? | --
2, Whether Women have 20 or not?
$+ Whether : F
42 Culpeper's Midevife Enlarged.
Whether it act in Forming as well as the Seed of Man?
Whether all the Members be formed together ?
Whether the Heart live firſt ? 5
Whether Seed flows from all Parts of the Body ?
Whether Seed of Sexes muſt be preſently. mixed or
WITT 2
not ? |
8. Whether this active Power of Forming be in the Womb
or not? With theſe and many other like frivolous Diſcourſe
have Authors 'for want of better Employment) blotted a
Cart-load of Paper with, and ſpent that precious time in
uch needleſs Diſputes, which might have been better em-
ployed, for the 28 of their Brethren. Only ſome need-
ul Queſtions here are to be anſwered, which
Child lies in, can. The firſt is this, What is the Form the
In the Womb. Child lies in, in tbe Womb ? In what Faſhion
| doth it lie there?
About this Authors cannot agree; not two of them in ten
are of one Opinion. Vou ſee what a woful Maſter Traditi-
on is, and what a miſerable thing it is in Phy/ich, as well as
Divinity, to pin one's Faith upon another Man's Sleeve, be
he never ſo learned. I ſhall give you firſt Hippocrates's
Judgment, then Columbus, and lait of all a Figure out of
Spigeltus.
Hippocrates in his Treatiſe De Natur. Pueri,
According to affirms the Chill as he is placed in the Womb,
Hippocrates. to have his Hands, and his Knees, and his
| Head bent down towards his Feet ſo that he
lies round together, his Hands upon both his Knees, and
his Face between them, ſo that each Eye toucheth each
Thumb, and his Noſe betwixt his Knees. Of this Opi-
nion was Bartholinus the younger. Columbus
holds that the Figure of the Child is round in
the Womb, the right Arm bowed the Fin-
rs thereof under the Ear, and above the Neck, the Head
owed down, fo that the Chin toucheth the Breaſt, the left
Columbus,
3s propped up by the bending, of the right Elbow, the Legs
are 1.ttcd upwards, the right of which is ſo lifted up, that
the Thigh toucheth the Belly, the Knees the Navel, the
3 ; | | "Foe!
42:
*
The Form the I ſhall perform as briefly and plainiy as 1 1
Arm bowed above both Breaſt and Face, and the left Arm
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"NC | Explication bY. Ne Figures, ſhewing the Diflibagce of the
Parts of a Child in the Womb, from thoſe in a Perſonof Years.
The Second of the Figures in this Plate, heros the Form the Child lies 5 in, in the
Womb, according 70 the Opinion of Hippocrates and Bartholinus. |
i rr
FR The Deputy Kidneys, or Vice Kidneys, | => |
called In Latin Renes Succenturiati.
BB The true Kidneys, as yet di iſtinguiſhed,
by divers Kernels; but ill expreſſed in point
e Situation by the Graver*s miſtake. |
C The great Arteria from which Branches go
to the Kidneys and Capſulæ or Caſes.
D The Feda cava, from whence ſpring the
Emulgents, and the ſmall Twigs 1 the
Capſulæ, or Caſe.
F . I.
Shews the Situation of a Child in the
Womb, howbeit in ſome it differs,
A The Head bending forward, ſo as the
Noſe may be hid between the Knees.
BB The Buttocks, to wwpich the Heels are
cloſe ſet.
CC The Arms,
D The Band or Rope cartied aleng by tbe
Neck, and bended Þ-k upon the Forehead,
and continued with e Placenta, expreſſed
in the following Figure, at the Letter, D,
EG. |
AAA The Membrane Chorion divided.
BB The Amnios Membrane, as yet cqve- |
Ying ihe Bard.
CC The inner Concave part of the Placenta
or Worm Cake, which lies next the Infant
with T wigs of the Veſſels, :
D A Portion of the Band or twiſted Rope.
PIE 3. IV,
Expreſſes the Outfide of the Womb-cake,
which cleaves to the Womb with(EEEE).
the Clefts and Chinks therein which vary
in Reſpett of Number and * Mothers Womb , which in very many
> 1: G6. IN. Particulars differs from that of a grown
7 be Skeleton of a Child as i is in the the Perſon, as 15 apparent.”
he | The Form the Child lies ih the Womb, according to
—
the Opinion of Shigelius.
both Proper and Common.
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Be This Table ſhews the Infant naked and diſrobed of all its Tunicles,
AA The Prrtiens of the Cho-
rion diſſected and removed
from the proper Place,
B 4 Portion of the Amnios.
CC The Membranes of 7he-
Fomb diſſettes, |
DD The Placentia, being 4
certain fleſhy Subſtance, 1n-
dued with very many Veſſels,
by which the Infant receives
its Nouriſhment. |
E The Varication of the Veſſels
which make up the Navel-
ſiring.
FF The Navel-ſtring, bywhich
the Umbilicar Veſſels are car-
ried from the Placenta 10
the Navel.
GG The Infant as it keth per-
fect in the Womb near the
Time of Travel.
H The inſection of the Umbi-
Acar Veſſels into the Navel
of the Infant.
4.
—— ARS
1
418 n according t to
of Spigelius.
1 and diſrobed of all its Tunicles,
nd Common.
n
eee TT OR
AA The Pertions of the Cho-
rion diſſecked and removed
from the proper Place,
B 4 Portion of the Amnics.
CC The Membranes of the
Fomb diſſetted, |
DD The Placentia, beirz a
certain fleſhy Subſtance, in-
aned with very many Veſſels,
by which the Infant receives
its Nouriſhment.
E The Varication of the Veſſels
which make up the Navel-
firing.
EET. i yewous
re car-
ita 70
Per-
the
tz -
vel
„
—
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 43
Heel toucheth the left Buttock, and the Foot is turned back
and covereth the Secrets, the left Thigh toucheth the Belly.
and the Leg is lifted up to the Breaſt ; the Back lies out-
ward. An n n 07 5075497 | ; e FIST
8 Laſtly, J here inſert you the Figure taken
{ out of Sprgelins, who quotes it but of a Child Sprgelrus.
ö prepared for the Birth, or when the Birth is | |
i near, and as far as I remember, that which I ſaw was like
this. |
15 Mauꝛnuert the Figure here. |
My ſecond Queſtion is, How. the Child is nouriſhed in the
omb ? 1
Authors differ as much about this: I ſhall quote ſome of
them, that none ſhould think I am critical |
without Cauſe againſt Antiquity, which our Here rourifped
Nation, for want of more Wit, have ac-" mm the Womb.
counted Venerabe. | 12
Almeon thought the Infant drew in his Nouriſhment by
—
f F his whole Body; becauſe it is rare and ſpungy, as a Spunge
0 ſucks in Water on every Side; and fo he thought it ſucked
' Blood, not only from the Mother's Veins, but alſo from the
Womb | | | „ N
5 N Democrates and Epicurus, recorded by Plutarch, that the /
£ Child ſuck'd in its Nouriſhment by its Mouth. And af
Hippocrates, Lib. de Principiis, affirms, That the Child ſuck d :
; 1 both Nouriſhment and Breath by its Mouth from the Mo-
ther when ſhe breathed, (though in his other Treatiſes he
- "| ſeems to deny it) yet there he brings two reaſons for it: 1.
9 | Becauſe it ſacks ſo ſoon as it's Born, therefore it needs muſt
| have Learned before. 2. Becauſe there are Excrements
| f found in the Guts of it fo ſoon as tis born 3
8 > To the firſt I. anſwer thus, It learns to ſuck” by Natural |
e 4 inf, Take a young Cat that never ſaw her Daty catch -
3 a Mouſe, yet will ſhe catch Mice ſo ſoon as ſhe is able:
3 3 Muſt ſhe needs therefore fuck Mice from her Dam when ſhe
] was in her Belly? And yet this Argument of _ Hippocrates,
will ſerve for ſuch a Prieſt as denies - any ſuch thing as Na-
tural fine (of which I know ſome) to teach in the Pulpit
for Authentick. . e
n C z To.
ʒ113m.ꝙ.:üũü4c4≅4
„
44 : Culpeper's Mideife Enlarged.
To this ſecond Reaſon I anſwer thus, That theſe are not
Excrements of the firſt Concoction; and that I prove, be-
cauſe they ſtink not, but are the thickeſt Blood convey'd.
from the Veſſels of the Spleen to the Guts, and there driven
into that Form. All theſe being as far off from the Truth,
as Dover is from the Lizard Point : We muſt find anew Way
for the Child's Nouriſhment ; and the Truth is, all Modern
Writers agree, the Child receives its Nouriſhment by
its Navel; but what the natural Nouriſhment of the
Child, they alſo keep an old pother about, and defend and
prove about, like Lawyers, and all to no purpoſe in the
World. |
- Ariſtotle and the Peripateticks, and Magrius from them,
held it to be nouriſhed in the Womb by the Woman's Men-
ftrua's. : |
Others, as Columella, Pliny, Columbus, and Fernelius, they
deny the Child to be nouriſhed by Menſtruous Blood; and
their reaſons are, becauſe it is impure, and this Impurity
they. prove, becauſe it kills tender Herbs, makes Trees bar-
ren, and Dogs:mad, and hurts the Women themſelves, ma-
ny ways cauſing Pains, Swelling, Vomiting, loſs of Appe-
-tite, Vertigo, the Fits of the Mother, 3 over ſharp and
cruel Diſeaſes of the Womb; and therefore being thus evil,
they are not fit Nouriſhment for the Child. A very learned
Diſpute for a couple of Boys of ſeven Years old a piece to
decide. For, | :
1. This Blood which a Woman voided once a Month,
is not ſo bad as they make it to be; nay, ſimply in its ſelf
conſidered, not bad at all, but very good ; for if the Wo-
man's Body be.in good Temper, the Blood muſt needs be
youu; and the reaſon why ſhe voids it, is, becauſe it of-
s in quantity, not becauſe it offends in quality; but if
the Woman's Body be vicious, the Blood which remains in
it is vicious, as well as what is caſt out.
2. It is not ſimply the Merfiraa's which produce thoſe
dangerous Effects they talk of; but the Menſlrua's ſtopped
beyond their due time, and by Stoppage corrupted, and by
Corruption are theſe ill Effects they taſk of produced; and
this is a better Argument to prove them very good _
an
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 45
than very bad; for the beſt of Things when corrupt, prove
the worſt. But,
3. What need all this quoil have been? We all know that
it is called ¶ Menſtrua s] becauſe it is caſt out Monthly; and
we know that Women have them not the greateſt Part of
the time they go with Child, nor moſt Women when they
give ſuck : And if the Child be not nouriſhed with the
{ame Blood in the one, and it be converted into Milk in the
other, what becomes of it? It ſeems then this cavelling is
rather about the Word [ Meftrua's] or about the Blood re-
tained above a Month before Conception, than about any
material thing in the Buſineſs : But I have done.
I come now to the Anſwer of the Queſtion, and yet let
me tell you firſt of another of Hippocrates his Abſurdities,
vis. That the latter time of the remaining, or the Child in
the Womb after it is quick, it is nouriſhed partly by the
Mother's Milk; you may find in his Book De Natura Pueri;
it deſerves not an Anſwer, being juſt as probable as that a.
Milſtone can ſwim. 1
The Truth is the Child is nouriſhed in the Womb by ve-
ry pure Blood, conveyed into the Liver by the Navel- Vein,
which is a Branch of the Lena Porta, or Gate-Vein, and
paſſeth to the ſmall Veins of the Liver: Here this Blood is
more purified, and the thicker and rawer part of it is con-
veyed to the Spleen and Kidnies; the thick Exerement of it
to the Guts, which is that Excrement found there fo ſoon as
they are born, The pure part is conveyed to the Vena Cava,
or hollow Vein, and by it diſtributed throughout the Body
by the ſmall Veins, which like ſmall Rivulets paſs to every
Part of it. This Blood is accompanied with a certain watry
Subſtance, as all Blocd is better to convey. it through the
Paſlages it is to run in, which, as in Men is breath'd out-by
Sweating, and contained in the Aunois, as I told you before.
I have done with this Queſtion, after I have ſhew'd you
that there is a certain watry Subſtance in white Blood is ſent
to the Kidnies, and from the Ridnies is this ſent by the U-
reters to the Bladder : Neither doth an Infant void his Urine
by his Privities, but it is conveyed to the Allantois by the
' Uraches, (which I deſcribed beiore) which is long and
| bloodleſs, and paſſeth from the Bottom of the Bladder to
C 3 the
7 :
46 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
the Allantis; neither hath it any Muſcle belonging to it,
ſeeing no time unſeaſonable to the Infant in the Womb to
void its Water, whereas we have Muſcles at the Root of the
Yard, to ſtop and open, that we might follow our: Buſineſs,
and not always be Piling. | | | #4
| And thus you have,
i. In what Form the Child hes.
2. How it is nouriſhed in the Womb.
8
The Formation of the Child in the Womb Aſtrologically handled :
1. IT cannot be denied, but that the Stars and Elements
have a mutual Sympathy one with another, becauſe
they are produced out of one and the ſame Chaos.
2. The Elementary Bodies are in Subjection to the Ce/eftial
becauſe, Obedience is to be found in the Elementary World. ©
3. That there muſt needs be Mzicroco/mical Stars in the Bo-
dy of Man, becauſe he is an exact Epitome of the Creation.
4. That this Microcoſinical Sun, Moon and Stars, muſt be
active, and the Elementary Part of the Body of Man paſſive,
appears, becauſe the Cæleſtial Bodies are not changed,
but remain the very ſame. Now there were at the Creati-
on but Elementary Bodies always increaſe or decreaſe, and
never ſtand at a Stay; hence then it will come 10 paſs,
which all (unleſs Cavillers) will confeſs, that as the Cæleſtial
Bodies in the Microceſin induce the Form, and the Elementary
World ſubminiſters Matter for this Form; ſo alſo they muſt
of Neceſſity do in the Mzcroceſm. ©
5. 'Fo preſent this more clearly before your Eyes as a
Truth, take notice, that the Womb of a Woman is under
Scorpio; for under Firgo it cannot be, becauſe Virgo is a bar-
ren Sign: And here by the way, that few or no Writers
that ever vet could fead, could give any Reaſon why Scorpro
is a fruitful Sign; they tell you a long Tale of a Tub con-
cerning the reſt of the Signs, as that Les is a barren Sign,
becaute Lions ſeldom bring forth Young. But why ſhould
not Taurus be a barren Sign? for Bults never oring forth
Young ; and Ates is not Fruitful, becauſe is it tha .
5 Zzars,
ee ee * —
n
Culpeper's Midewife Eularged.
47
"Mir and why then ſhould Scorfio, which is the Houſe of
Mars alſo? The Truth is (to let the Fictions of Authors paſs)
Srorfro is a fruitful Sign, becauſe it rules the Womb : And
Cancer and Piſce, are fruitful, becauſe they are of the ſame
Tripli
city,
But to proceed :
That every Planet hath Influence in the Generation of
Man, re by this Table.
Let them that wobtld be learned Phy ficians, read thelc
Books of mine, viz. Platerus, Sennertus, Riæerius, Riolanus,
Ba tholinus, Fohn fen, Jetiugius, &C.
=
The Table 15 25
| | | | Br,
e | x | © @ 4a | »
_Yis Tr YT mT |KCaSS MT
e EVM
TR a r= rx
% Z MT AS 7 II D
Dr
DD Ae & [YRS & 6 IL
=+£ Vis m XxX . my PER
I j e N TS [= tp. IF.
FFF
F n r [xn Af;
NN
ll . Im- ieee
N
Every Planet is ſaid to rule particular Parts of the Body,
and ſeveral Parts, according to each Sign he is in. All Au-
thors have left Tables of this, and all falie, I at firit defiring
2 Reaſon of this Table, found out in about half an Hour's
ical , that every Planet ruled the Head when he was in bis
:: Hiouſe, and the Neck in the Houſe ſucceeding; b ut this,
3 J could not find it agree with the Writings of other
Authors (with their Tables of Nature I mean
"A lictle ſtand ; conſidering a Man had as good put hisWits an
C4
) 1 was firſt at
A PPr entice
. „ „ WIC er 4 oO Eats ere
—
48 Culpeper's Madwife Enlarged,
Apprentice to a Man of Bealam, as make them Slaves to Tra-
dition, I drew out a Table in another Form, which preſently
gave me as much Satisfaction as I deſired; ſo. much as be-
longs to my preſent Argument I ſhall here quote. You ſhall
find that cvery Planet in Scorpio governs the Parts of the Body
which are under the ſame Signs which he is Lord of, the Lu-
minaries excepted, which do it by Reception, is an evident
Teſtimony that they have Influence in forming the Child in
the Womb ; as alſo there is a mixture of the Influence of
the Luminaries in that Action. 46
Let this ſuffice to have proved, that the Planet have an
Influence even upon the Conception in the Womb ; we
come now to ſhew you.
1. What Authors ſay concerning the thing.
2. What indeed the Truth is.
1. What Authors. DT
The firſt Month of the Conception they give to Saturn, .
by whoſe Influence and retentive Faculty they ſay the Seed .
is faſtned in the Womb. I
2. The ſecond Month they attribute to Jupiter, by whoſe
Influence they ſay the Foundation of Growth, Senſe and
Underſtanding is laid ; whereas the Foundation of all is laid |
In the Commixture of the Seed in both Sexes ; the Man is |
then formed in Jap; in poſe, though nat in ee. Fi
3. The third Month they give to Mars, and he they fly _
gives Heat and Motion to the Child; but if it wanted Heat
before, how could it live till that time? T's but a frigid
Argument, to think Life can be maintained by cold.
4. Then the Sn challengeth the fourth Month they ſay,
and he furniſheth the Child with vital Spirit, but Mars gave
it Motion a Month before ; and was ever voluntary Motion
to be known without vital Spirit ?
5. Then comes Venus, and ſhe in the fifth Month gives
the Child Comelineſs and Beauty; but by their Leave, if
they take comelineſs for faſhion of Body, that it hath lon
belles ; for the Body is faſhioned in thirty or forty Days as al
hold; but if for clearneſs of Skin that appears not till the
; Child be of ſome Age, namely a Year or mere.
6. Mercury, he hath the ſixth Month appropriated to him
in which time they fav, he ſeparates and diſtinguiſheth the
| To Members
3 | . \
Pers, . rem wiac,th — — 1 © >
2 . . 8 5 *
- +7 Ez *
2
Fe * * n 8
E Fo * — * *
- — r N EIS — r — \
8 "RAY
vo Xt * 4 N S n —
3 PRO SY” * — << 2 r * b - "WY
f
= —
—
wu
a
365
4
a
\
» TY
*
4
Þ
1
1
1
OO aw wie CY
yo ep %%
* 553 os th; n ,
n =. :
J r
n *
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. —
Members of the Child, which were before connexed; This
is ſuch a peice of Buſineſs Man knows not what to think of,
much leſs what to make of; if they mean by diſtinguiſhing
the Members, the breaking of theſe Skins which wrap the
Child round in the Womb, wiz. the ve d, they are not
broken before the time of the Woman's Labour; if they dream
that the Members or Limbs of the Child are in a Chaos before,
this is but a Dream waking ; and as ſimple a Buſineſs as it
is to believe that they are tied together by Ligaments &c. (for
to write like a Scholar, for I write now to Aſtrologers, who
ſhould be Scholars if they are not) it is ridiculous, and de-
clines as much from the Truth, as the Poles of the World do
from the Equator, that any one ſhould think that thoſe Limbs.
of the Child that now are ſeparated, ſhould formerly be joined
together, either by Erarthrofis, Arthrodia, Gynglymos, Harmonia,
Sutura, Gom phoſis, Sinchondroſis, Sinneuroſis, or Syſjarcofts.
7. And then the Moon muſt come to make up another Er-
ror in the Work, and ſhe muſt have the ſeventh Month be-
itowed upon her, in which they ſay compleats the Child,
which was juitas compleat five Months before.
2. To ſhew you the Truth of the Buſineſs. - "5-4
Authors fail not ſo much in the Operation of the Planets,
as they dorn the time in allotting the Planets what they mult
do every Month ; whereas indecd they all operate together,
at the ſame time, but if all the reit of the Planets ſhould lie,
tall while one works, what a mad peice of Work would they
make? A Man had as good affirm, that eyery Planet moveth. _
his Month, and all the reſt ſtand ſtill the while. Philoſophy
teacheth Men that Motion is the Cauſe of Change; for it is
the Motion of the Sa, or elſe of the Earth that cauſes Dax
and Night. But that we may be Methodical in laying down
the true and genuine Operation of the Planetary Influence in
on Af of conception: We ſhall ſpeak of each Planet by
It ſelf. - |
1. The Sun, is well known to every one, gives Heat to
the World: And if ſo, then alſo to the Body of Man, be-
cauſe our Life conſiſts chieflyj by Heat, which animates the
Moiſture, fo that the dun muſt needs be the Author of Life,
and Father of all living creatures, and therefore muſt of ne-
ceſſity be firſt formed in the Seed of both Sexes, being mixed
. | Co in
50 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
in reſpect of Order, if not in reſpect of Time: He is formed
in the very midſt of the Seed, ſrom whence he quickens, in-
ipires, and moves every Part to its particular Action. Indeed
what Aristotle attributes to the Heart in the Generation of
Man's very true, if he had ſpoken of the Microco/ſmical Sur,
and therefore ſome real PhiloGphets ( I ſearce dare reckon
Nriftotle in the Number of them) having 'imagined that the
Seat of the Microco/micel Sun in the Body of Man was the
Heart; yet I can ſcarce be of that Opinion that the Microce/-
ical Sun and Moon, which Reign like King and Queen in the
Body, ſhould be confined to any particular Place, however
the Office of the Microco/mical Sun both in and after concepti-
on is to give vital Spirit, and ſtir up all things to Motion
and Action. ee e
2. As the Water moiſtens the Earth that ſo it might not be
Microcoſmical- moon adds Moiſture to the Conception from the
very beginning of the Embryo, even to the utmoſt term of
miliar Ferm amongſt all Phy/icians, yet underitood by very
few. Some Philosophers are of Opinion, that the Microcoſimicul-
moon keeps her Reſidence in the Brain, and that's the Reaſon
Ariſtotle's earthly, dull Philoſophy, held that the Brains coot-
ed the Heart; but how or which way, neither himſclf, nor
any Body elſe ean tell. Tis ſome inviſible buſineſs which had
its Original from the Brain- ſick Humour of an idle Philoſo -
pher. Bur out of queſtion, the Microcaſinicalmoon is not con-
fined to any one Part of the Body, but is univerſally in it as
Radical-moifiure is, Indeed the truth is, as the Sun / des Heat,
1d the Moon gives Moiſture: And that is the Reaſon the Ge-
neration of Things is held to be from Heat and Moiſture ;
and if ſo (Which is moſt certain) what an admirable fantaſ-
tical Dream was that of A4ri/tozie, that the Brain was cold
and moiſt? | 7
3. There muſt be ſomething to counterpoiſe the Heat of
the Sun, and Moiſture of the Moon, and this muſt be by a
Planet contrary to them both, elſe it could not be done,
which Office Saturn performs ; for he fixes and ftays the
-- Beams of the Microcoſinical Sun and Moon, that ſo Generation
may be made. You knew Shoemakers nail on their Shoes wo
5 8 the
burnt up by the ſcorching Heat of the Cæleſtial Sun; fo the
Life; and this is that which. they call Radical-mcifture, a fa-
n 8
*
the Laſt before they can ſow them; the bones are alſo
Cul peper's Midwife Enlarged. 51
framed by his Influence,” by which this frail conception is
upheld and Ned After it is ben
4. There can be no Generation without PutrefaQtion ,
therefore what Rays the Lunaries let fall upon the Seed,
and Saturn hath fixed Jutiter, by his Heat and Moiſture pu-
trifies and concocts, and by his equal Temper preſerves a
.
Harmony in it. | 3
F. As all things are bred by Heat and Moiſture, and
fixed by coldneſs and dryneſs ; ſo the Generation of Man,
there muſt needs be ſome exſuperance and abounding ; this
Mars heats, exhales and converts both into Excrements,
and alſo hardens into coverings of the Fulryon: Indeed his
Heat is a drying, burning, calcining Nature ; for all things
are made better and purer by Calcination; fo indeed is the
Embryo in the Womb made fit for growth by the Heat of
Mrs 8
6. We told you all Generation was performed by Heat
and Moiſture, therefore as Mars. Heats and Calcines the
Frbryo, fo Venus moiſtens it. And here you have the Rea-
ſous.
1. Why Venus being a cold and moiſt Planet ſkould be the
Author of Generation, ſeeing all Generation is performed
by Heat and Moiſture ; indeed ſhe doth but only add Moiſ-
rure to the Heat of Mars. | * ONT
2. Conſidering what Antipathy there is between Mam
and Venus, and yet what a Sympathy they have in the Ge-
neration of Man; and ſee the Reaſon of that Sympathy and.
Antipathy of things generated.
3..Secing all things are generated by a Corruption of
the contrary Qualities, you need not aſk the Reaſon why
Man being fo generated muſt in time come to Corruption.
4. You ſee here the Reaſon of thoſe Poetical Fiftions
that Mars and Venus were ſo often found in Adultery, be-
cauſe they perform the very ſame Office un. the Generation
„ |
5. It is Proof enough to me, that Mart and Fenus do
perform this Action of the Conception of Man, becauſe
their Bodies in the Heavens are neareſt of all the five Pla-
nets of the Globe to this our Terreftial Star. |
6. Mercury:
— Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
6. Mercury being of a mutable Nature, often applying to
the Suu and Moon, and the Planets ; Mercury maketh the
ſenſible, and (ſome ſay; rational Part in Man, and ſo
beſtows Senſe and Reaſon upon the Embryo; in Deed and
Truth, he beſlows ſuch a penetrating and acute Humour
upon the Enbryo, which flirs up to Contemplation, inquir-
ing after the Reaſons of Things; for he cauſeth that inbred.
Deſire of Knowledge which is in the Sons of Men: Only
here is one thing which ſecms worth the Anſwering, which
is, That thoſe that are born in the ſeventh Month, may live
by Reaſon of the Complement, fulfilling of the Planetary
> > Wo ; but ſuch as are born in the eighth Month, are ei-
ther born dead, or live but a very little while, becauſe the
1141 poem or Government of the Conception is turned
back to Saturn, who (they ſay) is inimical to Nature in all
kis Qualities.
To this 1 Anſwer ;
1. Satwrn is inimical to none but to ſuch as know not his
Qualities for he cannot endure ignorant Puppies.
2. Tis not the Complement of ſeven Planets that makes
a Child live, born at the ſeventh Month, but the perfection
of the Number [Sever ] which, if I were writing Divinity, B
could prove by Scripture to be the perfecteſt Number that
15, |
3 Hippocrates may be miſtaken in his Book De Principiis,
and in that De Odtimeſtri Partu, and in that De Alimento ; in
all which he goes about to prove, That a Child born in the
eighth Month cannot live, Galen, Ariftotle, Plutarch, and
others, that wrote the ſame things after him, might be but
his Apes; for the Writers of Egypt, Spain, and thoſe of
Naxuz, they affirm, that Children born in the eighth Month
have lived: Set one againſt the other. ; |
4. There may be Rate difference about Hippocrates his
Months, viz. Whether they were Solar or Lunar. A Solar
Month is the Time in which the San is transfiting one of the
Signs of the Zodiac, and is very near thirty, or thirty one
Days throughout the Vear.
F
* «==
_
|
|
|
|
N
|
"I
54
5
ns
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 33
A Lunar Month is the time that the Moor traceth through
" 8
the Zodac, and confifteth of 27 Days, ſome odd Hours,
and ſome odd Minutes.
5. The Women they wrote of, might be a Month miſ-
taken of their Reckoning; that is as eaſily done, and as
often by ſome, as a Woman can miſtake one Shoe for ano-
ther in the dark.
6. If the Office of Saturn be to retain the Seed in the
Womb the firſt Month, who cauſeth the Expulſion of the
Child in the eighth, which they attribute to him alſo? Is
Sa turn fo old that he has loſt his retentive Faculty?
They that would be knowing Phyſicians, let them ſtudy
theſe Books of mine, viz. Platerus, Sennertus, Riverius, Rio-
anus, Bartholinus, Jobnſton, Veſtingius, Rulandus, Fernelius,
Hanctor.
2 =,
"BOOK MM
Of what hinders Conception, together with its Re- |
medics.
T is moſt certain, that all Men and Women deſire Chil-
dren, partly becauſe they are Bleſſings of God, and fo
Saints deſire them, P/al. 127. 3. Lo Children are an Heritage
of the Lord, and the Womb is his Reward. As alſo Pſal. 128.
from the beginning to the latter end, prove it. Or elſe be-
>, cauſe they are pretty things to play withal, every like deſir-
ing to play with its like. Or lattiy, and moſt probably,
7 Luft is the Cauſe of begetting more Children than the deſire
of the Bleſſings of God; for where the deſire for Children
moves one to the Act of Copulation, the Pleaſure in the
|
|
|
Act moves an hundred, and ſuch corrupt Principles gon
uſually Baſeneſs in the middle, and Bitterneſs in the latter
end, to thoſe that uſe them. It being apparent by the Curſe
of God upon Eve, I will exceedingly multiply the Conception,
that many Children come into the World as a Curſe, mo
„ Culpeper” 8 Mitecife E alarged
T am: not now to act the part of a Divine but of a os fcian,
and therefore to the Purpoſe in hand.
| What hinders. Conception, cafeth Rs 96.
| 1. Natural... |
Barrenneſs is & 2. Acc dental.
ty Se 3. A lgainſt Nature.
ot each of eſe in a Section 85 itſelf,
Ut nd cr op REY 0
i of Natural 1 T
NATURAL eee I call that which cauſeth Bar-
renneſs in a Woman; the Inſtruments of Generation
being perfect in both herſelf and her Huſband, no prepoſ-
terous or diabolical Courſe uſed” to cauſe it, yet the Woman
remains naturally barren ; neither Age nor natural Detect,
and Diſeaſes impediting, yet the conceives not.
To find out all the *Reatons of this, requires a ſtronger
Head- piece than I have; yet what the Lord bath! imp: arted
* me, I ſhall freely impart to you.
. The Man and the Wife that are both of one Complcx.
ag ſeldom have Children; and the Reaſon is clear from
the univerſal courſe: of Nate. which being formed by an
All-wiſe God, of a compoſition of Contraries, cannot be
increaſed by a Compoſition of likes; and although to find
two People juſt in every particular of a Complexion, go 3
Syſtem happily too rare to find, or very ſeldom found;
if they be very near of a Complexion, my Reafon will. Bold
uu and I knew no Remedy for it; unleſs they ſhould
1
>
art; for if the main cauſe of Marriage be the Procreation |
of Children, I know not but that Marriage which denies
this may be unlawful. The Truth is, Marriage is the great-
eſt natural Aion of Man's Life, and he that waits upon
God for his Direction in it, ſhall not do amiſs.
2. Want of Love between Man and Wife is another
cauſe of Barrenneſs. That there is an eſſential, vital Spirit
in the Seed: of both Sexes is without all Queltion : (And
that made up the Baſis of Ouans Sin mentioned in Scrip--
ture, in ſpilling his Secd; the other as ci cumtances, did
bu 3%
tw 2” WHOM 0
Wo
2”
1
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged 63
but aggravate it, for this God ſlew him. I believe God
hath been more merciful to many in England in the ſame
caſe, yet he is as juſt now as he was in Ozan's Days. Then
ſecondly, that this Seed participates of the Nature of both
Sexes, is very clear, by Mens begetting their like, ix.
Men and Women beget Men and Women ; then if their
Hearts be not united in Love, how ſhould their Seed unite
to cauſe conception? It is reported of two Theban Princes,
Eteocles and Polynices, both Brothers, yet a mortal Hatred
between them, that having ſlain one another in Battle,
when their Bodies were burned 12 in thoſe Days and Places |
they burned the dead Corps, and entombed only their Aſhes)
that the Fire partcd in the middle and went up in two Tops,
and if there were ſuch a mummial Hatred in their Dead
corps, greater muſt the Hatred be in the Seed of two diſa-
greeing Sexes, becauſe it hath more Spirit in it; and this is
the Reafon there never comes conception upon Rapes.
It is a ſad thing Men ſhould take Women for their Friends
that did love them, and then hate them: And as fad,
that Women when they are Married, ſhould either through
Pride or Folly, or ſomething elſe, fo forget themſelves,
their Huſbands, and their God, that they cannot hve quietly
with them; and worſe than either (if worſe can be) is that
trick of Parents, to compel their Children to Marry againſt
their Minds; ſuch corrupt beginnings, uſually bring Sorrow |
enough to all Parties that uſe them, or have a Hand in them;
and that they all know by that time they have counted the
middle and both ends. DS
3 A third cauſe of natura] Barrennefs is, the letting ef
Virgins Blood in the Arm before their courſes come down:
Theſe come down in Virgins uſually in the fourteenth Year
of their Age, ſeldom before the thirteenth, never before
the twelfth : And becauſe uſually all young Virgins are out
of frame before they firſt break down, the Mother takes the
Daughter's Piſs, and away to Doctor Dance runs ſhe, who
. knowing ſomething by her Water, as much as he could if
he looked in a Crow's Neſt, and gathering by the Mother's
Talk, and by ſecing the Party, that fulneſs of Blood of-
fended, ſtraight preſcribes Blood- letting in the Arm {Bleed-
ing and Purging, and Purging and Vomiting, being all the
Medicines
>
56 Culpeper's Midwife: Enlarged.
Medicines that many country Phyſicians to my Knowledge
have Skill in, or commonly uſe). they go whip Diſeaſes out
of the Body, as Sextons whip Dogs out of the Church,
(this is done, and then ſhe is well for a time, the ſuperflu-
ous blood being taken away; the next Year (if ſhe ſtay ſo
long) the falls in the ſame caſe, then the other bout of bleed-
ing, and in three or four times ſo ſerving, eſpecially if the
Maid uſe much exerciſe, the blood comes not down to the
Womb as it doth in other Women, but the Womb dries up,
and becomes for ever barren, .
For preventing this for time to come, let no Virgin be let
blood in the Arm before their Meuſtrua's come well down
(caſes of Neceſſity excepted) but rather in the Foot ; for
that provokes the blood downward, and by that Means it 9
provokes the Terms.
4. A fourth cauſe of natural barrenneſs, is loſs of carnal
Copulation; Men and Women come to the School of Venus,
either not at all, or ſo frigidly, that as good never as whit,
as never the better. 1 f
This is perpetually cauſed of a cold Diſtemper, and muſt
be cured by ſuch things as heat and nouriſn.
For the cure. Let ſuch eat and drink of the” beſt ; Sire
Cerere & Libero friget Venus, faith the Latin Proverb : With-
out good Meat and good Drink, Venus will be frozen to
—_—
Wholeſome Food for ſuch, are Cock-ftones, Lamb-ſtones,
Sparrows, Partridges, 'Quails, Pheaſants-eggs; and
take this for an Aphoriſm of Truth, both in this Diet,
and all other parts of Phyſick ; }hatfcever any crea
ture is addicted extremely to, they move the Man that eats them
to the lite by their mummial Virtue. Therefore Partridges,
Quails, Sparrows, Sc. being exceedingly addicted to Vene-
Wo they work the ſame in thoſe Men and Women that eat
em. 3 5 f
I will give you another, Look in what parts of the Body the
Faculty which you would frengthen lies, and take the ſame part of
the Body of another Creature, in whom the Faculty is flreng, as
Medicine. For Example, the Virtue procreates lizes in the
Teſticles, therefore Cock-ſtones, Qc. are Medicinal for this
Diſeaſe, | Ts
I
2
Culpeper's Midwife Eularged. 37
I have written enough of this to wiſe Men; but
becauſe all Men are not ſo, neither do I know Remedy.
* they will, I ſhall quote ſome few Receipts. |
Let ſuch often eat windy Meats, eipecially ſuch
as nouriſh much, as Parſneps, Alexanders, Skirerts, Pine-
nuts, Ec.
2. Let them take a Dram of the Electuary Diaſayrion every
Morning. You may find the way how to make it in my
Tranſlation of the London Diſpenſatory.
3. The Stones of a Fox dried to Powder, and a Dram
taken every Morning in Muſkadel.
4. A Dram of Satyrion Roots taken in the like Manner.
But becauſe I ſhall touch much upon this in the next
Book, I pals it here. And thus much for this Section.
S.E C T. Ih
Of Accidental Barrenmeſs,
call that Accidental 3 which comes by Reaſon
of ſome caſual Infirmity upon the body of the Man or
his Wife at a time, which being taken away, the Effect
ceaſeth. |
This is ſometimes cauſed by the Man's part, but moſt
commonly on the Woman's.
Then what I am here to ſpeak to is, Barreneſs c ſed by
* /ome cauſe which may eaſily be Corrected and Remedied.. » ©
Authors have left ways to know, whether the caſe of has:
renneſs lie in the Man on in the Woman, and Hypfoerates
was very buſy about it; hut becauſe I cannot confide in his
Judgment, I ſhall paſs it by in ſilence.
The mod rational way of Knowledge in this Point that
ever I read in this caſe, I ſhall quote, and give my Reaſon
for it; if it do hold true, well and good; if not, I cannot
help it, for I never tried. It is this;
Take a Handful of Barley (any other Corn that "will
quickly grow will ſerve the turn as well) and ſteep half of
it in the * of the Man, and the other half in the Urin
of the Woman, the ſpace of four and twenty Hours, then
take it out and ſet it, the Man's by itſelf, and the W 8
3
58 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.”
by itſelf, ſet it in a Flower-pot or ſomething elſe where you
may keep it dry, then Water the Man's every Morning with
his own Urine, the Woman's with hers, and 'that which
grows firſt is the greateſt ſign of Fruitfulneſs, if one grow
not at all, they are naturally barren, fay Authors ; for my
Part I do not bind any Man to believe it, yet this J ſay, all
Men and Women deſire to be Fruitful, and the Urine of one
that is Fruitfal (probably) is more likely to make a Seed
grow, than the Urine of one that is not Fruitful, becauſe
there is a Principle of Fruitfulneſs in the one, not ſo in the
other; and every Man knows (that doth but know his 8:
Right Hand from his Left) that Urine is eſſential to the | Pt
Body of every one: And if it can ſhew Diſeafe, why not as |
well Fruitfulneſs and its contrary ?
But to proceed ; |
Barrenneſs Accidental 1s either common to both Man and V
Wife, 1. e. either of them may be troubled with the Infirmi-
ty, or elſe it is proper to the Woman only, this (as I told be
you) is moſt frequent; neither is it my Purpoſe kere to ſpeak th
Of Diſeaſes incident to Men, which may cauſe Barrenneſs for
the time being, but of ſuch as properly caule it; for the ha
Inſtruments of Generation in Man being perfect, his Diet BI
and Exerciſe according to Rule, which the firſt Book hath be
already, and the next Book ſhall further inſtruct you in. I
know no accidental Cauſe of Barrenneſs in him, if his Bo- Pe
dy be in Health. | | th
The chief cauſe of Barrenneſs in a Woman lies in her b
Womb, and its Infirmities, which what they are, their lit
Cauſe, Signs and Cure, you ſhall find in Order preſented to | a
your View. FE Fes FF th
1. Of fopping of the Menflrua's. | ; 2h] Be
2. Of everfiewing of the Menſtrua's. | Bre
3. Of the Flux of the Ii mb. 2
4. Of falling out of the Womb. | | | itſ
5. Of Infiamation of the Ii cb. |
6. Of l indineſi of the Womb. | "> |
7 Of Heat and Drineſi of the Womb. | 13
ee . del 1:75, MBit In Order. 1
: | - OC MAP. thi
2
. Midwife Bind . 59
CHAP. 1
Of the floppage of le Menſtrua J.
T* HE Mw ey s ſtop: in a Woman.
Natirally.
| Hhain oft Nature.
To know he Difference between theſe, y ou 3 ooh re-
gard to the Age of the Party: In many the Menſfrua's ap-
pear not till after the fourteenth Year, in few before, in
none till after twelve.
They ſtop naturally in ſome Women about the 5oth Year
of their Age, in ſome before; they continue in very few
Women after the five and fiftieth,
When they ftop through Age, the Woman is paſt Child-
bearing, not before, for then it ceaſeth to be with her after
92 Cuftom of Women.
Such as uſe themſelyes to ach. Exerciſes,
have but few of them, but thoſe few are very good Cauſes.
Blood; and the Reaſon why they have but few, is
becauſe the Blood is conſumed by Exerciſe.
2. Again many times, they are ſtopped in 3 fat
People, for their Veins are narrow, and that little Blood
they have is turned into Fat.
Such as are waſted by continual Sickneſs, have but
little ſuperfluous Blood in them.
4. Sometimes they are ſtopped by reaſon the Woman hath
the Hzmorrhoids or Piles at the Time.
5. Sometimes they fly up to ſome Sore or . Ulcers in the
Body, as happens to ſuch Women as have a. Canker in their
| Breaſts. Theſe I note but by the by. But
6. Sometimes either a hot or cold N of the Womb
itſelf cauſeth it. And |
7. Care, Fear, Sorrow and Grief cauſe it.
My preſent Scope is only to ſpeak of the two latter, and
more particularly of the laſt ſave one, for the Cauſes of the
laſt being taken away, Effects ceaſe.
The general Signs of a Woman moleſted: with Signs 25
this Diſeaſe are Heavineſs of the whole Body, mzeral.
Pronenefs
.
FLY. . *
1
bo Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged,
Proneneſs to Vomit, Loathing of Meat, and certain Tremb-
lings, ſuch as happen to Women with Child, Pains in the
Back, and ſometimes in their Stomach and Neck, and
Breaft, the hinder part of the Eyes, and the fore part of
the Head, and ſometimes their Body ſwells.
The diverſity of the Caſe may be partly
Particular. known by the relation of the Sick. A cool
Diſtemper is known by Dulneſs, Sleepineis,
Slowneſs in Moving, a Pale, Whitely, Leaden Colour. A
hot Diſtemper is known by the contrary Signs. I am no
way ignorant of the ways the Ancients uſed for the cure of
this Diſeaſe in Women; becauſe I like them not, I ſhall
make bold to leave them out, and inſert my own, for which
I ſhall give my reaſons. Conſidering that the ſtopping of
the Menſtrua's come thro' default in the Womb uſuaily, the
beſt way to help it, is by ſtrengthening the Womb. I ſhall
give you firſt the way of Cure. af |
_ Secondly, Cautions in uſing it.
1. Let the Patient fo. grieycd Sweat; for that
Cure. opens the Pores. The belt way is to Sweat in a
Fot-Houſe. | | |
2. Let the Womb be ſtrengthened by drinking a draught
of White-wine, wherein an handful of ſtinking Arach being
firſt bruiſed, hath been boiled; the Herb is common, it
| wo almoſt upon every Dung-hill throughout the Nation,
t by a ſecret, Magnetic Virtue ſtrengthens the Womb, and
by Sympathy removes any Diſeaſe thereof. Ow Bees
3. If there be together with this Infirmity Pains in the
Head, as uſually there is, for there is great Sympathy be-
tween the Head, and the Womb, and that's the reaſon all
Cephalic Herbs almoſt ſtrengthen the Womb, add a handful
of Vervain to it, which by a like Magnetic Virtue ſtrength-
ens both Womb and Head,
4. This being uſed two or three Days, if they come not
down : Take 7 Calaminth, Pennyroyal, Thyme, Mother of
Thyme, Bettony, Dittany, Burnet, Feather-few, Mug-
wort, Sage, Piony-roots (the Female are beſt in this caſe,
let Man part their Pleaſure) Juniper-berries ; half an hand-
ful of theſe, or ſo many of them as can be gotten, boiled in
Beer, and drank for ordinary Drink. ;
BN TT wu . | 5. Take
Culpeper's Midwiſe Enlarged, 6¹ |
Take one part of Gentian, two parts of Centaury: 10
Dia them with Ale in an Alembec, eee have bruiſed |
the Gentian roots, and infuſed them well: This water is an
admirable Remedy, not only to provoke the Terms, but al- |
ſo to refilt the Peſtilence, to help ſtuffings in the Stomach, 1
the Spleen, to Purge not only the Womb, but alſo the bo- 1
dy of Choleric and Corrupt, Humours. If ſo be you have | |
not this Water in a readineſs, Take a dram of Centaury,
and half a dram of Gentian Roots, beat them to Powder,
take it in the Morning in White wine; or you may boil an
handful of Centaury, and half a handful of Gentian Roots
bruiſed, and boil it in Poſſet drink, and brink a draught of
it at Night going to bed. |
6. The Seed of wild Navew beaten to Powder, and a
dram of it taken in the Morning in White-wine, doth the
like. | |
6. Alexander, roots bruiſed and boyled in the like man-
ner, perform the ſame Office ; other Simples which are
Medicinal, are the roots of Parſly, Fennel and Lovage,
Angelica-roots, the Herbs of Chervil, Maſter-wort and
Sage, perform the ſame : you may uſe them at your Diſcre-
tion. | | | 1 |
If this do not the ded, you mult let them Blood in the
Legs. | | |
E
© —
8
eee
*
Dr 3
— ——
N . e ME fa CONE 3
n
CAUTIONS.
—
Caut. 1. Give not any of thoſe to any that is with Child,
left you turn Murtherers, wilful Murther ſeldom goes un-
puniſhed in this World, never in that to come. |
2. Give your Medicines a little before the Full Moon,
or between the New and full Moon, for then blood encreaſ-
eth, but never in the Wane of the Moon; for if you do,
you had as good give them to an Oak The Moon hath
great influence upon all Elementary bodies, but more upon
Women than Men, becauſe they are of her own Sex.
| 3. Let the Patient uſe much Exerciſe. 8 1]
Te 4. If the Body be troubled with evil humours, let them 13
be purged out. The third Chapter will inftru& you how. 1
; 5. Sometimes |
*
*
: [}
LT 1
: LE
k
— ( :::n!?:e:!:
— — —
.
— — — — —
7
———
—
—
—
—
DT — a
— : PRE. n "_
- ——— 4
* .
1
—
—
F nd > OE RF TIES RIES
* * _ 3 =
OP IST. — * * 1 * E —
— _
Ss nn =
—ͤ—ſ—EPZ 40 ies ce Carat
* —
TOY
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[
62 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged
Sometimes (though but ſeldom) they are ſtopped
through fulneſs. This is known by vehement Pains about
their Reins, their Veins are ſwollen, and they are ſuch Peo-
ple as live idly, and abound in blood.
Such muſt be cured by ble geding i in the Arm, for fulneſs
cauſeth diſtention or richig | and diſtention hinders ex-
tramiſſion And bleeding in the Foot makes the diſtention
greater, as was well noted by Dr. Ri. Verius, Phy ſician to the
French King.
592 let chis be done with W 6 Ache. and ert War.
_ 7” 1 |
* 0 e 4 3% :
s % 118: HA id .:
We « Kar beg gr $f 5
Of the Owe flowing of the dels.
„Tur: are ſaid to overflow, when they continue lon-
ger than their uſual time; their uſual time of con-
tinuance is two or three Days; in ſome Women that give
themſelves to no Exerciſe, four or five Days.
2, When they come oftner than the Legitimate time.
Their Legitimate time is, the time that the Moon Travels
through the twelve Signs of the Zodiac, that is Twenty Se-
ven Days, ſome odd Hours, and odd Minutes. 1758
It is cauſed.
1. By Rupture of ſome Veſſel.
Cauſe. 2. By immoderate Purgation.
3. By ſome concording Humour.
4. By hard Labour in Child- bed, ar unkind hand-
7 ling in it.
Signs. Tf the Veſſels be broken, the blood guſheth
abundantly 3 in heaps... |
If ſome gnawing Humour, they are not much 3 in quanti-
ty, but come with much Pain. | 14
Tue other are eaſily to be n
Cauion. Such Women as are ſubje& | to this Diſeaſe,
| ſuffer Abortion upon every {light occaſion. -
Let them abſtain from Exerciſe. and moving as much as
may be, and from all: cold Drinks, - LESS lk
Becauſe
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 63
Becauſe this Diſeaſe weakens the Womb much, ſtreng-
en it as you are taught in the Chapter before.
And here I confeſs I differ from all Phyſicians that ever
rote, for they all unanimouſly hold that the Diſeaſe is firſt
be cured before the Part grieved be ſtrengthened ; where-
] counſel to ſtrengthen the Part firft, that ſo Nature may
> able to help on this Cure; the Work will be better and
oner done with Nature's help than without. Having firſt
rengthened the Womb, proceed to the Cure thus;
Cure. 1. Anoint the Reins of the Back with Oyl of Ro-
ſes, Oyl of Myrtle, or Oyl of Quinces, which you
eaſe. I ſuppoſe the laſt mentioned to be che beſt ; do thus
4 Night, and when you have ſo done, wrap a piece of
hite Bays about your Reins, the Cotton fide next your ſkin,
d keep the ſame Bays always to it. | oe OO
2. To inject the Juice of Plantane into the Womb, is an
mirable Remedy | |
3. Sage, the roots of Diſtort and Tormentil, Cinque-
yie, Knotgraſs, Comfry, Sannicle, Ladies Mantle, Gel-
n Rod, Looltrife, Meadſweat, Archangel (that blaſphe-
ous Name our Thyſicians give dead Nettles). Mouſe-ear,
lomon's Seal, Purſlane, Sorrel, Red-Beets, Shepperd's-
rſe, Red-Roſes, Acorn-cups, the bark of Oak-Trees,
C0, Maſtich, are Medicinal, boiled in your ordina-
Drink. |
u cannot expect I ſhould travel all over the Nation to teach
u; you ſee what ignorance the Learned College of Phy-
ans hath trained you up in; inſtruct you one another as
ell as you can, know that you were not born for yourſelves
lone, and I will do what J can to inſtruct you in the know-
doe of the Herbs before I am half a Year Older.
4. Above all, I commend this Medicine to you: Take
handful, boil them well (being ffi bruiſed) in Ale, and
ink a good draught of it now and then ; this (with the Bleſ-
of God) will help gau, tho", the Mouth, of the Veſſels. be
en
wrb, White Pepper, Call anum, of each one dram: Diſlve
| the
1
- aca ad ett agate, Loaf F centre uber ere onthe Seb 4 Ad did. Moo :* ho Ae
*
I could wifh from my Heart you knew all theſe Herbs;
comfry Leaves, or Roots, and clowns Wound-avort, of each
5. Take Cinnamon, Caſſia Lignea, Opium, of each two drans.;
WL $64 +.
*
8
— Y ek orgies it >" ig
Paldgar” , 4 - , ” —
2
AVER noe . ———— bore obs
62 Culpeper's Miduife Enlarged.
Sometimes (though but ſeldom) they are ſtoppe
through fulneſs. This is known by vehement Pains abo
their Reins, their Veins are ſwollen, and they are ſuch Pec
ple as live idly, and abound in blood.
Such muſt be cured by ble ceding in the Army for fulne
cauſeth diſtention or ſtrecchin's 80 diſtention hinders en
tramiſſion : And bleeding in t Net Foot makes the diſtentio
greater, 'as was well noted by Dr, Riverius, Phyſician to th
French King.
g. let this be done with Tons A ik. and Sant War
ne : ale ö
9939
}
6. rag ih Hud b T0 ß . 3
ale Ou, of the Menfrua'«
Pans are ſaid to overflow, when they continue lon
ger than their uſual time; their uſual time of con
tinuance is two. or three. Days ; in ſome Women that giv
themſelves to no Exerciſe, four or five Days.
2, When they, come oftner than the Legitimate time
Their Legitimate time 1s, "the time that the Moron Travel
through the twelve Signs of the Zodiac, that is Twenty Se
ven Days, ſome odd Hours, and odd Minutes.
It is cauſed.
. By Rupture of ſome Veſſel.
Cauſe. 2. By immoderate Purgation.
3. By ſome concording Humour.
4. By hard Labour in Child- bed, or unkind hand
| ling in it.
Signs, If the Veſſels be broken, the blood guſhet
abundantly in heaps.
If ſome gnawing Humour, they are not much in quant
ty, but come with much Pain.
| The other are eaſily to be known.”
Caution, Such. Women as are ſubje& to this Diſeai
9 ſuffer Abortion upon every fight occaſion. -
Let them abſtain from Exerciſe. and moving as much
may be, and frem all cold Drinks. 5
Becat
2
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 63
Becauſe this Diſeaſe weakens the Womb much, ſtreng-
then it as you are taught in the Chapter before.
And here I confeſs I differ from all Phyſicians that ever
wrote, for they all unanimouſly hold that the Diſeae is firſt
to be cured before the Part grieved-be ſtrengthened ; where-
as I counſel to ſtrengthen the Part firft, that ſo Nature may
be able to help on this Cure; the Work will be better and
ſooner done with Nature's help than without. Having firſt
ſtrengthened the Womb, proceed to the Cure thus;
Cure. 1. Anoint the Reins of the Back with Oyl of Ro-
ſes, Oyl of Myrtle, or Oyl of Quinces, which you
pleaſe. I ſuppoſe the laſt mentioned to be che beſt ; do thus
every Night, and when you have ſo done, wrap a piece of
white Bays about your Reins, the Cotton fide next your ſkin,
and keep the ſame Bays always to it. | „
2. To inject the juice of Plantane into the Womb, is an
admirable Remedy. 5 |
3. Sage, the roots of Diſtort and Tormentil, Cinque-
foyle, Knotgraſs, Comfry, Sannicle, Ladies Mantle, Gel-
den Rod, Looltrife, Meadfweat, Archangel (that blaſphe-
mous Name our Phyſicians give dead Nettles) Mouſe-ear,
Solomon's Seal, Purflane, Sorrel, Red-Beets, Shepperd's-
purſe, Red-Roſes, Acorn-cups, the bark of Oak-Trees,
Red-Coral, Maſtich, are Medicinal, boiled in your ordina-
ry Drink. |
I could with from my Heart you knew all theſe Herbs;
you cannot expect I ſhould travel all over the Nation to teach
you; you ſee what ignorance the Learned College of Phy-
ficians hath trained you up in; inſtruct you one another as
well as you can, know that you were not born for yourſelves
alone, and I will do what I can to inſtruct you in the know-
ledge of the Herbs before I am half a Year Older.
4. Above all, I commend this Medicine to you: Take
of comfiy Leaves, or Roots, and clowns Wound-wort, of each
an handful, boil them wvell (being h bruiſed) in Ale, and
drink a good draught of it now and then; this (with the Bleſ-
fing of God) will help yo, tho", the Mouth, of the Veſſels. be
open. 5 | 5
5. Take Cinnamon, Caſſia Lignea, Opium, of each two dranu;
Myrrh, White Pepper, Galt anum, of cach one drani: Diſſolve
the
; . Ts
54 ln WY — CC ———_— C7 III
, : Fr —— A — — ——
*
ee m
— — 1 {4
4 rr **
4 Wr — << 2 -
.
64 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
the Gum and Ofium in White wine, > oof the reft to Powder ;
then make them into Pills by mixing & * exattly , and
tet the Party Difeaſed tate two Pills every Ns going to Bed ;
| tet not 1 wer: contain above the Weight of. Mie Grains.
CHAP. III.
of the Flux of the Womb.
Dęſcrip- I. UX of the Womb is a continual Diſtillation from
tion. that part of the body for a long time together,
Nature carrying out the Excrement that way which ſhould
be voided ſome other way. 5
The Form and Colour of what is voided, ſhews what
humour offends, (if I had written to Scholars, I would
have faid the peccant humour) for,
In ſome it is Red, like putrified Blood, and that
Cauſe. proceeds from blood putrified.
from Flegm.
In ſome Vellowiſh, and that ſignifies Choler.
If pure bloed come on, if a Vein were opened, either ſome
Corroſion or Gnawing of the Womb is to be feared, or elſe
ſome Laceration or tearing in her laſt Delivery, and it is to
be feared the Midwife acted not her part either like an ho-
neſt, or like a knowing Woman. |
All of them are known by theſe Signs : The
Sign. place of Conception is continually moiſt with the
Humours, the Face is ill coloured, ſhe diſtaſteth
and abhorreth her Meat, breathes difficulty, the Eyes are
ſwollen, ſometimes with pain, ſometimes without. ;
The Cure is different as the Cauſe ; For,
N If Pure Blood COme out, you mult let blood i In
Care. the Arm in the firſt Place, and the Cephalick or Head
Vein is the fitteſt; for unleſs you draw back the
| Blood, you can never ſtop it, as you'muſt Pump out the Wa-
*, ter of a Ship before you can ſtop the Leak.
1 Then uſe the latter Medicines in the laſt Chapter, made
of * and Wound - wort,
| The
)
1
1
1
In ſome it is white and pale, and that proceeds |
oY % A 7-7
8
2
bn YE. —_ & THR WERE TW Ys PLE
— ——_—_— — — . —— —_— ů —
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 65
The Juice of Plantain injeQcd into the Womb is good ;
and if you add the Juice of Comfry to it, it were better. I
have taught you how to keep theſe Juices all the Year in
my Engliſb Phyfician Enlerged, the laſt Edition.
If Flegm be the cauſe, let Cinnamon be a Spice uſed in
all her Meats and Drinks, and let her uſe her body to hot
Antidotes, as Venice-Treacle, Mithridate, &c. to take a
little every Morning. |
Let her take of Coſtmary, Agrimony, the bark of com-
mon Elder, Dwarf Elder, Caraway-Seed bruiſed, Liquoriſh,
of each a handful ; which boiled in a pottle of White-wine
(or for want of it Rheniſh Wine) to a Quart, drink half a
Pin: of it every Morning, adding half a dozen drops of Spi-
rit of Caſtoreum to it, and an Ounce of Syrup of Roſes
with Agarick. |
Let her boil Burnet, Mugwort, Fetherfew and Vervainin
all her broths.
Let her, if ſhe pleaſe, purge her body with Pills of Am-
ber (you may find them, and the way how to make them,
in my laſt Edition of the London Diſpenſatory) ſhe may take
a Scruple at Night going to bed, they will not work till
next Day, and uſe this divers Nights.
Half a dram of Myrrh taken every Morning, is an excel-
lent Remedy for this Infirmity. N
If it come of Choler, let them take Borrage, Bugloſs,
Red Roſes, Endive and Succory Roots, Lettice, White
Poppy-Seeds, of each a Handful. Boil them in White
Wine, from a Pottle to a Quart; let her drink half a Pint
every Morning, to which half Pint add Syrup of Peach
Flowers, and Syrup of Cichory with Rubarb, of each an
Ounce. It will gently purge her, you may find the way
how to make them in my laſt Eaition of the London Diſpen-
fatory.
After the uſe of this ſome Mornings, let her take the
Powder of Ivory and Miſleto of the Oak, of each one
Scruple, mix'd -with half an Ounce of Conſerve of Roſes,
every Morning for a Week together (I never knew any
Author could give a reaſon why Miſleto, of the Oak,
ſhould be better than any other Miileto, neither do I
believe it is.) | 9 +
D Laſtly,
66 Culpeper's Midtoiſe Enlarged.
Laſtly, If it comes of putrified Blood, having firſt let
blood in the Foot, ſtrengthen the Womb as you were taught
I know all Writers hold Melancholy to be one cauſe of
this evil, but J am of a contrary Opiniofi, unleſs (as many
doj they take the aduſt Choler and aduſt Blood to be Melan-
choly, for Melancholy is altogether retentive, and how can
that cauſe Expulſion? |
make much of them.
1ꝗ. Let the Patient forbear violent Motions, Paſſions and
Perturbations of Mind. -
2. Let them forbear all ſharp and ſalt Meats, and ſuch
tungs as provoke Urine. 9
3. Of dead Nettles (which our Blaſphemous Phyſicians
eall_Arch-Angels, whereas the word Michael, who is the Arch—
4 * ſignifies as God) there are three ſorts, White, Red
and Yellow, iz. their Flowers are of that Colour; the
which way you pleaſe.
To cure all Diſeaſes read my Platerus, Sennertus, Ri perius,
Niolanus, Bartholinus, Johnſton, Veſtingius, &c.
| CHAP. Iv.
Of the Falling out of the Womb,
Deferip- "THE Womb is ſaid to be fallen out when it is ſo
| turn d down that it ſticks out, for it is never clo-
ſed from its Ligament.
Cauſe. Tt may be cauſed by ſome Fall, by a Blow, by
Overlifting, by vehement Trouble of Mind, by ſore
Careleſs when ſhe turns Midwife. |
| i The Diſeaſe is obvious to the Eye, and that is
Signs. Sign enough. | 5,
— The vulgar way of Cure is to put it in again with
a hot Cloth, and there it will ſtay as long as a Cat
tied to a Pudding; and if it be ſwell'd that it will not up,
| | bathe
I ſhall conclude this Chapter with three general Rules, |
White-Flowers help the White, the Red help the Red, and
the Yellow the Yellow Flux in Women, You may uſe them
Labour in Child-birth, by unſkilful drawing out the Child,
eſpecially if it be Dead, or of the After-birth, by Mother
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 67
| bathe it with a Decoction of Mallows, Linſeed and Fenu-
greek - ſeed boiled in Water; and if this do it not the firſt
time, uſe it the ſecond; and When you have got it up, let
the Woman lie with her Legs obs together; for fear ſhe
ſhould not, tie them together with a ſwathing Band; they
ſhould ſtop it with a Cork, and tie a Bladder over it alſo.
Let her uſe Odoriferous things to her Noſe; ſuch be
Civit, Galbanum, Sytrax Calamitis, Wood of Aloes, Ec.
let her apply ſtinking things to her Womb, ſuch be Aſſa-
fœtida Oil of Amber, the ſmoak of ker own Hair being burnt.
This is moſt certain, that the Womb flies from all ſtink-
ing things, and applies to alt ſweet Things, therefore theſe
are good; as alſo to apply a Plaiſter called Hyſtericum (you
may find in my laſt Edition of the Di/pen/atory) to the Belly,
in the middle of which Plaiſter, place ſome Cotton, and
upon the Cotton four or five Grains of Civet, and let the
Civet lie juſt upon her Navel.
But my own Magnetic Cure is this:
Take a common Bur- leaf (you may keep them dry if you pleaſe all
the Year ) and apply to her Head, and that will draw-the Womb
wpavards In the Fits of the Mother, put it under the Soles of her
Feet, and it will draw it deumwards, Bur-ſeed beaten into
Eo der will do the like, they command the Womb which way you
{eaje, and by orderly uſage will cure any Diſeaſe it.
Tis a Plant of Venus, and is beſt gathered when ſhe is
Angular and ſtrong in her hour, and the Moor applying to her.
If it will not readily go up, by reaſon of Careleſneſs in
not uſing the Remedy time enough; you may bathe it as you
are told, |
A 4 3
Of the Inflammation of the Womb.
HE Womb is inflamed by. many Cauſes, Canes.
. By a Blaw,
Zy flopping of the Terms,
By Abortion.
. By Ulceration.
By Immoderate Letchery,
By overmuch walking,
. By Cilds.
=} On ob 2 8 „
D 2 Sign
—
68 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
Signs, Its Companions are an acute Fever, pain in the
Heads, eſpecially about the hinder part or Root of
the Eyes, Cramps in the Arms, Fingers and Neck; the
Womb is vex'd with panting Pains: If all the Womb be
inflam'd, it will be Pain'd all over; if but part, the Pain
will be where the part inflamed 1s; For, if the hinder Part be
inflamed the Back is ſtrained moſt, and then they cannot go
well to Stool, becauſe the right Gut is preſſed together; or
if not ſo, tis diſtemper d.
If the forepart be Inflamed there is pain about the Blad-
der, and the paſſage of Urine is hindred; they make Urine
_ with difficulty, becauſe the paſſage is on the Fore- part of
the Womb. | SES
If any of both fides be Inflamed, the Leg next the In-
flamed fide, moves but ſlowly and heavily.
If it be in the Neck of the Womb, the paſſage is cloſe
and burning hot.
For Cure, Firſt ſtrengthen the Womb, as you
Cure. were taught before; for this may cure it by Sym-
pathy. If youcan do a thing by fair means, never
attempt it by foul: |
11 Endive and Succory- roots are commended by Authors in
FT this Diſeaſe, being boiled in clariſied Whey. But my own
i Directions are theſe few. ; |
+ 1, Clarifie your Whey, then boil Plantain Leaves or
Roots in it, and drink it for your ordinary Drink. Then,
2. Inject the Juice of Plantain into the Womb with a
s Syringe: If it be m Winter, when you cannot get Juice,
. make a ſtrong Decoction of the Leaves and Roots in Water,
; and inje&t that up with a Syringe, let it be but Blood-
warm. This Medicine is worth a Thouſand.
3. If the Body be Coſtive, uſe a Clyſter. |
be, 8 Let them avoid movings of Body and Troubles of
Mind. x | FI
1 ſeldom preſcribe Diets to Women, becauſe they have
gotten ſuch a trick they will keep none; yet becauſeſit is very
robable there are ſome wiſe Women (it were a hard caſe
elſe) I ſhall intreat them to ule a very ſlender Diet, and let
it Þe of ſuch Food as 1s cold and Moilt. Barley Broth is an
admirable Remedy for them; it were very well if they could
Fe | | latisty
——— —— 9
* *
. . Ac r —
* * *
3 . N 2
— — aa
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged, 69
ſatisfy themſelves with it, and Panada. As for Drink, let
them forbear all Wine and ſtrong Beer, much more Strong-
4 Water. | |
4 In all Inflammations eſpecially if the Inflammation be
reat, Blood-letting is an excellent and admirable Cure, as
| alſo very ſpeedy. In this caſe the beſt way, is to bleed them
in the Ancles, becauſe of the immediate paſſage between
the Vein Seh ena and the Womb. ES”
| 6. Outwardly apply to the Region of the Womb, Wool
moiſtened in Vinegar of Roſes. | f
7. If the Inflammation be near the neck of the Womb
make a Peſſary of Wool, dip it in Juice of Plantain, et
Juice of Purſlane, or Juice of Sengreen, and put it up
the Privities, |
.
| Of Windineſs of the Nemb.
HE Womb is ſometimes afflicted by Wind, or puffed
up; and this ſometimes appeareth to the Eye of Senſe,
and ſometimes it cannot be difcerned but by the Eye of
Reaſon. | | 2 K 0
Authors differ much in the Cauſe, and as much in the
Cure; however, they ſay, the Signs are Swelling in the
bottom of the Belly, pricking Pair in the Stomach, Back
and Head, Diſtention of the Sides: And ſometimes they
ſay, Women feel wind coming out of their Privities, (if you
will beleive them). ;
Ts tell you the truth, my Opinion is, that the Diſeaſe
you call the Fits of the Mother, is nothing but a windineſs of
the Womb, which becauſe it hinders not Conception that I
know of, 1 have nothing to ſay to it at this time; however,
it any Woman will not believe me, I cannot help it; tis
but forbearing windy Meats, and taking ſuch things as ex-
pel Wind, and ſtrengthen their Womb, as they were taught
before, and then it (together with Nature) helps itſelf.
As for moiſtneſs of the Womb, which many ſpeak and
N write of, how the Womb when it is over-moiſt will not re-
| tain the Seed, the thing is very propable, but the very fame
| with a Flux of Flegm, and to be cured the ſame way.
| D 3 | CH AF
—— - - K
* 9
*1 NY
\';
for I write to help you, not to trouble you.
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
CHEST YH.
Of the Heat and Dringſ of the Wink.
T HE Signs were ſhewn you before 'The Diſeaſe moſt
incident to Women of a Cholerick Complexion,
As for Remedy, ſuch Herbs as cool and moiſten are very
Medicinal, of which ſtinking Arrack (uſed as you have been
taught before) ſeems to bear the Preheminence.
Neither are Plantain and Mallows much inferiour to it,
uſed as before, eſpecially Plantain.
Goats Milk often drunk with Honey or Sugar, is a very
Excellent Drink for Women troubled with this Diſeaſe; and
if ſo, other Milk cannot be bad. |
And many other Herbs are Medicinal for this Infirmity ;
all which or fo many of them as you can get, you may boil
with a Sheeps Head till you have boiled all to pieces, and
- uſe the Decoction either as Drink or in Pottage.
The Herbs are theſe, Vine-leaves, Willow-leaves, Endive,
Succory both Rotts and Leaves, Violet-leaves Strawberry-
leaves, Raiſins of the Sun, Borrage, Bugloſs, either Leaves
or Flowers. | |
If you pleaſe, in ſuch Decoction you may take ten or
twenty Grains of Red Coral, mixed with as much Cinna-
mon. Swe my Engliſh Phyſician for this more at large.
If your Body need Purging, take ſuch Medicines as Purge
Choler, and without cool theiReins, or elſe you were as good
do nothing. Of which Caſſia Fiſtula newly drawn, ſeems
to me to be the beſt: Vou may take an Ounce of it when
you go to Bed. Never fear the following of your Buſineſs
the next day.
Laſtly, Appiy to your Navel a Cere- cloth, which you
may find in my laſt Edition of the London Diſpenſatery called
by Name Ceratum Santalinum. Other Remedies you may
find in this Book more at large, to which I refer you.
I confeſs I could have preſcribed many other Medicir ss,
as other Authors have done before me, as Peſſaries, Baths,
Fomentations, &c. but theſe, if rightly uſed, are enough,
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
SECT. III.
Of B arrenne/s againſt} Nature.
FT is not one Phyſician's Opinion alone, that many Wo-
men are made Barren by Diabolical Meanes.
I do not call them Diabolical, becauſe they cannot bz
acted without invocation of evil Spirits, but becauſe they
are done by abuſe of Nature; for as the right uſe of Natu-
ral Things is from God, fo the abuſe of them is from the
Devil. And fo many unworthy Creatures are wont to ſerve
Men and Women at the very time of their Marriage, that
the Man can never (before! it is remedied) have to do carnally
with his Wife, which is all Publick Marriages are good for :
Some, altho' the Scripture (that I know of) give no publick
Rule for Marriages yet we all know Marriage is a civil thing;
therefore ought more properly to belong to the civil Magit-
trate, than to the Cler y-Man ; but the Clergy get Money
by it, that's the Key of the Buſineſs. | |
However, to prevent ſuch Miſchief, Authors have left
wares As,
To carry St. 7 rt about them which for that
: canes is called Fugee Deemonum, a driver away of Devils. |
2, To carry a Loadſtone about them.
3. A Plaiſter of St. John's-Wort laid to the Reins.
4. A whole Swill hung over the Bed.
X yu heart of a Turtle Dove carried about then, Cum
muitis ali.
But ſuppoſe the Miſchief be already done, and the Man
cannot give his Wife due Benevolence, how may it be help'a?
In this I will tell you no more than I have known tried.
The Cure is eaſie, and was done by the Man only making
Water thro* his Wife's Wedding Ring, ſo theye was one
Superſtition helped another,
Such as would be ſkilful Phyſicians, let them read theſe |
Books of mine, viz. Platerus, Sennertus, Riverius, Riolanus,
own; wo ? J. Viftingius, Rulandus, Fernelins, Sandor,
Cole, &c.
; D 4 B O OK.
Y
L 22 ,
n 1 — voir
— —— —
Culpeper's Miazife Enlarged.
BOOK IV.
07 what hinders Conception,
7 1 Shall deliver py mind in this,
. By way of ordering the Body
2. By waz of Medicine,
And let each of theſe ſtand in a Section * itſelf.
: $A OT I
Hew a Woman that would hade Childten (mould irder her Body.
. IK Women would be fruitful, let them give themſelves
to exerciſe, Idleneſs is hateful to God, and deſtruc-
tive to the Creation; and that's the reaſon ſuch Women
live idly (as moſt of our City Dames do } have ſo few Chil-
dren, and thoſe they have ſeldom live, but are troubl'd with
unſuperable Diſeaſes till they die: Or if they live, they are fo
ſpoil'd by apiſh Education, that they ſeldom come to good:
Whereas poor Men and Women that labour hard, have ma-
ny Children uſually, and they are ſtrong and luſty.
I ſhall {to pleaſe you good Women) give you a ſhort Para-
Phraſe upon n Exercije and Re, yea, ſuch a one, that if
you mean to be wiſe, you may know what is mot fitting for
your own Bodies: But if you never intend to be wiſer, you
ihall not blame me when you whine for lack of Children, or
for the Death of thoſe you had.
Exerciſe is either Moderate or Immoderate,
Mederate is neither tos much, nor too Little.
.. ſmmogderate is either V. lemons or Exceffroe.
Moderate E A r
. Stirs up Natural Heat.
. Quickens the Spirits.
. Opens the Pores.
Waſts the Excrements of the third Digeſtion. |
6. Makes the Body, Senſes and Spirits ſtrong, and that's
the way: to have ſtrong Children.
S bv we
hy Comforts
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 73
6. Comforts all the Limbs. -
7. Helps Nature in all her Exerciſe, which Procreation
of Children is none of the leaſt,
Immoderate Exetciſe (which is a thing our City-Dames are
* unacquainted wth unleſs it is Exerciſe their Tongues.)
. Waſts, Dries, Conſumes, Wearies both Body and
| Spirits
2, Hurts the Body in every part.
2. Overthrows Nature's Actions.
Reſt is Moderate or Immoderate.
Moderate Reft.
1. Comforteth and refreſheth Nature,
2. Recruits a Tired Brain,
3. Maintains Health
4+ Strengthens both Body, Senſes and Members,
| Immoderate Reſi or extream Idleneſs.
Dulls both Minds Senſes and principal Inſtruments of
the Body.
2. Cauſeth Crudities, evil Humours, evil Excrements,
Cold, Sickneſs, infinite Infirmities, above half the Infirmities
that accompany the Body of Man and Woman, and there.
fore it was nobly done of Lycurgus the Spartan, to ue 5
every one to work four Hours in a Day.
It haſtens old Age.
It cauſeth Deformity.
Hark, you Women, if you would be Young and Fair
uſe yourſelves to Labour.
And now, if you can ſind any of theſe accidents i in your
ſelves, you know both the Cav/e and the Cure.
Secondly, Diſcontent wonderfully hinders Conception, and
C_ furthers it as much.
. I ſhall ſpeak of Content, in which conſider.
Content of red Dilates the Heart and Arteries where-
by the vital Blood or Spirit is ſufficiently diſtributed through-
out the Body, and thence ariſe ſuch affeQions as Pleaſe, Re-
create and Refreſh the Nature of Man, as Hope, Joy, N
Gladneſs, Mirth, Sc.
2. They Comfort and Strengthen not only the parts of the
Body, but alſo the Operations and Imaginations of the Mind:
Por it is —_ upon by all Authors, yea, the truth it ſelf
| D 5 hath
74 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged,
operates moſt forcibly in the Conception of the Child. How
much the better then were it for Women to lead contented
Lives, that ſo their Imaginations may be pure and clear, that
ſo their Conception may be well Formed, than to Vex Fret
and Fume, Fling and Throw, Murmer and Repine, and fill
their Minds full of diſtracting Cares and Fears, as an Egg is
of Meat, making a Tumult in the Spirits, and bring all
their Thoughts into ſuch a Confuſion, that they look more
like Beaſts than Women, ſo that if they could but ſee them-
ſelves, they could not but be aſham'd, to ſee how like An-
ticks they are. The beit Medicine I can preſcribe them in
this Diſeaſe, is this, that they would give their Mind often
to read that excellent Book of Mr. Jerremiah Burroughs En-
tituled Chri/tzan contentment, where I am confident they ſhall
find all their Objections anſwered; and a Women ſeldom
wants Objections, if ſhe do but look upon her Apron-ftrings.
As fer Diſcontent, I ſhall give you my Judgment.
1. Ms a Phyſician.
| 2. As a Divine.
1. A. a Pzgyſician.
1. It ſtirs up ſuch affections in the Body as are Inimical both
to Body and Mind, and therefore muſt need either kill or
ſpoil the Child in the Womb: Such are Anger, Paſſion, Ha-
tred, Fear for things to come, Fear for things paſt, Sorrow,
Sighing and Grief of Mind. All theſe Corrupt the very
Nouriſhment wherewith the Child is nouriſned in the Womb,
and oftentimes kills the Fruit in the very Bud.
2. It diverts the vital Heat from the circumference to the
Center, thereby conſuming the vital Spirits, by which means
they come very flowly, or not at all to the Child. |
3. It Deſtroys, Overthrows, Murthers both Body Mind.
4. It haſtens old Age and Death, by conſuming the Ra-
dical Moiſture.
2. AM a Divine.
T beſeech you to let my councel be acceptable to you,
conſider what you do. |
1. When you have been diſcontented twenty four Hours,
you are never the wiſer, never the nearer to the obtaining
of what you deſire; ho by taking care can add a Hair's Bread!th
to his
hath ſet its Seal to it, that the Imagination of the Mother
|
e . 7 Wt WB.
2
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 73
to his ſtature? And what a fooliſh thing it is to do your ſelves
ſo great a miſchief without the leaſt hope of doing your
ſelves the leaſt good? .
2. Diſcontent keeps you from the good you defire. You
will not give your Children a thing while they cry, neither
will God you, while you are Diſcontented. |
3. It makes your Evil worſe: Becauſe others wrong you,
you will wrong your ſelves; becauſe you want temporal
things, you will want Health alſo. — 5 Eg
4. All things come by the Providence of God; and what-
ſoever Mans end be, his ends are always good, Are not tabs
Sparrows ſald for a Farthing, and yet not one of them falls to the
ground without your Father? If God takes care for the Spar-
rows, one of which is worth but half a Farthing, will he
not take care for you?
5. It ſtews your Spirits linked to the World, and not ri-
ſen with Jeſus Chriſt; for if Diſcontent for things of this
World take up your Thoughts, tell me what of you is riſen
with Chriſt? He that is riſen with Chrift, minds the things that
are above, |
6. It ſhews you are little provided for Death; if you know
you muſt leave the World, why are you Diſcontented that
it leaves you? | 3
7. You deny Eternity; for if you knew the World ſhould
be conſumed, you would uſe if to tread upon, not to fill your
Pockets with. |
8. Your Intereſt in Chriſt is but little; for achere the Car-
caſs is, thither auill the Eagles gather together. |
9. How juſtly may God withdraw his Protection from
ſuch as cannot reſt upon it without Diſcontented Hearts.
10. You put away your own comfort. All true comfort
comes from the Holy Ghoſt the Comforter ; and the Holy Ghoſt
ſeldom or never reſts upon a ſad Soul. And therefore the
Prophet E/;a called for Muſic to chear his Spirits before he
was fit to receive the Spirit of God. Conſider theſe things
and you ſhall ſee what a folly and madneſs Diſcontent is.
That you have two Ways, or Means of Fruitfulneſs,
1. Exerciſe of Body.
2. Content of Mind, |
| D 6 I Thavg
*
* :
.
{Bi}
7%
* #
1 * Vf
|
19
1 |
2 'v
4 .
%
N
By away of Caution.
76 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
1 have but one more, and that is, to preſerve the Womb in
a due decorum. I note is here only, becauſe People are very
ignorant in Phyſic; The former Rules will help you if you
would have Children, ſee that the Menftrua's come down in
good order, the Colour of them will ſhew you what Humour
offends; purge it out; the former Rules will direct you. I
mean thofe in the laſt Book, in the Chapter, Of Flux of the
Womb. If they come down Difcoloured it ſhews ill Diet.
If pure Blood comes down, be ſure that Woman is very
Prone to concerve with Child.
Jo Cure all Diſeaſes, read my Placerus, Sexnertus, Riverius,
Riolanus, Bartholinus, Fobnſton, V eftingius, &C.
SH "S © =o): wh -&
| Medicines for a Woman that wwould have Children.
12 H IS I ſhall deliver to you.
n 1. By =vay of Cantion,
2. By away of Precept.
=
1. Ule not the act of Copulation too often: Some ſay it
makes the Womb ſlippery : I rather think it makes the Womb
more willing to open than ſhut. Satiety gluts the Womb;
and makes it unfit to do its Office, and that's the reaſon
Whores have ſeldom Children: And alſo the reaſon why
Women after long abſence of their Huſbands, when they
come again, uſually ſoon conceive. |
2. Let the time be convenient; for fear of ſurprize hin-
ders Conception. po 1
3. Let it be after perfect digeſtion, let neither hunger nor
drunkenneſs be upon the Man or Woman.
4. Let the deſire of Copulation come Naturally, and not
by Prevocation, the greater the Woman's deſire of Copulati-
on is, the more ſubject is ſhe to Conceive.
5, Women are more ſubject to Conceive a day or two
after the Monthly Terms are ſtayed.
6. Avoid Eating, or Bearing about you all ſuch things as
eauſe Barrenneſs: Such be the Bones of a Stagg's Heart,
Emeralds, Sapphires, Ivie-Berries, Jet, Burnet-Leaves and
Roots Karts, Tongue, Steel-Duſt, Mints, Sc.
2
7. Apiſa
55 Culpepet's Midwife Enlarged. 77
7. Apiſh ways and manners of Copulation hinder Con-
ception. n 8
By away of Precept.
1. The Runnet of a Hare mixt with a little Cotton and
put up into the Womb as Paſſary, and remaining there @
Day, is an excellent Remedy: But let it be done preſantly
upon the ſtopping of the Menſtrua's and tied up in a Linnen
Cloth, and a ftring tied to it, that ſo you draw it out again,
elſe you will make mad work. |
2. It the Woman's Body be too hot, letting Blood in the
Vein Saphera, profiteth much. 1. Becauſe it cools, 2. Be-
cauie it cleanſcth the Womb. |
3. A Loadftone carried about the Woman, cauſeth not
only Conception, but concord between Man and Wife.
4. The Heart of a Male Quail carried about the Man,
and the Heart of a Female about the Woman, furthers
Conception exceedingly, and cauſeth mutual Love.
5. The Root of Eringo, Piony and Satyrion, being eaten,
cauſe Conception. So p
6. Exerciſe your Bodies before you taxe Counſel of the
under Sheet; go to the School of Mars before you go to the
School of Venus. | | —
7. A Plaiſter of Labdanum ſpread upon Leather, and
applied to the Region of the Womb, mightily diſpoſeth it
to Conception.
Theſe Rules are excellent. I confeſs many other may
be added in reſpect of Food, Diet and the like; for which
take this general Rule, 4/7 Creatures that are fruitful, being
eaten, make thoſe fraitful that eat them, as Crabs, Lobfters,
Prauns, Sc. a |
Likewiſe the Ancients have left many xvays. You may take
them as Meats or Medicines; ſime of which are theſe: ©
1. Caſtoreum in Powder, take half a dram, or a ſcruple
in Malmſey in the Morning. |
2. The Womb of a Hare beaten to Powder, and taken
in like Manner. N
3. A ſeruple of Galangal taken every morning in Powder
rids the Body of ſuch infirmities as cauſe Barrenneſs. Take
White-Wine. And truly I believe for very moiſt Women
there 1s ſcarce a better Remedy.
#
78 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
4. The Stones of a Fox dried and beaten to Powder, and
a a dram taken in the Morning in Sheep's Milk.
5. The Stones of a Boar uſed in the like manner.
6. The Brain of Sparrows and Pigeons eaten, and (for
ought I know) you may eat Fleſh and all, for they are very
fruitful Creatures. |
7. The Pizle of a Bull dried and grated to Powder, and
a dram taken at a time.
- . 8. To hold ſweet things to the Place of Conception,
before the a& of Copulation, becauſe they draw the Womb
down; but after the act, to the Noſe, to draw the Matrix
up. |
\ Theſe, with many others, too tedious here to relate, have
been quoted by Authors. |
Such as would cure all Diſeaſes, let them read theſe Books
of mine, viz. Platerus, Sennertus, Riverins, Riolanus, Bar-
tholinus, Johnston, Veſlingius. Rulandur, Sandor, Cole, &C.
— "_
» —
10.
A Guide for We omen in Conception,
Ome Women are ſo ignorant, they do not know when
they are Conceived with Child, and others ſo coy they
| will not confeſs when they do know it, I ſhall labour to
help the former. The latter if they will learn to be a little
wiſer, may help themſelves. |
I ſhall then divide this Book into theſe Chapters,
1. Signs of a Woman conceived with Child.
2. Whether a Male or Female be concetved.
3. Conception of Twins, and the Reaſons.
=o Authors Confuted.
4. Of imperfe Children.
Authors Opinion,
My own. |
| CHAP.
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 79
CAN
Signs of Conception,
M ay are the ways Authors have left for Women to
know whether they be with Child or not, which hap-
pens true in many Women, but not in all; ſome of which I
ſhall quote, vix.
1. A coldneſs and chilneſs of the outward parts after Co-
pulation, for the heat retires to make the Conception.
2. The Belly waxeth very flat, becauſe the Womb cloſeth
it ſelf together to nouriſh and cheriſh the ſeed.
3. Wringing or Griping Pains like Cramps happen in the
Belly about the Navel. | 4
4. Loſs of Appetite to Victuals, and ſour belchings, ex-
ceeding weakneis of Stomach.
5. Divers Appetites and Longings are ingendered,
6. If cold Water be drunk, a coldneſs is left in the Breaſt.
7. The Tops of the Nipples look redder than formerly.
8. The Breaſts begin to ſwell and wax hard, not without
pain and ſoreneſs, |
9. The Veins of the Breaſts are more clearly ſeen, than
they were wont to be, .
10. The Veins of the Eyes are clearly ſeen, and the Eyes
. ſeem ſomething diſcoloured, as a Looking glaſs will ſhew
yon: This is a good ſign. |
11. The Body is weakned and the Face diſcoloured.
12. The Excrements of the Guts are voided painfully,
becauſe the Womb ſwelling, thruſts the right Guts together,
Theſe be the Vulgar Rules, or at leaſt the beſt of them.
Give me leave to deliver what I have known to be true,
and never yet failed me,
1. If under the Eye the Vein be ſwelled, I mean under
the lower Eye-lid, the Veins in the Eyes appearing clearly,
and the Eye ſomething diſcolour'd, if the Woman have not
her Terms upon her at the time, nor watched the Night be-
fore, you may certainly conclude her to be with Child: And
this appears moſt plainly juſt upon her Conception, and the
firſt two Months. I have told many Women of it before
they have been with Child a fortnight and never failed.
2. Stop
8
78 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
4. The Stones of a Fox dried and beaten to Powder, and
a a dram taken in the Morning in Sheep's Milk.
The Stones of a Boar uſed in the like manner.
6. The Brain of Sparrows and Pigeons eaten, and (for
ought I know) you may eat Fleſh and all, for they are very
fruitful Creatures.
7. The Pizle of a Bull dried and grated to Powder, and
a dram taken at a time.
8. To hold ſweet things to the Place of Conception,
before the act of Copulation, becauſe they draw the Womb
down; but after the act, to the Noſe, to. draw the Matrix
u
| Theſe, with many others, too tedious here to relate, have
deen quoted by Authors.
Such as would cure all Diſeaſes, let them read theſe Books
of mine, viz. Platerus, Sennertus, Riderius, Riolanus, Bar-
tholi nut, Johnston, Veflingius. Rulandus, e „Cole, &c.
*
—
1600 TY,
8 —
A Guide for Women in C onception,
Ome Women are ſo ignorant, they do not know when
they. are Conceived with Child, and others ſo coy they
will not confeſs when they do know it, 1 ſhall labour to
hel the former. The latter if they will 3 to be a little
wiſer, may help themſelves.
I ſhall then divide this Book into theſe Chapters,
. Signs of a Woman conceived with Child.
2. Whether a Male or Female be conceived.
3. Conception of Twins, and the Reaſons.
4.
Authors Confuted.
Of imperfe? Children.
Authors Opinion,
My own.
| CHAP.
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. | 79
CHN. ;&,
Sigus of Conception.
MI Any are the ways Authors have left for Women to
know whether they be with Child or not, which hap-
pens true in many Women, but not in all; ſome of which I
ſhall quote, vix. |
1. A coldneſs and chilneſs of the outward parts after Co-
pulation, for the heat retires to make the Conception.
2. The Belly waxeth very flat, becauſe the Womb cloſeth
it ſelf together to nouriſh and cheriſh the ſeed.
3- Wringing or Griping Pains like Cramps happen in the
Belly about the Navel. | 6
4. Loſs of Appetite to Victuals, and ſour belchings, ex-
ceeding weakneis of Stomach. | 5
5. Divers Appetites and Longings are ingendered.
6. If cold Water be drunk, a coldneſs is left in the Breaſt.
7. The Tops of the Nipples look redder than formerly.
8. The Breaſts begin to {well and wax hard, not without
pain and ſoreneſs,
9. The Veins of the Breaſts are more clearly ſeen, than
they were wont to be, >
10. The Veins of the Eyes are clearly ſeen, and the Eyes
ſeem ſomething diſcoloured, as a Looking glaſs will ſhew
yon: This is a good ſign. | |
11. The Body is weakned and the Face diſcoloured.
12. The Exc:cments of the Guts are voided painfully,
becauſe the Womb ſwelling, thruſts the right Guts together,
Theſe be the Vulgar Rules, or at leaſt the beſt of them.
Give me leave to deliver what I have known to be true,
and never yet failed me,
1. If under the Eye the Vein be ſwelled, I mean under
*
the lower Eye-lid, the Veins in the Eyes appearing clearly,
and the Eye ſomething diſcolour'd, if the Woman have not
her Terms upon her at the time, nor watched the Night be-
fore, you may certainly conclude her to be with Child: And
this appears moſt plainly juſt upon her Conception, and the
firſt two Months. I have told many Women of it before
they have been with Child a fortnight and never failed.
— 85 | 2. Stop
80 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged,
2. Stop the Urine of the Women cloſe in a glaſs thres
days, and then ftrain it thro” a fine linnen cloth; if you ſhall
find ſmall living Creatures in it, ſhe is moſt aſſuredly con-
ceived with Child; for the Urine which was before part of
her own Subſtance, will be generated as well as its Miftreſs.
3. Take a handſome green Nettle, and put it into the U-
rine of the Womrn, cover it cloſe, and let it remain in a
Whole Night; if the Woman be with Child, it will be full
of red ſpots on the Morrow; if not, it will be blackiſh.
And thus much for Prognoſticks, whether a Woman be
with Child or not. = |
CH AF. HI.
Whether a Woman be conceived of a Male or of a Female.
Erein alſo I ſhall, |
I. Deliver you the Opinions of Authors.
2. What I bade found to be true by Experiences.
* Authors give theſe to be ſigns of Conception of a
K. |
1. The Woman when ſhe riſeth up from a Chair, or the
like, doth ſooner ſtay her ſelf upon her right Hand than on
the left. 2 | |
2, The Belly lies rounder and higher than when it is a
emale. N 81
3. The Child is firſt felt to ſtir on the right ſide, becauſe
according to Hippocrates, the Male Children lie on the right
ſide of the Womb. | | |
4. The Woman breeds Boys eaſier and with lefs pain than
Girls, and carries her burden not ſo heavily, but is more
nimble in moving. |
5. The right breaſt is more plump and harder than the left
and the right Nipple redder. 6
6. The colour of the Woman is more clear, and not ſo
ſwarthy as when ſhe conceives a Girl. © x54
The contrary of theſe are ſigns of Conception of a Female
it were but loſs of time and blotting of Paper to quote them.
I Theſe are ſome of the vulgar Rules, and the beſt of them;
I never knew theſe fail. * |
_—_
* If the
.
— 3 as
innen, 2» 4
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged. 81
1. If the circle under the Woman's Eye, which is of a
wan blew Colour, be more apparent under the right Eye,
and the veins more apparent in her right, and that moſt diſ-
colour'd, ſhe is with Child of a Boy; if the marks be molt
apparent in the left, judge her to be with Child of a Girl.
2. Let her milk a drop of her Milk into a Baſon of fair
Water, if it ſinks to the Bottom as it drops in, round in a
drop, it is a Girl ſhe goes withal; for if it be a Boy, it will
ſpread and ſwim at top; this I never new fail, tho' it be con-
trary to all Authors that I ever read.
CHAP. 1,
Of the Canception of Tawins.
A Uthors make ſome flutter about the conception of Twins
and what the reaſon ſhould be; as alſo how many
children a Woman might naturally have at one Birth.
The Ancients held a Woman might naturally have ſeven,
three Boys, and three Girls, and one Hermaphrodite; and their
Opinion was grounded upon another as Childiſh (for one
Error uſhers in another) becauſe they conceived a Woman
had ſeven cells in her Womb, but long ſince. Anotomiſts be-
ginning to grow pretty perfect in their manual Operation,
having Pars out that the Womb had but one Cell, this re-
diculous Opinion was quickly exploded.
Others hold a Woman can naturally have but two Chil-
dren, and their Reaſon is, becauſe ſhe hath but two Breafts :
i Tknow no Reaſon but why they may as well hold a Woman
can go but two Miles, becauſe ſhe hath but two Legs. We
know well enough, that whatſoever is againſt Nature, is mi-
raculous: And we know as well that tis no: Miracle for a
Woman to have three Children at one Birth. - 27 ne
In Ægypt many times Women have five or fix Children
at one Birth; the reaſon is ſuppoſed to be the Fruitfulneſs
of the Place, and if fo (as is propable) then let Women
that would be fruitful, live in Fuitful Places. |
Ariflotle quotes a Woman that brought fourth twenty
perfect Children at four Births, ©» . |
| | | Tragus
-
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ö
5 }
.
N.
4
&
13
= © j
K 1
14
3 1
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3
4
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5
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7
92 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
Tragus tells a Story of another in Ægipt that had fever!
Children at one Birth. | |
All this is nothing to what Albertus Magnus talks of for he
tells of one Woman who had twenty-two perfect Children
in her Womb at one time, and miicarried of them all; and
of another who had an hundred and ſifcy at once, all as
big as a Man's little Finger. |
Befides, they ſay in a Monaſtery in Holland, there remains
a Tomb of one Margaret, a Counteſs of Holſtead, who had
three hundred fifty four living Infants born at a Birth; and
all Chriſten d. I urge no Man or Woman's Faith to believe
theſe things: But come,
Firſt, To the Cauſe of Conception of Twins, or more Children
than one at once.
Secondly, Whether Tavins be Conceived at one and the
fame Time.
1. The Cauſe why Twins are Conceived.
Herein Authors are Various: 8 5
Avicenna and Haly Abbas, held the Cauſe to divers Cells
in the Womb: but that as I told you, hath long ſince been
found out as falſe, as what is falſeſt. .
Empedecles, attributes it to the plenty of Seed, which is able
to procreate more than one.
Efelepiades, to the ſtrength of the Seed by the ſame reaſon.
| Ptolemy, tothe Poſition of the Stars, at the time of Copulation.
2. About the ſecond, which is the greater Queſtion of the
two, Authors differ much. |
Some of the Ancients, and almoſt all modern Writers hold
them to be conceived at one and the ſame act of Copulation;
the Seed not being ejaculated out all at once. is divided in
the Womb, and ſo more than one Child conceived. This
though it ſeems ſomething plauſible, yet it will not hold Water.
Another Reaſon they give is, becauſe the Womb having
received the Seed, ſhuts ſo cloſe that it cannot give intermii-
ſion to any more Seed; and this is as weak as the other.
For anſwer to the firſt. ;
The beginning of the Conception is not the caſting of the
Seed into the Womb; for then a Woman muſt needs con-
ceive every time ſhe hath carnally to do with her Huſband ;
but the Exquiſite mixture of the Seed of both Sexes, is the
very
o
e
F as __
v —
$
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged, 83
very beginning and cauſe of Conception, and that the Womb
having but one Cell, can exquiſitely mix Seed in two Places-
in that Work cloſing it ſelf ſo cloſe, that no vacuum is left,
is incredible, To the ſecond I anſwer.
The Womb ſhuts not ſo cloſe, but what Seed is ſuperſiu.
ous, hath a Place to be let out,
2. It is the Delights of Venus that opens the Womb at all
times, for it opens the Muſcles, therefore voluntarily; and.
why can it not open the Womb at one time as well as at another?
3. Neither do all Authors agree, that Twins are conceiv-
ed at one and the ſame time, for Eraſſtratus a famous Phy ſi-
cian, and all the Stoic Philoſophers, were of my Opinion,
wiz, that they are conceived at divers times. |
4. All things are brought to paſs by a due Limitation of
time; and two Children conceived at onee,. muſt needs be
born at once, which is impoſſible; he that would know
more of this, let them but Peruſe the Trutina of Hermes, one
of the wiſeſt of Men and let him but underſtand what he
reads, and it is poſſible he may tell you (having the Nativities
of both Twins) the very Hour and Minute when they were-
Conceived. Let no Afrologer object to me, that the Tratina
of Hermes is not exact to a Minute; but let them know, that
if there be a Truth in it th a Sign aſcending, there muſt needs
be a Truth to a Degree, and Minute, and Second; for Truth
comes to a Pun, and the Failing man be in their non-under-
ſtanding of him. | K-35
5. All Authors hold a kind of ſtrange thing they call
Superfertation, in Women: Superfetation, as the Word figgt-
fies, is a Woman's Conceiving of a ſecond Child, after ſhe
has conceived of the firſt. |
Authors are very frequent in Proof of this, and ſome ſuch
have been known in London.
I ſhall let paſs what Poets ſay of Alcmene's bringing forth
Hercules and Iphyclus, one at the end of the ſeventh, the other
at the end of the tenth Month (they that wou'd read it, may
find it in Plautus his firſt Play, Amphytrio,) and come to the
relation of more ſober Authors, and ſuch as are fide digmores.
| Hippocrates writes of a Woman of Larija, who brought
forth two living and perfect Children, forty Days diſtant the
one from the other. | |
. Ariſtotle,
1 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
ſome of the Births were two Months diſtant.
- Rhafis and Awicenmna hold, That all Women that have
their Terms, during the Time of their Going with Child,
are ſubject to conceive again. |
Pliny gives divers Examples of it, Dodoncus in his Obſerva-
tions, many more. And the like you may read in Laurentius.
a Woman to perfect a fecond Conception aſter ſhe is conce1-
ved at the firſt; and if fo long after, as Authors ſay, then
much more likely ſooner, before the Womb is filled with the
growth of the firſt. But to make the matter beyond all diſ-
pute, whereas our Tranſlation ſaith, Gen 42. And ſhe concei-
ved AGAIN and bare his Brother Abel: "Thoſe that have Skill
in the Original know, that it ſhould be tranſlated, She Con-
ecived upon Conception, and bare his Brother Abel, Let
this put an end to the Diſpute. |
And then, if the Tratina of Hermes, be true, (I have heard
many cavil at it, but never any diſprove it, nor bring a bit of
wile Reaſon againſt it) there you may find a reaſon why two
Children may be conceived at a month's diſtance, and yet
born in one Day; and if two Children, lying in the ſame
Wemb at the ſame time; be at any time conceived at twice,
is it moſt propable they are ſo always? However, this is ap-
parent, that by Teſtimony of all Authors, yea by the Judg-
ment of that prudent Phyſician Dr. RE ASON, a Woman
may miſcarry of one Twin, and yet go out her whole time
With the other, as Hippocrates quotes in his Book, De Natura
Puer. Nay, both Ariſtotle and he, quote Women who brought
forth two Children at one Birth, and a third fifteen weeks
I after : Then it follows, that they are little better than Mur-
bl derers, who force away the ſecond Child the firſt being born
. before tis time; eſpecially, if the flux of Blood be not great
*
nor ſigns of Labour appear.
iy Women defere the Act of Copulation after they have Conceived,
3TH 2 5 ewhen Beaſes do not. |
= Popper the Daughter of Agrippa the Roman, a wanton Laſs,
4 YA being aſked the Queſtion: Why Beaſts did not deſire it as
| f well as Women ? Anſwered, becauſe they are Beaſts. 7
N |
1 g 1 2
TELL % 5
© Ariflotle, de Hiſtoria Animalium, abounds in Examples; and
Thus then you ſee by this Argument, That 'tis poſſible ior .
N
75
5
bt
W n 8
1 Li
Mt re e
f
Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged 85
The Anſwer was acute 'tis eonfeſt, and acuter, becauſe not
premedirated, and our own Writers give no wiſer ; for they
ſay 'tis a Prerogracive and Virtue God hath only given to
Woman. Alaſs, poor Fools. that make a Vertue, of a Vice.
The very truth is, the Curſe of God for Adam's firſt Sin
lies more heavily upon Man than. it doth upon Beaſts, and
Luſt is a greater part of this Curſe ; and the Propagation of
many Children at once, an Effect of that Intemperancy:
And that J ſuppoſe to be Hippocrates his Reaſon of forbidding
Copulation to Women with Child. For my own part, far be
it from me to forbid it; for I know well enough the Nature
of Men are ſo vicious, that he mutt have to do with his Wife,
or ſome other Body elſe in that time, or do that which is
worſe than either. However, hereby you ſee the Fruits' of
Original Sin, and what Cauſe you have to be humbled in
thc preſence of God for it, and require his Aſſiſtance againſt
the wretched Effects it produceth.
CHAP. IV.
Of the Imperfed? Children.
ANY are the Forms which Authors have left to Poſte-
rity, of Monſtruous Births; ſome altered in reſped of
Sex, as Hermaphrodites, ir. Form as Beaſtial, ſome double. bo-
died, ſome maimed, and many others which would do me
no good to write of, and you as little to read it. e
Authors differ much in this Cauſe. _.
The Divine refers it to the Jadgment of God alone, which
if true without the help of Nature, then is every Monſter
a Miracle. „
Arologers, they refer it to the Stars, and the Poſition of the
Moon in deficient degrees, at the time of Conception.
J cannot cloſe with any of both theſe, neither altogether
with a third, which are more propable, although perhaps
the Judgment of 4/tre/ogers may concur. | =
Some hold the Imagination of the Women to be a great
Cauſe, by beholding either ſuch Monſters or ſuch Pictures;
and that's the Reaſon, they ſay, that they are ſo frequent
in Zgypt, So alſo you may read of one that brought —
ac
86 Culpeper's Midwife Enlarged.
Black-more, the Woman beholding the Picture of a Black-
more hanging in her Chamber. And of a Woman at Pa,
that broug 12 a Child full of Hair like a Camel, becauſe
ſhe was ſo ſuperſtitiouſly wiſe to kneel every Day to the Pic-
ture of John: the Baptiſ cloathed in Camels Hair. Alſo I my ſelf
kno
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