A Briefe Discovrse of a Disease called the Suffocation of the Mother

Transcriber’s notes :
The content of this book has been preserved in its original form as far as possible. However, because some of the scanned text was indistinct and difficult to interpret, the transcription is a ‘best guess’ in some places. The text has many anomalies with regard to punctuation, capitalisation and use of italics. The Middle English language has archaic uses of ‘u’ ‘v’ ‘i’ and ‘j’ as well as the long ‘s’ (replaced with a normal ‘s’ in this transcription). In keeping with the era, the spelling is non-standard and uses space-saving contractions (equivalent to present-day use of an apostrophe to indicate omitted letters). Some of the marks denoting a contraction were indistinct, but in this transcription all are represented by a tilde (~) above the word. The text contains many sidenotes and footnotes, some of which were impossible to differentiate with certainty. Three footnotes (19, 20, 52) lacked identifiable anchor markers within the text, so markers have been inserted at ‘best guess’ locations and the respective footnotes identified with two asterisks. The footnotes have been numbered consecutively and repositioned at the end. A short table of contents (that was not present in the original) has been added to the transcription to assist readers.
The cover image of the book was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
Written vppon occasion which hath beene of late taken thereby, to suspect possession of an euill spirit, or some such like supernaturall power.
Wherein is declared that diuers strange actions and passions of the body of man, which in the common opinion, are imputed to the Diuell, haue their true naturall causes, and do accompanie this disease .
By Edvvard Iorden Doctor in Physicke .
LONDON. Printed by Iohn Windet , dwelling at the Signe of the Crosse Keyes at Powles Wharfe . 1603.
TO THE RIGHT WOR shipfull the President and Fellowes of the Colledge of Phisitions in London.
As I am desirous to satisfie all indifferent men concerning the occasion and intent of this my discourse: so I thought good to direct the same especially vnto this societie, whereof I am a member; to testifie both how iustly or rather necessarily I haue beene drawn to the vndertaking and publishing hereof: as also how willing I am to submit my selfe to your learned censure; the argument of my writing being such as none can better iudge of then your selues.