The Female Physician / Containing all the diseases incident to that sex, in virgins, wives, and widows; together with their causes and symptoms, their degrees of danger, and respective methods of prevention and cure: to which is added, the whole art of new improv'd midwifery; comprehending the necessary qualifications of a midwife, and particular directions for laying women, in all cases of difficult and preternatural births; together with the diet and regimen of both the mother and child.

by John Maubray

BUT because this sad Affection is too common to both Sexes, young and old, I shall proceed to a farther Dilucidation of it, for the universal Good and Benefit of All.

FIRST then, the[^[63]]VERTIGO is a deprav’d Imagination, attended with the vitiated Senses of Hearing and Seeing; proceeding from the violent Commotion of the Animal Spirits. Secondly, The SCOTOMIA is also a deprav’d Imagination, accompany’d with loss of Sight, and sometimes of the Motion of the Animals affected with it, because of some Interruption in their circular Passage. In the first Case, the PATIENT imagines his Head only to be turn’d round, or winded about: In the other, he thinks that circular Motion to consist in the external Objects.

NOW the VERTIGO is attended with the vitiated Sense of Hearing, as well as Seeing: Because, as something like a Cloud, Smoak, or Web, seems to appear before the Patient’s Eyes; so there is a certain Whistling, Hissing, or Tinkling always in his Ears. The Scotomia, in like manner, is attended with Loss of Sight, and Motion; because of some Disorder of the Ventricles of the Brain obstructing or impeding the Transition of the Spirits.

IN the Vertigo, an Agitation happens in the Membranes of the Veins and Arteries, as also in the Membranes of the Brain; by which violent Motion, the very Continent Parts are vehemently shaken and concuss’d, and at length so disquieted, that the Patient thinks his Head wheels round about.

IN the Scotomia, the Animal Spirits having in themselves the Species of all Sensibles, and those Species being presented to the Imagination: As such Images of external Objects are moved in it, so the Party thinks the same real Objects to be moved. For, according to Avicen, it is the same thing, whether that which is seen, or that by which we see, is moved: As seeing Land from on board a Ship, in a smooth Sea, being insensible of the Ship’s Way, we imagine (and sometimes very strongly too) that the Land is in Motion.

THAT by which we see, is the visible Species reserved in the Spirit: Hence when this Species is moved, the external Object seems also to be moved.

BUT in explaining the Circular Motion of the Animal Spirits, we must consider it to be twofold; namely, Natural and Preternatural: The Natural Motion is that which begins in the Carotide Arteries, thence tending to the Plexus Choroideus, or the anteriour Ventricles of the Brain; from These to the middle; from the middle to the Posteriours; and from the posteriour Ventricles of the Brain, the Spirits are imparted to the Nerves. The Preternatural Motion is just the Reverse of this Case.

THE Causes of both these Cases and Conditions are either immediate or mediate. The immediate Causes may be reduced to Three Classes; to wit, Causes of an inordinate Motion of the Animal Spirits, Causes of the Circular Motions, and Causes of lost Sense, Sight, and Motion.

THE Causes of the Spirits[^[64]] moving inordinately, are either External or Internal. The Externals are the Sun, Hot Baths, Frictions, and Concussions of the Head; or a Fall, Blow, Contusion, and all inordinate and immoderate Motions of the whole Body: such as Running, Leaping, Riding, Dancing, too much Venery, or hard Drinking; as also the Use of Acids, or acrimonious Things, and all Things replenishing or stuffing the Head; such as Garlick, Mustard, Anise, Parsley, Leeks, Onions, Radish, strong Snuffs, Drinks, &c.

THE internal immediate Causes are the Imagination of the Patient, Vapours of the whole Body, frigid Flatulencies, and[^[65]]a sudden Fluxion of the vital Spirits into the Head.