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

BE That as it will, in the present Case, the Cure is but very seldom of great Difficulty; being frequently effected, by lifting up the Bottom of her Belly with both Hands when she is about to make Water: Or, by wearing a convenient large Swathe. But if Need require, the Region of the Bladder may be cherished with proper emollient Fomentations, Injections, or Cataplasms; as (upon any Extremity at last) a Catheter may be prudently used.

IF the SYMPTOM however proceeds from any Inflammatory, or Acrimonious Quality of the Urine; it may be sufficiently helped by a proper, regular, cooling Diet: As, if it arises from any undigested, crude Matter; it may be assisted or reliev’d by a good Draught[^[77]] of warm generous WINE; which not only helps Concoction, but also facilitates and promotes URINE: But in case of absolute Necessity, after all, gentle Phlebotomy ought to be carefully used.

CHAP. XXII.
Of COSTIVENESS.

THE Belly discharges it self sometimes more seldom or infrequently; sometimes with more Pain and Difficulty; and sometimes in less Quantity than is convenient for Nature.

THERE have been many Instances given of this Disorder, by[^[78]]Learned Men, where some Patients have gone to Stool but once in Eight, once in Fourteen, and once in Twenty or more Days.

YEA,[^[79]]Dominicus Panarolus relates of a certain Friend of his, whose Belly was so exsiccated, that he sometimes liv’d three Months without going to Stool.

BUT what I mean by Costiveness, is not that Distemper, where there is a total Suppression, for that rather belongs to the Iliack Passion; but that only, where the Excrements lodging longer than their due natural Time, perhaps three or four Days more or less, are at last voided hard and dry with some small Straining.

Which irregular Accident may proceed from many different Causes. Although in the pregnant Woman, I take the following to be the most Common: That is to say, the Calidity and Siccity of the LIVER, or SPLEEN; occasion’d by the Lusty Child’s attracting too much of the Radical and Succid Moisture of the MOTHER, and compressing the Intestines.

THIS Symptom proves often of dangerous Consequence: For by the pressing Force, commonly us’d in such a Case to ease the Belly, some Vessels or Ligaments may be easily and readily broken. And not only so, but the retain’d Fæces always affect the Head, and contaminate the Blood with noxious Vapours; and thereby impede or hinder the Concoction of the Ventricle, and the Separation of the better and purer, from the grosser and impurer part of the Chyle: Whence proceed many other various Disorders to the whole Body, from the long Retention of the Excrements.