THE Cause proceeds only from a Plenty, or Superfluity of the suppressed Blood, more than the Infant can consume: which being carry’d by the Arteries to the lower Parts, is thence received by the Crural and Saphene or Ankle-Veins. Insomuch that the Womb, being (by this time) both Ponderous and Bulky, so presseth the Iliac-Veins, that it hinders the Blood in its Course, and obstructs its free Motion and Circulation; whereby (of consequence) these inferiour Veins must swell and distend themselves proportionably.

HOWEVER, the Danger of the SYMPTOM is not great; because after a safe BIRTH, when the super-abounding Blood and Humours are evacuated, these preternatural Tumours settle, and the Veins return to their Pristine State.

WHEREFORE the only necessary Relief of this Malady, consists chiefly in the Woman’s abstaining from too much Walking, and all other extravagant Exercises; upon indulging her inferiour Limbs, by keeping them rais’d upon a Couch or Stool, that the Blood may not settle too much to these lower Parts: Or (which is far better) let her prudently keep her Bed; in which Posture, the Blood can meet with no such Difficulty in returning by these Veins to the Heart, as it will find when it must ascend by the Woman’s SITTING or STANDING upright; so that consequently it must needs circulate the more readily and with more Ease. Hence in short, it is, that from this more Free and Easy Circulation in Bed, such Women are always more easy, or better dispos’d, and far less pain’d or troubled in the Mornings, than at Nights, in This Condition.

BUT if, after All, the PATIENT’s Convenience will not permit such Indulgences, Then a proper Swathe of three or four Fingers Breadth, is most adviseable; beginning to swathe this Varicose, or Swelling Part, from the Bottom upwards, as far as the Varices or Tumours extend. But in Case of more Plethorick Marks, at last, in the other Parts of the Body, Phlebotomy may be most safely made Use of.

CHAP. XXV.
Of the INFLATIONS and TUMOURS of the LEGS.

THESE bloating Symptoms not only happen to some Women before, but also after BIRTH; especially when the Lochia, or Child-bed Cleansings, do not flow in a regular Measure or sufficient Quantity.

THE Cause of the present disorder’d Case, proceeds either from the Suppression of some Aqueous Flux of the Womb; or from some such watery serous Blood descending to the Legs; or from the Abundance of retain’d Menstruous Blood, more than the Infant can dispense with: which, being of no Service either to MOTHER or CHILD, settles downwards to these aggriev’d Parts. But these Things are to be considered with this Distinction and Difference, that if the LIVER be debilitated, and the Blood becom’s Pituitous or Aqueous, the Woman’s Legs are so Oedematous or Tumid, that when pressed with the Finger, it leaves the Impression of a Dent and Hollowness: But if the Blood grows corrupted and bilous, her Legs are inflam’d, and sometimes occasionally exulcerated, as in Scorbutick Cases: And if none of These happen, then a gross thick Blood only abounds, tending vitiously downwards. Upon which there are only some Livid or Blueish Marks[[81]] to be discover’d with those Tumours, such as the VARICES or Swellings occasion in the preceeding Case.

IN fine, the Woman troubled with these Symptoms, commonly bears a Female; as all Women, having sickly times of GESTATION, generally do. However yet, tho’ this swelling Affection is very troublesome, its Danger is not great; because it ordinarily ceases of it self with good Care after the BIRTH. Wherefore in this Condition a CURE is not always to be attempted, lest the Humours recoiling upwards, affect some nobler Part. Nevertheless, if the SWELLING be too considerably Painful or Troublesome, proper Digerents and Discutients may be apply’d, and the Legs fomented with a convenient Lixivy, Decoction, or Cataplasm.