The natural instinct that nature has implanted in men and women to propagate their own species, puts them upon making use of those ways that nature has ordained for that end, which, afterwards, the woman many times, through ignorance of having conceived, is little better than a murderer of her child: for, after conception, finding herself not well, and not knowing what is the matter with her, goes to a doctor; and he, not thinking of her being enceinte, gives cathartical potions, which destroy conception. And some, out of a foolish coyness, though they know they have conceived, will not confess it, that they might be instructed how to order themselves.
Signs.—If under the eye the vein be swelled, the veins in the eyes appearing clearly, and the eyes sometimes discoloured, if the woman has not the terms upon her, nor watched the night before, you may certainly conclude her to be with child; the first two months I never knew this sign to fail.
Keep the urine of the woman close in a glass three days, and then strain it through a fine linen cloth; if you find small living creatures in it she hath conceived.
A coldness and chillness of the outward parts, the heat being retired to make conception. The veins of the breast are more clearly seen than usual. The body is weakened, and the face discoloured. The belly waxeth very flat, because the womb closeth itself together to nourish and cherish the seed. If cold water be drank, a coldness is left in the breasts. Loss of appetite to victuals, sour belchings, and exceeding weakness of the stomach. The breasts swell and wax hard, not without pain and soreness. Griping pains, like the cramp, in the belly about the navel. Divers appetites and longings. The veins of the eyes are clearly seen, and the eyes discoloured. The excrements of the guts are voided painfully, because the womb swelling thrusteth the guts together. Take a handsome green nettle, put it into the urine of the woman; cover it close, and let it remain a whole night; if the woman be with child, it will be full of red spots on the morrow; if she be not, it will be blackish.
Signs of a Male Child.—The woman breeds a boy easier and with less pain than a girl, and is more nimble. The child is first felt by her on the right side; for male children lie on the right side of the womb. The woman, when she riseth up from a chair doth sooner stay herself upon her right hand than her left. The belly lies rounder and higher than when it is a female. The right breast is more hard and plump than the left, and the right nipple redder. The colour of a woman is not so swarthy as when she conceives a girl. The contrary to these are signs of the conception of a female.
If the circle under the eye is of a wan blue colour, be more apparent and most discoloured, she is enceinte of a boy; if the marks be most apparent in her left eye, of a girl.
Again, let a drop of her milk fall into a basin of fair water; if it sinks to the bottom, as it drops in, round in a drop, it is a girl; but if it be a boy, it will spread and swim on the top.
CHAPTER XVIII.
OF UNTIMELY BIRTHS.
When the fruit of the womb comes forth before the seventh month, before it comes to maturity, it is abortive; and, in effect, the child proves abortive in the eighth month. And why children born in the seventh and ninth month may live, and not in the eighth month may seem strange, yet it is true. Hippocrates gives a reason, viz. the infant being perfect in the seventh month, desires more air and nutriment; and it labours for a passage to get out; and if it has not strength sufficient to break the membranes and come forth, it shall continue in the womb till the ninth month, and in that time may again be strengthened; but if it strive again in the eighth month, and be born, it cannot live, because the day of its birth is either past or to come. For, in the eighth month, saith Aven, he is weak and infirm; and, therefore, being then cast into the cold air, his spirits cannot be supported.
Cause.—Untimely births may be caused by cold; or by humidity weakening the faculty; and the fruit cannot be retained till the due time; by dryness or emptiness, defrauding the child of nourishment; by fluxes, phlebotomy, and other evacuations; by inflammations of the womb. Sometimes it is caused by laughter, joy, anger and fear. Abortion also may be caused by corrupt air, filthy odours, and especially by the smell of the snuff of a candle; also by falls, blows, violent exercise, leaping, dancing, &c.