Signs.—Signs of future abortion are, extenuation of the breasts, flux of watery milk, pain in the womb, heaviness in the head, unusual weariness in the hips and thighs, flowing of the menses. Signs foretelling the fruit of the dead in the womb, are hollowness in the eyes, pain in the head, anguish, horror, paleness of the face and lips, gnawing of the stomach, no motion of the infant, coldness and looseness of the mouth of the womb, and thickness of the belly, and watery and bloody excrements come from the matrix.
CHAPTER XIX.
DIRECTIONS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN.
Before conception, if the body be over hot, dry, or moist, correct it with the contraries; if couchmical, purge it; if plethoric, open the liver vein; if too gross, attenuate it: if too lean, nourish it.
After conception, let the air be temperate; sleep not overmuch, avoid watchings, much exercise, passions of the mind, filthy smells, and sweet odours are hysterical. Abstain from things which provoke urine; from salt and windy meats.
If the excrements be retained, lenify with clysters made of the decoction of mallows, violets, with sugar and common oil. If with looseness, let it not be stayed without the judgment of a physician; for all the uterine fluxes have a malign quality in them, which must be evacuated before the flux is stayed.
The cough of pregnant women puts them in danger of miscarrying. To prevent which, shave away the hair on the coronal coiffure, and apply thereon the following plaster: take of resinæ half an ounce, laudana one drachm, citron peel, lign-aloes, olibani, of each a drachm; stirachis liquidæ, and sicca, a sufficient quantity; dissolve the gums in vinegar, and make a plaster; at night going to bed let her take the fumes of these trochisks cast upon the coals. Also take of frankincense, storax powder, and red roses, of each a drachm and a half, sandrich eight drachms, mastic, benjamin, amber, of each one drachm; with turpentine make trochisks, apply a cautery to the nape of the neck. Every night let her take these pills following: take hypocistides, terriæ, sigillate, fine bole, of each half an ounce; bistort, alcatia, styracis, calamint, of each two drachms, cloves, one drachm; with syrup of myrtles make pills.
In pregnant women there is often a flux which greatly distresses the womb. To prevent this danger, the stomach must be corroborated as follows: take lign-aloes and nutmeg, of each one drachm; mace, clove, mastic, and laudanum, of each two scruples; oil of spike an ounce; musk, two grains; oil of mastic, quinces, and wormwood, of each half an ounce; make an unguent for the stomach to be applied before meals. Take a conserve of borage, buglos, and atthos, of each half an ounce; confect. de hyacinth, lemon-peel candied, specie-rum, dismarg. pulv. de gemnis, of each two drachms; nutmeg and diambra, of each two scruples; peony roots and diacorati, of each two drachms; with syrup of roses make an electuary; of which she must take twice a day, two hours before meals. A pregnant woman is subject to swelling of the legs, which happens the first three months, by humours falling down from the stomach and liver: for the cure, take oil of roses, two drachms, salt and vinegar, of each one drachm; shake them together until the salt be dissolved, and anoint the legs therewith hot, chafing it with the hand; it may be done without danger in the fourth, fifth, or sixth months of pregnancy. And if the body is in real need of purging, she may do it without danger in the fourth, fifth or sixth months; but not before nor after, unless in some sharp diseases, in which the mother and child are like to perish. Apply plasters and unguents to strengthen the fruit of the womb. Take of gum agaric, galagane, bistort, hypocostid, and storax, of each one drachm; fine bole, nutmeg, mastic, bollust, sanguis draconis, and myrtle-berries, a drachm and a half; wax and turpentine a sufficient quantity; make a plaster. Apply to the reins in the winter time, and remove it every twenty-four hours, lest the reins be over hot therewith. In the interim anoint the privities and reins with unguent and censitisssæ; but if it be summer time, and the reins hot, the following plaster is more proper; take of red roses one pound, mastic and red sanders of each two drachms; bole ammoniac, red coral and bistort, each two drachms; pomegranate peel prepared, and coriander, of each two drachms and a half; barberries, two scruples; oil of mastic and quinces, of each an ounce; juice of planastic two drachms; with pitch make a plaster; anoint the reins with unguentum sandal. Once every week wash the reins with two parts of rose-water, and one part of white wine mingled together and warmed at the fire.
CHAPTER XX.
DIRECTIONS TO BE OBSERVED BY WOMEN, AT THE TIME OF THEIR FALLING IN LABOUR.
The time of birth drawing near, let her send for a skilful medical man or midwife; let her prepare a bed or couch, and place it near the fire, that the midwife and assistants may pass round, and help on every side as occasion requires, having a change of linen ready, and a stool to rest her feet against, she having more force when they are bowed.
When the pain comes, let her walk about the room, resting by turns upon the bed, and so expect the coming down of the water, which is a humour contracted in the outward membranes, and flows thence when it is broke by the struggling of the child. Motion causes the womb to open and dilate itself, when from lying long in bed it is uneasy. If the patient is weak, let her take some gentle cordial to refresh herself, if her pain will admit.