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.Maubray, John
Science
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.
Maubray, John
Midwifery -- Early works to 1800; Obstetrics -- Early works to 1800
I Come now, agreeable to my Promise, in the _First Chapter_ of this
SECTION, to direct and prescribe to the _Woman conceiv’d_ her due
COURSE: Whom I would have to consider, _First_, that she is in a very
narrow and dangerous SEA; and, _Secondly_, that, as the PILOT cannot be
always upon the _Watch_; so the Safety of SHIP and CARGO depends
entirely upon the _Care_, _Conduct_, and _Steady Hand_ of the skilful
STEERSMAN.
WHEREFORE the _Woman_ being now satisfy’d of her _CONCEPTION_, she is to
observe a quite different _Oeconomy_ in her _Way of Living_, from what
she formerly practis’d: Since a _double Mischief_ may be the Result of
one _single Fault_ in this Case; the _INFANT_ always participating of
what affects the _MOTHER_. And therefore she is now not only to take
Care of _Herself_, but also of her _Embryo_, or the _Fruit_ of her WOMB;
especially in the _First Months_, when it may be justly compared to the
tender BLOSSOMS of _Trees_, which are easily _blasted_, or _shaken-off_
by the least Accident of _Wind_ or _Rain_.
THIS _Regimen_, which I am about to speak of, is _Two-fold_; the _One_
for such _Women_ as find themselves in a good _State of Health_, by way
of _Prevention_: The _Other_ for those of the _tenderer Sort_ of
Constitutions, who begin to suffer immediately under the common
_Symptoms_: Upon which Affair I shall give a few necessary _Precautions_
adapted to _Both_, with all possible Discretion and Judgment.
I. THE _Conceiv’d Woman_ then is to observe a good, wholesome, and
regular _DIET_; since _Errors_ committed that way, with respect either
to _Quantity_ or _Quality_, may be of _double Damage_; I mean, both to
the MOTHER and the INFANT. She should therefore eat rather _Often_, than
_Much_ at a _Meal_; especially at _Nights_, without fasting too long at
any Time.
II. SHE is discreetly to avoid all unwholesome, or intemperate _Air_,
and not expose herself to any EXCESS of _Heat_ or _Cold_.
III. SHE must not desire rashly to walk much abroad in _Moon-Shine_, nor
to _wash_ her Head in _Sun-Shine_.
IV. SHE ought not to frequent _Gardens_; and that for the following
_Two-fold Reason_: FIRST, lest perchance she happen to sit or tread upon
some _Herb_ of a pernicious _Quality_; as divers are, in provoking
_Abortion_: SECONDLY, lest she covet some _Fruit_ or _Herbs_, which may
be of Damage or Inconveniency if _allow’d_, and the same if _deny’d_
Her.
V. SHE is prudently to avoid all _Odoriferous_ or _Perfum_’d, as well as
_Stinking Nauseous_ SMELLS.
VI. SHE must carefully shun _sitting_ or _lying hard_, and also
_lifting_ any heavy _Weight_, or her _Arms_ above her _Head_.
VII. SHE ought purposely to forbear all _hard Labour_, and _violent
Emotions_ of Body.
VIII. SHE is prudently to avoid all Apprehensions of _Fears_ and
_Frights_, and not to be _surpriz’d_ at any thing she hears or sees.
IX. SHE is cautiously to decline _Watchings_, and sitting up late at
_Nights_; but must indulge _moderate Sleep_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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