Aristotle's works:: Containing the Master-piece, Directions for Midwives, and Counsel and Advice to Child-bearing Women with Various Useful Remedies — Aristotle — John Shaqi
Aristotle's works:: Containing the Master-piece, Directions for Midwives, and Counsel and Advice to Child-bearing Women with Various Useful Remedies
Aristotle · en
This distemper consists in excess of heat; for as heat of the womb is
necessary for conception, so if it be too much, it nourisheth not the
seed, but disperseth its heat and hinders the conception. This
preternatural heat is sometimes from the birth, and causes barrenness;
but if it be accidental, it is from hot causes, that bring the heat and
the blood to the womb; it arises from internal and external medicines,
and from too much hot meat, drink, and exercise. Those that are troubled
with this distemper have but few menses, and those are yellow, black,
burnt, or sharp; are subject to headache, and abound with choler; and
when the distemper is strong upon them, they have but few terms, which
are out of order, being bad and hard to flow, and in time they become
hypochondriacs, and for the most part barren, having sometimes a frenzy
of the womb.
_Cure._—The remedy is to use coolers, so that they offend not the
vessels that must open the flux of the terms. Therefore, take the
following inwardly, succory, endive, violets, water lilies, sorrel,
lettuce, saunders, and syrups and conserve made thereof. Also take
conserve of succory, violets, water lilies, burrage, each an ounce;
conserve of roses, half an ounce, diamargation frigid, diatriascancal,
each half a drachm; and with syrup of violets, or juice of citrons, make
an electuary. For outward applications, make use of ointment of roses,
violets, water lilies, gourd, venus, narvel, applied to the back and
loins.
Let the air be cool, her garments thin, and her food endive, lettuce,
succory, and barley. Give her no hot meats, nor strong wine, unless
mixed with water. Rest is good for her, she may sleep as long as she
pleases.
SECT. II. _Of the Cold Distemper of the Womb._
This distemper is the reverse of the foregoing, and equally an enemy to
generation, being caused by a cold quality abounding to excess, and
proceeds from a too cold air, rest, idleness, and cooling medicines. The
terms are phlegmatic, thick, and slimy, and do not flow as they should;
the womb is windy, and the seed crude and waterish. It is the cause of
obstructions, and barrenness, and hard to be cured.