I shall now treat on the overflowing of the menses, an effect no less dangerous than the former. This immoderate flux is a sanguineous excrement, proceeding from the womb, exceeding both in quantity and time. First, it is sanguineous: the matter of the flux being only blood, wherein it differs from that which is commonly called the false menses, or the whites. Secondly, it proceeds from the womb: for there are two ways from which the blood flows; one by the internal veins of the body of the womb,—and this is called the monthly flux; the other is by those veins which are terminated in the neck of the matrix,—and this is called the hemorrhoids of the womb. Lastly, it is said to exceed both in quantity and time. In quantity, saith Hippocrates, when they flow about eighteen ounces: in time, when they flow about three days: but it is inordinate flowing, when the faculties of the body are thereby weakened. In bodies abounding with gross humours, this immoderate flux sometimes unburdens nature of her load, and ought not to be staid without the counsel of a physician. _Cause._—The cause is internal or external. The internal cause is threefold; in the matter, instrument, or faculty. The matter, which is the blood, may be vicious, by the heat of constitution, climate, or season, heating the blood, whereby the passages are dilated, and the faculty weakened, that it cannot retain the blood; and, by falls, blows, violent motion, breaking of the veins, &c. The external cause may be lifting, carrying of heavy burdens, unnatural child-birth, &c. _Signs._—The appetite is decayed, the conception is depraved, and the actions weakened; the feet are swelled, the colour of the face is changed, and a general feebleness of the body. If the flux comes by the breaking of a vein, the body is sometimes cold, the blood flows forth in heaps, and that suddenly, with great pain. If it comes through heat, the orifice of the vein being dilated, then there is little or no pain, yet the blood flows faster than it doth in an erosion, and not so fast as it doth in a rupture. If by erosion, or sharpness of blood, she feels a great heat scalding the passage; it differs from the other two, in that it flows not so suddenly, nor so copiously as they do. Lastly, if it proceeds from bad blood drop some of it on a cloth, and when it is dry, you may judge of the quality by the colour. If it be choleric, it will be yellow; if melancholy, black; if phlegmatic, waterish and whitish.