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
The cause is in the faculty, by being enfeebled that it cannot expel the
blood resting there, makes that part of the womb grow hard, and
stretcheth the vessels; from whence proceeds the pain of the womb. It
may be the matter of the blood which may offend in too great a quantity;
or it may be so gross and thick as to flow by drops. The signs will be
pains in the head, stomach, and back, with inflammations, suffocations,
and excoriations of the matrix. If the strength of the patient will
permit, first open a vein in the arm, rub the upper parts, and let her
arm be corded, that the force of the blood may be carried backwards:
then apply such things as may laxate and mollify the strengthening of
the womb, and assuage the sharpness of the blood, as cataplasms made of
bran, linseed, and mallows. If the blood be vicious and gross, add
thereto mugwort, calamint, dictam, and betony; and let her take of
Venice treacle the size of a nutmeg, and the syrup of mugwort every
morning; make an injection of the decoction of mallows, linseed,
groundsel, mugwort, with oil of sweet almonds.
Sometimes it is caused by the wind, and then phlebotomy is to be
omitted, and instead, take syrup of feverfew one ounce; honey, roses,
syrup of roses, of each half an ounce; water of calamint, mugwort,
betony, and hyssop, of each an ounce; make a julep. If the pain
continues, employ this purgation: take of hieræ one drachm; syrup of
roses and luxative one ounce; with the decoction of mugwort make a
potion. If it come through the weakness of the faculty, let that be
corroborated. If through the grossness and sharpness of the blood, let
the quality of it be altered, as I have shown in the foregoing chapter.
Lastly, if the excrements be retained, provoke them by a clyster of the
decoction of camomile, betony, feverfew, mallows, linseed, juniper
berries, aniseed, adding thereto of diacatholicon, half an ounce; hiera
picra, two drachms; honey and oil, of each one ounce; nitre a drachm and
a half.
CHAPTER X.
OF THE FALSE MENSES, OR WHITES.
From the womb proceed not only menstruous blood, but a distillation of a
variety of corrupt humours through the womb, keeping neither courses nor
colour, but varying in both.