_Cause._—We are taught by Hippocrates, that phlebotomy causeth abortion by taking all that nourishment which should preserve the life of the child: wherefore, open the liver vein and saphena in both feet, fasten cupping-glasses to the loins and sides of the belly, let the uterine parts be first mollified, and then the expulsive faculty provoked to expel the burden. To laxate the ligature of the mole, take mallows with the roots, three handfuls; camomile, melilot, pelitory of the wall, violet leaves, mercury, root of fennel, parsley, of each two handfuls; linseed, fenugreek, each one pound; boil them in water, and let her sit therein up to the navel. At her going out of the bath, anoint the privities and reins with the following unguent. Take mercury and althea roots, of each half a handful: flos, bracho, ursini, half a handful; linseed, barley-meal, of each six ounces; boil all these with water and honey, and make a plaster; make pessaries of the gum galbanum, bdellium, antimoniacum, figs, hog’s suet, and honey. After the ligaments of the moles are loosed, let the expulsive faculty be stirred up to expel the moles. Take troch de myrrh, one ounce; castor astrolochia, gentian, dictam, of each an ounce; make a powder; take one drachm in four ounces of mugwort water. Take of hypericon, calamint, pennyroyal, betony, hyssop, sage, horehound, valeria, madder, savine: with water make a decoction; take three ounces of it, with one ounce and a half of feverfew. But if these things prove not available, then must the mole be drawn away with an instrument put up into the womb, which may be performed by a skilful surgeon. After the delivery of the mole let the flux of blood be stayed as soon as may be. Fasten cupping-glasses to the shoulders and ligatures of the arms. If this help not, open the liver vein in the right arm. CHAPTER XVII. OF CONCEPTION, AND HOW A WOMAN MAY KNOW WHETHER SHE HAS CONCEIVED OR NOT, AND WHETHER MALE OR FEMALE. The natural instinct that nature has implanted in men and women to propagate their own species, puts them upon making use of those ways that nature has ordained for that end, which, afterwards, the woman many times, through ignorance of having conceived, is little better than a murderer of her child: for, after conception, finding herself not well, and not knowing what is the matter with her, goes to a doctor; and he, not thinking of her being enceinte, gives cathartical potions, which destroy conception. And some, out of a foolish coyness, though they know they have conceived, will not confess it, that they might be instructed how to order themselves. _Signs._—If under the eye the vein be swelled, the veins in the eyes appearing clearly, and the eyes sometimes discoloured, if the woman has not the terms upon her, nor watched the night before, you may certainly conclude her to be with child; the first two months I never knew this sign to fail.