Aristotle's works:: Containing the Master-piece, Directions for Midwives, and Counsel and Advice to Child-bearing Women with Various Useful Remedies
Aristotle · en
In the ninth month let her refrain from lifting any great weight; but
let her move a little more, to dilate the parts and stir up natural
heat. Let her take heed of stooping, and neither sit too much, nor lie
on her sides; neither ought she to bend herself much, lest the child be
unfolded in the umbilical ligament, by which means it often perisheth.
Let her walk and stir often, and let her exercise be rather to go
upwards than downwards. Let her diet, now especially, be light and easy
of digestion; and damask prunes with sugar, or figs with raisins, before
meat; as also the yolks of eggs, flesh and broth of chickens, birds,
partridges and pheasants; astringent and roasted meats, with rice, hard
eggs, millet, and such like other things, are proper. Baths of sweet
water, with emollient herbs, ought to be used by her this month with
some intermission; and after the baths, let her belly be anointed with
oil of violets; but for her privy parts it is better to anoint them with
the fat of hens, geese, or ducks, or with oil of lilies, and the
decoction of linseed and fenugreek, boiled with oil of linseed and
marshmallows, or with the following liniment:—
“Take of mallows and marshmallows, cut and shred, of each an ounce; of
linseed one ounce; let them be boiled from twenty ounces of water to
ten; then let her take three ounces of the boiled broth; of oil of
almonds and oil of flower-de-luce, of each one ounce; of deer’s suet
three ounces.” Let her bathe with this, and anoint herself with it warm.
If for fourteen days before the birth she do every morning and evening
bathe and moisten her belly with muscadine and lavender water, the child
will be much strengthened thereby. And if every day she eat toasted
bread, it will hinder any thing from growing to the child. Her privy
parts may be gently stroked down with this fomentation.
“Take three ounces of linseed, and one handful each of mallows and
marshmallows sliced, then let them be put into a bag and immediately
boiled.” Let the pregnant woman, every morning and evening, take the
vapour of this decoction in a hollow stool, taking great heed that no
wind or air come to her in-parts, and then let her wipe the parts so
anointed with a linen cloth, and she may anoint the abdomen and groin as
at first.
When she is come so near her time as to be within ten or fourteen days
thereof, if she begins to feel any more than ordinary pain, let her use
every day the following:—“Take mallows and marshmallows, of each one
handful; camomile, hard mercury, maiden-hair, of each a handful; of
linseed, four ounces; let them be boiled in a sufficient quantity of
water as to make a bath therewith.” But let her not sit too hot upon the
seat, nor higher than a little above the navel; nor let her sit on it
longer than about half an hour, lest her strength languish and decay;
for it is better to use it often than to stay too long in it.