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
Having thus placed her in bed, let her take a draught of burnt white
wine, having a drachm of spermaceti melted therein. The herb vervain is
also singularly good for a woman in this condition, boiling it in what
she either eats or drinks, fortifying the womb so exceedingly, that it
will do more good in two days, than any other thing does in double that
time, having no offensive taste. And this is no more than what she
stands in need of; for her lower parts being greatly distended till the
birth of the infant, it is good to endeavour the prevention of an
inflammation there. Let there also be outwardly applied, all over the
bottom of her abdomen and privities, the following anodyne and
cataplasm: Take two ounces of oil of sweet almonds, and two or three
new-laid eggs, yolks and whites, stirring them together in an earthen
pipkin over hot embers, till they come to the consistence of a poultice;
which being spread upon a cloth, must be applied to those parts,
indifferently warm, having first taken away the closure (which was put
to her presently after her delivery,) and likewise such clots of blood
as were then left. Let this lie on five or six hours, and then renew it
again as you see cause.
Great care ought to be taken at first, that if her body be very weak,
she be not kept too hot, for extremity of heat weakens nature and
dissolves the strength; and whether she be weak or strong, be sure that
no cold air comes near her first; for cold is an enemy to the spermatic
parts, and if it get into the womb, it increases the after-pains, causes
swelling in the womb, and hurts the nerves. As to her diet, let it be
hot, and let her eat but a little at a time. Let her avoid the light for
the first three days, and longer if she be weak, for her labour weakens
her eyes exceedingly, by a harmony between the womb and them. Let her
also avoid great noise, sadness, and trouble of mind.
If the womb be foul, which may be easily perceived by the impurity of
the blood (which will then easily come away in clots or stinking, of if
you suspect any of the after-burden to be left behind, which may
sometimes happen,) make her drink of featherfew, mugwort, pennyroyal,
and mother of thyme, boiled in white wine and sweetened with sugar.
Panado and new-laid eggs are the best meat for her at first; of which
she may eat often but not too much at a time. And let her nurse use
cinnamon in all her meats and drinks, for it generally strengthens the
womb.
Let her stir as little as may be, till after the fifth, sixth, or
seventh day of her delivery, if she be weak; and let her take as little
meat as possible, for that tends to weaken her very much.
If she goes not well to stool, give a clyster made only with the
decoction of mallows and a little brown sugar.