The Works of Aristotle the Famous Philosopher: Containing his Complete Masterpiece and Family Physician; his Experienced Midwife, his Book of Problems and his Remarks on Physiognomy
Aristotle · en
When the monthly courses come before their time, showing a depraved
excretion, and flowing sometimes twice a month, the cause is in the
blood, which stirs up the expulsive faculty of the womb, or else in the
whole body, and is frequently occasioned by the person's diet, which
increases the blood too much, making it too sharp or too hot. If the
retentive faculty of the womb be weak, and the expulsive faculty strong,
and of a quick sense, it brings them forth the sooner. Sometimes they
flow sooner by reason of a fall, stroke or some violent passion, which
the parties themselves can best relate. If it be from heat, thin and
sharp humours, it is known by the distemper of the whole body. The
looseness of the vessels and the weakness of the retentive faculty, is
known from a moist and loose habit of the body. It is more troublesome
than dangerous, but hinders conception, and therefore the cure is
necessary for all, but especially such as desire children. If it
proceeds from a sharp blood, let her temper it by a good diet and
medicines. To which purpose, let her use baths of iron water, that
correct the distemper of the bowels, and then evacuate. If it proceeds
from the retentive faculty, and looseness of the vessels, it is to be
corrected with gentle astringents.
As to the courses flowing after the usual time, the causes are,
thickness of the blood, and the smallness of its quantity, with the
stoutness of the passage, and weakness of the expulsive faculties.
Either of these singly may stop the courses, but if they all concur,
they render the distemper worse. If the blood abounds not in such a
quantity as may stir up nature to expel it, its purging must necessarily
be deferred, till there be enough. And if the blood be thick, the
passage stopped, and the expulsive faculty weak, the menses must needs
be out of order and the purging of them retarded.
For the cure of this, if the quantity of blood be small, let her use a
larger diet, and a very little exercise. If the blood be thick and foul,
let it be made thin, and the humours mixed therewith, evacuated. It is
good to purge, after the courses have done flowing, and to use calamint,
and, indeed, the oftener she purges, the better. She may also use fumes
and pessaries, apply cupping glasses without scarification to the inside
of the thighs, and rub the legs and scarify the ankles, and hold the
feet in warm water four or five days before the courses come down. Let
her also anoint the bottom of her belly with things proper to provoke
the terms.
_Remedies for Diseases in Women's Paps._
Make a cataplasm of bean meal and salad oil, and lay it to the place
afflicted. Or anoint with the juice of papilaris. This must be done when
the papa are very sore.
If the paps be hard and swollen, take a handful of rue, colewort roots,
horehound and mint; if you cannot get all these conveniently, any two
will do; pound the handful in honey, and apply it once every day till
healed.