take oil of lilies, marjoram and bay leaves, and dissolve two
grains of civet in them, and the same quantity of musk, and at the
moment of the paroxysm let her dip her finger into the mixture and put
it into the neck of the womb, and tickle and rub it with it.

When the fit is over, proceed to remove the cause. If it arises from
suppression of the menses, look in Chapter XI, p. 102, for the cure. If
it arises from the retention of the seed, a good husband will administer
the cure, but those who cannot honourably obtain that remedy, must use
such means as will dry up and diminish the seed, as diaciminum,
diacalaminthes, etc. The seed of the agnus castus is highly valued as a
draught, whether taken inwardly, applied outwardly or used as a
suffumigation. It was held in high esteem by the Athenian women, for by
its means they remained as pure vessels and preserved their chastity, by
only strewing it on the bed on which they lay, and hence the name of
_agnus castus_, which was given to it, as denoting its effects. Make an
issue on the inside of each leg, four inches below the knee, and then
make lozenges of two scruples of agric, half a scruple each of wild
carrot seed and ligne aloes; three drachms of washed turpentine, and
make a bolus with a conserve of flowers. Eight drachms of castor taken
in white wine are very useful in this case, or you may make pills of it
with dog's tooth, and take them on going to bed. Take an ounce of white
briony root dried and cut up like carrots, put it into a little wine and
place it on the fire, and drink when warm. Take one scruple each of
myrrh, castor and asafoetida; four grains each of saffron and rue-seed,
and make eight pills and take two every night on going to bed.

Galen, from his own experience, recommends powdered agaric, of which he
frequently gave one scruple in white wine. Put a head of bruised garlic
on the navel at bed time, and fasten it with a swathing band. Make a
girdle for the waist of galbanum, and also a plaster for the stomach,
and put civet and musk on one part of it, which must be applied to the
navel. Take two drachms each of pulvis benedict, and of troches of
agaric, a sufficient quantity of mithridate, and make two pessaries, and
that will purge the matrix of wind and phlegm; foment the private parts
with salad oil in which some feverfew and camomiles have been boiled.
Take a handful of roseleaves and two scruples of cloves, sew them in a
little cloth and boil th