es a
pregnant woman is swelling of the legs, which happens during the first
three months, by the superfluous humours descending from the stomach and
liver. To cure this, take two drachms of oil of roses, and one drachm
each of salt and vinegar; shake them together until the salt is
dissolved, and anoint the legs with it hot, rubbing it well in with the
hand. It may be done without danger during the fourth, fifth and sixth
months of pregnancy; for a child in the womb is compared to an apple on
the tree. For the first three months it is a weak and tender subject,
like the apple, to fall away; but afterwards, when the membranes become
strengthened, the fruit remains firmly fastened to the womb, and not
subject to mischances, and so it remains, until the seventh month, until
when it is near the time, the ligaments are again relaxed (like the
apple that is almost ripe).

They grow looser every day, until the appointed time for delivery; if,
therefore, the body is in real need of purging, the woman may do it
without danger in the fourth, fifth or sixth month, but neither before
nor after that unless in the case of some violent illness, in which it
is possible that both mother and child may perish. Apply plasters and
ointments to the loins in order to strengthen the fruit in the womb.
Take one drachm each of gum Arabic, galangale, bistort, hypocistid and
storax, a drachm and a half each of fine bole, nutmeg, mastic, balaust,
dragon's blood and myrtle berries, and a sufficient quantity of wax and
turpentine and make into a plaster. Apply it to the loins in the winter,
and remove it every twenty-four hours, lest the loins should become
overheated by it. In the interim, anoint the private parts and loins
with _countess' balsam_ but if it be summer time and the loins hot, the
following plaster will be more suitable. Take a pound of red roses, two
drachms each of mastic and red Sanders, one drachm each of bole ammoniac
and red coral, two drachms and a half each of pomegranate seed and
prepared coriander seed, two scruples of barberries, one ounce each of
oil of mastic and of quinces, and plantain-juice.

Anoint the loins also with sandalwood ointment, and once a week wash
them with two parts of rose-water and one of white wine mixed together
and warmed at the fire. This will assuage the heat of the loins, get rid
of the oil of the plaster from the pores of the skin, and cause the
fresh ointment or plaster to penetrate more easily,