ruled by giving credit to unskilful nurses, who admonish them to feed
heartily, the better to repair the loss of blood. For that blood is not
for the most part pure, but such as has been retained in the vessels or
membrane better voided, for the health of the woman, than kept, unless
there happen an extraordinary flux of the blood. For if her nourishment
be too much, which curding, very often turns to imposthumes.

Therefore, it is requisite, for the first five days especially, that she
take moderately panado broth, poached eggs, jelly of chickens or calves'
feet or fresh barley broth; every day increasing the quantity a little.

And if she intend to be a nurse to the child, she may take something
more than ordinary, to increase the milk by degrees, which must be of no
continuance, but drawn off by the child or otherwise. In this case
likewise, observe to let her have coriander or fennel seeds boiled in
barley broth; but by all means, for the time specified, let her abstain
from meat. If no fever trouble her, she may drink now and then a small
quantity of pure white wine or of claret, as also syrup of maidenhead or
any other syrup that is of an astringent quality, taken in a little
water well boiled.

After the fear of fever or contraction of humour in the breast is over,
she may be nourished more plentifully with the broth of capons, pullets,
pigeons, mutton, veal, etc., which must not be until after eight days
from the time of delivery; at which time the womb, unless some accident
binds, has purged itself. It will then likewise be expedient to give
cold meats, but let it be sparingly, so that she may the better gather
strength. And let her, during the time, rest quietly and free from
disturbance, not sleeping in the day time, if she can avoid it.

Take of both mallows and pellitory of the wall a handful; camomile and
melilot flowers, of each a handful; aniseed and fennel of each two
ounces; boil them in a decoction of sheep's head and take of this three
quarts, dissolving in it common honey, coarse sugar and fresh butter and
administer it clysterwise; but if it does not penetrate well take an
ounce of catholicon.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XVIII

_Acute Pains after Delivery._

These pains frequently afflict the woman no less than the pain of her
labour, and are, by the more ignorant, many times taken the one for the
other; and sometimes they happen both at the same instant;