rls prepared, a drachm; red coral and ivory prepared, each half
a drachm, precious stones, each a scruple; yellow citron peel, mace,
cinnamon, cloves, each half a drachm; saffron, a scruple; wood aloes,
half a scruple; ambergris, six drachms; and with six ounces of sugar
dissolved in rosewater make rolls." Let her also apply strengtheners of
nutmeg, mace and mastich made up in bags, to the navel, or a toast
dipped in malmsey, or sprinkled with powdered mint. If she happens to
desire clay, chalk, or coals (as many women with child do), give her
beans boiled with sugar, and if she happens to long for anything that
she cannot obtain, let her presently drink a large draught of pure cold
water.
_Rules for the Third Month._
In this month and the next, be sure to keep from bleeding; for though it
may be safe and proper at other times, yet it will not be so at the end
of the fourth month; and yet if blood abound, or some incidental disease
happens which requires evacuation, you may use a cupping glass, with
scarification, and a little blood may be drawn from the shoulders and
arms, especially if she has been accustomed to bleed. Let her also take
care of lacing herself too straitly, but give herself more liberty than
she used to do; for inclosing her belly in too strait a mould, she
hinders the infant from taking its free growth, and often makes it come
before its time.
_Rules for the Fourth Month._
In this month also you ought to keep the child-bearing woman from
bleeding, unless in extraordinary cases, but when the month is passed,
blood-letting and physic may be permitted, if it be gentle and mild, and
perhaps it may be necessary to prevent abortion. In this month she may
purge, in an acute disease, but purging may only be used from the
beginning of this month to the end of the sixth; but let her take care
that in purging she use no vehement medicine, nor any bitter, as aloes,
which is disagreeable and hurtful to the child, and opens the mouth of
the vessels; neither let her use coloquintida, scammony nor turbith; she
may use cassia, manna, rhubarb, agaric and senna but dyacidodium
purgans is best, with a little of the electuary of the juice of roses.
_Rules for the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Months._
In these months, child-bearing women are troubled with coughs, colds,
heart-beating, fainting, watching, pains in the loins and hips, and
bleeding. The cough is from a sharp vapour that comes to the jaws a
|