alive, will make it stir. (5) She is very subject to
dreams of dead men, and affrighted therewith. (6) She has extraordinary
longings to eat such things as are contrary to nature. (7) Her breath
stinks, though not used so to do. (8) When she turns herself in her bed,
the child sways that way like a lump of lead.

These things being carefully observed, the midwife may make a judgment
whether the child be alive or dead, especially if the woman take the
following prescription:--"Take half a pint of white wine and burn it,
and add thereto half an ounce of cinnamon, but no other spices
whatever, and when she has drunk it, if her travailing pains come upon
her, the child is certainly dead; but if not, the child may possibly be
either weak or sick, but not dead. This will bring her pains upon her if
it be dead, and will refresh the child and give her ease if it be
living; for cinnamon refresheth and strengtheneth the child.

Now, if upon trial it be found the child is dead, let the mother do all
she can to forward the delivery, because a dead child can in no wise be
helpful therein. It will be necessary, therefore, that she take some
comfortable things to prevent her fainting, by reason of the putrid
vapours arising from the dead child. And in order to her delivery let
her take the following herbs boiled in white wine (or at least as many
of them as you can get), viz., dittany, betony, pennyroyal, sage,
feverfew, centaury, ivy leaves and berries. Let her also take sweet
basil in powder, and half a drachm at a time in white wine; let her
privities also be anointed with the juice of the garden tansey. Or take
the tansey in the summer when it can most plentifully be had, and before
it runs up to flower, and having bruised it well, boil it in oil until
the juice of it be consumed. If you set it in the sun, after you have
mixed it with oil, it will be more effectual. This, an industrious
midwife, who would be prepared against all events, ought to have always
by her. As to the manner of her delivery, the same methods must be used
as are mentioned in the section of natural labour. And here again, I
cannot but commend the stone aetites, held near the privities, whose
magnetic virtue renders it exceedingly necessary on this occasion, for
it draws the child any way with the same facility that the load-stone
draws iron.

Let the midwife also make a strong decoction of hyssop with water, and
let the woman drink it very hot, and it will