SECT.VI.
THEGood Womanbeing now delivered, and laid inChild-Bed, may rightly be compared to aShip, which, after a dangerous nine or ten MonthsVoyage, rides atAnchorin herPort; where, tho’ arriv’d with great Security, yet if not wellmoor’dagainst suddenWindsandStorms, she may perhaps at last drive from herAnchorsand sufferShipwreck: So in like manner if both theMotherand theChildbe not duly takenCareof after theBIRTH,Bothmay be still expos’d to the Danger ofDEATH. Wherefore, to prevent all such melancholyAccidents, I shall first point out the properREGIMENof theOne, and then successively directThatof theOther, in the following Manner;viz.——
I.THEN, immediately after theBIRTH, a soft gentleClosuremay be apply’d to theWombfor repelling of thecold Air; of which we must be now very cautious, if we willavertthe fatalConsequencesthat may thereby happen: As also a smallPlaisterofGalbanumwith a littleCivetin its Center, may be applied to theNAVELfor attracting, or rather retaining theWombin its proper Place, where theMIDWIFE’s carefulHandhas fixed it after theDELIVERY.
II.THEPatienthaving herBodywrap’d about with awarm Cloth, and herHipsgirt round with the same, is to be placed conveniently in awarmBed; that is, directly upon herBack-Bone, with herHeadandBodya little elevated, for herbreathingandcleansingthe Better; as herThighsandLegsalso are to be stretched down close together: Whereuponnow, if notbefore, she ought to have a little goodChickenorPullet-Brothfor her Refreshment; which being done, allDoorsandWindowsare to be shut, and theBed-Curtainsdrawn close, that she may rest and sleep quietly.
III.INthe next place, theClosuresare to be remov’d, and theclottedBloodtaken away; which being diligently done, theBELLY,LOINS, andPRIVITIESare to be anointed with the Oil ofsweet Almonds, orwhite Lillies, mixed with a little warmWine, which may be repeated at pleasure, for allaying thePAINSof theseParts: And as theWomanis to be carefully kept always verywarm, as well as disposed toRestandSleep; so every now and then, she is to be comforted with some small Matter of any convenientFood; abstaining however chiefly fromstrong Meats, as well as from allhotorstrong Liquors.
IV. ADecoctionofBarley,Linseed, andChervil, orMarsh-MallowsandViolet-Leaves, with a little Honey ofRoses, may be afterwards usedMilk-warmthree or four times a Day, by way ofFomentationfor the first five or six Days ofCHILD-BED: Or, instead of these Things, freshwarm Milk, orBarley-Wateronly may be properlyused; always remembring that thePartsbe duly cleansed from theclottedBlood,&c.
V.INthe mean time, theWoman’sBreastsare all along to be kept very close and warm-cover’d with softCloaths, that theMILKmay notcurdle; which however is no ways yet in the beginning fit for theCHILD’s Nourishment, until theConfluxof theMILKand theHumoursis over; which, upon the first days afterDELIVERY, run in abundance to theBreasts.
VI.SPECIALCare also must be taken, when theWomanis resolv’d not toNursetheCHILDherself, that theLochiaorChild-Bed-Evacuationsflow-off plentifully, in order that thereby theShockof theBLOODmay be averted from theBREASTS; which if not sufficient to prevent thatInconveniency, they may be properly anointed with the Oil ofROSESand a littleVinegarbeat-up together; or aCATAPLASMof the Meal ofBeansandVetchesmixed withOxymelmay be applied to theBREASTS; or they may be fomented with aDecoctionof the Leaves ofMint,Dill, orParsley.
VII.INthe time ofCleansing, all Noise and Clamour about theWomanought to be suppressed; and as she herself ought not to talk much, oraloud, neither ought any Person about her to beobstreperous: Because herReposeis not only thereby disturb’d, but also herSpiritsexagitated; which violent Commotion ofHumoursmay readily stop thenatural Course. And as for the same Reason, allPassionsof the Mind are to be suppressed; so theWomanis to keep herself as much as she conveniently can upon herBack, carefully avoiding frequentTURNINGSto either Side.
VIII.AFTERten or twelve Days, proper Measures may be taken to fortify and strengthen theMembers; and after she has fully done cleansing (which may be about the 20thDay, sooner or later afterDELIVERY, according to thePatient’sConstitution, or her way ofLiving) some properAstringent Medicinesmaybe discreetly made use of, for corroborating and reconsolidating theParts.
IX.ASto herDIET, during this Time, she ought to be very regular, and liveabstemiously(especially thefirst Days) as if she had aFever, using only goodBroths,Jellies, fresh-laidEggs,Ale-soupmade with freshButter, or the like; after which, she may begin by degrees to eat a littleChicken,Pullet,Capon,Veal,Mutton, or any thing else of goodNutritionand easyConcoction.
ASto herDRINK, if she has noFever, she may use besides herCawdles, smallWhite-WineandWaterfor Variety’s sake; but in case of aFever, Water boil’d with a littleCinnamon, orCoriander-Seed; or aPtisanofLiquorish,Figs, andAniseedsboil’d in Water; orsmall Alea little butter’d, as theWomanpleases, are far more convenient; observing always carefully that herDRINK, of whatsoever sort, be at all times a littlewarmed.
X.FINALLY, as theChild-Bed-Woman’s Body is always to be kept open, if not otherways naturally so, by a proper gentleCLYSTER, repeated as often as Necessity requires, until theCourseof theLochiais quite over; so afterwards she ought to take one or more proper gentlePurges, for cleansing theStomachand theBowelsof such vitiousHumours, asNaturecould not otherways evacuate: Upon which, a repeated StrengtheningBATHmay be most pertinently used, as also, in order that she may again the more successfullybegin upon a new Score, other proper Measures may be prudently taken.
THUSwe suppose that all things have succeeded well with ourPuerperial Woman; in which Condition the above-mention’d is her only requisiteREGIMEN: But in Case of anyPreternatural Accident, we must come to herAssistance, according as the Nature ofCircumstancesdoes require: Of all which in their Order, as they most commonly happen to theWomanin her presentCondition; and FIRST——