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CHAPTER IX
_Of the Green-Sickness in Virgins, with its causes, signs and
cures; together with the chief occasions of Barrenness in Women,
and the Means to remove the Cause, and render them fruitful._
The green-sickness is so common a complaint amongst virgins, especially
those of a phlegmatic complexion, that it is easily discerned, showing
itself by discolouring the face, making it look green, pale, and of a
dusty colour, proceeding from raw and indigested humours; nor doth it
only appear to the eye, but sensibly affects the person with difficulty
of breathing, pains in the head, palpitation of the heart, with unusual
beatings and small throbbings of the arteries in the temples, back and
neck, which often cast them into fevers when the humour is over vicious;
also loathing of meat and the distention of the hypochondriac part, by
reason of the inordinate effluxion of the menstruous blood of the
greater vessels; and from the abundance of humours, the whole body is
often troubled with swellings, or at least the thighs, legs and ankles,
all above the heels; there is also a weariness of the body without any
reason for it.
The Galenical physicians affirm, that this distemper proceeds from the
womb; occasioned by the gross, vicious and rude humours arising from
several inward causes; but there are also outward causes which have a
share in the production of it; as taking cold in the feet, drinking of
water, intemperance of diet, eating things contrary to nature, viz.
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