If this have not the desired effect, then the following plaster should
be applied:--Take an ounce and a half of balganum, two drachms of
colocynth, half an ounce each of the juice of motherwort and of rue, and
seven ounces of virgin bees' wax: pound and melt them together,
spreading them on a cere-cloth so that they may spread from the navel to
the os pubis and extending to the flanks, at the same time making a
pessary of wood, enclosing it in a silk bag, and dipping it in a
decoction of one drachm each of sound birthwort, savin colocinthis,
stavescare and black hellebore, with a small sprig or two of rue.
But if these things have not the desired effect, and the woman's danger
increases, let the surgeon use his instruments to dilate and widen the
womb, for which purpose the woman must be placed on a chair, so that she
may turn her buttocks as far from its back as possible, at the same time
drawing up her legs as close as she can and spreading her thighs open as
wide as possible; or if she is very weak it may be better to lay her on
the bed with her head downwards, her buttocks raised and both legs drawn
up. Then the surgeon may dilate the womb with his speculum matrices and
draw out the child and the afterbirth together, if it be possible, and
when this is done, the womb must be well washed and anointed, and the
woman put back to bed and comforted with spices and cordials.
Pages:
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151