And here great care ought to be used in anointing and widening the
passage. But these sort of births rarely happening, I need to say the
less of them, and, therefore, shall show how women should be ordered
after delivery.
* * * * *
CHAPTER XVII
_How child-bearing Women ought to be ordered after Delivery._
If a woman has had very hard labour, it is necessary that she should be
wrapped up in a sheep's skin, taken off before it is cold, applying the
fleshy side to her veins and belly, or, for want of this, the skin of a
hare or coney, flayed off as soon as killed, may be applied to the same
parts, and in so doing, a dilation being made in the birth, and the
melancholy blood being expelled in these parts, continue these for an
hour or two.
Let the woman afterwards be swathed with fine linen cloth, about a
quarter of a yard in breadth, chafing the belly before it is swathed,
with oil of St. John's wort; after that raise up the matrix with a linen
cloth, many times folded: then with a linen pillar or quilt, cover the
flanks, and place the swathe somewhat above the haunches, winding it
pretty stiff, applying at the same time a linen cloth to her nipples; do
not immediately use the remedies to keep back the milk, by reason the
body, at such a time, is out of frame; for there is neither vein nor
artery which does not strongly beat; and remedies to drive back the
milk, being of a dissolving nature, it is improper to apply them to the
breasts during such disorder, lest by doing so, evil humours be
contracted in the breast.
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