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.
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