Gluttony, drunkenness, and other excesses, do so much hinder men from
fruitfulness, that it makes them unfit for generation.
But among other causes of barrenness of men, this also is one, and makes
them almost of the nature of eunuchs, and that is the incision or the
cutting of the veins behind their ears, which in case of distempers is
oftentimes done; for, according to the opinions of most physicians and
anatomists, the seed flows from the brain by those veins behind the
ears, more than any part of the body. From whence it is very probable,
that the transmission of the seed is hindered by the cutting of the
veins behind the ears, so that it cannot descend to the testicles, or
may come thither very crude and raw.
SECT. III.--_Signs and Causes of Insufficiency or Barrenness in Women._
Although there are many causes of the barrenness of women, yet the chief
and principal are internal, respecting either the privy parts, the womb
or menstruous blood.
Therefore, Hippocrates saith (speaking as well of easy as difficult
conception in women) the first consideration is to be had of their
species; for little women are more apt to conceive than great, slender
than gross, white and fair than ruddy and high coloured, black than wan,
those that have their veins conspicuous, than others; but to be very
fleshy is evil, and to have great swelled breasts is good.
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