Part 36

In such a Case he must take, 1, a gentle Purge.

2, Make Use frequently of warm Baths.

3, He must be put on the Regimen of Persons in a State of Recovery.

4, He must take Morning and Evening, fifteen Days successively, the Powder No. 53, with the Ptisan No. 26.

This Malady is often very obstinate, and then the Medicines must be varied according to the Circumstances, the Detail of which I avoid here.

Sec. 348. After giving repeated Purges in such obstinate Cases, mineral Waters abounding with Sulphur, such as those of Yverdun, &c. often effect a Cure; and simple cold Bathings in Rivers or Lakes have sometimes succeeded in very inveterate Cases of this Disorder.

Sea water, and those of Dulwich, Harrigate, Shadwell, &c. will be full as effectual. K.

Nothing conduces more to the long Continuance of this Malady, than the Abuse of hot Waters, such as infusions of Tea, &c.

Sec. 349. I shall conclude this Chapter, with a repeated Injunction not to be too free or rash in the Use of the Ointment No. 52, and other outward Remedies for extinguishing the Itch. There is hardly any Complaint, but what has been found to be the Consequence of too sudden a Removal of this Disorder by outward Applications, before due Evacuations have been made, and a moderate Abatement of the Sharpness of the Humours has been effected.

_Chapter XXVI._

The Treatment of Diseases peculiar to Women.

_Sect._ 350.

Besides all the preceding Diseases, to which Women are liable in common with Men, their Sex also exposes them to others peculiar to it, and which depend upon four principal Sources; which are their monthly Discharges, their Pregnancy, their Labours in Child-birth, and the Consequences of their Labours. It is not my present Design to treat professedly on each of the Diseases arising from these Causes, which would require a larger Volume than I have proposed; but I shall confine myself to certain general Directions on these four Heads.

Sec. 351. Nature, who intended Women for the Increase, and the Nourishment of the human Race at the Breast, has subjected them to a periodical Efflux, or Discharge, of Blood: which Circumstance constitutes the Source, from whence the Infant is afterwards to receive his Nutrition and Growth.

This Discharge generally commences, with us, between the Age of sixteen and eighteen. Young Maidens, before the Appearance of this Discharge, are frequently, and many for a long Time, in a State of Weakness, attended with various Complaints, which is termed the Chlorosis, or Green Sickness, and Obstructions: and when their Appearance is extremely slow and backward, it occasions very grievous, and sometimes even mortal Diseases. Nevertheless it is too usual, though very improper, to ascribe all the Evils, to which they are subject at this Term of Life, solely to this Cause; while they really often result from a different Cause, of which the Obstructions themselves are sometimes only the Effect; and this is the natural, and, in some Degree, even necessary Feebleness of the Sex. The Fibres of Women which are intended to be relaxed, and to give Way, when they are unavoidably extended by the Growth of the Child, and its inclosing Membranes (which frequently arise to a very considerable Size) should necessarily be less stiff and rigid, less strong, and more lax and yielding than the Fibres of Men. Hence the Circulation of their Blood is more slow and languid than in Males; their Blood is less compact and dense, and more watery; their Fluids are more liable to stagnate in their different Bowels, and to form Infarctions and Obstructions.

Sec. 352. The Disorders to which such a Constitution subjects them might, in some Measure, be prevented, by assisting that Languor or Feebleness of their natural Movements, by such an Increase of their Force, as Exercise might contribute to: But this Assistance, which in some Manner is more necessary for Females than Males, they are partly deprived of, by the general Education and Habitude of the Sex; as they are usually employed in managing Household Business, and such light sedentary Work, as afford them less Exercise and Motion, than the more active Occupations of Men. They stir about but little, whence their natural Tendency to Weakness increases from Habit, and thence becomes morbid and sickly. Their Blood circulates imperfectly; its Qualities become impaired; the Humours tend to a pretty general Stagnation; and none of the vital Functions are completely discharged.

From such Causes and Circumstances they begin to sink into a State of Weakness, sometimes while they are very young, and many Years before this periodical Discharge could be expected. This State of Languor disposes them to be inactive; a little Exercise soon fatigues them, whence they take none at all. It might prove a Remedy, and even effect a Cure, at the Beginning of their Complaint; but as it is a Remedy, that is painful and disagreeable to them, they reject it, and thus increase their Disorders.

Their Appetite declines with the other vital Functions, and gradually becomes still less; the usual salutary Kinds of Food never exciting it; instead of which they indulge themselves in whimsical Cravings, and often of the oddest and most improper Substances for Nutrition, which entirely impair the Stomach with its digestive Functions, and consequently Health itself.

But sometimes after the Duration of this State for a few Years, the ordinary Time of their monthly Evacuations approaches, which however make not the least Appearance, for two Reasons. The first is, that their Health is too much impaired to accomplish this new Function, at a Time when all the others are so languid: and the second is, that under such Circumstances, the Evacuations themselves are unnecessary; since their final Purpose is to discharge (when the Sex are not pregnant) that superfluous Blood, which they were intended to produce, and whose Retention would be unhealthy, when not applied to the Growth of the Foetus, or Nourishment of the Child: and this Superfluity of Blood does not exist in Women, who have been long in a very low and languishing State.

Sec. 353. Their Disorder however continues to increase, as every one daily must, which does not terminate. This Increase of it is attributed to the Suppression or Non-appearance of their monthly Efflux, which is often erroneous; since the Disorder is not always owing to that Suppression, which is often the Effect of their Distemperature. This is so true, that even when the Efflux happens, if their Weakness still continues, the Patients are far from being the better for it, but the reverse. Neither is it unusual to see young Lads, who have received from Nature, and from their Parents, a sort of feminine Constitution, Education and Habitude, infested with much the same Symptoms, as obstructed young Women.

Country Girls, who are generally more accustomed to such hardy Work and Exercise as Country Men, are less subject to these Complaints, than Women who live in Cities.

Sec. 354. Let People then be careful not to deceive themselves on this important Account; since all the Complaints of young Maidens are not owing to the Want of their Customs. Nevertheless it is certain there are some of them, who are really afflicted from this Cause. For Instance, when a strong young Virgin in full Health, who is nearly arrived to her full Growth, and who manifestly abounds with Blood, does not obtain this Discharge at the usual Time of Life, then indeed this superfluous Blood is the Fountain of very many Disorders, and greatly more violent ones than those, which result from the contrary Causes already mentioned.

If the lazy inactive City Girls are more subject to the Obstructions, which either arise from the Weakness and Languor I have formerly taken Notice of, or which accompany it; Country Girls are more subject to Complaints from this latter Cause (too great a Retention of superfluous Blood) than Women who live in Cities: and it is this last Cause that excites those singular Disorders, which appear so supernatural to the common People, that they ascribe them to Sorcery.

Sec. 355. And even after these periodical Discharges have appeared, it is known that they have often been suppressed, without the least unhealthy Consequence resulting from that Suppression. They are often suppressed, in the Circumstances mentioned Sec. 351, by a Continuance of the Disease, which was first an Obstacle or Retardment to their Appearance; and in other Cases, they have been suppressed by other Causes, such as Cold, Moisture, violent Fear, any very strong Passion; by too chilly a Course of Diet, with Indigestion; or too hot and irritating Diet; by Drinks cooled with Ice, by Exercise too long continued, and by unusual Watching. The Symptoms, occasioned by such Suppressions, are sometimes more violent than those, which preceded the first Appearance of the Discharge.

Sec. 356. The great Facility with which this Evacuation may be suppressed, diminished, or disordered, by the Causes already assigned; the terrible Evils which are the Consequences of such Interruptions and Irregularities of them, seem to me very cogent Reasons to engage the Sex to use all possible Care, in every Respect, to preserve the Regularity of them; by avoiding, during their Approach and Continuance, every Cause that may prevent or lessen them. Would they be thoroughly persuaded, not solely by my Advice, but by that of their Mothers, their Relations, their Friends, and by their own Experience, of what great Importance it is to be very attentive to themselves, at those critical Times, I think there is not one Woman, who from the first, to the very last Appearance of them, would not conduct herself with the most scrupulous Regularity.

Their Demeanour, in these Circumstances, very fundamentally interests their own Health, as well as that of their Children; and consequently their own Happiness, as well as that of their Husbands and Families.

The younger and more delicate they are, Caution becomes the more necessary for them. I am very sensible a strong Country Girl is too negligent in regulating herself at those critical Seasons, and sometimes without any ill Consequence; but at another Time she may suffer severely for it: and I could produce a long List of many, who, by their Imprudence on such Occasions, have thrown themselves into the most terrible Condition.

Besides the Caution with which Females should avoid these general Causes, just mentioned in the preceding Section, every Person ought to remember what has most particularly disagreed with her during that Term, and for ever constantly to reject it.