; for fumigating use cinnamon, nutmeg, the berries of the
bay tree, mugwort, galbanum, molanthium, amber, etc. Make pessaries of
figs and the bruised leaves of dog's mercury, rolled up in lint, and if
a stronger one is required, make one of myrrh, opopanax, ammoniac,
galbanum, sagepanum, mithridate, agaric, coloquintida, tec. Make
injections of a decoction of origane mugwort, dog's mercury, betony, and
eggs; inject into the womb with a female syringe. Take half an ounce
each of oil of almonds, lilies, capers, camomiles; two drachms each of
laudanum and oil of myrrh; make a salve with wax, with which anoint the
place; make injections of fenugreek, camomiles, melilot, dill, marjoram,
pennyroyal, feverfew, juniper berries and calamint; but if the
suppression arises from a lack of matter, then the courses ought not to
be brought on until the spirits be raised and the amount of blood
increased; or if it arises from affections of the womb itself, as dropsy
or inflammation, then particular care must be used; but I will not lay
stress on this here, but will mention the remedies in their order.

If the retention comes from repletion or fullness, if the air be hot and
dry, take moderate exercise before meals, and very light diet and
drinks, and with your food take garden savory--thyme and origane, if it
arises from emptiness and defect of matter: if the weather be moist and
moderately hot, avoid exercise and late hours; let your food be
nourishing and easy of digestion, such as raw eggs, lamb, chickens,
almonds, milk and the like.

* * * * *

CHAPTER III

_Of Excessive Menstruation._

The learned say, that truth is manifested by comparing contraries, and
so, as I have above spoken of the suppression of menstruation, it is now
necessary that I should treat of excessive menstruation, which is no
less dangerous than the former. This immoderate monthly flow is defined
as a sanguineous discharge, as it consists merely of blood, wherein it
differs from the false courses or whites, of which I shall speak further
on. Secondly, it is said to proceed from the womb; for there are two
ways in which the blood issues forth; one by the internal veins of the
body of the womb (and this is properly called the monthly flow), the
other is by those veins which terminate in the neck of the matrix, which
Aetius calls haemorrhoids of the womb. In quantity, Hippocrates said, it
should be about eighteen oun