Chapter VIII: Of the Overflowing of the Menses

I shall now treat on the overflowing of the menses, an effect no less dangerous than the former. This immoderate flux is a sanguineous excrement, proceeding from the womb, exceeding both in quantity and time. First, it is sanguineous: the matter of the flux being only blood, wherein it differs from that which is commonly called the false menses, or the whites. Secondly, it proceeds from the womb: for there are two ways from which the blood flows; one by the internal veins of the body of the womb,—and this is called the monthly flux; the other is by those veins which are terminated in the neck of the matrix,—and this is called the hemorrhoids of the womb. Lastly, it is said to exceed both in quantity and time. In quantity, saith Hippocrates, when they flow about eighteen ounces: in time, when they flow about three days: but it is inordinate flowing, when the faculties of the body are thereby weakened. In bodies abounding with gross humours, this immoderate flux sometimes unburdens nature of her load, and ought not to be staid without the counsel of a physician.

_Cause._—The cause is internal or external. The internal cause is threefold; in the matter, instrument, or faculty. The matter, which is the blood, may be vicious, by the heat of constitution, climate, or season, heating the blood, whereby the passages are dilated, and the faculty weakened, that it cannot retain the blood; and, by falls, blows, violent motion, breaking of the veins, &c. The external cause may be lifting, carrying of heavy burdens, unnatural child-birth, &c.

_Signs._—The appetite is decayed, the conception is depraved, and the actions weakened; the feet are swelled, the colour of the face is changed, and a general feebleness of the body. If the flux comes by the breaking of a vein, the body is sometimes cold, the blood flows forth in heaps, and that suddenly, with great pain. If it comes through heat, the orifice of the vein being dilated, then there is little or no pain, yet the blood flows faster than it doth in an erosion, and not so fast as it doth in a rupture. If by erosion, or sharpness of blood, she feels a great heat scalding the passage; it differs from the other two, in that it flows not so suddenly, nor so copiously as they do. Lastly, if it proceeds from bad blood drop some of it on a cloth, and when it is dry, you may judge of the quality by the colour. If it be choleric, it will be yellow; if melancholy, black; if phlegmatic, waterish and whitish.

_Prognostics._—If with the flux be joined a convulsion, it is dangerous, because it intimates the more noble parts are vitiated: and a convulsion caused by emptiness is deadly. If it continues long, it will be cured with great difficulty: for it was one of the miracles which our Saviour, Christ, wrought, to cure this disease, when it had continued twelve years. If the flux be inordinate, many diseases will ensue, and without remedy; the blood, with the native heat, being consumed, either cachetical, hydropical, or paralytical diseases will follow.

_Cure._—The cure is, first, in repelling and carrying away the blood: Secondly, in correcting and taking away the fluxibility of the matter: Thirdly, in incorporating the veins and faculties. For the first, open a vein in the arm, and draw out so much blood as the strength of the patient will permit; and at several times, for thereby the spirits are less weakened, and the refraction so much the greater.

Apply cupping-glasses to the breasts, and also the liver, that the reversion may be in the fountain.

To correct the fluxibility of the matter, cathartical means, moderated with the astrictories, may be used.

If it be caused by erosion, or sharpness of blood, prepare with syrup of violets, wormwood, roses, citron-pill, succory, &c.

If by adust choler, prepare the body with syrup of roses, myrtles, sorrel, and purslain, mixed with water of plantain, knot-grass, and endive. Then purge with rhubarb, one drachm, cinnamon fifteen grains; infuse them one night in endive water; add to the straining, pulp of tamarind, cassia, of each half an ounce; make a potion. If the blood be waterish as it is in hydropical bodies, and flows forth by reason of thinness, to draw off the water it will be profitable to purge with agaric, coloquintida: sweating is proper, for thereby the matter offending is taken away, and the blood carried to the other parts. To procure sweat, use cardus water, with mithridate, or the decoction of guaiacum, and sarsaparilla. The pills of sarsaparilla are commended.

Take of bole ammoniac one scruple, London treacle one drachm, old conserve of roses half an ounce, with syrup of myrtle make an electuary: or, if the flux hath continued long, take of mastic two drachms, olibani troch de carbara, of each one drachm; balustium, one scruple; make a powder;—with syrup of quinces make it into pills; take one before meals. Take the juice of knot-grass, comfrey, and quinces, of each one ounce, camphor, one drachm; dip silk or cotton therein, and apply it to the place. Take of oil of mastic, myrtles, quinces, of each half an ounce; fine bole, trock, decarda, of each one drachm; sanguis draconis a sufficient quantity; make an unguent, and apply it before and behind. Take the plantain, shepherd’s purse, red rose leaves, of each one ounce:—boil all these in plantain water, and make of it two plasters; apply one before and one behind. If the blood flow from those veins which terminated in the neck of the matrix, then it is not the overflowing of the terms, but the hemorrhoids of the womb; yet the same cure will serve both, only the instrumental cure will a little differ: for, in the uterine hemorrhoids, the ends of the veins hang over like teats or bushes, which must be taken away by incision, and then the veins closed up with aloes, fine bole, burnt alum, troch de terrs fiall; myrrh, mastic, with the juice of comfrey and knot-grass, laid plaster-ways thereto.

The air must be cold and dry. All motion of the body must be forbidden. Let her meat be pheasant, partridge, mountain birds, coneys, calf-feet, &c.