Chapter XII: Falling of the Womb

The falling down of the womb is a relaxation of the ligature, whereby the matrix is carried backward, and in some hangs out the size of an egg. The falling of the womb is, when it sinks down to the entrance of the privities, and appears to the eye either very little or not at all. The precipitation is, when the womb, like a purse is turned inside outward, and hangs betwixt the thighs in the size of a cupping-glass.

_Cause._—The external cause is difficult child-birth, violent pulling away of the secundine, rashness and inexperience in drawing away the child, violent coughing, sneezing, falls, blows, and carrying heavy burdens. The internal cause is overmuch humidity flowing into these parts, hindering the operations of the womb, whereby the ligaments by which the womb is supported are relaxed. The cause in particular is referred to be in the retention of the seed, or in the suppression of the monthly terms.

_Signs._—The intestines and bladder are oftentimes so crushed, that the passage of the excrements is hindered; if the urine flows forth white and thick, and the midriff moistened, the loins are grieved, the privities pained, and the womb sinks down to the private parts, or else comes clean out.

_Prognostics._—In an old woman it is cured with great difficulty; because it weakens the faculty of the womb, and therefore, though it be reduced to its proper place, yet upon very little illness it returns; and so it is with the younger sort, if the disease be inveterate. If it be caused by a putrefaction of the nerves, it is incurable.

_Cures._—The womb being naturally placed between the strait gut and the bladder, and now fallen down, ought not to be put up again, until the faculty, both of the gut and of the bladder, be stirred up. Nature being unloaded of her burden, let the woman be laid on her back, her legs higher than her head; let her feet be drawn up to her hinder parts, with her knees spread; then mollify the swelling with oil of lilies and sweet almonds, or with the decoction of mallows, beets, fenugreek, and linseed; when the inflammation is dissipated, let the midwife anoint her hand with oil of mastic, and reduce the womb into its place. The matrix being up, the situation of the patient must be changed, let her legs be put out at length, and laid together; six cupping-glasses to her breast and navel; boil mugwort, feverfew, red roses, and comfrey in red wine; make a suffumigation for the matrix; and at her coming out of the bath, give her syrup of feverfew one ounce, with a drachm of mithridate. Take laudani, mastic, of each three drachms, make a plaster of it for the navel; then make pessaries of asafœtida, saffron, comfrey, and mastic, adding thereto a little castor.

The matrix seated in its natural abode, the remote cause must be removed. If the body be plethoric, open a vein; prepare with syrup of betony, calamint, hyssop, and feverfew. Purge with pil. hierac, agaric, pil. de colocin. If the stomach be oppressed with crudities, unburden it by vomiting; sudorifical decoctions of lignum sanctum, and sassafras, taken twenty days together, dry up the superfluous moisture, and consequently suppress the cause of the disease.

Let the air be hot and dry, your diet hot and attenuating; abstain from all motion, both of body and mind; eat sparingly, drink little, sleep moderately.