De practyk der vroed'meesters en vroed'vrouwen, Of de wyse van een vrouw' te helpen in haar kindbaren. Be...

have some patience, and hope for the best, because it may well be a miscarriage, which usually reveals itself at this time, and when this flow of blood stops, it is a sign that the pregnancy has loosened and detached. This miscarriage is easily driven out by administering an enema, and with little discomfort for the woman: but if the flow of blood is significant, one must have the patient bled from the arm.

This type of miscarriage is a membrane-like body, in shape like a hen's egg, which is full of water. In contrast, a true pregnancy has, in this membranous and egg-shaped body, a small creature, in shape like a silkworm, in which one can distinguish the head and the face, with two small spots like pinheads.

When this pregnancy, whether with or without a creature, has been driven out, the flow of blood stops: but if it happens that the miscarriage does not come away, and the bleeding continues, with weakening of the woman, then one must, if possible, attempt to remove it by inserting the forefinger; but if one perceives from the great stench that it is rotting, one shall use the above-mentioned injection, adding to it two ounces each of Birthwort and

sugar, injecting this into the womb.

When a woman in the third, fourth, or fifth month of her pregnancy gets a flow of blood, she must stay in bed, and after taking advice from doctors, be bled two or three times on the arm, which is very good in this situation, and if the flow of blood nevertheless continues, and clots come away, then one may well predict that the fetus will also likely pass.

The fetus which is expelled at this time is not much larger (to speak without comparison) than a newborn kitten.

If the afterbirth does not follow at the same time, one need not be concerned, although it is larger than the child; for it happens sometimes that it remains inside for the second, third, or fourth day, or even longer, and then it often follows after the administration of an enema.

The reason why one should not be alarmed when the afterbirth remains in the woman's body for so long is that it does not spoil there as easily as outside the body; and I have seen some that have remained in the womb for up to six days, or even longer, without putrefaction, which mainly happens in well-constituted bodies, and those who are without fever: but when fever strikes in this case, one must consult with an experienced physician whether one should bleed the patient on the arm or on the foot.