Читать книгу The Female Physician - John Maubray - Страница 23

CHAP. III. Of the Virgin-Disease, commonly called the GREEN-SICKNESS.

Table of Contents

THIS Malady is an Indisposition visibly discolorating the Complexion, and nothing else, but a Complication of divers Diseases and Symptoms: Wherefore it is variously represented and taken, sometimes for a Disease, and sometimes for a Symptom.

BE that as it will; it is so Familiar, or rather Peculiar to Mature VIRGINS, that most Physicians call it the Virgin-Disease, or Virgin-Fever; as others call it Febris Alba, or pale Fever: Not that it is always join’d with a Fever; but because the affected Party represents (in most Respects) a Feverish Person, by the Celerity and Frequency of Her Pulse, &c.

IT is also call’d Febris Amatoria; I suppose, (partly) because of the Colour, according to the POET; Palleat omnis Amans, Color hic eft aptus Amanti: And (partly) because of the Age, which may be the fittest Time for Love; which made Diogenes say, at sight of a certain Patient, That she was dead in her OWN, but alive in ANOTHER Body: As it is otherwise denominated Icterus Albus; because, as in an Icterus or JAUNDICE, the whole Body is tinctur’d yellow: So in this Disorder, it is changed Pale and Wan; and from hence it is commonly call’d the GREEN-SICKNESS, because of the Colour and Aspect inclining a little that way. As it is likewise also term’d, Fœdus seu pallidus Virginum Color, or the ugly pale Colour of languishing VIRGINS.

HOWEVER yet I have known many Women, in France, and Germany, who have been so far from thinking it an ugly Colour, that they have esteem’d it most Beautiful; and have used very pernicious Things to gain and appropriate this Colour to Themselves: Esteeming Fresh-looking-Women, of a fine sanguine Complexion, mere RUSTICKS.

THIS disagreeable Affection of the Body, however it is titled, most certainly implies a Complication of several different Maladies; annoying all the Actions of the Natural, and Motions of the Animal Faculty: Or, in short, perverting the whole Oeconomy of the Body. And because it is always join’d with Most, if not with All the following Symptoms, I think it may be regularly thus defin’d.

THE VIRGIN-DISEASE, is a Change of the natural Colour of the Face into a pallid greenish Tincture; with a Dejection of Strength, Gravity of all the Members and Parts of the Body, Fastidy of Victuals, Malacia or Pica, Heaviness and Palpitation of Heart, Difficulty of Breathing, a slow Fever, Pains of the Head, Melancholy, Inflations, and Oedematous Tumours of the Feet, Legs, Eye-lids, and the whole Face; with a frigid Intemperature, and Cachexy of the whole Body; proceeding from a deprav’d Nutrition, and the abundance of crude Humours, ingender’d from a perverse Disposition of the Liver, Spleen, or Ventricle.

HENCE proceed the OBSTRUCTIONS of the Uterine Vessels, and neighbouring Parts, of the Veins of the LIVER, and SPLEEN; but especially, of the MESENTERY: So that the natural Calidity of the whole Body being thus suffocated, and oppressed, by those crude Humours, an Irregularity, or Suppression of the MENSTRUA, must needs ensue.

BY this Definition, the DISEASE may easily be known; tho’ in some Circumstances, it may differ, according to the different Quality of the predominant Humour: Especially considering, that if all the foremention’d Signs, or Symptoms, do not concur in all PATIENTS; yet Most of them commonly do happen in most Persons, and All in Some. Whence I come methodically to denote more particularly its Causes.

IN order to which, I may justly premise, that the Proximous Cause is a Collection of deprav’d crude Humours in the Body: As the Remote Cause, is a Suppression, or Irregularity in the Course of the Menstruous Blood.

NOW this Blood flowing to the Womb, as soon as the VIRGIN is Mature; if the Passages are not capacious or patent enough, it regorges to the Major Veins, and thence to the very Bowels; extinguishing the Heat, and obstructing the Vessels of the LIVER, SPLEEN, and MESENTERY: From whence proceeds a vicious Concoction and Sanguification; and consequently a Collection of crude Humours, which excite various Symptoms thro’ all Parts of the Body. And it commonly happens, that an irregular or improper Way of Living, especially about the Time of Puberty, or in the Time of the natural Course, engenders a pituitous and viscid Blood; which, together with the aforesaid Humours, totally obstructs the Uterine Vessels.

THIS Distemper is very dangerous, if not timely cur’d; because if the Heart be very much affected, and the Vital Faculty quite oppressed with it, the Patient often dies suddenly: Or, otherways, it commonly turns to a Dropsy; and, when the Humours fly into the Head, it causes a Frenzy.

NOW as I come gradually to set forth the Cure of this Distemper, I shall First observe; that, as various Diseases and Symptoms do concur towards its Complication, all These are to be discreetly remov’d by proper Means and Methods. But that I may be better understood, SOME are more prudently (perhaps) to be remov’d singly; and OTHERS, jointly: As for Instance, if any one Symptom be more troublesome and dangerous than the Rest, it ought to be chiefly regarded above All others; and, if not remov’d, at least mitigated in the First Place.

SECONDLY, That a proper Regulation of Diet and Regimen of Body, is to be judiciously directed, as another initial necessary Step towards the Cure; which we have hereafter more fully treated of.

THIRDLY, That this Distemper is more easily and sooner cur’d, in Spring or Summer-Time, than in Autumn or Winter; because when the proper Constitution of WEATHER and AIR concurs with the medicinal Means, more may be done towards effecting its Cure in a Week, than otherways can be expected in a Month. Wherefore These being premised, the Cure will most rationally depend upon the four following methodical STEPS; viz.

I. THAT the vitious Humours lodged in the Body, especially in the Bowels, be duly prepar’d for Expurgation, and then effectually evacuated.

II. THAT the Intemperature and Obstructions of the VENTRICLE, LIVER, SPLEEN, and WOMB, be All carefully and regularly removed.

III. THAT the Menstrua be duly rectify’d, and physically reduc’d to a Natural Course, by the best Conduct of Art and Judgment.

IV. THAT the Rest of the morbifick Humours, whether Crude, Aqueous, or Serous, lurking behind in the Body, be in due manner discharg’d.

BUT more particularly; The Cure may be begun with a gentle Evacuation of the Belly, and, if Strength and other Circumstances shall permit, with repeated VENÆSECTIONS^[32], or Blood-letting in the Foot, not only for removing the Plenitude, but also for resolving the Obstructions of the MENSTRUA.

AND because the Humours are Thick and Frigid, proper warming and attenuating, or preparing and purging Medicines are to be used in their Turns; or rarefying and inciding Matters may be mixed with the Purgatives. As also in Case the Humours lodge about the Ventricle and Mesentery, a gentle Vomit may be convenient.

BUT because divers Parts suffer OBSTRUCTIONS in this sickly Affection, proper Aperitives are to be made use of; and Those chiefly, which have a natural Affinity with every respective affected Part: As for Example; Hepaticks, for the LIVER; Spleneticks, for the SPLEEN; Uterines, for the WOMB, &c. Wherefore the Physician ought to weigh and consider well, whether the Veins about the VENTRICLE and MESENTERY, or LIVER and SPLEEN, be most obstructed; since the most special Regard must be had to the Part most affected.

IN the Beginning, such Medicines as serve best to open the Obstructions of the MESENTERY, SPLEEN, and LIVER, sparingly mix’d with such as provoke the MENSTRUA or MONTHS, are to be discreetly used: But afterwards, in Progress of the Cure, the Uterines may (by Degrees) be prudentially augmented.

HOWEVER, at last it often happens, that tho’ the grosser HUMOURS are evacuated: yet some watry, serous Humours remain in the Circuit of the Body, too much refrigerating and infesting it still; which are most conveniently remov’d by Sudorificks.

BUT because the compleat CURE of this Disease requires some Length of Time, I would advise proper Preparatives, Purgatives, and Corroboratives, to be exhibited by Turns; as also the very Form and Composition of the MEDICINES to be varied in their Courses, for the preventing of Nauseousness.

THE Patient’s REGIMEN, must likewise be well prescrib’d, and curiously regulated; especially her Diet. She ought to live upon Victuals of the best Nutrition, and easiest Concoction, carefully avoiding all others that are not so agreeable: Especially such as are of a frigid or humid Quality; such as Pot-herbs, Garden-Fruits, Milk Fish, &c. She may drink generous Wine, or good Ale cautiously abstaining from all small Drinks, and other such like noxious Liquids, as much as possible.

MOREOVER, Motion and Exercise are very convenient, not only in the Beginning, but also in the Declension of this DISEASE; especially by strongly Chafing and Rubbing, with warm Flannels, every Morning in Bed.

BUT Sleep is not to be too much indulged, especially not in the Mornings; altho’ she be Then more propense to it, by reason of the abundance of VAPOURS ascending to the Brain.

LASTLY, to perfect and confirm this CURE, I would recommend^[33] Hippocrates’s sound Advice to the Patient; which is to the following Purpose, of marrying betimes for the sake of Health, and to prevent all the future ill Consequences of this growing Malady.

“EGO, inquit, Autor sum, ut Virgines hoc malo affectæ quàm celerrimè viris conjungantur; iisq; cohabitent: Si enim conceperint, convalescent. Si verò in pubertate hoc malo non corripiantur, tum paulo post eas invadit.”

UPON which excellent Sentence, the two following Observations may, (I hope) appositely here follow and take place, viz.

I. Quod etiam Ratione & Experientiâ confirmatur[34]: Venere etenim Uterus & partes circa Uterum incalescunt, viæq; aperiuntur & laxantur, ut sanguis Menstruus postea faciliùs ad Uterum confluere & per eundem effluere possit.

II. Rectissimè etiam dictum, convalescent, si concipiant; quia Sanguis, qui præter Naturam antea retinebatur, jam in Fœtûs Formationem absumitur; & si quid vitiosorum humorum in Utero cumulatum sit, id post partum evacuatur.

I have thought it proper to insist the more upon this Head; because I know none else among all the Indispositions of Life, which can properly be accounted peculiar to Virgins.

SOME however may think perhaps, that I had a fair Opportunity in this Place, to introduce the various Diseases and Symptoms of the WOMB, VAGINA, and PUDENDUM; the divers Symptoms of the Menstruous Flux, together with Those which are incident to all Women after Puberty.

WHICH Objection I humbly beg leave briefly to answer, that a twofold Reason dissuaded me from undertaking to treat of Those Heads in this Place.

I. BECAUSE They are common to all Women in general, and incident to the Wife, or Widow, as well as to the Virgin; wherefore, I hope, another Place in this BOOK may be assigned to Them, more proper and convenient than This, without any Digression.

II. BY reason the several Branches of these Heads are so very many and different, that to discuss ’em all Here, as I ought to do, would too much swell the Bulk of the Volume, and enhance the Price of this BOOK; which I design for the Good of the poorer Sort of Women, as well as the Benefit of the Rich. However, what is most Essential and necessarily Requisite, shall not be omitted (at least coincidently) in its proper Place. Wherefore I shall leave the Virgin, after a digressive Hint in the following Section, upon her darling Passion, [LOVE]: and supposing her to have alter’d her Condition, I shall thenceforward treat her as a Wife.