The Female Physician / Containing all the diseases incident to that sex, in virgins, wives, and widows; together with their causes and symptoms, their degrees of danger, and respective methods of prevention and cure: to which is added, the whole art of new improv'd midwifery; comprehending the necessary qualifications of a midwife, and particular directions for laying women, in all cases of difficult and preternatural births; together with the diet and regimen of both the mother and child.

CHAP. XXVII.
Of WATER-FLUXES.

THE Water which is gather’d in the Time of GESTATION, between the Membranes involving the INFANT, is at last upon the approaching BIRTH effus’d: For the CHILD having broke the Amnion, feels these WATERS troublesome, and consequently obliges the Chorion also to give way. From whence proceeds naturally a copious Effusion of the same Waters.

BUT of this natural Flooding, I am not properly to treat in this Place; only of that preposterous Flux, which happens before the due time of BIRTH, the immediate Cause of which proceeds from some Procatarctick Accident: Such as a Perturbation of Mind, an unlucky Fall, a Leap, a Stroke, or any other Violence.

THIS Symptom happens Two ways, either by a Disruption, or Dilatation of the MEMBRANES: the first by external, the other commonly by internal Causes. In the first Case, the Flux comes suddenly, irregularly, and in a great Quantity; in the second, by little and little, or by degrees, and less in Quantity.

THE first Case is most dangerous, being the infallible PROGNOSTICK of instant Abortion, if not timely and judiciously prevented. The second Case is of the following bad Consequence, that this Water, which has hitherto defended the Infant from the Rigidity of the circumjacent Parts, being at last (how leisurely soever) exhausted and spent; the Child is soon sensible of its Loss, and finding its wonted Seat become uneasy, it thereupon being restless or discontented, endeavours to move and seek for a Better: By which means (if Abortion does not presently ensue) it falls into a preternatural Situation, which (of course) occasions a preternatural BIRTH. But abstracting from This, the bare Deficiency of the Waters, for moistening the Passages in time of LABOUR, is enough to effect the same Unhappiness.

HOWEVER, the Cure of this SYMPTOM depends chiefly upon a good Regimen of DIET, and external, as well as internal Corroboratives.

IN short, having thus discuss’d the several SYMPTOMS of the Nine Months, and such as are most common and familiar to the Woman during her Foetura, or the whole Time of her CHILD-BEARING; I shall proceed now in the next Place with all due Method and peculiar Regard for her Good.