26 CULPEPER’: ENGLISH PHYSICIAN, 
this time, are the fources of many difeafes and misfortunes in life, which a few fen- 
fible Jeflons from andexperienced matron might have prevented. Nor is care lefs 
neceflary in the fubfequent returns of this difcharge. Taking improper food, vio 
lent affections of the mind, or catching cold at this period, is often fufficient to ruin 
the health, or to render the female ever after incapable of procreation. If a girl 
‘about this time of life be confined to the houfe, kept conftantly fitting, and neither 
allowed to romp about, nor employed in any aétive bufinefs, which gives exercife 
to the whole body, fhe becomes weak, relaxed, and puny ; her blood not being duly 
prepared, fhe looks pale and wan; her health, {pirits, and vigour, decline, and fhe 
‘finks into a valetudinary for life. Such is the fate of numbers of thole unhappy 
females, who, either from too much indulgence, or their own narrow circumftances, 
are, at this critical period, denied the benefit of exercife and free air. A lazy indo- 
lent difpofition proves likewife very hurtful to girls at this period, One feldom 
“meets with complaints from obftruétions amongft the more aétive and induftrious 
“part of the fex; whereas the indolent and lazy are feldom free from them, Thefe 
are, ina manner, eat up by the chlorofis, or green-ficknefs, and other difeafes of this 
nature. “We would therefore recommend it to all who wifh to efcape thefe calami- 
ties, to avoid indolence and inactivity, as their greateft enemies, and to be as much 
abroad i in the open air as poffible. After the menfes have once begun to flow, the 
‘greateft care fhould be taken to avoid every thing that may tend to obftruct them. 
Cold is extremely. hurtful at this particular period. More of the fex date their dif- 
‘orders from colds, caught while they are out of order, than from all other caufes. 
_ “This ought furely to put them upon their guard, and to make them very circum- 
‘fpe€t in their conduét at fuch times. A degree of cold that will not in the leaft hurt 
them at another time, will, at this period, be fufficient to ruin their health and con-. 
_. ftitution; therefore, from whatever caule this flux is obftruéted, except in the ftate 
of pregnancy, proper means fhould be immediately ufed to reftore it. But the 
‘menttrual flux may be too great as well as too fmall. “When this happens, the pa- 
_ tient becomes weak, the colour pale, the appetite and digeftion are bad, and cedema- 
s fwellings of the feet, dropfies, and confumptions, often enfue. To reftrain the 
fi : patient fhould be kept quiet and eafy both in body and mind. If it be 
eng : fhe ought to lie in bed with her head low ; to live upon a cool and 
flenc er ; veal lor chicken-broths with bread; and to drink decoétions of net- 
tle-roc eater comfrey. If thefe be not fufficient to ftop the flux, ftronger 
“aftrin x uted, as Japan earth, allum, elixir of vitriol, the Peruvian bark, 
of allum and one of Japan earth may be pounded together, and 
vided’ intoeig 1 or nine dofes, oneof which may be taken three times a-day. Per- 
_ fons whofe ftomachs cannot bear the allum, may take two table-fpoonfuls of the 
a tinéture bed rofes three or four times ah to peach dofe of which ten =n drops of lauda- 
F . . ‘num . 
