means it would be impossible to deliver them.  But a skilful operator will easily prevent this, if, after having found two or three of several children presenting together in the passage, and taking aside two of the forwardest, a right and a left, and sliding his arm along the legs and thighs up to the wrist, if forward, or to the buttocks, if backwards, he finds they both belong to one body; of which being thus assured, he may begin to draw forth the nearest, without regarding which is the strongest or weakest, bigger or less, living or dead, having first put aside that part of the other child which offers to have the more way, and so dispatch the first as soon as may be, observing the same rules as if there were but one, that is keeping the breast and face downwards, with every circumstance directed in that section where the child comes with its feet first, and not fetch the burden till the second child is born.  And therefore, when the operator hath drawn forth one child, he must separate it from the burden, having tied and cut the navel-string, and then fetch the other by the feet in the same manner, and afterwards bring away the after-burden with the two strings as hath been before showed.  If the children present any other part but the feet, the operator may follow the same method as directed in the foregoing section, where the several unnatural positions are fully treated of.

* * * * *

CHAPTER VII

     Directions for Child-bearing Women in their Lying-in.

SECTION I.—­How a Woman newly Delivered ought to be ordered.

As soon as she is laid in her bed, let her be placed in it conveniently for ease and rest, which she stands in great need of to recover herself of the great fatigue she underwent during her travail, and that she may lie the more easily let her hands and body be a little raised, that she may breathe more freely, and cleanse the better, especially of that blood which then comes away, that so it may not clot, which being retained causeth great pain.

Having thus placed her in bed, let her take a draught of burnt white wine, having a drachm of spermaceti melted therein.  The best vervain is also singularly good for a woman in this condition, boiling it in what she either eats or drinks, fortifying the womb so exceedingly that it will do it more good in two days, than any other thing does in double that time, having no offensive taste.  And this is no more than what she stands in need of; for her lower parts being greatly distended until the birth of the infant, it is good to endeavour the prevention of an inflammation there.  Let there also be outwardly applied, all over the bottom of her belly and privities, the following anodyne and cataplasm:—­Take two ounces of oil of sweet almonds, and two or three new laid eggs, yolks and whites, stirring them together in an earthen pipkin over hot embers till they come to the consistence of a poultice; which being spread upon a cloth, must be applied to those parts indifferently warm, having first taken away the closures (which were put to her presently after her delivery), and likewise such clots of blood as were then left.  Let this lie on for five or six hours, and then renew it again when you see cause.