SECT.  II.—­Of the Terms coming out of order, either before or after the usual Time.

Having, in the former part of this work, treated, of the suppression and overflowing of the monthly terms, I shall content myself with referring the reader thereto, and proceed to speak of their coming out of order, either before or after the usual time.

Both these proceed from an ill constitution of body.  Everything is beautiful in its order, in nature as well as in morality; and if the order of nature be broken, it shows the body to be out of order.  Of each of these effects briefly.

When the monthly courses come before their time, showing a depraved excretion, and flowing sometimes twice a month, the cause is in the blood, which stirs up the expulsive faculty of the womb, or else in the whole body, and is frequently occasioned by the person’s diet, which increases the blood too much, making it too sharp or too hot.  If the retentive faculty of the womb be weak, and the expulsive faculty strong, and of a quick sense, it brings them forth the sooner.  Sometimes they flow sooner by reason of a fall, stroke or some violent passion, which the parties themselves can best relate.  If it be from heat, thin and sharp humours, it is known by the distemper of the whole body.  The looseness of the vessels and the weakness of the retentive faculty, is known from a moist and loose habit of the body.  It is more troublesome than dangerous, but hinders conception, and therefore the cure is necessary for all, but especially such as desire children.  If it proceeds from a sharp blood, let her temper it by a good diet and medicines.  To which purpose, let her use baths of iron water, that correct the distemper of the bowels, and then evacuate.  If it proceeds from the retentive faculty, and looseness of the vessels, it is to be corrected with gentle astringents.

As to the courses flowing after the usual time, the causes are, thickness of the blood, and the smallness of its quantity, with the stoutness of the passage, and weakness of the expulsive faculties.  Either of these singly may stop the courses, but if they all concur, they render the distemper worse.  If the blood abounds not in such a quantity as may stir up nature to expel it, its purging must necessarily be deferred, till there be enough.  And if the blood be thick, the passage stopped, and the expulsive faculty weak, the menses must needs be out of order and the purging of them retarded.

For the cure of this, if the quantity of blood be small, let her use a larger diet, and a very little exercise.  If the blood be thick and foul, let it be made thin, and the humours mixed therewith, evacuated.  It is good to purge, after the courses have done flowing, and to use calamint, and, indeed, the oftener she purges, the better.  She may also use fumes and pessaries, apply cupping glasses without scarification to the inside of the thighs, and rub the legs and scarify the ankles, and hold the feet in warm water four or five days before the courses come down.  Let her also anoint the bottom of her belly with things proper to provoke the terms.