OF MOLES AND FALSE CONCEPTIONS.
This disease is called by the Greeks mole; and is taken from the load or
heavy weight of it, it being a mole or great lump of hard flesh
burdening the womb.
It is an inarticulate piece of flesh without form, begotten in the
matrix as if it were a true conception. Note two things: first, a mole
is said to be inarticulate and without form, it differs from monsters,
which are both formate and articulate: secondly, it puts a difference
between a true conception and a mole; first, in the genus, in that a
mole cannot be said to be an animal: secondly, in the species, because
it hath no human figure, and bears not the character of a man: thirdly,
in the individual, for it hath no affinity with the parent, either in
the whole body or any particular part.
_Cause._—The true cause of this fleshy mole proceeds from both the man
and from the woman, from corrupt and barren seed in man, and from the
menstruous blood in the woman, both emitted together in the womb, where
nature finding herself weak, labours to bring forth a vicious conception
rather than none; and instead of a living creature, generates a lump of
flesh.
_Signs._—The menses are suppressed, the appetite is depraved, the
breasts swell, and the belly is suddenly puffed up, and waxeth hard.
Thus the signs of a breeding woman, and one that breedeth a mole, are
one. The first sign of difference is in the motion of the mole; it may
be felt to move in the womb before the third month, which an infant
cannot; yet the motion cannot be understood of any intelligent power in
the mole, but the faculty of the womb and the animal spirits diffused
through the substance of the mole; for it hath not an animal but a
vegetative source of life, in manner of a plant: secondly, if a mole,
the belly is suddenly puffed up; but if a true conception, the belly is
suddenly retracted; and then riseth up by degrees: thirdly, the belly
being pressed with the hand, the mole gives way; and the hand being
taken away, it returns to the place again; but a child in the womb,
though pressed with the hand, moves not presently; and being removed,
returns slowly, or not at all: lastly, the child continues in the womb
not above ten months, but a mole continues sometimes four or five years,
more or less, according as it is fastened in the matrix. I have known a
mole to fall away in four or five months. If it remain until the
eleventh month, the legs wax feeble, and the whole body consumes.
_Prognostics._—If, at the delivery of a mole, the flux of the blood be
great, it shows the more danger, because nutrition, having been violated
by the flowing back of the superfluous humours, where the natural heat
is consumed; and parting with so much of her blood, the woman is so
weakened in all her faculties, that she cannot subsist without
difficulty.
_Cause._—We are taught by Hippocrates, that phlebotomy causeth abortion
by taking all that nourishment which should preserve the life of the
child: wherefore, open the liver vein and saphena in both feet, fasten
cupping-glasses to the loins and sides of the belly, let the uterine
parts be first mollified, and then the expulsive faculty provoked to
expel the burden.
To laxate the ligature of the mole, take mallows with the roots, three
handfuls; camomile, melilot, pelitory of the wall, violet leaves,
mercury, root of fennel, parsley, of each two handfuls; linseed,
fenugreek, each one pound; boil them in water, and let her sit therein
up to the navel. At her going out of the bath, anoint the privities and
reins with the following unguent. Take mercury and althea roots, of each
half a handful: flos, bracho, ursini, half a handful; linseed,
barley-meal, of each six ounces; boil all these with water and honey,
and make a plaster; make pessaries of the gum galbanum, bdellium,
antimoniacum, figs, hog’s suet, and honey.
After the ligaments of the moles are loosed, let the expulsive faculty
be stirred up to expel the moles. Take troch de myrrh, one ounce; castor
astrolochia, gentian, dictam, of each an ounce; make a powder; take one
drachm in four ounces of mugwort water. Take of hypericon, calamint,
pennyroyal, betony, hyssop, sage, horehound, valeria, madder, savine:
with water make a decoction; take three ounces of it, with one ounce and
a half of feverfew.
But if these things prove not available, then must the mole be drawn
away with an instrument put up into the womb, which may be performed by
a skilful surgeon. After the delivery of the mole let the flux of blood
be stayed as soon as may be. Fasten cupping-glasses to the shoulders and
ligatures of the arms. If this help not, open the liver vein in the
right arm.