_Of Moles[8] and False Conceptions._
This disease may be defined as an inarticulate shapeless piece of flesh,
begotten in the womb as if it were true conception. In this definition
we must note two things: (1) because a mole is said to be inarticulate
or jointless, and without shape, it differs from monstrosities which are
both _formata_ and _articulata_; (2) it is said to be, as it were a true
conception, which makes a difference between a true conception, and a
mole, and this difference holds good in three ways. First, in its genus,
because a mole cannot be said to be an animal: secondly, in the species,
because it has not a human figure and has not the character of a man;
thirdly, in the individual, for it has no affinity to the parent, either
in the whole body, or in any particular part of it.
CAUSE.
There is a great difference of opinion amongst learned writers as to the
cause of this affection. Some think, that if the woman's seed goes into
the womb, and not the man's, that the mole is produced thereby. Others
declare that it springs from the menstruous blood, but if these two
things were granted, then virgins, by having their courses or through
nocturnal pollutions, might be liable to the same things, which none
have ever been yet. The true cause of this fleshy mole is due both to
the man and from the menstruous blood in the woman both mixing together
in the cavity of the womb. Nature finding herself weak there (and yet
wishing to propagate her species), labours to bring forth a defective
conception rather than nothing and instead of a living creature produces
a lump of flesh.
SIGNS.
The signs of a mole are these. The _menses_ are suppressed, the appetite
becomes depraved, the breasts swell and the stomach becomes inflated and
hard. So far the symptoms in a pregnant woman and in one that has a mole
are the same, but now this is how they differ. The first sign of
difference is in the movements of a mole. It may be felt moving in the
womb before the third month, whereas an infant cannot be so felt; yet
this motion cannot proceed from any intelligent power in the mole, but
from the capabilities of the womb, and of the seminal vigour,
distributed through the substance of the mole, for it does not live an
animal, but a vegetable life, like a plant. _Secondly_, in a mole the
stomach swells suddenly, but in true conception it is first contracted,
and then rises by degrees. _Thirdly_, if the stomach is pressed with the
hand, the mole gives way, and returns to its former position as soon as
the hand is removed. But a child in the womb does not move immediately
though pressed with the hand, and when the hand is removed it returns
slowly or not at all. _Lastly_, no child continues in the womb more than
eleven months, but a mole continues for four or five years, more or
less, sometimes according as it is fastened to the matrix; and I have
known a mole pass away in four or five months. If, however, it remains
until the eleventh month, the woman's legs grow weak and the whole body
wastes away, but the stomach still increases, which makes some women
think that they are dropsical, though there is no reason for it, for in
dropsy the legs swell and grow big, but in a mole they wither and fall
away.
CURE.
In the school of Hippocrates we are taught that bleeding causes
abortion, by taking all the nourishment which should preserve the life
of the embryo. In order, therefore, that this faulty conception may be
deprived of that nourishing sap by which it lives, open the liver vein
and saphena in both feet, apply cupping glasses to the loins and sides
of the stomach, and when that has been done, let the uterine parts be
first softened, and then the expulsive powers be stimulated to get rid
of the burden.
In order to relax the ligatures of the mole, take three handfuls of
mallows with their roots, two handfuls each of camomiles, melilot,
pellitory of the wall, violet leaves, dog's mercury, fennel roots,
parsley, and one pound each of linseed and fenugreek; boil them in oil
and let the patient sit in it up to her navel. When she comes out of her
bath, she should anoint her private parts and loins with the following
ointment:--"Take one ounce each of oil of camomiles, lilies and sweet
almonds: half an ounce each of fresh butter, laudanum and ammoniac, and
make an ointment with oil of lilies. Or, instead of this, you may use
unguentum agrippae or dialthea. Take a handful of dog's mercury and
althea roots; half a handful of flos brochae ursini; six ounces of
linseed and barley meal. Boil all these together in honey and water and
make a plaster, and make pessaries of gum galbanum, bdellium, ammoniac,
figs, pig's fat and honey.
After the ligaments of the mole are loosened, let the expulsive powers
be stimulated to expel the mole, and for doing this, all those drugs may
be used which are adapted to bring on the courses. Take one ounce of
myrrh lozenges, half an ounce each of castor, astrolachia, gentian and
dittany and make them into a powder, and take one drachm in four ounces
of mugwort water. Take calamint, pennyroyal, betony, hyssop, sage,
horehound, valerian, madder and savine; make a decoction in water and
take three ounces of it, with one and a half ounces of feverfew. Take
three scruples each of mugwort, myrrh, gentian and pill. coch.; a drachm
each of rue, pennyroyal and opopanax, and the same of asafoetida,
cinnamon, juniper-berries and borage, and make into pills with savine
juice, to be taken every morning. Make an infusion of hyssop, bay
leaves, bay berries, calamint, camomiles, mugwort and savine. Take two
scruples each of sacopenium, mugwort, savine, cloves, nutmeg, bay
berries; one drachm of galbanum; one scruple each of hiera piera and
black hellebore, and make a pessary with turpentine.
But if these medicaments are not procurable, then the mole must be
pulled out by means of an instrument called the _pes gryphis_,[9] which
may be done without much danger if it be performed by a skilful surgeon.
After she has been delivered of the mole (because the woman will have
lost much blood already), let the flow of blood be stopped as soon as
possible.
Apply cupping glasses to the shoulders and ligatures to the arms, and if
this be not effective, open the liver vein in the arm.
The atmosphere of the room must be kept tolerably dry and warm, and she
must be put on a dry diet, to soothe the system; she must, however,
drink white wine.
FOOTNOTES:
[8] _Mole_: "A somewhat shapeless, compact fleshy mass occurring in the
uterus, due to the retention and continued life of the whole or a part
of the foetal envelopes, after the death of the foetus (_a maternal or
true mole_); or being some other body liable to be mistaken for this, or
perhaps a polypus or false mole." (_Whitney's Century Dictionary_.)
[9] _Griffin's claw_, a peculiar hooked instrument.
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