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Stringunt quippe suá vi lymphæ sive relaxant,
Frigore tum corpus sive calore juvant.

Ecquis idem medicamen eodem in corpore credat,
Adversa inter se pellere posse mala!

These waters vertue have to ope and close,
"What may be called the female's monthly rose.
'These waters loosen, and as firmly bind,
As in all fluxes any one may find.

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By their own vertue, strengthen and relax,
Both heat and cool, dry clay, and harden wax.
'Tis strange, that, in one body, the same thing
Shou'd cross-grain'd maladies to cure bring.

Ecce quam sint naturæ omnipotentis Dei, prudentia & potestate ductæ, admiranda opera quæ aquæ istius limpidæ ac puræ beneficio tot tamque inter se contrarios morbos curat, id quod ars medica sine corporis noxa præstare nequit.-Ryetius, in his Observations de Aquis Spadanis.

Behold the wonderful works of nature, guided by the prudence. and power of the Almighty God, that, by the help of a limpid and clear water, she cures manifold, nay, contrary and opposite ma ladies, which the art of physick, without great detriment to the body, cannot do.'

To accelerate and promote the passing of these waters by urine, Ryetius advises some drops of spirit of vitriol to be instilled into their glasses of water, for acids, being endowed with a diuretick and penetrative faculty, depose the serum, and conveigh it to the reins, to be sent forth by the ureters.

To promote evacuation by stool, he adviseth to mix some common salt in powder with the waters, and a dram to every pint, more or less, proportioning the quantity to the bearing of the patient. This gently expels the loose matter contained in the ventricle and intes tines, and purgeth viscous phlegm adhering to their tunicles and bilous humours from the pancreatick passages: but it is not to be taken indifferently by all persons.

Dum juga montis aper, dum flumen piscis habebit,
Anchora fons ægris, hic sacra semper erit;
Ut biba accurret (rumpantur ut ilia Codris)
Germanus, Scotus, Belga, Britannus, Iber.
Hinc populus floret, crescet Tunbrigia, quicquid
Bellum destruxit, mox reparabit aqua.
Whilst boars on mountains shall abide,
Or fishes in the river glide;

So long, both sure and uncontroul'd,
Will last this health-firm anchor-hold.
This drink (let Codrus burst with rage)
Will English, Scotch, and Irish sage,.
With German, French, and Dutch engage.
Hence people's glory, Tunbridge praise,
What war throws down, water will raise.

Thus much for chalybeates, to comply with your honour's soli citations, hoping this rude essay, upon a barren subject, may be cultivated by other philosophers and physicians, better qualified, to the benefit and advantage of mankind, especially to your honour's sa tisfaction and welfare; whom Almighty God, the everlasting fountain and source of living waters, preserve with long life and health in this world, and grant immarcescible laurels in that which is to come; which is the earnest and unfeigned desire of,

My Lord, your honour's most humble
and obedient Servant,

P. M. M. D.

A SCHEME

FOR

THE FOUNDATION OF A ROYAL HOSPITAL,

AND RAISING A REVENUE

OF FIVE OR SIX THOUSAND POUNDS A YEAR,

By, and for the Maintenance of a Corporation of skilful Midwives and such Foundlings, or exposed Children, as shall be admitted therein. As it was proposed and addressed to his Majesty King James II. By Mrs. Elisabeth Cellier, in the Month of June, 1687. Now, first published from her own MS. found among the said King's papers. Folio, containing nine pages.

To the King's Most Excellent Majesty, the humble Proposal of Elisabeth Cellier,

Sheweth,

THAT, within the space of twenty years last past, above six thousand women have died in child-bed, more than thirteeen thousand children have been born abortive, and above five thousand chrysome infants have been buried, within the weekly bills of mortality: above two thirds of which, amounting to sixteen thousand souls, have in all probability perished, for want of due skill and care, in those, women who practise the art of midwifry.

Besides the great number which are overlaid, and wilfully mur dered, by their wicked and cruel mothers, for want of fit ways to conceal their shame, and provide for their children, as also the many executions on the offenders.

To remedy which, it is humbly proposed, that your majesty will be graciously pleased, by your royal authority, to unite the whole

number of skilful midwives, now practising within the limits of the weekly bills of mortality, into a corporation, under the government of a certain number of the most able and matron-like women among them, subject to the visitation of such person or persons, as your majesty shall appoint; and such rules for their good government, instruction, direction, and administration, as are hereunto annexed, or may, upon more mature consideration, be thought fit to be annexed.

That such number, so to be admitted, shall not exceed a thousand at one time; that every woman so to be admitted as a skilful midwife, may be obliged to pay, for her admittance, the sum of five pounds, and the like sum annually, by quarterly payments, for, and towards, the pious and charitable uses hereafter mentioned.

That all women, so admitted into the thousand, shall be capable of being chosen matrons, or assistants, to the government.

That such midwives as are found capable of the employment, and cannot be admitted into the first thousand, shall be of the second thousand, paying, for their admittance, the sum of fifty shillings, and fifty shilling a year by quarterly payments, towards the pious and charitable uses hereafter mentioned, and out of these the first thousand are to be supplied, as they die out.

That, out of the first sum arising from the admittance-money, one good, large, and convenient house, or hospital, may be erected, for the receiving and taking in of exposed children, to be subject to the care, conduct, and management of one governess, one female secre tary, and twelve matron-assistants, subject to the visitation of such persons, as to your majesty's wisdom shall be thought ne

cessary.

That such hospital be for ever deemed, of your majesty's royal foundation, and from time to time, subject to the rules and directions of your majesty, your heirs and successors.

That the annual five or six thousand pounds, which may arise from the thousand licensed midwives, and second thousand, may be employed towards the maintenance of such exposed children, as may from time to time be brought into the hospital, and for the governess, her secretary, and the twelve assistant-matrons, and for the necessary nurses, and their assistants, and others, fit to be employed for the nourishment and education of such exposed children in proper learning, arts, and mysteries according to their several capacities.

That for the better maintenance and encouragement of so necessary and royal a foundation of charity, it is humbly proposed that by your majesty's royal authority, one fifth part of the voluntary cha rity, collected or bestowed in any of the parishes within the limits of the weekly bills of mortality, may be annexed for ever to the same, other than such money taxed for the maintenance of the parish poor, collected on briefs by the royal authority, for any particular charitable use.

That likewise, by your majesty's royal authority, the said hospi tal may have leave to set up in every church, chapel, or publick place

of divine service, of any religion whatsoever, within the limits afore. said, one chest or box, to receive the charity of all well-minded peo ple, who may put money into the same, to be employed for the uses aforesaid.

That such hospital may be allowed, to receive the donation, of 'any lands, legacies, or other gifts, that pious and well minded peo ple may bestow upon them.

That such hospital may be allowed to establish twelve lesser con venient houses, in twelve of the greatest parishes, each to be governed by one of the twelve matrons, assistants to the corporation of midwives, which houses may be for the taking in, delivery, and month's maintenance, at a price certain of any woman, that any of the parishes, within the limits aforesaid, shall by the overseers of the poor place in them, such women being to be subject, with the children born of them, to the future care of that parish, whose overseers place them there to be delivered, notwithstanding such house shall not happen to stand in the proper parish.

All and every of the twelve houses to be members of, and depen dents on the royal hospital, and subject to the government of the same, and all such children as shall be exposed into them, whose pa rents and places of abode cannot be found, are to be conveighed thence to the great hospital, there to be bred up and educated, as though they had been exposed into it.

That for the better maintenance, and encouraging, the government of the said hospital, in the educating such exposed children, in pro per learning, arts, and sciences, according to their several capacities, it is humbly proposed, that by your majesty's royal authority, all the children, so exposed, shall be deemed members of, and appren tices to the said society, till they attain the full age of twenty-one years, to be reckoned from their first admittance into the same, unless, by consent of the government thereof, they should happen to be married, or otherwise licensed to depart, under the publick seal of the same.

That likewise, by your majesty's royal authority, the children exposed and educated, as aforesaid, may be privileged to take to themselves sirnames, from the several arts, or mysteries, they shall be excellent in, or from the remarkable days they were exposed on, or from their complexions, shapes, &c. and be made capable, by such names, of any honour or employment, without being liable to reproach, for their innocent misfortune.

That by your majesty's royal charter, the children so educa. ted may be free members, of every city and corporation, within your majesty's kingdom of England, and dominion of Wales.

That for the better providing sure ways, and means, for the instructing all present and future midwives, who shall be admitted into the said corporation, fit care ought to be taken to induce that person, who shall be found most able in the art, and most fit for that em. ployment, to instruct them in the most perfect rules of skill by reading lectures, and discoursing to them.

VOL. IX.

That on the lecture days, or other times appointed for that pur pose, such midwife, in whose practice any extraordinary occurrents shall happen, shall report the same to the governess, and such of her assistants, as shall then happen to be present, and they to be free in his, or their instructions.

And it is humbly proposed, in the first years before the charge of the said hospital can be great, that out of the annual duties arising from the licensed midwives, the sum of may be paid to the proposer to enable her to provide for her children, that nothing may divert her from employing all her industry for the good of those poor exposed children.

And that all admittance-money which shall be paid, after the first thousands are settled, shall be divided between the governess and the man-midwife or director of the house for the time being, by even and equal proportions.

That upon the admitting any woman to be deputy to any midwife, the sum of thirty shillings shall be paid, and the like sum annually, by quarterly payments, twenty shillings whereof shall be as a fee to the governess, and ten shillings to her secretary, besides their necessary lodging and other conveniencies in the said hospital.

That after this first settlement, no married woman be admitted to be either governess, secretary, or any of the twelve principal assistants to the government; and that no married person, of either sex, shall be suffered to inhabit within the said hospital, to avoid such inconveniences as may arise, as the children grow to maturity; and that, as soon as any of them be found fit and capable of such employment, the governess, secretary, under governesses, governors, treasurer, register, and all other officers of the house shall be chosen, as they become capable thereof, and have entered themselves to continue members of the said society, during their natural lives; and if any of these persons do marry afterwards, than to clear their accounts and depart the house, by being expelled the society.

Rules for Governing the Hospital of found Children.

THAT the governess be appointed by his majesty, as likewise her secretary, and twelve assistants, who are to name twenty-four to be of the government.

That, upon the death of the governess, her place be supplied by her secretary, or such person as shall be chosen by the twelve principal assistants, or the major part of them, and the approbation of his majesty; that the secretary be chosen by the governess, and approved of by his majesty, his heirs and suc

cessors.

That, upon the vacancy of one of the twelve principal assistants, by death or otherwise, one of the four-and-twenty shall succeed, by election of the governess, secretary, and the other eleven; as also, the number of four-and-twenty shall be supplied, by election of the governess, female secretary, and twelve principal assistants, or the

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