TREATMENT OF SPECIFIC CONDITIONS
The Treatment of Infertility
from De Conceptu, 1587
De Conceptu, written in 1587 by Jacob Reuff is one of the earliest texts devoted exclusively to Obstetrics, while also dealing with some aspects of Gynecology.
The section on Infertility provides differential diagnosis based on the Humors. In each case, as per Humoral Theory, medicines to prepare the Humor are used prior to Purging. Afterwards, medicines to Strengthen are given.
The texts also details a number of ‘Specific’ or ‘Proven’ recipes for Sterility, most relying on Animal medicines, especially Pizzle and Testicles, various Bird Brains and Skink tails. This is similar to formulas still used today in TCM which regularly use Testicles and Gecko.
While many of the formulas are not practical for today, they can serve as a basis for inspiration for treatment.
Infertility from Phlegm
Symptoms include Coldness, Pale face and Tongue, slow pulse, fluid retention or Edema, poor appetite, loose bowels, copious clear Urine and clear Phlegm, low Sex drive. There may be clear discharge and the menstrual blood is pale and watery.
To Prepare the Humor:
i. Syrup
Madder 2 oz.
Butchers Broom
Asparagus root
Cyperus 1 oz. ea.
Mugwort
Savin
Nepeta
Balm
Balsamitae
Mint
Scolopendra
Maidenhair
Clary Sage (Gallitrici)
Marjoram
Oregano
Calamint
Pennyroyal
Valerian ½ handful ea.
Siler Montane seed 6 drams
Anise
Caraway
Fennel
Ameos
Spikenard 2 drams ea.
Balsam wood
Balsam fruit 1 dram ea.
Licorice
Raisins 1 oz. ea.
Rosemary flower
Arabian Stoechas ½ oz. ea.
Ivory
Calamus aromaticus
Red Sandalwood ½ dram ea.
Decoct in sufficient fountain water with 3 drams Vinegar and with 2 lbs. Sugar form a Syrup; aromatise with Cinnamon 1 dram, Musk 4 grains. To take, mix with 1 oz. each of waters of Mugwort, Burnet and Elder.
ii. Another Syrup:
Mugwort
Savin
Mint
Oregano
Calamint
Hyssop
Pimpinella
Germander
Polytrichium
Elder flower
Stoechas 1 handful ea.
Anise
Fennel
Ameos
Caraway
Dill seed
Siler Montane seed ½ oz. ea.
Asparagus root
Butchers Broom
Madder ½ lb. ea.
Red Cicer 1 pugil
Celtic Spikenard
Cyperus
Squinanth
Calamus Aromaticus 2 drams ea.
Decoct in sufficient Fountain Water and form a syrup with 1 ½ lb. each of Sugar and Honey, aromatise with Cinnamon and Musk as the preceding.
To Purge the Humor:
i. Pills
Foetid Pill 2 scruples
Diacastoreum 1 scruple
Diagrydium 2 grains
Make 11 pills with syrup of Mugwort.
ii. A Potion:
Diacassiae ½ oz.
Diaphoenicum
Indian Electuary 2 drams ea.
Syrup of Roots 1 dram
Form a potion.
iii. Another Potion:
Diaphoenicum
Indian Electuary
Diacassia 1 dram ea.
Agaric 2 drams
Ginger 1 scruple
Rock Salt 6 grains
Infuse all in Whey of Goat milk and Honey of Rose 1 oz. for 12 hours and strain.
iv. If these are ineffectual, these tablets are stronger:
Rose
Cinnamon
Ginger 1 dram ea.
White Sandal
Red Sandal ½ dram ea.
Colchicum
Esula 1½ drams ea.
Diagrydium
Turbith 2 drams ea.
Mastic 1 scruple
White Sugar ½ lb.
Mix all with juice or water of Mugwort and form Tablets.
Dose: ½ oz. or 5 drams
To Strengthen After sufficient purging:
Tryphera Magna without Opium
Diapliris
Diambra
Diamuscum
Diasatyrion ½ dram ea.
Ivory
Mercury seed 2 scruples ea.
Rennet of a Hare
Hares Uterus ½ dram ea.
Seseleos ½ scruple
White Sugar ½ lb.
Mix with Water of Balm that has had conserve of Citron/Lemon peel 1 oz., Conserve of Rosemary ½ oz. Form a Confection.
Douche for Foetid Matrix [Uterus]
In the case of Foetid Leukorrhea from Phlegm:
Gall
Nutmeg 3 drams ea.
Clove 1 dram
Musk ½ scruple
Powder and infuse in 1 lb. Red Wine. Use as a wash
For foul discharge from cold and damp phlegm, the Matrix will not retain semen.
Infertility from Bile
The face and eyes are red, red tongue with a yellow coating, Fast and strong Pulse, Urine is yellow, Headaches, a tendency to anger, bright red Menstrual Blood.
To Prepare the Humor:
i. Syrup
Syrup of Vinegar
Oxysaccharum
Endive water 1 oz. ea.
Chicory water
Hop water
Bugloss water 2 oz. ea.
Mix and aromatise with Yellow Sandalwood, Cinnamon and Mace qs.ii. Decoction
Bugloss flower
Borage flower
Rose
Violet
Lettuce
White Poppy leaf
Endive
Chicory 1 handful ea.
Endive seed
Lettuce seed ½ oz. ea.
4 Cold Seeds 6 drams
Mix and form a Decoction in Fountain water, or with Pomegranate wine 1 ½ oz. and Vinegar 4 oz. added. With 2 lbs. Sugar form a syrup, aromatising with Yellow Sandal, Cinnamon and Ambergris of each 1 scruple.
Dose: 3 oz. morning and night.
i. A Confection:
Electuary of Juice of Roses
Diamannae 3 oz. each
White Sugar qs
Mix and divide into 3 parts.
If it is required stronger, add:
Diaphoenicum
Indian Electuary
Pills of Rhubarb
Pil. Aggregative
After purging:
i. Tablets:
Diatriasantalum 2 dram
Ivory
Mistletoe
Bull penis powder
Uterus of a Hare 2 drams ea.
White Sugar ½ lb.
Dissolve the Sugar in Rose water, add the rest in powder and form Tablets.
Conserve of Rose ½ oz.
Borage
Water Lily flower
Bugloss flower 3 drams ea.
Diarrhodon Abbatis
Diatriasantalum
Aromaticum Rosatum 1 scruple ea.
Pearl
Gem powder
Ivory
Mistletoe of the Oak ½ scruple ea.
Powder and mix with Syrup of Rose to form an Electuary
Both Mallows with roots
Violet
Water Lily
Quince leaf 1 handful ea.
Fenugreek ½ lb.
Common Salt
Roch Alum 2 drams ea.
Infertility from Blood Humor
Excess Blood Humor will have rosy cheeks, full veins, and big pulse. There may be other signs of Heat.
Tablets
Cinnamon
Mercury seed
Rose
Ivory
Pearl 1 dram ea.
Red Coral
Powder of Gems 2 scruples ea.
Three Sandalwoods ½ dram
Sugar ½ lb.
Dissolve Sugar in Rose water, boil until the water has reduced, add 1 oz. of Conserve of Rose and the rest in powder and form Tablets.
Electuary
Conserve of Rose 1 oz.
Conserve of Bugloss
Conserve of Borage 2 drams ea.
Diatriasantalum
Diarrhodon Abbatis 3 drams ea.
Mix powders with Syrup of Rose and form an Electuary adding a little Gold leaf.
Fomentation
Rose
Galls
Sumach
Plantain seed & leaf
Comfrey ½ handful ea.
Sealed Earth
Armenian Earth
Roch Alum ½ oz. ea.
Boil in water and apply
Infertility from Melancholy
There will be a dull or dark color to the face, pulse is low and weak, menstrual Blood is dark, thick and clotted. There may be Depression or Sadness, a sense of Heaviness with dry mouth, skin and bowels.
To Prepare the Humor:
i. Syrup
Vinegar Syrup of Roots 2 oz. ea.
Fumitory 1 oz.
Scolopendrium water
Mugwort water 2 oz. ea.
Mix and aromatise with Cinnamon
Bugloss water
Pimpinella water
Fumitory water
Mugwort water
Scolopendra water 3 oz. ea.
Vinegar 1 oz.
White Sugar 4 oz.
Form a Syrup and aromatise with Cinnamon
Dose: 4 oz.
Calamint
Oregano
Stoechas
Agrimony
Borage flower
Mugwort
Bugloss
Germander ½ handful ea.
Scolopendra ½ handful
Broom root
Ash bark ½ handful ea.
Raisins 1 oz.
Decoct, adding towards the end Dodder 1 oz. Strain, and with Sugar 1 lb., clarified Honey ½ lb., and Vinegar 2 oz., form a syrup to be aromatised with Cinnamon.
Dose: 1 ½ oz.
iv. To prepare for Purging and as an Emollient
Maidenhair
Borage flower
Bugloss flower
Violet flower
Germander
Scolopendra ½ handful ea.
Raisin ½ oz.
Decoct, strain and add:
Cinnamon 1 dram ea.
Cassia extract
Manna
Confectio Hamech 2 drams ea.
Syrup of Violet 1 oz.
Dose: 1 ½ oz.
To Purge the Humor:
They may be purged with Confectio Hamech or Pills of Lapis Lazuli if required.
A Bath that may be used: Camomile
Meliot
Germander
Ground Pine
Hyssop
Bay leaf
Lavender 2 handfuls ea.
Mugwort 4 handfuls
Mallow with root 5 handfuls
Linseed
Fenugreek 1 lb. ea.
Valerian root ½ lb.
After the bath, or each day morning and evening, take the following confection:
Powder of 5 Precious
Stones 2 drams
Mercury seed
Ivory 1 dram ea.
Bull penis
Rennet of a Hare
Hares Uterus 2 scruples ea.
White Sugar ½ lb.
Dissolve in Bugloss water, add Conserve of Bugloss ½ oz., Conserve of Borage 3 drams and Cinnamon 1 dram.
General Remedies for Infertility
These remedies are suitable for use after due purging. In some cases, here is no obvious Humoral excess and in such cases these remedies may be used directly.
It is useful to note the reliance of Animal medicines to promote Fertility. The use of Pizzle and Testicles is very similar to the use in TCM to promote Kidney Yang. The use of Hare (or Rabbit) Uterus and Skink tails is likewise similarly seen in TCM where Gecko is used in place of Skink.
The use of Sparrow Brains as an Aphrodisiac and to promote Fertility was well known in the West, and there are references to the same in TCM classics such as the Ben Cao Kang Mu. However, the Brains of various birds are added to the Electuary listed below. The Brains may be useful sources of hormonal substances.
A Pessary
Gentian
Saffron
Myrtle
Aloes 2 drams ea.
Linseed oil qs
Form a pessary. Use after Menstruation.
There are reports of conception taking place a few days after using this medicine.
Testicles of a Fox
Castoreum
Dried Hare Uterus 2 drams ea.
Ginger ½ drams
Galangal
Long Pepper 2 drams ea.
Sugar weight of the rest
Powder; take a snail shell full morning and night every day with wine.
Satyrion (Orchis) ½ lb.
Dates 4 oz.
Mint
Confected Ginger
Jujubes 3 drams ea.
Decoct in (sheep) milk
Rocket seed
Radish seed
Parsley seed
Nettle seed
Savory 1 dram ea.
Fox Testicles
Bull penis 2 dram ea.
Skink tails
Lizard tails 1 dram ea.
Sparrow brains
Duck Brain
Rooster Brain
Pigeon Brain ½ oz. ea.
Pepper
Galangal
Long Pepper 1 ½ drams ea.
Satyrion (Orchis) ½ oz.
Euphorbium
Castoreum 1 scruple ea.
Powder, mix with Honey and form Pills; Dose ½–1 dram
“Electuary Proven Many Times to Promote Fertility”
Fox Testicle cleansed 6 oz.
Red Chickpea
Mint
Savory
Wild Rocket seed
Acorus root
Wild Parsnip root
Gladioli root
Balm
Nasturtium
Basil
Pennyroyal
Nettle seed
Fennel seed 2 oz. ea.
Decoct all in Sheep milk to form an Electuary, then:
Brains of Pigeon
Hen
Cock
Sparrow
Duck
Pheasant
Testicles of a Bull
Goat
Cock
Boar 3 oz. ea.
Similarly decoct in sheep milk with a little fresh butter and 2 egg yolks beaten; when done:
Sweet Almond
Hazel nut
Walnut
Pine nut, roasted 1 oz. ea.
Coconut
Dates 1½ oz. ea.
Cut and beat all well, then::
Dried Bull Pizzle
Rocket seed ½ oz. ea.
Seeds of Anise
Parsnip
Asparagus
Ash tree
Celery
Parsley 2 drams ea.
Long Pepper
Ginger 3 drams ea.
Orchis, of each type ½ dram
Tail of a Skink 5 drams
Tail of a Lizard 1½ drams
Powder all finely; prepare all into an Electuary with 6 lbs sugar to each 2 lbs. of the above; or 4 lbs Honey clarified to 2 ½ lbs. of the above
To be taken by men and women; very useful if every morning fasting they take as much as a Hazel nut.
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De Conceptu 1587 (Latin) (Google Books)
De Conceptu 1580 (Latin) (Google Books)
