The Editor of this little treatise has had from his Youth to bear up against an highly irritable nervous system,--the means he has found useful to manage and support it, he is now recording for the benefit of other Nervous Invalids.
We advise our Friends--never to call in even the gentle aid of Peristaltic Persuaders,--but when Instinct absolutely insists upon it--some of the Indications of which are, "A disagreeable taste in the Mouth--Eructations--Want of Appet.i.te--Sensations of distention in the Stomach and Bowels--Pains in the Stomach or Head--Vertigo--Feverishness--Restlessness--Peevishness," &c.--but these will often disappear by taking a liquid meal, instead of a solid one, or using more exercise, will often answer the purpose.--Mr. Jones very sensibly observes, "if people will by no means rest from constantly tampering with laxatives, instead of using exercise, the habit of using the _Lavement_ every evening cannot be so destructive, as it irritates only _twelve inches_ of intestine, and spares raking down the other _thirty-nine feet_."--_See Med. Vul. Errors_, p. 44.
RELAXED BOWELS[102] are often extremely unmanageable, and difficult to regulate--and are the princ.i.p.al cause of that _Chronic Weakness_ which is so generally complained of, and of many other distressing Nervous Disorders.
If the Bowels are unfaithful to the Stomach, and, instead of playing fair,--let go their hold of the "Pabulum Vitae," before the Absorbents have properly performed the process which that grand organ has prepared for them--Nutrition will be deficient; and Flatulence, &c. &c.
Giddiness,--Spasms,--Head-ache,--and Back-ache,--and what are called _Bilious and Nervous_ Disorders,--and all the Diseases incident to Debility, will attack you on the slightest cause.
Those who are afflicted with a relaxation of the Bowels, are advised to a _Dry diet_, rather than a _Liquid one_, and must submit to a Regimen diametrically contrary to that we have recommended to cure Constipation.
"Since I lessened my Drink I have been much more costive than I was before, and have for two years past freed myself from a Diarrha.
Costiveness generally attends dry food in other animals as well as men."--B. ROBINSON, _on Food and Discharges_, p. 82 and 64.
Live princ.i.p.ally upon Animal Food sufficiently cooked, and Stale Bread, or biscuit;--instead of Malt liquor (unless it be very mild and good Homebrewed Beer, which is the best of all Beverages) drink Beef-Tea, (No. 563), or well made Toast and Water[103] (No. 463*), with about one-fourth part of Wine, and a little Sugar and grated Nutmeg or Ginger in it;--if the Stomach be troubled with Acidity, or great Flatulence, one-eighth part of Brandy may agree with it better:--_whatever You eat and drink should be Warmed_.--See page 94 on _Siesta_, and page 158.
Be watchful of the effects of the Food which you take,--avoid whatever appears to irritate, and _eat only that which experience has proved acceptable_.
IRRITABLE BOWELS are excited to inconveniently increased action by any thing that the Stomach has either not the ability, or the inclination, to prepare for them,--and _Diarrha_ is the consequence.
The easiest and most effectual method of restoring tranquillity in the Bowels--is to be content with a light diet of Gruel, Broth, or Fish, &c.
till the return of a keen Appet.i.te a.s.sures you, that the Stomach has recovered its powers, and being ready for action, requires its usual supply of solid food.
_When the Bowels get a trick of emptying themselves too often_,--a teaspoonful of Compound Powder of Chalk in your Tea,--or a wine-gla.s.sful of the following mixture, taken twice or thrice a day, will generally cure them of it very speedily:--
? Chalk mixture, six ounces.
Tincture of Cinnamon (No. 416*), one ditto.
Opiate Confection, one drachm.
Mixed together.
If Diarrha continues obstinate, more powerful Astringents[104] may be necessary.
TINCTURE OF CINNAMON (No. 416*) is one of the best cordial tonics--see also (No. 569) and (Nos. 413 & 15.)
OPIUM LOZENGES, containing a quarter of a grain each, and strongly flavoured with Oil of Peppermint, are recommended to those who are troubled with relaxed Bowels.
STRONG PEPPERMINT LOZENGES are the most convenient portable carminative:--as soon as they are dissolved, their influence is felt from the beginning, to the end of the Alimentary Ca.n.a.l;--they dissipate flatulence so immediately, that they well deserve the name of _Vegetable aether_; and are recommended to SINGERS[105] AND PUBLIC SPEAKERS, as giving effective excitement to the organs of the Voice,--as a support against the distressing effects of fasting too long--and to give energy to the Stomach between meals.
N.B. _Sixty different sorts of Lozenges_, are made in the most superlative manner, by Mr. Smith, Fell Street, Wood Street, Cheapside.
His _Rose Jujubes_--are a very elegant preparation, which those who have not a remarkably Sweet Breath, are recommended to take the last thing at night, and the first in the morning--the breath smells faintest when the Stomach is emptiest.
His _Mellifluous Aromatics_ are so delicately flavoured, they moisten the mouth and throat without cloying the Palate, Stomach, &c., which is more than can be said of most Lozenges.
_To make_ FORTY PERISTALTIC PERSUADERS.
Take, Turkey Rhubarb, finely pulverized, two drachms.
Syrup (by weight) one drachm.
Oil of Carraway, ten drops (minums).
Made into Pills, each of which will contain _Three Grains of Rhubarb_.
THE DOSE OF THE PERSUADERS must be adapted to the const.i.tutional peculiarity of the Patient:--when you wish to accelerate or augment the Alvine Exoneration--take two, three, or more, according to the effect you desire to produce--_two Pills_ will do as much for one person as _five_ or _six_ will for another; they generally will very regularly perform what you wish to-day,--without interfering with what you hope will happen to-morrow;--and are, therefore, as convenient an argument against Constipation as any we are acquainted with.
_The most convenient opportunity to introduce them to the Stomach_--is early in the Morning, when it is unoccupied,--and has no particular business to attend to, _i. e._ at least half an hour before Breakfast.
_Physic_ should never interrupt the Stomach, when it is engaged in digesting _Food_--perhaps the best time to take it, is when you awake out of your first Sleep--or as soon as you awake in the morning.
Moreover, such is the increased sensibility of some Stomachs at that time, that half the quant.i.ty of Medicine will suffice.
From _two to four Persuaders_ will generally produce one additional motion within twelve hours.
They may be taken at any time--by the most DELICATE FEMALES, whose Const.i.tutions are so often distressed by Constipation[106], and destroyed by the drastic purgatives they take to relieve it. See also page 224.
Their agreeable flavour recommends them as the most convenient aperient for CHILDREN, whose indispositions most frequently arise from obstructions in the Bowels;--it is not always a very easy task to prevail upon a spoiled Child to take Physic;--therefore--we have made our Pill to taste exactly like Gingerbread.
For INFANTS, too young to swallow a Pill, pound it, and mix it with Currant Jelly, Honey, or Treacle.
ON THE FIRST ATTACK OF DISEASE--it may generally be disarmed by discharging the contents of the Bowels:--IN EVERY DISORDER[107] the main point is carefully to watch, and constantly to keep up the activity of the Alimentary Ca.n.a.l--for want of due attention to this, MILLIONS (especially of _Children_) HAVE DIED OF MEDICABLE DISORDERS!!
FOR BILIOUS OR LIVER[108] COMPLAINTS, (which are now the fashionable names for all those deranged sensations of the Abdominal Viscera--which as often arise from the want, as from the excess of Bile--and perhaps most frequently from _Indigestion_)--and for expelling WORMS[109], for which it is the fashion to administer _Mercury_[110] (which, because it is the only remedy for one Disease, people suppose must be a _panacea_ for every disorder) and other drastic mineral medicines, which are awfully uncertain both in their strength and in their operation.
If, instead of two or three times a week tormenting your Bowels with _Corrosive Cathartics_,--_Hydragogues_,--_Phlegmagogues_, &c., you take one or two gentle PERSUADERS, twice or thrice a day;--they will excite a gradual and regularly increased action of the Viscera--restore the tone of the Alimentary tube--and speedily and effectually cure the disorder, without injuring the Const.i.tution.
There is not a more universal or more mischievous _Vulgar Error_, than the notion, that Physic is efficacious, in proportion as it is extremely disagreeable to take, and frightfully violent in its operation,--unless a medicine actually produces more Distress in the System, than the Disorder it is administered to remove--in fact, if the Remedy be not worse than the Disease, the million have no faith in it--and are not satisfied that they can be perfectly cured if they escape Phlebotomy,--unless put to extreme pain, and plentifully supplied with Black Doses, and drastic Drugs;--they have the best opinion of that Doctor who most furiously
"_Vomits_--_Purges_--_Blisters_--_Bleeds_, and _Sweats "em_."
To perfectly content them that you have most profoundly considered their case, you must to such Prescription--add a Proscription of every thing they appear particularly partial to!!!
People who in all other respects appear to be very rational--and are apt to try other questions by the rules of Common Sense, in matters relating to their Health, surrender their understanding to the fashion of the Day,--and in the present Century, on all occasions take _Calomel_ as coolly as in the last, their Grandfathers inundated their poor Stomachs with _Tar-Water_.
TONIC TINCTURE, (No. 569) is
Peruvian Bark, bruised, one ounce and a half.
Orange Peel, do. one ounce.
Brandy, or Proof Spirit, one pint.
Let these ingredients steep for ten days, shaking the bottle every day--let it remain quiet two days--and then decant the clear liquor.
Dose--one teaspoonful in a winegla.s.s of water, twice a day, when you feel languid, _i. e._ when the Stomach is empty, about an hour before Dinner, and in the Evening. Twenty grains of the Powder of Bark may be added to it occasionally.
To this agreeable Aromatic Tonic we are under personal obligations, for frequently putting our Stomach into good temper, and procuring us good Appet.i.te and good Digestion.
In low Nervous affections, arising from a languid Circulation--and, when the Stomach is in a state of shabby debility from age--intemperance, or other causes--this is a most acceptable restorative.