_Of Diseases of the Bowels, and the Alimentary Canal_
Diseases of mankind under this head are very numerous indeed; which are
for the most part owing to their deviating too much from the common path
of nature. But besides all this, seamen are particularly liable; not so
much indeed on account of luxury as the confined diet, and the different
climates they visit.
I shall in this be as concise as the subject will admit of, and confine
myself to such diseases as occur most commonly; and by which others that
are here omitted, may be understood.
_Of a Depraved Appetite._
There is nothing that people in general are more apt to fly to, when
appetite fails them, than bitters; but if we consider what bitters
really are, and by what means they act in the alimentary canal, we shall
find them, either only to stimulate the coat of the stomach, or else add
to the strength of the bile.
But generally the default of a bad appetite is a pituitous slime in the
stomach, that prevents this viscera from performing its part towards
assimilation; and therefore we generally find that such stimulants only
spur it on for a little while longer, till at length it loses its tone,
so as to be wholly unable to prepare the food for a good nutrition; or
else the stomach becomes so used to these forcing stimulants, as not to
be able to do without them.
But this is not all; for in bilious complaints, when the stomach is most
disordered, bitters never fail of making evil worse. The stomach is a
delicate viscera, and should ever be the most cautiously dealt with.
Whatever part of the human body is in exquisite pain, the stomach from
the nervous consent always partakes, and is apt to be depraved in its
functions; whence a nausea is liable to ensue; and in such a case any
stimulants, particularly where bitters are concerned, is ever of evil
tendency.
In general however, a vomit is what nature points out; and which gives
not only relief to the stomach, but assists in giving a general effort
to the whole animal fabric. In short, there are so very few cases where
bitters are of any benefit at all, except where the stomach has
injuriously been used to those stimulants, that I have entirely exploded
them from my catalogue; being persuaded that every body will do better
without them.
When the stomach loaths victuals, the mouth is slimy, has a bitterish
taste, and attended with sour belching, and the victuals siting heavy on
the stomach, nothing is preferable to a vomit.
This I know has also been carried into abuse, as well as many other good
medicines.——Yet that should be no rule; for if a vomit is properly and
timely given, it will ever be attended with success. Take here the
following direction for a foul stomach.
First take a vomit, and work it well off with bare luke warm water; then
take every night, or when going to rest, a dose of _stomach powder_ (M).
If the stomach seems very weak, add a few drops of the _essential oil of
peppermint_ (U), which will soon convince you of the good effects.
If you require a stimulant in the morning, take _Turlington’s balsam_
(W), about a tea spoonful in a glass of wine, previously put on a lump
of sugar, that it may the better incorporate: which is a good stomachic,
and ever preferable to the customary bitters.
Dram drinking is another pernicious custom, whereby many have been sent
to eternity long before the period of life prescribed by nature; and of
which I would advise every man, who has the least regard for his health,
to beware, as of a deadly poison.
On the whole, the want of appetite is what many complain of without
reason. Some fancy themselves very bad, because they cannot eat their
breakfast; those I would advise to stay till dinner time; others again
have no appetite for their dinner, unless they wet their stomach with a
glass of Stoughton, or some other bitters: Those should eat nothing in
the morning, or else stay till supper time.——In short, nature should be
consulted, both in the state of health, as well as in diseases, and her
salutary dictates should be followed.
The custom of seasoning victuals with strong stimulating condiments is
often prejudicial, and nothing should be used with more moderation; for
though it may warm and stimulate the stomach, yet, it frequently gives
cause to great weaknesses, and generally are the primitive causes of
chronic distempers; as it hurries on the chylefaction, and thence is apt
to feed the blood with many acrimonious humours.
This little dissertation on depraved appetite I hope will suffice, and
doubt not if attended to, that health and longevity will become the
intimate acquaintances of the man who wishes to enjoy their blessings.
_Of the Colic._
If we consider the length of the ailmentary canal from the mouth to the
anus, namely six times the length of the subject they belong to; and if
we consider the delicacy of its substance, as also, the office for which
it is ordained; we shall not at all wonder, that so many disorders are
incident to mankind in that part.
The colic however is the general term for various painful sensations in
the intestines; though the causes as well as the seat, and the manner of
its affecting the system, is materially different.
The general cause however, is a stimulant, which irritating the inner
coat of the intestines to constriction; and whence a spasmodic
contraction, and a perverted peristaltic motion is produced.
If the stomach is affected with the pain of the colic, so that a nausea
and reaching attends, or has been previously felt, a vomit is the first,
and most expedient method to be had recourse to; for by this, not only
the crudities in the stomach gets disburdened, but from the joint action
on the internal canal, a stool or two is generally produced, by which
frequently the offending acrimony is carried off.
When however this avails not sufficiently, and the pain rather
increases, particularly if the body at the same time is costive,
recourse should be had to clysters; for purges in this case, do not
operate speedily enough, and in cases of costiveness, is not always
safe. The clyster No. XXIII. may be of great benefit, and if necessity
requires it, occasionally repeated.
But more frequently, it is from a nervous affection, and then
carminatives prove the most effectual; in such cases give the following,