I did not design, either when I begun or when I ended this Treatise, to
add the following Account of my own Distemper, which gave me the unhappy
Occasion of many of these Observations, both because it is no new thing
for Nervous Cases to vary extremely in their Anomalous Symptomes, and
because the Rise of the Distemper was eminently owing to my own Rashness
and Folly; but having since been importun’d by some of my Friends to make
it Publick, I have been the more easily prevail’d with so to do, because
I conceive there scarce ever was any Instance, either among the Ancients
or in our days, which does so palpably illustrate the Power of my Subject.
My Distemper was caus’d thus; I happen’d several Years ago to catch a
Certain Cutaneous Infection, more troublesome than dangerous, and which
I might easily have got rid of, if I had had but so much Prudence or
Patience as to have submitted to the Common, tho’ not very agreeable
Method of Cure; but I must needs take to a more cleanly, but desperate
Course, by making an Application to my Skin of a Substance well charg’d
with a dangerous Mineral, and which I us’d to such a Time, and after so
extreamly Rash a manner, as I believe never one did before me; I wore it
for several Months by times, keeping it on till the Humour disappear’d,
and then leaving it off till it broke out again; thus I did till I
began to consider that this would not last always, and so I quite laid
it aside; but the Mischief was begun, tho’ I was not aware of it; for
about a Month after I had left off that Pernicious Practice, I wak’d
one Morning with an unusual Giddiness, and in a little time after, I
found several Convulsions begin to come upon me, not only slight ones,
in the Capillary Arteries of my Eyes and other Parts, but some deeper;
as sometimes I should have one of my Hands drawn in, my Fingers brought
to the Palm of my Hand involuntarily. When I found things thus, knowing
what I had done, I was not a little terrifi’d, as any one may imagine,
but by applying to a good Physician, by the Help of Bleeding and other
proper Means, the Severity of the Symptomes went off, and I remain’d
only with a Giddiness, which was very troublesome, but notwithstanding
which, I might be said to be in pretty good Health, as having a good
Habit of Body, and being more strong and robust, than many People that
are free from such an Inconvenience; and thus I continued for several
Years without any great Alteration happening, except that once upon
Drinking the Bath-Waters too long, that vertiginous Rotation was so
increas’d, that I was laid up for a Month with it, being scarce able to
go about without Staggering like a Drunken Man; this, considering the
Strength I had notwithstanding, made it reasonable to suspect, as most
that I consulted did, that there might be some Mercurial Particles lodg’d
in some Excretory Ducts of my Brain, but this Extremity abated, and I
remained Healthy under that Giddiness for several Years, till happening
once to be more indispos’d than usually, upon the taking of a Chalybeate,
the Humour struck deeper into the Nerves of the Pectoral Muscles, so that
I found my Shoulders sometimes begin to be contracted involuntarily,
and upon walking, I found a Shortness of Breath, which I could plainly
discern, was caus’d _ab extra_, that is, by the Preternatural Pressure
of those Muscles, upon my Breast, which I have sometimes resisted so
far, when it has happen’d to come upon me in the Streets, before I could
get to a House that I knew, that it has made my Eyes flash, and brought
other Epileptick Symptoms upon me, in so much that I have been forc’d
to take into a Shop, and desire leave to rest me for a time. These
things continued on me a Year or more, during which time, if I had then
known the Prevalency of Riding, I might have prevented a long Scene of
Sickness; for declining under these Spasms of my Breast, I was at length
quite confin’d to my Home, for near Three Months, all the while growing
worse and worse, in Spite of the Power of any Medicines I took; when it
happen’d that I was casually directed to the Use of Riding by the great
Alteration I found in me, upon being one Day carried out in a Coach
about a quarter of a Mile, when I was in that low Condition, that made
me reflect on some of Dr. _Sydenham_’s Notions, which, like others, I
had before slighted and disregarded, and I determined to try what Riding
would do; in Order to which, I remov’d to _Hamstead_ for the Conveniency,
where I rode at least twice a Day for the Space of Seven Weeks, without
so much as intermitting one day; and I had Encouragement enough to keep
close to it; for I found as Manifest a Progress in my Recovery, as ever
was discern’d in any thing that is either Natural or Artificial; and I
can’t here omit one thing very Remarkable, and which gave me the greatest
Assurance of Success, and which shews beyond Contradiction, how peculiar
this Exercise is to Cases of the Nerves; after I began to Ride, I found
constantly upon the Use of that Exercise, a Tingling in the Ends of my
Fingers, which was accompanied with a Sense of a gentle glowing Heat;
and as I grew stronger, and persisted in those Means, I perceiv’d this
Sensation proceed farther, for then I felt it in the Crown of my Head,
and at length in my Tongue, in my Eyes, and at last all over my Body.
This I acquainted my Physician with, who thought it a certain Pledge
of my Recovery, as being assur’d that it was caus’d by the Spirits
Recovering the Passage of the Nerves as in a State of Health, and so it
prov’d; for as they pass’d farther and farther in the same manner, the
Sense extended it self to my Wast, where I should have, after Riding,
a Sense of Tingling and Heat, as strong, as if I had expos’d my Breast
to the Sun, or pour’d warm Water upon it; any one may imagine what a
Pleasure this must needs be to one in my Circumstances, to find my self
as it were, _Renasci_, and all the parts of my Body gradually receive a
kind of New Life. By this it is plain, how much I was Relax’d before,
and how agreeable to the Nature of the Nerves, that most Excellent
Exercise is. This _Phænomenon_ has given me very Serious Reflections,
when I have known some, who have stood almost in as much need of the same
Measures as my self, tho’ their Indispositions have Rise from different
Causes, and in whom in all Likelyhood the same Method of Riding would
have produc’d some of the same hopeful Symptoms; I say, it has given me
serious and troublesome Reflections; when upon such Occasions, I have
not thought it proper, to recommend the same Means, or shew the Reasons,
why I would recommend ’em, as being sure that if I did, they would be
rejected with Derision. So that I have often with some Regret admir’d the
Incongruity of the Circumstances of Humane Life, how little Reason Man
has to be Proud, notwithstanding his Wisdom and Councel, when even in
the greatest Concerns of his Life, Custom, Mode, Phancy, and many other
Circumstances, may so envelop him with Prejudice, that it may so happen,
that in some Cases of Distress, one Man may be Morally certain, of what
will help another, and yet it may be the most absurd thing in the World,
to disclose it to him, and impossible to convince him if he should. I
have the more amply related this unusual Circumstance, because it seems
to me to illustrate above any thing whatsoever, the Influence of Riding,
on the Nerves or Solid Parts of the Body; and as strange and unheard of a
Symptom, as it may seem to some, I can averr it is a most Solemn Truth,
and what I had frequent and reiterated Occasions to observe.
After I had by these Means recover’d a good Measure of Health, I enjoy’d
it about a Year and a Half, by the Help of Riding at due Intervals;
and I was pretty strong, and able to make considerable Journeys, which
my Affairs then required. But in those Journeys, I was so unfortunate,
as to abuse that most excellent Expedient, that I had receiv’d so much
Good from; for, thinking my self stronger than I really was, and Riding
long Journeys beyond my Strength, I was took of a sudden, and in the
midst of a Journey, with the strangest sort, of _Deliquium_ that perhaps
ever was heard of, in which I was forc’d to drink such quantities of
Spirituous Liquors, as at another time would have made me more than
ordinarily Drunk, which then could scarce keep Life in me; to these
sort of Fits after some time was added a _Diarrhœa_ of a peculiar and
singular kind, which was attended with a Nauseousness and Inclination to
Vomit, more than is usual in that Case; and when the _Diarrhœa_ at any
time happen’d to be a little more violent than ordinarily, a Spontaneous
Vomiting ensu’d, as violent as if I had taken a strong Emetick; and
what is remarkable, those Nights after my Vomiting, I should Sweat to
that degree, as to make my Shirt and Sheets as wet, as if they had been
dipt in Water; upon which, instead of being weakned, I was refresh’d,
and freed from the greater severity of these Symptoms for some Days;
which plainly shew’d, how pernicious that Psoradick Salt was which the
Mercurial Particles had repell’d, and intimately mix’d in my Blood.
Thus I had three Calamities upon me at once; a Flux, a Vomiting, and
the _Deliquiums_ I spoke of before; the last of which had something so
incredible in ’em, that tho’ most severely true, and known to several
in this City, yet I shall forbear to relate it in this place, lest I
should be thought to exceed the Truth, by telling that which scarce
ever had a Parallel; I shall only say, that the Gripes and Vomiting
were comparatively a Pleasure to this, I do not speak in Heat, but
Seriously and Calmly, that the Vomiting, tho’ so frequent and severe, was
desireable, if compar’d with these most strange Faintings; which were so
tormenting and insupportable, that if I had been Stab’d, or had had my
Flesh cut with Knives, I am certain I could much easier have born it.
Under this Complication of Misery, I was deny’d likewise the Ease, which
is to be obtain’d by _Laudanum_, which I was prohibited by the Nature
of my Circumstances, and by very good Advice, directed to abstain from
it. And as for Emeticks, there was no using of them for other Reasons;
so that the Business was left wholly to Stypticks, which not putting
the least stop to my Distemper, I resolv’d to betake my self to Riding
again, having Rested so long, and would try if using it moderately and
frequently, might not keep up my Spirits, as formerly it has done, and
it prov’d according to my Hopes; for by diligent and fervent Application
to these Means, I made a shift to support my self, and keep things in an
_Æquilibrium_, under these pressing Circumstances, insomuch that I held
out, even under such Severities, as I have related, no less a time than a
Year and Nine Months, when at length these Evils gain’d upon me, and my
Vomitings were so frequent, and incredibly violent, that they took away
the Use of my Limbs, when I was forc’d to be lifted every time upon my
Horse, that I might continue my Riding, tho’ it were but to gain a little
Periodical Ease; till that Seizure on my Limbs encreasing, I was confin’d
to my Chamber, my Legs and Thighs swell’d, and in the Opinion of three
Physicians, whose Assistance I then had, I was very near the End of this
(as it was Literally to me a) Tedious _Journey of Life_. When it pleas’d
God, that in this Extremity, one of those Physicians was so happy, as to
direct me to a Mild Chymical Medicine, too seldom us’d for that intent,
which stop’d my Vomiting, and created a sudden and surprising Change in
me; the swelling of my Legs went off in less than three Weeks, and in
about six Weeks time, from that emaciated Condition, I was as Fleshy, as
in a perfect State of Health. By this it is plain, that the great stress
of Vomiting threw off the Humour, and that the Swelling of my Legs was in
part, if not altogether, Critical, and that the habituating my self so
very much to Riding, did enable Nature to throw off the Humour that way,
and support her under the Shock of those numerous Vomitings. After this,
by the Use of Chalybeates, taken for a great while together, and with
Riding upon it, I recovered as good an Appetite and Digestion, as I had
before these Vomitings came upon me, and my Flux entirely stop’d; and for
these two Years last past, I thank God I have liv’d an Easie and Happy
Life.
Thus I have given a succinct and true Account, of a Long and Severe
Distemper, which it has pleas’d Almighty God to lay upon me; by which
it is plain, that as some Men are distinguish’d by Riches, Honours, and
the like; others may be as remarkable in the Degrees of their Affliction
and Anguish, and may be forc’d to pass not only Days, but Years of that
which we call Life, after such a Manner, that if it were not for higher
Considerations, it would be far better not to be. That in the very best
of a Man’s Years, in the time of Hopes, Prospects, and Advantages, a Man
may be so wretched as to be debar’d the Capacity of making use of ’em,
and in a Sense, Buried Alive.
But since I have offer’d the World a Relation of my Distemper, I shall
make bold to take Notice of two or three things observable in it, which
may perhaps be of use to some, tho’ the very same Distemper, I hope will
never be the Lot of any one. And this the rather, because those Remarks
are agreeable to my Subject.
_First_ then, I think it is very clear, from the Circumstances of my
Case, that where Indications arise, which run Counter to one another,
which every one knows is the worst of Difficulties a Physician meets
with, in such an Emergency, nothing can be so lively to balance between
’em, as the having recourse to some proper Exercise, if possible; for
it is hard but it will suit with one of those Circumstances, and not
improbable, that it will give help in both.
_Secondly_, From the Cessation of my Gripes as soon as ever I got on
Horseback, I am convinc’d that Pain may be very much obviated or
mitigated by the Motion of the Body, that is, by those Means a Man may
make a shift to set loose from it. It was a piece of Extravagant Nonsense
in the Scepticks, to pretend to Reason with Pain, and account it no Evil;
a Man might as well pretend to Fence against Hunger with Resolution, and
be accounted blameable for Starving through Want of Victuals; undoubtedly
Pain is the greatest of Evils to the Body, and that which we cannot but
endeavour to free our selves from; but till that can be done, it will be
a Happiness, if we can so manage things, as to perceive less of it, or
as I said before, sit loose from it; and that I think may certainly be
obtain’d from the Motion of the Individual, of such or such a kind, as
the Pain will best admit of. Not only Thought, but the Perception of
a Pain, may be in some Measure interrupted by a swift Motion, for that
Perception cannot strike so strong at such a time; a Man that should let
himself to Muse on a full Gallop, would think but very incoherently,
and if Thought it self may be thus broke off, certainly the Sensation
of Pain, which can be no quicker than Thought, may be likewise happily
interrupted and rendered more Dull. These Considerations would be of
real Service to Persons afflicted with Scorbutick Pains, if they could
induce ’em to a Resolute Practice of Riding; for all those Pains in the
Shoulders, Back, or Hips, would gradually abate in the time of that
Exercise, as well as by the Habit of it, the Cause would be remov’d. But
moreover there are other Sorts of Gestation or Voiture, that are suitable
with the keenest Pains, as the Motion of a Boat, a Litter, a Chair, a
Swing, and the like, in these there are no _Motûs Contrarietas_, as Dr.
_Sydenham_ calls it, no Jolting, which in some Cases, as in the Gout,
is not tolerable; but they may be apply’d to the severest Cases, and I
doubt not would sooth the Spirits, and give great Relief. And here I
cannot but think that a good Mechanick might invent some Machine, after
the manner of the _Petaurus_, or the great Swing of the Ancients, which
might be of the greatest Service to People in the Extremities of the
Gout, by diverting the Sensation, and turning the Edge of the Pain: A Man
that has been laid up for several Weeks, would certainly find by such a
Motion, as great an Alteration, as one who has been confin’d to his Bed
for some time does upon his first getting up, which is very great; and
certainly if the _Romans_, out of Luxury and Wantonness, could be Swung
to Sleep in Hanging Beds of Silver, it may be allow’d, that a Person in
Torment may use the same Means to obtain Ease. I don’t know why a Motion
upon a Round, should not do some Service in this Case, for there would be
a sort of Sickness in the Stomach, caus’d by the Rotation, which would
withdraw the Spirits from the Place of the Pain; and moreover undoubtedly
dispose to Sleep. These things cannot be thought Extravagant, if they
can suffice to give any the least Ease to Men under such Pains, as those
of the Gout, when the _Carnificina_ lasts so long, as to exceed in some
Measure all Humane Patience; when _Non rectius Podagræ quam Iracundiæ
Paroxysmus omnis did potest_, as Dr. _Sydenham_, who knew too well what
it was, says of it; I say, in such Extremities, nothing ought to be
thought Ridiculous, that can afford the least Ease. I could say; much
more on this Subject; I could Name a very Worthy Gentleman, who not long
ago had such an odd sort of a Colick, that he found nothing would relieve
him in the Fits of it, so much as lying with his Head downwards; which
Posture prov’d always so Advantageous to him, that he caus’d a kind of
Frame to be made, to which he caus’d himself to be fastned with Bolts,
and then his Servants were to turn him with his Head downwards; after
which manner, he hung till his Pain went off: And I hope none will say it
was unbecoming a Grave and Wise Man, to make use of such odd Means to get
rid of an unsupportable Pain. But I have perhaps already said more than
will be relish’d by some of those Gentlemen, who are so happy as to be
really Ignorant, or to have but very slight, and imperfect Notions of the
Nature of Pain; and before they censure me, they would do well to peruse
Mr. _Collier_’s Excellent Essay upon Pain; where they will find such an
Account of it, and such Instances of the Behaviour of Healthy and Strong
Men under it, that they will the more easily admit, that for the Sick
and Infirm, it may be in some Measure feasible to avoid, as it were, the
Sensations of Pain, and, as much as can be, sit loose from it.
The next and last thing which I shall take Notice of, in my Distemper, is
the Frequency of those Vomitings, and that notwithstanding they lasted
so long on me, I receiv’d no harm from ’em. It is a great Misfortune
in the business of a Physician, that he finds so many people averse to
that sort of Physick, whereby he is compell’d to prosecute a Cure by
more uncertain and inefficacious Means; whereas if those Persons did but
consider, they might easily find Arguments to convince ’em, that there is
no such Danger as they apprehend, in the use of Moderate Emeticks, where
there is no _Mala Conformatio_, nothing in the make of the Breast that
forbids it. They may consider that the Vomiting which comes upon going to
Sea, tho’ it lasts sometimes two or three days together, and all the time
seems as violent as that we procure by our Emeticks, yet it never hurts
any one, and does not much weaken those who have undergone it. I know two
Gentlemen who were Sick all the time of their being upon the Sea, one of
’em all the time of his Passage to and from the _West Indies_, and yet
they receiv’d no hurt by it. And I don’t know but I my self have Vomited
as much as any ten Men Living, and yet am not in the least hurt by it.
And we are furnish’d with Medicines, so gentle and commendable, that they
may be repeated at reasonable Intervals, without the least Danger of any
ill Consequence.
From these Considerations of the great Ἐυφορία with which we bear
Vomiting, tho’ it seems so troublesome while it lasts; I am convinc’d
that it may be accounted for after the same manner, as Gymnastick Effects
are; besides that the rising of the Pulse upon the Stimulating and
Irritation of the Fibres of the Stomach, and the excessive Pressure and
Shock of the Glands of several parts, with the other _Phænomena_ of
Vomiting, shew that it does partake of the Nature of an Exercise, and
it is a great Happiness for the Individual, that the Author of Nature
has allotted such Secondary Uses of the Stomach, Diaphragm, and other
parts imploy’d in Vomiting, that they should not only serve to through
up what is disagreeable, but strengthen the whole Oeconomy in that very
Act. And here if it be allow’d, that the Irritation of the Ventricle
does raise and strengthen so much, I can’t but think I may venture to
propose it, as worthy the Consideration of the best Judges of these
Matters, whether when we use Emeticks, we ought to rest our Expectations
upon a few Momentary Efforts, when we see Nature will bear the carrying
on of the same Measures so much longer; that is, whether it would not
be more expedient in some Cases, to give our safe and gentle Emeticks
in lesser quantities, than we do, _viz._ so as to make the Person Sick,
but not to a degree sufficient to make him throw up the Contents of his
Stomach, and when that quantity of the Medicine has pass’d off after that
manner like an Alterative, to repeat the same Dose, and so continue on
that Sickness for several hours, without raising it to that degree, as
to force the Person to Vomit above once or twice in all the time. This,
I say, I think is worth Consideration, and may be of singular Advantage
in some Cases of a Consumption, and in Hysterick Cases, when we do not
give Vomits to cleanse the Stomach only; for by this means we can Elevate
Nature very much, and procure a just _Diaphoresis_, when perhaps by the
best of Cordials we may only create a Colliquation; and after this manner
the Springs will be wound up more gradually; when if the Emetick passes
off with strong Efforts, and very quick, after the usual manner, we give
Nature only a Wrench, the effects of which are soon over. I would not be
here understood, as if I would put this in Practice, I do not pretend to
Authority sufficient for such Innovations, I only presume to offer these
things, by way of Problem; and one of my Stature may sometimes happen to
start a hint, which those who are Taller in Wisdom and Understanding may
cultivate and improve to Perfection.
These are some of the Thoughts which the Severities of a most tedious
Distemper have suggested to me, which if they can be of any use, to help
to guide others to that which may deliver ’em from their Calamities,
it would be a great Satisfaction and Recompence to me for my Pain,
to perceive that it has conduc’d to another’s Ease. But if these
Speculations shall not be worthy to have such an Effect, I hope I shall
be Pardon’d upon the Account of my good Intentions; especially seeing lam
not singular, but have so very many Companions of those who have troubled
the World with things of little or no Moment.
_FINIS._
Printed by JOHN MATTHEWS, in _Pilkington-Court, Little-Britain_, 1705.