Chapter III.Of the Means that ought to be used, at the Beginning of Diseases; and of the Diet in acute Diseases.Sect.31.Ihave clearly shewn the great Dangers of the Regimen, or Diet, and of the principal Medicines too generally made Use of by the Bulk of the People, on these Occasions. I must now point outthe actual Method they may pursue, without any Risque, on the Invasion of some acute Diseases, and the general Diet which agrees with them all. As many as are desirous of reaping any Benefit from this Treatise, should attend particularly to this Chapter; since, throughout the other Parts of it, in Order to avoid Repetitions, I shall say nothing of the Diet, except the particular Distemper shall require a different one, from that of which I am now to give an exact Detail. And whenever I shall say in general, that a Patient is to be put upon a Regimen, it will signify, that he is to be treated according to the Method prescribed in this Chapter; and all such Directions are to be observed, with Regard to Air, Food,Drink and Glysters; except when I expressly order something else, as different Ptisans, Glysters, &c.§ 32. The greater Part of Diseases (by which I always understand acute and feverish ones) often give some Notice of their Approach a few Weeks, and, very commonly, some Days before their actual Invasion; such as a light Lassitude, or Weariness, Stiffness or Numbness; less Activity than usual, less Appetite, a small Load or Heaviness at Stomach; some Complaint in the Head; a profounder Degree of Sleep, yet less composed, and less refreshing than usual; less Gayety and Liveliness; sometimes a light Oppression of the Breast, a less regular Pulse; a Propensity to be Cold; an Aptness to sweat; and sometimes a Suppression of a former Dispositionto sweat. At such a Term it may be practicable to prevent, or at least considerably to mitigate, the most perplexing Disorders, by carefully observing the four following Points.1. To omit all violent Work or Labour, but yet not so, as to discontinue a gentle easy Degree of Exercise.2. To bring the Complainant to content himself without any, or with very little, solid Food; and especially to renounce all Flesh, Flesh-broth, Eggs and Wine.3. To drink plentifully, that is to say, at least three Pints, or even four Pints daily, by small Glasses at a Time, from half hour to half hour,of the PtisansNº. 1and2, or even of warm Water, to each Quart of which may be added half a Glass of Vinegar. No Person can be destitute of this very attainable Assistance. But should there be a Want even of Vinegar, a few Grains of common17Salt may be added to a Quart of warm Water for Drink. Those who have Honey will do well to add two or three Spoonfuls of it to the Water. A light Infusion of Elder Flowers, or of those of the Linden, the Lime-tree, may also be advantageously used, and even well settled and clear sweet Whey.4. Let the Person, affected with such previous Complaints, receive Glysters of warm Water, or the GlysterNº. 5. By pursuing these Precautions some grievous Disorders have often been happily rooted out: and although they should not prove so thoroughly efficacious, as to prevent their Appearance, they may at least be rendered more gentle, and much less dangerous.§ 33. Very unhappily People have taken the directly contrary Method. From the Moment these previous, these forerunning Complaints are perceived, they allow themselves to eat nothing but gross Meat, Eggs, or strong Meat-Soups. They leave off Garden-Stuff and Fruits, which would be so proper for them; and they drink heartily (under a Notion of strengthening the Stomach and expelling Wind) of Wine and other Liquors, which strengthen nothing but the Fever, and expel what Degree of Health might still remain. Hence all the Evacuations are restrained; the Humours causing and nourishing the Diseases are not at all attempered, diluted, nor rendered proper for Evacuation. Nay, on the very contrary, they become more sharp, and more difficult to be discharged: while a sufficient Quantity of diluting refreshing Liquor, asswages and separates all Matters foreign to the Blood, which it purifies; and, at the Expiration of some Days, all that was noxious in it is carried off by Stool, by Urine, or by Sweat.§ 34. When the Distemper is further advanced, and the Patient is already seized with thatColdness or Shuddering, in a greater or less Degree, which ushers in all Disease; and which is commonly attended with an universal Oppression, and Pains over all the Surface of the Body; the Patient, thus circumstanced, should be put to Bed, if he cannot keep up; or should sit down as quietly as possible, with a little more Covering than usual: he should drink every Quarter of an Hour a small Glass of the Ptisan,Nº. 1or2, warm; or, if that is not at Hand, of some one of those Liquids I have recommended§ 32.§ 35. These Patients earnestly covet a great Load of covering, during the Cold or Shivering; but we should be very careful to lighten them as soon as it abates; so that when the succeeding Heat begins, they may have no more than their usual Weight of Covering. It were to be wishedperhaps, they had rather less. The Country People lie upon a Feather-bed, and under a downy Coverlet, or Quilt, that is commonly extremely heavy; and the Heat which is heightened and retained by Feathers, is particularly troublesome to Persons in a Fever. Nevertheless, as it is what they are accustomed to, this Custom may be complied with for one Season of the Year: but during our Heats, or whenever the Fever is very violent, they should lie on a Pallet (which will be infinitely better for them) and should throw away their Coverings of Down, so as to remain covered only with Sheets, or something else, less injurious than Feather-Coverings. A Person could scarcely believe, who had not been,as I have, a Witness of it, how much Comfort a Patient is sensible of, in being eased of his former Coverings. The Distemper immediately puts on a different Appearance.§ 36. As soon as the Heat after theRigor, or Coldness and Shuddering, approaches, and the Fever is manifestly advanced, we should provide for the Patient'sRegimen. And1, Care should be taken that the Air, in the Room where he lies, should not be too hot, the mildest Degree of Warmth being very sufficient; that there be as little Noise as possible, and that no Person speak to the Sick, without a Necessity for it. No external Circumstance heightens the Fever more, nor inclines the Patient more to aDeliriumor Raving, than the Persons in the Chamber, and especially about the Bed. They lessen the Spring, the elastic and refreshing Power, of the Air; they prevent a Succession of fresh Air; and the Variety of Objects occupies the Brain too much. Whenever the Patient has been at Stool, or has made Urine, these Excrements should be removed immediately. The Windows should certainly be opened Night and Morning, at least for a Quarter of an Hour each Time; when also a Door should be opened, to promote an entire Renovation or Change of the Air in the Room. Nevertheless, as the Patient should not be exposed at any Time to a Stream or Current of Air, the Curtains of his Bed should be drawn on such Occasions; and, if he lay without any, Chairs, with Blankets or Cloathshung upon them, should be substituted in the Place of Curtains, and surround the Bed; while the Windows continued open, in Order to defend the Patient from the Force of the rushing Air. If the Season, however, be rigidly cold, it will be sufficient to keep the Windows open, but for a few Minutes, each Time. In Summer, at least one Window should be set open Day and Night. The pouring a little Vinegar upon a red-hot Shovel also greatly conduces to restore the Spring, and correct the Putridity, of the Air. In our greatest Heats, when that in the Room seems nearly scorching, and the sick Person is sensibly and greatly incommoded by it, the Floor may be sprinkled now and then; and Branches of Willow or Ash-trees dipt a little in Pails of Watermay be placed within the Room.§ 37. 2. With Respect to the Patient's Nourishment, he must entirely abstain from all Food; but he may always be allowed, and have daily prepared, the following Sustenance, which is one of the wholesomest, and indisputably the simplest one. Take half a Pound of Bread, a Morsel of the freshest Butter about the Size only of a Hazel Nut (which may even be omitted too) three Pints and one quarter of a Pint of Water. Boil them 'till the Bread be entirely reduced to a thin Consistence. Then strain it, and give the Patient one eighth Part of it every three, or every four, Hours; but still more rarely, if the Fever be vehemently high. Those who have Groats,Barley, Oatmeal, or Rice, may boil and prepare them in the same Manner, with some Grains of Salt.§ 38. The Sick may also be sometimes indulged, in lieu of these different Spoon-Meats, with raw Fruits in Summer, or in Winter with Apples baked or boiled, or Plumbs and Cherries dried and boiled. Persons of Knowledge and Experience will be very little, or rather not at all, surprized to see various Kinds of Fruit directed in acute Diseases; the Benefit of which they may here have frequently seen. Such Advice can only disgust those, who remain still obstinately attached to old Prejudices. But could they prevail on themselves to reflect a little, they must perceive, that these Fruits which allay Thirst; which cool and abate the Fever; which correct and attemper the putrid and heated Bile; which gently dispose the Belly to be rather open, and promote the Secretion and Discharge of the Urine, must prove the properest Nourishment for Persons in acute Fevers. Hence we see, as it were by a strong Admonition from Nature herself, they express an ardent Longing for them; and I have known several, who would not have recovered, but for their eating secretly large Quantities of those Fruits they so passionately desired, and were refused. As many however, as are not convinced by my Reasoning in this Respect, may at least make a Tryal of my Advice, on my Affirmation and Experience; when I have no doubt but their own will speedily convince them of the real Benefit received from this Sort of Nourishment. Itwill then be evident, that we may safely and boldly allow, in all continual Fevers, Cherries red and black, Strawberries, the best cured Raisins, Raspberries, and Mulberries; provided that all of them be perfectly ripe. Apples, Pears and Plumbs are less melting and diluting, less succulent, and rather less proper. Some kinds of Pears however are extremely juicy, and even watery almost, such as the Dean or Valentia Pear, different Kinds of the Buree Pear; the St. Germain, the Virgoleuse; the green sugary Pear, and the Summer Royal, which may all be allowed; as well as a little Juice of very ripe Plumbs, with the Addition of Water to it. This last I have known to asswage Thirst in a Fever, beyond any other Liquor. Care should be taken, at the same Time, that the Sick should never be indulged in a great Quantity of any of them at once, which would overload the Stomach, and be injurious to them; but if they are given a little at a Time and often, nothing can be more salutary. Those whose Circumstances will afford them China Oranges, or Lemons, may be regaled with the Pulp and Juice as successfully; but without eating any of their Peel, which is hot and inflaming.§ 39. 3. Their Drink should be such as allays Thirst, and abates the Fever; such as dilutes, relaxes, and promotes the Evacuations by Stool, Urine and Perspiration. All these which I have recommended in the preceding Chapters, jointly and severally possess these Qualities. A Glass ora Glass and a half of the Juice of such Fruits as I have just mentioned, may also be added to three full Pints of Water.§ 40. The Sick should drink at least twice or thrice that Quantity daily, often, and a little at once, between three or four Ounces, every Quarter of an Hour. The Coldness of the Drink should just be taken off.§ 41. 4. If the Patient has not two Motions in the 24 Hours; if the Urine be in small Quantity and high coloured; if he rave, the Fever rage, the Pain of the Head and of the Loins be considerable, with a Pain in the Belly, and a Propensity to vomit, the GlysterNº. 5should be given at least once a Day. The People have generally an Aversion to this kind of Remedy; notwithstanding there is not any more useful in feverish Disorders, especially in those I have just recounted; and one Glyster commonly gives more Relief, than if the Patient had drank four or five Times the Quantity of his Drinks. The Use of Glysters, in different Diseases, will be properly ascertained in the different Chapters, which treat of them. But it may be observed in this Place, that they are never to be given at the very Time the Patient is in a Sweat, which seems to relieve him.§ 42. 5. As long as the Patient has sufficient Strength for it, he should sit up out of Bed one Hour daily, and longer if he can bear it; but at least half an Hour. It has a Tendency to lessen the Fever, the Head-ach, and a Light-headiness,or Raving. But he should not be raised, while he has a hopeful Sweating; though such Sweats hardly ever occur, but at the Conclusion of Diseases, and after the Sick has had several other Evacuations.§ 43. 6. His Bed should be made daily while he sits up; and the Sheets of the Bed, as well as the Patient's Linen, should be changed every two Days, if it can be done with Safety. An unhappy Prejudice has established a contrary, and a really dangerous, Practice. The People about the Patient dread the very Thought of his rising out of Bed; they let him continue there in nasty Linen loaden with putrid Steams and Humours; which contribute, not only to keep up the Distemper, but even to heighten it into some Degree of Malignity. I do again repeat it here, that nothing conduces more to continue the Fever and Raving, than confining the Sick constantly to Bed, and witholding him from changing his foul Linen: by relieving him from both of which Circumstances I have, without the Assistance of any other Remedy, put a Stop to a continual Delirium of twelve Days uninterrupted Duration. It is usually said, the Patient is too weak, but this is a very weak Reason. He must be in very nearly a dying Condition, not to be able to bear these small Commotions, which, in the very Moment when he permits them, increase his Strength, and immediately after abate his Complaints. One Advantage the Sick gain by sitting up a little out of Bed, is the increasedQuantity of their Urine, with greater Facility in passing it. Some have been observed to make none at all, if they did not rise out of Bed.A very considerable Number of acute Diseases have been radically, effectually, cured by this Method, which mitigates them all. Where it is not used, as an Assistance at least, Medicines are very often of no Advantage. It were to be wished the Patient and his Friends were made to understand, that Distempers were not to be expelled at once with rough and precipitate Usage; that they must have their certain Career or Course; and that the Use of the violent Methods and Medicines they chuse to employ, might indeed abridge the Course of them, by killing the Patient; yet never otherwise shortened the Disease; but, on the contrary, rendered it more perplexing, tedious and obstinate; and often entailed such unhappy Consequences on the Sufferer, as left him feeble and languid for the rest of his Life.§ 44. But it is not sufficient to treat, and, as it were, to conduct the Distemper properly. The Term of Recovery from a Disease requires considerable Vigilance and Attention, as it is always a State of Feebleness, and, thence, of Depression and Faintness. The same Kind of Prejudice which destroys the Sick, by compelling them to eat, during the Violence of the Disease, is extended also into the Stage of Convalescence, or Recovery; and either renders it troublesome and tedious; or produces fatal Relapses, and often chronical Distempers. In Proportion to the Abatement, and in the Decline, of the Fever, theQuantity of Nourishment may be gradually increased: but as long as there are any Remains of it, their Qualities should be those I have already recommended. Whenever the Fever is compleatly terminated, some different Foods may be entered upon; so that the Patient may venture upon a little white Meat, provided it be tender; some18Fish; a little Flesh-Soup, a few Eggs at times, with Wine property diluted. It must be observed at the same Time, that those very proper Aliments which restore the Strength, when taken moderately, delay the perfect Cure, if they exceed in Quantity, tho' but a little; because the Action of the Stomach being extremely weakened by the Disease and the Remedies, is capable only, as yet, of a small Degree of Digestion; and if the Quantity of its Extents exceed its Powers, they do not digest, but become putrid. Frequent Returns of the Fever supervene; a continual Faintishness; Head-achs; a heavy Drowsiness without a Power of Sleeping comfortably; flying Pains and Heats in the Arms and Legs; Inquietude; Peevishness; Propensity to Vomit; Looseness; Obstructions, and sometimes a slow Fever, with a Collection of Humours, that comes to Suppuration.All these bad Consequences are prevented, by the recovering Sick contenting themselves, forsome Time, with a very moderate Share of proper Food. We are not nourished in Proportion to the Quantity we swallow, but to that we digest. A Person on the mending Hand, who eats moderately, digests it and grows strong from it. He who swallows abundantly does not digest it, and instead of being nourished and strengthened, he withers insensibly away.§ 45. We may reduce, within the few following Rules, all that is most especially to be observed, in Order to procure a compleat, a perfect Termination of acute Diseases; and to prevent their leaving behind them any Impediments to Health.1. Let these who are recovering, as well as those who are actually sick, take very little Nourishment at a time, and take it often.2. Let them take but one sort of Food at each Meal, and not change their Food too often.3. Let them chew whatever solid Victuals they eat, very carefully.4. Let them diminish their Quantity of Drink. The best for them in general is Water,19with a fourth or third Part of white Wine. Too great a Quantity of Liquids at this time prevents theStomach from recovering its Tone and Strength; impairs Digestion; keeps up Weakness; increases the Tendency to a Swelling of the Legs; sometimes even occasions a slow Fever; and throws back the Person recovering into a languid State.5. Let them go abroad as often as they are able, whether on Foot, in a Carriage, or on Horseback. This last Exercise is the healthiest of all, and three fourths of the labouring People in this Country, who have it in their Power to procure it without Expense, are in the wrong to neglect it. They, who would practice it, should mount before their principal Meal, which should be about Noon, and never ride after it. Exercise taken before a Meal strengthens the Organs of Digestion, which is promoted by it. If the Exercise is taken soon after the Meal, it impairs it.6. As People in this State are seldom quite as well towards Night, in the Evening they should take very little Food. Their Sleep will be the less disturbed for this, and repair them the more, and sooner.7. They should not remain in Bed above seven, or eight Hours.8. The Swelling of the Legs and Ancles, which happens to most Persons at this time, is not dangerous, and generally disappears of itself; if they live soberly and regularly, and take moderate Exercise.9. It is not necessary, in this State, that they should go constantly every Day to Stool; though they should not be without one above two or three. If their Costiveness exceeds this Term, they should receive a Glyster the third Day, and even sooner, if they are heated by it, if they feel puffed up, are restless, and have any Pains in the Head.10. Should they, after some time, still continue very weak; if their Stomach is disordered; if they have, from time to time, a little irregular Fever, they should take three Doses daily of the PrescriptionNº. 14. which fortifies the Digestions, recovers the strength, and drives away the Fever.11. They must by no means return to their Labour too soon. This erroneous Habit daily prevents many Peasants from ever getting perfectly well, and recovering their former Strength. From not having been able to confine themselves to Repose and Indolence for some Days, they never become as hearty hardy Workmen as they had been: and this premature hasty Labour makes them lose in the Consequence, every following Week of their Lives, more time than they ever gained, by their over-early resuming of their Labour. I see every Day weakly Labourers, Vineroons, and other Workmen, who date the Commencement of their Weakness from that of some acute Disease, which, for want of proper Management through the Term of their Recovery, was never perfectly cured. A Repose ofseven or eight Days, more than they allowed themselves, would have prevented all these Infirmities; notwithstanding it is very difficult to make them sensible of this. The Bulk, the Body of the People, in this and in many other Cases, look no further than the present Day; and never extend their Views to the following one. They are for making no Sacrifice to Futurity; which nevertheless must be done, to render it favourable to us.
Chapter III.Of the Means that ought to be used, at the Beginning of Diseases; and of the Diet in acute Diseases.Sect.31.Ihave clearly shewn the great Dangers of the Regimen, or Diet, and of the principal Medicines too generally made Use of by the Bulk of the People, on these Occasions. I must now point outthe actual Method they may pursue, without any Risque, on the Invasion of some acute Diseases, and the general Diet which agrees with them all. As many as are desirous of reaping any Benefit from this Treatise, should attend particularly to this Chapter; since, throughout the other Parts of it, in Order to avoid Repetitions, I shall say nothing of the Diet, except the particular Distemper shall require a different one, from that of which I am now to give an exact Detail. And whenever I shall say in general, that a Patient is to be put upon a Regimen, it will signify, that he is to be treated according to the Method prescribed in this Chapter; and all such Directions are to be observed, with Regard to Air, Food,Drink and Glysters; except when I expressly order something else, as different Ptisans, Glysters, &c.§ 32. The greater Part of Diseases (by which I always understand acute and feverish ones) often give some Notice of their Approach a few Weeks, and, very commonly, some Days before their actual Invasion; such as a light Lassitude, or Weariness, Stiffness or Numbness; less Activity than usual, less Appetite, a small Load or Heaviness at Stomach; some Complaint in the Head; a profounder Degree of Sleep, yet less composed, and less refreshing than usual; less Gayety and Liveliness; sometimes a light Oppression of the Breast, a less regular Pulse; a Propensity to be Cold; an Aptness to sweat; and sometimes a Suppression of a former Dispositionto sweat. At such a Term it may be practicable to prevent, or at least considerably to mitigate, the most perplexing Disorders, by carefully observing the four following Points.1. To omit all violent Work or Labour, but yet not so, as to discontinue a gentle easy Degree of Exercise.2. To bring the Complainant to content himself without any, or with very little, solid Food; and especially to renounce all Flesh, Flesh-broth, Eggs and Wine.3. To drink plentifully, that is to say, at least three Pints, or even four Pints daily, by small Glasses at a Time, from half hour to half hour,of the PtisansNº. 1and2, or even of warm Water, to each Quart of which may be added half a Glass of Vinegar. No Person can be destitute of this very attainable Assistance. But should there be a Want even of Vinegar, a few Grains of common17Salt may be added to a Quart of warm Water for Drink. Those who have Honey will do well to add two or three Spoonfuls of it to the Water. A light Infusion of Elder Flowers, or of those of the Linden, the Lime-tree, may also be advantageously used, and even well settled and clear sweet Whey.4. Let the Person, affected with such previous Complaints, receive Glysters of warm Water, or the GlysterNº. 5. By pursuing these Precautions some grievous Disorders have often been happily rooted out: and although they should not prove so thoroughly efficacious, as to prevent their Appearance, they may at least be rendered more gentle, and much less dangerous.§ 33. Very unhappily People have taken the directly contrary Method. From the Moment these previous, these forerunning Complaints are perceived, they allow themselves to eat nothing but gross Meat, Eggs, or strong Meat-Soups. They leave off Garden-Stuff and Fruits, which would be so proper for them; and they drink heartily (under a Notion of strengthening the Stomach and expelling Wind) of Wine and other Liquors, which strengthen nothing but the Fever, and expel what Degree of Health might still remain. Hence all the Evacuations are restrained; the Humours causing and nourishing the Diseases are not at all attempered, diluted, nor rendered proper for Evacuation. Nay, on the very contrary, they become more sharp, and more difficult to be discharged: while a sufficient Quantity of diluting refreshing Liquor, asswages and separates all Matters foreign to the Blood, which it purifies; and, at the Expiration of some Days, all that was noxious in it is carried off by Stool, by Urine, or by Sweat.§ 34. When the Distemper is further advanced, and the Patient is already seized with thatColdness or Shuddering, in a greater or less Degree, which ushers in all Disease; and which is commonly attended with an universal Oppression, and Pains over all the Surface of the Body; the Patient, thus circumstanced, should be put to Bed, if he cannot keep up; or should sit down as quietly as possible, with a little more Covering than usual: he should drink every Quarter of an Hour a small Glass of the Ptisan,Nº. 1or2, warm; or, if that is not at Hand, of some one of those Liquids I have recommended§ 32.§ 35. These Patients earnestly covet a great Load of covering, during the Cold or Shivering; but we should be very careful to lighten them as soon as it abates; so that when the succeeding Heat begins, they may have no more than their usual Weight of Covering. It were to be wishedperhaps, they had rather less. The Country People lie upon a Feather-bed, and under a downy Coverlet, or Quilt, that is commonly extremely heavy; and the Heat which is heightened and retained by Feathers, is particularly troublesome to Persons in a Fever. Nevertheless, as it is what they are accustomed to, this Custom may be complied with for one Season of the Year: but during our Heats, or whenever the Fever is very violent, they should lie on a Pallet (which will be infinitely better for them) and should throw away their Coverings of Down, so as to remain covered only with Sheets, or something else, less injurious than Feather-Coverings. A Person could scarcely believe, who had not been,as I have, a Witness of it, how much Comfort a Patient is sensible of, in being eased of his former Coverings. The Distemper immediately puts on a different Appearance.§ 36. As soon as the Heat after theRigor, or Coldness and Shuddering, approaches, and the Fever is manifestly advanced, we should provide for the Patient'sRegimen. And1, Care should be taken that the Air, in the Room where he lies, should not be too hot, the mildest Degree of Warmth being very sufficient; that there be as little Noise as possible, and that no Person speak to the Sick, without a Necessity for it. No external Circumstance heightens the Fever more, nor inclines the Patient more to aDeliriumor Raving, than the Persons in the Chamber, and especially about the Bed. They lessen the Spring, the elastic and refreshing Power, of the Air; they prevent a Succession of fresh Air; and the Variety of Objects occupies the Brain too much. Whenever the Patient has been at Stool, or has made Urine, these Excrements should be removed immediately. The Windows should certainly be opened Night and Morning, at least for a Quarter of an Hour each Time; when also a Door should be opened, to promote an entire Renovation or Change of the Air in the Room. Nevertheless, as the Patient should not be exposed at any Time to a Stream or Current of Air, the Curtains of his Bed should be drawn on such Occasions; and, if he lay without any, Chairs, with Blankets or Cloathshung upon them, should be substituted in the Place of Curtains, and surround the Bed; while the Windows continued open, in Order to defend the Patient from the Force of the rushing Air. If the Season, however, be rigidly cold, it will be sufficient to keep the Windows open, but for a few Minutes, each Time. In Summer, at least one Window should be set open Day and Night. The pouring a little Vinegar upon a red-hot Shovel also greatly conduces to restore the Spring, and correct the Putridity, of the Air. In our greatest Heats, when that in the Room seems nearly scorching, and the sick Person is sensibly and greatly incommoded by it, the Floor may be sprinkled now and then; and Branches of Willow or Ash-trees dipt a little in Pails of Watermay be placed within the Room.§ 37. 2. With Respect to the Patient's Nourishment, he must entirely abstain from all Food; but he may always be allowed, and have daily prepared, the following Sustenance, which is one of the wholesomest, and indisputably the simplest one. Take half a Pound of Bread, a Morsel of the freshest Butter about the Size only of a Hazel Nut (which may even be omitted too) three Pints and one quarter of a Pint of Water. Boil them 'till the Bread be entirely reduced to a thin Consistence. Then strain it, and give the Patient one eighth Part of it every three, or every four, Hours; but still more rarely, if the Fever be vehemently high. Those who have Groats,Barley, Oatmeal, or Rice, may boil and prepare them in the same Manner, with some Grains of Salt.§ 38. The Sick may also be sometimes indulged, in lieu of these different Spoon-Meats, with raw Fruits in Summer, or in Winter with Apples baked or boiled, or Plumbs and Cherries dried and boiled. Persons of Knowledge and Experience will be very little, or rather not at all, surprized to see various Kinds of Fruit directed in acute Diseases; the Benefit of which they may here have frequently seen. Such Advice can only disgust those, who remain still obstinately attached to old Prejudices. But could they prevail on themselves to reflect a little, they must perceive, that these Fruits which allay Thirst; which cool and abate the Fever; which correct and attemper the putrid and heated Bile; which gently dispose the Belly to be rather open, and promote the Secretion and Discharge of the Urine, must prove the properest Nourishment for Persons in acute Fevers. Hence we see, as it were by a strong Admonition from Nature herself, they express an ardent Longing for them; and I have known several, who would not have recovered, but for their eating secretly large Quantities of those Fruits they so passionately desired, and were refused. As many however, as are not convinced by my Reasoning in this Respect, may at least make a Tryal of my Advice, on my Affirmation and Experience; when I have no doubt but their own will speedily convince them of the real Benefit received from this Sort of Nourishment. Itwill then be evident, that we may safely and boldly allow, in all continual Fevers, Cherries red and black, Strawberries, the best cured Raisins, Raspberries, and Mulberries; provided that all of them be perfectly ripe. Apples, Pears and Plumbs are less melting and diluting, less succulent, and rather less proper. Some kinds of Pears however are extremely juicy, and even watery almost, such as the Dean or Valentia Pear, different Kinds of the Buree Pear; the St. Germain, the Virgoleuse; the green sugary Pear, and the Summer Royal, which may all be allowed; as well as a little Juice of very ripe Plumbs, with the Addition of Water to it. This last I have known to asswage Thirst in a Fever, beyond any other Liquor. Care should be taken, at the same Time, that the Sick should never be indulged in a great Quantity of any of them at once, which would overload the Stomach, and be injurious to them; but if they are given a little at a Time and often, nothing can be more salutary. Those whose Circumstances will afford them China Oranges, or Lemons, may be regaled with the Pulp and Juice as successfully; but without eating any of their Peel, which is hot and inflaming.§ 39. 3. Their Drink should be such as allays Thirst, and abates the Fever; such as dilutes, relaxes, and promotes the Evacuations by Stool, Urine and Perspiration. All these which I have recommended in the preceding Chapters, jointly and severally possess these Qualities. A Glass ora Glass and a half of the Juice of such Fruits as I have just mentioned, may also be added to three full Pints of Water.§ 40. The Sick should drink at least twice or thrice that Quantity daily, often, and a little at once, between three or four Ounces, every Quarter of an Hour. The Coldness of the Drink should just be taken off.§ 41. 4. If the Patient has not two Motions in the 24 Hours; if the Urine be in small Quantity and high coloured; if he rave, the Fever rage, the Pain of the Head and of the Loins be considerable, with a Pain in the Belly, and a Propensity to vomit, the GlysterNº. 5should be given at least once a Day. The People have generally an Aversion to this kind of Remedy; notwithstanding there is not any more useful in feverish Disorders, especially in those I have just recounted; and one Glyster commonly gives more Relief, than if the Patient had drank four or five Times the Quantity of his Drinks. The Use of Glysters, in different Diseases, will be properly ascertained in the different Chapters, which treat of them. But it may be observed in this Place, that they are never to be given at the very Time the Patient is in a Sweat, which seems to relieve him.§ 42. 5. As long as the Patient has sufficient Strength for it, he should sit up out of Bed one Hour daily, and longer if he can bear it; but at least half an Hour. It has a Tendency to lessen the Fever, the Head-ach, and a Light-headiness,or Raving. But he should not be raised, while he has a hopeful Sweating; though such Sweats hardly ever occur, but at the Conclusion of Diseases, and after the Sick has had several other Evacuations.§ 43. 6. His Bed should be made daily while he sits up; and the Sheets of the Bed, as well as the Patient's Linen, should be changed every two Days, if it can be done with Safety. An unhappy Prejudice has established a contrary, and a really dangerous, Practice. The People about the Patient dread the very Thought of his rising out of Bed; they let him continue there in nasty Linen loaden with putrid Steams and Humours; which contribute, not only to keep up the Distemper, but even to heighten it into some Degree of Malignity. I do again repeat it here, that nothing conduces more to continue the Fever and Raving, than confining the Sick constantly to Bed, and witholding him from changing his foul Linen: by relieving him from both of which Circumstances I have, without the Assistance of any other Remedy, put a Stop to a continual Delirium of twelve Days uninterrupted Duration. It is usually said, the Patient is too weak, but this is a very weak Reason. He must be in very nearly a dying Condition, not to be able to bear these small Commotions, which, in the very Moment when he permits them, increase his Strength, and immediately after abate his Complaints. One Advantage the Sick gain by sitting up a little out of Bed, is the increasedQuantity of their Urine, with greater Facility in passing it. Some have been observed to make none at all, if they did not rise out of Bed.A very considerable Number of acute Diseases have been radically, effectually, cured by this Method, which mitigates them all. Where it is not used, as an Assistance at least, Medicines are very often of no Advantage. It were to be wished the Patient and his Friends were made to understand, that Distempers were not to be expelled at once with rough and precipitate Usage; that they must have their certain Career or Course; and that the Use of the violent Methods and Medicines they chuse to employ, might indeed abridge the Course of them, by killing the Patient; yet never otherwise shortened the Disease; but, on the contrary, rendered it more perplexing, tedious and obstinate; and often entailed such unhappy Consequences on the Sufferer, as left him feeble and languid for the rest of his Life.§ 44. But it is not sufficient to treat, and, as it were, to conduct the Distemper properly. The Term of Recovery from a Disease requires considerable Vigilance and Attention, as it is always a State of Feebleness, and, thence, of Depression and Faintness. The same Kind of Prejudice which destroys the Sick, by compelling them to eat, during the Violence of the Disease, is extended also into the Stage of Convalescence, or Recovery; and either renders it troublesome and tedious; or produces fatal Relapses, and often chronical Distempers. In Proportion to the Abatement, and in the Decline, of the Fever, theQuantity of Nourishment may be gradually increased: but as long as there are any Remains of it, their Qualities should be those I have already recommended. Whenever the Fever is compleatly terminated, some different Foods may be entered upon; so that the Patient may venture upon a little white Meat, provided it be tender; some18Fish; a little Flesh-Soup, a few Eggs at times, with Wine property diluted. It must be observed at the same Time, that those very proper Aliments which restore the Strength, when taken moderately, delay the perfect Cure, if they exceed in Quantity, tho' but a little; because the Action of the Stomach being extremely weakened by the Disease and the Remedies, is capable only, as yet, of a small Degree of Digestion; and if the Quantity of its Extents exceed its Powers, they do not digest, but become putrid. Frequent Returns of the Fever supervene; a continual Faintishness; Head-achs; a heavy Drowsiness without a Power of Sleeping comfortably; flying Pains and Heats in the Arms and Legs; Inquietude; Peevishness; Propensity to Vomit; Looseness; Obstructions, and sometimes a slow Fever, with a Collection of Humours, that comes to Suppuration.All these bad Consequences are prevented, by the recovering Sick contenting themselves, forsome Time, with a very moderate Share of proper Food. We are not nourished in Proportion to the Quantity we swallow, but to that we digest. A Person on the mending Hand, who eats moderately, digests it and grows strong from it. He who swallows abundantly does not digest it, and instead of being nourished and strengthened, he withers insensibly away.§ 45. We may reduce, within the few following Rules, all that is most especially to be observed, in Order to procure a compleat, a perfect Termination of acute Diseases; and to prevent their leaving behind them any Impediments to Health.1. Let these who are recovering, as well as those who are actually sick, take very little Nourishment at a time, and take it often.2. Let them take but one sort of Food at each Meal, and not change their Food too often.3. Let them chew whatever solid Victuals they eat, very carefully.4. Let them diminish their Quantity of Drink. The best for them in general is Water,19with a fourth or third Part of white Wine. Too great a Quantity of Liquids at this time prevents theStomach from recovering its Tone and Strength; impairs Digestion; keeps up Weakness; increases the Tendency to a Swelling of the Legs; sometimes even occasions a slow Fever; and throws back the Person recovering into a languid State.5. Let them go abroad as often as they are able, whether on Foot, in a Carriage, or on Horseback. This last Exercise is the healthiest of all, and three fourths of the labouring People in this Country, who have it in their Power to procure it without Expense, are in the wrong to neglect it. They, who would practice it, should mount before their principal Meal, which should be about Noon, and never ride after it. Exercise taken before a Meal strengthens the Organs of Digestion, which is promoted by it. If the Exercise is taken soon after the Meal, it impairs it.6. As People in this State are seldom quite as well towards Night, in the Evening they should take very little Food. Their Sleep will be the less disturbed for this, and repair them the more, and sooner.7. They should not remain in Bed above seven, or eight Hours.8. The Swelling of the Legs and Ancles, which happens to most Persons at this time, is not dangerous, and generally disappears of itself; if they live soberly and regularly, and take moderate Exercise.9. It is not necessary, in this State, that they should go constantly every Day to Stool; though they should not be without one above two or three. If their Costiveness exceeds this Term, they should receive a Glyster the third Day, and even sooner, if they are heated by it, if they feel puffed up, are restless, and have any Pains in the Head.10. Should they, after some time, still continue very weak; if their Stomach is disordered; if they have, from time to time, a little irregular Fever, they should take three Doses daily of the PrescriptionNº. 14. which fortifies the Digestions, recovers the strength, and drives away the Fever.11. They must by no means return to their Labour too soon. This erroneous Habit daily prevents many Peasants from ever getting perfectly well, and recovering their former Strength. From not having been able to confine themselves to Repose and Indolence for some Days, they never become as hearty hardy Workmen as they had been: and this premature hasty Labour makes them lose in the Consequence, every following Week of their Lives, more time than they ever gained, by their over-early resuming of their Labour. I see every Day weakly Labourers, Vineroons, and other Workmen, who date the Commencement of their Weakness from that of some acute Disease, which, for want of proper Management through the Term of their Recovery, was never perfectly cured. A Repose ofseven or eight Days, more than they allowed themselves, would have prevented all these Infirmities; notwithstanding it is very difficult to make them sensible of this. The Bulk, the Body of the People, in this and in many other Cases, look no further than the present Day; and never extend their Views to the following one. They are for making no Sacrifice to Futurity; which nevertheless must be done, to render it favourable to us.
Of the Means that ought to be used, at the Beginning of Diseases; and of the Diet in acute Diseases.
Sect.31.
Sect.31.
Ihave clearly shewn the great Dangers of the Regimen, or Diet, and of the principal Medicines too generally made Use of by the Bulk of the People, on these Occasions. I must now point outthe actual Method they may pursue, without any Risque, on the Invasion of some acute Diseases, and the general Diet which agrees with them all. As many as are desirous of reaping any Benefit from this Treatise, should attend particularly to this Chapter; since, throughout the other Parts of it, in Order to avoid Repetitions, I shall say nothing of the Diet, except the particular Distemper shall require a different one, from that of which I am now to give an exact Detail. And whenever I shall say in general, that a Patient is to be put upon a Regimen, it will signify, that he is to be treated according to the Method prescribed in this Chapter; and all such Directions are to be observed, with Regard to Air, Food,Drink and Glysters; except when I expressly order something else, as different Ptisans, Glysters, &c.
§ 32. The greater Part of Diseases (by which I always understand acute and feverish ones) often give some Notice of their Approach a few Weeks, and, very commonly, some Days before their actual Invasion; such as a light Lassitude, or Weariness, Stiffness or Numbness; less Activity than usual, less Appetite, a small Load or Heaviness at Stomach; some Complaint in the Head; a profounder Degree of Sleep, yet less composed, and less refreshing than usual; less Gayety and Liveliness; sometimes a light Oppression of the Breast, a less regular Pulse; a Propensity to be Cold; an Aptness to sweat; and sometimes a Suppression of a former Dispositionto sweat. At such a Term it may be practicable to prevent, or at least considerably to mitigate, the most perplexing Disorders, by carefully observing the four following Points.
1. To omit all violent Work or Labour, but yet not so, as to discontinue a gentle easy Degree of Exercise.
2. To bring the Complainant to content himself without any, or with very little, solid Food; and especially to renounce all Flesh, Flesh-broth, Eggs and Wine.
3. To drink plentifully, that is to say, at least three Pints, or even four Pints daily, by small Glasses at a Time, from half hour to half hour,of the PtisansNº. 1and2, or even of warm Water, to each Quart of which may be added half a Glass of Vinegar. No Person can be destitute of this very attainable Assistance. But should there be a Want even of Vinegar, a few Grains of common17Salt may be added to a Quart of warm Water for Drink. Those who have Honey will do well to add two or three Spoonfuls of it to the Water. A light Infusion of Elder Flowers, or of those of the Linden, the Lime-tree, may also be advantageously used, and even well settled and clear sweet Whey.
4. Let the Person, affected with such previous Complaints, receive Glysters of warm Water, or the GlysterNº. 5. By pursuing these Precautions some grievous Disorders have often been happily rooted out: and although they should not prove so thoroughly efficacious, as to prevent their Appearance, they may at least be rendered more gentle, and much less dangerous.
§ 33. Very unhappily People have taken the directly contrary Method. From the Moment these previous, these forerunning Complaints are perceived, they allow themselves to eat nothing but gross Meat, Eggs, or strong Meat-Soups. They leave off Garden-Stuff and Fruits, which would be so proper for them; and they drink heartily (under a Notion of strengthening the Stomach and expelling Wind) of Wine and other Liquors, which strengthen nothing but the Fever, and expel what Degree of Health might still remain. Hence all the Evacuations are restrained; the Humours causing and nourishing the Diseases are not at all attempered, diluted, nor rendered proper for Evacuation. Nay, on the very contrary, they become more sharp, and more difficult to be discharged: while a sufficient Quantity of diluting refreshing Liquor, asswages and separates all Matters foreign to the Blood, which it purifies; and, at the Expiration of some Days, all that was noxious in it is carried off by Stool, by Urine, or by Sweat.
§ 34. When the Distemper is further advanced, and the Patient is already seized with thatColdness or Shuddering, in a greater or less Degree, which ushers in all Disease; and which is commonly attended with an universal Oppression, and Pains over all the Surface of the Body; the Patient, thus circumstanced, should be put to Bed, if he cannot keep up; or should sit down as quietly as possible, with a little more Covering than usual: he should drink every Quarter of an Hour a small Glass of the Ptisan,Nº. 1or2, warm; or, if that is not at Hand, of some one of those Liquids I have recommended§ 32.
§ 35. These Patients earnestly covet a great Load of covering, during the Cold or Shivering; but we should be very careful to lighten them as soon as it abates; so that when the succeeding Heat begins, they may have no more than their usual Weight of Covering. It were to be wishedperhaps, they had rather less. The Country People lie upon a Feather-bed, and under a downy Coverlet, or Quilt, that is commonly extremely heavy; and the Heat which is heightened and retained by Feathers, is particularly troublesome to Persons in a Fever. Nevertheless, as it is what they are accustomed to, this Custom may be complied with for one Season of the Year: but during our Heats, or whenever the Fever is very violent, they should lie on a Pallet (which will be infinitely better for them) and should throw away their Coverings of Down, so as to remain covered only with Sheets, or something else, less injurious than Feather-Coverings. A Person could scarcely believe, who had not been,as I have, a Witness of it, how much Comfort a Patient is sensible of, in being eased of his former Coverings. The Distemper immediately puts on a different Appearance.
§ 36. As soon as the Heat after theRigor, or Coldness and Shuddering, approaches, and the Fever is manifestly advanced, we should provide for the Patient'sRegimen. And
1, Care should be taken that the Air, in the Room where he lies, should not be too hot, the mildest Degree of Warmth being very sufficient; that there be as little Noise as possible, and that no Person speak to the Sick, without a Necessity for it. No external Circumstance heightens the Fever more, nor inclines the Patient more to aDeliriumor Raving, than the Persons in the Chamber, and especially about the Bed. They lessen the Spring, the elastic and refreshing Power, of the Air; they prevent a Succession of fresh Air; and the Variety of Objects occupies the Brain too much. Whenever the Patient has been at Stool, or has made Urine, these Excrements should be removed immediately. The Windows should certainly be opened Night and Morning, at least for a Quarter of an Hour each Time; when also a Door should be opened, to promote an entire Renovation or Change of the Air in the Room. Nevertheless, as the Patient should not be exposed at any Time to a Stream or Current of Air, the Curtains of his Bed should be drawn on such Occasions; and, if he lay without any, Chairs, with Blankets or Cloathshung upon them, should be substituted in the Place of Curtains, and surround the Bed; while the Windows continued open, in Order to defend the Patient from the Force of the rushing Air. If the Season, however, be rigidly cold, it will be sufficient to keep the Windows open, but for a few Minutes, each Time. In Summer, at least one Window should be set open Day and Night. The pouring a little Vinegar upon a red-hot Shovel also greatly conduces to restore the Spring, and correct the Putridity, of the Air. In our greatest Heats, when that in the Room seems nearly scorching, and the sick Person is sensibly and greatly incommoded by it, the Floor may be sprinkled now and then; and Branches of Willow or Ash-trees dipt a little in Pails of Watermay be placed within the Room.
§ 37. 2. With Respect to the Patient's Nourishment, he must entirely abstain from all Food; but he may always be allowed, and have daily prepared, the following Sustenance, which is one of the wholesomest, and indisputably the simplest one. Take half a Pound of Bread, a Morsel of the freshest Butter about the Size only of a Hazel Nut (which may even be omitted too) three Pints and one quarter of a Pint of Water. Boil them 'till the Bread be entirely reduced to a thin Consistence. Then strain it, and give the Patient one eighth Part of it every three, or every four, Hours; but still more rarely, if the Fever be vehemently high. Those who have Groats,Barley, Oatmeal, or Rice, may boil and prepare them in the same Manner, with some Grains of Salt.
§ 38. The Sick may also be sometimes indulged, in lieu of these different Spoon-Meats, with raw Fruits in Summer, or in Winter with Apples baked or boiled, or Plumbs and Cherries dried and boiled. Persons of Knowledge and Experience will be very little, or rather not at all, surprized to see various Kinds of Fruit directed in acute Diseases; the Benefit of which they may here have frequently seen. Such Advice can only disgust those, who remain still obstinately attached to old Prejudices. But could they prevail on themselves to reflect a little, they must perceive, that these Fruits which allay Thirst; which cool and abate the Fever; which correct and attemper the putrid and heated Bile; which gently dispose the Belly to be rather open, and promote the Secretion and Discharge of the Urine, must prove the properest Nourishment for Persons in acute Fevers. Hence we see, as it were by a strong Admonition from Nature herself, they express an ardent Longing for them; and I have known several, who would not have recovered, but for their eating secretly large Quantities of those Fruits they so passionately desired, and were refused. As many however, as are not convinced by my Reasoning in this Respect, may at least make a Tryal of my Advice, on my Affirmation and Experience; when I have no doubt but their own will speedily convince them of the real Benefit received from this Sort of Nourishment. Itwill then be evident, that we may safely and boldly allow, in all continual Fevers, Cherries red and black, Strawberries, the best cured Raisins, Raspberries, and Mulberries; provided that all of them be perfectly ripe. Apples, Pears and Plumbs are less melting and diluting, less succulent, and rather less proper. Some kinds of Pears however are extremely juicy, and even watery almost, such as the Dean or Valentia Pear, different Kinds of the Buree Pear; the St. Germain, the Virgoleuse; the green sugary Pear, and the Summer Royal, which may all be allowed; as well as a little Juice of very ripe Plumbs, with the Addition of Water to it. This last I have known to asswage Thirst in a Fever, beyond any other Liquor. Care should be taken, at the same Time, that the Sick should never be indulged in a great Quantity of any of them at once, which would overload the Stomach, and be injurious to them; but if they are given a little at a Time and often, nothing can be more salutary. Those whose Circumstances will afford them China Oranges, or Lemons, may be regaled with the Pulp and Juice as successfully; but without eating any of their Peel, which is hot and inflaming.
§ 39. 3. Their Drink should be such as allays Thirst, and abates the Fever; such as dilutes, relaxes, and promotes the Evacuations by Stool, Urine and Perspiration. All these which I have recommended in the preceding Chapters, jointly and severally possess these Qualities. A Glass ora Glass and a half of the Juice of such Fruits as I have just mentioned, may also be added to three full Pints of Water.
§ 40. The Sick should drink at least twice or thrice that Quantity daily, often, and a little at once, between three or four Ounces, every Quarter of an Hour. The Coldness of the Drink should just be taken off.
§ 41. 4. If the Patient has not two Motions in the 24 Hours; if the Urine be in small Quantity and high coloured; if he rave, the Fever rage, the Pain of the Head and of the Loins be considerable, with a Pain in the Belly, and a Propensity to vomit, the GlysterNº. 5should be given at least once a Day. The People have generally an Aversion to this kind of Remedy; notwithstanding there is not any more useful in feverish Disorders, especially in those I have just recounted; and one Glyster commonly gives more Relief, than if the Patient had drank four or five Times the Quantity of his Drinks. The Use of Glysters, in different Diseases, will be properly ascertained in the different Chapters, which treat of them. But it may be observed in this Place, that they are never to be given at the very Time the Patient is in a Sweat, which seems to relieve him.
§ 42. 5. As long as the Patient has sufficient Strength for it, he should sit up out of Bed one Hour daily, and longer if he can bear it; but at least half an Hour. It has a Tendency to lessen the Fever, the Head-ach, and a Light-headiness,or Raving. But he should not be raised, while he has a hopeful Sweating; though such Sweats hardly ever occur, but at the Conclusion of Diseases, and after the Sick has had several other Evacuations.
§ 43. 6. His Bed should be made daily while he sits up; and the Sheets of the Bed, as well as the Patient's Linen, should be changed every two Days, if it can be done with Safety. An unhappy Prejudice has established a contrary, and a really dangerous, Practice. The People about the Patient dread the very Thought of his rising out of Bed; they let him continue there in nasty Linen loaden with putrid Steams and Humours; which contribute, not only to keep up the Distemper, but even to heighten it into some Degree of Malignity. I do again repeat it here, that nothing conduces more to continue the Fever and Raving, than confining the Sick constantly to Bed, and witholding him from changing his foul Linen: by relieving him from both of which Circumstances I have, without the Assistance of any other Remedy, put a Stop to a continual Delirium of twelve Days uninterrupted Duration. It is usually said, the Patient is too weak, but this is a very weak Reason. He must be in very nearly a dying Condition, not to be able to bear these small Commotions, which, in the very Moment when he permits them, increase his Strength, and immediately after abate his Complaints. One Advantage the Sick gain by sitting up a little out of Bed, is the increasedQuantity of their Urine, with greater Facility in passing it. Some have been observed to make none at all, if they did not rise out of Bed.
A very considerable Number of acute Diseases have been radically, effectually, cured by this Method, which mitigates them all. Where it is not used, as an Assistance at least, Medicines are very often of no Advantage. It were to be wished the Patient and his Friends were made to understand, that Distempers were not to be expelled at once with rough and precipitate Usage; that they must have their certain Career or Course; and that the Use of the violent Methods and Medicines they chuse to employ, might indeed abridge the Course of them, by killing the Patient; yet never otherwise shortened the Disease; but, on the contrary, rendered it more perplexing, tedious and obstinate; and often entailed such unhappy Consequences on the Sufferer, as left him feeble and languid for the rest of his Life.
§ 44. But it is not sufficient to treat, and, as it were, to conduct the Distemper properly. The Term of Recovery from a Disease requires considerable Vigilance and Attention, as it is always a State of Feebleness, and, thence, of Depression and Faintness. The same Kind of Prejudice which destroys the Sick, by compelling them to eat, during the Violence of the Disease, is extended also into the Stage of Convalescence, or Recovery; and either renders it troublesome and tedious; or produces fatal Relapses, and often chronical Distempers. In Proportion to the Abatement, and in the Decline, of the Fever, theQuantity of Nourishment may be gradually increased: but as long as there are any Remains of it, their Qualities should be those I have already recommended. Whenever the Fever is compleatly terminated, some different Foods may be entered upon; so that the Patient may venture upon a little white Meat, provided it be tender; some18Fish; a little Flesh-Soup, a few Eggs at times, with Wine property diluted. It must be observed at the same Time, that those very proper Aliments which restore the Strength, when taken moderately, delay the perfect Cure, if they exceed in Quantity, tho' but a little; because the Action of the Stomach being extremely weakened by the Disease and the Remedies, is capable only, as yet, of a small Degree of Digestion; and if the Quantity of its Extents exceed its Powers, they do not digest, but become putrid. Frequent Returns of the Fever supervene; a continual Faintishness; Head-achs; a heavy Drowsiness without a Power of Sleeping comfortably; flying Pains and Heats in the Arms and Legs; Inquietude; Peevishness; Propensity to Vomit; Looseness; Obstructions, and sometimes a slow Fever, with a Collection of Humours, that comes to Suppuration.
All these bad Consequences are prevented, by the recovering Sick contenting themselves, forsome Time, with a very moderate Share of proper Food. We are not nourished in Proportion to the Quantity we swallow, but to that we digest. A Person on the mending Hand, who eats moderately, digests it and grows strong from it. He who swallows abundantly does not digest it, and instead of being nourished and strengthened, he withers insensibly away.
§ 45. We may reduce, within the few following Rules, all that is most especially to be observed, in Order to procure a compleat, a perfect Termination of acute Diseases; and to prevent their leaving behind them any Impediments to Health.
1. Let these who are recovering, as well as those who are actually sick, take very little Nourishment at a time, and take it often.
2. Let them take but one sort of Food at each Meal, and not change their Food too often.
3. Let them chew whatever solid Victuals they eat, very carefully.
4. Let them diminish their Quantity of Drink. The best for them in general is Water,19with a fourth or third Part of white Wine. Too great a Quantity of Liquids at this time prevents theStomach from recovering its Tone and Strength; impairs Digestion; keeps up Weakness; increases the Tendency to a Swelling of the Legs; sometimes even occasions a slow Fever; and throws back the Person recovering into a languid State.
5. Let them go abroad as often as they are able, whether on Foot, in a Carriage, or on Horseback. This last Exercise is the healthiest of all, and three fourths of the labouring People in this Country, who have it in their Power to procure it without Expense, are in the wrong to neglect it. They, who would practice it, should mount before their principal Meal, which should be about Noon, and never ride after it. Exercise taken before a Meal strengthens the Organs of Digestion, which is promoted by it. If the Exercise is taken soon after the Meal, it impairs it.
6. As People in this State are seldom quite as well towards Night, in the Evening they should take very little Food. Their Sleep will be the less disturbed for this, and repair them the more, and sooner.
7. They should not remain in Bed above seven, or eight Hours.
8. The Swelling of the Legs and Ancles, which happens to most Persons at this time, is not dangerous, and generally disappears of itself; if they live soberly and regularly, and take moderate Exercise.
9. It is not necessary, in this State, that they should go constantly every Day to Stool; though they should not be without one above two or three. If their Costiveness exceeds this Term, they should receive a Glyster the third Day, and even sooner, if they are heated by it, if they feel puffed up, are restless, and have any Pains in the Head.
10. Should they, after some time, still continue very weak; if their Stomach is disordered; if they have, from time to time, a little irregular Fever, they should take three Doses daily of the PrescriptionNº. 14. which fortifies the Digestions, recovers the strength, and drives away the Fever.
11. They must by no means return to their Labour too soon. This erroneous Habit daily prevents many Peasants from ever getting perfectly well, and recovering their former Strength. From not having been able to confine themselves to Repose and Indolence for some Days, they never become as hearty hardy Workmen as they had been: and this premature hasty Labour makes them lose in the Consequence, every following Week of their Lives, more time than they ever gained, by their over-early resuming of their Labour. I see every Day weakly Labourers, Vineroons, and other Workmen, who date the Commencement of their Weakness from that of some acute Disease, which, for want of proper Management through the Term of their Recovery, was never perfectly cured. A Repose ofseven or eight Days, more than they allowed themselves, would have prevented all these Infirmities; notwithstanding it is very difficult to make them sensible of this. The Bulk, the Body of the People, in this and in many other Cases, look no further than the present Day; and never extend their Views to the following one. They are for making no Sacrifice to Futurity; which nevertheless must be done, to render it favourable to us.