Diseases > Domestic medicine

nOMRSTIC MKDICINB. 293
warm water, or weak posset. When their violence
is over, the patient may take a dose of rhubarb, or
any other gentle purge, to carry off the dregs of his
debauch.
Colics which are occasioned by wet feet, or catching
cold, may generally he removed at the beginning, by
bathing the feet and legs in warm water, and drinking
such warm diluting liquors as will promote the per¬
spiration, as weak wine-whey, or water-gruel, with
a small quantity of spirits in it.
Those flatulent colics, which prevail so much
among country people, might generally be prevented
were they careful to change their clothes when they
get wet. They ought likewise to take a dram, or to
drink some warm liquor after eating any kind of
green trash. We do not mean to recommend the
practice of dram-drinking, but in this case ardent
spirits prove a real medicine, and indeed the best
that can be administered. A glass of good pepper¬
mint-water will have nearly the same effect as a glass
of brandy, and in some cases is rather to be preferred.
The bilioii’ colic is attended with very acute
pains about the region of the navel. The patient
complains of great thirst, and is generally costive.
He vomits a hot, bitter, yellow coloured bile, which
being discharged, seems to afford some relief, but
is quickly followed by the same violent pain as before.
As the distemper advances, the propensity to vomit
sometimes increases so as to become almost continual,
and the proper motion of the intestines is so far per¬
verted, that there are all the symptoms of an im¬
pending iliac passion.
If the patient be young and strong, and the pulse
full and frequent, it will be proper to bleed, after
which clysters may be administered. Clear whey or
gruel, sharpened with the juice of lemon, or cream of