Diseases > Domestic medicine

DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 385
a considerable time. Excellent medicines are often
despised in this disease, because they do not perform
an immediate cure; whereas, nothing would be more
certain than their effect, were they duly persisted in.
Want of perseverance in tee use of medicine, is one
reason why chronic diseases are so seldom cured.
Cold bathing, especially in salt water, often cures
the rheumatism. We would also recommend riding
on horseback, and wearing flannel next the skin.
Issues are likewise very proper, especially in chronic
cases. If the pain affects the shoulders, an issue
may be made in the arm ; but if it affects the loins,
it should be put in the leg or thigh.
Such as are subject to frequent attacks of the rheu¬
matism, ought to make choice of a dry, warm situa¬
tion, to avoid the night air, wet clothes, and wet feet,
as much as possible. Their clothing should be warm,
and they should wear flannel next the skin, and make
frequent use of the flesh-brush.
Fleecy hosiery worn next the skin, is not only the
best article of dress for preventing the rhematism,
but in promoting its cure. Its use in marshy coun¬
tries, where the inhabitants are subject to ague and
rheumatism, cannot be too strongly recommended;
and in such situations, it would be a most beneficial
piece of charity for those in better circumstances to
assist in supplying the poor with this cheap, simple,
and efficacious perseverance.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
OF THE SCURVY.
This disease prevails chiefly in cold northern coun¬
tries, especially in low, damp situations, near large