Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 13, MAT-MIC

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M'eTvinl exercife, and be careful that none of the fecretions be
^Health!° interrupted, nor any of the natural difcharges fupprefied.
ymm mJ ^ hefe conftitutions bear purging well, and often re¬
quire it ; as alfo the ufe of emetics, which are frequent¬
ly found neceiTary to fupply the place of exercife, by
agitating the abdominal vifeera, and are of fervice to
prevent the ftagnation of bile, or the accumulation of
mucous humours, which hinder digeltion, and clog the
firft paffages. The free ufe of muftard, horfe-radilh,
and the like fort of ftimulating dietetics, is ferviceable
in thefe torpid habits.
When the general mafs of fluids is increafed beyond
what is conducive to the perfe&ion of health, there
arifes what the writers term a plethora, which may
prove the fource of different difeafes ; and therefore,
when this overfulnefs begins to produce languor and
oppreflion, care Ihould be taken in time to reduce the
body to a proper ftandard, by abridging the food and
increafing the natural difcharges, ufmg more exercife,
and indulging lefs in deep.
But in oppofite circumftances, where the fluids have
been exhaufted, we are to attempt the prevention of
further walte by the ufe of ftrengthening ftomachics,
nourilhing diet, and indulgence from fatigue of body
or mind.
Vitiated fluids are to be confidered as tainted either
with the different kinds of general acrimony, or as be¬
traying figns of fome of the fpecies of morbific matter
which give rife to particular difeafes, fuch as calculus,
fcurvy, &c.
During the ftate of infancy, we may fometimes ob-
ferve a remarkable acidity, which not only fhows itfelf
in the firft paffages, but alfo feems to contaminate the
general mafs of fluids. As it takes its rife, however,
from weak bowels, our views, when we mean to pre¬
vent the ill confequences, muft be chiefly direfted to
ftrengthen the digeftive organs, as on their foundnefs
the preparation of good chyle depends 5 and hence
fmall dofes of rhubarb and chalybeates (either the na¬
tural chalybeate waters mixed with milk, or the tnurias
ammonice et ferri in dofes of a few grains, according
to the. age of the child), are to be adminiftered ; and
the diet is to be fo regulated as not to add to this
acid tendency : brifk exercife is likewife to be enjoined,
with fridions on the ftomach, belly, and lower extre¬
mities.
Where the fluids tend to the putrefcent date, which
{hows itfelf by fetid breath, fponginefs and bleeding of
the gums, a bloated look and livid caff, the diet then
Ihould be chiefly of frefli vegetables and ripe fruits,
with wine in moderation, due exercife, and ftrengthen¬
ing bitters.
Where acrimony fhows itfelf by itching eruptions,
uncommon third, and flulhing heats, nothing will an-
fwer better than fuch fulphureous waters as the Harrow-
gate and Moffat, at the lame time ufing a courfe of
diet that ftiall be neither acrid nor heating.
So far with refped to thofe kinds of morbific mat¬
ter which do not invariably produce a particular fpe¬
cies of difeafe : but there are others of a fpecific nature,
iome of which are generated in the body fpontaneouf-
ly, and feem to arife from errors in diet, or other cir¬
cumftances of ill management with refpedl to the ani¬
mal economy •, and hence it is fometimes poflible, to
a certain degree if not altogether, to prevent the ill con-
MEDICINE. Appendix.
fequences. Thus, there are inftances where returns of Means of
the gout have been prevented by adhering ftriftly to a Prefervin?
milk diet. Health.
I he rheumatifm has alfo been fometimes warded off
by wearing a flannel Ihirt, or by ufing the cold bath
without interruption.
Calculus may be retarded in its progrefs, and pre¬
vented from creating much diftrefs, by the internal ufe
of foap and lime-water, by foap-lees taken in milk or
in yeal-broth, or by the ufe of aerated alkaline water,
which may perhaps be confidered as being both more
fafe and more efficacious, and at the fame time more
pleafant, than any of the other praftices.
The fcurvy may be prevented by warm clothing and
perfeverance in brilk exercife, by drinking wine or cy¬
der, and eating freely of fuch vegetable fubftances as
can be had in thofe fituations where this difeafe is moft
apt to ftiow itfelf.
In conftitutions where there is an hereditary difpo-
fition to the fcrophula, if early precautions be taken to
ftrengthen the folids by cold bathing, a nouriftiing
courfe of diet, and moderate ufe of wine, the conftitu-
tion which gives rife to the difeafe will probably be
prevented from producing any very bad effedts.
The other kinds of morbific matter, which are of the
fpecific nature, are received into the body by infedlion
or contagion.
The infedtion of a putrid fever or dyfentery is beft
prevented by immediately taking an emetic on the firft
attack of the ficknefs or fhivering; and if that do not
completely anfwer, let a large blifter be applied be¬
tween the fhoulders : by this method the nurfes and
other attendants on the fick in the naval hofpitals have
often been preferved. As to other infedlious morbific
matter, we muft refer to what has already been faid
when treating of hydrophobia, poifons, gonorrhoea, &c.
The ill eft efts which may arife from the different
fpecies of faburra, are to be obviated, in general, by
the prudent adminiftration of emetics, and carefully
abftaining from fuch kinds of food as are known to
caufe the accumulation of noxious matters in the firft
paffages.
Crude vegetables, milk, butter, and other oily fub¬
ftances, are to be avoided by perfons troubled with a
fournefs in the ftomach •, brilk exercife, efpecially ri¬
ding, is to be ufed, and they are to refrain from fer¬
mented liquors : the common drink Ihould be pure
water; or water with a very little of fome ar¬
dent fpirit, fuch as rum or brandy. Seltzer and Pyr-
mont waters are to be drunk medicinally ; and aroma¬
tic bitters, infufions, or tinftures, acidulated with ful-
phuric acid, will be found ferviceable, in order to
ftrengthen the fibres of the ftomach, and promote the
expulfion of its contents, thereby preventing the too
hafty fermentation of the alimentary mixture. In or¬
der to procure immediate relief, magnefia alba, or creta
prceparata, will feldom fail ; the magnefia, as well as
the chalk, may be made into lozenges, with a little
fugar and mucilage ; and in that form may be carried
about and taken occafionally by people afflifted with
the acid faburra.
In conftitutions where there is an exuberance or ftag¬
nation of bile, and a troublefome bitternefs in the
mouth, it is neceffary to keep the bowels always free,
by taking occafionally fmall dofes of pure aloes, oleum
risini.