Common sense, or, the Abernethian code of health and longevity : founded on the principles and practice of John Abernethy.

Date:
1830
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Common sense, or, the Abernethian code of health and longevity : founded on the principles and practice of John Abernethy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    12/28 page 10
    Causes of Indigestion, The causes of indigestion are, all the superfluous luxuries conse- quent on civilisation, and whatever draws us from a life of nature, or a condition of simplicity in diet, and all its attendant auxiliaries* Of these may be enumerated: Fir&t^ All stimulants, as spirits, wines, and the . too free use of purgative medicines. Secondlyy All liquids in excess, especially when taken warm, for they weaken the tone of the organ, and dilute the gastric juice, les- sening its solvent powers: this is the case with strong tea, punch and other dilutions; but, Thirdly^ If this is the case with excess of liquids, that of solids is still more pernicious, for gluttony in over-distending the stomach, prevents a full secretion of bile. So the pleasures of the table, whenever enjoyed beyond modera- tion, are purchased at the expense of health. Even the quality of what we take requires equal attention to avoid injury or doing wrong, as well as the quantity, and the more the food is deprived of the nourishing principle, the more unfit is it for the purposes of aliment. Whatever are the state of digestibility of some substances, it should be laid down as a maxim, that no food should be submitted to the powers of the stomach without due mastication : for the want of proper and minute divisibility will render all food, whatever its nature, less digestible than it otherwise would be. The process of mastication properly conducted should reduce the aliment into a soft mass, and mix it with an albuminous fluid, collected in the passages through w^hich it passes; but even when all this is done, in order to shew the mutual sympathy that influences the whole system, digestion is often interrupted by disorders of different parts, or affections of the mind. This process of digestion, at the^iime it takes place, seems to be ings of body and mind, been occasioned by a little air pent up, and its expulsion instantly relieve? What disease is free from some affection of the stomach or canal, and what fever does it not mark in its beginning, its progress, remission, crisis, and cure? The diseases of children are acknowledged to be mostly from the stomach and bowels, and they are known to be cured of alarming symptoms by a puke, a glyster, or a purge. A person feels weak, loses colour and spirits, has head-ache, giddiness, and shivering, and the pre-disposed suffer fits of their diseases, without suspecting, as there is no sickness, want of appetite, costiveness, or affection of the stomach, that they proceed from it, till a natural vomiting or looseness, an emetic or cathartic relieve the complaints. Fits, as of asthma, chin-cough, hysteria, and gout, are generally preceded by some affection of the canal, and diminish or go otf by the expulsion of air or other matter.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3