The code of health and longevity, or, A general view of the rules and principles calculated for the preservation of health, and the attainment of long life / by Sir John Sinclair.

  • Sinclair John, Sir, 1754-1835.
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The code of health and longevity, or, A general view of the rules and principles calculated for the preservation of health, and the attainment of long life / by Sir John Sinclair. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    3? C. I.] OF AIR. to apply various gases for the purpose of fumigating and dis- infecting the chambers of the sick. Chlorine seems to be best entitled to an anti-contagious character; at least, it has been found capable of destroying the volatile principles of putrify- ino* animal matter; and if there be any excuse for our belie- ving, that we can find an antidote to an inscrutable source of disease, we may ascribe to chlorine, the power of overcoming contagious effluvia. The most convenient method of obtain- ing chlorine, is by mixing concentrated muriatic acid, with half its weight of finely powdered peroxide of manganese Where the object is merely to improve the smell of sick chambers, sprinkling the floor with aromatic or common vine- gar, is refreshing to the patient, and pleasant to the attendants ; and fumigating pastilles may be burned in the anti-room or lobby. The following is a formula, which may be resorted to for this purpose : Take of benzoin, one drachm; cascarilla, half a drachm; myrrh, one scruple ; oil of nutmeg and oil of cloves, of each ten drops; nitre, half a drachm ; charcoal, six drachms ; mucilage of gum-tragacanth, sufficient to make a paste. The whole to be well beaten together, and divided into pastilles of the proper size f. Dr Adair found, that he relieved the distressing irregular night fever, to which persons labouring under chronic diseases are liable, and sometimes prevented the exacerbations alto- gether, by the free admission of cool air into the invalid’s bed-room. Such an experiment must of course be tried with caution. When a person living in the country, is recovering from sickness, it will be found a very salutary practice in fine wea- ther, to sit out of doors, on a piece of floor-cloth to keep out damp, and a carpet or rug to keep the feet warm. These suggestions may seem of little importance to persons in health; but if such rules be observed, when necessary, they will not only be found a comfort to the sick, but a valuable means of restoring health. 5. Old Age.—Galen calls old age a natural distemper X ; and the management of the health of those who have reached an advanced period of life, is, of course, very different from that of those who are young and vigorous. As life advances, the circulation of the blood becomes more languid, the joints stiffen, muscular power fails, functional See turners Chemistry. -j- Paris’ Pharmacologia, p. 127. 1 Terence makes nearly the same observation : “ Seneotus ipsa est morbus. ’*
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