The water-cure in chronic disease : an exposition of the causes, progress and terminations of various chronic diseases of the digestive organs ... and of their treatment by water, and other hygienic means / by James Manby Gully.

Gully, James Manby, 1808-1883.

Date:: [1847?]

Credit: The water-cure in chronic disease : an exposition of the causes, progress and terminations of various chronic diseases of the digestive organs ... and of their treatment by water, and other hygienic means / by James Manby Gully. Source: Wellcome Collection.

107/476 (page 89)

$rule of diet. Of all the forms of indigestion, the nervous re(]iiii’es the most accurate adaptation of diet to the Protean changes of the functions—changes which no YTiting woulil convey to the reader. In these remarks I only pretend to give the leading indications of dietetic management; pro- fessional experience alone can detect the causes for its daily or weekly alteration. For a similar reason vuth that above given—namely, the irritable and feeble state of the organic nerves of the stomach, liquids of a high temperature are very prejudicial in neiumus dyspepsia: although, for the purpose of quiet- ing some symptom, flatulence, spasmodic pain, sinking, or gnaving, recourse is usually had to the hottest tea or other vegetable infusion, sometimes to hot water alone. This destructive practice inveterates the irritability of the stomach, and relaxes its powers to such an extent, that many patients coming to IMalvern, are utterly unalcle to take food without hot water, and the introduction of the smallest quantity of cold water brings on acute spasm of the stomach. Hence it will be found that the part of the water treatment which consists in drinking cold water requires in many instances to be withheld for a time, or to be very gradually applied, the patient taking only a vdne- glassful at one time : and even this I have been obliged to prescribe at a temperature not lower than 55°. In proportion as the positive remedies produce a sedative effect on the stomach, the quantity of water may be increased, and its temperature decreased. Those positive measures should have for aim, the reduction of local irritation by local remedies, and the establishment of a counteracting irritative process in some organs distant from the stomach. The first of these is effected by fomentations with hot water over the pit of the stomach, once or twice a day, from half an hoirr to an hour and a half, according to the condition of the pulse, a strong one justifying more fomentation than a weak one. The temperature of the Avater varies Avith the intensity of the s\Tnptoms; the more acute the painful ones, spasm, distension, &c., the_ nearer to the boiling point should the water be. During the fomentation, the stomach will bear cold water more l^atiently, and, accordingly, it should be then given in frequent sips. In the intervals between the fomentations, a compress should be worn on the stomach, wrung out of$