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?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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.

    144/476 (page 126)
    is certain. That disorder claims the epithet hilious; and it behoves the physician to ascertain whether the fact of suspended or augmented flow of bile is attachable to the term. Sympathy with a dyspeptic stomach is another originator of nervous derangement of the liver. It may be presumed, and facts show it, that, at all times during dyspeptic irri- tation, there is a stream of morbid sympathy flowing thence towards the liver, and maintaining there more or less morbid action. But it is equally demonstrable that when temporary exasperation of the dyspepsia takes place, an acute attack of nervous biliousness also supervenes; and this more especially in nervous dyspepsia. The process consists generally in first diminishing, and subsequently augmenting the secretion of bile ; the reason for which is plain, from what was said in the first part of this work on the subject of extension of disease. A similar, though a more permanent irritation, is estab- lished when the mucous disorder of the stomach produces mucous disorder of the liver. This occurs more especially when the right or lower end of the stomach is the seat of disease ; and as, in extending to the membrane which lines the gall ducts, it has to pass by that which lines the duodenum, the mucous dyspepsia is that which usually originates inflammation of the duodenum. Whether, therefore, there be nervous or mucous biliary disorder, the nerves or lining membrane of the stomach are first of all affected. This involves the question of the modus operandi of medicines, called antihilious. As I have said before (page 17), no internal remedies can reach the liver save through the stomach; to rouse the former to action you must rouse the latter ; you strike at the liver through the stomach. So that whilst you think how cleverly you are urging the liver with calomel, you should also remember that the spear is being driven into the stomach, which may be, nay, certainly is, irritated before the organ you desire to act upon. Antihilious is thus S}Tionymous with irritating the stomach ] and those vulgar dietetic remedies against “bile” (a wild sort of term, used to express all and everything concerning the liver), viz., bacon and brandy and water, are the best remedies for perpetuating dyspepsia, at the same that, by causing a temporary stimulation of the stomach, they are esteemed and taken by the populace, not only as antihilious, but