or
fasting too long. The stomach should always have time to empty itself,
before it is filled again. Some stomachs digest their contents sooner
than others, and if long empty it may destroy the appetite, and greatly
disturb both the head and animal spirits; because from the great
profusion of nerves spread over the stomach, there is an immediate
sympathy between that and the head. Hence the head is sure to be
affected by whatever disorders the stomach, whether from any particular
aliment that disagrees with it, or being over filled, or too long empty.
Hence also, too frequently, arise apoplexy, or paralytic affections,
especially in aged people. Such as feel a gnawing in the stomach, as it
is called, should not wait till the stated time of the next meal, but
take a small quantity of food, light, and easy of digestion, that the
stomach may have something to work on. Children, with craving appetites,
do and may eat often, allowing only a proper interval to empty the
stomach. Young persons in health, who use much exercise, may eat three
times a day. But such as are in years, such as are weak, as do no work,
or lead a sedentary life, eating twice in the day is quite sufficient:
or if in the present habits of society it is found to be difficult to
arrange for two meals only, let them take three very moderate ones. Weak
and aged persons may eat often, but then it should be very little at a
time. The diseases to which we are liable often require substances of
more active principles than what are found in common aliment, and hence
the need of medicine, in order to, produce sudden alterations. But where
such alterations are not immediately necessary, the same effect may be
produced with much greater safety, by a proper attention to diet only.
Abstinence is in short, one of the best remedies to which we can
resort; and if employed in time, will entirely cure many disorders, and
check the violence of such as cannot be entirely carried off by it. In
all cases where there is any inflammation, and in stomach complaints, it
is particularly necessary, and may be safely continued till the symptoms
of disease disappear. Where the digestion is habitually weak, a day of
abstinence once a week will always be beneficial. The quality of our
food is a subject of greater difficulty than the quantity. Moderation is
an invariably safe guide in the latter case; but though always
favourable to prevent ill effects from any error in quality, it will n