To take very little or no solid food, and particularly to abstain from
meat, or flesh broth, eggs, and wine, or other strong liquors. To drink
plentifully of weak diluting liquor, by small glasses at a time, at
intervals of about half an hour. If these diluents are not found to
answer the purpose of keeping the bowels open, stronger cathartics must
be taken, or injections for the bowels, called lavements. By pursuing
these precautions, the early symptoms of disease will often be removed,
without coming to any serious issue: and even where this is not the
case, the disorder will be so lessened as to obviate any kind of danger
from it. When confirmed diseases occur, the only safe course is to
resort to the most skilful medical assistance that can be obtained. Good
advice and few medicines will much sooner effect a cure, than all the
drugs of the apothecary's shop unskilfully administered. But the success
of the best advice may be defeated, if the patient and his attendants
will not concur to render it effectual. If the patient is to indulge
longings for improper diet, and his friends are to gratify them, the
advantage of the best advice may be defeated by one such imprudent
measure. Patients labouring under accidents which require surgical
assistance, must be required strictly to attend to the same directions.
General regulations are all that a physician or surgeon can make
respecting diet, many other circumstances will therefore require the
consideration of those who attend upon the sick, and it is of
consequence that they be well prepared to undertake their charge, for
many fatal mistakes have arisen from ignorance and prejudice in these
cases. A few rules that may be referred to in the absence of a medical
adviser, are all that are necessary in the present instance, more
especially when the patient is so far recovered as to be released from
medicines, and put under a proper regimen, with the use of a gentle
exercise, and such other regulations as a convalescent state
requires.--When for example, persons are labouring under acute
disorders, or accidents, they are frequently known to suffer from the
injudiciousness of those about them, in covering them up in bed with a
load of clothes that heat and debilitate them exceedingly, or in keeping
them in bed when the occasion does not require it, without even
suffering them to get up and have it new made, and by never allowing a
breath of fresh air to be admitted into the room.