cally and perseveringly, we shall rarely
fail in at last restoring the healthy action of the bowels, with little
aid from medicine. But if we neglect these modes, we may go on, for
years, adding pill to pill, and dose to dose, without ever attaining the
end at which we aim." There is no point, in which a woman needs more
knowledge and discretion, than in administering remedies for what seem
slight attacks, which are not supposed to require the attention of a
physician. It is little realized, that purgative drugs are unnatural
modes of stimulating the internal organs, tending to exhaust them of
their secretions, and to debilitate and disturb the animal economy. For
this reason, they should be used as little as possible; and fasting, and
perspiration, and the other methods pointed out, should always be first
resorted to. When medicine must be given, it should be borne in mind,
that there are various classes of purgatives, which produce very diverse
effects. Some, like salts, operate to thin the blood, and reduce the
system; others are stimulating; and others have a peculiar operation on
certain organs. Of course, great discrimination and knowledge is needed,
in order to select the kind, which is suitable to the particular
disease, or to the particular constitution of the invalid. This shows
the folly of using the many kinds of pills, and other quack medicines,
where no knowledge can be had of their composition. Pills which are good
for one kind of disease, might operate as poison in another state of the
system. It is wise to keep always on hand some simple cathartic, for
family use, in slight attacks; and always to resort to medical advice,
whenever powerful remedies seem to be demanded.[Q] It is very common, in
cases of colds which affect the lungs or throat, to continue to try one
dose after another, for relief. It will be well to bear in mind, at such
times, that all which goes into the stomach, must be first absorbed into
the blood, before it can reach the diseased part; and that there is some
danger of injuring the stomach, or other parts of the system, by such a
variety of doses, many of which, it is probable, will be directly
contradictory in their nature, and thus neutralize any supposed benefit
they might separately impart.

It is very unwise, to tempt the appetite of a person who is indisposed.
The cessation of appetite is the warning of Nature, that the system is
in such a state, that food cannot be digested.