salt is recommended on very excellent
authority. Other autumnal complaints there are, of which diarrhoea is
the worst example. They come on with pain, flatulence, sickness, with or
without vomiting, followed by loss of appetite, general lassitude, and
weakness. If attended to at the first appearance, they may soon be
conquered; for which purpose it is necessary to assist nature in
throwing off the contents of the bowels, which may be one by means of
the following prescription:--Take of calomel 3 grains, rhubarb 8 grains;
mix and take it in a little honey or jelly, and repeat the dose three
times, at the intervals of four or five hours. The next purpose to be
answered is the defence of the lining membrane of the intestines from
their acrid contents, which will be best effected by drinking copiously
of linseed tea, or of a drink made by pouring boiling water on
quince-seeds, which are of a very mucilaginous nature; or, what is still
better, full draughts of whey. If the complaint continue after these
means have been employed, some astringent or binding medicine will be
required, as the subjoined:--Take of prepared chalk 2 drachms,
cinnamon-water 7 oz., syrup of poppies 1 oz.; mix, and take 3
tablespoonfuls every four hours. Should this fail to complete the cure,
1/2 oz. of tincture of catechu, or of kino, may be added to it, and then
it will seldom fail; or a teaspoonful of the tincture of kino alone,
with a little water, every three hours, till the diarrhoea is checked.
While any symptoms of derangement are present, particular attention must
be paid to the diet, which should be of a soothing, lubricating, and
light nature, as instanced in veal or chicken broth, which should
contain but little salt. Rice, batter, and bread puddings will be
generally relished, and be eaten with advantage; but the stomach is too
much impaired to digest food of a more solid nature. Indeed, we should
give that organ, together with the bowels, as little trouble as
possible, while they are so incapable of acting in their accustomed
manner. Much mischief is frequently produced by the absurd practice of
taking tincture of rhubarb, which is almost certain of aggravating that
species of disorder of which we have now treated; for it is a spirit as
strong as brandy, and cannot fail of producing harm upon a surface which
is rendered tender by the formation and contact of vitiated bile. But
our last advice is, upon the first appearance of such symptoms a