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Of COLDS AND COUGHS 179

kept open with mild purgatives; as maima, senna, rhubarb, or thelike.

If great weakness ana dejection of spirits, or night sweats, withother symptoms of a consumption, should ensue, we would advisethe patient to continue the use of the Peruvian bark, with the elixirof vitriol, and to take frequently a glass of generous wine. These,together with a milk diet, and riding on horseback, are the mostlikely means for recovering his strength.

CHAP. XXIX.OF COLDS AND COUGHS.

IT has been already observed, that colds are the effect of anobstructed perspiration; the common causes of which we havelikewise endeavoured to point out, and shall not here repeat them.Neither shall we spend time in enumerating all the various symp-toms of colds, as they are pretty generally known. It may nothowever, be amiss to observe that almost every cold is a kind offever, which only differs in degree from some of those that havealready been treated of.

No age, sex, or constitution, is exempted from this disease ;neither is it in the power of any medicine or regimen to prevent it.The inhabitants of every climate are liable to catch cold, nor cai.■ven the greatest circumspection defend them at all times from it«ittacks. Indeed, if the human body could be kept constantly in aniniform degree of warmth, such a thing as catching cold would bempossible; but as that cannot be effected by any means, the p»rs-liration must be liable to many changes. Such changes, howevervhen small, do not affect the health; but, when great, they musiprove hurtful.

When oppression of the breast, a stuffing of the nose, un sualweariness, pain of the head, <\c give ground to believe that theperspiration is obstructed, or, in other words, that the person hascaught cold, he ought immediately to lessen his diet, at least theusual quantity of his solid food, and to abstain from all strong liquors.Instead of flesh, fish, eggs, milk, and other nourishing diet, hemay eat light bread-pudding, veal or chicken broth, panado, gruels,and such like. His drink may be water gruel sweetened with alittle honey; an infusion of balm, or linseed sharpened with thejuice of orange or lemon; a decoction of barley and liquorice,with tamarinds, or any other cool, diluting, acid liquor.

Above all, his supper should be light; as small posset, or watergruel sweetened with honey, and a little toasted bread in it. If ho-ney should disagree with the stomach, the gruel may be sweetenedwith treacle or coarse sugar, and sharpened with the jelly of cur-rant. Those who have been accustomed to generous liquors maytake wirte-whey instead of gruel, which may be sweetened as above.

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