PREVENTION OF CONSUMPTION.

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No particular attention was paid to dress or diet. In the courseof a few months the tumid abdomen subsided, the swellingsof the neck disappeared, the flesh became firm, and this child,whose life had been despaired of, and was sent from home as on aforlorn hope, returned rigorous, active, and healthy.

But precautions against this insidious disease are rarely had re-course to at so early a period of life. The buoyant spirits and ac-tive propensities of its destined victima rarely excite suspicioneither in themselves or their friends of the approaching mischief.As the age of puberty approaches, other indications of the propen-sity to phthisis are developed. The narrow and elongated formof the chest becomes more apparent, and is chiefly indicated bythe prominence of the shoulders, which stand out from it on eachside somewhat like wings. A broad deep chest, the transversesection of which approaches the circle, affords the best criterionof a healthy and vigorous conformation of the body, not only inman but in all kinds of quadrupeds which are subservient to hiswants. For the support of life it is necessary that nearly one halfof the blood should circulate through the lungs in the same timethat the remainder passes through the rest of the body. But ifthe lungs are prevented from expanding to their proper magnitudein consequence of being confined within the limits of a narrowthorax, their proper blood-vessels must be proportionally dimin-ished in number as well as in dimensions, and on any sudden pushof blood, their coats, already over-distended, must be prone to rup-ture. At this period 1 of life, too, there is evidently an effort of theconstitution endeavouring to expand every part to a state of fullperfection. This is evinced by frequent discharges of blood fromthe nose. The vessels of that part readily heal, but an accidentof the same kind taking place in the lungs, not unfrequently lay»the foundation of consumption.

This temporary fulness of blood should be counteracted, bystrictly adhering to a diet of the farinácea and ripe fruits. Ani-mal food and fermented liquors ought to be rigidly prohibited.Even milk often proves too nutritious. Exercise should be regu-lar but gentle. Sudden and violent exertions are extremely haz-ardous. Riding on horseback is preferable to any other kind ofexercise. Such efforts of the voice as are required in singing orplaying on any wind-instrument of music, frequently produce dis-charges of blood from the lungs ; but the practice of reading orreciting for some time together in a moderate tone of voice, tendsto strengthen these organs, and to diminish the danger of pulmo-nary hemorrhage from any sudden exertion.

During the circulation of the blood through the lungs, a princi-ple necessary to the support of life is absorbed from the air ; andvarious matters, the longer continuance of which in the body wouldbe noxious, are also discharged in the form of vapour or gas. Thatthere is, besides, no inconsiderable quantity of aqueous fluid se-oreted and discharged from the lungs, every person must be con-vinced, who has attended to the deposition of watery particles thattakes place from the breath in a frosty day. Of the whole quanti-ty of perspirable matter discharged from the surface of the bodyin any given portion of time, that exhaled from the surface of the