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VOMITING.

When a looseness proceeds from acrid or poisonous substancestaken into the stomach, the patient must drink large quantities ofdiluting liquors, with oil or fat broths, to promote vomiting andpurging. Afterwards, if there be reason to suspect that the bowelsare inflamed, bleeding will be necessary. Small doses of laudanummay likewise be taken to remove their irritation.

When the gout, repelled from the extremities, occasions a loose-ness, it ought to be promoted by gentle doses of rhubarb, or othermild purgatives. The gouty matter is likewise to be solicitedtowards the extremities by warm fomentations, cataplasms, &c.The perspiration ought at the same time to be promoted by warmdiluting liquors ; as wine-whey with spirits of hartshorn, or a fewdrops of liquid laudanum in it.

When a looseness proceeds from worms, which may be knownfrom the sliminess of the stools, mixed with pieces of decayedworms, &c, medicines must be given to kill and carry off thesevermin, as the powder of tin, with purges of rhubarb and calomel.Afterwards lime-water, either alone, or with a small quantity ofrhubarb infused, will be proper to strengthen the bowels, and pre-vent the new generation of worms.

A looseness is often occasioned by drinking bad water. Whenthis is the case, the disease generally proves epidemical. Whenthere is reason to believe that this or any other disease proceedsfrom the use of unwholesome water, it ought immediately to bechanged, or if that cannot be done, it may be corrected by mixingwith it quick lime, chalk, or the like.

In people whose stomachs are weak, violent exercise immediatelyafter eating will occasion a looseness. Though the cure of this isobvious, yet it will be proper, besides avoiding violent exercise, touse such medicines as tend to brace and strengthen the stomach,as infusions of the bark, with other bitter and astringent ingredients,in white-wine. Such persons ought likewise to take frequently aglass or two of old red port, or good claret.

From whatever cause a looseness proceeds, when it is foundnecessary to check it the diet ought to consist of rice boiled withmilk, and flavoured with cinnamon ; rice-jelly, sago with red port,and the lighter sorts of flesh-meat roasted. The drink may bethin water-gruel, rice-water, or weak broth made from lean veal,or with a sheep's head, as being more gelatinous than mutton,beef, or chicken-broth.

Persons who, from a peculiar weakness, or too great an irrita-bility of the bowels, are liable to frequent returns of this disease,should live temperately, avoiding crude summer fruits, all unwhole-some foods, and meats of hard digestion. They ought likewise tobeware of cold, moisture, or whatever may obstruct the perspira-tion, and should wear flannel next the skin. All violent passions,as fear, anger, &c. are likewise carefully to be guarded against.

Vomiting.

Vomiting may proceed from various causes ; as excess in eatingand drinking ; foulness of the stomach ; the acrimony of the ali-ments ; a translation of the morbific matter of ulcers, of the gout,