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WANT OF APPETITE.

that which is made of fine flour. The best bread for keeping thebody soluble is what in some parts of England thej call meslin.It is made of a mixture of wheat and rye, and is very agreeable tothose who are accustomed to it.

Costiveness is increased by keeping the body too warm, and byevery thing that promotes the perspiration ; as wearing flannel,lying too long in bed, »fee. Intense thought and sedentary life arelikewise hurtful. All the secretions and excretions are promotedby moderate exercise without doors, and by a gay, cheerful,sprightly temper of mind.

The drink should be of an opening quality. All ardent spirits,austere and astringent wines, as port, claret, &c. ought to beavoided. Malt-liquor that is fine, and of a moderate strength, isvery proper. Buttermilk, whey, and other watery liquors areproper, and may be drank in turns, as the patient's inclinationdirects.

Those who are troubled with costiveness, ought, if possible, toremedy it by diet, as the constant use of medicines for that pur-pose is attended with many inconveniencies, and often with badconsequences.* I never knew any one get into a habit of takingmedicine for keeping the body open, who could leave it off. Intime the custom becomes necessary, ar.d generally ends in a totalrelaxation of the bowels, indigestion, loss of appetite, wasting ofthe strength, and death.

When the body cannot be kept open without medicine, we wouldrecommend gentle doses of rhubarb to be taken twice or thrice a-week. This is not so near injurious to the stomach as aloes, jal-ap, or the other drastic purgatives so much in use. Infusions ofsenna and manna may likewise be taken, or half an ounce of solu-ble tartar dissolved in water-gruel. About the size of a nutmeg oflenitive electuary taken twice or thrice a-day genevally answersthe purpose very well. See Diseases of Child-bed Women.

Want of appetite. (Anorexia.)

This may proceed from a foul stomach ; indigestion ; the wantof free air and exercise ; grief, fear, anxiety, or any of the de-pressing passions •, excessive heat ; the use of strong broths, fatmeats, or any thing that palls the appetite, or is hard of digestion ;the immoderate use of strong liquors, tea, tobacco, opium, <fec.

The patient ought, if possible, to make choice of an open dry-air ; to take exercise daily on horseback or in a carriage ; to rise

# The learned Dr. Arbuthnot advises those who are troubled with costiveness to useanimal oils, as fresh butter, cream, marrow, fat broths, especially those made of theinternal parts of animals, as th"î liver, heart, midriff, &c. He likewise recommendsthe expressed oils of mild vegetables, as olives, almonds, pistachios, and the fruitsthemselves; all oily and mild fruits, as figs ; decoctions of mealy vegetables: theselubricate the intestines ; some saponaceous substances which stimulate gently, ashoney, hydrom?), or boiled honey and water, unrefined sugar, &c.

The doctor observes, that such lenitive substances are proper for persons of dryatrabilari&n constitutions, who are rnbject to astriction of the belly, and the piles, andwill operate when stronger medicinal substances are sometimes ineffectual; but thateuch lenitive diet hurts those whose bowels are weak and lax. He likewise observes,that ail watery substances are lenitive, and that even common water, whey, sour milk,and butter-milk, hctve that effect' >hat new milk,especially asses' milk, stimulates stillmore when it sours on the stesaach ; and that whey turned sour will purge strongly.