NERVOUS FEVER.

145

Agreeable amusements, cheerful company, and riding about,are, however, preferable to all medicines in this disease. Forwhich reason, when the patient can afford it, we would recom-mend a long journey of pleasure, as the most likely means torestore his health.

What is called a symptomatic consumption cannot be curedwithout first removing the disease by which it is occasioned.Thus, when a consumption proceeds from the scrofula orking's evil, from the scurvy, the asthma, the venereal disease,Sec. a due attention must be paid to the malady from whence itarises, and the regimen directed accordingly.

When excessive evacuations of any kind occasion a consump-tion, they must not only be restrained, but the patient's strengthmust be restored by gentle exercise, nourishing diet, and gene-rous cordials, &c. Young and delicate mothers often fall intoconsumptions by giving suck too long. As soon as they per-ceive their strength and appetite begin to fail, they ought im-mediately to wean the child, or provide another nurse, other-wise they cannot expect a cure.

Before we quit this subject, we would earnestly recommendit to all who wish to avoid consumptions to take as much ex-ercise without doors as they can, to avoid unwholesome air, andto study sobriety. Consumptions owe their present increasenot a little to the fashion of sitting up late, eating hot suppers,and spending every evening over a bowl of hot punch or a bot-tle of wine. These liquors, when too freely used, not onlyhurt the digestion and spoil the appetite, but heat and inflamethe blood, and set the whole constitution on fire.

I

CHAPTER XIX.

OF THE SLOW OR NERVOUS FEVER.

Nervous fevers bave increased greatly of late years in thisisland, owing doubtless to our different manner of living, and

for three weeks, frequently shaking the bottle ; afterwards trie winemust be filtered for use. A table-spoonful of it may be taken twiceor thrice a day.

13 K.