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PHRENITIS, OR

Such as are liable to frequent attacks of the erysipelasought carefully to guard against all violent passions, to abstainfrom strong liquors, and all fat, viscid, and highly nourishingfood. They should likewise take sufficient exercise, carefullyavoiding the extremes of heat or cold. Their food shouldconsist chiefly of milk, and such fruits, herbs, and roots asare of a cooling quality ; and their drink ought to be smallbeer, whey, buttermilk, and such like. They should neversuffer themselves to be too long costive. If that cannot beprevented by diet alone, it will be proper to take frequently agentle dose of rhubarb, cream of tartar, the lenitive electuary,or some other mild purgative.

CHAPTER XXVI.

OF THE PHRENITIS, OR INFLAMMATION OFTHE BRAIN.

This is sometimes a primary disease, but oftener only asymptom of some other malady ; as the inflammatory, erup-tive, or spotted fever, &.C. It is very common however as aprimary disease in warm climates, and is most incident topersons about the prime or vigor of life. The passionate, thestudious, and those whose system is weak, are most liable to it.

Causes. — This disease is often occasioned by night-watch-ing, especially when joined with hard study. It may likewiseproceed from hard drinking, anger, grief, or anxiety. It isoften occasioned by the stoppage of usual evacuations, as thebleeding piles in men, the customary discharges of women,&c. Such as imprudently expose themselves to the heat ofthe sun, especially by sleeping without doors in a hot seasonwith their heads uncovered, are often suddenly seized withan inflammation of the brain, so as to awake quite delirious.When repellents are imprudently used in an erysipelas, aninflammation of the brain is sometimes the consequence. Itmay likewise be occasioned by external injuries, as blows orbruises upon the head, &c.

strained, and suffered to remain for some time, that the feces maysubside. An English pint of it may be drank dailv.