2o 4 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



drastic mineral acids, putrefactive and zymotic poisons, noxious gases, 

 etc. Rest and warm bandages are the best remedies. The antidotes 

 of corrosive 2>oisons will be named in a separate chapter. The pains of 

 gastric spasms, as a consequence of dietetic sins, may be alleviated by 

 manipulation and friction with a moist piece of flannel ; in extreme 

 cases, indicating the presence of virulent acids, by means of a stomach- 

 pump. Generally a semi-horizontal position, reclining on the left side, 

 with the upper part of the body slightly raised, together with local 

 friction, will considerably ease the distressed organ, though intermit- 

 tent griping pangs may continue till the alchemy of the physiological 

 workshop has neutralized the irritating substance. From a kindred 

 affection colic can be distinguished by a simple test : if pressure 

 against the upper part of the groin increases the pain, the complaint 

 is an inflammation of the peritonaeum, but otherwise due to the pres- 

 ence cf acid fluids or expansive gases. Painter's colic may be recog- 

 nized by the discoloration of the gums and lips, and can be cured only 

 by the removal of the cause. A napkin, sprinkled with aromatic vine- 

 gar, and tied loosely across the nostrils, will, however, lessen the effect 

 of the noxious effluvia ; and the Italians recommend the internal use 

 of olive-oil (cotton-seed oil would probably serve the same purpose) 

 and wine. For a few days after a severe attack of colic, pure water 

 should be the only drink. 



Flatulence tends to obviate the proximate cause of intestinal cramps. 

 As a concomitant of dyspepsia, it indicates the accumulation of undi- 

 gested food and the necessity of greater abstemiousness. Burnt mag- 

 nesia absorbs gastric acids, but at the same time impairs the functional 

 vigor of the stomach too often to be, on the whole, a lesser evil. It 

 is, however, one of the very few chemical remedies which act, tem- 

 porarily at least, by a direct removal of the proximate cause. Its per- 

 manent removal can be effected only by a change of regimen. 



In the treatment of haemorrhoids, too, we have to distinguish be- 

 tween palliatives and radical remedies. If the statistics of the com- 

 plaint could be tabulated, I believe it would be found that its centers 

 of distribution coincide with a prevalence of sedentary occupations, 

 combined with the use of narcotic drinks, especially coffee. Monkeys 

 have posterior callosities, and their habits prove that an occasional sit- 

 ting posture is normal to the primates of the animal kingdom. But, in 

 a state of nature at least, our arboreal relatives are too restless to avail 

 themselves of their sitting facilities of tener than five or six times a day 

 for about a minute at a time. In menageries they become sedate 

 enough for ten-minutes sessions. But a German chancery-clerk has to 

 sit fifteen hours a day, awaiting promotion and the supper-hour, for 

 he is often required to eat his dinner in situ. If his dinner-basket is 

 sent from a cheap boarding-house, it is sure to contain a selection of 

 highly astringent comestibles tough beef, leathery potato-chips, all- 

 spice, ginger-cakes, and pickles. The accompanying flask contains 



