174 ) CULPEPER’s s ENGLISH puysician, 
W _.yshsogn ylon ig fis 
srpingpestes NERVOUS’ DISEASES: 
“NERVOUS difeafes not only affcét the body, but the mind ike ES! and 
is often thereby rendered extremely weak and peevith. The low {pi pirits, ‘rimoroul® 
| nefs, melancholy, and ficklenefs of temper, Swhich generally attend nervous difor- 
ders; induce many, to believe, that,they areyentirely difeafes. of the mind 5. but, this - 
change.of temper is rather a confequence,.tham.the caufe, of, the difeafe, Every 
thing that tends to relax or weaken the body. difpofes it to nervous difeafes, as. in- 
dolence, exceflive venery, drinking too much tea, or. other weak watery. Jiguors, 
frequent bleeding, purging, vomiting, &c. : 
~-CURE.---Perfons afflicted with nervous difeafes ee never to faft long. “Their 
food fhould be folid and nourifhing, but of eafy digeftion. .Fat meats, and heavy 
- fauces, are hurtful. All excefs fhould be carebally: avoided. They ought never to. 
‘eat-more at a.time than they can eafily digeft; but, if they feel. themfelves weak and 
faint:between meals, they ought to eata bit of bread, and drink a glafs of wine, 
Heavy fuppers are to be avoided. Though wine in excefs enfeebles the body, and 
impairs the faculties.of the mind, yet, taken in moderation, it {trengthens the fto- 
_ mach,.and= promotes digeftion... Exercife in nervous. diforders is. fuperior. to. 
alkmedicinesi ¢ Even change.of place, and the fight of new objects, by. divert 
ing theomind,: havea: ‘great, tendency to remove thefe complaints. . For this. 
reafon a long journey, ora» voyage, is of much more advantage | than riding thort. 
journies near home. .Though nervous difeafes are feldom radically. cured, yet 
theirfymptoms may fometimes be alleviated, and the patients. life rendered, at 
leaft, more.comfortable, by proper medicines. When digeftion is bad, or the fto-. 
miach relaxed and weak, the following infufion of Peruvian bark and other bitters 
may be ufed with advantage. Take of Peruvian bark an ounce, gentian-root,, 
orange-peel, and coriander-feed, of each half an ounce ; let thefe ingredients be all. 
_ bruifed ina mortar, and infufedin a bottle of brandy or whifkey for the, fpace of. 
five or'fix days. A>table-fpoonful of the ftrained:liquor may be taken in half a glafs . 
of water, an hour before break faft, dinner, and fupper,. Few things tend more. to. 
Ngthen the:nervous fyftem than:cold bathing, This practice, if duly perfifted.. 
‘produce very extraordinary effects ;, but, when-the liver or other vifcera are 
truéted, or-otherwife unfound, the cold bath is improper. It is therefore to be_ 
ute ieijane bution The moft proper feafons for it.are fummer and. au-. 
tumn. It will be fufficient, efpecially for perfons of a fpare. habit,,.to, go, into, the. 
cold bath three.or four timesa week. If the patient be weakened by it, or feels 
chilly for along time after coming out, it is improper. - ~ Opiates: are ‘gefterally ex- 
tolled in thefe maladies; but, asthey. only palliate the {ymptoms, and. generally 
<ceabverpa increafe the difeafe; we would advife people to be. extremely, fest B.A 
ade D 2 igi 
+ a ~ eh 
aid OTE 
