“8 CULPEPER’s ENGLISH PHYSI¢faN, 
CURE iets F ‘perfons afflicted with the night-mare generally moan or: make 
~ fome noife in the fir, they fhould be waked or fpoken to by fuch' as heat them, as 
the uneafinefs generally goes off as foon as the patient is awake, or any one limb re- 
‘moved; but there is oftentimes an univerfal laflitude of the whole body left be. 
hind, which remains for fome fpace of time. Some fay a dram of brandy, taken at 
bed-time, will prevent this difeafe. That, however, is a bad cuftom, and, imtime, 
lofes its effect. We would rather have the patient depend upon the ufe of food of 
eafy digeftion, cheerfulnefs, exercife through the day, and a light fupper taken early, 
than to accuftom himfelf to drams. A glafs of peppermint-water will often pro- 
- mote digeftion as much as a glafs of brandy, and is much fafer. After a perfon of 
weak digeftion, however, has eaten flatulent food, a dram may be neceffary ; in this 
cafe we would recommend it as the moft proper medicine. Perfons who are young, 
and full of blood, if troubled with the night-mare, ought to take a purge fre- 
quently, and ufe a fpare diet. - 
_ The night-mare was fuppofed by the ancients not to be any real diforderof the 
body, but to be an effect, or fenfation, derived from carnal contact in the night 
with fome evil fpirit or daemon during the hours of fleep. ‘They contended, that 
perfons of a luftful inclination, who, during the day, indulged in ftrong defires of 
copulation, and had dreams anfwerable thereto in the night, were frequently vifited: 
| byt thefe evil fpirits, whofe bufinefs it was to watch for favourable opportunities of 
| feducing the mind, already half alienated from virtue and chaftity, to the moft lafci- 
vious imaginations, the better to compleat their purpofe of carnal indulgence and 
delight. When the weight and oppreffion on the brealt and ftomach produced by 
this diforder happened to females, it was called incubus, or a male monfter ; and, — 
when to males, it was called fuccubus, ora female demon, which had contact with the 
man, fimilar to the male monfter with the woman ; and the laffitude and fatigue left 
on the body by the difeafe. were fuppofed to be the natural effedt of this abominable: 
pulation. . Abfurd as.was the dogtrine, whole volumes have been written upon 
sand i in for mer days it opened a large field for prieft-craft and feduction of poor 
nufpecting girls, How many reafons. have. we to be thankful for’ the 
the goipel spas in Our OBS SREB En, BA for the illuminations of he 
Aes iT e4 Sisk. Sete eit ose. ~tdact 
ePLATULEN CIES ox WIND. 
} yous tik, ents, without exception, ; are afiiic ec with wind or flatulencies 
in the ftomach and Dowels, which arife chiefly from. the want of toné or vigour in 
thefe organs, Crude fla lent -aliment, as green peas, beans, coleworts, cabbagess 
and fuch like, may increafe this complaint ; ;_ but ftrong and healthy people are fel- 
dom 
