!8o4. lytWBarDnMwicliaufeii.- IS7 



teduncfancy of bulk of body, it is evident that the (Irehgth of 

 thefe powers mufl: be overflrained ; and that, after all, a due 

 fufTiciency of nourifliment cannot be elaborated. Of coiirfe, the 

 cacoethcs (bad habit) oi inanition is fuperinduced ; terminating in 

 airophous confumpUon. 



The cure is 'i^d obvious, that T need hardly fui^^gefl it, viz. The 

 arlijicial reduclion cf the bulk of the boi]\^ to that prcportionate cir- 

 cumfcription, through the ivhole of nvhlch the vital powers may be able 

 to extend their ejficucy iviih fnjfieient energy and vigour. 



This method of tlie cure of inanition is, I acknowlt-dgc, no nev^ 

 difcovery ; 1 therefore claim no merit, excepting in the judicious 

 application of it to the economical purpofcs afterwards to be 

 fpecified. 



Every perfon 13 acquainted with the immemorial praclice of 

 pruning trees, to increafe the vigorous growth of the remaining 

 parts; and of lopping off the heads of fuch as are tranfplanted, 

 that their ill fettled roots may have no talk of nutrition affigned 

 them overproportioned to their powers of performance. The 

 rationale of thefe praclices has, I find, been fuccefsfully acled 

 upon by one of your correfpondents, in plucking off potato 

 bloffoms; and, with an effe6f proportioned to the different periods 

 of operation, in fuch luonderful exaclnefs, as has feldom fallen to 

 the lot of any other experiments than fuch as have been con- 

 du<Sled under the immediate infped^ion of myfelf, the Baron 

 Munchaufen. 



This fame method of cure, or of prevention, wiiich we now ufe 

 in the vegetable, hath, from the earlieft antiquity, been applied to 

 the cafe of animal inanition ; and, for the benefit of your readers 

 lefs verfed in the writings of ancient hiitorians, and of modern 

 travellers, I fliall produce, from both, a few inftances of the 

 more accuftomed modes of its application. In the very authentic 

 hiffories of the female republic of virgin Amazons, we are af- 

 fured, that the right breaft was univerfally cut off; that the 

 powers of <:onco<Slion, relieved of this draught upon them for 

 fupply, might fuihce to invigorate, with manly ftrength, the arm 

 that was de{line<l to draw the bowftring. Hence, alfo, the wife 

 Hottentots continue to this day the practice of amputating the 

 one tefticle, to the itrengthening of the leading leg in running; 

 and (as I have flrong analogical reafon to conclude) to the 

 invigorating alfo of the powers of procreation. I might here 

 take notice of the univerfal practice of American, and of more 

 lately difcovered favages, of plucking out the hairs of the beard, 

 and of drawing out certain of the teeth, that the plalfic powers 

 of nature may not be needlefsly overilretched in the produc^lion 

 or nutriment of ufelefs fuperfluity. It may tend more to general 



edification 



