UEGIMEX SAXITATIS SAI.ERXn AM M. 183 



cure. Let the sick man, therefore, abstract himself from all the cares 

 that disturb his daily life. Let his friends and attendants carefully ex- 

 clude every cause of excitement or perturbation. It rests with the phy- 

 sician to say what these are, and hence he is sometimes thrown into the 

 delicate and difficult position of judging the character and amount of re- 

 ligious conversation admissible. I have seen the visit of an over-zeal- 

 ous and injudicious religious instructor heighten the wandering of fe- 

 ver into fierce maniacal excitement. On the other hand, nothing can be 

 more soothing and pacifying to the suffering than the consolations of 

 Christianity, properly presented. There is no balm that can so assuage 

 the sting of disease and death as the hope of the Gospel. The best 

 translation we could have of this medicinal mens hilaris, would be a 

 soul filled with the peace that passeth all human understanding. 



The requies of the Salernic Faculty is as often printed requies mod- 

 erata ; as by Pougens, who says the words are not to be translated "un 

 doux repos" but rather " un doux exercice," which is somewhat dif- 

 ferent. The ditficulty of finding any meaning for the words is met by 

 supposing that our aphorism is purely hygienic. But its structure evi- 

 dently shows that it relates to therapeutic means, which may be resorted 

 to when no physician can be found. 1 have no doubt that Sir Alexan- 

 der Croke and others are correct in asserting that the adjective refers to 

 the subsequent word, and not to requies. Rest is an agent of no little 

 power, or rather 1 should say, it is a condition indispensable in most 

 cases to the return to health, whether with or without medical aid. — 

 Common sense would teach us that a broken limb will not knit while 

 motion is allowed. The same is true, in some degree, of every dis- 

 eased part. It must be allowed a season of repose, which is sometimes 

 sufficient of itself to allow the Vis Medicatrix JS^aturce, as it has been 

 called, to complete the cure. 



Last, though not least, we come to Dr. Dyet — moderata diceia. — 

 There can be no doubt that the table, as asserted by the proverb, has 

 slain more than the sword. By quantity and by variety of diet we dai- 

 ly offend against the laws of health. Hear what Burton has to say oix 

 this subject. " We account it a great glory for a man to have his table 

 daily furnished with variety of meats : but hear the physician : he 

 pulls thee by the ear as thou siltest, and telleth thee, that nothing can 

 be more noxious to thy health than such variety and plenty. Temper- 

 ance is a bridle of gold ; and he, that can use it aright, is liker a god 

 than a man : for, as it will transform a beast to a man again, so will it 

 make a man a god ! " He cites as a good example Berengarius, 



