DIET FOR CONSUMPTION. 315 



tendency to tubercle, and not the existing tubercle, which we have 

 to fear and to guard against; and that for the successful treatment 

 of consumption we must withdraw our minds from the morbid 

 anatomy of. the locality to the fatal propensity of the constitution. I 

 know you are disposed to turn first to the lungs. But if we inquire 

 into the histories of those who have lived long with vomicae (ab- 

 cesses) or tubercles, they are by no means found to have taken 

 special care of their chests they have not coddled or lived indoors, 

 in even temperatures, hanging their lives on to their thermometers 

 for fear of coughs ; they have gone on with their professions or busi- 

 ness or work; they have not 'laid a knife to their throat,' but have 

 eaten and drunk like other people and have enjoyed the gratification 

 of their appetites. A patient of mine," continues the doctor, 

 "over fifty, with copious pyoptysis (spitting of purulent matter), and 

 condensed lungs (of probably a tubercular nature), from his youth, 

 has kept hounds, broken his bones like other Nimrods, contested 

 county elections, sat in Parliament, enjoyed his champagne and other 

 good things, but never allows any doctoring of his chest. Leave 

 the respiratory organs alone and direct your thoughts to the organs 

 of nutrition the stomach and bowels, which will receive with 

 thankfulness and return with interest any care you bestow upon 

 them. It is truly by aid of the digestive viscera alone that con- 

 sumption can be curable. Medicines addressed to other parts may 

 be indirectly useful sometimes, but they more commonly impede 

 the recovery; whereas aid judiciously given in this quarter is always 

 beneficial, and usually successful. Your aim should be to get the 

 greatest possible amount of albuminous food fully digested and 

 applied to the purpose of the renewal of the body, at the same time 

 that the renewing agencies are brought to their highest state of effi- 

 ciency. In this way a healthy cell-renewal takes the place of that 

 morbid, imperfect cell-renewal which appears in the shape of tuber- 

 cular matter." 



Fatty matter, in quantities as large as can be assimilated, has 

 been strongly recommended. The late Sir James Simpson observed 

 the healthy appearance and freedom from scrofula and consumption 

 of the operatives of woolen factories, consequent on the oil which in 

 the course of their daily labor finds access to the skin. It was also 

 seen that the work-people improved in appearance when they engaged 

 in the more oily processes, and often lost flesh and strength after 

 leaving them. So impressed was Dr. Simpson with the value of oil 

 in the prevention of consumption that he laid down rules for its 

 application by inunction. He recommended a bland, inodorous olive 

 oil to be applied warm to the whole cutaneous surface, with a con- 

 siderable amount of friction, which renders absorption greater. 



Cod-liver Oil may be considered as an item of food, and its 

 power in checking emaciation and improving the healthy tone of 

 the muscular structures is now too well known to require commend- 

 ation. Perhaps some of its usefulness depends on the iodine and 



