IIORSE-BACK RIDING. ^Z 



erly treated intermittent fever, there is no better ex- 

 ercise than horse-back riding, and we regard it as the 

 only sure means of restoring to the organs their lost 

 energ)% of re-establishing the assimilative power, and 

 increasing the rate of oxidation in the system, and 

 consequently its temperature. 



From whatever point of view we consider the dis- 

 ease we are now discussing, we are forced to conclude 

 that a modification in the nature and course of the 

 blood is the agent producing intermittent fever, and 

 that congestion of and enlargement of the spleen are 

 results of that modification. 



Diseases of the Nervous System, 



a. Hypochondriasis. — Hypochondriasis is a mental 

 disorder characterized by an exaggerated egoism. 

 There is frequently some functional disorder of the 

 brain or other organs, very often disease of certain 

 organs, especially those of nutrition — these derange- 

 ments being primary or secondary to the mental dis- 

 turbance. 



It happens sometimes that the physician, unable to 

 discover the cause of the condition of his patient, or 

 fearful of being duped, denies the existence of hypo- 

 chondria as a disease. Here, however, a grave error 

 is committed, since the disease not only exists, but 

 with it is a faulty nutrition of the brain, producing a 

 morbid sensitiveness as to the opinions and actions 



