ADYNAMIA. 375 



be a sedative power, may weaken us, and may have this effect 

 on any part of the body. It certainly has it on the surface of 

 the body, and often goes the length of weakening the tone of 

 the extreme vessels without remarkably obstructing the perspi- 

 ration. That this effect of cold is very often communicated to 

 the stomach, is directly proved by this, that most persons 

 liable to dyspepsia have it more considerably in winter than in 

 summer ; and many persons escape it only by removing for the 

 winter to warmer climates, and often find a flannel shirt a most 

 effectual remedy. 



" The action of cold is greatly increased by the concurrence 

 of moisture. Moist seasons, although they be not very cold, 

 may have the same effect : and this accounts for the vicissi- 

 tude in spirits, and for the other symptoms of dyspepsia so often 

 found to accompany changes of the weather : dyspeptics espe- 

 cially feel the effects of the coming on of prevailing moisture. 

 This may perhaps be an operation more generally depending 

 upon the nervous system, and may be connected with the diffe- 

 rent temperature and pressure of the atmosphere : but it appears 

 to me a very simple and obvious explanation, that it merely affects 

 the tone of the extreme vessels, and is communicated to the stom- 

 ach, and from thence very readily communicated to the mind." 



MCC. Though the disease, as proceeding from the last set 

 of causes, may be considered as a symptomatic affection only; 

 yet, as the affection of the stomach is generally the first, al- 

 ways the chief, and often the only effect which these causes 

 produce or discover, I think the affection of the stomach may 

 be considered as the disease to be attended to in practice; 

 and the more properly so, as in many cases the general debility 

 is only to be cured by restoring the tone of the stomach, and by 

 remedies first applied to this organ. 



MCC I. For the cure of this disease, we form three several 

 indications ; a preservative, a palliative, and a curative. 



The first is, to avoid or remove the remote causes just now 

 enumerated. 



The second is, to remove those symptoms which especially 

 contribute to aggravate and continue the disease. And, 



The third is, to restore the tone of the stomach ; that is, to 

 correct or remove the proximate cause of the disease. 



