ADYNAMIA. 377 



" Another, especially acrid, is oil ; and a third, are the more 

 insoluble parts of our aliments. The cause is probably an irri- 

 tation of the cardia, but how it operates is more difficult. 



" What is the motion produced, and how different from vom- 

 iting, is not explained ; but such it is, and why it follows cer- 

 tain causes, is not to be explained on this or on any other prin- 

 ciple." 



Another symptom to be immediately corrected, is an unusual 

 quantity, or a higher degree than usual, of acidity present in the 

 stomach, discovered by various disorders in digestion, and by 

 other effects to be mentioned afterwards. 



The third symptom aggravating the disease, and otherwise in 

 itself urgent, is costiveness, and therefore constantly requiring to 

 be relieved. 



MCCIV. The first of these symptoms is to be relieved by 

 exciting vomiting ; and the use of this remedy, therefore, usually 

 and properly begins the cure of this disease. The vomiting 

 may be excited by various means, more gentle or more violent. 

 The former may answer the purpose of evacuating the contents 

 of the stomach. But emetics and vomiting may also excite the 

 ordinary action of the stomach ; and both, by variously agitat- 

 ing the system, and particularly by determining to the surface 

 of the body may contribute to remove the causes of the disease. 

 But these latter effects can only be obtained by the use of eme- 

 tics of the more powerful kinds, such as the antimonial emetics 

 especially are. " They are, however, unhappy who entirely trust 

 to this mode of relief, and have therefore frequent recourse to it ; 

 for I am certain, from much experience, that frequent vomiting 

 hurts the tone of the stomach, and often makes the symptoms of 

 indigestion recur more frequently and sooner than they otherwise 

 would have done." 



MCCV. The second symptom to be palliated, is an excess 

 of acidity, either in quantity or quality, in the contents of the 

 stomach. In man there is a quantity of acescent aliment al- 

 most constantly taken in, and, as I think, always undergoes an 

 acetous fermentation in the stomach ; and it is therefore that, 

 in the human stomach, and in the stomachs of all animals using 

 vegetable food, there is always found an acid present. This 

 acid, however, is generally innocent, and occasions no disorder, 



