PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



tity which is necessary without putting them from their food ; 

 and from their heating and irritating nature, they rather ag- 

 gravate the disease. 



" The other pectorals, sweets and mucilages, are frequently 

 injurious, by loading the stomach, which is liable to be clog- 

 ged by the mucus so readily swallowed by children." 



MCCCCXXVI. When convulsive disorders may be sup- 

 posed to continue by the force of habit alone, it has been found 

 that a considerable change in the whole of the circumstances 

 and manner of life has proved a cure of such diseases ; and an- 

 alogy has applied this in the case of the chincough so far, that 

 a change of air has been employed, and supposed to be useful. 

 In several instances I have observed it to be so ; but I have 

 never found the effects of it durable, or sufficient to put an en- 

 tire stop to the disease. 



SECT. III. OF THE SPASMODIC AFFECTIONS IN 

 THE NATURAL FUNCTIONS. 



" Here we comprehend a number of diseases, which hard- 

 ly any system has thought of bringing under the head of 

 Spasmi ; but you will recollect the sense in which I take this 

 term, as comprehending every mode of convulsion ; so with what 

 propriety they are brought under this head, you must judge 

 from the particular account of each. They are chiefly diseases 

 occurring in the alimentary canal. 1 ' 



CHAP. VIIL OF THE PYROSIS, OR WHAT IS 

 NAMED IN SCOTLAND, THE WATER-BRASH. 



MCCCCXXVII. The painful sensations referred to the 

 stomach, and which are probably occasioned by real affections 

 of this organ, are of different kinds. Probably they proceed 

 from affections of different natures, and should therefore be dis- 

 tinguished by different appellations ; but I must own that the 



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