504 PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



of the disease. When there are no great symptoms of dyspep- 

 sia, and when there is a plethoric state, there is no doubt, that 

 a spare vegetable diet is necessary. But even when the ple- 

 thoric state is not very remarkable, when the disease depends 

 upon mobility, even then any degree of fulness is apt to in- 

 crease it, and to favour its recurrence. 



" 3. By diminishing the mobility of the system. I need not 

 say, that this is to be obviated rather by being much in the fresh 

 air, by cold bathing, by proper exercise, and by a proper con- 

 duct and employment of the mind, than by any medicines. 

 Antispasmodics however are constantly employed, and almost 

 as constantly we lose our labour, for we employ these remedies 

 at all times during the interval : they are of very little service, 

 and only at the approach of the fits their effects are remarkable ; 

 and when persons are accustomed to the constant use of asafoe- 

 tida, we also lose a remedy which might be employed with ad- 

 vantage at the time of the accession. 



" Tonics may be of service, when the disease depends upon 

 general debility : but we must take care how often a plethoric 

 state, especially in the uterus, is more or less joined with hysteria: 

 and there the use of tonics is suspicious, and their frequent and 

 long continued employment may possibly do harm : they should 

 be confined therefore to cases of pure mobility, particularly with 

 a periodical recurrence ; when their moderate use may be of 

 service. 



" When I speak of the mischief from tonics, however, I mean 

 vegetable tonics, bitters and the bark. I cannot say how far it 

 is to be apprehended from metallic tonics, which have been 

 used with more freedom, and alleged to be more powerful. As 

 in epilepsy, so in hysteria also practitioners speak much of the 

 use of tin: I cannot refuse their facts, but I have not myself seen 

 any effects from it. I have tried the use of copper, but found its 

 effects even less decisively marked than in the case of epilepsy. 



" The diminution of the mobility of the system may also be 

 effected by a proper management of the passions. These have 

 a very different effect, some acting as stimuli, others as diminish- 

 ing the nervous power. Of these last, called pathemata repri- 

 mentia, is fear. But this has an ambiguous effect, and fre- 

 quently, when the sensibility and irritability are much increased, 



