BILIOUSNESS. 131 



spirits. They often cause needless alarm by exciting the suspicion that paralysis is 

 imminent. They are frequently associated with, or dependent on, liver disturb. 

 and disappear under the use of calomel pill, salines, and a restricted diet 



Sleeplessness sometimes arises from derangement of the liver, and may then be 

 speedily relieved by treatment directed to that organ. 



The influence of the liver upon the animal spirits has long been recognised. 

 There can be no doubt that in many cases depression of spirits, inaptitude for work, 

 and general listlessness, are aggravated by torpidity of the liver. Many people with 

 structural or functional disease of the liver are subject to fits of depression, and often 

 suffer from groundless fears of impending danger, which cease when the liver is 

 restored to its normal condition. Irritability of temper often arises from the liver. 

 A man who has previously borne the crosses of life with equanimity, and has been 

 amiable to those about him, gradually becomes disconcerted by trifles, his mind 

 broods upon them, and he makes all around him unhappy, and himself the most 

 miserable of alk His friends and relatives, failing to recognise the true nature 

 of the case, too often put down his ebullitions of temper to something mentally 

 or morally wrong, and he comes to be regarded as a most disagreeable fellow. 

 Remedial measures calculated to restore the liver to healthy action, if resorted t4 

 in time, will often remove the irritability, and reinstate the patient in the good graces 

 of his friends. 



We must now proceed to the consideration of the treatment of these cases 

 of liver disorder of which we have been speaking. In the first place, it must 

 be borne in mind that regulating the diet will do you more (good than any amount 

 of physic. If you are not prepared to put yourself to a little inconvenience in 

 the matter, and give up some of your accustomed luxuries for the sake of getting 

 well, it is no good going to the doctor you had better try the undertaker. You 

 should never forget that that which may ultimately destroy life too often enters by 

 the same portal as that which is intended to support it. For the maintenance 

 of health it is necessary for most people to put a curb upon their appetites. It is 

 all very well to go after rank, and reputation, and wealth ; but they are very little 

 good to you if your bile duct gets blocked up. What is the good of a baronetcy, for 

 example, if you have to stay at home and live on blue-pills ? If your liver shows 

 any signs of performing its work badly, you had better take it in time, and cut off 

 supplies. You will have to give up entrees, and shun all highly-seasoned dishes as 

 you would the plague. Some people may get on very well with them, but they are 

 poison to you. You had better label them mentally with a skull and crossbones. 

 It is a shame for people to tempt you with them, but the.y will ; and you will have 

 to make a determined stand against them. It is a difficult matter sometimes; 

 people are so persevering especially women and they never display their 

 perseverance more persistently than in persuading you to eat or drink what you 

 know is not good for you. This faculty is commonly called "hospitality." If you 

 are really very bad, you will have to give up not only your entries, and sugar, and 

 alcohol, but even potatoes, rice, sago, and fruit. It may be that your trouble is 

 simply due to some one simple article of diet. You had better look out for that, 

 and if so, cut it off at once. With many people, a diet consisting chiefly of stale 



