210 THE TREATMENT OF DISEASES. 



at all events, at first, and until you liavo trie:! what you can do for yourself. If you 

 do go to a doctor, mind you get him to examine your urine, to make sure there is 

 nothing wrong there. Bright's disease often comes on very insidiously, and in cases 

 of great debility occurring in middle-aged people this must always be borne in inind. 

 Sometimes the term debility, or nervous debility, is used as synonymous with 

 Spermatorrhoea, The treatment of this complaint is as follows : 



(1) Sleep on a mattress, and not on a feather bed. Use but little covering in 

 the way of bed-clothes at night : a sheet and one blanket must suffice, except in 

 the coldest weather. Never remain more than seven hours in bed. 



(2) Take a cold bath every morning, whether you like it or not. Live as plainly 

 as possible. Avoid heavy suppers, and eat nothing for two hours before going to bed. 

 Do not drink more than two glasses of beer a day. Do not take " grog " or spirits 

 in any form. Do not smoke more tliiin two pipes a day. 



(3) Join the volunteers or a cricket-club, or go in for rowing, or foot-ball, or 

 gymnastics. Do not stay in-doors more than you can help. Go into society as 

 much as you can, and never refuse an invitation. 



(4) If you have any books or pamphlets on the subject of your complaint, put 

 them in the fire at once this is essential. Purity of thought is an important 

 element in treatment. 



(5) Take two table-spoonfuls of the bromide of potassium mixture (Pr. 31) three 

 times a day. 



Follow these directions for a month, and you will be cured. 



DELIRIUM TREMEXS. 



Delirium tremens, or " D T," as it is frequently called, is still, unfortunately, a 

 common disease in this country. It may be described as an acute attack of poisoning 

 by alcoholic drinks. Men are much more prone to this disorder than women, 

 although, as we know, the gin-palace is not without its votaresses. At one time it 

 was supposed that delirium tremens might be induced by abstinence from stimulants 

 in those long accustomed to their use, but this is now an exploded idea, and it is an 

 established fact that a man may at any time discontinue his habits of drinking with- 

 out any risk of injuring his health. Individuals of an irritable, nervous system, who 

 are subjected to any prolonged mental strain, may induce the disease by smaller 

 quantities of alcohol than would be required to excite it under ordinary circum- 

 stances. It is said that, even in temperate persons, long continued mental anxiety, 

 that state of mind, for example, in which gamblers and great speculators habitually 

 live may cause it ; and in fact it may arise from anything by which the mind is 

 over-wrought. 



The first symptom, of delirium tremens is very commonly inability to sleep. The 

 sufferer may have long indulged to excess in drink or he may be quite a novice in 

 intemperance, but in any case a greater debauch than usual has preceded the outset 

 of the attack. The patient finds himself quite unable to obtain any sleep, or at most 

 can gain only short snatches of slumber, disturbed by horrible dreams and visions, 

 Even during his waking moments and in broad daylight he suffers from hallucina- 



