VOMITING. 579 



he was sick and brought it all up in the coach, before we had got many paces 

 from the house.' 



" In the adjacent room I said to the father, This case, sir, appears to me so 

 desperate that I could not tell you my thoughts before your son. I think it 

 most probable, no doubt, that he will sink under it; I believe that no human 

 sagacity or experience could pretend to ascertain the cause of his complaint, 

 and without supposing a particular or specific cause, there is hardly anything 

 to be aimed at in the way of a cure. Yet, dreadful as this language must be 

 to your ear, I think you are not to be without hope. As we do not know 

 the cause, it may happen to be of a temporary nature, and may of itself take 

 a favourable turn; we see such wonderful changes every day in cases that 

 appear the most desperate, and especially in young people. In them the resources 

 of nature are astonishing.' 



" Then he asked me if I could communicate any rules or directions for giving 

 him a better chance of getting that cure from nature which he saw he must 

 despair of from art. 



"I told him that there were two things which I would recommend. The 

 first was not so important, indeed, yet I thought it might be useful, and certainly 

 could do no harm. It was to have his son well rubbed for half an hour 

 together with warm oil and a warm hand, before a fire, over and all round 

 his stomach, every morning and evening. The oil, perhaps, would do little 

 more than make the friction harmless, as well as easy, and the friction would 

 both soothe pain, and be a healthful exercise to a weak body. 



" The second thing I had to propose I imagined to be of the utmost consequence. 

 It was something which I had particularly attended to in the disorders of the 

 stomach, especially vomitings. It was carefully to avoid offending a very weak 

 stomach, either with the quantity or quality, of what is taken down, and yet to get 

 enough retained for supporting life. ' I need not tell you, sir,' said I, * that your son 

 cannot live long without taking same nourishment ; he must be supported to allow 

 of any chance in his favour. You think that for some time he has kept nothing of 

 what he swallowed, but a small part must have remained, else he could not have 

 lived till now. Do you not think, then, that it would have been better for him if 

 he had only taken the very small quantity which remained with him, and was con- 

 verted to nourishment ? It would have answered the end of supporting life as well, 

 and perhaps have saved him such constant distress of being sick, and of vomiting. 

 The nourishment which he takes should not only be in very small quantity at a time, 

 but in quality the most inoffensive to a weak stomach that can be found. Milk is 

 that kind of nourishment ; it is what Providence has contrived for supporting 

 animals in the most tender stage of life. Take your son home, and as soon as he 

 has rested a little, give him one spoonful of milk ; if he keeps it some time without 

 sickness or vomiting, repeat the meal, and so on. If he vomits it, after a little rest 

 try him with a small quantity, viz., with a dessert or even a tea-spoonful. If he 

 can but bear the smallest quantity you will be sure of being able to give him 

 nourishment. Let it be the sole business of one person to feed him. If you succeed 

 in the beginning, persevere with great caution, and proceed very gradually to a 



