174 ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 



a sucking or forcing pump, so that by fresh supplies of water the 

 stomach can be thoroughly washed out. In extreme cases, this may 

 be resorted to, but in general, even after violent poisons have been 

 taken to commit suicide, as laudanum, &c., large doses of an emetic 

 power are sufficient to remove the contents of the stomach. 



PHYSIOLOGICAL INFERENCES. 



The digestive organs are very subject to derangement and disease, 

 such as indigestion, costiveness, &c. This proceeds from various 

 causes, such as error in diet, too great a quantity of food, or an 

 improper quality, and that not sufficiently masticated, and swal- 

 lowed like the hog too greedily ; the use and abuse of ardent 

 spirits, tobacco, warm fat animal food, warm drinks, as tea and cof- 

 fee, calomel, blue pill, Thompsonian " courses " of medicine, con- 

 sisting of lobelia, capsicum, #c., over excitement of the brain, want 

 of exercise, &c. The stomach is a long period losing its tone, and 

 requires a long time to restore it. The remedies consist in abstain- 

 ing from all those exciting causes, and adopting a proper course of 

 diet, regimen, and medicine. The object should be to restore the 

 lost or enfeebled tone of the digestive organs. A mild cathartic 

 may be taken occasionally, and the bowels kept regular by the 

 Anti-Dyspeptic Pills. To strengthen the stomach, create an appe- 

 tite, and to remove that horrid depression and despondency which 

 renders life a burden, nothing is better than the Restorative Wine 

 Bitters. Bathing the surface daily with tepid or cold ley water, 

 followed by friction with a coarse towel. In general, a light vege- 

 table diet is preferable, and particularly bread made with unbolted 

 wheat flour, and which should be at least one day old. For more 

 particular information on complaints of the digestive organs, see 

 Reformed Practice. 



Here let us devote a small space to the inquiry, What is the 

 natural and best food for a healthy state of the stomach, animal or 

 vegetable 1 



Says Fowler " Since, therefore, the form of the human teeth 

 creedes from that of the carnivora far more, even, than that of the 

 monkey and ourang-outang species, which are confessedly not car- 

 nivorous, therefore human teeth were not made to eat meat. What 

 proof can more conclusively attest anything than this establishes 

 the natural diet of man herbivorous ? 



To this conclusion nearly every sound physiologist has been 

 impelled, by this dental, and other kindred arguments. The im- 



