410 MATER IA MEDICA AND THERAPEUTICS. 



practically continuous. This often depends on other morbid 

 states of the stomach such as cancer ; or on disease of other 

 organs, for instance, the kidney, or of the system generally, 

 such as gout, or tuberculosis. The muscular power of the 

 stomach also becomes weak in chronic dyspepsia, the peristaltic 

 movements less vigorous, the organ possibly dilated, and the 

 action of the orifices disordered. 



IV. NATURAL RECOVERY. 



Acute dyspepsia generally passes off within so many 

 hours or days if left entirely without treatment, vomiting 

 being obviously a natural provision for its relief, and the sub- 

 sequent nausea or anorexia a means of preventing the intro- 

 duction of fresh food and affording the stomach temporary rest. 

 These are valuable suggestions for treatment. The duration 

 and degree of suffering in acute indigestion may, however, be 

 considerable ; and the violence of the symptoms, such as vomit- 

 ing, may lead to injury or permanent disease. Therapeutical 

 interference is therefore essential. Organic diseases of the 

 stomach are frequently beyond treatment in themselves, but 

 most of the distressing symptoms by which they are attended, 

 are perfectly capable of relief. 



V. THERAPEUTICS. 



The conclusion to be drawn from the considerations in the 

 preceding sections is manifestly to the effect that certain 

 disorders and diseases of the stomach are capable of rational 

 treatment. 



1. Prophylactic Treatment. Prevention is essentially the 

 proper means of treating dyspepsia. The common causes of dis- 

 order, and the opportunity of removing them, are constantly at 

 hand. Prevention here lies almost entirely in the direction of 

 diet, and includes care with respect to the quantity and quality of 

 the food, the frequency and general arrangement of the meals, 

 the circumstances, social and otherwise, under which the food is 

 taken, the thorough performance of digestion in the mouth, the 

 amount of fluids with meals, including alcohol, and other 

 matters which do not call for discussion here. Dieting is the 

 most important part of the treatment of indigestion : without 

 attention to it, medicinal treatment is of no avail. 



Next to the food, the most ready, but not the most advisable, 

 means of preventing dyspepsia is furnished by the gastric juice 

 itself, or its important constituents, artificially administered. 

 Hydrochloric Acid and Pepsin may be given alone or com- 

 bined, either during or immediately after meals ; or the food 

 may be previously peptonised by the addition to it in the process 



