of the Stomach. 241 



gout, sometimes suddenly leave the feet chiefiy or whol- 

 ly, and several distressing and occasionally alarming 

 symptoms as suddenly appear in the stomach. A simi- 

 lar translation of morbid excitement takes place in many 

 other diseases. I knew a patient wasting rapidly with 

 the pulmonary consumption, who, at a certain time 

 during the progress of this complaint was seized with 

 mania. Immediately on the commencement of the 

 latter complaint, the hectic fever, the night sweats, the 

 expectoration, the cough, and in short every symptom of 

 the former one vanished. After the lapse of several days 

 his mind became rational and composed, and then, and 

 not till then, his former disease returned, and with re- 

 doubled violence. We might therefore^ with the same 

 propriety, talk of a maniacal humor, a pulmonic consump- 

 tive humor, or any other humor that happens to please 

 our imagination. 



3. The hysteric disease. With respect to this sub- 

 ject I can say nothing which has not been said by others, 

 and shall only observe, that there is usually no difficulty 

 in determining the nature of the complaint ; and that 

 many of its most distressing symptoms are connected 

 with, or occasioned by debility of the stomach. 



4. There is a morbid irritability of stomach sometimes 

 met with, which is constitutional and peculiar ; in conse- 

 quence of tvhich great distress is occasioned by certain 

 kinds of food, which to most persons not only produce 

 no inconvenience, but prove mild and nutritive. Thus, 

 some persons are unable to eat strawberries, others cheese, 

 and others other kinds of food, without great inconven^ 

 ience. Certain anomalous symptoms usually attending 

 such cases, the previous state of health, and the phy- 

 sician's own sagacity, will ordinarily leave no doubt as to 

 the nature of the evil. 



Having endeavored to clear the way of all obstructions, 

 I shall next consider, some of THE EFFECTS of Chro-' 

 nic Debility of the Stomach. > I mentioned them all 

 briefly together, that they might" be seen at one view. 



I. The Production of Acidity in the Stom- 

 ach. This is the first and most distressing effect, and 



D 



