242- On Chronic Debility 



the parent of many ethers. As I have no where seen 

 any discussion of this subject, ; as it appears to me to 

 be of no small importance ; and, as the ideas, which I shall 

 advance relative to its nature and effects, may not be read- 

 ily admitted by others ; I shall examine it with some mi- 

 nuteness. It appears to be the general opinion of phy- 

 sicians, so far as my informaion extends, that the acid 

 found in the Prim^ Via^ is derived from a fermentation 

 of the alimentary matter. That such an opinion should 

 have universally prevailed, is not to be wondered at. It 

 is not long since the medical vworld attributed the process 

 of digestion chiefly or solely to this cause. That the 

 acid, which is sometimes found in healthy stomachs., is 

 produced in this way, I have no doubt ; and that the acid 

 found in debilitated stomachs is, in many instances, ow- 

 ing to the same cause, I also admit ; especially where the 

 disease consists of what may be termed a paroxysm, that 

 is, an attack which lasts from one to four days, commen- 

 cing suddenly, and leaving the stomach free from the 

 evil, by means of a spontaneous diarrhea, or some other 

 cause. Such paroxysms I have often known.- The dis- 

 order in this case is brought on usually by eating acid 

 fruits, or beans, or peas, or other vegetables, which are 

 tough and old, or pastry,, or by drinking wine or porter 

 in a slight degree sour, or by eating to excess food gen- 

 erally healthfuL The acid in this case evidently proceeds 

 from fermentation, and the great quantity of gas or wind 

 extricated, together with other circumstances unnecessa- 

 ry to be mentioned, prove it. But there is an acid state 

 of the stomach differing widely from all*this, often con- 

 tinuing many weeks, and months, and sometimes years, 

 without material abatement, and this in spite of all regu- 

 lations of diet ; often lessening the appetite greatly dur- 

 ing its continuance, producing obstinate costiyeness, and 

 excessive torpor of the stomach and intestines, without 

 ordinarily occasioning wind in those viscera, at least to 

 a greater degree than is usual to those who enjoy sound 

 digestion ; producing also headache of many months 

 continuance, or daily periodical headache and universal 

 debility, and sometimes, perhaps usually, connected with 

 an acid state of the saliva. This also admits of aggrava- 



