of the Stomach. 259 



'Oil to the table, swimmijig in gravy or melted butter ; a 

 ver}^ general use of toasted bread, soaked and resoaked 

 in the latter article. In many parts of the country west- 

 ward and southward of New-England, the meats of all 

 sorts are, to a great extent, fried in fat ; and in the north- 

 ern parts of New-England far more gravy, and melted' 

 butter, and fat meats are used than are healthful, except 

 for very robust and hard labouring people. This state 

 of the stomach, connected with Chronic Debility of that 

 viscus, is the most distressing that I have ever seen. All 

 the evils resulting from acidity, are here to be looked 

 for, in their worst forms. Obstinate habitual headaches 

 are frequently, and wholly removed, merely by the dis- 

 use of gravies and fat meats. 



IV. QosTivENEss. This is a very common, and 

 most troublesome eifect, of the disease under considera- 

 tion. It is usually greatly aggravatad by acidity, and in 

 its turn not a little increases that complaint. It is indu- 

 ced in part also, by weak muscular action of the stomach 

 and intestines, and by deficiency in the quantity and qual- 

 ity of the bile. It often exists for a great length of time, 

 and to a very distressing degree. No person can con- 

 tinue to feel well, who is habitually costive. 



V. Diarrhea. This complaint, in dyspeptic per- 

 sons, is of two kinds, that which consists of short parox- 

 ysms, succeeded by long intervals of costiveness ; and 

 that which is habitual, continuing many months, and 

 sometimes years. The first is ov/ing to an extremely ir- 

 ritable state of the stomach and intestines, thrown into 

 violent and irregular excitement, by acid fruits, and pas- 

 try, and various other indigestible species of food : the 

 second to an excessive torpidity of. the same viscera, in 

 consequence of which the food passes through the intes- 

 tines, nearly in the^same state, in which it vvas received 

 into the stomach. This complaint is often extremely 

 debihtating, and troublesome.* 



VI. Pain and Weakness of the Eyes. These 

 are sometimes extremely troublesome, and not uncom- 

 mon effects of the same disease. When they are produ- 

 ced by this cause it may be usually known, fiom the time 



"* See Note D. 



