268 On Chronic Debility 



frequently passed in this manner. Though variety is so 

 congenial to the feelings of man, yet here a dull uniform- 

 ity, resembling a continued indistinct sound, is sought 

 after, and the mind is satisfied, if it can escape the labour 

 of systematic thought, to waste its hours on trifles. Se- 

 vere suffering first leads to it, and in part continues it, 

 and habit renders it agreeable. 



There are other complaints, which, if they are not caus- 

 ed by Chronic Debility of the Stomach, or acidity of that 

 viscus, are yet so intimately connected with the latter, in 

 some instances, as to require the mitigation or removal of 

 that, before any relief can be given to the principal dis- 

 order. Thus I have known one case of Chronic Rheu- 

 matism, and another of Gout in the feet, which did not 

 yield to the ordinary treatment at all. They were both 

 attended with excessive acidity of tlie stomach. This 

 led to a suspicion, that they were so far connected with 

 acidity, that they could not readily be relieved, but by re- 

 moving that complaint. Vigorous and successful meas- 

 ures being taken for this purpose, the patients began al- 

 most immediately to mend. 



After having mentioned the various evils, arising from 

 the disease which has been the subject of the foregoing 

 remarks, it will be proper to add, that one advantage usu- 

 ally results to those who are the subjects t){ it, viz. that 

 they are less liable to attacks of inflammatory diseases. 



We come in the last place to consider the treatment. 



The prospect of a radical cure depends on a variety of 

 circumstances, such as the age and habit of the patient, 

 the causes of the disease, the length of time which has 

 elapsed since its commencement, and the habitual sever- 

 ity of the symptoms. A radical cure is, in many instan- 

 ces, rather to be hoped, than expected. On this account, 

 the disease ought not to be styled, as it often is, the Op- 

 probrium Medicorum. Many other diseases, originated 

 by causes of no greater efficacy, are often equally obsti- 

 nate. How many persons have brought on incurable 

 weakness of the eyes, by an imprudent use of them, for 

 a little time? How often has incurable madness been 

 induced by severe study, or the indulgence of evil pas- 

 sions ? Were a fifty-six pound weight appended to each 



