of the Stomach, 269 



toot, of a person sitting on a stoo], he might without se- 

 rious inconvenience, raise them from the floor for a few 

 moments, but were he obhged to keep them thus eleva- 

 ted, beyond a given time, the muscles which were forced 

 into this unnatural and violent exertion, would become 

 debilitated to such a degree, that they would never again 

 recover their strength ; so if the causes which debilitate 

 the stomach operate a long time, or with great sever- 

 ity, the fibres will not in some instances, ever recover 

 tlieir tone. 



Those cases of the disease least likely to be radically 

 cured, are found in persons in whom it is brought on in 

 early life, and to a severe degree, and who possess an ori- 

 ginally delicate and feeble habit, who are always strong- 

 ly inclined to general debilit}^ ; or in other words, per- 

 sons in whom there is an original deficiency of vital en- 



When Chronic Dibility of the Stomach occurs in ear- 

 ly life, from the attack of some acute disease, or perhaps 

 from almost any cause, where the constitution is origin- 

 ally good, other things being equal, there is a fairer pros- 

 pect of a radical cure, than in middle life, or old age. 



Those on whom it has been induced by the abundant 

 use of opium, or spiritous liquors, are less likely to re- 

 cover, than many others, because after these habits have 

 been long persisted in, it is diflicult to persuade to a re- 

 linquishment of them ; and because the system having 

 been long accustomed to an unnatural and powerful 

 stimulus, suiFers great debilit}^ and a sudden and alarm- 

 ing loss of vital energ)% by the omission of it. 



When it has been brought on by the excessive use of 

 tobacco, though in many instances it is severe, and often 

 continues a coi'fsiderable time, yet so far as I have ob- 

 served, it may more readily be cured, than in any of the 

 cases hitherto mentioned. A speedy and total relinquish- 

 ment of this habit, even after it has been continued for 

 several years, I have not known to be injurious, but in 

 various instances highly useful. 



Where it has been induced by a too sedentary life, or 

 by certain mechanical employments, merely, and with- 



