of the Stomach. 277 



0II these precautions, and these are usually indispensable, 

 they will sometimes find acidity increased by wheat bread. 

 In that case, what are termed crackers, or hard biscuits, 

 will usually give no trouble. Where these cannot be ob- 

 tained, bread made in the common way, rolled thin, and 

 twisted like certain kinds of cake, and baked dry, will 

 furnish a good substitute. Bread prepared altogether in 

 the common way, throughout the whole process, and, 

 when two or three days old, broken up, or cut into slices, 

 and then dried thoroughly, in an oven moderately hot, 

 furnishes another substitute, and when pounded may be 

 eaten in chocolate, or milk and water, or any other way 

 which is agreeable, with great advantage. 



The next kind of farinaceous food which is least like- 

 ly to ferment in the stom.ach, is boiled rice. I have not 

 known costiveness, or injury to the eyes, as has been al- 

 iedged by some, to be occasioned by it. It is highly 

 nourishing, and easy upon the stomach, and far less apt 

 to induce acidity, than wheat bread which is not of a ve- 

 ry good quality. Rye bread being alway disposed to 

 ferment, and become sour, cannot be eaten with safety, 

 by such persons as have debilitated stomachs. It often 

 occasions when used at a single time, a severe paroxysm 

 of acidity, and obstinate costiveness. For this assertion 

 I may not perhaps, be believed. The celebrated Cullen 

 has hurled an anathema against this opinion, by saying 

 that he " will not believe on the authority of Hippocrates 

 himself, that any of the Cerealia bind the belly." His 

 belief, or his prejudices, make no alteration with respect 

 to the fact. I can state, and state truly, that for ten years 

 past, I have in no instance, within my recollection, eaten 

 a meal of rye bread, without being made so costive as to 

 need a cathartic after it, yet in various places where I 

 have stopped, during journeys, I have at times been ne- 

 cessitated to eat it, or to go without food ; so that I have 

 made an abundant trial. 



Every preparation of ripe maize, which I have met 

 with, produces similar effects. The truth is, whatever 

 occasions acidity in my own stomach, unless it also occa- 

 sions brisk diarrhea, which is rarely the case, produces 

 ■costiveness. Accordin8:lv, as I have found from con- 



