284 On Chronic Dehilty 



lute the food to such a degree, in some instances, as to 

 occasion it to pass off too soon into the intestines. The 

 persons for whom I am particularly writing, are very apt 

 to drink more than is necessary or useful. 



2. The sympathetic causes, which aggravate or gene- 

 rate acidity in the alimentary canal, are, cold and wet feet, 

 such a degree of cold applied to the surface of the body 

 generally, as will produce chilliness, a warm and damp 

 air, the exposure of the eyes to the reflection of snow in 

 a bright day, variable weather, an obstructed perspiration 

 of the head from wearing pomatum and powder, inhaling 

 an impure air, or rather swallowing it when mixed with 

 the saliva, perfumes, wearing tight boots, ligatures, too 

 much study or engagement of the mind, the indulgence 

 of strong passions, and in a minor degree almost any thing 

 w^hich disorders the surface of the body, or any of the 

 viscera. All these are to be guarded against. Cold and 

 wet feet have a powerful influence in producing acidity 

 and flatulence, in the debilitated stomach, where the ali- 

 mentary mass is of such a nature as to ferment rapidly. 

 Care therefore should be taken, to keep them uniformly 

 dry and warm. For this purpose, boots with a treble 

 sole should be worn, and within the boot a cork sole, 

 covered with flannel ; or a sole of an ox's bladder between 

 the inner and the middle one. With this security, any 

 one may walk six or eight miles in the rain, or in wet 

 snow, without endangering his health. To remove tliis 

 morbid sympathy between the stomach and feet, I would 

 recommend washing the latter, every day, in cold water. 

 This practice should be adopted gradually, first using te- 

 pid vv^ater, and proceeding by little and little, to that 

 which is cooler. It should be begun in the summer, and 

 may by most persons be safely continued thro' the win- 

 ter. He who will give it a fair trial, will find himiSelf far 

 less likely to take cold from wxt feet, than before. Those 

 persons w^ho are troubled with cold feet, during the night 

 in the winter, will find relief from holding their feet to 

 the fire, fifteen minutes before going to bed. Frictions 

 will also be useful. The exposure of the eyes to strong 

 light often occasions much more disorder in the stomach, \ 

 than an inattentive observer would iipagine. I have re 



