of the Stomach. 289 



a substitute for this, the carbonat of potash, (pearlash) 

 and the carbonat of soda, may be taken with advantage. 

 A constant use of these, hov/ever, for a length of time 

 will weaken the stomach. They may be taken in a wa- 

 tery solution, united with some agreeable stimulus, such 

 as cinnamon water, essence of peppermint, essence of 

 wintergreen, &c. or in the form of a pill. The former 

 mode is preferable. After all these precautions, the acid 

 will, in the stomach greatly debilitated, be formed or se- 

 creted anew, and other measures, to be mentioned here- 

 after, must be resorted to. 



Flatulence, or wind in the alimentary canal, being oc- 

 casioned by the fermentation of the food in the stomach, 

 is to be lessened by avoiding all those kinds of diet which 

 have been mentioned as apt to ferment. It may be re- 

 moved, or greatly lessened, at any given time, by alka- 

 lies, and may be expelled in some instances by aromat- 

 ics and other carminatives. 



Rancidity in the stomach is to be relieved by one brisk 

 emetic, and an alteration of diet. 



Costiveness, by avoiding that species of food which is 

 likely to ferment ; and by many of those means which 

 have been mentioned as lessening or removing acidity ; 

 and by various measures which will be mentioned when 

 we com.e to speak of a radical cure. On this subject 

 several further observations will be necessary. A res- 

 pectable gentleman who has for several years suffered at 

 times, from this complaint, which was connected with 

 Chronic Debility of the Stomach, has lately informed me 

 that he obtains entire relief from it, v/henever he uses 

 wheat bread made out of unbolted flour, that is, flour not 

 separated from the bran ; while rye bread and all the pre- 

 parations of maize used as substitutes, occasion, or aggra- 

 vate it. Having no experience on this subject, I shall make 

 no comments upon it. To accomplish the same end, some 

 persons resort to the frequent or constant use of cathartics, 

 or injections. A gentleman long labouring under this com- 

 plaint, and much reduced in flesh and strength in conse- 

 quence of it, found entire relief from daily injections of 

 warm v/ater. This practice was continued many months, 

 every day at first, and afterwards whenever a regular, 



K 



