292 On Chronic Behilty 



when sitting still. A flannel shirt should be worn through- 

 out the year, next to the body. The dress should be 

 made to sit throughout easily. Tight boots and shoes 

 should be avoided. All ligatures to the neck, limbs, or 

 body, as they impede the circulation of the blood, and 

 cramp the muscles, are hurtful. Women far more fre- 

 quently suffer from this cause than men, it being at times 

 fashionable to lace and cramp the body to such a degree 

 as to impede all the animal functions. I remember to 

 have seen a lady, who suffered not a little from a debilita- 

 ted stomach, and general weakness, who was affected for 

 several days with palpitations of the heart, great faint- 

 ness, and strange and in some respects alarming symp- 

 toms, alarming as the cause of them lay concealed, as the 

 remedies used were wholly inefficacious, and the symp- 

 toms were daily growing worse. At length it was ascer- 

 tained, that she had round the body a large bandage, ve- 

 ry tightly drawn, which an officious friend had persuad- 

 ed her to have applied to give support. This cause I 

 had suspected on first seeing her, and made enquiries on 

 the subject ; but it was denied. On the bandage being 

 removed, she became speedily well. 



The daily use of the flesh brush, or card, is often bene- 

 ficial. Indeed whatever excites irritation in the skin, 

 will relieve the disease of the stomach. It is worthy of 

 remark, though the fact is often met with, that a cutane- 

 ous eruption will, in many instances, give entire relief 

 for the time, or during its continuance, to the stomach, 

 and the digestion vigorous. Upon the same principle it 

 is, that stimulating plaisters upon the epigastric region, 

 are serviceable. Whenever the debility of the stomach 

 is severe, a plaister of this kind will be found useful. — 

 One six inches square will not be too large. 



Persons afflicted with the disease under consideration, 

 are extremely apt to sit and walk crooked. This, though 

 it is often difficult to avoid, from the great debility of the 

 body, should never be indulged as a matter of conven- 

 ience, but sedulously guarded against. Such a posture 

 habitually indulged, will certainly prolong and aggravate 

 the complaint. Students and clerks should, when writ- 

 ing, stand upright at high desks, but not so long as to in- 



