182 COFFEE. 



sense of plenitude in the stomach, stimulates the secretion of bile, 

 and augments the peristaltic action of the intestine, thereby pro- 

 moting defecation. It is quite as certain that, used to excess, 

 it paralyzes* the digestive function in all its steps, and leads to 

 further disorders, of which the chief are congestion of the liver, 

 constipation, and hemorrhoids. Whether these effects are to be 

 ascribed to a power in coffee to produce contraction of the capil- 

 lary blood-vessels may be uncertain, but their reality is beyond 

 doubt." 



Dr. Guillasse, of the French navy, in a recent paper on typhoid 

 fever, says ; " Coffee has given us unhoped-for satisfaction ; and 

 after having dispensed it we find, to our great surprise, that its 

 action is as prompt as it is decisive. No sooner have our patients 

 taken a few tablespoonf uls of it than their features become re- 

 laxed and they come to their senses. The next day the improve- 

 ment is such that we are tempted to look upon coffee as a specific 

 against typhoid fever. Under its influence the stupor is dispelled 

 and the patient rouses from the state of somnolency in which he 

 has been since the invasion of the disease. Soon all the functions 

 take their natm-al course, and he enters upon convalescence." 



Dr. Guillasse gives to an adult two or three tablespoonfuls of 

 strong black coffee every two hours, alternately with one ox two 

 teaspoonfuls of claret or Burgundy wine. A little lemonade or 

 citrate of magnesia should be taken daily, and, after a while, 

 quinine. From the fact that malaise or cerebral symptoms appear 

 first, the doctor regards typhoid fever as a nervous disease, and 

 the coffee acting on the nerves is peculiarly indicated in the early 

 stages before local complications arise. 



For a fuller description of its medicinal properties we refer 

 the reader to the interesting article on Coffoea Arabica, to be 

 found in the " National Dispensatory." 



