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634. «9° ~=— A Plea for the Stomach. 
claims it may have upon us in so far as it does its duty 
well, on the other hand we emphatically condemn those 
who would place the stomach above the head and consider 
it as a temple in which to offer abundant and almost cease- 
less sacrifice. However well adapted it may be to discharge 
its allotted work, it certainly is not entitled to the idolatrous 
attention paid to it by some votaries of eating and drinking, 
and the stomach quite agrees with us in this view, and often 
demonstrates its abhorrence of the practice by punishing 
its worshippers. 
In this, as in most matters, we recognise the sense con- 
tained in the old adage, “722 medio tutissimus ibis.” We 
propose very briefly to allude to a few of the habits inimical 
to the well-being of the stomach. It is unnecessary to say 
much on the subjects of gluttony and intemperance in drink, 
because we do not suppose that any of the readers of this 
magazine degrade themselves by yielding to either of these 
vices, which are well known to be fertile sources of indiges- 
tion, and which may lay the foundation of various diseases ; 
the latter being more especially fatal from the formidable 
nature of the diseases its repeated indulgence may set up, 
since it may destroy mental as well as physical health. It 
may be accepted as an axiom that the gross feeder will have 
a gross mind, that he who drinks beer will think beer, and he 
who drinks champagne will think champagne, and he who 
drinks water will think water; the last, when quite unquali- 
fied, being perhaps rather too mild a beverage in times 
when the wear and tear of body and mind are so excessive. 
It is beyond the scope of a short article to touch upon 
dietetic rules, we would simply recommend an avoidance of 
fixed codes of diet laid down for the mass, of eating too 
much or too often, the cultivation of cheerfulness, and an 
adoption of a mode of diet likely to suit the individual case. 
Attention to these points, together with exercise adapted to 
the strength, and regular habits, will probably conduce to 
health of stomach, and, through it, to general good health. 
We would, more particularly, invite attention to the im- 
portance of not overworking the brain, and of giving it 
sufficient repose at a reasonable hour, in order that the 
stomach may be put in a favourable position for the per- 
formance of its duties. 
At the present time, speculative business and excessive 
mental labour are the two great rocks upon which men 
wreck their health. What is more likely to disturb the | 
calm equanimity which is so desirable in order that diges- 
