DIETETICS. 
thus acquire a double advantage, by im- 
printing upon our aliment a medicinal cha- 
racter; as when in flatulencies, we make 
spices a part of the regimen recommended ; 
in scorbutic affections, acids ; and in acidi- 
ties, animal oils. But such accessaries are 
rather medicines themselves than foods, 
and have scarcely a right to be regarded 
otherwise. 
What then are those states of the sto- 
mach, either original, or dependent, which 
render it necessary to deviate from the 
general licence of nature, and to restrict 
those who are thus morbidly affected, to 
medicinal diets or regimens ? 
To catalogue and treat individually of the 
whole of these would require the space of a 
quarto volume : we must confine ourselves 
therefore to the chief of such affections, 
and, in discussing these few, endeavour to 
make our rules so comprehensive as to be a 
general directoi'y to the rest. 
The principle diseases then, whether 
local or constitutional, in which the human 
stomach becomes so affected as to render it 
a proper subject of medicinal diet, are aci- 
dity, flatulency, heart-burn ; impletion ; 
chronical sick-head-ach and hypochondria- 
sis ; hepatic affection from hot climates ; he- 
patic affection from hard drinking. 
OF ACIDITY and its concomitants or ^ects. 
It is difficult to determine whether aci- 
dity of the stomach depend at all times on 
the introduction of acid by the mouth ; or 
whether the gastric fluid be sometimes se- 
creted in a vitiated state. A great variety 
of acids are occasionally introduced into 
the human stomach with food or medicine ; 
and that acid, which is the product of fer- 
mentation, is frequently formed in the sto- 
mach from the spontaneous changes of 
vegetable matter in cases of imperfect di- 
gestion, and where food is taken in so large 
quantity that it is impossible for any sto- 
mach to dissolve it : from the latter cause 
principally, the acid so perpetually trou- 
blesome to the stomachs of children ap- 
pears to arise ; and the cardialgia of adults 
may justly be supposed most frequently to 
have the same origin ; it is constantly to be 
observed, however, that in obstructions of 
the liver or gall-ducts, symptoms of cardial- 
gia occur, and that in cases of sick head- 
ach and of hypochondriasis, where the 
strictest attention has been paid to rules 
of diet, the patient is not relieved till acid 
be evacuated from the stomach either by 
vomiting or purging : hence it appeai-s pro- 
bable that the gastric fluid is in itself viti- 
ated in some diseases, having acquired the 
properties of an irritating acid, and being 
bereft of its solvent power ; and that a due 
secretion of the bile is always requisite to the 
correction of acid in the stomach, both as 
neutralizing the acid matter, and as stimu- 
lating the intestines to expel any uncom- 
bined acid which may resist its elfects, or 
prove more than it is, adequate to neu- 
tralize. 
The sj'mptoms attending acidity in the 
stomach are flatulency ; cardialgia ; nausea ; 
vomiting ; costiveness, or purging with dis- 
coloured faeces; foul bowels; head-ach; 
paleness, sometimes alternating -with flush- 
ing ; increased pulse ; a topgue coated with 
a white or brownish fur ; increased heat, 
particularly on the skin of the abdomen ; 
loss of appetite ; sense of weight, pain, 
and oppression ; rigors ; langour, particu- 
larly about the eyes, with discoloration round 
the eye-lids ; stupor, and convulsions, or a 
dilated pupil so as to resemble hydroce- 
phalus. These symptoms occur according 
to the magnitude and duration of the at- 
tack, in conjunction witli the constitution 
of the patient. 
In all common acidities in the stomach, 
evacuation from the bowels is always ne- 
cessary, whether the attack be accompa- 
nied with costiveness, or purgation. For 
this purpose calomel is generally highly ser- 
viceable. From its nature, and the small- 
ness of the quantity requisite to produce 
the requisite effect, it may be taken with- 
out being tasted, and it commonly pro- 
duces no nausea or vomiting, when a fluid 
purgative would instantly have this effect, 
from its irritation on the already irritated 
stomach, and from the sympathy of that 
viscus with the organs of taste and smell 
when offended by such medicine: tlie mode 
of operation of calomel, and its quickness 
of action, also highly contribute to render 
it eminently useful ; it instantly excites co- 
pious mucous secretion from the glands of 
the stomach, which contributes to dilute 
and wash away the offending acid, and a 
considerable portion of this medicine 
quickly passing the pylorus augments the 
secretion of bile, the natural corrector of 
acid ; and that of the pancreas, producing 
further dilution. It may be given in doses 
from one grain to five, or even in larger 
quantity, according to the age and strength 
of the patient, and repeated as occasion 
may require. In an hour or two after its 
exhibition, the stomach will bear some di- 
