^ THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID DOCT. FITCH'S ABDOMINAL SUPPORTERS, As approved by Her Majesty's Letters Patent, and as seen in the Great Exhibition, are on view at the house of LEWIS HARRIS CHANDLER, Esq., 66 Berners street, London. A lady will be always in attendance to show them to Ladies. DOCT. FITCH'S ADDRESS. To the readers of these Discourses, DOCT. FITCH would say that he proposes to visit London in the Summer or early in the Autumn of the present year (1852.) Persons desirous of consulting him can obtain his address by per- sonal application, or by letter (post-paid,) to LEWIS HARRIS CHANDLER, Esq., 66 Berners street, London. Every intimation of approval of his views would be an additional inducement for visiting London. S. S. FITCH. New- York, 707 Broadway, January 25, 1852. HENRY JENKINS, Born in Yorkshire, England, in tlie year 1501, died in 1670, ajcd 169 years. SIX DISCOURSES ON THE FUNCTIONS OF THE LUNGS ; AND CAUSES, PREVENTION, AND CURE OF PULMONARY CONSUMPTION, ASTHMA, AND DISEASES OF THE HEART ; ON THE LAWS OF LIFE; AND ON THE MODE OF PRESERVING MALE AND FEMALE HEALTH TO AN HUNDRED YEARS. WITH 27 ILLUSTRATIONS. BY SAMUEL SHELDON FITCH, A. M., M. D. " I yet may -walk, as it appears to me, the rosy paths of life ; and the energy aud action that were once in these limbs, may again be mine. If so, I shall give ' honor to whom honor is due ;' and if contrary to this, the earth should soon close over me, to the last moment of mjr life should I be satisfied that this is the way, and the only true way, to cure consumption." Extract from Henry Peck's letter to Dr. S. S. Fitch. LONDON: LEWIS HARRIS CHANDLER, No. 66 BBRNBRS STREET. 1 852. Entered in Stationers' Hall. XT- CONTENTS. Introduction p. xv Letter from Dr. Luther Brigham to Amos Binney, Esq xvii " from Dr. Benj. H. West to Dr. Gardner ib. " from R. R. Hinman, Esq., late Secretary of State of Connecticut, to Professor Kingsley, of Yale College ib. " from R. G. Belt, M. D., to the Hon. Upton S. Heath, U. S. District Judge, Baltimore, Md xviii " from J. Hubbard Graves, M. D., to Dr. Wm. D. Buck, of Con- cord, N. H ib. " from E. Halley M'Coy, Esq. to Dr. S. S. Fitch xix " from John W. Collins, M. D., to Wm. Haslam, Esq ib. Questions for Invalids, writing for advice xxi LECTURE FIRST. Uses of the lungs, and causes of consumption p. 19 Four great chambers in the human frame 22 Skull ib. Chest : 23 Left lung smaller than the right 25 Impossible to contract consumption when the air passes in and out of each air-cell ib. Consumption is caused by general or partial closing of the air-cells ib. Consumption a most curable disease ib. Grand uses of the lungs 26 Uses illustrated 29 Pure air food of the lungs 32 No books teach the true uses of the lungs 34 American Indians in native state do not have consumption 36 Consumption a child of civilization ib. Causes of consumption 37 Mechanical causes 38 Falling of the bowels 40 M370018 Till CONTENTS. Effeminacy and debility cause consumption p. 43 Hope antagonises the spread of consumption 45 Typhus fever fever sores, scrofula, &c 46 Inhaling dust, metals, &c 48 Irregularities in diet dyspepsia ib. Liver complaint chronic diarrhoea costiveness ib. Diseases of the throat 49 Too much clothing to be avoided : 50 Influence of climate on consumption 53 Catarrh influenza 56 Hereditary consumption 57 Spinal diseases 58 Pain in theside, kidney affections ib. Gravel 59 Injurious medicines mercury, opium, emetics, blisters, and emetic tar- tar sores 60-1 LECTURE SECOND Prevention and cure of consumption 69 Diseases that cure consumption ib. Diseases of the heart ib. Asthma cures consumption 66 Swelled tonsils prevent consumption 69 Common cold cures consumption 71 Hysteria 72 Prevention of hereditary consumption 73 Plain bringing up of children 75 Effects of cheerfulness and exercise to prevent consumption 78 Dancing 80 Beds, and lying in beds 81 Climate and light prevent consumption 81-2 Sea voyages, diet, regular sleep, employments 84 Never neglect a cold 85 Cold bathing, inhaling tube, braces, supporter 86 Cure of pulmonary consumption 88 Inhaling tube, how it acts 90-1 Inhaling tube alone will not cure consumption 94 How we know one has consumption ib. Treatment to cure consumption 9G Bleeding, rarely advised 97 Counter-irritation, often inj urious 99 CONTENTS. IX Diet P- 99 Air, and changes of air 100 Effects of journeys 101 Sea voyages 102 Warm climate 103 Respirators bad effects, when may be used ib. Under what condition of the lungs may we hope for a cure of consumption . ib. First and second groups of curables 104 Third group curable 105 Fourth group ib. Fifth group 106 Asthma, causes and cure 109 Heart diseases, causes and cure % 110 Mineral, kon and sulphur waters .' 115-16 Red Sulphur Springs in Virginia ib. Hot mineral waters 117 Throat affections ib. Cure of throat diseases, &c 118 Consumption in children 120 Hooping cough, measles, &c ib. LECTURE THIRD. Truth, but one offspring 124 Asthma, Case I. Thomas Fengar 137 Spasmodic asthma, Case II. Miss Little 138 Case III. Mrs. Fernald 139 Case IV. John H. McGiffin 140 Consumption Case I. Miss Hawley 141 " II. Mrs. H. Gardner 143 " III. Rev. L. D. Barrow 145 " IV. Mrs. Hurlburt 147 " V. Master Geo. W. Roberts 14S " VI. Mr. Thaddeus Barnes 150 " VII. Miss Angell 151 "VIII. Miss Nickerson 152 11 IX. Rev. John Morris Pease 154 " X. Miss Redmond 155 " XL Grovner Noyes 156 " XII. Mr. Moses Ely 157 " XIII. Mrs. Dorcas T. Moore . . . . 159 X CONTENTS. Case XIV. Rev. Rodolphus Bard p. 160 XV. Mrs. Sarah Louisa Barrett 162 XVI. Mrs. T.T. Dean 164 " XVII. Rev. R. Whitwell ib. " XVIII. Mrs. Chas. M. Brockway ib. XIX. Rev. W. H. Tiffany 165 " XX. Mr. William Wigram 166 XXI. O. Thayer,Esq 167 " XXII. AnnD.Birdsall 171 " XXIII. Mr. Stephen B. Dodge 172 " XXIV. Mrs. C. B. Collins ib. " XXV. Miss Elizabeth B. Lum 173 " XXVI. C. D. Petrie, Esq 175 " XXVII. Mrs. M. H. Valentine 176 " XXVIII. C.M. Murray 178 " XXIX. James M. Evarts 179 " XXX. MaryAnnBrooks ib. " XXXI. Rev. William Livesey 4 180 " XXXII. Miss C. A. B 182 " XXXIU. Catherine Ann Smith 186 Conclusion 188 LECTURE FOURTH TO LADIES ONLY. Instances of longevity 190 Female life should average 100 years, instead of 30 191 Influence of female beauty on man 192 Health and beauty intimately connected 193 Symmetry of person, the foundation of all health and beauty 195 Shoulder supporters 198 To form a fine beautiful chest 201 Habitual stooping to be avoided 204 Sitting posture 205 Position of the chest in walking '. 207 inbed 208 Standing on one foot 209 Tight lacing ib. How to form a clear and beautiful complexion 210 The teeth ib. Digestion 211 Dyspepsia 213 Articles of diet that injure the complexion 215 COKTHNTS. JQ Gall-stones in the gall-bladder p. 217 Bad breath 218 Costiveness, its effects, how to correct 218-19 Kidney evacuations 220 Periods suppressed painful termination of 221-2 Evacuations from the lungs 223 The skin ib. Clothing, its effects, &c. rules for 225 Effects of washing all over with cold water 227 To keep the feet in perfect health 230 Air and exercise 231 Grand arts of the toilet among the princely and noble families of Europe.235 LECTURE FIFTH TO LADIES ONLY. Basket of the hips 240 Symmetry of the internal organs of the body 242 Falling of the bowels Effects on the lungs 244 Effects on the voice 246 Effects on the heart, palpitation of ib. Faintingfits 247 Sinking, all gone at the stomach ib. Chronic diarrhoea costiveness 248 Liver complaint ib. Pain in side, and breast, back, and spine 249 Gravel 250 Piles 253 Pains in the limbs 254 Swelling of the limbs and veins 254-5 Incontinence of urine 255 Stone in the bladder 25G Worms 257 Falling of the womb ib. Effects of dislocation of the womb 258-9-00-1 Fluor albus 261 Barrenness ib. Miscarriages 2t>'J Floodings Abdominal supporters '2r>4 What a supporter should do 2f6 When abdominal support should be used -J;;S Xl CONTENTS. Symmetry of mind essential to health p. 268 Case of Mrs. Kingsley 269 Mrs. Rowland 271 Mrs. Mary F. Gardiner 272 Miss Beedom 273 Letter from Mrs. Gibbs 274 From Mr. Fayerweather ib. From Mrs. Jenney and Mrs. French 275 From Mrs. Taber ib. From Mrs. Smith 276 From Miss Mary Nutter ib. From Miss Waldron 277 From Mrs. Vanness 278 From Helen M. Lay 279 From Harriet Cleaver ib. From W. V. S. Wordworth . . ... 280 LECTURE SIXTH TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. Cases of long-lived men 287 Grand divisions of the human frame 289 Manner of forming a fine chest 290 Proper carriage and position of the chest 293 Bad effects of vicious position of the chest 295 Position of the shoulders 296 Remedy for round shoulders 298 Shoulder-braces ib. How shoulder-braces should be made, and by whom worn 300 Man is intended to stand perfectly straight 302 Fine figures of savages ib. Premature old age 303 Position in bed 304 Self-reparation of the body 305 The stomach 306 Progress of food after leaving the stomach 308 Small and large bowels 308-9 Costiveness 309 Bad effects of costiveness 310 Depression of spirits - 312 Jaundice. Piles ib. A bad breath 313 Sea-sickness . . ib. CONTENTS. Xlll Manner of curing costiveness p. 314 Office of the kidneys and bladder 316 Skin and its offices 318 Bathing 319 Sponge bath, sea water 321 Effects of water upon weak eyes 322 Upon sore throat ib. Upon weak and painful spine 324 Bad effects of artificial irritation over the spine 325 Rheumatism 327 Water cure ib. Treatment of the feet 328 Diet, not change too suddenly 329 Exercise 332 Animal gratifications 333 Symmetry of the internal organs of the body ib. Effect of a rupture 334 Of weakness of the abdominal belts 335 Of bleeding at the lungs 337 Loss of voice, wheezing, palpitation 337-8 Breaking of the liver, and of the bowels 339-40 Piles 341 Gravel 342 Pain in the back, limbs, &c ib. Swelling of the limbs and veins 344 Abdominal supporter ib. Sleep, and beds 345 Frame destroyed by seeking to do too much at a time 347 The effect of vice upon longevity 348 Case of a cure of piles 352 Management of scrofula, &c ib. Letter from Kelita B. Townley to Dr. S. S. Fitch 353 Instance of obstacles to the cure of consumption 355 Interesting case of heart disease 357 Asthma. Case of Peter Stanior, Esq 358 Reasons why the annual deaths in New-York city are 1 in 30 and in Philadelphia 1 in 45 360 1* TABLE OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Head of Henry Jenkins, (fronts title page.) A Three views of the human skeleton p. 21 B View of the skeleton of the trunk of the body 22 C View of the windpipe, lungs, heart, midriff, stomach, liver, gall bladder, large bowels, small bowels 23 D View of the windpipe, lungs, air-pipes, and air-cells, heart, and midriff 24 E View of windpipe, gullet, and natural belts that form the walls of the abdomen 26 F Consumptive and non-consumptive figures 37 G Inhaling tube 90 H Asthmatic chest 67 I Consumptive chest ib. Flora Thompson, at 150 years 191 K Stooping female figure 205 L Front view of the abdominal supporter 264 M Back view of do. do ib. N View of the figure and inside of the stomach 212 O Side view of the midriff, stomach, large and small bowels, bladder, and womb 243 P Same parts fallen down ib. d View of the liver and gall bladder 216 R Falling bowels 336 S View of the midriff, kidneys, ureters or water-pipes, large bowel, bladder, and womb 251 Figure of Henry Francisco, at 134 years > . .288 T Injurious position of the chest 294 TJ Posterior view of the brain, spinal marrow, and large nerves that go between the ribs and so to the arms and lower limbs 325 V Heart and blood-vessels . . . . 343 INTRODUCTION. IT is now about four and a half years since I published ray " Six Lectures on the Prevention and Cure of Consumption," v r them, because their uses are not well understood. Their grand purpose is CAUSES OF CONSUMPTION. 33 entirely overlooked, and unknown by the mass of medical and other men. This is shown in their practice and its results. No two of any ex- perience agree in their practice. I do not know that I ever met two physicians who were of any eminence, and not mere imitators, who thought or acted alike in treating consumption, or who had the least notion how it might be prevented. Nor have they any confidence in their own practice : in few cases have they the least hope of curing the disease, or of preventing it. Go to them to treat a pleurisy or lung-fever, or inflammation of the lungs, and they do it skilfully ; but tell them the patient has consumption, or is threatened with it, and at once all is doubt and darkness. One tells him to go to a warm climate another says, go to a cold climate ; one says, keep in the open air another says, shut yourself up in your room in all cold, damp, or windy weather. One says, we can cure consumption if we can stop the motion of the lungs, and so directs his unfortunate pa- tient not to breathe much, and to restrain his breath as long as pos- sible ; one tells him to breathe the air when out of doors, but another commands his patient to wear a respirator and cover his mouth, and not to allow the cold to touch his lungs, &c. One blisters the chest, or makes awful sores upon it ; another rejects this, ry unsafe ; that she must take but little exercise, and that not at all exciting, such as a slow walk ; the consequence was, nature with her soon stopped entirely, difficult breathing came on, and bleeding at her lungs, and she died in a few months of consumption. Had she only continued the exercise of jumping the rope, it is more than probable she would have been alive and well at this time. DANCING. At the head of all exercises for delicate persons, and those predis- posed to consumption, and invalids, is dancing. Dancing in company, dancing to the sound of harmonious music ; I do not speak of danc- ing as a dissipation, but as an exercise. Its practice promotes cheer- fulness, symmetry of person, full exercise of the lungs, and expansion of the chest. I once knew a badly diseased lung, and true consump- tion, cured entirely by dancing. The patient began when very low, from bleeding, and an ulcerated lung ; he began almost by accident, to step to music, and danced for two or three minutes at first, and in- creased as he could bear it ; this was done at exactly a certain hour, daily, for four months, when the lung was perfectly well, and has remained well for several years. When young persons and old per- sons meet in their small social circles, instead of sitting in conversation for hours, dance a little while, if only for half an hour, in rooms not too much heated ; the various musical instruments which are now so common will have a positive value in them, if they incite to dancing. The greatest value and good is obtained from this and all other exercises, by doing it every day or evening, at the same hour. No exercise should be carried to the point of great exhaustion, so as to produce debility. Begin gently, and it may be gradually much increased, with daily increasing benefit. As a general rule, every pei-son should take a walk or ride, every day in the open air, unless extremely stormy ; slightly disagreeable weather should never deter going out ; strong, hard, cold wind, is much worse to encounter, than slight rain or snow. The consumptive should never stand still, talk- CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 81 ing, or silent, exposed to sun, rain, or wind, but go at once to a shelter. Whilst out of doors, in the cold or wind, keep walking actively, not stand still. Clothing should be as light as is consistent with health. (See remarks on clothing, Discourses IV. and VI.) BEDS, AND LYING IN BEDS. Luxurious feather or down beds should be avoided, as they greatly tend to effeminate the system, and reduce the strength. For this rea- son beds should be elastic, but rather firm and hard ; straw beds, hair mattresses, these on a feather bed are well ; a most excellent mattress is made by combing out the husks or shuck that cover the ears of Indian com. I first met these beds in Italy, they are delightful. Cold sleeping rooms are in general best, especially for persons in health ; they should never be much heated for any person, but all should be comfortably warm in bed. CLIMATE. Many consumptives think they would enjoy perfect exemption from consumption, if they could reside in a hot climate. No mistake is greater than this ; a hot climate, as a general rule, is not usually of much value ; the effect of a hot climate is to debilitate and effeminate the system, and to predispose to consumption ; hence, consumption is common in all the West Indies, and in all hot countries amongst the natives, and long residents. No climate is worse to a consumptive than where his diseases originated ; any change with him is for the better ; going from the sea-board to the western country, avoiding a residence on the shores of great bodies of water. The new inland countries are the best ; changing from the sea shores to the interior, even if not more than forty miles back. Removing from the moun- tains to the valleys, and from the valleys to the mountains, especially in summer, is most favorable ; avoid locations where there is great prevalence of damp changeable weather. Cold, piercing, cutting winds are always injurious. Consumption is as prevalent in any city of Cuba, as it is at Archangel, on the frozen ocean, the northernmost city of Europe. 82 ON THE PREVENTION AND LIGHT. In only one respect do the torrid and frigid zones agree, and that is in the matter of light. Light and dryness are great friends of the lungs. Darkness and dampness are their enemies. Therefore, in our choice of locations, these views should be kept in mind. In the choice of our rooms, reference should always be had to light and dryness. Our bed-rooms, sleeping-rooms, sitting-rooms, counting-rooms, work- shops, and fatal consumption is the consequence. A cold should never be neglected ; on its first ac- cession it should be stopped by drinking at bed time, a large draft, say one pint or more of hot tea of sage, or mint, thoroughwort, or lobelia, but not so strong as to vomit ; at the same time take a little gentle physic, such as salts, and put the feet in hot water. This will usually soon relieve the cold. Do not give over your efforts until it is removed. An old and celebrated physician, of Philadelphia, told me that whenever he perceived he had a cold, he would go to his bed, take warm drinks, and lie in bed until well, and would ne- ver have it last more than one day, and often a less time. Colds in summer, or in warm weather, are far more dangerous and more liable to produce consumption than in winter. Coughs beginning in sum- mer are far more dangerous than those commencing hi winter, and should never be neglected. 86 ON THE PREVENTION AND COLD BATHING. Cold bathing as a preventive of consumption, is most valuable. ^Persons who bathe in cold water every day, rarely ever take cold, or are liable to consumption. It is one of the most valuable preven- tives. (See Lectures IV. and VI.) I have before mentioned the case of a lady who lost all her family, father, mother, and seven brothers and sisters, by consumption. She was the last. She bathed her chest freely in cold water, in all seasons, and at all times, from seventeen to thirty-five, the age I saw her ; and although at times a little troubled with colds, yet had entirely escaped consumption, and when I saw her, was enjoying good health. It is much more valuable in cold weather, and in variable weather, with the coldest water, than in warm weather, and consequently moderately cold water. I shall refer to this subject again in my future lectures. Bathe in tepid water if you cannot bear cold. INHALING TUBE, BRACES, AND SUPPORTER. I have thus far spoken to you of remedies and preventives, which, although valuable, and should never be neglected, yet do not always in every case prevent consumption. I now come to speak to you of preventive remedies, which, if faithfully and perse veringly used with the others, cannot fail to prevent all consumption. I have told you, consumption cannot take place unless the air cells of the lungs are closed up more or less. This may arise from loss of symmetry by the shoulders pressing on the chest ; by tying up the chest so that it cannot expand, and by the falling down of the bowels, so that the floor of the lungs is partially removed, or not well sup- ported. If you have a weak stomach, and sinking all gone there, short breathing, &c., wear a supporter which I shall hereafter describe. (See Plate L.) The next step is to remove all tight lacings from the chest, and wear a pair of shoulder braces. The shoulder braces will assist to rapidly expand the chest, and keep the shoulders from press- ing hard on the chest. The next step is to use an inhaling tube. In speaking of the cure of consumption, I shall describe the inhaling tube. (Also see Plate G.) The use of the braces (and the sup- porter, if the abdominal muscles are weak,) and inhaling tube, will, CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 87 with the other remedies, entirely prevent the possibility of consump- tion from whatever cause. The inhaling tube, shoulder braces and supporter, when needed, are useful preventives, and should not be ne- glected. The lungs are not liable to become diseased, if the shoulders are kept off the chest, and the abdomen well supported, and then an inhaling tube faithfully used. Pains, hoarseness, and weakness of the chest, are often removed. The breathing becomes deep, free and full. The chest rapidly enlarges, and every air cell is opened. Any per- son, in this way, who chooses to take the trouble, can have a large chest and healthy lungs. Scrofula is driven from the lungs, and is rendered difficult to settle on them. All invalids confined to their beds, except from acute fever or inflammation, should use an inhaling tube, to exercise and expand the chest, and open all the air cells of the lungs, and thus prevent the progress of consumption. After lung fever, pleurisy, or pleurisy fever, or influenza, the use of it is beyond all possible praise, as it will promptly relieve the lungs, and avert a liability to consumption. So also use it if laboring under scrofula, or scrofulous sores, or white swellings of the joints, or hip disease, or spinal complaints, or rheumatism, and, in fact, under any affection that prevents a free exercise of the lungs. In a great many cases, consumption is dated from a lung fever, or pleurisy, or some chest disease. If, after any of these diseases, an inhaling tube is faithfully used a few months, or even weeks, the lungs and chest often become as perfectly well as they ever were. In December, 1842, an old man at Rutland, Vermont, consulted me in behalf of his son, who a few months before had a large abscess in the chest. It opened outwardly, and two quarts of matter were discharged at once. It continued to discharge for six months, up to the time I saw him. I met his phy- sician who told me he had seen an account of the inhaling tube, and although he had never seen one, yet he constructed a rude tube and gave it to this young man, and by its use the lungs had been pre- served from any cough, and were strong and well. Attacks of measles, scarlet fever, scarlet rash, and all the eruptive diseases, and influenza, often leave the lungs in a bad state, espe- cially measles. If the inhaling tube is freely used after these dis- eases, all seeds of consumption often are eradicated. 88 ON THE PREVENTION AND The inhaling tube is a most valuable assistant in curing dyspepsia, and many diseases attended wiih givat debility only. Ladies after confinement, who have th<> It-ast disposition to lung diseases, should make a free use of the inhaling tube, so as to give immediate activity and expansion to the lungs, and thus ward off an attack of consumption, and prevent all weakness of the lungs. Persons whose lungs readily stuff up, and fill up with mucus, or from any cause, will find that the use of the inhaling tube will entirely prevent this filling up of the lungs, or greatly relieve it. It should be under- stood, that the only object in using an inhaling tube is to procure a full and perfect expansion of the chest, and the inhaling tube is used to facilitate this objeet. Taking long full breaths, drawing in all the air we can, so as to fill the chest to its utmost capacity, and holding the air in as long as possible, is in most cases equally valuable with the inhaling tube ; it is often better, and may be done a thousand times a day and night, in all places and positions. The weakly and delicate will often prefer the inhaling tube. Persons not accustomed to take long full breaths, should begin their use with the same care and precaution as in using the inhaling tube. For most invalids 1 think the inhaling tube too useful to be neglected. CURE OF PULMONARY CONSUMPTION. Having spoken of the prevention of pulmonary consumption, and having endeavored to convince you that, first, consumption is in some measure a mechanical disease, and may in most cases be pre- vented by counteracting mechanical remedies, I come now to speak to you of the cure of consumption after it has actually taken place, after the lungs have become tuberculated after cough has become habitual after the lungs have become ulcerated after night sweats and hectic fever are of daily occurrence after all these are present, I have shown to you that heart disease, asthma, and pulmonary ca- tarrh will cure it. I will now endeavor to explain a course of me- chanical and medical treatment, that will in most cases, if seasonably applied, cure settled consumption. I have shown to you that heart disease, asthma, &c., cure consumption by enlarging the chest, and diverting the disease to other localities. I have now to introduce to CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 89 your notice a mode of expanding the chest, even when the lungs are ulcerated, that is far better and more certain than to have consump- tion cured by other diseases, and has the advantage, that it may always be used in every case of persons old enough to use them. The discovery of this mode of expanding the chest, like most great dis- coveries in medicine, was made by accident, and its fortunate discov- erer was an eminent physician of London, Dr. Francis Hopkins Ram- adge. Laennec, a celebrated French physician, wrote a work more than 30 years ago, upon the diseases of the lungs and chest. In that work, he announced to the world the fact that consumption was cured by nature or accident, but how this was done he could not tell. Nor could he even hint at a possible mode by which it was effected. He had seen persons in consumption, who had recovered, contrary to all ordinary expectation, or experience, and who, years after, had died of other diseases ; he had opened their lungs and seen traces of dis- ease, and cavities where ulcers had once existed in the lungs, but had healed. Dr. Ramadge was a pupil of Laennec, and established a lung hospital in London, many years ago. At this time, Dr. Ramadge enjoys a very extensive and lucrative practice in London, chiefly con- fined to diseases of the chest. The discovery was as follows : Among his numerous patients was one, who, whilst in an advanced stage of consumption, was attacked with a tumor or swelling at the bottom of the neck in front, and above the breast bone. The swelling became so large as to threaten suffocation. It required all the skill of the doctor to save his patient from being suffocated by the pressure of the tumor on the wind-pipe. In about six weeks the swelling began to subside, but before this the consumptive complaint rapidly yielded, and when the tumor on the throat subsided, the consumption was well. After a little time, the doctor received a call from a person who was the last of his family, all the rest having died of consump- tion, and he was in confirmed consumption. The doctor related to him the case of the man who was cured by a tumor coming on the front of his throat. At Dr. Ramadge's suggestion, this last patient made a silver band to go around his neck, and on the front of it he fastened an ivory ball, and bound it firmly down on the wind-pipe in front. Tliis operated nearly as the diseased swelling had done in the 90 ON THE PREVENTION AND first patient. It sooii cured the lungs of the silver-smith. From these two cases, Dr. Ramadge learned that the effect in each was to rapidly enlarge the lungs and expand th<> chest, He also discovered, that all he had to do was to cause the patient to breathe through a small opening or pipe, much smaller, say twenty times smaller, than the opening into the wind-pipe. To effect this, he made an instrument then called, AN INHALING TUBE. PLATE G. This tube he at first made about four and a half feet long, with an opening through its whole length, provided with a mouth-piece to go between the lips, and the patient sucked in or inhaled the air as long as he could, and then, through the same tube, blew it out again. By this process, the chest would rapidly enlarge. Dr. Ramadge also made an inhaling tube a little like a whistle, with a valve in it so constructed that the air would go into the mouth and lungs through a large free passage, and, on returning, the air would be forced to go out of the mouth and lungs through a much smaller opening. The effect of which is, to allow the lungs to fill rapidly and without exhaustion of strength, and on leaving the lungs, it is all passed through an opening not much larger than a knitting needle, by which the air was slowly forced out of the lungs, and by this pressure the lungs were greatly expanded, and the air every- where opened the chest in the freest manner. Dr. Ramadge is the original inventor of the inhaling tube. For the expansion of the chest, and expansion of the lungs, and the euro of pulmonary consumption, I prefer the valvular tube, as being in all respects the most efficient and easy to the patient. These tubes were at first made of wood and ivory. For several reasons, I prefer the tubes to be made of silver, platina or gold. Because tubes made of wood, ivory or india-rubber, are apt soon, if used by a person with CURE OF CONSUMPTION. . 91 ulcerated or diseased lungs, to become very foul and poisonous in some cases. Some time ago, early in my practice in the United States, I was consulted by a man who had ulcerated lungs. I pre- scribed for him. He told me he could borrow an inhaling tube, to which I did not object. He did well for eight days and a half, when he was attacked with violent vomitings, and died in two and a half days, in despite of all the efforts of four physicians. The symptoms much the same as death by poison. I asked to see his inhaling tube ; I found it was an india rubber long tube, and had been used by a consumptive man for four months. It was so impure that you could notice its unpleasant odor on entering the room where it was. I de- termined at all events, whether poison had anything to do with my patient's death or not, to put it out of possibility by having the tubes made of silver or gold, and never to be made of any material that could contract any impure or poisonous matter from the air that pass- es through it from ulcerated lungs, that might thus cause ulceration in healthy portions of the lungs, and so poison the whole system. The silver and gold is much better than wood, and will last a hun- dred years, as far as I have had experience, or in other words, never wear out. The consumptive should always have his inhaling tube. The wood and india rubber tubes, or ivory, will last but a short time. HOW THE INHALING TUBE ACTS. Many of you may ask me how the inhaling tube can assist in the cure of ulcers in the lungs. I answer that ulcers in the lungs do not incline to heal ; because every day the substance of the lungs is continually growing less, and the walls of the sores or ulcers re- tire from each other, and continually from this cause and the motion of the lungs are kept separated from each other. But if you use the inhaling tube, its effect is to expand the lungs. In this situation they struggle everywhere against the ribs and on all sides for room, at once closing up any cavity existing in the lungs. Reflect for a mo- ment that the lungs enlarge so as to fill and enlarge the chest, four, five, six, and seven inches in circumference. A good deal of force is used by the patient to open his lungs, and this more strongly push- 92 ^ ON THE PREVENTION AND es the lips of the ulcers together, and occasions them to heal, or places them in a position to heal. The use of the inhaling tube will very soon teach the patient having iikvrated lungs, where his disease is, as there he will feel pain, smarting and burning, more or less. All ulcers not broken, will, on the use of the inhaling tube, break and discharge their contents. This alarms the patient. There is now no cause of alarm, because all the ulcers must be broken up and emptied before they will heal. Again, by the use of the in- haling tube the air cells all round the ulcer or ulcers, having greatly enlarged and expanded, will swell around and into the ul- cerous cavities and close them up. Allow me to illustrate, as well as I can, this most important subject. Suppose I wish to cause two of my fingers, which are now placed beside each other, to grow to- gether. If they grow leaner each day, they will separate from each other, and cannot grow together ; but suppose that I by some process cause each finger to swell to two or three times its natural size ; the effect of this would be to bring the fingers hard against each other, and should the sides of the fingers next each other be made sore, or the skin be removed, the fingers might be made to grow together. In this way precisely the inhaling tube acts. Its use expands and opens first all the air passages ; next, all the air cells ; and causes a free expectoration of all mucus and pus, &c. It completely cleanses the ulcers, next enlarges the air cells around the ulcers, diffuses new life and vigor through the lungs, forces the extra blood out of the walls of the air cells which has thickened and nearly closed them up. It causes a rapid and free circulation of blood through the whole lungs, allows no blood to remain in them that should not, and it soon obliges the enlarged blood vessels of the lungs to become smaller and to return to a healthy state. In all cases when there is a cough, but no ulceration, the inhaling tube is greatly required and is of unspeak- able value. After bleeding from the lungs, if used with proper pre- cautions, the inhaling tube is of vast value, and its use should never be omitted. The history of the introduction and use of the inhaling tube is in- structive, as it fully proves, that in all sciences, and arts, as also in all mechanical instruments, there may be the original and true idea, and CAUSES OF CONSUMPTION. 93 also the spurious or false imitation, the substance and the shadow. About nine years ago, the discovery and object of the inhaling tube was made known in this country. Instantly attempts were made to make a thing which seemed so simple, and also to use it. No questions were asked, no anxious inquiries were made as to how it should be made, but one physician whittles out a stick, bores a hole through it, and places it in the hands and mouth of some dying patient, and suffers, but does not encourage the patient to use it. Many fly to the use of goose quills, as most eminently appropriate, and as good as anything. A large quantity of tubes in imitation of Dr. Ramadge's long tubes, were made and peddled through many sections of the country, and sold at high prices, without any opening through their length to allow the air to pass through at all. I saw one inhaling tube, formed under the di- rection of an eminent physician, which was made by cutting off the large end of a tin candle-mould, stopping up the ends, and cutting a small hole through each end, so as to allow the air to pass, and then declaring this was as good as any, whilst in the immediate neighbor- hood the true article was to be had. In Boston great numbers of tubes have been made and sold, that looked well and would allow the air to pass freely into the lungs, but it could not come out through the tube, but out through the patient's nose, &c. Eminent physici- ans in many sections of this country have in this manner employed the inhaling tube, or what they supposed to be the inhaling tube, with- out any success, who on being consulted would pronounce the inhal- ing tube a failure, and of no use. In most cases physicians have never recommended the inhaling tube until the patient was in the last days of life, when his lungs were so extensively ulcerated and gone, and his general strength so reduced, that a return to health was impossible under any known treatment. In such cases, without making any allowances for the hopeless state of the case, the tube is condemned, and the physician still adheres to the idea'. that consumption is incurable, deceiving himself and his un- happy patients. All new remedies, with few exceptions, have to fight their way into notice, and their bitterest detractors and opposers will be found among members of the medical profession. In no case has this been more verified than in the case of the inhaling tube. Being 94 ON THE PREVENTION AND rejected in some measure by physicians from the causes I have before stated, it has been taken up and used by empirics. This has still farther perated the regular profession, and makes them give up all inquiry on the subject in many cases rejecting a patient investigation and study of a remedy that is destined to produce an entire revolution in our notions of consumption, and place it among the curable diseases. }Vill the inhaling tube alone cure consumption ? You will ask me, will the use of the inhaling tube alone cure con- firmed consumption ? I unhesitatingly answer, no. Medical remedies must also be used : consumption, as a general principle, cannot be cured by the inhaling tube alone, unless the patient is in perfect health except a small cavity or ulcer in the lungs. In nine hundred and ninety-nine cases out of a thousand, proper medical remedies are required. The medical treatment must also be right ; if not, the inhaling tube cannot make head against the disease, and the injurious effects of the medicines too. This forces me to make the solemn de- claration, and in the most emphatic manner, that the usual routine of practice laid down in nearly all the medical authorities, adopting the use of emetic tartar, blisters, setons, tartar sores, caustics, housing up the patients, confining them to their rooms, using opium and its pre- parations, drastic emetics and purgatives, much bleeding, iodine, low diet, &c., are all calculated to make consumption, and not to cure it ; so that if the inhaling tube is used in conjunction with these remedies, its benefits are nearly counteracted. The first step in our progress is to know if the lungs are actually diseased or not. The air, in passing in and out of the air cells and air passages of the lungs, gives peculiar sounds in health, from which there is no great variation in persons of the same strength and age. When the lungs become diseased, the air does not enter some parts ; or in passing in and out of their air-cells and passages, it gives a different sound from what it does in health. On this is found the art of examining the chest, to ascertain the condition of the lungs. You know the piano, the accordion, the flute, the violin, all give forth peculiar and different sounds ; and so does a perfect, or a broken, or a cracked instrument, or an instrument imperfectly made. Every deviation from health is im- CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 95 pressed on the sound, or absence of sound of air in entering or leaving the chest. It requires an instructor, time and practice, and constant experience, to be able to explore the chest, or ascertain the condition of the lungs with proper certainty. In London, Paris, New York, and Philadelphia, as far as I know, nearly all the practice of examining the chest is done by very few in each city. In all these cities it is perfectly understood, that one man cannot know all branches of me- dicine and surgery, and be as perfect in each branch as if the whole mind and experience were devoted to one department. In each of these cities there is practice in each branch enough to employ the best minds, and all the time of physicians who are devoted to one branch only. It is customary in these cities for physicians, who do not de- vote their time to examinations of the chest, to send their patients to those who make examinations of the chest a particular study. No certainty and accuracy can be attained in exploring the chest, without a good teacher first, and large experience and observation afterwards. The author of these discourses, besides his opportunities in London, has had twenty-seven thousand consultations in cases of consumption and kindred diseases, within the last seven years. In no instance have I ever had a decision of mine proved incorrect by any physician. I name this, in the hope that when I mention in my discourses that such or snch a patient had diseased lungs, it will be understood that I carefully ex- amined the chest myself. No matter how learned a physician or sur- geon may be, without considerable practical experience, he is liable to fall into great and sometimes deplorable errors in his opinions on the state of the chest, for it may be diseased and he not detect it ; and he may pronounce disease when there is none. A striking case of this kind occurred in one of our largest colleges a few years ago. A young gentleman, a student, was taken sick with what appeared to be con- sumption ; besides his attending physician, two professors and teachers of medicine were called from a large neighboring city, who all pro- nounced the case confirmed consumption, and advised sending for his father, who came and took his son home. Passing through the city of Boston, he called on one of its oldest and most respectable phy- sicians, who agreed with all the others, that he was in the last stage of consumption. The young man went to the state of Maine, where % ON THE PREVENTION AND lie resided, and died in eight days after his return. His father had his chest examined after death ; his lungs were found to be in per- fect health. He had died of disease of his stomach. I knew another case, whore a young man d'n> who, under the direction of a respectable physician, had put seventy successive blisters on her chest, with hardly any perceptible benefit. Another lady I saw a short time since, who had on her chest, made under the direction of a physician, the most severe emetic tartar sores. The physician himself applied the emetic tartar ointment. Its severity and extent may be inferred from the fact, that on the breast-bone an opening was made directly through it into her chest. It was several months before it healed. These sores and blisters, besides being most horrible and dreadful hi nearly every point of view, tend greatly to reduce the patient, and unless under very peculiar circumstances, should never be used. In some rare cases they may be used, but the cases where they are needed are very rare. I once knew a young lady who was in consumption, but able to attend to all ordinary duties, to take long daily walks, a good appetite, and fair strength. Under bad advisers, she put an immense blister CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 99 plaster over her whole chest, and kept it on all night. It drew one vast blister. She never after could leave the house, and hardly her bed, until her death. For the first three weeks after using the blister she never left her bed, except to have it made, .-a-, and its paroxysms increase and decrease ; it is governed by the same laws that govern skin diseases. It Is a most curable disease. I have had over 2,000 cases of asthma in five years past. I have no knowledge of ten cases but what have perfectly recovered in those who have faithfully followed my directions and used rny remedies, such as I have already pointed out for con- sumption. No disease presents such striking and marked benefits by a radical change of air as asthma. English and European asthmatics are usually vastly benefitted by residing in this country, and American asthmatics derive great benefit from a residence in Europe, all by a change of locality first in one place and then another, until they find a place that suits them. Residents in the country often are benefitted by residing in a city, and citizens by residing in the country. But without any change of climate or location whatever, in nearly all cases it may be cured. It is cured with more difficulty in old people. If a change of location is made to a colder climate, it should be made in warm weather. Changeable weather much affects asthmatics. I again repeat, it is most curable, and in nearly all cases, no matter of how long standing or how apparently hopeless. For directions respecting diet for the asthmatic consumptive, see remarks on the stomach and food in Discourse VI. HEART DISEASE. I have before referred to the fact, that consumption is often cured by irregular action of the heart, and by disease of the heart. The heart often has diseases of its own, independently of association or sympathy with any other organs ; yet there is no organ of the whole body that is more influenced by the condition of other organs, than the heart. The condition of the stomach powerfully influences the heart, and so does falling of the bowels, before referred to, and falling of the womb, and so does the condition of the lungs. The lungs, the stomach, the bowels, and the brain, may produce what seems to be heart disease when the heart is not at all diseased. The heart is often greatly affected by the condition of the walls of the cheat itself. It is CURE OF CONSUMPTION. Ill very often noticed that by stooping and leaning the shoulders heavily upon the chest, it is contracted at its base in front, and the breast-bone thrown flat down upon the heart, in this way injuring the heart, and leading to the opinion that there is disease of the heart, when there is no disease of it ; but the walls of the chest have closed around it, and the In-art cannot act. After forty years of age, and in a great many cases at an earlier period, the heart begins to enlarge in multitudes of persons, and if the chest enlarges also, all is well ; but if the chest tlo.s not enlarge, then the heart is compressed, and palpitation, suffo- cation of the heart, and apoplexy, may take place. From this fact is explained the reason why we have little heart disease until after the middle periods of life. That heart diseases often arise from consumptive influences, I have verified in a great many cases. Knowing this, I have often ascer- tained the presence of heart diseases in one or both parents, when I have found the children highly consumptive ; yet nothing of con- sumption in any respect had shown itself in the parents. The treat- ment of heart disease, in a great many cases, is required to be the same as we find necessary in consumption ; in fact, with a little modi- fication, I treat many cases of heart disease the same as I do con- sumption, and often have the pleasure of entirely curing it, when all hope of life had fled. Of course, cough medicines are not required if no cough exists. I enlarge the chest ; I restore as soon as possible the chest and all parts of the body to perfect health ; if necessary, use the inhaling tube, shoulder-braces, and supporter for the abdomen ; in fact, treat the heart disease, with a little modification, as I do consumption ; in some cases, but they are not one in fifty, such changes have taken place in the form and structure of the heart itself, as to render a cure impossible. I will remark, that the heart is placed under the breast-bone, and to the left of it. Mostly about one-third of the heart lies to the right and two-thirds of it to the left of the centre of the breast-bone ; so the heart has the breast-bone, and the flexible ends of the ribs, chiefly in front of it, the spine behind it, and the lungs on its sides. (See Plate D.) You will see by its commanding and pe- 112 ON THE PREVENTION AND culiar position, how the enlargement of the heart must enlarge the chest at its base, and throw back the top of the frame, and make the piT>on full chested, and straight. Now, if a heavy pair of shoulders, with the dependent arms, are thrown forward upon the chest, the heart cannot enlarge, and must be more or less suffocated, producing palpitation and disease of the heart. The In-art, is supported at its sides by the lungs. Sometimes one lung, from some reason or other, will waste away, or it will become bad and shrink up, so that no air will pass through it. The heart, in such a case, losing its support, will beat very irregularly, and seem to be greatly diseased, when in fact it is not diseased at all. The condition of the heart can only be fully detected by an examination by a person who is skilled in the art of examining the chest, and thus ascertaining the actual condition of the heart and lungs, and great blood vessels. A vast many mistakes, and those the most unhappy, arise from the examinations of medical men whose knowledge and experience are not sufficient to determine, with certainty, the condition of the lungs and heart. I once heard a medical man, of considerable eminence, lecture against the idea of curing consumption by expanding the chest, and instanced the case of a man whom he, the lecturer, had treated for some time for heart disease, who died ; and after death, his chest was opened, and it was found that the left lung had disappeared, or entirely wasted away ; the heart was well. " Now," says the lecturer, " no person could have told that the lung had disappeared, until the chest was examined after death !" In September, 1844, I was consulted at New-Britain, Con- necticut, by a man who was subject to fits. He usually had about five fits in the day time, and three at night. He would lose his con- sciousness at the time, yet not fall down, but would seize hold of any thing in his reach, and endeavor to break it, even to grasp the blade of a scythe. His appearance was that of an idiot. The fits had great- ly impaired his intellect, and all the powers both of mind and body. He was a shoemaker, and stooped very much ; his shoulders lay more upon the chest than any case I had ever seen. I found on examining his chest, that the breast-bone lay upon his heart, and pressed hard down upon it more than I had ever seen before ; and that the pres- sure of the breast-bone upon the heart was so great that the blood CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 113 could not pass well through the heart. About three times every day, the blood would so accumulate as to stop the action of the heart, and prevent the blood returning from the brain, and this would cause a loss of consciousness, and a fearful sense of impending dissolution. He would usually have two fits every night ; any excitement would increase their number. I considered the disease to be entirely me- chanical, proceeding from the breast-bone pressing upon the heart. I at once put on him a pair of stout shoulder-braces, to bring the shoulders off the chest, directed him to stand up straight, and not to stoop, and if he felt a fit coming on, to throw himself back, and to throw his shoulders as much as possible off the chest, and to avoid stooping. I also gave him a little medicine to assist and take away any irritability of the heart, &c. In seven days he came back ; he had had but one fit in the day-time, and two at night, three for the whole week. The idiotic expression of his face was gone ; he had not passed such a week for many years ; he experienced that, on feeling the least trouble at his heart, or distress at the pit of his stomach, which always preceded a fit, by throwing himself backwards and throwing his shoulders back, and throwing open his chest so as to lift up the breast-bone a little, the circulation of blood went on through the heart, and no fit would take place. I will give one more case out of a great many. In October, 1843, I was consulted at Nashua, in the State of New-Hampshire, by a young gentleman, seventeen years of age, who had a most distress- ing affection of the heart ; his face wore a blue corpse-like appear- ance, and he was entirely unable to do any business, could only walk with the greatest difficulty, and had been obliged to leave off all oc- cupation. He had consulted the first medical men in Boston, who gave him but little hope of recovery ; he had much palpitation of the heart, which was greatly aggravated on the least exercise. On ex- amining his chest, I found the breast-bone pressed heavily upon the heart, so as to prevent a free circulation of blood through it, from which resulted all his illness ; he was also very scrofulous. I put on him a pair of shoulder-braces and gave him an inhaling tube, to fully expand his chest, and also suitable medicines to cure the irritability of the heart, and directed all the remedies as I would for consumption, 114 ON THE PREVENTION AND save cough medicines. The young man improved with the greatest rapidity. Four weeks after, I met him at a ball. lie did not take much part in the dance, but was vastly bettor, and I believe has per- fectly recovered. It is of great consequence that the heart rule the chest and govern the lungs. A regular, symmetrical enlargement of the heart and great vessels rarely does any hurt, provided the chest enlarges with it. But if the chest does not enlarge, or the heart en- larges irregularly, then the case is full of danger. Sometimes one side of the heart will enlarge more than the other side, &c., &c. In this case danger arises. Costiveness, dyspepsia, rheumatism, gout on the heart, ossification of it, MINERAL WATERS. In the progress of the lecture, I have not spoken a word of mineral waters, as a matter of prevention or a curative agent in consumption. This subject is too extensive to dwell much upon, save in general re- marks. In seated consumption, when the lungs are ulcerated, I know of no waters that will be of any benefit. This leads me to speak of the Red Sulphur Springs, in Virginia. In 1845, at an im- 11 is -use -expense in time and great sacrifice of personal ease, I visited that celebrated spring. I found a most valuable spring of water which had suffered greatly in its reputation from having too mucl imputed to it. Too many virtues claimed for it had, from the nume rous disappointments and heart-rending distress produced from thi cause, injured the reputation of the spring. Few persons were there . and not one person, as far as I knew, who had badly ulcerated lungs had derived much benefit. This water, had it been praised for wha it really is, would stand most pre-eminently high, and almost aloni in some of its properties. It has an influence in reducing irritatioi and inflammation of the mucous membrane, or the skin that cover the inside of the throat, the air pipes, and the cells of the lungs, ant the skin that covers the interior of the gullet, the stomach and bow- els, and the internal lining of the bladder, the womb, &c. In all des- criptions of catarrh, this water is valuable. It is well known that an inflammation of the skin that lines the inside of the throat, or lungs, will produce a severe cough, and some expectoration and fever, highly excited puke, night sweats, &c. Such persons often derive great benefit from this spring, but not always. In inflammation of the stomach, and in irritation about the heart, and in dyspepsia, and costiveness, or chronic diarrhoea, this is a most unique and valuable water. In many kinds of kidney diseases, fluor albus, &c., the water is most valuable. Its reputation should never be placed on ulcer- ated lungs, but on dyspepsia, heart diseases, bowel complaint, and diseases of the bladder, womb, &c. Persons who propose to visit the Red Sulphur Springs, should, before concluding, have the chest ex- amined, and if their lungs are ulcerated, not go at all ; or at all events, thoy will hardly realize anything but cruel fatigue, and still more, cruel disappointment. I wish here to thank the gentlemanly propri- 116 ON THE PREVENTION AND etors of the spring for their politeness to me the last summer. I con- sider the spring one of the first on earth, for its efficacy in the and diseases I have before indicated. I do not know another mineral spring in the world that is so beneficial in heart diseases. In c where there are no ulcers on the lungs, but where the lungs are only irritable, or inflamed from tubercles not yet softened, or when there has been some bleeding from the lungs, for all these cases, but no ulcerations in the lungs, ftie Red Sulphur Spring water will be found highly useful, in most instances. IRON PURGATIVE WATERS. To persons of bilious habits, or who are usually bilious, and are disposed to a cough or pains about the chest, the waters that have iron and magnesia, soda, &c., in them, are valuable. In other words, the purgative iron waters, such as those of Saratoga, are of some value in putting the system in such a state of health as will ward off consumption ; but are in nearly all cases injurious, if the lungs are ulcerated. These also generally benefit scrofulous persons much, who have no ulcerated lungs. SULPHUR WATERS In persons who are scrofulous, or have any skin disease, or a humor in the blood, which has struck in, or who suffer from the bad effects of mercury, &c., who have reason to suspect a cough or distress about the chest to arise from a humor, salt rheum, erysipelas, or any thing of that kind, will find great benefit in many cases from using the sulphur purgative waters. These waters abound in some parts of the United States, but are seldom useful if the lungs are ulcerated ; otherwise they may be used for the cases I have named. Sulphur waters are found in many parts of this country. The White and Blue, and Salt Sulphur Springs in Virginia, are very noble waters. I think the Salt Sulphur a superb spring of water. These springs are not surpassed in Virginia. There are two very fine sulphur springs near the north end of Lake Champlain. One is at Alburgh, and the other is at Highgate, both near Canada line. Of the Alburgh I have no knowledge, save by report, which speaks well of. it. I have visited CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 117 the Highgate Spring. The accommodations are very good, and the spring of water is very good. The Avon Springs, near Rochester, in the state of New York, are valuable sulphur waters. Numerous val- uable sulphur springs abound all over this country. HOT MINERAL WATERS. I have visited the hot and warm springs in Virginia, and the hot springs at Aix-la-Chapelle, and at Wis-Baden in Germany ; and as far as I have ever known or observed in Europe, or this country, I believe the hot mineral waters, either for bathing or to drink, are very injurious to the consumptive, and should be most carefully avoided. Allow me to conclude this lecture by observing, that I have only indicated the general plan of treatment. It is impossible to go into details in such a discourse as this. I am now preparing a large work on the Lungs, for medical men, in which I propose to give what I know upon the subject in all the details, and a careful account of all the medicines I have found useful. I must remark, that every case of consumption I ever saw, requires, or did require, the aid of medi- cines, more or less, to fulfil some or all of the following indications to equalize the circulation of the blood to support the strength to purify and enrich the blood to regulate the digestion to correct the bowels to remove irritation to subdue the cough to reno- vate the functions of the skin, or to remove obstructions in the functions of the liver or kidneys ; and in females, to cure their pecu- liar diseases. The patients should never be drugged. They require but little medicine, but that should be efficient and perfectly applica- ble to the case ; otherwise medicines will be found hurtful rather than useful. THROAT AFFECTIONS. Loss of Voice and Hoarseness, with slight or occasional Cough, and great weakness of voice and fatigue when talking. Diseases of the throat are caused by humor. They are a true skin disease, and require the same treatment as pulmonary consumption, 118 ON THE PREVENTION AND with some modifications, and the same rules of diet should be observed, and eh-mjye of air, exerci-e, &c., as in consumption, for a va--f many throat diseases, especially if aggravated, are complicated with irue consumption. Loss of voice, hoarse] of voice, sore throat, catarrh in the throat, pain in the throat, lumps in the neck, liability to colds in the throat, external and internal swelling, ulcera- ted throat, swelled tonsils and palate, all are usually very curable. All the rules and medicines for consumption apply to throat diseases, with some additions not required in consumption. Avoid talking and using the voice much until well. This terrible disease occurs often in costive, sedentary, and dyspep- tic people, and those who with these habits also use the voice very much, as clergymen, lawyers, teachers, lecturers, !- cians who do not prepare their own remedies, cannot be acquainted with the complete resources of the healing art, and consequently must fail, to a terrible extent, in their success. Fifty years ago there were few isms in medicine. Physicians pre- pared and compounded their own medicines, and a vast amount of what was the regular universal practice has now, by the contempt of 130 ON THE PREVENTION AND science, been driven into domestic and family practice, where it is still most useful. The different sects and isms in medicine have arisen, chiefly because physicians have so signally failed in curative success, and hence the numerous spasmodic efforts to make scientific igno- rance a substitute for the true knowledge of the art of selecting and compounding perfect medicines, and then successfully and judiciously administering them. There are no isms in surgery, because each successful surgeon does the work himself, not by a substitute. If he does attempt it by a substitute, as physicians mostly now do, the failure is equally as signal. A most remarkable example of this took place in France, a few years ago. Louis Philippe, King of France, had noticed the great mortality among those who had been surgically operated upon in the hospitals of Paris ; to remedy this he ordered every death to be published in the newspapers, and with it the name of the surgeon. With the surgeon it was at once success or dis- grace. He no longer confided to apothecaries or assistants. The consequence was, in an almost incredibly short space of time the deaths diminished one half. After what I have now said, my hearers will be prepared to learn that I always prepare my own medicines, never trust to any apoth- ecary, to any druggist or any assistant, except under my own eye. I would say to the young physician in all places, but especially in the country, prepare your own medicines if you would be successful, meritorious or renowned. Your position founded on success would be impregnable. You would have no fear of competition, and you would soon destroy all quackery. It is a great mistake to suppose that the healing art is not as unchangeable as any other science. It is only medical foppeiy, and medical ignorance, that causes such fluc- tuations in medical practice. Diseases remain the same ; small pox, measles, scarlet fever, are exactly now as 2,000 years ago, and their medicines act as well now as then ; what would cure them then will cure them now, and what will cure a disease once will cure it again, under the same circumstances. Let the physician know what is known, and if timely consulted, he will have ample resources for the cure of his patients. The man of a large mind and cultivated liberal views, thoroughly CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 131 informed of all that is old and known, receives every novelty in med- icine with respect, examines it carefully, and if he finds it useful, he adopts it into his practice, and thus is continually enlarging his own resources and usefulness and fame in the art of healing. But the narrow-minded, ignorant physician, whose mind is bounded by an ism or sect, and governed by a name, is continually discarding valu- able remedies as soon as he learns that they are announced as a nov- elty, or are made to be a foundation for a new sect, so that discover- ies do not increase his resources, but diminish them daily. The feuds among this last class of minds would be amusing, if they were not tragical. A lady or nurse says to such a doctor, " Shall we not lay a wet cloth on his burning breast shall we not sponge him all over he is all burning up with fever ?" " Not a bit of it," says the Doctor ; " I am no hydropath. I do not believe in it at all. Put on a large blister." And so doubles the heat and fever. Another says, "Doctor, the patient has had no movement of his bowels for one week : do you not think he requires a little physic ?" " Do you not know," he replies, " that I am a homoeopath, and we never give any physic." So his patient dies, or calls in some other physician of an- other system. A youngish man, of full habit, red face, short neck, falls down in a fit of apoplexy. A physician is instantly called, and begged to bleed him. " No," says the physician, " I am a hydropath, and we never bleed." Another says, " Doctor, my stomach is exceed- ingly delicate, and your medicines overcome me very much. Shall I not take very slight doses ?" " No, I do not believe in slight doses ; I wish to see some effects, even if they are disagreeable. I am no homoeopath, I assure you. I am an allopath ; we give full doses, or none ; no child's play with us." An effect is thus produced. The universal people lose respect and confidence in physicians, and especially in systems of medicine ; and medicines of almost infinite value for some diseases, or states of dis- ease, are thrown out of use by whole classes of physicians. I have already dwelt long on these subjects, as I consider them vital to medical success. The only resource for medical usefulness in the increasing knowledge and good sense of an enlightened public. I will give two instances to illustrate what I have before said, remark- 132 ON THE PREVENTION AND ing, that what a physician knows he knows as well as other men ; and what he does not know, he is as ignorant of as any one, whether it be on medicine or any other subject. In 1849, during the prevalence of cholera in this city, a young, wealthy, and very respectable wholesale druggist became indisposed in the early part of the day with symptoms of cholera. A physician was called to his office, and prescribed for him. In the course of two hours, as he did not improve, he went to his room in one of our first Broadway hotels, and his physician again called and brought another physician with him. At 2 p. M. the business partner of the sick man went to his chamber, and found he was fast sinking. The two physician. were sent for, and the partner also called in a neighboring Apothecary, an English gentleman, who was familiar with the cholera and well understood its treatment, having treated and seen much of it in India, and also very successfully in this city. He informed the phy- sicians that everything now depended on getting the patient into a free perspiration, and remarked there was a hot bath on the same floor, within ten feet of the patient, and observed that as he was young, of good habit, and full strength, there was good reason to hope for his recovery, and volunteered his services to aid them. The two physi- cians consulted together, and informed the apothecary that, as he was not a regular physician, they could not consult with him or ac- cept his services, whereupon he retired. The two physicians adopted the idea of getting him warm, but would not follow the apothecary's suggestion as to the mode. As it was a chemical fact, that quick- lime sprinkled with water will generate heat, they sent for a quan- tity of that article, and caused it to be thickly spread between two blankets and sprinkled with water. They now had the gentleman closely wrapped up in this lime-bath. He died that evening. On removing his lime blankets, immediately after death, it was found that the lime had eaten large holes through the walls of the abdomen, so that his bowels protruded in several places ! ! ! Persons wishing to know the name of the deceased man, &c., can have it by calling on me. The next example I will mention occurred at Hartford, Connecticut, and under my own personal observation. I happened at the house of CURE OP CONSUMPTION. 133 a relative there, and his little grandson, a beautiful child of three and a half years old, about half past 5 o'clock in the afternoon, ate a green unripe apple. He was much subject to spasms and fits on eating in- digestible food. His mother at once sent for their physician, a homoeo- pathic doctor. He came, and expressed great pleasure at being called in good season, said all would be right with the child, adding he could give him medicines that would prevent any spasms. During three hours he visited him twice, each time giving him homoeopathic pow- ders. At 9 o'clock in the evening the child was taken with a terrible spasm ; as soon r,s possible he was placed in a warm bath, and the doctor sent for. He came, and commenced giving his sugar-pills, &c. He would give nearly a tea-spoonful at a time. At 11 o'clock the fits as terrible as at first. I expressed my astonishment that he should expect to dislodge such a substance as hard unripe apple from the stomach with such remedies, and suggested the propriety and neces- sity of giving the child an emetic. To this he made no reply, but continued giving his homeopathic powders. At three o'clock the next morning the unfortunate child died, a victim to a medical ism, mur- dered by a wretch who chose rather to have him die by his medicines than live by old known remedies. I will not pursue this distressing subject any farther. No man can feel a deeper interest than myself in the honor, usefulness and reputation of the medical profession. I would say to all invalids, enlighten yourselves as much as possible, and never give away your private judgment. Never ask counsel of a physician as to the merits of any system of practice, or of medical treatment that can conflict with his sect or his interests, for, however worthy and honest he may be in private life, his pride, his prejudices and his interests are so committed against any other than his own fa- vorite system, that he will conceal or deny what he knows to be cura- tives, rather than allow his patients to be cured by any other system, or any other man. Of course, rare exceptions may be found. I know of no system of medical practice or ism but what has some peculiar merit. The physician who utterly discards any one of them will certainly lessen his useful resources in the art of healing. It is possible that some persons would suspect that in urging upon young physicians the absolute necessity of preparing their own medi- 134 ON THE PREVENTION AND eines, (fee., if they would be greatly useful in the healing art, that possibly I intend injustice to the apothecaries. I most emphatically deny this ; the apothecaries in our cities are, as far as I am acquaint- ed, a most respectable, intelligent body of men, and put up prescrip- tions accurately, although within the last 12 months three deaths have taken place, one in Boston, one in Philadelphia, and one in this city, by mistakes of apothecaries putting up wrong medicines. Nearly every year furnishes examples of this kind, and we can very easily believe that many mistakes may occur, not immediately fatal ; but the great evil is, that the physician who does not select and prepare his own medicines, and administer them himself, and carefully note their effects, is not so apt to become as fully an adept in the choice of medi- cines, and in the art of healing, as he should be, as the capabilities of medical remedies allow, as the reputation of the medical profession demands, and above all, as the healths, lives, and comforts of mankind most imperatively deserve. I will here subjoin an extract from a letter of a respectable physi- cian, an invalid himself, and you will see how emphatically he en- dorses all I have said of remedies and true curatives, what disappoint- ments he finds in medical books, and with what anxiety he seeks for help. How vain are medical theories to him that do not bring a cure ! "Lafayette, Miss., Feb. 10th, 1851. " DR. FITCH : " Dear Sir, I have been practising medicine here three years, besides four in North Carolina, where I was raised, and every day's experience teaches me more the importance of the right remedy. We may know or think at all times what is the obstruction that hinders the operation of nature ; but unless we can introduce a remedy, it is of no use ; and as to all our text-books, elementary writers, &c., I have laid all aside, from the fact then- remedies, nine cases out of ten, are useless, and in fact injurious ; and since I have arrived at this conclusion, I have been picking and culling over everything for instruction respecting remedies, and am at the same time afraid of all or one-half of those nostrums and patent medicines, but at present there is nothing else a drowning man like myself can catch at. Yours, respectfully, (Signed,) B. D. BROWER." CURE OP CONSUMPTION. 135 Now the question arises, How can I prove to you that consumption is curable ? Soon after I commenced lecturing, I used to present to my audiences persons who had been cured of consumption, and who would state their cases before them ; but I found that sceptics would say that these persons were hired to falsify the truth, and thus the influence of their testimony would be greatly impaired with some minds. So I finally adopted the plan of stating cases, and giving names, and supporting these by letters from respectable persons, de- tailing the cure as it occurred in themselves, or their immediate friends, and thus allowing any person who doubted or questioned the truth of these letters and statements, to refer, by letter or otherwise, to the persons named ; and in this way the truth would be arrived at in the most satisfactory manner. I now beseech you, give me your confidence, at least, believe that I believe what I assert ; and then, for the sake of your own life, or that of your children, or that of your friends, carefully and candidly investigate these cases ; and if you find in them all, one case that you believe to have been con- sumption, and that it has been cured, then lay aside prejudice and doubt on this subject, and proclaim consumption a curable disease ; and, of course, if curable after being formed, believe that its forma- tion may always be prevented. Again, I beseech you, give me your confidence so far as to give me a patient hearing, and the whole subject a searching and honest investigation. It is of no use for me to rise up before an auditory of one thousand persons, and utter a falsehood, at the same time naming time, person, and place, because at once one or more persons would be found who could on the spot prove or disprove what I assert. I have repeatedly, after a lecture, had persons call on me, who were perfectly acquainted with the truth of what I had stated, although the cases had occurred hundreds of miles distant from the place of the lecture. In selecting these letters, I have taken such as I thought would present as great a variety of symptoms as possible, and from persons who are pleased to have their unbiassed testimony placed before all the world for the encouragement of the invalid. I never, under any circumstances, expose a name or letter without the fullest approval of the writer. Any person, male or female, need have no 136 ON THE PROOFS OF THE fear of writing me most confidentially ; their letters are kept most sacred. If I have any suspicion that using a letter would be dis- tasteful, I avoid it. Allow me to say one word to the consumptive or other in valid. The object you propose, the recovery of your health, is one of vast mo- ment to you, and is deserving of your highest efforts. Let me urge you, in the first! place, to have confidence in your remedies ; and in the second, to commence their use with the greatest caution. If not accustomed to bathing, commence it at first in a very warm room, with warm salt and water, and change to cold as you find you can bear it ; commence your medicines in doses, say about one fifth of what is called the smallest dose, so that, under no circumstances, shall the system receive any shock, by any changes you may make, either in diet, medicines, supporters, shoulder braces, inhaling tube, bathing, exercise, or exposure. Study to incorporate all your changes with your system, so as to do no violence to it. Make all the remedies congenial to you, and know, for your pleasure, consolation, and en- couragement, that if you become decidedly better, by faithfully con- tinuing and pursuing the course that has made you a little better, you will certainly recover your health in a longer or shorter period. You, like other invalids, will feel the changes of weather, and have your poor days. But do not despond. Use your remedies faithfully, and, by God's blessing, you will recover your health. Recollect, the very essence of my teaching is, to make you your own doctors, and your own nurses. Be faithful to yourselves, and success will crown your efforts. If circumstances or season of the year allow, as soon as well able, travel, change the air and your location. If in a city or town, go to the country ; visit watering-places ; go quite away, for a time, from your business, or usual place of residence, and stay some months, if possi- ble. I now present to you names and letters from well known and respectable individuals, who would be very happy at all times to an- swer inquiries, and assist and encourage the sick by all means in their power. CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 137 CASE I. Case of Thomas Fengar. ASTHMA. I have mentioned to you that asthma was one of the diseases that cured pulmonary consumption, and that Nature in this way saved the lives of thousands who would otherwise have died of consump- tion. I think a disposition to consumption is the cause of asthma in nearly all cases. I find the same remedies, with some modifica- tions, that cure consumption will cure asthma ; in other words, I en, deavor to cure the consumption in the lungs, or the seeds of it, and the necessity of asthma ceases and it disappears. In January, 1845, I spent some days at New London, Conn. ; and among many others that called upon me was a man named Thomas Fengar. He was sexton to one of the churches, had a large family, and was a very industrious, worthy citizen. For eight years he had been a sub- ject of asthma, which had at last entirely broken him down, and prevented his doing any work. The weather was exceedingly incle- ment. It was with great difficulty that he could walk across the street. I gave him his remedies, and in three weeks from the time I first saw him he gave me the following letter : " New London, Feb. 6th, 1845. " Dr. S. S. FITCH : " Dear sir, As a slight return for the assistance I have derived from your prescriptions, inhaling tube and medicines, I will inform you that I was taken with that distressing disease, the asthma, about eight years ago, and have experienced much of its distressing ravages upon my health. For two months before I saw you I was unable to do a day's work, and was forced to sit up. For twenty-one nights I was unable to go to bed at all, being forced to sit up all night. On the 1 3th of January, 1845, 1 began the use of your remedies. In a short time I found relief, and in less than three weeks was able to return to my work and do a full day's work in the open air, and in the most inclement weather. I have no pain, very little shortness of breath, and can Ta^down and sleep in the soundest manner. If I can always have as good health as I now enjoy, I shall feel satisfied, and most 138 ON THE PROOFS OF THE happy and grateful. Myself, my wife and children join me in thanks for the assistance, under God, derived from your advice and medical treatment " Respectfully yours, "THOMAS FENGAR." CASE IL.Miss Mariame H. Little. SPASMODIC ASTHMA. At Portland, in November, 1845, I was consulted by Miss Mariame H. Little for a terrible asthma. She was twenty years of age. Her father has been a respectable merchant of Portland ; she had had the asthma fifteen years ; it began after having measles. At the time I saw her she was a great sufferer, unable to do any thing ; had to sit up in bed nearly the whole of every night, and dreadfully oppressed for breath. For three years past was subject to dreadful spasms in the base of the chest. Almost her only relief was to take sulphuric ether, in great quantities, by inhaling it. In this way she had used a pint of ether in twelve hours. She regularly used a bot- tle of ether each week. Her case seemed most hopeless. Her shoul- ders were drawn up, &c. The 12th of November I gave her reme- dies as if for consumption, as I have before mentioned, as the proper mode of treating asthma. In three weeks she was much better, could lie down and sleep very well at night, and do a good deal of light work about the house. She did not take more than one-fourth as much ether as at first. I subjoin the following letter, by which you will learn she is now in pretty good health. She had received the advice of thirteen different physicians. " Pearl street, Portland, Nov. 4th, 1846. "DR. FITCH: "Dear Sir. Your letter of October 23d was duly received, and it gratifies me much to inform you that it is owing to your invaluable cough expectorant and nervine that I owe my present state of health. When I first applied to you, in November, 1845, I was in a most dis- tressed state, requiring two pounds and a half of ether in a week, and the constant and unremitting care of my friends in the night season, of- CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 139 ten having to be held in an upright position, being too much exhausted to support myself. I had been under the care of thirteen physicians, and had nearly given up all hopes of ever enjoying even a tolerable degree of health, when you came to our city. Since that time, by following your prescriptions, and the use of your medicines, I have been gradually recovering, so much so, that I am enabled to substitute the inhaling of the smoke of brown paper, soaked in a solution of saltpetre, instead of the ether, thereby saving a great expense, and the unpleasant effluvia of that article. I have not, for four months, had any ether. My sleep is good, and I can assist about the house without any inconvenience ; and I write this to certify, that both my friends arid myself have the utmost confidence in your superior skill and knowledge of my case. " Yours, with respect, " MARIAME H. LITTLE." CASE III. Mrs. Harriet R. Fernald. In December, 1845, I was consulted at Portsmouth, New-Hamp- shire, by Mrs. Harriet Fernald. Her father died of consumption : she was about thirty years of age ; had been sickly some time ; twelve months ago raised blood, succeeded by a cough, and, after some time, by attacks of asthma, nights and days. Seven weeks before I saw her, she had an attack of pleurisy on the left side. The top of the right lung had tubercles in it, and was much shrunk up. There was a large ulcer in the top of the left lung ; left foot was cold. The asthma had prevented the progress of the consumption, and thus saved her life. In October, 1846, 1 received the following letter : "Portsmouth, Oct. 16th, 1846. " DR. FITCH, Sir : " By your request, I answer your letter. I have neglected writing to you, as I understood you had heard of my health by the way of others that had written. I gained my health slowly ; every cold I took I would have an attack of the asthma, until about July ; since which time I have had no asthmatic affection whatever. Some days, when the wind is East and damp, I am some troubled with shortness of breath. 140 ON THE PROOFS OP THE But my complaints have entirely changed since the third night on commencing your remedies, which I commenced December last. I had not been able to lie down in bed for several months, until I took your medicines. I continue to wear the braces and supportet, and use the tube occasionally. Since the asthma has left me, I have been troubled with the catarrh in my head, very bad ; my nose would dis- charge clear water for several days at a time, and then leave me for a few days, and then again commence ; and quite a cough attended me, which seemed to be no farther than my throat. My lungs seem well since the asthma left. I took the most of the catarrh snuff you sent me, but did not receive much benefit ; and have tried two other kinds, and still receive no cure : but my health, at present, is better than it has been for several months. I think if I could get cured of the catarrh, I should find myself well. I have not applied to any physician, excepting Dr. Burnham, for snuff. The cold bath I con- tinue across my throat and chest. But I thought I took cold by bathing, after leaving my warm room, and did not bathe, only across my chest and throat, but seldom. If you have medicine, or can ad- vise me what course I can pursue, in order to be cured of the catarrh, I should be highly gratified in hearing from you. " Respectfully yours, H. R. FERNALD." CASE IN. John H. McGiffin. " Hudson, New-York, June 3, 1850. "DR. S. S. FITCH: Dear Sir, In compliance with your request I take this ear- liest opportunity to address you a few lines, expressive of the satis- faction I experience in regard to your treatment of my case. As you may remember, I first applied to you by letter, I think about the 7th December, 1848. I had been previously afflicted with asthma from infancy ; the fits occurring at intervals of from three or four, till at that time often less than one a week. I had previously done but little for them, except using for a short time some medicines prescribed by Dr. of Philadelphia, together with his inhaling tube, from which latter I thought I received some, though but partial benefit. CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 141 On the whole, the attacks were more frequent, and only prevented by the smoking of saltpetre paper inhaled on going to bed. I com- menced using your remedies on the 23d of December, 1848, and continued them pretty constantly till about June following. The win- ter of '1848 was a very unfavorable one, and I did not experience any change for the better till about the beginning of March ; it was how- ever, from that time, very rapid, and by the middle of April I felt per- fectly well. I used the tube till July, when I was obliged to dispense with it for want of time. Through the latter part of August, I again felt the symptoms of asthma, which resulted in a return of its attacks about the 15th September. These continued through the last part of the fall, though by no means as severe as before. I again applied to you December 27, 1849; commenced a course anew, and felt my health improved within a fortnight. I have had no asthma for two or three months, and feel satisfied that your treatment is the proper one, the more so as I judge by the result of two trials, which would seem to preclude the possibility of the effects by any other causes. I have done nothing to prevent the fits but use your medicine, and have not used the saltpetre paper more than two or three times in as many months, and then probably unnecessarily. Wishing to add my mite to the mass of testimony you already possess in favor of your treat- ment of lung diseases, both from gratification to myself, and a desire in some degree to contribute to alleviate the suffering of my fellow- creatures, by pointing them to means of relief to be confidently expect- ed, I have penned this in much haste. Should I continue as well as I hope, I shall write again in the Fall. In the mean time, I am, with sincere gratitude and esteem, your obliged friend, " JOHN H. PROOFS OF THE CURABILITY OF CONSUMPTION. CASE I. Miss Hawley. In December, 1842, I was at Vergennes, in the state of Vermont. On arriving there I was very anxious to visit a gentleman I once knew ; who resided in that place, and who was a very respectable lawyer, and 143 ON THE PROOFS OF THE had resided in my father's family \\lien I was a boy. Immediately after my arrival, Dr. Bradford, one of the first physicians of that town, called upon me. Dr. Bradford had been a room-mate of mine some months, whilst we were attending the Medical College in Philadel- phia. I immediately inquired for Mr. Hawley. lie told me Mr. Hawley had died of consumption seven years before, adding, also, that his daughter was in consumption and not expected to live but a short time. Now, said he, I do not know what to say of the cure of consumption, but I do not believe you would say you could cure it, unless you thought you could ; and, if you please, I will introduce you to Miss Ilawley, and if you can cure consumption, you can have a chance to do so in her case. After seeing Miss Hawley, and her family, he called and took me to see her. I can hardly describe the agony of her countenance, as she said to me, " I suppose you have come to tell me I have consumption." On examining her chest, I found her very much emaciated, and ulcers in the tops of both lungs. She had a bad cough, and raised blood occasionally. She expectorated ulcerated matter, pus, every day. The day I was there, she raised blood, and had all the general symptoms of consumption in a rather aggra- vated form. This was the only time but one I ever saw Miss Hawley. I gave her her remedies, and also written directions for her treatment, medicines, &c., and placed them in the hands of Dr. Bradford, to see them faithfully fulfilled ; and this I did with all my patients I had there. I, at the same time, requested them, or Dr. Bradford, to write to me in case any farther assistance was required. I would say, that Dr. Bradford is a very candid, judicious, and excellent physician. I heard nothing more of my patients in Vergennes, until the next Au- gust, when I met one of them in a steamboat on Lake Champlain, and this was the senior Captain Sherman, of Vergennes. He told me he believed all my patients got well, and, added he, " that young lady, Miss Hawley, for whom we all felt so much anxiety, and thought would not live one month, began to mend immediately after you saw her, and has now become entirely well." In September, 1844, some- thing over twenty-one months after I saw Miss Hawley, I wrote to her, requesting an account of her health, and in answer received the following letter. Her case was one of true hereditary tubercular CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 143 consumption. Her cure was perfect. I ought to say she was about nineteen years of age. April, 1851, Miss Hawley is still in good nealth, and has been for some years the wife of a physician. Copy of a letter from Miss Hawley to Dr. S. S. Fitch. ' l Vergennes, Oct 2d, 1844. " DR. FITCH : " Your kind letter of the 20th I have just received ; and am re- joiced to assure you, in answer to your kind inquiries, that I am now enjoying a very comfortable state of health. You are aware that, two years since, at the time you were at Vergennes, I was fast declin- ing, with the most dangerous and alarming symptoms of consump- tion, and a sure prospect of speedy dissolution. I raised blood from my lungs daily, causing me great pain, with an unnatural appetite, flush upon my cheek, a general losing of flesh ; and my condition such, that it was impossible to raise a blister upon my lungs. I fol- lowed your prescriptions faithfully, and commenced blistering, and was soon able to obtain relief from this source. I was reduced in strength by this treatment, but my lungs grew better. I am now quite well, and am able to be about the house ; can walk and ride without inconvenience. In fact, my health is full as comfortable as it has been for the last ten years. I attribute my recovery to your visit, and Dr. Bradford's attention afterwards. Your request to him shall be complied with. His health is good. Accept the thanks of my mother and brother, and believe me, that I shall remember you with the greatest pleasure and gratitude. " Miss HAWLEY. " P. S. Allow me the pleasure of informing you that Mrs. Scott is in a comfortable state of health, owing to your kind attention, she thinks." CASE II. Mrs. Hannah Gardner. January 31, 1843, I was called to see Mrs. Hannah Gardner, at Salem, Mass. This lady had lost father, mother, one brother, and three sisters, of 'xmsuinption. She had been unwell a long time, but 144 ON THE PROOFS OF THE very sick for six weeks. Her physician was, and is, one of the most estimable physicians I ever knew. Mrs. Gardner's case seemed most hopeless : exceedingly emaciated ; night sweats ; cold feet ; constant cough, expectorated a pint every night, by coughing ; strength ut- terly prostrated. It was a case of apparently hopeless hereditary consumption. In October, 1846, 1 received the following letter from her husband. She is now, January 1852, very well, I believe. "Salem, Oct. 15th, 1846. "Dear Sir: " I received your note, and it is with the greatest pleasure that I answer it. In the summer of 1843, my wife's health was very poor ; in December she was taken sick with a lung and pleurisy fever. Her Dr. tended her five or six weeks ; and she continued to grow worse. I called on the Dr. and he gave me no encouragement. He told the neighbors that she was in a consumption, and that she could not live but a short time. My brother called on me, and told me that he heard your lecture on consumption ; and he believed that you could help her. When you saw her, you gave me very little hope ; but you gave me some medicine, and directions for bathing, which were attended to very strictly for four or five days ; and she began to grow better, but continued feeble and weak, with night sweats, and very bad cough, and raised a pint in the night. She continued to take your medicine until you left the city ; and her health improved very much. In the spring, she was able to walk out in the yard, a mere skeleton. In June, she went into the country, and staid six or eight weeks ; and her health improved very fast. Since that, her health is better than formerly. She is able to do the most of her work. She is more fleshy now than ever ; and has no cough, except when she takes cold. She has a very good appetite, and enjoys life well. She was very sorry that she did not see you when you was at Salem. We did not hear of your sickness till after you had gone, or we should have called on you. If you should ever visit Salem again, we should be happy to see you. Yours, truly, CHARLES GARDNER." CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 145 CASE III. Rev. L. D. Barrow. In October, 1843, I lectured at Nashua, N. H. Among the per- sons mentioned to me in that town in consumption, or strongly in- clined to it, was that of the Rev. Mr. L. D. Barrow, a Methodist cler- gyman, resident in Nashville. He was then travelling for his health. He called on me in Concord, N. H., a few days after I left Nashua. He was a tall, thin, emaciated figure, with a very slight delicate chest, and in every appearance indicated the presence of consump- tion. On examining his chest I found the upper part of both his lungs were considerably tuberculated. He stooped very much, his shoulders were drawn very much over his chest, and his chest was very much contracted. He had considerable cough, pain in the chest, &c. I think he was able to preach once a week. It was with dif- ficulty he could write for half an hour a day. I gave him his reme- dies. In a few weeks after I met him at Nashua. He told me he was happy to say he felt quite well, and that he could write all day easier than he could half an hour before, and that he could preach three times a day In November, 1844, I received the following letter. There is one circumstance in this letter to which I wish to call your particular attention, where he mentions that he re- ceived great benefit from the remedies, but becoming so very much better, he left them off, or omitted then* use for a while, until he be came worse. Does it not seem extraordinary to you, that any man or woman, who had been walking in sight of an open grave for months, because struck by a disease that is usually thought incurable, on finding a remedy that every day makes them better, should leave off that remedy before their health is perfectly confirmed, and before their systems are entirely rid of it ? The patient persevering use of remedies is often required for three or four years. The prize in vie\v being perfect health, with daily comfortable health all the time. You will observe the remark of Mr. Barrow, that he had left off his remedies prematurely, and you will observe the same in some of the other letters. On the first impression upon the lungs, or when they are observed to be improving, no effort should then be relaxed until they are perfxjtly well. When from carelessness, and omitting the V 146 ON THE PROOFS OF THE use of the remedies, a relapse is suffered, the recovery is much re- tarded and sometimes rendered doubtful, the cure of which was abso- lutely certain at first. Let every patient remember, that if he becomes positively better, he will certainly get well if he perseveres in the use of his remedies, and he should continue his remedies long after every vestige of disease is removed. April, 1851, Mr. Barrow still preaches, and is in good health, residing at Newark, New Jersey. Copy of a letter from the Rev. Mr. Barrow to Dr. S. S. Fitch. "Nashville, N. H., Nov. 1st, 1844. " DR. FITCH : " Dear Sir, It is but just that I should acknowledge the benefit derived from your treatment. For nearly one year previously to my applying to you, I had been suffering with a difficulty, which my medi- cal advisers pronounced the ' Bronchial] attended continually with a slight cough ; my throat and tonsils became inflamed, and the latter much enlarged, until a small portion of one of them was removed by excision ; my cough continued to increase until all medical gentlemen, to whom I applied, pronounced the right lobe of my lungs diseased. In this condition, sir, you found me ; your instructions, together with the good effect of your braces, soon convinced me that my posture in writing had greatly conduced to my then state of health. At once I could write half of the day with more ease, with the braces, than one hour without them ; your inhaling tube soon relieved, in a measure, my cough ; and gave a heavier, smoother, and easier tone to my voice ; my feeble and narrow chest, in a few weeks, was enlarged more than one inch. " The relief which I realized soon induced me to fall into careless- ness respecting your prescriptions ; and though my lung difficulties have recently revived slightly, it is the result of my own heedlessness, and I am applying again to the tube and braces, as my most efficient remedy. I can but think, sir, that your information and mode of treatment is fraught with great good to the human family, and espe- cially to clergymen, whose habits of study and exposure of lungs need to be guarded and directed by your most important instructions. No CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 147 speaker, even in health, can use your tube without great advantage ; it will give a compass and music to the voice, and learn him to avoid a high, short, unpleasant, and destructive tone of voice ; and to use those tones which will strengthen the lungs, and thus make speaking itself a means of prolonging rather than shortening life, which I be- lieve to be the true theory. " Most respectfully yours, L. D. BARROW." CASE IV. Mrs. Hurlburt. At Weathersfield, Conn., in August, 1844, I was requested to see a Mrs. Hurlburt, who resided in the west part of Weathersfield, about two miles west from the meeting-house. Her physician was Dr. Robison, of Weathersfield. She was represented to me as being in quite an advanced stage of consumption. An eminent medical gentleman from Hartford, had the week previously visited Mrs. Hurlburt, in con- sultation with Dr. Robison. I accompanied Dr. Robison to her. I found her in what is called quick consumption that is, her lungs were affected pretty much all over them, and large quantities of pus were poured out daily from the internal skin of the lungs, with ulcer- ation in the top of the right lung. She had a bad cough, daily fe- ver, profuse expectoration, raising more than a quart a day, night sweats, great prostration of strength, and cold extremities. In fact, her immediate friends did not suppose she could live one week. I believe Dr. Robison and myself concurred in the opinion, that unless speedily relieved, she would soon die. I gave her remedies, such as the case seemed to require. Her relief was very prompt. I saw her several times. In three weeks she was able to come down to the gate and converse with me. In a few weeks she was perfectly re- covered. Her husband is a respectable farmer. Her recovery is still spoken of in that region as little less than a miracle. Copy of a letter from Mr. James Hurlburt to Dr. S. S. Fitch. "Weathersfield, Dec. 15th, 1844. " DR. S. S. FITCH : " Dear Sir, In reply to your inquiries, I will tell you that my wife 148 ON THE PROOFS OF THE was in poor health, all last spring and summer, -with some cough. The fore part of July, her cough became alarming, with fever, and over}' symptom of consumption. Two eminent physicians attended her ; but no medicine seemed to help lu-r, ;is she sunk very rapidly, until both physicians quite despaired of her recovery, considering her in a rapid consumption. Few persons considered that she could live two weeks : some thought she might not live one week. Such was her v situation when you were called to see her. In twenty -four hours after your first visit, my wife began to improve : in two weeks, she was about her house. By a faithful use of all your remedies, she has perfectly recovered. She imputes her recovery to your timely aid. She, and all her family, as well as myself, send you our best thanks and highest regards. We cannot cease to recommend your practice to all in consumption. JAMES HURLBURT." CASE V. Master George W. Roberts. In January, 1846, I was at Newburyport, Mass., and was re- quested to see a young lad, who was about fifteen years old, an only child. He had been sick for upwards of three years, and at this time did not go out at all could set up only a part of every day. The top of his right lung ulcerated. He raised a great deal, and had a most harrassing cough, and although the weather was very cold, yet he was obliged to sit up two-thirds of every night. His case seemed to invite but little hope, as he had been so long ill, and his system was so prostrated. But his confidence was boundless. He used his remedies faithfully. I need not say that no person expected he could recover. His physicians had left him entirely, considering his case hopeless. Within three weeks I had so far calmed his disease as to allow him full sleep at night, and to be more or less out of doors in the day time. In March I received the following letter. I believe at this time, (April, 1851,) he is in fair health. " Newburyport, Mass., March 1st, 1846. " DR. FITCH : " Sir, I take pleasure in communicating through you to an afflicted CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 149 public, the astonishing effect your medicine has had upon me. I have not enjoyed perfect health for the last three years. Much of the time I have been reduced very low, so as to be given up by my jli \sieians. They thought my liver was so consumed that it was be- yond the power of medicine to cure me. Some refused to give medi- cine, saying it would have no eifect ; that I could not live but a short time at the longest, and perhaps might live a little longer without taking any medicine, excepting a resting powder. So I left off taking any other medicine (or all other medicines), and I think I felt a little better, for my medicines generally made me feel very bad. I was so that I was able to go out. I went out and took a slight cold ; was taken down to my bed again. My cough increased, my appetite failed me. For many months I was obliged to be bolstered up in my bed. I could not lie down in bed on account of my cough ; if I did, it was attended with severe coughing spells. I raised a good deal, was troubled with night sweats. I had given up all hopes of being any better supposed I very soon must die. I was in this sit- uation when I heard of your arrival in this place. I had heard of the astonishing cures you had performed, and felt anxious to see you ; and, by the blessing of God, I am happy to say I owe my life to you, and the health I enjoy. I applied all of your remedies according to directions, and felt greatly relieved in a short time. My night sweats disappeared, my cough grew better, my appetite increased, my strength was greatly increased. I continue the remedies. I now can lie down in bed, and sleep all night ; am able to go out, and take several walks during the day. I have faith to believe that your medicines will en- tirely cure me. All of your medicine has had an astonishing effect upon all that have been taking it in this place. Your patients, so far as I have been able to learn, are doing extremely well. We all feel very anxious to have you visit this place again. I feel very anxious to hear from you. Please write when you think of visiting this place again. If you do not think of visiting this place, you must write without fail. I remain your obliged friend, "GEORGE W. ROBERTS." 150 ON THE PROOFS OF THE CASE VI. Mr. Thaddeus Barnes. In October, 1844, I was consulted at New Haven, Ct., by the sub- ject of the following case. His father died of consumption, and in every respect he was, himself, highly consumptive in appearance. He was about twenty-four years of age. He had been declining in health for two years ; he was extremely emaciated ; his face was white as u sheet, the complexion perfectly blanched ; he had a bad cough ; raised considerable every day, and frequently raised blood ; the morning I saw him he had raised considerable blood. His friends had no hope of his recovery, and he had very little himself. His recovery was very satisfactory. I heard from him about eighteen months after, and then he was in good health. I saw him in October, 1845, twelve months after he called on me. He was then in fine health and spirits. I saw him again on October 28th, 1846, in good health. April, 1851, he still enjoys good health, and has never omitted daily bathing in cold water. Copy of a letter from Mr. Thaddeus Barnes to Dr. S. S. Fitch. New Haven, Oct. 8th, 1845. " Dr. S. S. FITCH : " Dear Sir, I cheerfully comply with your request for a concise account of my situation, previous to my acquaintance with yourself, and your remedies. For some two years I had felt that my health was gradually declining, and for some eight or ten months prior to your visit to New Haven, my friends had become quite alarmed at my symptoms. My hands and feet were always cold. A constant hacking cough had produced extreme soreness in the chest, together with bleeding from the lungs at seven or eight different periods. My flesh was wasting away, and my strength so far gone that ascending a flight of stairs with more than ordinary haste would complete! haust me. In fine, my friends were bold to tell me I had the con- sumption. This was and had been my situation at and before your visit to our city. After placing myself under your treatment, I very soon began to improve. In two months I had gained ten or twelve pounds of flesh. My cough was silenced in about one week, and I CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 151 have never been troubled with it since. Without detailing farther, I can say my health has been good most of the time since I commenced with your remedies. " Believing, sir, that you were the means of my restoration to health, I subscribe myself, yours, under lasting obligations, " THADDEUS BARNES." CASE VII. Miss Mary D. Angell The subject of this case, a beautiful young lady, consulted me at Providence, R. I., on the 5th of March, 1845. This young lady was the last of her family, her father having died of consumption. A young sister died some years before of some sudden lung or throat disease, and another and only sister, her constant companion, being nearly of her age, had died of consumption in July previous (1844.) She had constant cough, much fever, raised matter daily, and at times there was blood. She had also hectic fever and night sweats. I do not believe she had one friend or acquaintance who thought she could survive much beyond the period of her sister's death. Her interest- ing age, her beauty and her danger, made a powerful impression upon my feelings. I gave her her remedies, and strong hopes of recovery. Her mother privately said to me, " Tell me exactly what you think of my daughter, as I have given up every hope of her recovery, and do not wish you to give me the least encouragement, unless you feel certain she will live." Her lungs were highly congested, besides suf- fering from tubercles and ulceration. In July following, in place of the habiliments of the grave, wedding dresses were prepared for her. She is at this time in excellent health. "Providence, R. L, June 16th, 1845. " DR. S. S. FITCH : " Sir, I take the greatest pleasure in informing you, that after six months of cough and all indications of consumption, my father's death, and a dear sister, who died of consumption, in July, 1844, had in- duced me to expect their fate. All my friends and mother pretty much gavo me up as soon to die. In March last, 15th, you saw me ; 1S2 ON THE PROOFS OF THE I took your remedies ; I was then weak, lost flesh, constant cough, expectorated a good deal, and raised blood, with some pain in the side. In sixty days all vestige of disease left me ; not a bit of cough for five weeks past. I am now in most perfect health, flesh and looks. " I must recommend your practice, from my own happy experience of its delightful and happy effects. " My mother and all my friends, with myself, give you our best thanks. Miss ANGELL." CASE VHL Miss Sarah G. Nickers&n. In April, 1845, 1 was consulted at New Bedford, Mass., by this young lady, who resided at Fair Haven, opposite New Bedford. I relieved her entirely from the indisposition under which she had labored for some years. I returned to New Bedford in June, and found a letter at the hotel, requesting, should I come to New Bedford, to call over and see this young lady. I will now remark, that every physician should be a master of medical remedies. His mind should be expanded to successfully meet every case, and learn judiciously to diversify his treatment. Some physicians are so stupid as to use the same set of remedies perhaps an hundred successive times, and always without success, seeming not to know how to diversify their practice. I found Miss Nickerson in a very deplorable state of health. She had had a very severe pleurisy upon the right side, and inflammation of the right lung ; and this had continued for upwards of three weeks, until near- ly every hope of recovery had vanished. The day before I called, she had, in the most affecting manner, intimated to her friends, that she thought she could live but a short time ; and in this they all concurred. She had constant burning fever, total loss of appetite, incessant cough, dry and hot skin, cold feet, great prostration of strength, wretched sleepless nights, and much pain over the right side. She had taken a great deal of medicine, until it seemed as if she could take no more, so prostrated had she become, and so injured was the tone of her stomach. She had been blistered very much upon her side ; horrid tartar emetic sores had been made upon her side and breast, and fi- nally, to shut out all air fro:n her chest, the whole chest was covered CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 153 with oil-silk ; but beneath the silk were plasters, salves, and an abun- dance of sores. On examining the chest, scarcely any air entered the right lung ; the lung seemed to be utterly closed up. Every remedy seemed to have failed of conferring any benefit. All this, joined to complete prostration of strength, seemed to make the case almost hopeless. In addition, she had been delicately brought up, and was of rather effeminate habits. I, however, did not despair of her recovery, and told her so. It was a warm afternoon when I saw her. I told her at six o'clock to put her feet in very hot water, and keep them there until they were perfectly warm, and until the blood circulated freely through the lower extremities, and to raise the heat, if possible, to produce general perspiration. After this had been ac- complished, I requested her to remove every thing from the chest, oil-silk, plasters, salve, and every thing of the kind, as much as pos- sible ; and after that was done, to dip a moderately sized linen table- cloth in cold water, and wrap up the chest, and indeed the whole per- son ; then to place herself in bed and be covered up warm. I di- rected her to keep on the wet cloth for three hours, then take it off and be sponged over with cold salt and water ; then be wiped and rubbed dry, and placed pleasantly in bed. I also gave her such med- icines as I thought suitable for her case. The use of the wet cloth, as first directed, I recommended to be in the same way every eve- ning, until all pain and soreness should have left the chest, and all fever was dispelled from the system ; and after this, to wash her per- son all over, every day, with cold salt and water ; to go out as soon as possible, and to wear no more clothing about her chest than was comfortable ; to put no more oil-silk or plasters upon it ; and finally, as soon as she found the side relieved of pain, and the fever some- what dispelled, to use her inhaling tube in the freest manner, so as to open and expand the collapsed lung. In one week I received a, letter from her, stating that she was much better ; in six, she vi>it-.l me at Fall River, in company with a female friend, who required my assistance. Miss Nickerson was then in blooming health. I should have remarked in the proper place, that when I told them to wrap her up in a wet cloth, they were as much astounded as if I had told them to kill her, nor would it have been adopted had she not before 154 ON THE PROOFS OF THE tried nearly every other remedy without success, and had she not pre- viously experienced benefit from my proscriptions. I saw her in the following October. She enjoyed the finest health. April, 1851, she is married, and enjoys excellent health. Copy of a letter from Miss Sarah G. Nicker son to Dr. S. S. Fitch. "Fairhaven, Mass., July 18th, 1845. " DR. FITCH : " Respected friend, In answer to your kind inquiry concerning my health, I am happy to inform you of its rapid improvement. You doubtless recollect the situation you fo undone in when you so kindly and unexpectedly called. Suffering with a constant pain in my side and across the chest, and in my shoulders, a dry hard cough, shortness of breath, a burning fever, and entire debility, I felt my- self sinking fast, and the only encouraging words said to me by my physicians and friends were, ' The warm weather is in your favor. 7 You, sir, like some kind angel commissioned by Heaven, declared I might yet live. After following your prescriptions two or three days, I could rest sweetly all night, which I had not done before for many weeks, and my appetite, which was entirely gone, was completely re- stored, my cough ceased, and the soreness of my lungs and chest dis- appeared. I am gaining in strength and weight ; and I will add, the benefit I have received from your medicines, together with the shoul- der brace and inhaling tube, cannot be expressed. " I therefore most cheerfully recommend to all similarly afflicted with myself, your remedies, and would advise them not to give up to consumption's fatal grasp until they have given them a trial. " And now, kind sir, please accept my warmest thanks for your kindness ; and that Heaven's richest blessings may rest on you and yours is the sincere wish of your friend, " SARAH G. NICKERSON." CASE IX. Rev. John Morns Pease. I add one letter, containing the experience of the Rev. John MOT- CURE OF CONSUMPTION. 155 tis Pease, who, after long continued chest and lung disease, is now restored to perfect health, with a fine noble chest. " DR. FITCH : " Dear Sir, You will please send me five inhaling tubes. I would not go so far, and be so long away, without providing for accident, and to supply the suffering. On no account woulturbed female health ; but which, I think, in nearly all cases, proceeds from a disturbance of the monthly nature, or derangement, in some way, of the female functions. This is the formation on ditf. - rent }>:irts of the face, the forehead, and upper parts of the face, iii.->-; usually, of yellow or brown spots, occurring more or less in extt-i. depth of color; at one time hardly noticed, at another time, la well defined spots cover half the face. These spots are often said to arise from a disturbed liver. I think they all but always arise from a derangement of the female health, or some functions of the womb. They are quite curable. The effect is most disastrous to female beau- ty, for the brilliancy and clearness of the complexion is entirely lost. A cure can certainly be obtained. PAINFUL PERIODICAL NATURE. In a great many cases, the commencement of the periodical nature is marked by vast pain, most distressing and terrible, taking all strength from the body, and often continuing a whole week. I never fail in its cure. (See the letter of Miss Murray.) END OF THE PERIODICAL NATURE. The natural close of the monthly nature is often marked by some disturbance of the health, but, by care, keeping the bowels free, and preserving the general health, it will usually pass away, and a long calm succeed in the female health. This, when properly managed, will be scarcely marked by a single ripple upon its smooth, unbroken surface, until the female attains, or may attain, to one hundred years. Although, after the cessation of the months, she cannot again give ex- istence to another, yet she can enjoy the highest charms of society and social intercourse. She can guide the young, and every when- en- liven and adorn, and instruct society, by the fervor of her affections t> her family, the brilliancy of her wit, the polish and charm of her accom- plishments, and the generous diffusion of her knowledge and rience, resulting from the stores of her reading, and the extent of her observation. Let her preserve her health and charms in the highest perfection, and never allow inactivity to creep upon her, or for an DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 223 instant allow the thoughts of age to approach her, or think herself less useful or attractive than she ever was, convincing all that ap- proach her, by her kindness and benevolence, that time can not sear her affections, or damp her sympathies, or pluck a single flower of loveliness from her mind. Such a lady will find the la^t half of her century as pleasant, and even more pleasant, than the first. All places will be open to her, all hearts will welcome her. No society can be complete without her; her children will be proud of her, her friends will admire her ; she will so realize the value of her presence, and the extent of her usefulness, that never for a moment can she be made to feel herself a burden to others, or useless in society. She should never retire from society, and never cease to make herself use- ful, agreeable and happy. \ EVACUATIONS FROM THE LUNGS. I have mentioned the lungs as one of the avenues through which passes off more or less of what we eat or drink ; and that neither by coughing or expectoration ; but the matter is deposited in the air, and passes off by the breath. To convince yourselves of this, only breathe a moment upon a plate of cold glass, and you will notice it instantly covered with viscid matter. How much the lungs throw off in this way, we have no positive means of ascertaining. It differs in different persons, amounting, in some cases, I have no doubt, to some pounds daily. Clear, cold, dry air will take off vastly more from the lungs than moist, humid air. Hence, in cold, damp, wet weather, the lungs are vastly more loaded and stuffed up than in a clear, dry air. This will teach you the value of breathing the pure out-door air daily, frequently, and constantly as possible. I have spoken of this suf- ficiently in my remarks on forming a fine chest, and on the prevention of consumption, in another lecture, to which I particularly refer you. THE SKIN. Having passed over these three great avenues of evacuation, the bowels, the kidneys, and lungs, I now come to the fourth THE BKIN. 'J24 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. Before proceeding with the general subject, I will say, the top of the chest is the very throne of beauty. Its round and voluptuous swell is most seducing, winning <-\ vor. The skin . should be brilliantly clear and transparent It is the misfortune of a 1 manv ladies, to have the chest and neck, sometimes, but tli.> chest very often, most horribly scarred by sores, made to remove pain ur tightness across the chest, a cough, or a cold. Even little girls suffer from this practice. No practice of medicine or surgery, in my opinion, is more pernicious, or more detestable than this, inilirting most horrible agony, and injury, in place of good, very rarely bene- fitting any patient in the least degree. It was only yesterday I ha. I occasion to examine the chest of a young lady, who, in the last rivo months, had had tartar emetic sores made on her chest nearly all over it ; front and sides marked by hundreds of scars, in size from a small pea to that of a four-penny piece, without a thought of good or benefit. Earely need you apply a blister, all but never setons, or sores. Should you wish to remove pain, or soreness, or stricture, rub the affected part well with a little stimulating liniment, and then cover it with a linen or cotton cloth, dipped in cold water, wrung out so as not to drip any. Keep it on a few hours, then change it. Usin-j.- liniment, and wearing a wet cloth a few days, save in very rare o will remove pain, and soreness, and tightness upon the lungs, infinitely better than sores of any kind, and will produce no pain or prostration, and leave no scars. Mothers, I beg of you, allow no such sores to be made upon the chests of your daughters, and allow none on your- selves. I witnessed one case, on a lady's chest, where a tartar emetic sore was made on the breast-bone, and continued until a hole was eaten entirely through the breast-bone into the chest. It did not heal for several months. The beauty and brilliancy of the skin and the whole surface of the. body is greatly affected by the condition of the lungs, the stomach, the liver, the bowels, the womb, the kidneys, and all these are great- ly affected by the condition of the skin. It is impossible for the skin and compKxinn to !>; healthy when any or all of tli-s" ar- much !- pare, once a week, a foot-bath. If the persons are feeble or liable to night-sweaty the hot foot-bath need not be used, and is even injuri- ous if the feet are in good order. Take three or four quarts of water, warm ; add to this one table-spoonful of the common washing soda, or the fine super-carbonate of soda, as you please, and three table-spoon- DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 231 fuls of common salt. Now put your feet in, and gradually add hot water, as you can bear it, for twenty or thirty minutes, until you have rai-M'J a very high heat upon your feet. Now remove your feet, and wipe them dry. Should any spots of hardened skin be upon them, scrape these off as often as possible, so as to make all the skin cover- ing the feet, the bottom and sides especially, as thin as possible. Repeat this bath once a week, and you will never have corns, or any inconvenience in your feet, remembering, the shoes should be most graceful, and fit the foot perfectly, but never squeeze or pinch any part of it, the hot foot-bath, such as I have described to you, is one* of the greatest medicines for rushing of blood to the head, recent at- tacks of pain, neuralgia, pleurisy, swelled face, quinsy, scarlet fever, rheumatism, lung fever, cold, liver complaint, and in consumption, it is most valuable. In all cases of pains in the limbs, and deranged circulation, the hot foot-bath is valuable. In fits in children, and a vast many cases of disease, quite too numerous to mention, it will never do any injury. In profuse monthly turns, it at times does harm ; when deficient or tardy, it is valuable. The time to use the hot foot-bath is at bed-time ; and on leaving it, retire to bed. Ladies in perfect health need not use the hot foot-bath, unless they choose. The feet of all should be washed daily in cold water, and particularly next morning after a hot foot-bath. Do not use it if it weakens you, or makes the feet very tender. AIR AND EXERCISE. Although, in another lecture, 1 have said something of exercise, and incidentally much of air, I will here say a few words upon these most important subjects. Walking, riding, dancing, and all amusements in the open air, contribute to form and invigorate the constitution to a vast extent. Without exercise in the open air, no rules for health could possibly be complete. It is impossible to have vigorous health, or pre- serve it long, without daily exercise in the open air. It is most unfor- tunate, that, in this country, ladies take so little exercis^in the open air, especially those who are well, and in easy circumstances, who have the leisure for it. Many ladies, during the long period of cold weather, Bay nearly seven months of the year, hardly go out at all. They stay 232 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. within, in heated rooms, taking little or no exercise, for many months. The effects are deplorable. Debility all over, loss of spirits, costive- ness, loss of bloom on their checks. The <-ve loses its brightness ; and health and beauty become impossible in this state of things. To fe- male children it is very injurious. The striking contrast between Kng- li>h ladies, and the French and American, and, in fact, nearly all other ladies in the world, is owing to out-door exercise taken daily ; scarcely any weather prevents it. Should the weather be very inclement, exer- cise is taken withiii-doors. In stormy weather, the Queen of England daily takes exercise, by riding or walking in covered buildings, or ter- races, ;ide on her brow, confidence in her step. Her influence over the opposite sex is irresistible, giving rise to the most exquisite impressions, and the liveliest susceptibilities. Wit, cheerfulness, and brilliancy surround her, reflected from her own glowing heart. Her whole being knows no cold medium. On the other hand, she in whom these emotions are wholly wanting, is a living, continuous disappointment : her cold eye rolls in its socket with the expression of polished ice ; she is nearly a stranger to emotion ; her mind is sluggish her body more so. No deep color burns in her cheeks, no vivacity in her thoughts ; slow and passionless in her susceptibilities. Her monthly nature, usually late in its appearance, is irregular, and often entirely wanting or ceases at an early period. Society has few attractions for her. The opposite sex is looked upon with fear and distrust, whose only attractions arc as providers or protectors. The connubial bed is far from agreeable to her. As a wife, she }\n< fc\v attractions, and, in many cases, her disheartened husband drags out a life of disappointment, or 1< her. Her health is of a low grade ; she possesses no powers of endu- DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 237 ranee. Her children, if blessed with any, are apt to be a poor, feeble, and scrofulous race. She has not the least comprehension of the highest pleasures of which the female being is susceptible. You ask me, if such cases do occur, are they common ? I answer, they oc- cur in a greater or less degree in many, and that in all grades of so- ciety, both rich and poor. I will endeavor to point out the causes. Mrs. A. is endowed with excellent principles, full of piety, and good works. She has in her recollection cases of female indiscretion, and is fully resolved her daughters shah 1 be well brought up ; she keeps them mostly with herself; very rarely do they speak to one of the opposite sex ; sent to schools for females only, never allowed much society, or only that of elderly ladies ; they are most circumspect and demure in all their doings ; great care is taken of their health. From tender infancy they wear a great deal of clothing, so that the hips and basket of the hips particularly are covered with heavy clothing in all seasons ; at 8 the little girls are clothed as if they were 20 years of age. If they go to parties, it is not to speak to gentlemen, unless to some venerable uncle, or old friend of their father. Daughters thus brought up grow truly degenerate in their physical constitution ; but their children, brought up in the same way, are often totally wanting in all sexual emotions. These remarks apply, as far as is known, to citizens of the United States. The remedy for this truly disastrous state of things, so un- fortunate to all concerned, but most of all, to the wretched subjects themselves, often and usually totally unconscious of any loss or any want, is to pursue an opposite course. All should know and con- stantly realize that men and women are formed to grow up and asso- ciate with each other, from the tenderest age until life itself fades in its oldest period. Nothing is more dreadful in its consequences on the physical constitution than a convent of nuns. Sports and games, and walks and spirited conversation, and the merry dance, all in their proper time and place, both sexes participating, give stimulus to life, glow to health, and an edge to all enjoyments. What God has be- stowed, let us not rashly condemn or seek to extinguish. All this is consistent with the purest piety and the holiest life. Every lady should recollect, both for herself and her daughters, that the highest glory 238 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. and the proudest privilege of a woman is to be a beloved wife and happy mother. Our excellent pastors and spiritual teachers, whilst sach week, with holy zeal and burning eloquence, they condemn all v'ice and inculcate every virtue, never mean to impress upon the fe- male mind, or have their teachings so construed as to induce her, to extinguish every sexual emotion. These remarks have been forced upon me from having witnessed among these unhappy ladies so many cases of consumption. My next discourse to you will be upon the symmetry of the inter- nal organs of the body and symmetry of mind. ON CHANGES OF DRESS. It ia a circumstance particularly worthy of notice, that our cloth- ing, on being worn a short time, becomes more or less charged with electricity from the body and linen, although we may be bathed and wash the surface of the whole person daily in cold water, as I have before noted. Our clothing, especially such as immediately invests the person, should not be too often changed. This rule particularly applies to all delicate persons and invalids, and all children, any far- ther than absolute cleanliness requires. One of the reasons why a great many children of wealthy parents are delicate, and much more so than those of the poorer classes, is because their clothing is too often changed, and thus the body is rapidly exhausted of its electri- cal forces. Flannels in cold weather may be changed once a week, or two weeks, in some cases. You can judge for yourselves. DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 239 DISCOURSE FIFTH. TO LADIES ONLY. On Symmetry of the Internal Organs of the Body, and on Symme- try of Mind, as preventing Pulmonary Consumption, and ensuring Long Life. LADIES : THE present discourse will be upon the symmetry of the internal or- gans of the body. By a glance at Plate C, you will notice all these organs in their natural and appropriate places : the lungs, on each side of the chest, from the collar-bones above to the seventh rib below in front, and extending much lower back. The heart is in front between them. The contents of the chest are separated from the abdomen by a floating curtain, called the midriff. The right and left portions of the midriff are loose, and float upwards into the chest, every time we breathe out the air in the chest. On breathing in the air, the midriff of a person in health forms a floor to the lungs and heart, and descends until it is drawn tight, flat and stiff across the body. The midriff is so arranged as always to form rather a fast support to the heart, and floats below the lungs on their emptying out the air from the chest. The lungs are wedge-shaped ; the small ends of the wedges are uppermost, under the collar-bones, whilst the base of the lungs and vastly the larger portions are at the bottom of the lungs, and turned downwards heavily on to the diaphragm. When we stand up, the lungs hang on the wind-pipe and large air- vessels, and on the large blood-vessels with which they are tied to the back-bone behind. The lungs float downwards into the midriff or floor of the lungs, and sideways against the ribs, every time we draw in the air. The heart is also wedge-shaped, and its base or large end is upper- most, whilst its small end points downwards and sideways into the left chest, occupying one-third more room in the left chest than it does 340 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. in the right, measuring from the centre of the breast-bone, under which the In-art is plao-d, towards its middle and lower part. The li'\-irt floats a little with the midriff, but is held securely in its place by its attachments to the lesser midriff, by its own case, and by the great blood-vessels that come and go from it. The heart and lungs both, and all, are enclosed in the chest, which is a basket of 1 formed by the back-bone behind, the breast-bone in front, and the ribs that go from the back-bone to the breast-bone ; seven ribs are long, five short; the five lower ribs are short, yet all are so tied as to be connected with the breast-bone. (See Plate B.) This basket of bones is entirely open at the bottom ; only divided off from the abdomen by a fleshy floating curtain. On looking into the abdomen on the plate, you notice towards the left side, below the breast and left lung, the stomach ; to the right of this, is the liver ; below, are the large and small boAvels. Nearly all the bowels are floating, and readily move up and down, and rush out as quick as water, when, on stand- ing, the walls of the abdomen are cut or broken through. Both ends of the large bowel are tied fast. The lower end of the large bowel is tied for some distance to the back-bone, and is thus kept from float- ing. It forms the back passage through the basket of the hips. BASKET OF THE HIPS (see Plate B.) The basket of the hips is placed at the lower end of the waist, and is united to the end of the back-bone, at the bottom of the small of the back. This basket is open above and below, and is so placed that its lower end opens backwards, and its upper part pitches forward. (See the Plate.) By this shape and position, in a straight, well- formed person, the bowels cannot fall dow r n through the basket of the hips, but are stopped on the bone that crosses the lower part of the abdomen in front. This bone in front connects one side of the bas- 1 ket of the hips with the other. The bony walls of the basket of the hips are very thick, and very solid ; the only part moveable is the lower end of the back-bone. The other parts of the bony walls of the basket of the hips can hardly be said to have any power of being moved, or stretched, to a larger size, or to be capable of being compressed to a smaller size, offering a striking contrast to the walls of the basket of DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. '241 the chest. The chest you can make as large as you please, or as small, but cannot move the basket of the hips, save in a slight degree, and never in any manner at will. In young persons, by a vicious habit of sitting in a very crooked posture, and long at a time, all bent into a heap, the basket of the hips may bend from its union with the back-bone, and come forward at its lower parts, so as to make the b;usket of the hips pitch forward, instead of backwards. This is a great deformity, and often leads to most deplorable consequences, by allowing the organs of the trunk of the body to fall into the basket of the hips ; by this at times pushing the womb entirely out of the body, and if not soon cured, will lead to being, at least, permanently bed- ridden. This deformed position of the basket of the hips always prevents being straight in person, or walking well, or standing erect. It is a great misfortune, and can always be prevented by sitting erect and straight, when you do indulge in a sitting posture, and by never sitting all in a heap, and much bent, and stooping. (See Plate K.) The evil is aggravated by sitting long bent over on a hard seat, as is often seen with girls at school. The basket of the hips in females is much broader than in males, and is larger, and will hold much more than in males, all other things being equal. CONTENTS OF THE BASKET OF THE HIPS. The basket of the hips contains some of the most important organs of the body. In front, behind the cross-bone, first, is the bladder ; next, behind this, is the womb and its appendages ; behind this is the back passage, or lower end of the large bowel. The large bowel, in its whole length through the basket of the hips, is tied to the back- bone, or what represents it. The front passage only extends from the upper part of the womb outwards, when the womb is perfectly in its natural position. (See Plates S and 0, for a perfect view of all these organs in their natural positions.) THE KIDNEYS The kidneys are not in the basket of the hips, but above it, in the small of the back, each side of the back-bone. Their office is to se- parate the surplus water, and salts, and earths, from the blood. There 11 Ji-J DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. is a small chamber in each kidney, into which the water is first poured. From the chamber of each kidney a pipe passes downwards, behind the bowels, to the bladder, and conveys all the water from the kid- neys to the bladder. (See Plate S.) THE WOMB. The womb is situated between the bladder and back passage, and at the top of the front passage. The womb has the shape and figure of a pear, it is wedge-shaped, with its large end uppermost, and its lower, or small end, pointing downwards. Its base is upwards ; its lower end extends into the top of the front passage (see Plates S and 0.) The womb is kept in its place by the soft parts around it, and by having no pressure at all on its top part, and by its own proper ligaments or ties. OVARIES. On each side of the womb, and connected \vith it by two pipes, are the ovaries, two balls of the size of a small egg. If the ovaries, or the pipes that lead from them to the womb, are diseased, or obstruct- ed, so that nothing can pass from the ovaries to the womb, the female cannot become a mother. (See Plate S, figs. 6-6.) SYMMETRY OF THE INTERNAL ORGANS OF THE BODY. I have before described the belts that cover the front and sides of the abdomen (see Plate E.) The trunk of the body is a species of round box. Imagine a round- ish box, the size of the trunk of the body, and that it is laid down flat, and stowed full of goods, and that half its lid is made solid and strong as a board, and the other half of its lid is made of cloth. Now, set this trunk up on end, the cloth part of its cover being at the lower part, all the goods will at once drag down to the lower part, and push out the cloth cover : hence, you will see how solid and firm the cloth cover must be, to keep up all the goods, and not burst out below. (See Plate 0.) This is a fair parallel of the formation and condition of the trunk of the body. DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. PLATE O. PLATE P. 243 "Side View of most of the organs of the body in their natural situation. C, Elevated Midriff, or floor of the Lungs. G, the Bladder. II, the front passage in the hasket of the hips. I, the back passage through the basket of the hips. S, the Sto- mach. X, Floating Bowels. Side View of most of the important organs of the body, which have fallen down from a relaxation of the abdominal belts. C, the Midriff. G, the Abdomen, hanging down. H, the Bladder. J, the Womb. S, the Stomach, fallen down. X, Floating Bowels. All the organs of the trunk of the body, such as the lungs, heart, liver, stomach, and bowels, are kept in their places in part by the ab- dominal belts that enclose and form the walls of the abdomen. Now then, if these belts, or walls, become relaxed, or pushed out, the effect 244 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. is to cause, on standing up, a dislocation, or dragging down, more or out of their places, of the lungs, heart, stomach, liver, bowel-*, womb, ovaries, and hack ]>a>>;!^", producing the following eflvct-s more or less aggravated, as the abdominal belts are more or less re- laxed, taking every degree of mischief, from slight inconvenience to instant death. (See Plate P.) Effects of a relaxation or giving way of the abdominal belts upon the lunys. The first effect is to take way from the floor of the lungs their sup- port, and they drag downwards, causing wheezing breathing, short- ness of breath, asthma, a hacking cough, great difficulty, when stand- ing up, to fill the lungs with air, a sense of great weakness and wear- iness under the collar-bones, a strong inclination to bring forward the shoulders upon the chest, and to stoop, on standing or sitting, a feeling of hollowness or emptiness at the top of the chest, great diffi- culty to get the breath, on walking fast, or on going up-hill, or up- stairs, or on any sudden exertion, running is impossible. Bleeding from the lungs is another effect of falling of the bowels, and relaxation of the abdominal belts, or coverings. I have often witnessed bleeding from the lungs in these cases. Another effect, in many cases, is a collapse, or closing all up of the air-cells of the upper parts of the lungs, and a shrinking up of the tops of the lungs, and thus allowing a deposit of tubercles, and formation of pulmonary con- sumption. Tall, thin ladies, with hardly any development of abdo- men, are very often subject to falling bowels, when very few would imagine it possible. In proof of this, I have once before mentioned the stoppage of the progress of consumption when a lady is in the family-way, and its most rapid progress after the child is born. This leads me to remark, how carefully a consumptive lady should be supported, on getting up, after the birth of a child. I will men- tion two or three cases of consumption produced by falling of the bowels. In September, 1843, I was requested to see a young married lady, for consumption. I found a tall, elegant young lady, who had been very delicately brought up ; had been married thirteen months. At DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 245 the end of ten months, she gave birth to a daughter, and seemed doing extremely well. Three weeks after the birth of her child, she was allowed to leave her bed without sufficient support, and went fifty miles to visit her mother. The want of support to the bowels allowed the lungs to drag down ; bleeding from the right lung began. I saw her twelve weeks after this, in the last stage of hopeless con- sumption. In those females who have never borne children, the ab- domen may remain very flat, and yet the bowels fall down more or K'ss ; but with ladies who have borne children, the abdominal belts become then enormously stretched and extended. After child-birth, they usually, in a few days or weeks, return to a smaller size, but rarely as flat as before. Woe to the unfortunate consumptive mother who, after child-birth, is allowed to rise too soon from her bed, or is not perfectly supported when she does get up, In a great many cases of weak ladies, the abdominal belts never go back, to be small and flat, as they ought to be ; and from the birth of a child, or a miscarriage, they date ill health ever after. Nearly all cases of bed- ridden ladies are made so from this cause. In September, 1844, I visited a lady at Glastonbury, Ct. who had a child eighteen months old. The mother could never sit up afterwards. At the end of one year, she fell into consumption, and was in its last stages when I saw her. In April, 1845, 1 was called to visit a young lady, at Providence, Rhode Island. She was extremely beautiful, and inclined to be fleshy. Soon after her marriage she travelled with her husband through several of the western states, and during the journey rode seventy miles in a stage, on a very rough road. On returning to Providence she soon found herself unable to walk, and had been con- fin>-d eleven months to her bed and room. The morning of the day I snw her, she was taken with bleeding at her lungs. She told me the journey to the western country, and especially the stage-coach, travelling over the rough roads, seemed to shake and jar her inside nl most to pieces, so that she had never recovered from the fatigue of tlu- journey. Had her bowels been well supported, all these dreadful effects of her journey would have been entirely prevented. She had never been in the family-way. I think nearly one-third of all con- 246 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. sumptions in females are induced by falling of the bowels, and thus leading to a dislocation and dragging down of the lungs. WEAKNESS AND LOSS OF VOICE FROM FALLING OF THE BOWELS, OR WEAKNESS OF THE ABDOMINAL BELTS. Weakness of voice, and, at times, total loss of voice, arise from re- laxation of the abdominal belts and consequently falling of the bow- els. In this case, the lungs do not fill, the wind-pipe is dragged down, and weak voice and sore throat are the consequence. The person cannot sing or talk long, or read aloud, or speak in public, without excessive fatigue, and very soon cannot spqak at all, unless relieved. A great many females and female teachers, who stand long and talk much, from weakness across the abdomen, lose their voices, become hoarse, take a sore throat, and if not relieved, are soon forced to leave their occupation. In March, 1845, I was consulted in Providence, Rhode Island, by a very accomplished lady, who was a teacher in a large school, but for four months past had been forced to. leave her school, because of sore throat and great weakness of voice. She called on me, and asked me if I could relieve her in four days, because, if I could, she could return to her school at that time. I had the extreme pleasure, by God's blessing, to restore this lady to her school in four days, and to good health in a short time. (See letter of Mrs. Kingsley.) PALPITATION OF THE HEART. Several causes may produce palpitation of the heart. One of these is falling of the bowels, &c. On taking much exertion, or walking, or sitting long in church, or being in a crowd, if weak across the bow- els, palpitation of the heart will come on in ladies of all ages. In July, 1844, I was consulted at Weathersfield, Connecticut, by two ladies, for palpitation of the heart, from which both suffered greatly. One was a married lady, mother of eleven children ; she was short and very fleshy. The other was a young single lady, about seventeen years old, tall and very thin. Both had palpitation from the same cause, and both were cured by abdominal support. DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 247 FAINTING FITS. Many ladies, more especially young ones, are liable, on taking much exertion, to be suddenly overcome and to faint ; also, to faint in church, or in a crowd. This, in nearly all cases, is produced by abdominal weakness. The heart is not well supported, and readily stops its ac- tion for a short time. This explains why a lady faints on standing, walking, or sitting up, that never faints whilst lying down. SINKING, ALL GONE AT THE PIT OF THE STOMACH, FROM FALLING OF THE BOWELS. Many ladies, and especially those who stand much, experience a most distressed and sinking feeling at the pit of the stomach a feel- ing of being all gone there, a place which seems quite empty, and which nothing will fill. Eating a full meal will, for a short time, usual- ly stop this feeling, but it soon returns, and the lady feels as if she had eaten nothing, and a faint, exhausted feeling, takes away all her spirits, or ambition to do anything. She experiences a sense of great weakness at the pit of the stomach, and a disposition to stoop. Stoop- ing, at firSt, seems to relieve her a little, and she stoops more and more, until nearly, bent double. I saw a tall lady, a few months ago, who began stooping, as I have said, and continued the habit until she was bent nearly double, bending from her hips so as to carry her head and chest and abdomen as low as her hips, producing a most distress- ing deformity. In other cases, the lady feels as if cut in two at the pit of the stomach. At other times this weakness or sinking feeling is ex- perienced in the side, either right or left, or both. If this weakness occurs on one side only, the lady will stoop more or less to that side. This great weakness and sinking at the pit of the stomach and sides, is usually much aggravated on walking or lifting, or on taking any active exercise. The lady is soon obliged to lie down, to recover her breath and strength. At other times the weakness is felt in front, opposite the hips, below the middle of the stomach, and at times it is felt in the chest, under the collar-bones or about the throat. All this is often relieved or perfectly cured by abdominal support. I have witnessed and cured a great many cases of this kind. This weakness at the pit of the stomach often leads to dyspepsia or 248 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. indigestion of the food. The food often, after eating, lays very heavy ; feels a load ; at other times the stomach bloats, and the lady feels as if she could not breathe. At other times the food sours in the stomach sooner or later after eating, and many kinds of food cannot be eaten. In others, in a longer or shorter time after eating, distressing pain is felt in the stomach. CHRONIC DIARRHOEA. In some cases, falling of the bowels from a relaxation of the abdomi- nal belts, will produce a constant diarrhoea or looseness of the bow- els, more or less urgent, which in many cases induces great debility. The stomach participates, more or less, in the weakness, and the food badly digested passes into the bowels and ferments there, causing flatulency and looseness. A vast many of these cases are helped or cured by abdominal support. COSTIVENESS. In some cases, falling of the bowels causes them to be extremely sluggish, and acting very slowly indeed, so as to seem almost as if dead ; often having no passage for days together, and frequently a rumbling and moving of wind in the bowels, a bloating of them, BOWELS, &c. By looking at Plate S, you will see the position of the kidneys ; each side of the spine, just above the point of the hips, and behind all the other contents of the abdomen. You will notice, also, two pipes that go, one from each kidney, forwards and downwards, behind the floating bowels, and down into the basket of the hips, to the back of each side of the bladder. These pipes, five to eight inches long, cany the water from the chamber of each kidney to the bladder. Now, then, when the floating bowels roll downwards, they often fall upon these pipes, and close them, more or less, so that the water is prevented from passing into the chambers of the bladder. This throws it back into the kidneys, and soon fills up the. kidneys. The water usually has salts, and earths, and acids, more than another, nor does the womb fall backwards on the K-iek passage, or forwards upon the bladder, nor does it fall down- wards into the front passage, if in health, and in its natural place. No organ or part of the female frame is so liable to dislocation as the womb, and this dislocation, if much, prostrates the female, and produces great injury to the powers of life. The slightest changes in the position of the womb may affect the female health, and make her an invalid in a short time. I will now mention some of the changes that take place in the position of the womb, and the consequences arising from them. The womb is always disposed to keep exactly hi its place, if not pressed upon by other bodies. I believe, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, the womb is never moved from its place, unless the bowels from above fall down upon its largest and uppermost end. Some- times by bad falls, such as being thrown out of a carriage, and falling sideways on the hips, or flat on the back, or on the stomach, the womb may be thrown to one side, or backwards, or forwards ; but these cases are very rare. The almost universal cause of dislocation of the womb, is the falling of the bowels from above, upon the womb. Sometimes the womb is congested, and greatly enlarged, from miscarriages, and other causes, so that its weight is much in- creased, and it falls down by its own weight. By looking at Plate S, you will see that the womb is very large, and broad at its top, and presents a large surface, on which the falling or dislocated bowels, or any part falling into the basket of the hips, may strike, or impinge. The womb hangs in the basket of the hips, by ligaments. It is moved out of its place with difficulty by anything that comes against it from below, but almost the slightest touch from above, striking on its largo end, will move it out of its place. By this, and by falls, the top of the womb may be thrown backwards, upon the back passage, dou- bling on itself, or it may, in the same manner, fall forwards upon the bladder. At other times, whilst the top of the womb falls on the back passage, the neck, or lower end, will pass over against the blad- der. Sometimes the womb falls to one or other sides of the basket DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 259 of the hips. This is often the case where the womb falls downwards much. The most common change, by far, is when the womb falls directly down into the front passage. I will now speak more partic- ul.ulv of some of these changes in the position of the womb. TOP OF THE WOMB FALLING BACKWARDS, AND STRIKING ON THE BACK PASSAGE. This change is not very frequent ; when it does take place, the un- fortunate lady experiences the most horrible pain in the small of the back, almost total inability to sit, stand, or walk, or even lay down. In her agony, after trying every position, she usually finds most re- lief by putting herself on her knees in bed. In this position she will often remain hours, and whole nights and days, until the womb falls back to its place. Hysteric fits, at times, take place from the extreme agony and pain. I once knew a very accomplished English lady, who had a falling of the womb in this way, at times, for years. She con- sulted the most eminent medical men in London, with little or no relief; nor could they explain to her the cause of her malady. After living a terrible sufferer for six years, she visited Philadelphia, and consulted a medical gentleman there, who, on examination, discovered that it was a dislocation of the top of the womb, and its falling back- wards on the back passage. The use of suitable remedies soon re- lieved her. FALLING OF THE TOP OF THE WOMB FORWARDS. When the top of the womb falls forwards, it strikes on the top and back part of the bladder, usually causing a total inability to re- tain the urine. Either it passes off involuntarily, or she is forced 1o pass it every few minutes. Great pain is felt in the bladder, and in the stomach, and, in fact, all over her. Relief is usually obtained tem- porarily by laying on the back. FALLING OF THE WOMB INTO THE FRONT PASSAGE. The womb falling directly down into the front passage, or downwards, or a little to one side, is by far the most common form of falling of the 260 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. womb, and is nearly always produced by the falling of the bowels from above upon the top of the womb, by which arcideiit the womb is pu.slu M- in any way aggravate the patient's sufferings, but to soothe and relieve them all. If 7/o should wear an abdominal supporter ? When should they be worn? I reply, that every delicate lady, and, in fact, every female, should have a perfect, and pica-ant, and well-adjusted supporter at her com- mand, one that fits her well ; and, whenever she feels any of the weaknesses I have mentioned, she should wear her supporter. La- dies who stand a great deal, or take long walks, or who go up and down-stairs much, who take long and fatiguing journeys, who are nursing, who lift much, or are debilitated from any cause, should wear a supporter. Some ladies should wear a supporter one month in a year, and others are required to wear it nearly all the time. Its timely and judicious use will contribute vastly to prevent the ap- proaches of disease, will confer much comfort, and add many years to life. SYMMETRY OF MIND ESSENTIAL TO HEALTH AND LONG LIFE. In conclusion, I cannot pass over the vast importance to health, that the mind, in all its parts, should be well balanced, no one at- tribute of mind acting at the expense of the others. A disordered and distempered mind is totally incompatible with health and long life. It soon destroys the body of its possessor. . Tranquillity and repose of mind are indispensable to health and long life. It is an interesting fact, that all the vices contribute to disturb the mind, whilst all the virtues contribute to its repose and tranquillity. The effect of vice is to shorten life, and destroy health whilst we live. On the other hand, virtue, in all its demonstrations, inclines to lengthen the duration of human life. Now tln-n, ladies, allow me to urge you to cultivate symmetry of mind. Repel from your minds all corroding cares, all unnecessary anxieties, and every thing in the shape of secret vices. Si-f-n-t. vices are like that destructive vermin that establishes itself in the heart of the choicest and most promising fruits, and eats DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 269 out all their virtue and substance. Never allow remorse, revenge, envy, hatred, or malice, to take possession of your minds. These conditions of the mind deepen all the lines of the face, sharpen all the features, and give to their possessor the appearance of premature age, and call down upon her, who should and could be the delight of all eyes, the epithet of "hag." But, on the other hand, internal purity, and the practice of benevolence, the exercise of generosity, of kind- ness to all, " thinking no evil," practising no evil, cultivating the full- est cheerfulness, will soothe and soften the coarsest brow. Above all, the whole mind requires an anchor that shall stay it in all the storms, vicissitudes, and troubles of life. This anchor is obtained in pure and undefiled religion, a constant reliance, in all trials, upon God our Saviour. Practise, judiciously, the precepts of health I have taught you, for your bodies. For your minds, " never be wise above what is written," but learn and practise all the teachings of our blessed Sa- viour, and your persons will be full of strength and beauty ; your days will be filled with joyous health, and your lives be long, prosperous, and happy. Ladies, in concluding these two lectures, I take the liberty to pre- sent to you a few letters, selected out of a large number of the same character, from ladies who have realized benefits by pursuing the course I have indicated in the foregoing lectures. The object is to obtain your perfect confidence, so that you may preserve your health during a long life, and should sickness invade that, that you may never despair of a perfect recovery. Without a share of your confi- dence, you will not be induced to follow the directions pointed out in the lectures. To ensure this confidence, I subjoin a few letters from intelligent ladies. In reading them, you may perceive a mirror, reflecting whol- ly, or in part, your own cases, and learn by the gratifying results how much you, yourselves, may be benefitted. To some of these letters I have appended a few explanatory remarks. CASE L Mrs. A. W. Kingsley. In February, 1845, this lady called on me in Providence, Rhode 270 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. Island. She is one of the most accomplished female teachers in that city. In the arduous pursuit of her laborious profession, she had \ impaired her health ; had nearly lost her voice ; experienced a very bad sore throat ; great pain and weakness about the top of her chest. These symptoms became so aggravated, that in October, 1844, she was obliged to relinquish her profession altogether, and for ii\' months past had been an invalid. She called on me on Friday morn- ing, and after stating her case, told me that the next Monday the spring term of her school would commence, and said it would give her infinite pleasure could she then resume lier duties in the school. I gave her her remedies, with careful directions. On Monday follow- ing, she resumed her occupation in the school, and although the same occupation that had previously made her ill, yet so effectual and ap- propriate were the remedies, and so persevering her use of them, that in a few weeks she recovered her health. The next May I received the following letter from her : Copy of a letter from Mrs. A. W. Kingsley to Dr. S. S. Fitch. "Providence, May 21st, 1845. " Dear Sir, I should have written to you before this, but my direc- tions got mislaid, therefore I was unable. My health is very good : there is no soreness in the throat, but some pain, if I read aloud, a short time, although it does not trouble me at all in my daily occu- pation ; therefore I have great cause for encouragement and thank- fulness. On the whole, I have not enjoyed such good health for more than a year, and your supporter I can speak of in the highest terms ; I should not be willing to part with it on any account. I think it has done more for the improvement of my health than all the medi- cine I have taken. It appears to support the whole frame. Your patients, Misses Angell (see page 151) and Tyler, are improving in health, especially Miss A. She has not been so well for a long time. I must speak of the inhaling tube you gave me, which I consider :i valuable present, and am greatly obliged to you. " I am, with respect, yours, &c., " A. W. KINGSLEY." DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 371 CASE II. Mrs. Emeline M. Howland. This lady called on me at New-Bedford, in April, 1845. Her health had become so impaired, that for a year previous to consulting me, she had been unable to do anything in her family, and was nearly all the time under the care of her physician. She called on me on Saturday evening, on Monday morning following she resumed her duties in her family. I saw this lady six months afterwards, accom- panied by her husband. She called on me ; she had become fleshy, and was in perfect health. Her husband told me, that for many years some physician or other had visited their house professionally, from once a week to three times a day ; "and now," said he, "to our utter astonishment, when we think of it, no physician has been called to visit us since my wife received her remedies from you." Copy of a letter from Mrs. Emeline M. Howland to Dr. S. S. Fitch. "New Bedford, Mass., June 23, 1845. ' DR. FITCH : " Health is a blessing that I have not enjoyed since a child, and for the last eight years have suffered much, and never expected to enjoy it again ; and have expected to drag out a miserable existence, and find an early grave. Often have I desired a quiet night's rest, but in vain. You have only to turn to your notes, and view what my situation was when I called on you, a few weeks since, with but little faith, and small hope. I took your supporters, medicine, and directions, and returned home, encouraged by your advice. With great resolution and perse- verance, on my own part, and from your supporters, medicine, and ad- vice, I have received great benefit. I now enjoy good health. I feel that I have just began to live. I can rest sweetly all night. I think I never enjoyed life so well before. In truth, I must say, the benefit I have received from your medicine cannot be expressed. , Accept this slight testimony of my gratitude, for the benefit I have received from your directions. I think I shall never be afraid of cold water again. Miss Anna Bunder is much better, especially as regards her throat, than when you were here. Respectfully yours, " EMELINE M. HOWLAND." 272 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. CASE III. Mrs. Mary F. Gardiner. In July, 1845, I was requested to visit this lady. I found her in a very bad state of health, a helpless invalid. She had been confined to her bed upwards of four months, and was wholly unable to stand or walk ; she could not rise from h T i> d ; two or three persons were re- quired daily, to lift her in and out of bed. She experienc t saw Mrs. Gardiner, I met her brother, wh>> informed me tint h; ter was now in excellent good health, and was able to walk about to\vn> and attend to her duties as well as any lady. Copy of a letter from Mrs. Mary F. Gardiner to Dr. S. S. Fitch. "Fall River, Mass., Sept. 7th, 1845. " DOCT. S. S. FITCH : " It is with great pleasure that I avail myself of this opportunity, to inform you respecting my health. It is greatly improved in sou pects, since I began to take your medicine, six weeks ago last \Y day night. I have not been so well of co^tiveness for nearly two years, as at present. My appetite i.s good, and causes very lutle hoax or distress in my stomach, to what it did. My head is bettor th:m it has bfien for more than two years, yet I am still weak, and hav down once or twice in the forenoon, and as many times in tlr> noon. In three weeks from the time 1 began to take your iiu-*; I wi.lkcd out of doors us far as th;- gate, and have been, since that, to ills iiMi'c-t iijighb;. ::<>-,viii the small and low down in m . L to ba 89 careful as I could i some mean-?, I cannot t -11 how, whether it is the sudden chang -s of the weather or what, I have had a bad cold about a fortnight, and cough DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 273 so that I could not rest when I lay down. I think I should feel quite smart, if it were not for this. I feel thankful that you have been the means, under our Heavenly Father's blessing, of restoring my health as much as it is ; and now, according to promise, I want you to send me all the instructions you can. I want you to send me word how soon you are coming, and if soon, there are some things I have not mentioned, that I wish to tell you ; and if not, I will write again. Your visit to Fall River has been blest to others as well as me, and we have the promise, that if we do all the good we can, we shall be blessed both in a temporal and spiritual sense. This is the sincere wish and prayer of her who addresses these lines to you. Please to return an answer, as soon as you receive this. " MARY F. GARDINER." CASE IV. Copy of a letter from Miss Betsy A. JBeedom to Dr. S. S. fitch. "New Bedford, Mass., June 10, 1845. "DR. S. S. FITCH: " Dear Sir, After a considerable period of ill health. I was attacked in January, 1845, and lost several quarts of blood, that reduced me greatly ; confined to my bed five weeks ; and gradually regained a little strength, so as to go about my room and the house, but not able to do any work. April 19, 1845, I first saw you ; my situation was then as follows : Pale as ashes ; unable to do any work ; my food soured, and remained undigested in my stomach ; bad dyspepsia ; all broke off, and sinking at the stomach, all gone there ; costive all the time ; very short breathing ; scarcely able to walk ; weak stomach ; icy-cold feet ; small of the back very weak ; pain in the small of the back and shoulders ; female irregularity. I could have hardly ex- pected to have been alive at this time. The supporter, braces, and medicine, produced a rapid and happy change in my health, strength, and looks. I have now been able to work for five weeks past. I am in excellent health ; every bad symptom either entirely gone, or so slight as not to be noticed. My best thanks to you. " BETSY A. J&EEDOM." 12* 274 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. CASE V. Copy of a letter from Mrs. Abigail Gibbs to Dr. S. S. Fitch. " Providence, R. L, July 29, 1845. " DR. FITCH : " Dear Sir, When I came to you, I had been suffering from com- plaints of long standing, from which I had failed to obtain relief. I was glad, when hearing you lecture, to know you had supporters, as well as medicine, to strengthen the system. When I commenced taking your remedies, I was very hoarse, often fainting, could not walk any distance without being oppressed for breath, was very weak, with a pain in my side, and a cough that troubled me very much. I am positively very much benefitted from wearing your abdominal supporter, and shoulder-braces, which, with the medicine I have taken, have imparted to me a degree of health to which I had been long a stranger. I feel convinced that, under Providence, I owe my recovery from distressing prostration and suffering, entirely to the agency of your medicine. This testimony I give with the most heartfelt grati- tude for the kind interest which you manifested for me, and which I shall ever remember. Yours, with respect, "ABIGAIL GIBBS." CASE VI. Copy of a letter from Mr. Peter Fayerweather to Dr. S. S. Fitch. "Bridgeport, Conn., Feb. 24th, 1845. "DR. S. S. FITCH: " Being out of business this winter, I have been out of town most of the time. This is my apology. We have not forgotten your kindness to us kst fall. No, we feel under lasting obligations to you. My health is quite good, considering my depression of mind. Your remedies I found, in every particular, good. Mrs. Fayerweather is almost entirely freed from all her old difficulties, . Her countenance is brightened up. She feels active and young, as she did ten years ago. She has fleshed up, and, in short, she is almost the entire pic- ture of heafth. She wishes to be remembered to you in a particular DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 275 manner. She says she owes to you, through God, all the cheerful- ness and enjoyments of this life. Oh ! how vain are all things here below, without health. I remain yours, in the bonds of gratitude, " PETER FAYERWEATHER." CASES VII. AND VIII. Copy of a letter from Mrs. Betsey A. Jenney and Mrs. Lydia French, to Dr. S. S. Fitch. "New Bedford, Mass., Nov. 1st, 1845. " DR. S. S. FITCH : " Dear Sir, From six months' experience in use of your supporters, shoulder-braces, and medicines, and instructions for the formation of health, I can speak in the highest terms of approbation of them. I am now in excellent health. Your supporter is an admirable instru- ment. I have fully experienced the truth of all you promised. From wretched and long-continued prostration, I am returned to good health. " BETSEY A. JENNEY." " I can say ditto to the above, and send you my best thanks. " LYDIA FRENCH." CASE IX. Copy of a letter from Mrs. Harriet G. Taber to Dr. S. S. Fitch. "New Bedford, Mass., Nov. 3d, 1845. "DR. FITCH: " I am glad to add my testimony, with many of my friends in this town : perhaps it may be of use to your patients. I will here state, that you have cured me of weakly complaints, which I never expect- ed to be freed from. I had a lame side for two years, and, at times, it was veiy much swollen. After I had given your medicine a fair trial, it not only cured my side, but other complaints. I have been acquainted with some of your patients in this place, and take the liberty to recommend you to all those who have curable diseases. I feel a debt of gratitude to you that words cannot express, and hope that you will receive your reward in the life that now is, and in that which is to come. " MRS. HARRIET G. TABER." 276 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. CASE X. of a letter from Mrs. Lois S. Smith to Dr. S. S. Fitch. "New Bedford, Mass., Nov. 4, 1845. " DR. S. S. FITCII : " Dear Sir, In November last I was attacked with flooding, at- tended with universal pain all over my sides, back, loins, <> I hope you will be the honored instrument, under God, of restoring thousands to health ; and when your labors on earth are ended, you be so happy as to join that land where the inhabitants thereof will no more say they are sick ! " MARY XLTTKI:. " If you should have occasion to wiite to me, please address to care of Robert Smith." DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 277 CASE XII. Copy of a letter from Miss Susan T. Waldron to Dr. S. S. Fitch. " Taunton, Mass., Oct. 8th, 1846. " DR. FITCH : " I take my pen this morning to tell you the past and present state of iny health. In April, 1841, I was taken with low bilious fever, that confined me to my room four weeks. On the 27th of August my fever returned. I then sent for Dr. , of Easton ; he is called the best we have with us. He said I had the liver complaint. In two days my skin was as yellow as an Indian. In seventeen days my fever was gone. I gained strength, so that I could sit up one hour in a day, and thought I should soon be able to sew again. I was then taken with dysentery, that so reduced my strength, that I could not walk about the house for three months. I did not walk a step in the streets for eight months. In eight months more I gained strength enough to sit up all day, but I could not work. In 1843, I was introduced to Dr. , of Norton, a homoeopathic doctor. I took his medicine one year. It much improved my health, so that I went to work, yet I never saw a well day. A soreness at the pit of my stomach, palpitation of the heart, lameness through the chest and shoulder-blades, and pain and weakness in the back : from all these I have been a daily sufferer, and never expected to be relieved until my immortal spirit took its flight to that blessed world above, where sick- ness and sorrow never are known. " October 17th, 1845, I called to see you. You furnished me with a supporter, shoulder-brace and medicine. My back was immediately relieved, and, to my unexpected joy, in six days I walked a mile, spent the day and walked home again at night, with ease. I have not walked so far in one day for five years. The soreness in my stomach and chest is gone. I have suspended all medicines, and feel well. Your remedies I have strictly followed. My strength daily increases, and my skin looks clear. Use my name, if you pU'jise, for your own special benefit, and for the afflicted also. Ex- cuse all the mistakes in spelling, for this is the first letter I have written in four years, confusion in my head prevented it. I recom- mend your supporters and shoulder-braces to all. 278 DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. " Please to write me a line, for then I shall know if you have re- ceived mine. My mother and sisters join with me in returning thanks to you for my speedy recovery. " Yours, with respect, " SUSAN T. WALDRON." CASE XIII. Copy of a letter from Mrs. G. P. Van Ness to Dr. S. S. Fitch. "New York, April 22nd, 1851. " DR. S. S. FITCH : " Dear Sir, I feel it my duty as well as my privilege to express my gratitude, that you have been the means of restoring health to me, with the blessing of God. When I came to you in January, 1850, my health had been very poor for several years. I had been able to go out most of the time till June, 1849, when I was attacked with the cholera, and that, with my old complaints, reduced my strength so that I was confined to the house and my bed part of the time till I called to see you. I had severe turns of sick head-ache, occasional sore throat, and at times a slight cough ; very bad dyspep- sia ; great sinking, sick, all-gone feeling at pit of stomach ; constant pain in my back, loins, and limbs ; falling of the womb ; bad piles ; very bad female weakness ; great heat on top of my head, bowels, and limbs ; very nervous, and almost every thing else that would make me feel low-spirited. I had not walked a block at a time, or even across the room without the greatest fatigue, for six months. A friend lent me your Lectures ; after reading them I had faith to be- lieve I should be benefitted by trying your remedies ; accordingly I called on you, took one of your supporters, braces and medicine, resolving to be faithful in taking them. I commenced very carefully according to directions, as I did not feel any worse on taking them. I followed your advice strictly, till some time in September, when I found near- ly all my bad symptoms gone. I have enjoyed better health this winter than I have done for years. The only trouble I have left is my bowels, they are not as regular as they should be ; my strength is increasing fast. I hope ere long to say I am entirely well. I DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. 279 have stated my case just as it has been, and if these few lines can be of any service to you, you are welcome to use them as you please. I would not be without your supporter for any money, its effect has been wonderful in helping me to gain my health, and to walk with all ease. Please accept my best wishes for your future welfare. " I am yours, with esteem, " MBS. G. P. VAN NESS, "119 Madison street, New York." CASE XIV. " Saybrook, Ct., May 29, 1850. " DR. S. S. FITCH : " Dear Sir, I write to give an account of the wonderful effects of your Abdominal Supporter on Mrs. Lay. She could walk very little, indeed, and felt as if her bowels and back fell apart ; very costive. At once the Supporter helped her so as to walk all about, even half a mile at a time, and to church, &c. She is most delighted, and is nearly 80 years old. She has almost renewed her age, and it does her good every day. "HELEN M. LAY." CASE XV. "Union Village, New-York, Feb'y 10, 1850. "DR. S. S. FITCH: " Dear Sir, Five years ago next July, I was attacked with a curva- ture of the spine, just as it leaves the ribs. This was followed by two lumber abscesses, which confined me to my house over two years, often to my room, and had vast pain in my back, bearing down and terrible female troubles. The abscesses at last got well, leaving my back very weak and painful, with no probability of ever walking much, as walking or attempting to walk almost killed me. In fact, I could not walk or stand erect without a cane. My right limb was. much shortened or drawn up. On trying to stand erect, I was taken with shortness of breath and faintness ; I could not ride at all, on ac- count of the jarring motion. In this deplorable state I read your 2SO DISCOURSE TO LADIES ONLY. Lectures, and got your Abdominal Supporter, which I have worn e\.T\- day since. Its effect was alnn^t magu-al : 1 was soon able to ridf and walk without any inconvenience. My back is all but well; my limb is nearly restored to its usual length ; and I am now almost in perfect health. No person can overrate the extreme value of your Abdominal Supporter. Yours, with many thanks, " HARRIET CLEAVER." CASE XVI. "Housatonic, Berkshire Co., Mass., Nov. 20th, 1850. " DR. S. S. FITCH : " Very dear Sir, Your letter and box of medicines, though wholly unexpected, met with a hearty welcome. You will please accept of my most sincere and grateful acknowledgment for this act of kind- ness ; sympathy to the afflicted must ever be acceptable, but when accompanied with acts of kindness and benevolence, it cannot but make a deep impression, and when such favors are conferred by stran- gers, upon whom we have no claim, the motive must be pure, the heart must be right. Thus I have reasoned ; then once more with lively feelings of gratitude, let me say I thank you. The Succeda- neum, I think, is acting favorably. You will see me, or hear from me again by the fourth or fifth of December. " With sincere esteem, yours, truly, "W. V. S. WORD WORTH." DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 281 DISCOURSE SIXTH. TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. On the mode of forming a noble, manly chest, and fine erect car- riage. On the best manner of preventing decline of animal strength, and of invigorating the male constitution, so as to preserve Jiealth and life to an hundred years. GENTLEMEN : " Mens sana in corpore sano," (a sound mind in a sound body,) is one of the oldest apothegms of antiquity, and was considered, after existence itself, the greatest gift of God to man. All will grant that a sound mind is the first best gift, and after this, a sound body is the next greatest possible gift to us. Throughout all the civilized and semi-civilized portions of the world, we find temples, schools, and col- leges raising their time-honored and world-renowned spires to heaven, cathedrals, basilicks, churches, chapels, temples, mosques, schools, seats of sacred and secular learning, where are taught the knowledge of God, and the way to heaven, a knowledge of all things earthly, comprised in the sciences, the professions, the arts, all devoted to ex- panding the mind, and so far assisting the body as to attempt the cure of diseases when they occur ; still, in all the earth, as far as I know, there is not one temple devoted to health. The schools of medieine can scarcely be called schools of health. Few physicians are acquainted with health ; few are able accurately to define it. They are introduced to man in a state of disease. From this point, they study him. It is their province to remove or crush the disease, which is of 'ton not done, or done so bunglingly as to crush the patient, or so imperfectly as to leave its impressions upon him for life. This is the greatest fault of all our medical teachings. The medical student should first of all be made a perfect adept in the science of health ; h" should study every organ in its healthy state, and all its healthy relations, and, when perfected in this, he should be made acquainted with each in a state of disease, and see them when all are involved DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. in disease, or when only one is acting to confuse the functions of life or disturb the harmonious action of all the rest. This would perfect his medical education, and more than double his usefulness. As it is, now, whilst many physicians can check or cure disease, few are able to lead back their patients from a sick bed to perfect health. This they too often ignorantly leave to time and nature. Also, in the first slight beginnings of change from perfect health towards disease, how f-w physicians can promptly detect it, and remove it by means that in- stantly arrest the change without injury to the person. In 1835, a fire took place in this city, which destroyed a vast many public buildings, stores, dwellings, and merchandise, amounting in value to seventeen millions. At one time in the histoiy of this great conflagration, one bucket of water would have extinguished it. So it is with all disease : the beginning is veiy slight, almost imperceptible ; and then the merest trifle, if the right thing, would correct it. Who should then study health ? Man all men, all women, all children, as soon as their minds can understand it or appreciate teaching. There is always a period longer or shorter, from the commencement of the first slight changes of health up to the moment when disease is so imminent or developed as to demand the aid of the physician ; and in nearly all cases there is some time when the changes are known only to the patient ; and again, after the disease is crushed or cured, and the fatigued and enfeebled patient is left by his physician to pick his way back to health, as time or nature or accident may lead him, often a long period ; when the patient is the only witness of those fluctuations that retard his progress, or, what is very common, throw him back into a state of disease, even worse than when first attacked. These conditions cry aloud that all should intimately know the whole science of health, and the art of arresting slight indisposition, when- ever occurring, and the mode of preventing disease and confirming health whenever enfeebled from any cause. These considerations, if fully understood, will impress any mind that the complete and true science of health, and all those accidents or agents that reduce or prevent it, and all the laws of life by which our systems are ruled, physical energies produced, and our days de- termined, form a subject of study second to none in importance, after DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY, 283 a knowledge of those holy teachings that elevate our minds to con- templations and duties that shall insure us a happy immortality when our earthly career is closed. The whole science of health has been extremely neglected. It has not been considered strictly within the province of the physician, and woe to his standing among his fellows, if he writes any popular book on medicine or health directed to popular readers, and not clothed in a learned tongue. This has much retarded the science, still many benevolent and good physicians have given valuable maxims, almost accidentally, on this useful subject. Within a few years, in the United States, we have had a good many lectures delivered by men more or less competent to instruct, and although some error has been taught, and some human weakness displayed, still a great deal of good has been done, and, in proportion to the increase of light amongst the people, will teachings be appreciated and errors be re- jected, coming from any authority. Clergymen have occasionally referred to the consequences of vicious habits upon health ; but I think not as often and prominently as the subject demands. The agitation of temperance questions, and their bearing upon health, has done very much good. All have been useful, as agitating and preparing the universal mind for higher advances, and more mature and systematic teachings of all the science of health and life. I believe and hope the time is rapidly approaching, when all pa- rents will consider the teaching of the whole science of health, and the knowledge of the human system, in its anatomy or construction, and the laws that govern its existence, and perpetuate its continuance, and the causes that produce disease and shorten life, as of the great- est importance to their children, and of the first necessity after moral teaching ; as also as a most powerful agent of moral instruction, by showing to their children how virtue tends to perpetuate health, and vice to destroy it ; and no education will be considered at all well founded that does not very early communicate the whole science of life and health. Finally, that good health is the greatest wealth. No people on earth exceed the Anglo-American in their universal 284 DISCOURSE TO GEN TL I : i,Y. spirit of enterprise ; few obstacles can deter them. few barriers arr.vt them. AVith courage indomitable they grapple with tlie greatest difficulties, and usually overcome them ; their sail-* whiten everv sea, their ships cross every ocean, in the pursuit of prosperous conum-iv. or in the accomplishment of hardy adventure. In the mechanical arts, no people display greater ingenuity, exercise better judgment, or apply more accurate science. In education, its universal diffusion is scarcely equalled by any people. But on the subject of health, no people are more behind what is known, than the Anglo-American. Even the rude >avage> of our continent are far better instructed ip the principles of health, and likewise in the knowledge of remedies curative of disease, than our most intelligent, best educated, and best informed citizens, who are not professed physicians. Let a sick man enter an Indian camp, and nine out of ten adult men and women are capable of prescribing for his disease, and in general successfully. The preparation of our food is an art of the highest importance, con- nected with the preservation of our health, and yet not one American gentleman in a thousand can be found who is capable of preparing his own food. Yet in many parts of Europe, and nearly everywhere among the gentry, the art of cooking is well understood, both in theory and practice. A vast many European gentlemen can be found, who know perfectly well when a dinner is properly cooked, and in a case of emergency, are capable of cooking it themselves. In the symmetry of our persons, in making the human figure what it should be, or what it is capaable of being, few people, savage or civilized, are behind the people of the United States. In this country, sym- metry of figure is almost entirely neglected by every class of people, high or low, rich or poor, ignorant or educated. In many parts of the United States, a perfectly formed man is a great rarity; seldom, very <; Idum seen. If there is one designation that applies to us more than another, it is that of a round-shouldered stooping race. Con- nig the high intelligence of the people of this country, tli- uni- d neglect of these great subjects seems almost unaccountable. The results are truly appalling, filling our country in its whole length and breadth with chronic diseases. Few, very few, of our people enjoy uninterruptedly good health from youth to age. Numbers are DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 285 cut off in the spring-time of their existence. Premature old age in- vades vast multitudes, whilst a hale, hearty old man is rarely seen. From ignorance of the best principles of health, errors in diet, and neglect of symmetry in our persons, result liver complaints, dyspepsia, and pulmonary consumption, and numerous other diseases that now pervade our country to an alarming extent, and awfully shorten the duration of human life. Why this ignorance on these great subjects ? Because it is everywhere considered too effeminate for a man to at- tend to the subject of health. This is reserved for invalids, and they very rarely regard it until far too late for their own restoration ; and although they may lift their voice of warning, their words usually pass by unheeded. In general we possess a most beautiful climate, and the best materials for food, in the most superfluous abundance, and every material for our physical formation, and the means of pro- ducing the most perfect constitutions, so as to create the healthiest and longest lived race of men in the world. To effect this, to banish premature disease from our land, to bestow universal and perfect health, and grant the longest continuance and endurance to our lives, all that is required is a correct knowledge on the subject of health, and the knowledge of those facts and principles from which human health is derived and by which it is continued. The human frame is a machine as mechanically formed as a watch. It is mechanically formed, and acts upon mechanical principles, and all its operations are capable of being understood ; if not as yet perfectly understood in all its parts and operations, it is probably not owing to anything incomprehensible in its physical or corporeal structure. Had the human frame never been described by any persons, ex- cept mechanics, and those descriptions never clothed in any lan- guage, save the simple language of each country, it is more than probable that a general knowledge of the human frame, and its dis- eases, would have been advanced hundreds of years. The human machine is made for long endurance. It is endowed with the highest powers of self-reparation ; and, were it not for the continued war of ignorant, luxurious, and effeminated man on his own frame, the hu- man machine would always last, barring accidents, from one hundred to two hundred years. ' I believe I mav assert, without the least fear 286 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. of contradiction, that no human being ever yet died of old age, until he had passed one hundred years. 1 )eath occurring sooner, nearly always results from previous errors of life, or from accident or dis Man is confessedly the lord of creation ; and can wo, for a moment, entertain the idea that he is created to be far shorter-lived than many of the brute creation ? It is well known to naturalists, that many birds and animals have lived to over one hundred years. The raven is one of these, and the eagle is another. It is but a short time since, that an eagle, apparently in the most vigorous health, was shot upon the Jura Mountains, in France, having around his neck a gold ring, which, by the date upon it, showed that the eagle had worn it upwards of eighty years. I do not recollect the history of any animal whose real or reasonably supposed age is as great as that of the well authenticated age of many modern men. To prove to you that the human machine is made to endure from one hundred to one hundred and fifty, or more, years, I haye only to present to you one well authenticated instance of this age having been attained by man. But, in place of one instance, thousands of instan- ces can be adduced ; and where one case of longevity is recorded, there is no doubt that hundreds die unnoticed, and unrecorded. Now then, allow me to ask, is God unequal ? Are his laws made for each individual life, or for all lives ? And are we so constructed, that the same principles, the same circumstances, and the same causes, that allowed one man to reach one hundred and fifty years, will not allow every other man to do the same ? I answer, that the laws of life and the causes of longevity are applicable to every human being ; and if thoroughly and universally understood, and correctly and faithfully applied, all men might easily attain to old age, and the average of human life, instead of thirty-three years, might take its place at one hundred years, thus trebling the duration of our earthly existence. The object of this lecture is to adduce instances of longevity, and present those rules by which, saving accidents, it may always be attained. Passing over the antedeluvians, whose ages come down to us ex- tended to even nine hundred years, and given to us under the highest authority, we descend to men of modern times, within the reach of DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 287 modern history. Thomas Parr, as recorded by Lord Francis Bacon, was born in 1483, and died in 1635, aged one hundred and fifty-two years. He died, not from the disease or decay of a single organ, but from too great fullness of blood, caused by more than usual in- dulgence in eating and drinking. He had led an active country life, and enjoying country air and exercise ; but was invited to London, where luxurious eating and drinking soon finished him. His body was examined by the celebrated Dr. Harvey, discoverer of the circu- lation of the blood, who has left an account of the examination. Parr enjoyed good health for a century and a half. Thirty-five years after the death of Parr, Henry Jenkins, of York- shire, England, died, aged one hundred and sixty-nine years. He was born in 1501, and died in 1670. His age is fully authenticated, and is the greatest among the moderns. John Effingham, of Corn- wall, England, died, aged one hundred and forty-seven years. James Lawrence, a Scotchman, lived one hundred and forty years. About the year 1790, Joseph Surrington died at Bergen, Norway, aged one hundred and sixty years. In 1772, a man named Drakenburg died in Denmark, in the one hundred and forty-seventh year of his age. In 1825, Pope Leo XII. granted to a poor man living near lake Thrasimene, in Italy, a pension on account of his great age ; he was then an hundred and twenty-five years old. He died aged one hun- dred and thirty years. In 1830, a man died at St. Petersburg, aged one hundred and thirty years. I knew a man in the island of Cuba who was an hundred and twenty years old ; he was able to ride on horseback sixty miles in a day, and return home the next. We will now come to our own country. In 1820, a man named Henry Fran- cisco died at Whitehall, in the state of New- York, aged one hundred and thirty-four years. He beat the drum at the coronation of Queen Anne, and was then sixteen years of age ; he did not die of old ai;.-, but of the ague and fever. I forgot to mention the name of Dr. Mead, who was consulting physician to Queen Elizabeth, and died at the age of one hundred and forty-eight years. John Hightower, re- siding in Marengo county, Alabama, died January, 1845, aged one hundred and twenty -six years. William Prigden, of Maryland, died October, 1815, aged one hundred and twtntv-thr --ir . The Rev. 288 DISCOURSE TO G :RX ONLY. HENRY FRANCISCO, Died at Whitehall, in the State of New-York, October, 1820, aged 134 years. Mr. Harvey, a Baptist clergyman, residing at Frankfort, in the State of New- York, is now in the active and useful discharge of his cl< rical duties, at the age of one hundred and eleven years. This very yi'Jir he presided at a convention of the Baptist clergy, and is perhaps the oldest clergyman in the world who is able to discharge his clerical duties. A Mr. Blakewell, residing near Greenville, North Carolina, living a short time since, at the age of one hundred and thirty- <'ars. A colored man named Syphax, in fine vigorous health, was living last year in Cumberland county, Virginia, at the age of DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. one "hundred and seventeen years. The Montreal Times, October, 1846, translates the following from the Revue Canadienne : "An old man died at Wexford, Upper Canada, a short time since, named Daniel Atkin, but rejoiced in the soubriquet of Black Dan. At the time of his decease, he was one hundred and twenty years of age ; and durinf his life had contracted seven marriages, by whom he had had an incredible number of children, grand-children, and great grand-children, in all about five hundred and seventy three hundred and seventy of whom are boys, and two hundred girls." Mr. John Van Hoozer, of Jefferson county, Tennessee, died at his residence, about the 1st of August, 1850, aged 122 years. A great many men are now living in this country who are over 100 years of age. I have already enumerated as many cases as our purpose demands. They show to us conclusively, how long the human machine may continue its existence by how long it has been known to continue. I think no fact is better proved, than that the human frame is formed to last over one hundred years, that no man ever died of old age un- til after one hundred years, and that, barring accidents, every man may live to one hundred years, provided he does not war upon his own frame, and provided, as I have before remarked, that he follows judi- ciously the laws of health, commits few errors in his diet, and preserves the symmetry of his person. Let us now discuss a few of the principles that form the basis of health, and indicate the path of longevity. GRAND DIVISIONS OF THE FRAME. In the first place, allow me to remark to you, that the human sys- tem, upon examination, falls at once into three great divisions, each di vision, in its object and purpose, totally distinct from all the others. The first of the divisions is found in the brain, comprising the organs of the intellect, through which, or by which, the mind of man receives knowledge, and retains it, and acts upon it ; and, through the medium of the will, and the connections of the nervous system, governs the whole frame of man. The organs of this first division reside exclu- sively in the region of the brain, and are waited upon by the senses, their servants. The second great division is found in all those or- 13 290 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. gans that give the power of self-reparation to the human machine, making this machine totally distinct from any machine ever invented by man, as it is capable, when supplied with its proper food, of re- pairing its own waste, and thus perpetuating its own existence for a great many years. Those parts of the body included in this division, or the principal parts, are the lungs, the heart, the stomach, the bow- els, the kidneys, the bladder, and the limbs, with their subordinate connections. The next great division is those organs that serve to propagate the species. Allow me to recapitulate, that the three di- visions are, first, to supply food to the mind ; secondly, to repair the body ; and, thirdly, to propagate the species. Now, analyze man as much as you please, investigate him as minutely as you choose, scrutinize him from every point of view, and you will find this is all there is of him, and all you can make of him. All his almost in- finitely varied pursuits, occupations, and excitements, will be found to fall into one or other of these divisions ; and that all the impulses of life, and stimulus to action, owe their origin to one or other of these divisions. On their harmony with each other, very much depends the continuance of life. To have all these organs in full develope- ment, no one outstripping the others, nor acting at the expense of the others, is a grand desideratum, and forms the basis of health, and lays a sure foundation for longevity. I have in previous lectures referred to the uses of the lungs. Allow me again to remark, that pure, healthy air is their natural food, that they strive for the air, and continually pant for it, that no person can have good health for any length of time, unless he breathes pure, wholesome air, and a plenty of it ; and hence the exceeding value of a change of air to the sick, to invalids, and to persons worn down by continued labori- ous occupation. It is for this reason that a change of air will often do more for sick and worn-out persons, than all the medicines in the world. MANNER OF FORMING A FINE GHEST. I have, in my lecture upon the uses of the lungs, remarked that the chest is a basket of bones, so constituted and framed as to be most remarkably under the government of the will, and, totally unlike DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 291 any other bony cavity of our bodies, it can be enlarged or dimin- ished at pleasure. (See Plates A and B.) The first and natural mode of enlarging the chest, is by breathing, by inhaling the air. The lungs, I should say, are air-bags, hung up on each side of the chest, and folded into cells comparable to the honey-comb, and capable of being immensely expanded, or correspondingly contracted. The largest lung may be made to hold a gallon, or so reduced as not to hold one gill. Now, the larger the lungs, and the more air they can receive and digest, the stronger and healthier they will be. They will also enjoy an exemption from disease, almost exactly in the ratio of their large and full developement. These changes in the lungs would, of course, produce corresponding changes in the basket that en- closes them, the chest becoming broader, larger, and fuller. No one should be afraid of the air, but coasume as much of it as possible, by taking long breaths ; draw in all the air you can. Make a practice, many times a day, when in pure air, and especially when in pure, cold air, to suck in all the air you can, and, in this way, strain the chest open to its utmost dimensions, and hold the air in the chest as long as you can, and blow strongly upon it, not allowing it, however, to es- cape from the mouth until forced to do so. Should the person be of a stooping figure, or of a contracted, narrow, stooping chest, let him, on rising from bed in the morning, and as many times during the day as he pleases, draw in the air as long as he can, and fill the chest to its utmost capacity ; now hold in the air, and throw back the head and neck as far as possible, and, at the same time, throw back the arms and shoulders with sudden jerks, as if to tear the shoulders from the back of the chest, at the same time retaining the air in the lungs. If the lungs are kept full of air during this exercise, on throwing back the head, neck, and shoulders, the air in the lungs becomes an elastic cush- ion, that acts powerfully on the inside of the chest, lifting the ribs and breast-bone outward, upward, and backward, and, in this way, rapidly enlarging the chest, and greatly assisting to give it full size and per- fect symmetry. This exercise of the chest should be practised on rising from bed, and repeatedly during the day. Another great assistance in forming a large chest, is to habituate ourselves always to speak or sing from a 292 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. full chest, that, is, when singing or speaking, we should never sing hould always remember, that the vocal organs, in singing or speaking, an- placed in a proper posi- tion, and then a current of air is more or less forcibly dashed upon them from the lungs, and that the strength of the tones and the power of the voice depend upon the volume, the density, and the momentum of this current of air. Now, any speaker, or singer, who attempts to speak or sing from a half-filled chest, will soon greatly injure his vocal organs ; his voice will become weak, his throat become irritable and inflamed, his windpipe injured, the upper part of his chest become flat and contracted, and much pain at the top of the chest : to these, sing- ing and speaking is a great injury ; but to those who always, when singing, or speaking, do so from a chest well filled with air, these ex- ercises rapidly enlarge the chest, and give great power and firmness to the vocal organs. I met, two years since, a young gentleman, who, alone, and unassisted, gave a concert in a large hall at New Haven, in Connecticut. He told me that, originally, he had a very small, contracted chest, and was a teacher of the piano forte ; neces- sity compelled him to become a teacher of vocal music ; but his chest was so narrow and contracted, and his voice so weak, that he almost despaired of being able to accomplish singing ; yet, by practising as I have mentioned, and inhaling the air, his chest began rapidly to expand, so that, in three years, his voice acquired a power and com- pass that enabled him to pronounce words so as to be heard dis- tinctly one mile. His chest was one of the largest I ever saw. Persons who pursue a sedentary occupation, and students and scho- lars, besides taking long breaths while sitting, should, at least once or twice an hour, rise up from their seats, walk about the room for a few moments, and fully and thoroughly expand the chest, and throw the shoulders off of the chest, as I have before directed. Those per- sons who have very considerable weakness about the chest, and more or less pain, should commence these exercises kindly and carefully, and gently habituate the chest to gradual changes, so that it will become freely and fully i-nlarg'-d. without occasioning pain, or pro- ducing any inconvenience whatever. DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 293 THE PROPER CARRIAGE AND POSITION OF THE CHEST. The next step to the possession and continuance of a fine chest, is to learn to carry it well, and choose such a position for it as never to allow it to fall forward. In this respect, there is a most astonishing difference between the Anglo-Americans and the Europeans. The latter, as a general rule, have straight, erect chests, whilst the Anglo- Americans most commonly have stooping, flat chests. In walking, dancing, and all pedestrian exercises, the chest should be kept per- fectly erect, aii*d rather falling backwards ; at the same time the head and neck should stand plumb to the spine, not in a stiff and formal way, but in an easy and graceful manner, which habit will soon enable us to do. In sitting on horseback, or in a carriage, the chest and per- son should, at all events, be kept perfectly straight, and not allow the head, neck, chest, and spine to be bent and crushed forward, like the half of a hoop, as we may notice every day. The drivers and conductors of coaches, in England, are usually among the straightest men we meet, and consumption is very rarely met with among them. They usually sit perfectly straight and erect. In this country, I have been repeatedly consulted by stage-drivers, in confirmed consumption, brought on, or at least strongly predisposed to it, by sitting in a contracted, bent position while driving their horses. Persons pursuing sedentary occupations, such as clerks, stu- dents, watchmakers, and men pursuing sedentary and otherwise light occupations, boys at school, (fee., are apt, and that most unneces- sarily, to bend the chest forward, throwing the shoulders upon the chest, (see Plate T,) in this manner extremely contracting the chest, especially at its base, and in this way rapidly predisposing to pulmo- nary consumption. One would suppose, by the position of writing- masters and students, at the writing-desk, that they supposed the shoulders or eyes, or head, had something to do with the mechanical performance of writing. The hand and fingers alone are called into exercise while writing. During a series of years in the occupation of writing, far more may be done by choosing a perfectly erect posture, not bending the head or chest at all, and with not one half the fatigue. In all these DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. PLATE T. occupations, the elegance of the person may be perfectly preserved, the symmetry of figure not in the least impaired, the natural form of the chest may be continued, and round shoulders prevented ; at the same time more labor can be performed with vastly less fatigue. To correct this false position taken by students, clerks, artificers, placed, should be raised so high that the child cannot contract its chest. Little boys at their study should never be allowed to mafce a table of their laps, but should always sit behind a table on which i heir books are placed, and these should be raised nearly as high as the throat. Habit will soon render it far easier for boys to write or study at a comparatively very high table, than at a low one. DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 595 BAD EFFECTS PRODUCED BY A VICIOUS POSITION OF THE CHEST. I have in a former lecture pointed out the pernicious and destruc- tive effects produced upon the lungs, by allowing the basket of the chest to contract around them. But it is not the lungs alone that suffer from this contraction of the chest. The heart laying partly un- der the breast-bone, (see Plate C,) is the great centre of the circula- tion of the blood. It is a large fleshy organ, and quite unlike the lungs, allows no pressure upon it with impunity. I am inclined to think that three-fourths of the cases of heart disease are produced by pressure of the ribs, or breast-bone, upon it, so that the heart has not room to play, and freely perform its functions. Pressure upon the heart may produce immediately heart disease ; or, by retarding the circulation of blood, it may produce dropsy ; or, by preventing the re- turn of the blood from the head, will produce apoplexy, or fits. As men advance in life, they nearly all, more or less, acquire more flesh, and with it somewhat an enlargement of the heart. Now, if, at the same time, by a stooping, contracted position, the chest is allowed to press upon the heart, distressing consequences are apt to ensue ; liver complaint, dyspepsia, palpitation of the heart, shortness of breath, paralysis, &c., may take place, in addition to the diseases I have al- ready named. (See Lecture II., for two cases of heart disease, pro- duced by the breast-bone falling upon the heart.) I will here hazard a remark that I have often made, but which may not be universally correct. It is, that tailors, either from pride or ambition, or from some other cause, have much better figures than shoemakers, whilst their occupation differs but very little in the amount of stooping practised by them. I have no doubt that tailors and shoemakers may pursue their occupations during a long life, and yet perfectly preserve their figures, and in this way preserve their health. It is only to habituate themselves to sit perfectly straight at their work. To prove this, I will give one case: In April, 1844, I was consulted at Springfield, in Massachusetts, by a young shoemaker. He told me that his father died of consumption, and that he was him- self early placed at the occupation of shoemaking, and had contracted 296 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. the habit of stooping at his work, as much as any other shoemaker. At twenty-one years of age he found his health rapidly di-iTming. with cough, and every symptom of commencing consumption. 1 It- was fully aware that his occupation \vas very injurious to him, and that this injury was produced by stooping, and -xre>sive contraction of the chest while at his work. To remedy this, he determined to sit up perfectly erect, and not to bend his neck, chest, or tlie small of his back at all, whilst pursuing his occupation. He told me that no one could tell what he suffered for the first six months, at the end of which time he had entirely broken up the habit of stoop- ing, and could work and sit up erect the entire day, without experienc- ing anything like the former fatigue, produced whilst stooping. He could do quite as much work as at any time before. This change of position at his work soon relieved him of all symptoms of consump- tion. When he called on me he was enjoying excellent health, and freedom from all difficulty about the chest. POSITION OF THE SHOULDERS. One great antagonist to perfect symmetry of the chest is often found in the position of the shoulders. When the human figure is in perfect symmetry, the shoulder-blades laljulat against the back of the chest, and the arms hang from the shoulders in such a way that the weight of the arms and shoulders falls behind the chest, and thus drags the front part of the chest upwards and backwards. (See Plate A, fig. 1.) To keep the shoulders and shoulder-blades behind the chest, and not allow them to press upon it, the great Architect of the frame of man has placed two firm bones, extending from the top of the breast-bone, on each side, outward and backward, to the under- side of the outer and upper point of the shoulder-bone. These are the collar-bones. (See Plate A, fig. 2.) These collar-bones are natural shoulder-braces. Now, then, as long as we habituate ourselves to carry the arms and shoulders behind the chest, or in such a manner that their weight falls behind the chest, we shah 1 always preserve its symmetry, and have fine full die- is. This is the case with the American Indians, and contributes to bestow upon them their straight, commanding and symmetrical figures. Upon DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 297 noticing any of your children, who are under three years of age, un- less deformed by disease, you will find that their shoulders l^y flat upon the back of their chests, and that when walking, standing or sitting, the weight of the shoulders and arms falls behind the chest, and not before it. Our children seldom show any indications of round shoulders until after they are sent to school, where, in general, they rapidly learn to contract the chest and round the shoulders. Unfortunately for civilized people, and particularly the citizens of the United States, these great truths are very little known, and of course very little appreciated. At a very early period, with scarcely a thought of its bad consequences, either upon health or elegance of figure, at nearly all of our occupations, relaxations, and even amuse- ments, we commence stooping and throwing the shoulders forward upon the chest. This forward movement of the shoulders is, in some degree, arrested by the natural shoulder-braces, the collar-bones, but not entirely so. The pressure upon these bones causes them to bdhd, in some cases, veiy considerably. The weight of the pressure of>the shoulders for- ward is transmitted by the collar-bones, and contributes very much to press the breast-bone downward and backward, andAvith it all the ribs that are attached to it, thus lessening the size of the chest, and causing it to press upon the heart and lungs. During this process, the spine of the neck is more or less thrust forward, and the shoul- der-blades are thrown outward, upward and forward, so as, more or less, in proportion to these changes, to make the person hump-backed or round-shouldered. Tlu's sets the arms permanently forward, and instead of hanging perpendicularly at the side, rather behind the chest, so that all their weight, together with the whole weight of the shoulders, is thrown behind, and drags the chest backward. The arms are thrown downward and forward, obliquely, across the chest, carrying with them all their own weight and the weight of the shoulders and shoulder-blades, with all their fleshy at- tachments, forming a very great weight, crushing down the d contracting and lessening it everywhere, especially at its base. Such a person, in walking, standing, or at his occupation, carries an abso- lute pack upon his back, little less fatiguing to bear than that of any 13* 298 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. foreign body that he may choo-e to plav of nil light occupations, is produced by the weight of the shoulders and anus upon the chest. This pressure of the shoulders and arm- upon the chest is extremely apt to produce pain ]>et\ve*n the shoulders and under the shoulder- blades, and a sense of exceeding weariness in the shoulders. Pain in the bones of the neck, down the whole length of the spine, in the small of the back, &c., very frequently arises from this dragging of the shoulders forward. THE REMEDY FOR ROUND SHOULDERS. The remedy for round shoulders I have partly indicated before, when I directed you, in order to form a fine chest, to take long breaths, and in this way fully to expand the chest, and at the same time to jerk the shoulders downward, backward, and off of the chest. I also di- rected you to carry the chest perfectly erect and straight, and never voluntarily to stoop, and throw the chest forward, either in standing, walking, riding, or sitting, nor to stoop whilst writing, studying, or at work-bench occupations. Now, in addition to these, I will mention, that tying the* shoulders together is a powerful assistant in preventing their displacement ; for you will recollect that the shoulder-blades, in order to go forward, and upward, also pass very much outward. Now, tying them firmly together will almost entirely prevent this change in their position. This leads me to introduce to your notice SHOULDER-BRACES. The object of these instruments is to prevent the shoulder-blades from spreading apart, and to keep them in their natural position, flat against the back of the chest, and thus prevent their rising upward, and falling forward. The shoulder-brace should, at the same time, firmly support the whole spine, and the small of the back. Shoulder- braces do not perform their whole duty, unless they fully support the small of the back, as a disposition to stoop frequently commences by a weakness in the small of the back. Shoulder-braces are not anew in- vention; they have been worn by civilized people for hnndreds of years, and even by uncivilized people. I was consulted about two years ago, DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 299 by an old Indian woman, for a pain in her back, which she had had for fourteen years, and could obtain no relief. I had the pleasure of curino- her in a few days. She enjoyed a high reputation in her tribe as a doctress. She imparted to me a knowledge of many of her best remedies, as a grateful return for the assistance I had rendered her. Among other things, she told me that forty years before, when she was a young woman, she had experienced a great deal of pain in and between her shoulders, and also weakness and pain in her spine. At that time, aided by advice from no one, but resulting from her own reflections, she had come to the conclusion, that by making shoulder- braces that should confine her shoulders closely together, and support the spine, they would entirely cure her spine of weakness, and all the pain in her shoulders and spine. She made and wore the shoulder- braces, and they effectually cured her, so that she had no more pain or weakness in her back for twenty-six years. Shoulder-braces are very often worn by officers in the European armies. Raw recruits, who are crooked in person, and ungainly in their appearance, often have stout shoulder-braces put upon them. This greatly assists in making them straight, and thus gives them a fine, manly, and erect carriage. Should they carry the head too much forward, or bend the neck too much, this is corrected by a wide, stiff, leather stock, that is made to encircle the whole length of the neck, and lift up the chin. An objection has been raised by interest or ignorance against shoul- der-braces, and any artificial support; that God has made us so; therefore the crooked or feeble, or deformed, should be content or get relief without artificial assistance. One says, having worn shoulder- braces, you can never leave them off; they will become necessaiy to you. This is a mistake, you can leave them off whenever you choose, and when well you will not feel the least need of them. This is also true of the Abdominal Supporter, and all other artificial support used only by those who require assistance. Restore any part of the body to its natural place, and hold it there by artificial support, and if this is made of suitable materials, properly fitted, no injury can follow, and when the deformed or displaced part is strong and well, the artificial support may be withdrawn, and health will continue, and no injury possibly result. These same objections might be made to artificial teeth 300 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. or rupture trusses, but they are not true or deserving of notice, nor should they for one instant prevent our using artificial support when required. AYhen I first began to employ shoulder-braces, I had them made with elastic water-proof stuff, that covered the whole spine, from the small of the back to the root of the neck. But I soon found this caused a u'ivat deal of heat in the spine, and tended to weaken it very much, so that I now never employ india rubber stuff between the shoulders and the small of the back. I have particularly cautioned every pcrs< u to avoid wearing any shoulder-braces made of water-proof stuff, and constructed to cover the whole spine, from the neck to the loins, which will greatly heat the spine, and prevent perspiration from passing away from it, so that the spine will be very rapidly weakened and injured. By confining the shoulders firmly back, and tying them together, we cannot, by any possibility, bring them forward, so that they will crush in the front of the chest, but they will constantly keep the shoulders behind the chest, and thus cause the whole weight of the shoulders and arms to fall behind it, and so contribute rapidly to expand, instead of contracting it. Many persons use one hand, arm, and shoulder, much more than the other. When this is done, it very often causes weakness and pain in that shoulder, and a much greater sense of fa- tigue is experienced in it than in the one less used. The shoulder thus used is very often dragged forward, out of its place, and frequently drags the spine to that side, thus producing spine disease Between the shoulders. The preventive of this is a well-adjusted pair of shoulder- braces. By thus tying the shoulders together, they are made to bear each other's burdens ; and thus their labors arc equalized, so that no deformity of the shoulders, or disease of the spine, can take place, whilst a sense of weariness, or fatigue, will not be felt in one more than in the other. I have recommended shoulder-braces to almost every class of persons, and almost every occupation, arid uniformly with ben- efit, where they were needed, and judiciously employed. I have re- commended them, with advantage, to clergymen, laAvyers, phy^i lecturers, professors in colleges, teachers, students, watch-makers, machi- nists, workers in cotton mills, stone-masons, carpenters, bricklayers, draymen, teamsters, stage-drivers, and, in fact, almost every profession, DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 301 trade and occupation. I have had plain laboring people declare to me, over and over again, that the use of shoulder-braces took off one-half the fatigue of their labor. One of the early effects of shoulder-braces id to remove pain from between the shoulders, and about the neck, and in the spine of the neck, removing it from about the top of the chest, and in the chest, and very often taking away all pain and weakness from the small of the back. They are a most valuable article for deli- cate boys going to school, and for students in colleges, and delicate lads, and young men who are employed in stores, counting- houses hotels, &c. Sometimes the shoulder-braces are drawn too tightly at first, so as to make them irksome to the wearer. This should never be done, but time should be taken to habituate ourselves to their use, so that in a moderately short time they will become exceedingly pleasant and agreeable. I have known the chest enlarged around its base, five inches in circumference, in six months, by no other means than wear- ing shoulder-braces. To persons who have delicate chests, and who in any way apprehend consumption, I would most particularly re- commend, in addition to shoulder-braces, the use of the inhaling tube. (For a description of which, and its effects, see Discourse II., on the prevention and cure of consumption.) Many persons have re- marked to me, that it might be very easy to enlarge the chest, and restore the shoulders to their places, in young persons ; but, say they, can this be done with persons later in life ? I answer that I have most satisfactorily accomplished the enlargement of the chest at the age of fifty-six years. I am fully of the opinion, that a contracted chest can be enlarged and restored to symmetry, in persons of every age up to sixty-five years. In November, 1843, I was consulted by a very respectable man at Manchester, New-Hampshire. He was fifty-six years of age, had a bad cough, and considerable pain about his chest. His breast-bone was very much depressed, so as to form a vory deep depression and hollow in the bottom of the chest. By the use of shoulder-braces, &c., in a few months his chest was restored to perfect symmetry. The breast-bone was raised up entirely to its place, and the depression in it entirely obliterated. The pain in his chest and his cough were soon cured. In fine, I must say that no 302 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. man under sixty-five years need despair of having a fine, healthy, and perfect chest, in a moderately short time, by the use of the means I have indicated, especially wearing shoulder-braces, and using the in- haling tube ; by which means nearly every case of chest disease may be cured, or prevented. It always gives me great pleasure to address intelligent men on these subjects, and especially mechanics, and persons practically ac- quainted with mechanical laws. Man, in his formation, is in- tended to stand and move in a perfectly upright position ; the head, neck, and other parts of the spine, standing perfectly perpendicular to the hips, whilst the spine at the small of the back, in place of bending outward and backward, as occurs in crooked persons, natu- rally bends inward and forward. That this is our natural position is proven in the forms of all our children under three years of age, or who have not yet had their persons deformed by attending school, or by manual labor. The same fact is noticed in all savage nations with whom we are acquainted : the Indians of America, the native Afri- cans, and the inhabitants of the South Sea Islands. All travellers are everywhere struck with the fine figures of these people. An excep- tion to this is found only in those savages, who, from necessity, or in- dolence, reside in caves or very low huts, where they cannot stand or sit erect. Among these are the Hottentots, of South Africa, and some others. These only form solitary exceptions. So that man, in his person, when standing or sitting, represents a straight, upright column. Allow me to ask you, who are mechanics, how much more weight a stooping column can bear than a straight one, and how much longer will a stooping column last, supposing it made of per- ishable materials, than if it stood upright. There can be but one answer, and that is immeasurably in favor of the upright column. Whilst the upright column will support almost any weight, a trifling pressure crushes the stooping one to the earth. Now, we will suppose a man carries his head, neck and shoulders perpendicularly, as in- tended in his formation ; he suffers no fatigue from this position, and experiences no wear and tear of his system, however long continued. In fact, this position is constantly consolidating the frame of the sys- tem, harmonizes with every part of it, and confers upon it the great- DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 303 est firmness and durability. So perfectly does this accord with uni- versal experience, that upon beholding a straight symmetrical man, we at once and almost involuntarily associate with him the idea of long life. On the contraiy, take a man who throws his head and neck forward, and observe to what a mechanical disadvantage it is supported. It becomes at once an absolute burden, and, although habit makes us quite unconscious of it, yet its bad effects are shown by the far greater fatigue, and far less power of endurance, that such a person suffers over one who carries his head and neck erect. It is a source of constant wear and tear to the system. Now extend the case still farther, and in addition to the head and neck, bend forward the shoulders and spine, and the evils are still more increased, just in proportion to the deformity, so that a crooked man, especially if young, and even at any period of life, at once gives us the impression of disease, weakness, -and debility, and especially of age ; the young man looks much older than he is, and the older man quite anticipates his years. PREMATURE OLD AGE. Besides the diseases I have mentioned, resulting from deformity and crookedness of person, there is one effect that always takes place in all cases, and that is premature old age. I am fully aware that occasionally many very old people are seen, who, at the same time, are very crooked. Such persons should know that their lives are always shortened by being crooked. Most persons think, that to be- come crooked is incident to old age. Bowed down with years, is a poetical expression ; but man was never yet made crooked by age. Crookedness of person always results from habit, occupation, debility, or disease. To demonstrate this, I can point out numbers of very old people, even to one hundred years, who are quite straight (see por- trait of Henry Francisco, page 288,) in their persons, and could we find only one old person straight, this would prove that we are not made crooked by old age. The disposition to stoop is a matter of habit, and creeps upon us in a most insidious manner. We often stoop from mere indolence. Disease, by inducing debility, most usually inclines us to lie down or to stoop forward, when standing or walk- 304 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. ing. I will remark, that man's natural position being to stand up- right, all the bauds, belts, ties, and fastenings of the different parts, and all their coverings, and moving powers, are arranged for a straight perpendicular position. The faces of all the bones at. the joints, as they meet each other, are arranged to this perpendicular structure and face upon each other accordingly. Now then, when we bend forwards, and continue so permanently in proportion as we do it, we put some of the fleshy parts upon the stretch ; others are relaxed, some are made shorter and others longer than natural, and all are thrown out of then- correct bearing. Were it not for the great power of self-preservation, possessed by the system, and its ability to adapt and re-arrange itself to meet great changes in its form, though al- ways to its injury and disadvantage, the machine would soon cease to act altogether, and life become extinct. I think I have said enough on this subject, and will leave it to you, and especially to those of you who are mechanics, to fill up what I have omitted, by your own judicious reflections. POSITION WHEN LYING DOWN * I have mentioned, that in sitting or standing, the person should be kept perfectly straight, and as much so as possible at all of our occu- pations. I am farther inclined to the opinion, that children and all young persons should be taught to ta^flat upon their backs, with the head as low as the shoulders, without any pillow at all. This would contribute most powerfully to make young persons straight. By sleeping upon pillows, much raised, it inclines young persons to be- come crooked. I know that the functions of life and the circulation of the blood are most easily carried on when we Uy down upon a level bed, with the head as low as the shoulders. This is shown in persons who are very low in fever, or who have lost a great deal of blood, or been greatly reduced from any cause : lay them flat down on their backs, with the head fully as low as the shoulders, and life will continue, whorf, at the same time, were you to place them in an upright posi- tion, they would immediately die. Men, who from long habit have. been accustomed to lie with the head very much raised, will find it very irksome or impossible to He with their heads low. Fleshy men, DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 303 and those with very short necks, find it indispensable to lie with the head high, so that the blood shall enter the brain with difficulty, and leave it easily. By this means the circulation of the blood is mechani- cally obstructed towards the head ; but in all young persons, and all those spare of flesh, there is no objection to laying with the head low, and many positive advantages will result from it. SELF-REPARATION OF THE BODY. In my first lecture, I fully pointed out the uses of the lungs, which are, in the first place, to give the moving power to the human ma- chine ; and, in the second, to purify the blood. It is the office of the heart to circulate the blood. We now come to consider that set of organs whose duty it is to prepare and change our food, so as to make it into blood, or, at least, all the nutritious parts. These organs are the teeth, the stomach, the liver, and bowels. The food, after being, if solid, thoroughly masticated, or chewed well, is first mixed in the mouth with the saliva, its natural moisture. Some parts about the mouth are so prepared, that, upon receiving solid food into the mouth, streams of peculiar water are thrown upon the food, and mix with it, whilst chewing, and go with it to the stomach when it is swallowed. It is of vast importance to man, both to his health and continuance of his life, that he have good teeth ; and, for this reason, they should be carefully preserved. The teeth are never lost, except by accident or disease. A vast deal may be done to insure their preservation, and cure their diseases, by calling in the aid of the skilful surgeon-den- tist. You can scarcely confer a greater favor upon your young sons, than to place their teeth under the care of a judicious and skilful dentist, by which means they will be certain to have, when grown up, their teeth healthy, regular, and perfect. You can scarcely do your- selves a greater favor, than to preserve your teeth, by the aid of the dentist. Decayed teeth should be either extracted or plugged, and the teeth should always be kept clean. The loss of the teeth, so that food cannot be well chewed, or masticated, is a great calamity, and always contributes, more or less, to shorten life. The food, after being masticated, in the first movement of swallowing, passes into the gul- let, which is a long fleshy tube, that la^s behind the windpipe, and 30C DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. passes downward, entirely through the whole length of the chest, into the left side of the stomach. (See Plate E.) In swallowing, food, either solid or liquid, passes down this tube, into the stomach. THE STOMACH. For a view of the gullet, stomach, bowels, and liver, see Plates E, N, O, and Q. On the Plates, you will have a much better idea of these organs than can be given by an oral description. I will remark, that the stomach has a good deal the form of a hunter's horn, its larger portion being towards the left side, at the upper part of the abdomen, and separated from the heart and lungs by the midriff, or diaphragm, which is a fleshy curtain that divides the abdomen from the chest. (See Plate 0.) The inlet to the stomach is on the top, at its left side ; the outlet is at its right end ; much the larger portion of the stomach hangs below its outlet. This arrangement prevents the food and liquids from passing out of the stomach, by their simple weight alone. The stomach will hold from one pint to two quarts. Its walls are very thin, generally, and are capable of being very consider- ably stretched. This is one of the causes of its difference in size. Those who eat and drink a great deal at a time, are apt to have much larger stomachs than moderate eaters and drinkers. The food re- mains in a healthy stomach from half an hour to four hours. As soon as the food is swallowed, commences a process by which a con- siderable portion of it is eventually converted into blood. This, considered in all its steps, is one of the most mysterious processes known to us. How portions of a potato, for instance, can be so mo- dified and changed as to become flesh, is very difficult of explanation. We know it takes place, but exactly how, is difficult to determine. It is the purpose of the lungs to give us the power of action, whilst it is the duty of the stomach to make such changes in the food, that this shall form the substance and growth of the body, and serve to repair all the waste of the body. It is of vast assistance to our stomachs, that the food l j^ well chewed or ground up before it is swallowed, so that when it comes into the stomach it shall be in a state of fine, minute division. When the stomach is unhealthy, food may remain in it a great length of time. The late Dr. Dwight, Pro- DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 307 sident of Yale College, vomited up a piece of boiled carrot that had remained in his stomach twelve weeks. A gentleman in Virginia told me last summer, Ihat he knew a boy to vomit up some persim- mon seeds that had remained in his stomach forty-six days. Thus in weak stomachs the food may remain a long time without being much changed ; or it may ferment and form a strong acid, at the same time generating air more or less foul, at times producing an exceedingly, unpleasant breath. These unnatural changes and decay of the food in the stomach, attend the disease called dyspepsia. This is occasioned by various causes, but chiefly in grown-up persons it arises from badly masticating the food, from debility of the stomach itself, but above everything, and more than all other causes combined, it arises from eating more than the waste of the system requires. For we must always bear in mind, that after the human frame is fully formed, all the object and purpose of food is to repair its waste, or the loss of its substance which is daily taking place. Now, the system, when not under the influence of disease, experiences the greatest waste and loss of substance by hard and long-continued labor, such as is experienced by all the out-door laboring population, and by many in-door laborers. Hard and long-continued out-door labor, unless too excessive, greatly invigorates the system, improves the appetite, and strengthens the stomach, at the same time producing great waste of the substance of the body ; the stomach, now greatly invigorated, is called upon to furnish the supplies, to repair all this waste ; it is under these circum- stances that the stomach is able to do its best performances ; it seizes upon any, even the plainest and coarsest food, and rapidly converts it into materials for the healthiest blood, so that the waste of the per- son of the laboring man is promptly repaired. So active is his sto- mach, that he is obliged to eat coarse and hearty food, that it may not pass off too rapidly. Now, the idle, the effeminate, and all those that pursue sedentary occupations, experience but a small share of the waste of the body that is suffered by the laboring man. Hence it is, that they are called upon to eat vastly less food and much lighter in its quality, and easier of digestion, than the laboring man. The great secret of preventing dyspepsia is never to eat any more than the waste of the body requires. How much or how little this 308 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. is, can only be determined by the experience of each individual. There is no laying down any pu.-itive rules on this subject. Each in- dividual will learn, that if he fats, even t'r a short period, more food than the waste of his system requires, or its growth demands, the stomach may at first digest this surplus food, but in a short time, as if possessed of an intuitive perception that these extra supplies are not wanted, it will refuse to prepare them, refusing, of course, to digest this surplus quantity of food. As I may speak again, in another place, upon the subject of diet, I will say no more of dyspepsia now. PROGRESS OF THE FOOD, AFTER LEAVING THE STOMACH. The food, after remaining in a healthy stomach from half an hour to four hours, passes out of the right opening of the stomach. The process of digestion having reduced the food to a homogeneous con- sistence, very much like cream in its substance, after leaving tho stomach and going a short distance, it unites with the bile. A por- tion of stimulants and liquids go from the stomach into the blood. The bile is a bitter soap, the object of which is to produce still far- ther changes in the blood, and facilitate its passage through the bowels. The presence of bile is indispensable to perfect digestion. We presume it to be of great consequence in the animal economy, from the immense size of the organ, or machine employed to prepare it. It is the duty of the liver to prepare the bile. The stomach is placed in the left upper side of the abdomen, and partly under the short ribs. The liver occupies the right side of the top of the abdo- men, and is divided into several lobes or divisions, lying partly imd.-r the short ribs ; a flap of it extends on the left side, considerably upon the stomach. The liver weighs a number of pounds, say from five to ten times as much as the empty stomach. It is by far tin- h- on/an of the interior of the body. (See Plate Q.) The food, after uniting with the bile, now rapidly passes down into- the SMALL BOWELS. (For a view of these bowels, see Plates G and R.) They are about DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 309 25 feet long, and after a great many turnings and convolutions, ter- minate in the krge bowel at the right groin, and are separated from the large bowel by a valve. The food passes rapidly through these small bowels. Those parts of it suitable for blood, are drawn out from the small bowels, through a vast many small ducts, that, like worms, have their ten thousand mouths, opening into these small bowels, and, sucking out the nourishing parts of the food, immediately cany it into the blood-vessels. The coarse portions of the food, or such parts as are undigested, or are unfit for food, pass through the whole length of the small bowel, and are discharged into the large bowel. THE LAEGE BOWEL, OR COLON. (For a view of this bowel, see Plate C.) The large bowel commences at the right groin, within the abdomen ; it is about the size of the wrist, and sometimes larger. From the place of its beginning, it at first rises upward, passing inside of the right hip, and above the loins, until it reaches the under edge of the liver. It now makes a great turn to the left, and passes under the edge of the stomach, to the left side. It now turns, and goes downward past the loins, and inside the left hip-bone, for some distance downward, when it turns to the right, and crosses the left side of the abdomen, to the back-bone, or to a point opposite the centre of the back-bone, where it is tied. At this point it now turns downward, and continues straight down, lying close to the bone, until it passes out of the body. This bowel, in its whole length, is about five feet long, and, in some persons, will hold nearly a gallon, or more. The coarse portions of the food remain in this bowel about twenty-four hours in a healthy person, when it is evacuated from the body. Should the food remain in the bowel much longer than twenty-four hours, it produces that disease, or condition of the system, known by the term COSTIVENESS. The human system is endowed with peculiar appetites, and appa- rent instincts, and i* remarkably under the control of habit ; for example, one person will dine at twelve o'clock in the day, others will dine at two, four, or six o'clock. Now, any person at the hour 310 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. of his meals, whether it be dinner, breakfast, or supper, when in health, will usually, more or less, feel the calls of hunger, and haM- a disposition to eat. But if not regular in his hours of eating, will either be hungry nearly ah 1 the time, or will have no appetite at all, or be very capricious in his appetite. So with the stomach : food thrown into it at regular intervals, and not too frequently, nor too much of it, will usually be well digested. The stomach, as if by in- stinct, expects it, and is prepared to receive it, and to digest it at these stated periods. But let a person be irregular in the hours of eating, and he will very soon, if I may use the expression, destroy the instincts of his stomach, and greatly impair the powers of diges- tion. Now, this influence of habit upon the instincts and calls of the system, is in no respect more remarkable than in the periods of the evacuations. There is no doubt that these periods, in every child or man, are distinctly experienced every day, and might always take place, unless checked by the will, or by gross inattention to them. Hence I infer, that costiveness is, in nearly every case, produced by not attending to the calls of Nature at stated periods. BAD EFFECTS OF COSTIVENESS. When the coarse portions of the food, or, we might call it, excre- mentitious matter, is too long retained in the large bowel, very injuri- ous consequences result from it. We eat and drink from four to twelve pounds, and, in some instances, much more, every day ; and all of this must leave the body, after having performed the offices as- signed to it You can ask me, how I know all leaves the body. I reply, that I know this is the case, and, of course, refer to adults ; from the fact, that the greater portion of mankind weigh very little, or no more, at seventy-five years of age, than at twenty-five, and, very often, they weigh much less. During the long period of fifty years, they may have eaten and drank something like 150,000 pounds weight of liquids and solids, so much does it require to replenish the daily waste of the human system for fifty years, Now then, there are only four great avenues though which the sys- tem relieves itself of its effete or redundant supplies. These are, through the pores of the skin, through the lungs, through the bowels DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 311 and through the kidneys, bladder, &c. A very insignificant discharge is also obtained from the nose and internal surface of the mouth. These are all the avenues of relief to a loaded system ; and, on their harmonious and equable action, greatly depends health, and, with it, length of life. It is very true, that one of these may be very defi- cient in the discharge of its appropriate office, and the others will do duty for it. But, in a tolerably short period, if either of these ave- nues is blocked up, the others will refuse to do duty for it ; and then general disease will invade the whole system. This is exemplified in the BAD EFFECTS OF COSTIVENESS. When the excrementitious portions of food are retained too long in the large bowel, the fluid parts that should pass by the bowels are thrown upon the kidneys, lungs, or skin, and contribute to produce disease of those parts in any person predisposed to them. Thus, suppose a person to be inclined to disease of the lungs, or to raise a good deal from them, costiveness will always aggravate or increase this, and, very often, is the principal or entire cause of it. In the commencement of disease of the lungs, costiveness is almost always present ; and the same remark may apply to the condition of the kidneys. I do not recollect to have ever witnessed a case of bleeding from the lungs, that was not preceded, more or less, by costiveness. The symmetrical or equal circulation of the blood is often impaired by costiveness, and its circulation is very much retarded through the lower bowels. It is often one great cause of determination of blood to the head, and thus producing obstinate head-aches and vertigo, swimming in the head, dropsy in the brain, and a disposition, in some persons, to apoplexy, and is one great cause of it, and of paralysis, or palsy, either partial or general, and also of impaired vision, or weak- ness and even loss of sight. It is rarely, if ever, that these affec- tions of the head occur, unless costiveness is present ; or, at least, we nearly always, at this time, notice a sluggish state of the bowels. The nervous system is greatly affected by costiveness. Indeed, the almost constant effect of continued costiveness is to produce great debility of the nervous system, making the sufferer peculiarly nervous. The mind is more or less clouded, and quite incapable of great or long continued effort. 312 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. DEPRESSION OF SPIRITS. There is no one accompaniment of costiveness more frequently ob- served than depression of spirits, especially in persons a little advanced in life. It seems to cloud the whole mind, and to destroy every pleasure, to take away all elasticity and buoyancy of the feelings, and to produce a distressing sense of impending woe to come, in the form of poverty, calamity, or disease. Universal fullness of blood is often produced ; and this, at times, leads to dropsy, either partial or general. Diseases of the heart are always aggravated, and sometimes produced, by costiveness. I have frequently observed an enlargement of the right side of the heart, in persons long habituated to sluggish, costive bowels. In nearly every case of heart disease, scarcely anything aggravates it more than cos- tiveness, and few remedies relieve it so much as free bowels. Slug- lish bowels are a very efficient cause of dyspepsia. It is true, that you will sometimes witness obstinate dyspepsia when chronic diarrhoea is present But, in nineteen cases out of twenty, costiveness seems the cause of dyspepsia. In fact, it is exceedingly rare to witness good digestion, when the bowels are costive. Nothing contributes, as a general thing, to relieve dyspepsia more than to have a free state of the bowels. Liver complaint is often produced by costiveness. The liver is apt to become enlarged, and engorged with blood, and to pass off its bile badly. It is true, that a disease of the liver will frequently produce costiveness, or, rather, that a want of bile in the bowels will produce it. JATODICE Is often produced by costiveness : at any rate, jaundice and costive- ness are nearly always found existing together ; and relieving the bowels tends very much to relieve the jaundice. PILES. Are often produced by costiveness. The accumulation of matter in the lower bowel prevents the return of blood from that bowel, and thus very often causes piles. DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 313 A BAD BREATH Is almost always present in persons of an habitually costive habit. From the pores of the skin, in cases of long-continued costiveness, the most unpleasant odor often arises, or is thrown out, rendering the un- happy subject almost a nuisance. SEA-SICKNESS Is almost always aggravated by costiveness, and almost prevented by having the bowels free. In fact, there is not a function of the whole system that may not be greatly impaired by costiveness. Let me for a moment refer you to some otl/er machine. Take, for example, a locomotive steam-engine, and suppose the fireman did not clear the ashes from his fireplace, how long, think you, could he thus run his engine ? Every part would soon become clogged ; little fire could be made ; no steam could be generated ; and thus no power would be evolved, and his engine would become, to all intents and purposes, useless. Such, also, is the comparative effect of habitual costiveness upon the human machine ; every part is clogged by it, and every function is embarrassed. It aggravates most diseases, and tends to produce many. The bowels must be kept tolerably free, to insure good health and long life. I have referred to the fact, that costive- ness is usually produced by repelling the daily instincts of Nature. After we have broken up regular habits in this respect, the calls of Na- ture come to us at longer intervals, and with feebler influence, so that one week, two weeks, and even one month, will pass without an evac- uation, until the bowels seem to have lost all power of action. I have known one case where no evacuation was had for four months and a half, and another case of nine months. Nothing in either of these cases could procure an evacuation, so nearly dead had the bow- els become. The last person most unexpectedly recovered. I have not heard the result of the former. I once knew a young man, whilst on shipboard and very sea-sick, who suffered himself to remain three weeks without an evacuation. He came very near losing his life by it. Great accumulations will sometimes take place in the bow- els, and produce sudden death. Mr. Legare, of Charleston, S. C., Secretary of State under President Tyler, died suddenly from this 14 314 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. cause, at Boston, in June 1843. I witnessed another death from the same cause, in Boston, and another in London. MANNER OF CURING COSTIVENESS. As costiveness exerts such a pernicious influence upon the system, and contributes so much to shorten life, it is most desirable to know how to prevent it. The best and most desirable mode of curing it, is by restoring the habit. Let the costive person, exactly at the same time every day, solicit ^in evacuation, and that most persever- ingly for at least one hour, should he not succeed sooner, at the same time leaving off all medicine* So much is the system influ- enced by habit, aided by the will, that in nearly all cases obstinate perseverance in this course^ and never omitting it afterwards, will en- tirely cure their sluggish state, and the bowels become as free as is desirable, and the calls of Nature become as regular and urgent as if they had never been interrupted. There are some persons, however, who seem, or pretend to believe, that they still require further assis- tance. These will find themselves greatly assisted by eating rather coarse food, such as coarse bread, rye and Indian bread, and bread made of wheat meal, or, we might call it, unbolted flour, sometimes called bran bread, and at other times Graham bread. Some persons derive great benefit from eating fruit. Almost all the summer fruits are found useful, apples, &c., throughout the year. Others derive great benefit from the free use of vegetables, &c. All will be bene- fitted by avoiding the use of very tough meat, and very hard salted meat. I rarely recommend any other medicine to correct costiveness, than the use of a very small quantity of rhubarb. That which should be selected, if practicable, is the best Turkey rhubarb, either in the form of the root, or powder ; the root is apt to be the purest. A few grains of this taken daily serves to improve digestion, strengthen the bowels, and remove costiveness. Rhubarb has the rare property over all other medicines with which I am acquainted, in a vast many cases, of never losing its effect A great many medicines taken to open the bowels soon lose their effect, and require the dose to be very much increased; until, finally, they will not act in any dose, and leave the bowels much worse than \vh-n the patu-.nt DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 315 taking them. But this is not the case with rhubarb, as a general thing. I knew one gentleman in Philadelphia, who took a portion of Turkey rhubarb every night for thirty years. This gentleman, on account of obstinate costiveness, began with taking sixty grains every night, and when he related to me his case, he found it necessary to use only four grains every night. The late Dr. Physic, of Philadel- phia, told me he had many patients in that city who had used rhu- barb to great advantage, very much of the time, for forty years or more. In concluding this part of our subject, allow me to say to yoti, that to have the bowels in perfect order, and acting freely and kindly every day, is most desirable, and may be said to be indispensable to health and long life, and with this the happiness, the delights, and the pleasures of existence. A free, healthy state of the bowels is truly a pearl of great price, and a condition of inestimable value to the possessor. It is true, that some persons of costive habits live to old age, whilst thousands and tens of thousands are destroyed by it. The fact only proves under what disadvantages the system will labor on, and continue its functions. Let me repeat that, HABIT, HABIT, is the great cure-all. Assist this, if necessary, by regulating the diet, and, as a last resort, use a little rhubarb, but assist all by habit. "Wearing my Abdominal Supporter is most valuable for sluggish bowels. Allow me to say one word to those who are fathers, husbands, and heads of families : that in the arrangement of water-closets or neces- sary out-buildings, a good deal of art or discretion should be used, so that the delicate and modest members of your families may not, from fear of exposure, inconvenience, &c., be deterred or prevented from obeying the calls of Nature. Sometimes these buildings are so ex- posed to the cold or cutting winds, while passing to them, or even exposure to wet or damp whilst in the building, that some of yt ur 1> "loved and delicate ones are deterred from visiting them when they should. Besides one or more rooms, as the number of inmates may demand, these buildings should be kept clean, perfectly accessible, and free from exposure. In no one particular is the intelligence, the civilization, and the refinement of a people, or an individual family, 316 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. . more strikingly marked than in the preparation of these necessary buildings. No people on the face of the earth equal the English na- tion, in the attention, the expense, and the skill in the arrangement of these conveniences. If I dared, or the subject would admit of it, I could enter into a great many details connected with this subject, that I have witnessed in the cities of Italy, and in most parts of France, and in some portions of this country, that would contrast most un- favorably with what I have said of the English ; but I forbear, with the remark that I have no doubt, and indeed I have the best reasons for knowing, that many a father has witnessed the ruined health of the members of his family, caused wholly by inattention to this one subject. My subject would not be complete, were I to omit speaking one word to you upon the evacuation of water. I mentioned to you that the system unburdened itself through the bowels, kidneys, lungs, and skin. An immense amount is carried off by the kidneys. THE OFFICES OF THE KIDNEYS, BLADDER, Ac. Those solid portions of meat we eat and drink, not entering into the blood, are required to pass off by the bowels. But it is the office of the kidneys to separate a vast amount of fluids from the blood, and with these fluids, and dissolved in them, they throw off a great quantity of earths, acids, and salts, which, if not taken from the blood, would soon destroy life. THE BLADDER Is a natural reservoir for holding the water until periods convenient for its evacuation. The water is brought from each kidney by a long pipe, that extends from the chamber of each kidney to the bladder. The kidneys are situated in the small of the back, one on each side of the back-bone : the bladder is placed low down in the basket of the hips, and immediately behind the front cross-bone. (For a view of the kidneys, and the pipes that convey the water to the bladder, and the bladder itself, see Plate S.) The bladder is capable of being enormously distended, by the habit of retaining the water too long. There are many persons, who, from carelessness, and sometimes DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 317 from modesty, do not evacuate the bladder when called to do so. If this habit is long continued, extremely pernicious effects are apt to re- sult. One of these is to produce more or less a distension of the blad- der, the effect of which is greatly to lessen the secretion of water. The kidneys, if I may use the expression, being informed that the outlet is obstructed, cease to secrete as much water as they otherwise would ; and hence much less urine is secreted from the blood. The skin, the lungs, and the bowels, will then be called upon to do duty for the kidneys, and to take out the earths, salts, and water from the blood. It is, however, chiefly thrown off through the skin. Any person who has witnessed a stoppage of water for any length of time, is immediately struck with the smell of urine that comes from every part of the skin of such a person. The next evil, I will mention, re- sulting from too long retaining the water, is that the water accu- mulated in the bladder, and remaining there for some time, allows the earths, salts and acids, that it holds in solution, to fall down and settle at the bottom and sides of the bladder, and thus lays the foundation for gravel in the kidneys and bladder, and stone in the bladder. Much, very much, of all this mischief is prevented by never retaining the urine when we are called upon to discharge it. Any considerable obstruction in the action of the kidneys and bladder, especially if long continued, in a great many cases leads to dropsy. At all events, we rarely ever notice dropsy, without at the same time observing that the kidneys are slow in their action, and pass off much less than their usual quantity of water. Although gravel is usually readily cured, yet it is better to prevent this and all other diseases of the kidneys and bladder, by never omitting to evacuate the water when called upon to do so. It was long ago observed in England, that the high- est and lowest classes of society were always far more exempt from stone in the bladder, than the intermediate classes, and they could only account for it from the fact, that the highest and lowest classes of society there are perfectly easy in their manners, and not deterred by modesty, or want of convenience, from evacuating the bladder whenever they choose. Somewhat the reverse of this is found in the middling classes, and hence their greater liability to stone in the bladder. 318 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. THE SKIN' AND ITS OFFICES. In order to insure perfect health, great attention should be paid to the state of the skin. The skin is th<- external covering of the body, and is to man a natural clothing. There are yet some nations of the earth known to exist without wearing any artificial clothing what- I mention this as merely showing the amount of protection derive,! from the skin. That it is a covering or protection, we have only to notice those parts of our person that are exposed to the air, such as the hands and face, which are usually uncovered: these meet the air with perfect impunity. In addition to being a clothing, the skin is pierced with an innumerable number of very small holes, through which constantly pass a vast quantity of fluids from the body, either in apparent or invisible perspiration. Sometimes we will see great drops of perspiration standing on every part of the body ; at other times it is not visible to the eye, yet it is always passing off in great quantities when in health. Were the clothing to be removed entirely from a man, and his body placed under a glass case, and the air pumped off, he would seem to be covered entirely with a cloud of vapor. This is the insensible perspiration. The same thing may be noticed on first entering a bath : in a moment or two after the person is under the water, upon looking over the surface of the body covered by the water, we will notice vast numbers of little air-bubbles, seem- ing to stick to the skin. The minute openings through the skin are called its pores, and through these pores vast quantities of fluids, and even solids, pass off. It is perfectly indispensable to health, that the skin be kept in a healthy, vigorous condition, and that its pores be always entirely unobstructed. It is not desirable that the skin have too much clothing placed upon it ; indeed, we should wear as little clothing as possible, consistently with comfort. This will depend upon each person's experience and early habits. It is well known to every observer, that those children who go barefooted through all the warm months of the year, and wear little more clothing than a linen or cotton shirt and t:o\vsers would be upon boys, and continue this light cloth- ing and bare feet for as many month- a> possible in each year, and during all the years of childhood, have; much better constitutions, and enjoy far better health in after-life, than those who are more delicately DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 319 brought up. The same thing applies to the continued preservation of health in adults. The more the surface of the body is exposed, and the lighter the clothing, if they can bear it, the more health they will have. An old man in New-Hampshire, who had attained to nearly his ninetieth year, remarked to a friend, that of late he had become very effeminate. " Now," said he, " I am obliged to wear shoes more than two months of the year, when for the most part of my life I have been able to go barefoot the whole year." I knew an old man at Bristol, Conn., who was eighty years old, that never wore stockings upon his feet, and only India rubber shoes through the sea- son of snow. All his other -clothing was correspondingly light. He enjoyed perfect health, and spent a large part of every twenty-four hours in active out-door employment. It is well known what excel- lent health the American Indians enjoy, and how impatient they are of clothing. For nearly or quite eight months of the year, in our cold climate, they wear very little clothing. For this reason, I think, cotton next to the skin is better than woollen. I will, however, leave this subject to every man's experience, fully believing that the less clothing we wear, consistently with comfort, is most conducive to health. I would particularly urge every man not to increase his clothing, unless forced to do so by actual suffering. BATHING. The skin should be kept clean, and the best mode of invigorating it, besides exposing it to the air, is to bathe the surface of the body frequently with cold water, this at all seasons of the year. To men who are delicate, and not accustomed to bathing, and exposure of the person to the air, I would particularly recommend to them, when they commence bathing, if in cold weather, to do so in a well-heated room. This ablution of the body with cold water, I think should be done every day of. the year. Many persons shudder at the idea of using cold water upon their persons in cold weather. I think it is then most useful. In 'the very cold winter of 18 -'15-0, tho Rev. Mr. Abercrombio, D. D., one of the oldest Episcopal clergymen in Phila- delphia, called at my house on one of the coldest days. The old man. was about seventy-five years of age, and of a very light, thin figure. 320 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. In the course of conversation he chanced to remark, that he did not feel as well as usual that day, because he had forgotten to take his bath in the morning. " Why," said I, " Doctor, you do not take a cold batli such weather as this ?" " Yes," said he, " I have been in the habit of bathing in cold water every day, in all seasons of the year, for more than, fifty years." Few men ever enjoyed more unin- terruptedly good health during a long life than Dr. Abercrombie. In January, 1845, I was called upon at Norwich, in Connecticut, by a gentleman seventy-two years of age. He told me that he had not heard my lectures, but that he had heard of them, and my re- marks upon bathing in cold water. He said to me, " My neighbors call me crazy, because I go out in all weathers, and never wear an over-coat ; and here," said he, opening a thin cotton shirt upon his bosom, " is all the covering I wear for my breast, save my coat and waistcoat ; and farther," said he, " I bathe a great deal in cold water. I prefer bathing in the river here." The water in the river at Nor- wich is salt, or brackish. He said, " If I omit bathing for a week, I become indisposed ; and it is veiy frequently the case, in winter, that the bay is frozen a long way out. In such cases," continued he, " I very often, without any regard to the weather, walk out on the ice as far as I can go, and there take oft' my clothes, deposit them upon the ice, and crawl upon my hands and knees over the edge of the ice into the water, and stay there as long as I please, and generally till I feel better." The old gentleman enjoyed excellent health. Now, this is an extreme case, and one that I do not hold up for imitation, but only to show what may be done in the most highly civilized communi- ties and with apparent advantage. Dr. Abercrombie told me, that he had hundreds of times found the water in his bathing-tub frozen over, and would place himself in the water, covered with floating ice. Now I would not recommend this course to any one as judicious. I rather question its propriety, or very much doubt whether it could be universally employed without injuring some persons. I think all, or nearly all, the benefits of cold bathing can be obtained, and with vastly less trouble, and much less inconvenience, by the use of A WET TOWEL, SPONGE, OR THE HANDS. DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 321 I recommend to my patients, and others, the following method of managing the surface of the body, every day, morning or evening, or at any hour that is most convenient, I rather prefer the time of rising from bed in the morning. The room should be warm, unless you are robust, and accustomed to bathing and exposure of the per- son. Throw off all your clothing, and with a brush, or hair-gloves, &c., or one or two coarse crash towels, rub the whole person over in the most thorough manner, exciting a fine life and glow upon every part of the covering of the body and limbs. After this is done, take a sponge or towel, and dip it in cold water, and, with one of these, rapidly wet over the whole surface of the body and limbs, dwelling much upon the neck, chest, and all the spine, and the larger joints. In lieu of a wet towel, use the naked hands, and wash all over with a sponge or wet towel as you need it. Now take one or two towels, and wipe every part of the person dry. Now rub the skin all over, so as to excite a fine glow upon it, and then resume your clothing, observing that the shirt worn through the night should not be worn through the day, if convenient to you. The whole time required for this bath need not be more than from three to five minutes. To be sure, you may occupy as much time as you please ; but an active pei-son can accomplish it in the time I have mentioned. Some persons are so delicate or sensitive, that they cannot bear the shock of cold water. These persons will usually find themselves greatly benefitted by using a tepid bath. I also recommend to my patients, especially those of a scrofulous habit, or those having a low condition of the system, to stimulate the water, more or less, as they choose, by adding to it sea-salt, or rum, brandy, gin, or any spirituous liquors, or cologne water, &c. SEA WATER Is a most valuable article in bathing, and should be used whenever convenient. About once a week, great benefit may be derived, and beauty, softness, and purity of the skin be greatly promoted, by add- ing to pure soft water some sal seratus, or super-carbonate of soda. Either of these will confer an alkaline property on the water, and thus purify the skin in a most effectual manner. 14* 322 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. EFFECTS OF \VATKK Tl'oX INFLAMED OR DEBILITATED PARTS. Allow me to trespass upon your time a few moments, that I may name some of the benefits of water applied t<> intl-un^L swelled, or debilitated parts. I now very seldom recommend the use of blisters to inflamed or painful parts ; but, in place of blisters, I recommend the application of cloths dipped in cold water, or cold salt and wat.-r and sometimes I use warm water, or very hot water. In most case;* of pain in the side, breast, or throat, or in a joint, I find the applica- tion of a wet cloth, and worn some time, even for weeks, in old cases, will produce a far more effectual, certain, and permanent cure than blisters, leeches, or any species of sores. In cases of WEAK EYES, Or slightly impaired vision, or inflamed eyes, or eye-lids, when pain- ful, &c., particularly in students, or persons of scholastic habits, I scarcely know a more effectual remedy to cure or prevent these affec- tions of the eye, than dipping the forehead, eyes, and nose a great many times a day in cold water, and holding them there as long as possible. This course will serve greatly to strengthen the eyes. In cases of rush of blood to the head, great heat about the head, or head-ache, there is no remedy that will compare with the use of cold water, and the water made as cold as possible, by the addition of ice. This will often relieve the head, when every other remedy fails. The head should be dipped in the ice-water, and held there as long as possible, a great many times a day, according to the urgency of the case. Another mode of application is to sponge the forehead and temples frequently with cold water, keeping them wet, &c. Some- times advantage is derived from using warm water, in place of cold ; at other times a bladder of ice. SORE THROAT. The neck is a very sensitive part, and the application of blisters is apt to produce a great deal of pain and nervousness of the system. In many cases, the suffering becomes quite insupportable, a high fever DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 323 being excited, &c. In every case of sore throat that I have ever met with, whether a putrid sore throat or inflamed tonsils, or where the windpipe itself is affected, I have usually found the happiest effects in the use of water, by bathing, and also by wrapping a towel, wet in cold water, around the throat at bed-time, and continuing it on all night. It is very rare to meet with a sore throat that will not yield to this remedy in a short time. Where the windpipe is affected, a wet cloth should be worn upon it all the time, day and night. Last summer, at Red Sulphur Springs, in Virginia, I prescribed for a gen- tleman for disease of his lungs, and also of his windpipe. His voice was nearly lost Besides medicines, inhaling tube, &c., I recommend- ed him to dip a cloth in cold water, and apply it over his inflamed windpipe, and wear it there all the time. In about two months, I met him at Richmond, Va. ; I found him nearly well. He told me he had derived immense benefit from the wet cloth ; it had almost entirely restored his voice, which was before nearly lost. In many cases of recent sore throat of a short continuance, and especially in cases of quinsy sore throat, and those disposed to it, in addition to putting a cloth dipped in cold water around the throat, it is most beneficial to gargle the throat freely with strong ginger tea, or red pepper tea, or strong tincture of myrrh, or all combined. Be- fore putting on the wet cloth, rub the throat well with a strong lini- ment, made by mixing a little sweet oil and turpentine, or sweet oil and strong spirits of hartshorn or ammonia, or my pulmonary liniment^ all over the throat and top of the chest. Always over the wet cloth wrap a thick dry towel or napkin, so as to keep the neck warm and perspiring. At the same time it is well to take a little physic, so as to move the bowels freely, \< in diet to Ando\vr Throlo^u-al Seminary. The students of this iv- novvned institution summoned to their lialls a gentleman who wa* a learned physician, to enlighten them on the important suhj-vt of diet. Several persons have described to me the e.Wt of the-e eloquent lectures, and something of the doctrines taught. One old sea-captain told me that he attended all the lectures. The number lie represented to me as being incredible, and '' as for eating," said the old man, " he left us, as wholesome, nothing to eat but the pav- ing-stones upon the sea-shore." This is no doubt very hyperbolical, yet it is certain that the bill of fare was greatly abridged. Mr. Farley, the very worthy keeper of the students' eating-room, told me, that at the conclusion of the lectures the committee on diet had a meeting, the result of which was to direct him to discontinue, henceforth and forever, from their table, all meat of every sort. " \Yhy," said Mr. Farley, " w T e have pork and beans on Monday, shall I not continue that salutary dish ?" " No," said they, " nothing but the simple beans." Mr. Farley at once told his wife he should dine by himself, for his experience of fifty years and upwards was decidedly in favor of flesh as an article of diet. One young theological student, of rather herculean proportions and western growth, expressed to Mr. F. the greatest regret that he had ever tasted of a mouthful of meat in his life ; saying, " that he believed, if he had not done so, he might have anticipated a tolerably long life ; but," added he, " what I have done was from ignorance, and never will I taste meat again while I live." The vegetable diet commenced eight weeks before the end of the term, and was kept up in its greatest rigor for those eight weeks. Such was the disastrous effects upon the health of the stu- dents, that Mr. Farley told me he believed that its continuance four weeks longer would have broken up the school. As it was, about thirty young men lost their healths; nearly all of whom Ixcaiiu- dys- peptic, and several sunk into consumption. The herculean young man w;,> one of the sufferers : hi* head and nervous system 1>- so much affi-di'd, that he could not possibly study. After trying a change of air, and every means to regain his health, he found it im- DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 331 possible to continue his studies, so following " the star of empire," he w<-nd.-'d bis way west, to Michigan, where he is now a useful farmer. The school re-assembled at the expiration of four weeks, and then the committee on diet having somewhat the fear of veg< -tables before their eyes, ordered more meat than had ever been known before. Here and there a solitary instance can be found of a person well sustained by vegetable diet only ; but in general, meat, in moderation, is everywhere considered a salutary article of diet by those able to procure it. The amount of food required to be eaten by adults, must always be determined by the waste of the substance of the body when in health. The amount of this waste depends on the greater or less degree of exercise and labor. Out-door exercise and out-door labor causing more waste than in-door labor and exercise. O The appetite of a person in health and regular habits is a very fair criterion of the amount of food required to supply the waste of the substance of the body. This amount every person should eat, and no more, so that all human beings will vary, more or less, in the re- lative quantity they eat ; and the same individual will differ from himself, in proportion as the amount of his labor and exercise differ. In general, a varied and simple diet is the best, consisting of pure, wholesome food. No rancid meat or butter, no spoiled vegetables, or the flour of bad grain, should ever be tasted. One of the great se- crets of the health and longevity of the noble families of England, France, Italy, Germany, and, in general, of all Europe, is owing to the great care in the quality and selection of the articles composing their food, its sufficiency, its variety, and in its preparation and cook- ery. There is no laying down rules of diet that will suit every one, either in kind or quantity. I recommend indulging in every variety of food that we find is not absolutely pernicious. For kind, be cfuidod far more by experience than by precept; and for qunntitv, bo i*>- verned, in moderation, by the requirements of a Well-regulated appv- tit<> ; but be sure that all the food you eat is perfect in its iiisd. Above all things, avoid taking up notions or crotchets upon tli" sub- ject of diet; should you do this, you will soon rind the tone of the stomach impaired, and the variety of food you could otherwise eat greatly abridged. In general, the mass of mankind follow a correct 332 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. experience on the subject of diet. Never indulge in gluttony, a* ex- cesses in eating are often very d:mgiTou>. I kn.-\v a young ollkvr of the U. S. Army enjoying excellent health, who was killed by an ex- cessive supper. I believe nearly all cases of persons found dead in their beds, who have retired in apparent health, may be traced to some error in diet. I will leave the subject to the judicious experience of every one. I think the substitution of coffee, in lieu of milk, for our children, to be very pernicious indeed. No scrofulous person should drink nuieli coffee. No consumptive, no asthmatic, no dyspeptic, no person with heart troubles or head troubles, or costive, nervous or diarrhoea, or liver complaint, or bilious, or troubled with any humor, rheumatism, or neuralgia, or kidney troubles, should ever touch coffee. Let it alone. If you can have pure black tea and pure cocoa, or chocolate, from which all its oil has been perfectly and completely removed, you mav Use them if they agree with you. Children under fifteen years of age never should drink coffee, at the most only once in a week, and then very sparingly. Milk is best for them. , EXERCISE. I have told you that the human frame is a machine. Now, this machine, like many machines of human invention, suffers greatly by continued repose. Eveiy day, when in health, exercise should be ta- ken sufficiently to excite, in moderation, every part of the body. For this purpose, we may adopt walking, riding both on horseback and in a carnage, nearly every species of rural labor, and many kinds of in-door labor, pursued in moderation. Dancing, both for males and females, is one of the finest exercises of which we have any know- ledge. It is one of the oldest known to us, and one of the b.-t. Taken in the open air, it is better than in-doors ; but either in or out of doors, when accompanied by the harmony of music, it at once di<- sipat' s the tedium of life, excites, in high activity, the circulation of the blood, exercises every part of the body, and vivifies tin 1 whole nervous system. I do not speak of the dissipation of dancing far from it ; I only speak of it, when practised in moderation, as an ex- ercise. For the delicate, the sickly, and the sedentary, it is invalu- DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 333 able, and may be practised every day, and at all seasons of the year, and, of course, in all weathers. All the out-door athletic exercises practised by men are valuable in promoting robust health, and may always be taken, when circumstances will allow. ANIMAL PLEASURES, PROPAGATION OF THE SPECIES. Perhaps there is no subject upon which a lecturer can speak that is more delicate than this, which I have referred to as the third great object of the human machine. Every man knows his own history and his own peculiar excitements. All that I will say, is, that exces- sive indulgence in secret vices, animal passions, and unbridled lusts, is apt, especially if indulged in when young, to destroy the nervous system, frequently producing affections of the spinal marrow and brain, and early insanity, and premature death. At its best, it often breaks down all the powers of the system, destroys the voice, and in- duces dyspepsia, throat disease, and pulmonary consumption. Later in life, these excesses produce imbecility and premature old age. In all these respects, study purity sin not against your own body in- dulge in the refined enjoyments of marriage and from these sources you will receive no impediment to the continuance of health and the attainment of long life. Extinguish the burnings of passion in the sacred delights of marriage, and you will find the most noble and exquisite pleasure in the society of your wives and the love of your children, towards whom you should be a Providence, Protector, Pro- phet, and Priest. SYMMETRY OF THE INTERNAL ORGANS OF THE BODY. Extreme gratification is always conferred upon me when I have an opportunity of addressing a body of intelligent and reflecting men, men of mature age, who can take up the subject on which I lecture, dispel all crudities and hyperboles, and treasure up the teach- ings, noticing if their application is pernicious or useful, and thus, by observation and experiment, determine what is false and what is true, and ever after retaining and diffusing whatever is true and important. 331 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. In the early part of this lecture, I spoke to you on the importance of preserving the i-xtenial form of the human machine in perfect s\ m- ly, keeping the head and neck, tin- shouU-ix ihe .-!ie>t. tin; spine, limbs, -ss, leaving him no resource but to throw himself flat on his back, \\}\cn the bowels would stop falling down ; he would then have to push the bowels back into place, and adjust his truss so as to keep them up, when he could at once go about his business. Now, from a mul- tiplicity of causes, although there will be found no open space through the abdomen, yet the belts covering it become stretched or relaxed, and do not keep the internal parts of the body in their places ; and in this way, the stowage of the internal parts of the body, and all tin* internal organs, experience jarring, and settling downwards, producing a condition I shall denominate FALLING OF THE BOWELS. Now, the falling of the bowels occasions a vast amount of sickn- -s, of which, when I speak, will be mentioned as caused l>y falling of the bowels, whilst the falling of the bo\\vl is, itself, produce! V>\ re- laxation, or stretching, or weakness of the abdominal belts. (See 336 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. PLATE R. Plates 0, P, and R, and notice all the different organs of the body there.) As you see them in their places, you will observe how readily their forms will incline them to fall downwards, which, if they do. will produce some or all of the following diseases of the system, depending on the extent of the relaxation of the belts, and falling of the bowels ; at one time producing some one of the symptoms in only a slight degree, and at other times causing the most terrible effects, and cer- tain death. I will now mention some of the effects produced by this upon the large organs. First, the effect of falling of the bowels UPON THE LUNGS. By looking at Plates D and C, you will observe that the lungs are wedge-shaped. Their points, or smallest portions, are highest up under the collar-bones, whilst their heaviest and largest parts are lowest, and rest on the floor of the chest, and greatly incline to drag downwards. It is entirely indispensable to perfect health of the DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 337 lungs, that the bowels be \vell kept up, so that there shall be no un- natural falling down of the floor of the lungs. The effect upon the lungs of the falling of the bowels is to cause a sense of extreme weak- ness and sinking feeling at the top of the chest. The breath enters the lungs, and seems to he lost the sufferer being unable to fill up the top of the chest ; and thus, as I said in my chapter upon the causes of pul- monary consumption, if any part of the lungs is not kept well expand- ed, it lays the foundation for pulmonary consumption, so that falling of the bowels is a very frequent cause of consumption ; and the lungs being allowed to fall downwards, engorgement of the top of the lungs, or a secretion of tuberculous matter there, will rapidly take place. BLEEDING AT THE LUNGS Often arises from a falling of the bowels ; the top of the lungs being so dragged down, that the blood does not circulate well through them. The sense of weakness at the top of the chest, and of being all gone there, causes the person to stoop very much, and to bring the shoulders forward. I never attempt to cure pulmonary consumption without using means to have the bowels well brought up to their places, and thus have the floor of the lungs well supported. A great many con- sumptions arise from falling of the bowels, particularly in delicate persons. WEAKNESS AND LOSS OF VOICE, AND DISEASE OF THE AIR-PIPES, PRODUCED BY FALLING OF THE BOWELS. It will be very obvious to you, that if the lungs are not well filled with air, that their dragging down will bear heavily and at once upon the small air-pipes, the windpipe, and the organs of the voice, so that one of the earliest effects of falling of the bowels is to produce weakness, and even loss of voice ; the voice at times becoming hoarse and husky, and weak, falling to a whisper. Talking or reading aloud occasions great exhaustion, a soreness in the throat, dryness and heat in the windpipe. The efforts to speak greatly strain the windpipe. Public speakers are, in this way, rapidly driven from their desks, and their usefulness destroyed. Many of these broken-down men, I have restored to usefulness by the aid of few medicines, and giving perfect 16 338 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. abdominal support, so that the lungs should be well lifted up, in order that no dragging down of the windpipe, or vocal organs, can take place. Some clergymen, who are sagacious observers of themselves, I have known to cure all weakness of voice in themselves, by inventing and applying support to the abdomen. To permanently cure weak- ness of voice, and disease about the windpipe, I deem it indispensa- ble to have the abdomen perfectly supported. SHORT BREATH, AND DIFFICULT BREATHING AT TIMES, May be said to be an universal accompaniment indeed, they are among the first symptoms or indications of falling of the bowels. Short breathing in men, especially after the middle period of life, panting upon any inconsiderable exercise, and for these reasons great difficulty in walking fast, whilst running and dancing are nearly im- possible, and next to impossible to lift a heavy weight. In April, 1845, I was consulted at New-Bedford, Mass., by a man who was a resident of Westport, Mass. He owned and resided upon a small farm, but was unable to do any labor whatever. His lungs were very much affected, bleeding at the lungs, cough, \v long will last a piece of machinery driven beyond its powers ? And again, ask how long would the same machine endure, when only required to do a reasonable duty, when promptly repaired on discov- ering the slightest defect, and always judiciously preserved ? The answers will fully satisfy you that what 1 have said of the human ma- chine is correct. Study, as you value life and health, a just equilibrium between rest and exercise, between repose and labor, between repa- ration and exhaustion, and between the supplies and waste of the system, and never tax any organ that is in a state of disorder or de- bility. No animal can endure as much as man. The care that is bestowed upon a favorite horse, if extended to ourselves, would give us good health. THE EFFECT OF VICE UPON LONGEVITY. One word more, and I will conclude. Allow me to speak of the effects of wickedness, vice, and immorality upon longevity. It is a very interesting fact, and a very curious one, and to my mind a very strong argument, that the same mind that dictated those precepts of morality which we find enjoined upon us in the Old and New Testa- ments, was also the framer of the human machine. This curious fact is, that everything laid down in the sacred volumes of the Old and New Testaments, as vice, is most strongly and strikingly opposed to longevity, and most fully justifies the expression of the inspired penman, " that the wicked shall not live out half their days." On the contrary, all the virtues enjoined and recommended in those sacred books are most strikingly conducive to long life, to length of days, to longevity. I speak this to you, gentlemen, not as a moral preacher, but as a physician, as an observer of those agents which destroy or shorten life, or which promote and continue it. Now, we will take those three great purposes for which the human body was formed. In the first place, the mind, in order to its full development and high- est attainment, requires unruffled tranquillity ; this will prevent its destroying the frail brain by which it acts. t DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 349 Notice the effects of And on the contrary, those of Anger, Kindness, Jealousy, Confidence, Remorse, Peace, Hatred, Love, Envy, Good will, Covetousness, Generosity, Revenge, Forgiveness, Despair, Hope, Profanity, Reverence, Fraud, Integrity, Fear, Courage, Thieving, Honesty, Cruelty, Compassion, ( Contentment, Discontent, < Patience, ( Cheerfulness, Grief, Resignation. Now let any person reflect upon the state of mind produced by any of those vices, the excitement of the brain, and the tendency of this excitement to produce apoplexy, fever, inflammations, &c. How many lives have been lost by sudden fits of anger, or bursts of passion. How often the heart itself has been burst by a fit of anger. I have known a person reduced to a perfect skeleton by a fit of remorse, and with it every symptom of rapid dissolution, and the same person restored to good health in an equally short time, upon obtaining for- giveness for the crime that had occasioned the remorse. Again, we have seen fear turn the hair perfectly white in twelve hours. The effects of these different vices or passions are to break up the human machine, and suddenly cut off life. Even profane swearing is calcu- lated to produce an undue excitement of the system. So that all these too much excite or depress the functions of the brain, and thus remove that organ, and the nervous system, far from that repose and tranquillity necessary to health and longevity. Run the eye over tho list of virtues, and notice how beautifully and sweetly they 350 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. with all the functions of the system. They produce perfect peace to the whole human machine. When I read the moral law, found in God's Holy Word, for Man's guidance, and then contemplate the laws that govern the human frame, I am forced to exclaim the same mind dictated them both ; so perfectly congenial are they to each other, that no human being can break God's moral laws without injuring himself. The keeping of those laws is always beneficial to the human system. Again, let us notice the vices which concern those organs that effect the reparation of the body. We find them to be- Opposed are Prodigality, Economy, Indolence, Industry, Gluttony, Temperance, Drunkenness. Sobriety. I have repeatedly had occasion to remarK to you the effect of these vices upon health and longevity. All of them are most fruitful causes of early death. What is more prolific of disease, or shortens life sooner, than gluttony, drunkenness, and excesses ? As for indolence, it produces a very rust of all the organs of the system, and contri- butes greatly to shorten life. Again, look at the opposites of these, temperance, sobriety, prudence, industry, and economy, and see how perfectly they are adapted to the well-being of the system, and how indispensable they are to long life. Look at the third great division of the purposes of the human frame. Notice the vices Opposed to these are Impurity, Purity, Fornication, Restraint, Lust, Virtue, Adultery. Chastity. The sword has slain its thousands, but these vices have slain their millions. Go to the gallows, to the state prison, to the murderer's grave, to the resting-place of the suicide, to the hospitals for the in- sane, to the residence of the outcast, and they will tell you, in words DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 351 not to be mistaken, the effect of these vices. The diseases engendered by them are among the most terrible the human machine suffers. It is out of my power now to tell you the number of deaths annually arising from these vices. But, taking the whole habitable globe, the number is absolutely incredible, and contributes greatly to shorten human life. On the contrary, see how peculiarly friendly to the hu- man machine is chastity, purity, and virtue. No triumph can be greater than that of the ardent man over his passions. And this triumph greatly contributes to lengthen his days. Let me also say, that, in general, all our rices unite together, and contribute to strength- en each other, and whether few or many, they are always at war with the peace and health of the human machine. All of them contribute largely to shorten human life. It is another curious fact, that none of these are so incorporated with the system as to be uncontrollable or out of our power to prevent, and cannot be said, in any respect, to form a part of the human machine in any way ; they being entirely under the control of the will, and, whenever present, exist as abuses, none of them ever being committed involuntarily, we must always consent before we do them. Again, all the virtues unite together and support each other. Each triumph we make over any vice, power- fully strengthens our virtues. All the virtues contribute to the well- being of the human machine, and give a mighty preponderance to those elements that strengthen and- fortify it, contributing to confer upon it immunity from some diseases, and assist to bestow upon it great length of days, even the days designed in its orginal formation, which I believe to be from one to two hundred years. I said that I had noticed these facts in relation to virtue and vice as a physician. Allow me now to add, that I delight in them as a Christian. They assist much to strengthen my belief, that when that change comes to me, and will come to us all, my eyes will then be opened to that other state of existence, whose glories and grandeur are heightened by the feeling that there can be no change except from glory to glory, and whose great endowments are health, purity, and immortality. 352 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. CASE OF A CURE OF PILES. In July, 1843, at Troy, N. Y., I met the subject of this case. He was afflicted with most distressing piles, and was of a very scrofulous habit, I then soon cured his piles by medical treatment. He was, a little time before, forced to lay for weeks upon his back, being una- ble to walk, stand up, or do anything for any length of time. After I prescribed for him, he remained well until the next March, when his disease returned upon him so as to greatly impair his strength. In April, 1844, I gave him an abdominal supporter, which soon worked a radical cure. Copy of a letter from Mr. John B. Whiton to Dr. S. S. Fitch. " Weathersfield, Dec. 11, 1844. " DR. S. S. FITCH : " Dear sir, In reply to your inquiries, I will inform you that I was afflicted with most distressing piles for about three years. In July, 1846, I met you at Troy, New- York. I was at that time, and fre- quently before, so reduced that I could not do any business, could not ride, and hardly walk. My usefulness was entirely destroyed ; you relieved me by medicines. "In March, 1844, I was again attacked, and suffered very much from piles, so as greatly to impair my general health. The first of April, you gave me an abdominal supporter, which in a short time per- fectly cured me. I have now been well ever since. I feel most grate- fully obliged to you, and cannot but most confidently recommend your supporters to all persons who may be troubled with piles, as, in my opinion, the only radical mode of cure. JOHN B. WHITON." MANAGEMENT OF SCROFULA, &c. Case of Kelita B. Townley. In August, 1845, I visited several of the springs in Western Vir- ginia, and among others the celebrated Red Sulphur Springs. My object in visiting these springs was to observe their effect upon the consumptive. On my return, I stopped at Lynchburg, Va. I there DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 353 saw the subject of these remarks, one of the most distressed men I ever saw. He was one of the proprietors of the " Lynchburg Virgin- ian," (newspaper.) He had been sick about five years, and for the last year had been confined to his bed and room all the time, and in despair had left oft' taking any medicine. He had a large sore upon the left hip and another upon the left thigh. The left leg, from the knee downward, embracing the whole of the left foot, toes, &c., ex- cept the sole, presented the appearance of a raw blistered surface, and felt in every respect as if it had been recently blistered. From every part thus affected, constantly oozed out a burning watery liquid, that produced constant heat in the parts, with great smarting and burning, giving the whole leg the sensation of suffering from a terrible burn. I saw him early in September, '45. In the latter part of September, I received a letter from him, which is sufficiently explicit without any farther comments. I have again and again cured cases of running scrofula in persons, who, after trying every remedy in their reach, and suffering for years, had considered themselves hopelessly incurable. I should say, that I consider scrofula as comprising in my opinion scro- fula or king's evil, and all skin diseases whatsoever, all comprised un- der the term "a humor," differing because located on different tissues, and requiring different medicines, but originating from similar, or near- ly similar causes. Copy of a letter from Kelita B. Townley to Dr. S. S. Fitch. " Lynchburg, Va., 11 mo. (Nov.) 19, 1845. " Respected friend : Thy letter dated * Portland, Maine, 7th Nov. 1845,' was received on yesterday. It will, no doubt, be gratifying to thee to learn that I have left my bed and my room. I am now going about ; however, as the body is covered with new skin, it is of course quite sensitive, consequently the action of the air, &c., causes some suffering. There is still, too, some vestige of the disease, causing occasionally some irritation. My leg, which was principally disordered at the time of thy visit to me, is disposed, since I have commenced walking about, to swell. Inwardly I feel better than I have felt for 15 years. It is proper to say that I have, from early life, been afflicted with a bronchial disorder. At one time it 354 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. was very severe, and it may be that it had a hurtful influence over my lungs. At this time the bronchitis is much improved, and I am inclined to think that, except an asthmatic affection, my lungs are not much disordered. I have had, and perhaps I have now, a good constitution, not in any organ impaired by my age, which is 48. My habits through life have been temperate, and if I may be permitted to lay aside modesty, virtuous. However, it is proper to remark that my occupations through life have been sedentary, and that I have over-labored both mind and body. " Unto thee I am indebted, no doubt, for my present improved condition of health. What I ought to say on this point language fails me. Gratitude, inexpressible gratitude, is due to thee from my- self and my family. John says the thing was providential. By-the- by, I must inform thee that when thou proposedst to give me medi- cines, I felt a strong opposition to taking any. I had been in the hands of the best physicians included in this part of the state, and at the time of thy visit to me, my disease was upon me with great and increasing severity. A physician, in whom I had great confidence, said to me, Take no more medicine for his opinion was, that my disease was not under the control of medicine. The advice of this doctor was that I should visit the springs. Fortunately for me, my mind as well as my body was weak when thou wast here. I gave myself up to my wife and John, and yielded to their entreaties as to taking thy medicines. If this letter should elicit from thee additional views in regard to my case, please to communicate them to me ; also, if thou think any addi- tional remedies essential, please to send them. Thy prescriptions shall be strictly attended to. Under any circumstances, don't fail to write me immediately on the receipt of this. If thou hast no objection I should prefer to keep up a correspondence with thee several months. " Thy friend, KELITA B. TOWNLEY." November, 1846, 1 was again favored with a letter from Mr. Town- ley, which speaks for itself : " Lynchburg, Va., llth month (Nov.) 4th, 1846. " DR. S. S. FITCH : " Respected friend, I was happy to receive thy letter of the 26th DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 355 ultimo. I have not written to thee for upwards of ten months. About the l*t of the current year, I wrote to thee two letters, to which I received no answers. Presuming that thou wast out of reach of my letters, I thought it unnecessary to write to thee any more till I should hear from thee. "Under the administration of thy prescription, my health continued to improve till I was able, about ten months ago, to resume business. The cure was truly gratifying and astonishing to myself, my family, and my friends. Some time during the summer, I got very wet, which increased a bronchitis, under which I have been laboring for 25 years. I was consequently confined about three weeks. With this exception, I have been regularly engaged at business for upwards of ten months. " However, the disease eczyma occasionally makes its appearance in a mitigated form. At present my whole system is more or less under the influence of it ; but not so much so as to give me much uneasiness. " For several months I did not take any medicine. Recently I have commenced drinking the hemp tea. I have an ample supply of thy pills, but the purple drops are exhausted. I should like very much to get some more of the drops. " John, the servant, is still with me. If we can serve thee in any way, it will afford us pleasure. " Thy friend, respectfully, KELITA B. TOWNLEY." April, 1851, Mr. Townley is still in good health. INSTANCE OF OBSTACLES TO THE CURE OF CON- SUMPTION. The following letter I received after the " Discourses on Consump- tion" had gone to press, but as it graphically portrays the perilous condition of the consumptive, I have presumed to introduce it here. The writer of these two letters, Alexander G. Smith, is a young in- telligent farmer. He was taken with a bad cough, followed by bleed- ing from the lungs. He bled for twelve days. All hope of relief or cure was given up, when, as a forlorn hope, I was applied to by one of 356 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. his family. The use of my remedies resulted in his perfect cure. He now acts the philanthropist, in persuading all th<- consumptives in his region to use the remedies pointed out by me. His bitterest op- ponents are physicians. The consumptive, if he has the least hope of cure, must reject all counsel from most old school physicians. I beg of them not to apply to me until they have come to the firm conclusion to do so, as any other course will usually be fatal to them. Do not long delay this conclusion. Rarely am I applied to, until the patient has been sick one year, and often two and three years, and more ; and too often when the lungs are nearly destroyed, and the general health utterly prostrated. " North Salem, West Chester Co., N. Y., March 4th, 1850. " DR. S. S. FITCH : " Dear Sir, I wish to give you a statement of the excellent effects of your remedies in my case. I was taken with a cough, in July, 1849, that continued until I called on you on January 15, 1850, at which time, I had had night sweats and fever. I also bled from my lungs twelve days, with pains in my chest and right side, distress in my stomach, kidneys deranged, pain in small of my back, not able to labor at all. My friends thought I must die. By faithful use of the inhaling tube, shoulder braces, and abdominal supporter, and your excellent medicines, I soon began to get well. In two weeks, all cough left me, and my chest got better. I am now all but per- fectly well. I can attend to light work, without any bad feelings. My strength has returned. I of course most highly approve of your medicines. ALEXANDER G. SMITH." " Purdy's Station, April 18, 1851. " DR. S. S. FITCH : " Dear Sir, I feel it my duty to write you occasionally. Persons are often calling upon me for information concerning you and your treatment. Yesterday Mr. Clark Lee, of Lewisburg, Westchester Co., N. Y., came; the day before (the ICth,) his brother-in-law consulted you concerning his sister, (Lee's wife,) and received your remedies. DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. 357 They wished me to see the medicine, and give them some information concerning the effect. I rode through the storm seven miles, and re- turned, in order to do it. I found her brother-in-law, Mr. Stephen McCole, has all confidence in you and your treatment. She has been handled precisely as I was ; is no worse than I was, and must have relief soon. Her physician came in while I was there ; he said he had no confidence in you, in short he tried to discourage her all he could. I told them all what you had done for me ; also that I was willing to be put under oath, together with others, and that I would willingly swear that I did firmly believe that you, Dr. S. S. Fitch, saved my life, for which I shall ever feel grateful. I instructed her in regard to the medicine. Her physician prescribed for her, but her brother may prevail. The physician will do all he can against you. You would do well to write to her. I wish I had some of your Guides to give those who call on me for your address, and to enable them to state their case correctly. " I have just received a letter from Mr. Braden, which I shall enclose. Several for miles around have heard of the extraordinary cure effected in me. " I am well and hearty, able to do a day's work ; not been so well for many years ; and you, and you alone, through the blessing of God have done it, for which I shall ever esteem you. I have not taken any medicine since October last. All communications to me direct as before to Purdy's Station, Westchester Co., N. Y. " Yours, truly, ALEXANDER G. SMITH." INTERESTING CASE OF HEART DISEASE. This young man had been treated by many physicians. " Albany, New-York, April 22, 1851. " DR. S. S. FITCH : " Dear Sir, Yours of 15th was duly received, but indisposition prevented me answering it before. My son's case is briefly this : Re- peated and very severe attacks of inflammatory rheumatism during a course of seven years, had finally settled about the region of the 358 DISCOURSE TO GENTLEMEN ONLY. heart, leaving him in a most deplorable condition. In the spring of 1848, he was entirely prostrate with what we supposed to be quick consumption. He had a bad cough, raised much matter, and his hivathinu was so short and distressing, that we had frequently to fan him to prevent his complete sinking away. Feeling much alarm we called in one of our most eminent and scientific physicians, who ex- amined his case carefully, sounded his lungs,