CHA P. V. FOOD. IT is doubtful, whether the articles of food, and treatment, have been sufficiently attended to, in other complaints. Most certainly they have not in cases of lunacy; yet their importance in all chronical disorders must be obvious; and they are of so much consequence in this, that I have seldom known medicine do much good where they were not properly attended to; and have frequently known them succeed without medicine. It is of the utmost importance, to point out what is hurtful; and, as it is as easy to abstain entirely from a favourite article, as to use it very sparingly, it will be the best to prohibit, absolutely, the articles of butter, cheese, salted meat, rich soups and sauces, rich rich pastry, and all kinds of windy or flatulent food, and such as is hard of digestion. Strong drink, must be carefully avoided; particularly ale and spirits. Milk, whey, pottage, onion pottage, gruel, tea, flourbread, rice puddings, potatoes, fruit of all kinds if good, chickens, and fresh meat in small quantities, will furnish a sufficient variety of food. Whey, made from cheese, or made by breaking the milk with vinegar, is proper for drink. for drink. All acids are proper and beneficial: sugar should be sparingly used: honey may be considered as useful. It must be understood, that both the meat and drink, should be as sparing in quantity, as the constitution and former habits will admit of; but not so as to occasion the painful sensation of hunger or thirst. No good can be rationally expected from that. Fruit is highly useful, but it should be considered as part of the allowed quantity of food; not given in addition to it. A little at a time, and more frequently, is better than full meals. Sea biscuit, when the the patient complains of hunger, is proper. The drink should be sharpened with winegar, lemon juice, or lemon chrystals. It has been said, that vinegar alone has cured insanity; and I do not think it improbable. As repletion, or too great a fulness, is thought to be one of the great causes of the complaint; it has been argued, that deple tion, or emptiness, would alone be likely to produce a cure; but facts do not warrant any such conclusion. In that case, those patients who refuse food, would recover; and bleeding alone, might be considered as a specific. But neither of these, it is well known, will answer the purpose. The object should be, an alterative system, to improve the blood and juices, and regulate the circulation. This may require, that the quantity should be made less, and the quality attenuated or thinned for in our general habits, both our meat and drink are of a more stimulating quality, and taken in larger quantities, than nature requires. It It is absolutely necessary to avoid this in the treatment of the insane; and this may be as far as is allowable; for extremes the other way may be hurtful. Where there is an evident appearance of debility and want of appetite, a glass of good wine may be requisite; and where the patient begs hard for a glass in the evening, very little danger is to be apprehended from indulging him with a little weak common gin and water, made warm, sweetened with honey, and sharpened with lemons. Smoaking, taking snuff and tobacco, must be allowed with great moderation. CHAP VI. MEDICAL TREATMENT. WHETHER it be that insanity has been less attended to by the faculty, or, whether it presents more difficulties to the medical enquirer than others, is what I cannot pretend to determine; but, most certainly, there is no complaint in the treatment of which so much erroneous practice has prevailed: and it may be of equal, if not more importance, to point out what is likely to prove hurtful, of those methods that have been recommended, than to give a long list of remedies of supposed efficacy.. It would be a great point gained, if the practitioner could truly say, "I will give. nothing that can possibly do harm;" yet, surely, this is not too much to expect from the |
