б34. Remedies for Sedentary Perfons. with inftances in point. Other diforders he deduces from nocturnal studies, and advises all men of learning not to tudy by candle-light, but to go to bed betimes and rife early in the morning. The dirtinefs of too many ftudents, he fays produces all thofe diforders which arife from obftructed perspiration, whilst the custom of fome in deferring the going to ftool or urine, caufe often grievous diforders. He then enumerates the other complaints to which fedentary people are fubject, gives the prefervatives to fuch as are in hea th, and for thofe whofe conftitutions are impaired, propofes remedies. We shall digeft them into the following view without giving his reafons therefor. Mind. To preserve it, let it be often unemployed, and the body labour.-Dedicate an hour or two every day to walking; or ride, or ufe fuch exercife as employs both the arms. Food. Avoid all fat, vifcid aliments, all aliments puffed with wind, or hardened either by art or nature. Pulfe is too flatulent, and to be avoided at least in large quantities. Eat the tender flesh of all young animals, (except fwine and geefe) not boiled in copious broth, but roafted, or boiled in a fmall quantity of water: fuch roots, as confift of a light flour, not without a mixture of falt of fugar; foft herbs, which are neither to acid nor too emollient. Fruits, as cherries, ftrawberries, rafberries, goofeberries, peaches, grapes, pears, &c. eat when the tomach is empty, with or without bread, and long before, or long after having drank wine. They are of great ule in inflammatory disorders and flow fevers. Soft boiled eggs, well baked bread, decoctions of bread, milk, (if it does not grow acid on the fomach) chocolate, if not used to excefs, and fimple food, either raw or boiled is bett. A mild feafoning of falt, fugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme fweet-marjoram, fennel, chervil, is good for relaxed nerves. But do not ufe them immoderately. Digeftion, helps to. Exact matication. Three meals a day, one fome Dec. what confiderable, the other two rather flight. "Upon rifing in a morning, a ftudious perfon should drink a glais of pure water; in about an hour after he should breakfaft; fix hours after he fhould dine, having paft one hour in walking; after dinner he should allow himself an hour or two of leifure, because to fit down to ftudy immediately after eating is highly pernicious: his fupper fhould be light; for this, there are reafons of the greateft weight, because, as I obferved before, deep occafions a dangerous plethora in the head; therefore the fullnefs of the veffels should not be increafed before fleep by too large a meal add to this, that the functions of the nerves are fufpended during the time of fleep, and they cannot perform digeftion; at last a soft and refiething lumber is produced by the abfence of all irritation: but if the ftomach is overloaded with aliments, the fleep is interrupted, as the nerves are continually affected by the irritation of digeftion. Hence a plentiful fupper caufes a heaviness in the head, fleep is ditturbed, digestion interrupted, the ftrength impaired, and the health entirely deftroyed. Not to fup at all, however, is dangerous; for the nerves of the learned are moveable, and easily irritated; and if the chyle is not foon renewed by a fupply of new aliments, fuch is the acrimony of the blood, already often fubdued by the ftrength of the vifcera, that it is an irritation of the nerves, which totally destroys the sleep. The example of Auguftus Cæfar who was very moderate in eating, is very properly propofed to the learned, as is likewife that of the illuftrious Lewis Cornaro, who reftored his ruined health by a regular diet alone; and eating but the fourth part of the quantity of victuals eaten by his fellow citizens, lived to an advanced age, vigorous and chearful. Long fince Bartholus, one of the most eminent law. yers, and a man well verfed in polite literature, reduced the quantity of his food and liquor to a certain weight, and by that means preserved his intel • Many phænomena prove this plethora; and it is evinced by a simple obfervation, and one that occurs daily, viz. by thofe convulfions of the lower jaw bone, aubub caufe a collifion of the teeth in fleep, and that more frongly in boys when they have eat a bearty jupper. lectual 1768. Warm Liquors pernicious. lectual faculties during the whole course of his life. A regular diet is capable of effecting every thing: ftudious men, however, whilst they take care of their health, ought not to forget, that a man, who is well, fhould not fo confine himself to rules, as not to break through them, when he thinks proper: for a conftant habit is real flavery and I have known feveral learned and studious men, who were fo fcrupulous with regard to their hours of eating, and going to bed, that their minds feemed to be chained to their bodies, which is the most fhameful fort of fervitude: nor can he be faid to be either a lover of virtue or of learning, who connot purfue his ftudies if he be obliged to wait a little longer than ufual for his meals, if he has not dept quite enough, or if the air be too hot or too cold. I have hitherto spoke only of folid food; liquors are not to be forgotten. In the last age a grievous error crept into phyfic, that health is the better, the more fluid the blood is; and by the advice of Bontekoe chiefly, a pernicious custom prevailed of drinking warm liquors both night and day, whereby the human fpecies has greatly fuffered, and thofe of the prefent age forely lament the injury which their forefathers fuftained in the laft, by impairing the ftrength of their nerves. Grave authors, who knew better, and chiefly the illuftrious Duncan, with Boerhaave, and the whole fchool of Leyden, have proscribed this error; and, if they have not reformed the abufe, have at leaft greatly checked it. But moft valetudinarians till lie under the fame prepoffeffion, and, looking upon an over thick blood as the fource of their disorder, have recourse to warm beverages, which others reject. It can scarce be believed, how many diforders proceed from this fource: and I will take upon me to assert, that thofe pernicious bowls, overflowing with warm liquors, are the true box of Pandora, without even hope remaining at the bottom; for they are prolific fources of hypochrondriac melancholy, which both adds ftrength to and is itself one of the worst of difor 635 ders. Nor is it to be wondered at, if warm beverages are more hurtful to ftudious men, who are naturally weak and feeble, than to others; for they are not troubled with an over thick, but, on the contrary, with too thin a blood. You are well aware, refpectable auditors, that the denfity of the blood is as the motion of the folids : the fibres of the learned are relaxed, their motions are flow, and their blood of confequence thin. Bleed a ploughman and a doctor at the fame time: from the first there will flow a thick blood; refembling inflammatory blood, almoft folid, and of a deep red; the blood of the fecond will be either of a faint red, or without any colour, foft, gelatinous, and will almost entirely turn to water. Your blood therefore, men of learning, fhould not be dif folved, but brought to a confiftence; and you fhould in general be moderate in the article of drinking, and cautioufly avoid warm liquors. Amongst the favourite beverages of the learned, the worst is the infufion of that famous leaf; fo well known by the name of tea, which, to our great detriment, has every year, for these two centuries paft, been conftantly imported from China and Japan. This moft pernicious gift firft destroys the ftrength of the ftomach, and, if it be not foon laid afide, equally destroys that of the vifcera, the blood, the nerves, and of the whole body; fo that malignant and all chronical diforders will appear to increase, especially nervous diforders, in proportion as the use of tea becomes common: and you may easily form a judgment from the difeafes that prevail in every country, whether the inhabitants of it are lovers of tea, or the contrary. How happy would it be for Europe, if by unanimous confent the importation of this infamous leaf were prohibited, which is endued only with a corrofive force, derived from the acrimony of the gum with which it is pregnant : for experience fhews, that what it has of an aftringent principle is loft in the warm water. (See p. 297.) I will not pals the fame censure, though I muft pafs fome cenfure, upon It was justly obferved by Theophraftus, that to eat much, and to live upon flesh,. deprives men of their reafon, blunts the faculties of their minds, and renders them dull and ftupid. that USES OF WINES. 636 that celebrated beverage coffee, which both hurts by the power of the warm water, and by irritating; for nature cannot use itself to irritation without fuffering. It is however rendered powerful by a nutritious flour, and by a bitter and ftrengthening aromatic oil; fo that it may well be laid up in apothecaries fhops as an ufeful remedy, but is improperly ufed in kitchens as part of our daily food. It raises the fpirits, eafes the ftomach when loaded with phlegm, cures the head ach, caufes a chearfulness of mind, and, if we may believe fome people, increases its penetration; for which reafon the learned are fo fond of it. But was coffee ufed by Homer, Thucydides, Plato, Xenophon, Lucretius, Virgil, Ovid, Horace, Petronius, and the other great men of antiquity, who as much excelled us in genius, as we furpafs them in experience and knowledge of nature. Warm liquors being therefore juftly fet afide, cold water fhould be used, which has as much power in ftrengthening as the former in weakening the body. Wine deferves its fhare of praife; but I have the fame opinion concerning wine, with refpect to the learned, that I have in regard to coffee, that it fhould be used as a remedy, and not as a drink. The Creator gave pure water as the univerfal drink, which he made a menftruum to all forts of food, and agreeable to all palates: it fhould be chofen cold, foft, and mild; for it both ftrengthens and cleanfes the vifcera. Hence it has been generally looked upon as a panacea both by the Greeks and Romans, and it is the best of remedies when dryness prevails, or ile or acidity are in too great quantity. Digestion will be more eafy, fleep fweeter, the head feldomer clouded, and the ftrength greater, if, laying afide wine, we quench our thirft with pure water alone. Wine has one fault that renders it exceeding hurtful to the learned; it forces the blood into the brain, and increases the feveral disorders thereof, head-achs, megrim, and the like, which are hardly to be cured without laying alide the ufe of wine: all these diforders are wonderfully removed by drinking water, which prevents too ·Dec. great a quantity of blood from being gathered in the head. What wonder is it then if it increases the intellectual powers, and if those who drink water alone have a more tenacious memory, a more lively imagination, and quicker perceptions than others. The abftemioufness of Demofthenes is a great example in favour of drinking water, which has likewife this virtue, it in a furprifing manner fubdues thofe catarrhs with which the learned are fo often troubled, and which the ufe of wine is apt to increafe. They have often acid eructations; but wine fharpens an acidity, water dulls it. I will folemnly own, that I have cured more nervous diforders, (and learned men are generally troubled with fuch) by retrenching the quantity of liquor, forbidding all warm beverages, as well as wine, and recommendingexercife, than by any other remedies. Norfhould the danger ofleaving off what people have been used to, be alledged, there is no fuch danger; or, if there be, it is easily avoided by a gradual difufe. But take notice, if fometimes the too great laxity of the ftomach, the great weakness of the body, and the depreffion of the fpirits require a remedy to brace, to ftrengthen, to excite, to exhilarate; wine is the most proper. In vain would you feek a more expeditious and agreeable medicine than this through the three kingdoms of nature: But let it be generous and fmooth, and fuch as may vie with Falernian wine: But avoid thofe fmall wines which have lefs of the nature of wine than vinegar, and rather irritate than ftrengthen. Remember that wine is an antidote against the miseries of life, and the tedioufnefs of idleness; cares are banished by wine, whilft the reason is intoxicated: But does fuch a drink become the learned? And this puts me in mind of another fort of intoxication, I mean that caused by fmoaking tobacco, which abounds with an acrimonious falt and fulphur, together with a narcotic oil. I have elsewhere enlarged upon the folly of smoking; bere I fhall add more concifely, that the narcotic principle hurts the ftomach, causes a ftuffing up of the head, headachs, vertigos, anxiety, lethargy, apo * Boerhaave prætect, tom, vii. p. 340. plexy, TOBACCO CENSURED. 1768. rience." Air. It fhould be pure, warm, and dry; a frigid and dry air is fup 637 kina, which he had conftantly by his fide." Hyfteric fymptoms, attended with a vertigo, fainting fits, fuffocation, and anxiety. Ule bitters, ferulacious gums, myrih, fteel, and the cold bath. Ufe friction with a coarfe cloth or fileshbruth. Ufe chalybeate waters, at the fountain head. Bleeding to be used fparingly. After all the doctor gives, in a few words, the grand arcanum of the art of preferving health. "Chearfulness of temper is the fource of health, and a virtuous life is the fource of chearfulnefs: a good confcience, a mind pure and clear of all contagion, are the belt prefervatives of health; and if the learned were without them, it would bə a thame: for of what ufe is learning without wifdom ?” The Agriculture. away of dying Leather Red and Yellow, as practifed in the Eaft, for that kind called Turkey Leather, by Mr. Philippo, an Aliatic; for which be received a Reward of 100l. from the Society of Arts, Sc. and afterwards their Gold Medal. portable: A moilt air is highly perni- Extrad from Doffie's Memoirs of cious; for it increafes laxity, tops perfpiration, and occafions catarrhs, pains, and palfies. Live in a lightfome houfe, an high apartment, refreshed by a breeze in fummer, and enlightened by the fun in winter. Let fresh air into the chamber every day, cool it in fummer, and do not keep it too warm in winter. Particularly avoid cold in the feet, wash your ears, and whole head, hair and all, every morning in cold water. HE firft preparation of the fkins, both for the red and THE Sleep. Do not indulge in it after dinner; but if it fteals upon you unbind all your ligatures. Confumptions and other decays. Leave off study, and fly to country pleasures. Drink generous wines, if the lungs are ftill unaffected, eat wholefome meats, and well-boiled aliments, and milk, if the stomach will bear it. Ride, and purge away the peccant matter, by fome gentle, ftrengthening remedy. Rhubarb, aloes, are proper for that purpofe; but purges too frequently used are dangerous. Peruvian bark is an excellent remedy. In this cafe there is not a better remedy; it reftores digeftion, ftrengthens the veffels, comprefles the fluids, promotes fecretions, and, above all, perfpiration, repairs the strength of the nerves, and quells falfe motions. One of our molt eminent geometricians foon repaired his wafted powers by a large draught of the decoction of kin yellow dyes. Let the skins dryed with the hair on be first laid to foak in clean water three days. Let them be broken over the flesh fide, and put into fresh water for two days more, then hung to drain, half an hour. Let them now be broken again on the fleth fide, limed with cold lime on the fame fide, and doubled together with the grain fide outward. Thus they must be hung within doors on a frame five or fix days, 'till the hair be loofe, which must then be taken off, and the fkins returned into the lime-pit for three weeks. Take them then out, and work them well, fleth and grain every fixth or seventh day during that time; after which wath them ten times in clean water, changing it at each washing. They are next to be prepared and drenched as follows. 2. Second préparation of the fskins for both the dyes. After squeezing the water out of the ikins, Preparation of Turkey Leather. 638 fkins, put them into a mixture of bran and water new milk warm, in this proportion, viz. three pounds of bran for five fkins, with about a gallon of water to each pound of bran. Here drench them three days; at the end of which work them well, and then return them into the drench two days longer, after which take them out and rub them between the hands: fqueeze out the water, and scrape the bran clean off from both fides, and then wash them again ten times in clean water, and squeeze the water out. Thus far preparatory to both colours; but afterwards thofe that are to be red must be treated as follows. 3. Preparations in honey and bran. Mix one pound of honey with three pints of luke warm water and ftir them well till the honey be diffolved. Then add two double handfuls of bran; and taking four skins (for which this quantity will fuffice) work them well in it feparately. Then fold each feparately into a round form, the flesh fide outward, and lay them in an earthen pan, fide by fide, in fummer, and in winter on top of each other. Place the pan floping that the fluid may run fpontaneously from them. An acid fermentation will then arife in the liquor, and the skins will fwell confiderably. Thus let them continue feven or eight days, but the draining moisture muft be poured off once or twice a day; after which the next preparation will be neceffary. 4. Preparations in falt. After the laft mentioned fermenta tion, take the skins out on the ninth or tenth day, and rub them well with dry common falt, about half a pound to each, which must be well worked into them. Then they will contract again, and part with a confiderable further quantity of liquid, which fqueeze out by drawing each through the hands. Next fcrape them clean on both fides; after which ftrew dry falt over the grain fides and rubbed well. Then double them length wife, from tail to tail, the flesh side outward, and frew more falt thinly on the flesh side, rubbing it in. For which two laft operations a pound and half may fuffice to Dec. each skin. Then put them, folded on each other, between two clean boards, placed floping breadthwife, and a heavy weight laid on the upper board, in order gradually to prefs out the moifture they will thus part with. They fhould be continued fo pressed two days or longer, when they will be duely prepared for dying. 5. Preparation of the red dye, in the proportion for four fskins, and the manner of applying it to the skins. To eight gallons of water in a copper, put feven ounces of Shenan tied up in a linnen bag. Light the fire, and when the water has boiled a quarter of an hour, take out the bag, and put into the water still boiling two drams of alum, three quarters of an ounce of turmeric, three ounces of cochineal, and two ounces of loaf fugar. Then let the whole boil fix minutes longer. Put two pints of this liquor into a flat earthen pan; and when cool as new milk, take one skin folded lengthwife, grain fide outward, and dip it in the liquor, rubbing it gently with the hands, then take it out and hang it to dry. Proceed thus with the rest of the fkins feparately, eight times before each fresh dipping, fqueezing them by drawing through the hand. lay them on one fide of a large floping pan for as much of the water to drain as may be without preffure in two hours, or till cold. 6. Of tanning the red skins. Then Powder four pounds of fine white galls in a marble mortar, fift them fine, and mix them in three quarts of water. Work the fkins well in this mixture half an hour or more; then folding them fourfold, let them lye in it twenty-four hours; then work them again as before; when taken out and fcraped clean on both fides, put them into the like quantity of freth galls and water. Work them here again three quarters of an hour, fold them up as before, and leave them in this fresh tan three days. On the fourth, take them out again, wash them clean from the galls in feven or eight waters, and hang them up to dry. * Shenan is an eastern drug for dying, eafy to be procured at any of the ports of Afia, Africa, or the Levant. It is the jointed Kali, by botanifts called Selicornia, of which we have a leffer fpecies in Lincolnshire, but of inferior quality, which yet perbaps may be owing to fome unattended circumflance in the collecting. 7. Manner |