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muscular debility has often succeeded to the more violent paroxysms of the disease. This is the evidence of Dr. Mead, which, I doubt not, is correct. "In persons advanced in life, in whom the disease has been used to recur for a course of years, if it does not invade them at all, instead of the limbs, the internal parts are infected; and, moreover, the limbs being deprived of their strength, they pass the remainder of their lives in a miserable state, which I have seen more than once in those who, contenting themselves with milk and vegetables, have abstained from all other food."

I question not these facts. It is no reproach to the vegetable regimen that it cannot effect impossibilities; that it cannot restore a constitution worn out with age and disease. Nor are the evils described to be attributed to the diet, though vulgar prejudice might reason so; and the representation of the writer seems to favor it, this series of symptoms being the customary course of the disease under every regimen. It is equally true, that in London, and perhaps every where else, many children will become diseased, and die, who are confined to vegetable food, other causes of disease being in action. But let observations be made on a scale sufficiently large, and let an average be fairly taken, and there can be no doubt that the balance will be in favor of the abstemious in length of life, in diminution of suffering, and in actual enjoyment.

Excess of all kinds is followed by an instantaneous exacerbation of constitutional disease, as persons subject to gouty pains almost always experience. And where the very contrary effect is experienced, as may sometimes happen, it may be suspected to be owing to a degree. of torpor introduced into the nervous system rather than to healthy action.

Abstinence, on the contrary, without curing constitutional disease, assuages its violence; it both protracts life and renders it more comfortable.

A gentleman of about thirty years of age, while this chapter was in the press, informed me that he had formerly used animal food two or three times a day. He had for some time suffered most severe pains of the head, so much as to confine him,

during the paroxysms, to his bed; and they gave him the greatest dread of their approach, which he could commonly foretell for two or three days. Moreover, he had a bleeding from the hemorrhoidal vessels, from which he had hardly any respite. In consequence of the inquiries originating with me, he determined to confine himself wholly to vegetable food, which he has now done, I believe, between two and three years. For half a

year the disease continued with unabating severity. But from that time it became much milder, and now it never confines him, and he hardly regards it. The hemorrhage also is greatly diminished. The whole time it now occupies is not equal to what the intervals were formerly. He has perceived no loss of strength, and has determined, in consequence of the benefit he has received, to pursue in every respect the regimen I have recommended in chronic disease.

I have before me some papers written by a gentleman of Birmingham, of the name of Luckcock, which he liberally communicated for publication. But though the matter is creditable both to the benevolence and good sense of the writer, it is not such as I deem suitable to my object. I doubt not, therefore, that he will excuse me if I use only those facts which I think more directly conducive to that end.

On this

This gentleman had, in May, 1813, used a vegetable regimen for rather more than four years, prompted more by a principle of humanity, and a conscientious feeling, than a mere regard to health. He says that he never found the smallest inconvenience from the change, but that, on the contrary, he has rather increased in weight, and sensibly improved in health. subject he declares: "I confidently believe that I am taking the best means to enjoy life as long as it may continue. In this respect I do affirm that the last four years have been equal to any period between twenty and the present time, and certainly better than the four years preceding the innovation." Mr. Luckcock's age was at this time fifty-three.

It further appears that the writer, like most men of his time of life, was not entirely free from constitutional disease. His words on this subject are: "About fifteen years ago a slight hemorrhage made its appearance with me, and has gradually increased to a degree which, under less favorable circumstances, might well excite considerable alarm, and it may eventually be fatal." From this statement I conclude that the change of regimen has made no marked alteration in this disease.

I repeat, then, that abstemiousness does not cure constitutional disease; but it palliates, where to cure is obviously impossible. Even in aneurisms of the aorta, or dilatations of the cavities of the heart, whatever good is possible must be looked for in a treatment founded upon analogous principles. Such was the practice proposed by Valsalva in these hopeless diseases. He enjoined repeated bleedings, and a spare diet rigorously persevered in; and we are assured by Albertini, in a

paper inserted in the memoirs of the academy of Bologna, "that young persons treated in this way have, in some instances, been cured, and in others remarkably relieved; and that old persons, and those in whom the complaint was already far advanced, had at least found in this plan a more or less powerful obstacle to its progress, and a prolongation of life." Some examples of the utility of the practice are given in the work from which this extract is made.

I do not think that an impartial examination of facts will allow us to attribute effects more favorable than those I have described, to the use of a vegetable instead of the mixed diet of common life, aided even by avoiding fermented liquors. They are, as I have said, prolonging life to a certain degree, and rendering disease more mild. But no instances have been given of the eradication of deep constitutional disease, where the symptoms were well marked and unequivocal. On the contrary, such symptoms have been known to arise under a strict regimen of this kind, of which, in the sequel, I shall cite some examples.

I know that very different opinions on these subjects are held both by practitioners and by the people. Persons who have for years used the common diet without inconvenience, say, that at some former period of their lives they labored under severe and dangerous illness, for which they were enjoined to practice a rigid abstemiousness; and to this practice they ascribe their recovery. But I would ask, if the diet caused their former illness, how happen they to bear a recurrence to it without a recurrence of the symptoms? It is clear, then, that they do not think their disease was caused by the mixed diet, but that there was some peculiar medicinal power in a temporary abstemiousness. And that British practitioners in general entertain similar ideas, is clear from the rigid abstinence they enjoin in acute diseases, under the name of the antiphlogistic regimen. In this respect, the English are said to be more strict than other nations. And it is thought that life itself is preserved by this strictness.

Without at all disputing the propriety of this strictness-for I think it perfectly proper-I must doubt greatly its efficacy, at least as far as it claims to preserve life. For having seen severe attacks of inflammatory disease, where a regimen of this kind had been followed for months, and even for years; having even suffered in my own person an exceedingly severe inflammatory sore throat, when it had been followed very nearly two years, I cannot but ask what effect can it be supposed to have

on the issue of such a disease, when resorted to only on the spur of the occasion, and continued for a few days, or it may be for a few weeks? I question not, then, that their issue depends infinitely more upon the antecedent habits, than upon any effect of regimen during their invasion. And if this be true, it would seem that those foreigners who are much more sparing of animal food in their daily habits, but much less rigid than the English under illness, do not appear, in these respects, to be less enlightened than our countrymen.

Under the influence of opinions, common to all British practitioners, of the great importance of the antiphlogistic regimen. in inflammatory diseases, I myself proposed in a former work (Inquiry into the Origin, Symptoms, and Cure of Constitutional Diseases, p. 50), to render it more perfect, and, as I thought, more efficacious, by attending to the fluid, as much as to the solid matter used, and substituting pure instead of common water. And I still think that I reasoned right, supposing the common opinion to be just. But being now fully assured that the operation of regimen of all kinds is, as far as it regards the safety of the patient, exceedingly slow; that the effect of the ingesta (of any kind whatever), upon the issue of these diseases can, during the course of the disease, be hardly calculated; and that a strict attention to the antiphlogistic regimen itself may tend to the comfort of the patient, but possess little or no influence on the event; being, I say, assured of these facts, I think any more minute attention than what is commonly paid, would be frivolous and unnecessary.

I can therefore pay little attention to the relations of the extraordinary benefits of vegetable diet, in persons who have afterward used, for a length of time, the customary diet of the country, without perceptible injury. If, in fact, disease be caused by diet, if not the immediate symptoms, still the diseased state of the constitution is really attributable to this source, the constitution should improve by a change of diet, and either the same symptons, or at least the same diseased state of constitution, should recur upon relapsing into the former habits. Such only can be allowed to be a legitimate proof. In other cases, such as I have alluded to, the abstinence enjoined may have been beneficial, but the restoration to health must be conceived to have been due to other causes.

CHAPTER VI.

The objections to vegetable food: paleness and loss of flesh; that the feeble require nourishing diet; differences of constitution; uneasiness from vegetables; that eating flesh injures only by excess; that it is not unfavorable to intellect; that it has been found useful in disease.How far liking justifies the practice.—Fish, milk.-The cookery of vegetables.

In questions which must ultimately be decided by experience, I know not whether it is necessary or useful to employ much time in argument. Perhaps to lay a simple statement of the facts before the public is the most proper and the most powerful argument that can be employed. If, therefore, I consider shortly some of the objections which I have heard made to the use of a vegetable regimen, it is because I have thought some respect was due to the quarters from which they have proceeded; and still more to popular opinion, which, it is unfortunately too true, is vehemently adverse to it.

The pallidness and shrinking of the features and of the whole body, which sometimes succeed the disuse of animal food, is apt to excite an alarm, and a fear of essential and irretrievable injury to the constitution. Let us consider how impossible it is that this should be otherwise, and therefore how little is to be apprehended from it.

Animal food commonly gives a more succulent habit, a greater fullness, and, at the same time, a higher color to the face. It may be suspected that all the fibres become softer ; that the force of aggregation of the molecules which compose them is diminished. In the healthy, the high color of the face is not unpleasing, though coarse. In the lads in the service of butchers it may be observed the most distinctly. In others of feebler stamina it is an habitual flush.

ers.

This color it is which most imposes upon superficial observ

To see a pallid child or young person become more ruddy, from what is called better living, is a pleasure which it is difficult to resist; and to observe the color fade from an opposite treatment, without alarm, requires a thorough confidence in the justness of principles, which the ignorant and the timid can hardly be supposed to possess. It ought, therefore, to be considered what it really indicates.

In fact, what can it indicate but an excitation of all the small

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