The morbid matter being removed or destroyed, strict attention to diet is next of very considerable consequence. What ever is light and easy of digestion, and especially whatever at the same time contains in itself a considerable portion of the nutritive principle, and counter acts acescency, is the bill of fare to be rigidly adhered to. If there be thirst, barley water may be taken plentifully ; rice gruel is preferable to decoctions of oatmeal, as being less ready to ferment, andcontaining more demulcent mucilage. As more solid food, rice itself may be ha bitually resorted to, with light animal food of any kind, and varied in whatever way the patient may prefer. Cardialgia, or heart-burn, flatulence, and hence tympa nites, or enlargement of the belly, are often mere symptoms, dependent upon that debilitated state of the stomach that predisposes it to a morbid secretion, or renders it ineffectual to digest the com mon aliments that are introduced to it, or even to resist the acetous fermentation to which they are too often inclined. What ' ever, therefore, of medicine or regimen will tend to remove this state of the sto mach, will tend at the same time to de stroy these distressing symptoms, which are but its concomitants or dependants.
Worms, again, may be regarded as ano ther result of the same debilitated ac tion; for, whether in children or adults, they will never be found to exist either in the stomach or intestines, while these are in a state of perfect health, and tho roughly competent to a secretion of their appropriate fluids. These, however, like the acidity of the stomach, must first be discharged from their station, before we can expect any great degree of benefit from an habitual regimen.
To the diet already recommended, we may then add gentle tonics and cordials, especially wine and palatable spices. So da water will also generally be a beve rage of very essential advantage, both from the carbonic acid gas and from the alkali it contains, the one proving gently tonic to the stomach, and the other cor recting the superabundant acid : and it is commonly necessary to continue the use of rhubarb, or some other purgative, with alkaline and slight bitter medicines, for a length of time, where the complaint shews a disposition to return.