WINE, MEDICAL USES OF. These are distinct from the common or dietetical employment of wine. For very young children, wine may be pronounced to be at once needless and hurtful, as was proved by the experience of Dr. Hunter on his own children. The immense number of the children of the lower orders who fall early victims to gin prove it on a large scale. But iu the case of great constitutional debility, or in states of exhaustion from depressing diseases such as diphtheria, scarlatina, or gastric fever, small quantities of geed wine cautiously administered, are invaluable tonics. The beat mode of administering them is, not to give them undiluted, or even simply with water. hot or cold, but with a very small quantity of hot water having mixed with it so much biscuit or rusk as shall form with the wine a thick pulp, requiring to be eaten rather than drunk. This prevents the costs of the stomach being so much irritated, and the wine does not so speedily reach the brain to over-exeite it. At a more advanced period of life, if rapid growth should occur, wino iu moderation is beneficial. But much canfien is requisite, lest habits should be formed, difficult, if not imposaible to break. Zealous students are sometimes tempted to prop up exhausted nature by wine; but the benefit is only temporary, while the injury is often permanent. Tea or coffee, or coca. (Brill/wary/on Coca: See STIMULANTS) are preferable.
As life advances, and the circulation becomes languid, wino in moderation, at fit times, is commendable. It has been designated "the milk of old age," and may tend to prolong life—but in excess cannot fail to shorten it.
Tie) selection of the kind of wine must be left to the individual, or to the judgment of his medical attendant. Every one should aim at obtaining !, ow/ wine, and avoid mixing wines. Where gouty persons use wines, it should be Rhenish, Moselle, or Bordeaux (Claret), and these should be strictly fancied to.
In the treatment of fever, common or typhoid, there generally occurs a stage when istiumbulta are requisite. Of these, wine is most frequently employed. But as the type of fever so frequently varies. no rules Can be laid clown. Nothing shows the discriminating power of the physician more than his ability to decide when it is to be used, and how much is to be administered. States of great prostration need much. Port wine, Madeira, and Champagne are mostly preferred. But if erysipelas or affections of the liver occur. Moselle with Seltzer water is best. Tympanites is often dissipated by wiue, given either by the mouth, or as an enema. (Abercrombie on the ' Diseases of the Stomach.) The same author gives cases where delicate fermis-a, uuaccustomed to the daily use of wine, had been saved by the liberal use of wine, in cases of much exhaustion. But these are very extreme cases. Wine, especially port wine, given with very warm water, to persons much exhausted with over walking, or during convalescence from fevers or other weakening diseasea, before outsof-door exercise can be taken, often insures sound refreshing sleep if administered about the usual time of going to bed. A rusk or biscuit steeped in it converts it into a digestible supper for such persons.