Treatment. — First ascertain the causes of the disease, and try to remove them. As to medicine, give an emetic ; if the disease is obstinate, repeat it ; give also anodyne aperients and injec- tions. For an hypochondriac, the Dys- peptic Pill is very efficacious, taken at night. Also the Nervous Pill. Treat the patient kindly and encouragingly. Harshness will aggravate the disease. The great thing is to arouse the nervous energy from its lethargy ; and this must be effected as above, and also by giving tonics, light and digestible food, open air exercise, sea air, change of scenes, travelling and lawful amusements. An aged minister once said that "weak nerves are the devil's fiddle strings, and he always plays well on them.” Should this disease arise from affec- tions of the liver, he must be treated for that disease also. The following is a Good Pill for Melancholly; — lobelia seed, 1 dr. ; extract of dandelion, 3 drs. ; bloodroot, 1 dr. ; senna, pow- dered, 2 drs. ; cayenne, 1 dr. ; valerian powdered, 2 drs. ; butternut powdered, 3 drs. Form into pills with syrup and oil of mint. Two or three, three times a-day. These ingredients may be obtain- ed at the Medical Botanists. HYSSOP.-— It is very useful in colds, coughs, catarrhs, influenza, and affections of the lungs ; as a gargle for sore mouth. See Robinson's Herbal. KYS 216 ICE HYSTERICS. — This disease mostly affects young, nervous, single women. It manifests itself by fits, often preceded by nervous lowness, difficult breathing, sickness at the stomach, pal- pitations, and a pain at the left side, a rumbling noise in the bowels, the sensa- tion of a ball ascending to the throat, with the feeling of suffocation, convul- sions, laughing and crying without any apparent cause. Almost every part of the nervous system is liable to this affec- tion. The disease seldom proves fatal. It is caused by menstrual irregularities, indolence, irregular liying, costiveness, indigestion, worms, obstructed perspi- ration, &c. An Hysteric Fit may be easily distinguished from fainting; for, in fainting the pulse and respiration are entirely stopped ; in hysterics, they are both perceptible. Treatment. — First loosen the dress, and dash cold water in the face. It is of the greatest importance to put the feet and legs in warm water as soon as possible. Give an emetic. The Expectorant Tincture , (pages ax and 175) must be given to remove the rising in the throat, the sense of suffocation, collected phlegm, &c. If the patient cannot swallow, pour it into the mouth, and it will relax the jaws, &c., and cause the patient to swallow ; it will send the blood to the surface and ex- tremities, affect the brain and nervous system so as to end the attack even by a single dose. The vapour bath should be given as soon as possible. Or, put the patient

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Treatment. — First ascertain the causes of the disease, and try to remove them. As to medicine, give an emetic ; if the disease is obstinate, repeat it ; give also anodyne aperients and injections. For an hypochondriac, the Dyspeptic Pill is very efficacious, taken at night. Also the Nervous Pill. Treat the patient kindly and encouragingly. Harshness will aggravate the disease. The great thing is to arouse the nervous energy from its lethargy ; and this must be effected as above, and also by giving tonics, light and digestible food, open air exercise, sea air, change of scenes, travelling and lawful amusements. An aged minister once said that "weak nerves are the devil's fiddle strings, and he always plays well on them.” Should this disease arise from affections of the liver, he must be treated for that disease also. The following is a Good Pill for Melancholly; — lobelia seed, 1 dr. ; extract of dandelion, 3 drs. ; bloodroot, 1 dr. ; senna, powdered, 2 drs. ; cayenne, 1 dr. ; valerian powdered, 2 drs. ; butternut powdered, 3 drs. Form into pills with syrup and oil of mint. Two or three, three times a-day. These ingredients may be obtained at the Medical Botanists. HYSSOP.-— It is very useful in colds, coughs, catarrhs, influenza, and affections of the lungs ; as a gargle for sore mouth. See Robinson's Herbal. KYS ICE HYSTERICS. — This disease mostly affects young, nervous, single women. It manifests itself by fits, often preceded by nervous lowness, difficult breathing, sickness at the stomach, palpitations, and a pain at the left side, a rumbling noise in the bowels, the sensation of a ball ascending to the throat, with the feeling of suffocation, convulsions, laughing and crying without any apparent cause. Almost every part of the nervous system is liable to this affection. The disease seldom proves fatal. It is caused by menstrual irregularities, indolence, irregular liying, costiveness, indigestion, worms, obstructed perspiration, &c. An Hysteric Fit may be easily distinguished from fainting; for, in fainting the pulse and respiration are entirely stopped ; in hysterics, they are both perceptible. Treatment. — First loosen the dress, and dash cold water in the face. It is of the greatest importance to put the feet and legs in warm water as soon as possible. Give an emetic. The Expectorant Tincture , (pages ax and 175) must be given to remove the rising in the throat, the sense of suffocation, collected phlegm, &c. If the patient cannot swallow, pour it into the mouth, and it will relax the jaws, &c., and cause the patient to swallow ; it will send the blood to the surface and extremities, affect the brain and nervous system so as to end the attack even by a single dose. The vapour bath should be given as soon as possible. Or, put the patient

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