These Instances are sufficient to shew the Nature of those things, which I take to be the most adequate Remedy in this Case; viz. that they ought to be such as are of a Medium, between common Balsamicks and Acids, and that they are such, as seem most likely to prove Nutritive to People in so weak a Condition; the reason why I set such a value upon these moderate things, is taken from the state of the Blood of People in such Circumstances, which seems unable to manage stronger Medicines, the least tendency to a Diaphoresis being some disturbance to those Persons; so that what is to be done, must be by things which may suit with the Blood, and as it were grow upon it, that may be transubstantiated into its Crasis after an Alimentary way; there must be a continual Rill of these temperate Juices into the Blood, without the observing of Physical Hours, and then ’tis to be hop’d the Blood may renew by degrees, and the Acrimony may decrease for want of Fuel; and thus we may perhaps better obviate the Periodical Ebullitions of the Hectick, by substracting their Cause, than by stifling the Hectick by keeping in the Cause; I have not Scope here to explain my self, but I think the common Causes assign’d for those Fits, don’t seem sufficient; I can’t think the Ripening of a Tubercle able to do so much, that little quantity of Pus can’t contain a Putredo sufficient for such effects, not to say the same Hectick happens, where no Tubercle has broke; to be short, it seems to me most probable, that when the Blood is so much saturated with disagreeable Particles, as in Consumptive Persons it is, as these Particles encrease and grow upon those Particles which make up, the Proper, Genuine, Inseparable Essence of the Blood in its true, State; I say as the first gain ground, there is so great a Correspondence and Harmony in the Oeconomy, that these latter must contend and resist the other, tho’ in the Contention, Nature gains no great Advantage, but only fights and retires till she is quite overcome; this seems to me no unlikely Idea of the Hectick, and if it be true, the best way must be to substract the quantity of the Morbisick Particles, by using such a Food, as cannot possibly afford Matter for ’em.
Having, then consider’d these Medicines, I will suppose it granted me, that they are proper in this Case; I won’t say that they shall be Sufficient to Cure of themselves, (tho’ I don’t doubt but they may in some Constitutions do the Work themselves) but I will only suppose, that they do greatly dispose towards it, which Postulatum will, I conceive, be readily granted me; I will suppose likewise, that Riding (the Exercise I propose in this Case) does likewise dispose towards a Cure, which Postulatum will be granted too; I will suppose farther, that these two Courses are Compatible, and may be us’d together; as the Medicines help the Fluids, the Exercise helps both the Fluids and Solids; which Postulatum cannot be deny’d me neither; what then naturally Results from this, but that they be both us’d in Conjunction? And is it not more than probable, that these two Methods joyn’d, shall effect that which neither of ’em can singly? Do not we see enough of this every Day in Natural Occurrences, where one, two or three things, indifferent in themselves, shall, when blended together, produce a valuable Effect, which none of ’em could alone? And shall these things be observ’d in lesser Arts, and be slighted when a Man’s Health is at Stake? Seeing we abound so in Compound Medicines, why may we not for once take up with a Compound Method of Cure, (if I may so speak) that is, if we cannot obtain Health by one sort of means alone, why may we not expect it from a Complication?
Thus I have run up these Arguments to a Head; I have shewn that the Medicines appropriated to this Case, ought to be very Mild and Temperate, upon the account of that less prevalent quality, there may be Hazard, lest they should not always prove equally effectual; and therefore to supply any such Defect, I substitute a most easie Natural Gymnastick Course, as a common Aid to the weakness of the Medicines, and an assistance to that part of the Oeconomy, which those Medicines can’t reach. Whether this is not most suitable to, and consistent with the even Tenour of Nature, tho’ it may not relish so much of the Magnificence of Art, I must submit to those who are best Judges; to me it seems to promise enough, and carry more Healing with it, than some things that are dignifi’d with the great Titles of Gilead and Peru.
If after all there are any People who will think, I have taken too much upon me, in venturing to attack the Balsamick Method, if they cannot think slightly of Medicines, which will give such present mitigation of a Cough, and which are so Fragrant and Costly, let ’em enjoy their Opinion, and persist in the use of them; and if they find ’em at any time not so effectual as they could desire, let ’em but superadd the Power of Exercise, and they will doubtless find ’em much improv’d; and if they come by that Means to succeed, I shall not envy their good Effects.
Besides these two main Indications, there is something more to be consider’d in the Cure of the Consumption; and that is, how we may obviate the Moisture of the Air; which is a very troublesome Enemy to Consumptive People, of what Constitution soever, who dare not make use of Generous Liquors to fence against it; for that Practice would be prejudicial upon another Account: Now what can be more Natural in this Case, than the raising the Spirits to resist this Moisture, by a gentle Motion of the whole Body, which at the same time, causes a greater Degree of Heat, and that equally diffus’d all over the Body, which must needs rarify in some measure, the moist Air, and besides, make the hot and acrimonious Particles in the Blood, supply the place of warm Internal Medicines, which in another Person would have been proper to have been given, to oppose the Moisture of the Air? Now this is much the same, that the Change of Air can effect in the Body of a Sick Person, for ’tis the equal Influence, the universal moderate Rarefaction of a warm Air, that makes it so beneficial, and if we will cast in the benefit of the Tension, which is caus’d by moderate Riding, together with the Equality of the Heat, it will appear to be very little short of what is usually expected from a Journey into a Foreign Air, and I could here give an Instance of a Gentleman, who, when he was in the South of France, found but little Relief, any longer than when he was on Horse-back; and who after his return to England, found that Riding supported him as much, as the Change of Air; So that upon the Consideration of the equal promoting of the insensible Perspiration, and the Benefit, which at the same time accrues to the Solid Parts, this Exercise which I have so much insisted on, may be allow’d to be almost, if not altogether, an Equivalent to a Warmer Climate.
Lastly, I shall urge but this one more Reason for this Exercise, which is not taken from a Natural, but a Prudential Consideration, from the particular Humour of most People in this Distemper, who are strangely inclin’d to think themselves in no great Danger, even tho’ the Distemper is far advanc’d; they don’t love to be told the Truth, tho’ it is ever so necessary; but an honest Physician is to them, as Micaiah was to Ahab, he never has any thing good to say of ’em; they think they are strong enough in the Main; they’ll tell ye, they should be as well as ever, if their Scurvey Cough, or the weight on their Breast was but remov’d: Now the Genius of the Sick must be consider’d, and these People who have so good an Opinion of themselves, may in some Sense be indulg’d and wrought upon, to exert their Imaginary Strength in Gentle Riding, and then they may perhaps come to enjoy that which is real.
I might now proceed farther, to consider in what degree of this Distemper Riding will be beneficial, whether any thing is to be expected from it in the second and last State of it; but this would be to run out beyond my Design of Brevity; only I shall take Notice, that it is no rare thing to meet with Consumptions, without any Putrid Fever, or any Reason to believe an Ulcer in the Lungs, or perhaps so much as Tubercles, but a continual Hectick, and a precipitate Wast of Nature by the Direful Acrimony and ill Quality of the Serum, as Doctor Benet, in his Theatrum Tabidorum observes, Pag. 109. Tabidorum languor sine pulmonum aut visceris cujuslibet corruptelâ tacitâ vi obrepens Anglis infestissimus est, & nisi primis obediverit remediis (quod rarissimè evenit) funestus. In this Case I can’t but be of Opinion, that Riding well manag’d would be serviceable, tho’ undertook very late, if there is any tolerable Measure of Strength left to put it in Practice.
I must here again repeat, that when I here speak of Riding, I understand the Habit of Riding, the want of which Distinction, has made it ineffectual to many a Man; He that in this Distemper above all others rides for his Health, must be like a Tartar, in a manner always on Horse-back, and then from a weak Condition, he may come to the Strength of a Tartar. He that would have his Life for a Prey, must hunt after it, and when once he finds his Enemy give way, must not leave off, but follow his Blow, till he subdue him beyond the Possibility of a Return. He that carries this Resolution with him, will I doubt not experience the Happy Effects of the good old Direction, Recipe Caballum; he will find that the English Pad is the most noble Medium, to be made use of for a Recovery from a Distemper, which we in this Nation, have but too much reason by way of Eminence to stile English.