As to the medical part, the gross humors of the body are to be thinned, and the disorderly motion of the animal spirits is to be calmed. For which end blood-lettings, emetics, cathartics, blisters, and setons, also sometimes coolings of the head are to be employed. To these the fœtid gums are to be added, especially assa fœtida, myrrh, and galbanum. And camphire has been frequently found serviceable in excessive ferocity and want of sleep. But when the disease is accompanied by a fever, nothing is more proper than nitre, given in as large quantities as the stomach will bear. Lastly, the patient is to be kept to a slender diet, and compelled to use exercise. But in all evacuations, a certain degree of moderation ought to be used, lest the madness be changed into a contrary disease, which the ancients termed morbus cardaicus,[126] that is, an excessive weakness of body. In which case, the patient is so far exhausted, that medicines are of no avail; but the miserable dejected man drags the remains of life, alass! generally too long.
FOOTNOTES:
[104] See Matthew, Ch. viii. v. 28. Mark, Ch. v. v. 2. and Luke, Chap. viii. v. 27.
[105] Mark, Chap. i. v. 23-26.
[106] Luke, Chap. iv. v. 33-35.
[107] Cicero, Tuscul. Disp. Lib. iii. 26. who has turn’d into Latin this verse of Homer: “Ὁν ϑυμὸν κατέδων, πἀτον ἀνθρώπων ἀλεείνων.” Il. Z. v. 202.
[108] Tusc. quæst. Lib. i. 13.
[109] Cap. i. p. 5.
[110] See Sir Isaac Newton’s Chronology, p. 160.
[111] Lib. de gigantibus.