Care should be always taken of the head of a learned patient, because it is easily disturbed, and grows delirious. This is of very bad consequence in disorders; for peevishness increases, which few learned patients are without; and, whilst the brain is agitated by a delirium, the necessary action of the nerves upon the body becomes slow, and so the powers of nature, which can alone effect a cure, are destroyed.
If the patient was afflicted before with nervous disorders, these soon cause sufferings of a peculiar sort: the learned, when they are ill, cannot bear too much light, nor noise, nor a crowd of spectators. I have often seen, upon the fever’s beginning to cease, new symptoms occur, which appear to be very bad, but are in fact only nervous.
Men of learning cannot well bear strong and powerful remedies.
Their recovery is always tedious, and it requires extraordinary care: the strength returns slowly; the faculties of the mind, above all, are long in a wavering condition; and I have scarce ever known a man of learning recover out of a disorder, without complaining of his memory’s being impaired, and a sort of weakness of the head discoverable in the face itself. Those little consult their own interest, who immediately return to their studies, and that before their strength is renewed: they prepare to themselves a sore repentance: the ill consequences are felt by their heads, their eyes, and their stomachs, which must greatly suffer, if, whilst they stand in need of the assistance of the nerves, to digest the remedies they take, the mind should at so improper a time make use of them. I have often found, that the exercises of the mind so weaken the sensibility and motion of the stomach and intestines, that the power of purgatives is entirely counteracted by meditation and constant study.
Learned patients, when just out of a disorder, recover their sleep very slowly, and it often is not to be recovered without the assistance of wine, which is of wonderful efficacy in this case, by restoring a due tone to the stomach, debilitated by warm liquors; firmness to the nerves, strength to the whole body, and spirits to the dejected mind.
Thus have I laid open the causes of disorders, their symptoms, and the method of avoiding them: in fine, I have compleated my design to the best of my power; and you with joy perceive my discourse approaching to a conclusion, respectable auditors. I am aware, however, that you will not dismiss me, till I have atoned for a grievous omission; nor do I intend to disappoint your expectation: I shall therefore now discover the grand arcanum of the art of preserving health, which I have hitherto concealed: attend to my words. Chearfulness of temper is the source of health, and a virtuous life is the source of chearfulness: a good conscience, a mind pure and clear of all contagion, are the best preservatives of health; and if the learned were without them, it would be a shame: for of what use is learning without wisdom?
Quid musæ sine moribus
Vanæ proficiant?