“I can bear an increase of above a pound and a half in one day, and an increase of three or four pounds in six or seven days, without being disordered; but think I should suffer from an increase of five or six pounds in that time.
“An increase of weight may be carried off by lessening the Food,—or by increasing the Discharges.—The discharges may be increased either by exercise, or by evacuations procured by art.
“By lessening the daily quantity of my food to 23 ounces, I have lost 26 ounces;—by fasting a whole day, I lost 48 ounces, having gained 27 the day before.
“Mr. Rye was a strong, well set, corpulent man, of a sanguine complexion; by a brisk walk for one hour before breakfast he threw off, by insensible perspiration, one pound of increased weight; by a walk of three hours, he threw off two pounds of increased weight. The best way to take off an increase of weight which threatens a distemper, is either by fasting or exercise. p. 84.
“The mean loss of weight by several grown bodies caused by a purging medicine composed of a drachm of Jalap and ten grains of Calomel, was about 2¾ Avoirdupois pounds; and the mean quantity of Liquor, drank during the time of Purging, was about double the loss of Weight.”—Robinson on the Animal Economy, p. 458.
“I have lost, by a spontaneous Diarrhœa, two pounds in twenty-four hours; and Mr. Rye lost twice that quantity in the same time.”—On the Food and Discharges of Human Bodies, by B. Robinson, p. 84.
“Most Chronic Diseases—arise from too much Food and too little Exercise,—both of which lessen the weight of the Heart and the quantity of Blood;—the first by causing fatness; the second by a diminution of the blood’s motion.
“Hence, when the Liver is grown too large by Intemperance and Inactivity, it may be lessened and brought to a healthful magnitude by Temperance and Exercise.—It may be emptied other ways by art; but nothing can prevent its filling again, and consequently secure good and constant Health—but an exact Diet and Exercise. Purging and Vomiting may lessen the Liver, and reduce it to its just magnitude;—but these evacuations cannot prevent its increasing again, so long as persons live too fully, and use too little exercise—and can only be done by lessening the Food and increasing the Exercise.
“Much sleep, much food, and little exercise, are the principal things which make animals grow fat. If the Body, on account of Age or other Infirmities, cannot use sufficient Exercise, and takes much the same quantity of Sleep, its weight must be lessened by lessening the Food, which may be done by lessening the Drink, without making any change in the Meat; as I have proved myself by experience.”—p. 90.
On this subject, see also—Dr. Stark on Diet, and Sanctorius’ Medecina Statica. Dr. Heming on Corpulency.—Mr. Wadd on Corpulency.—Dr. Arbuthnot on Aliment.