A Fire in the Bed Room, is sometimes indispensable—but not as usually made—it is commonly lighted only just before bed-time, and prevents Sleep by the noise it makes, and the unaccustomed stimulus of its light.
Chimneys frequently smoke when a fire is first lighted, particularly in snowy and frosty weather; and an Invalid has to encounter not only the damp and cold of the Room—but has his Lungs irritated with the sulphureous puffs from the fresh lighted Fire.
A Fire should be lighted about three or four hours before, and so managed that it may burn entirely out half an hour before you go to Bed—then the air of the room will be comfortably warmed—and certainly more fit to receive an Invalid who has been sitting all day in a parlour as hot as an Oven,—than a damp chamber, that is as cold as a Well.
THE SIESTA.
The Power of Position and Temperature to alleviate the Paroxysms of many Chronic Disorders, has not received the consideration it deserves—a little attention to the variations of the Pulse, will soon point out the effect they produce on the Circulation, &c.—extremes of Heat and Cold, with respect to Food, Drink, and Air, are equally to be guarded against.
Old and Cold Stomachs—The Gouty—and those whose Digestive Faculties are Feeble—should never have any thing Cold[37], or Old, put into them—especially in Cold Weather.
Food must take the temperature of our Stomach, (which is probably not less than 120,) before Digestion can commence.
When the Stomach is feeble, Cold Food frequently produces Flatulence—Palpitation of the Heart, &c.—and all the other troublesome accompaniments of Indigestion.—The immediate remedy for these is Hot Brandy and Water, and the horizontal Posture.