Part 14
I have not thought it proper, to recommend the same Means, or shew the Reasons, why I would recommend ’em, as being sure that if I did, they would be rejected with Derision. So that I have often with some Regret admir’d the Incongruity of the Circumstances of Humane Life, how little Reason Man has to be Proud, notwithstanding his Wisdom and Councel, when even in the greatest Concerns of his Life, Custom, Mode, Phancy, and many other Circumstances, may so envelop him with Prejudice, that it may so happen, that in some Cases of Distress, one Man may be Morally certain, of what will help another, and yet it may be the most absurd thing in the World, to disclose it to him, and impossible to convince him if he should. I have the more amply related this unusual Circumstance, because it seems to me to illustrate above any thing whatsoever, the Influence of Riding, on the Nerves or Solid Parts of the Body; and as strange and unheard of a Symptom, as it may seem to some, I can averr it is a most Solemn Truth, and what I had frequent and reiterated Occasions to observe. After I had by these Means recover’d a good Measure of Health, I enjoy’d it about a Year and a Half, by the Help of Riding at due Intervals; and I was pretty strong, and able to make considerable Journeys, which my Affairs then required. But in those Journeys, I was so unfortunate, as to abuse that most excellent Expedient, that I had receiv’d so much Good from; for, thinking my self stronger than I really was, and Riding long Journeys beyond my Strength, I was took of a sudden, and in the midst of a Journey, with the strangest sort, of _Deliquium_ that perhaps ever was heard of, in which I was forc’d to drink such quantities of Spirituous Liquors, as at another time would have made me more than ordinarily Drunk, which then could scarce keep Life in me; to these sort of Fits after some time was added a _Diarrhœa_ of a peculiar and singular kind, which was attended with a Nauseousness and Inclination to Vomit, more than is usual in that Case; and when the _Diarrhœa_ at any time happen’d to be a little more violent than ordinarily, a Spontaneous Vomiting ensu’d, as violent as if I had taken a strong Emetick; and what is remarkable, those Nights after my Vomiting, I should Sweat to that degree, as to make my Shirt and Sheets as wet, as if they had been dipt in Water; upon which, instead of being weakned, I was refresh’d, and freed from the greater severity of these Symptoms for some Days; which plainly shew’d, how pernicious that Psoradick Salt was which the Mercurial Particles had repell’d, and intimately mix’d in my Blood. Thus I had three Calamities upon me at once; a Flux, a Vomiting, and the _Deliquiums_ I spoke of before; the last of which had something so incredible in ’em, that tho’ most severely true, and known to several in this City, yet I shall forbear to relate it in this place, lest I should be thought to exceed the Truth, by telling that which scarce ever had a Parallel; I shall only say, that the Gripes and Vomiting were comparatively a Pleasure to this, I do not speak in Heat, but Seriously and Calmly, that the Vomiting, tho’ so frequent and severe, was desireable, if compar’d with these most strange Faintings; which were so tormenting and insupportable, that if I had been Stab’d, or had had my Flesh cut with Knives, I am certain I could much easier have born it. Under this Complication of Misery, I was deny’d likewise the Ease, which is to be obtain’d by _Laudanum_, which I was prohibited by the Nature of my Circumstances, and by very good Advice, directed to abstain from it. And as for Emeticks, there was no using of them for other Reasons; so that the Business was left wholly to Stypticks, which not putting the least stop to my Distemper, I resolv’d to betake my self to Riding again, having Rested so long, and would try if using it moderately and frequently, might not keep up my Spirits, as formerly it has done, and it prov’d according to my Hopes; for by diligent and fervent Application to these Means, I made a shift to support my self, and keep things in an _Æquilibrium_, under these pressing Circumstances, insomuch that I held out, even under such Severities, as I have related, no less a time than a Year and Nine Months, when at length these Evils gain’d upon me, and my Vomitings were so frequent, and incredibly violent, that they took away the Use of my Limbs, when I was forc’d to be lifted every time upon my Horse, that I might continue my Riding, tho’ it were but to gain a little Periodical Ease; till that Seizure on my Limbs encreasing, I was confin’d to my Chamber, my Legs and Thighs swell’d, and in the Opinion of three Physicians, whose Assistance I then had, I was very near the End of this (as it was Literally to me a) Tedious _Journey of Life_. When it pleas’d God, that in this Extremity, one of those Physicians was so happy, as to direct me to a Mild Chymical Medicine, too seldom us’d for that intent, which stop’d my Vomiting, and created a sudden and surprising Change in me; the swelling of my Legs went off in less than three Weeks, and in about six Weeks time, from that emaciated Condition, I was as Fleshy, as in a perfect State of Health. By this it is plain, that the great stress of Vomiting threw off the Humour, and that the Swelling of my Legs was in part, if not altogether, Critical, and that the habituating my self so very much to Riding, did enable Nature to throw off the Humour that way, and support her under the Shock of those numerous Vomitings. After this, by the Use of Chalybeates, taken for a great while together, and with Riding upon it, I recovered as good an Appetite and Digestion, as I had before these Vomitings came upon me, and my Flux entirely stop’d; and for these two Years last past, I thank God I have liv’d an Easie and Happy Life. Thus I have given a succinct and true Account, of a Long and Severe Distemper, which it has pleas’d Almighty God to lay upon me; by which it is plain, that as some Men are distinguish’d by Riches, Honours, and the like; others may be as remarkable in the Degrees of their Affliction and Anguish, and may be forc’d to pass not only Days, but Years of that which we call Life, after such a Manner, that if it were not for higher Considerations, it would be far better not to be. That in the very best of a Man’s Years, in the time of Hopes, Prospects, and Advantages, a Man may be so wretched as to be debar’d the Capacity of making use of ’em, and in a Sense, Buried Alive. But since I have offer’d the World a Relation of my Distemper, I shall make bold to take Notice of two or three things observable in it, which may perhaps be of use to some, tho’ the very same Distemper, I hope will never be the Lot of any one. And this the rather, because those Remarks are agreeable to my Subject. _First_ then, I think it is very clear, from the Circumstances of my Case, that where Indications arise, which run Counter to one another, which every one knows is the worst of Difficulties a Physician meets with, in such an Emergency, nothing can be so lively to balance between ’em, as the having recourse to some proper Exercise, if possible; for it is hard but it will suit with one of those Circumstances, and not improbable, that it will give help in both. _Secondly_, From the Cessation of my Gripes as soon as ever I got on Horseback, I am convinc’d that Pain may be very much obviated or mitigated by the Motion of the Body, that is, by those Means a Man may make a shift to set loose from it. It was a piece of Extravagant Nonsense in the Scepticks, to pretend to Reason with Pain, and account it no Evil; a Man might as well pretend to Fence against Hunger with Resolution, and be accounted blameable for Starving through Want of Victuals; undoubtedly Pain is the greatest of Evils to the Body, and that which we cannot but endeavour to free our selves from; but till that can be done, it will be a Happiness, if we can so manage things, as to perceive less of it, or as I said before, sit loose from it; and that I think may certainly be obtain’d from the Motion of the Individual, of such or such a kind, as the Pain will best admit of. Not only Thought, but the Perception of a Pain, may be in some Measure interrupted by a swift Motion, for that Perception cannot strike so strong at such a time; a Man that should let himself to Muse on a full Gallop, would think but very incoherently, and if Thought it self may be thus broke off, certainly the Sensation of Pain, which can be no quicker than Thought, may be likewise happily interrupted and rendered more Dull. These Considerations would be of real Service to Persons afflicted with Scorbutick Pains, if they could induce ’em to a Resolute Practice of Riding; for all those Pains in the Shoulders, Back, or Hips, would gradually abate in the time of that Exercise, as well as by the Habit of it, the Cause would be remov’d. But moreover there are other Sorts of Gestation or Voiture, that are suitable with the keenest Pains, as the Motion of a Boat, a Litter, a Chair, a Swing, and the like, in these there are no _Motûs Contrarietas_, as Dr. _Sydenham_ calls it, no Jolting, which in some Cases, as in the Gout, is not tolerable; but they may be apply’d to the severest Cases, and I doubt not would sooth the Spirits, and give great Relief. And here I cannot but think that a good Mechanick might invent some Machine, after the manner of the _Petaurus_, or the great Swing of the Ancients, which might be of the greatest Service to People in the Extremities of the Gout, by diverting the Sensation, and turning the Edge of the Pain: A Man that has been laid up for several Weeks, would certainly find by such a Motion, as great an Alteration, as one who has been confin’d to his Bed for some time does upon his first getting up, which is very great; and certainly if the _Romans_, out of Luxury and Wantonness, could be Swung to Sleep in Hanging Beds of Silver, it may be allow’d, that a Person in Torment may use the same Means to obtain Ease. I don’t know why a Motion upon a Round, should not do some Service in this Case, for there would be a sort of Sickness in the Stomach, caus’d by the Rotation, which would withdraw the Spirits from the Place of the Pain; and moreover undoubtedly dispose to Sleep. These things cannot be thought Extravagant, if they can suffice to give any the least Ease to Men under such Pains, as those of the Gout, when the _Carnificina_ lasts so long, as to exceed in some Measure all Humane Patience; when _Non rectius Podagræ quam Iracundiæ Paroxysmus omnis did potest_, as Dr. _Sydenham_, who knew too well what it was, says of it; I say, in such Extremities, nothing ought to be thought Ridiculous, that can afford the least Ease. I could say; much more on this Subject; I could Name a very Worthy Gentleman, who not long ago had such an odd sort of a Colick, that he found nothing would relieve him in the Fits of it, so much as lying with his Head downwards; which Posture prov’d always so Advantageous to him, that he caus’d a kind of Frame to be made, to which he caus’d himself to be fastned with Bolts, and then his Servants were to turn him with his Head downwards; after which manner, he hung till his Pain went off: And I hope none will say it was unbecoming a Grave and Wise Man, to make use of such odd Means to get rid of an unsupportable Pain. But I have perhaps already said more than will be relish’d by some of those Gentlemen, who are so happy as to be really Ignorant, or to have but very slight, and imperfect Notions of the Nature of Pain; and before they censure me, they would do well to peruse Mr. _Collier_’s Excellent Essay upon Pain; where they will find such an Account of it, and such Instances of the Behaviour of Healthy and Strong Men under it, that they will the more easily admit, that for the Sick and Infirm, it may be in some Measure feasible to avoid, as it were, the Sensations of Pain, and, as much as can be, sit loose from it. The next and last thing which I shall take Notice of, in my Distemper, is the Frequency of those Vomitings, and that notwithstanding they lasted so long on me, I receiv’d no harm from ’em. It is a great Misfortune in the business of a Physician, that he finds so many people averse to that sort of Physick, whereby he is compell’d to prosecute a Cure by more uncertain and inefficacious Means; whereas if those Persons did but consider, they might easily find Arguments to convince ’em, that there is no such Danger as they apprehend, in the use of Moderate Emeticks, where there is no _Mala Conformatio_, nothing in the make of the Breast that forbids it. They may consider that the Vomiting which comes upon going to Sea, tho’ it lasts sometimes two or three days together, and all the time seems as violent as that we procure by our Emeticks, yet it never hurts any one, and does not much weaken those who have undergone it. I know two Gentlemen who were Sick all the time of their being upon the Sea, one of ’em all the time of his Passage to and from the _West Indies_, and yet they receiv’d no hurt by it. And I don’t know but I my self have Vomited as much as any ten Men Living, and yet am not in the least hurt by it. And we are furnish’d with Medicines, so gentle and commendable, that they may be repeated at reasonable Intervals, without the least Danger of any ill Consequence. From these Considerations of the great Ἐυφορία with which we bear Vomiting, tho’ it seems so troublesome while it lasts; I am convinc’d that it may be accounted for after the same manner, as Gymnastick Effects are; besides that the rising of the Pulse upon the Stimulating and Irritation of the Fibres of the Stomach, and the excessive Pressure and Shock of the Glands of several parts, with the other _Phænomena_ of Vomiting, shew that it does partake of the Nature of an Exercise, and it is a great Happiness for the Individual, that the Author of Nature has allotted such Secondary Uses of the Stomach, Diaphragm, and other parts imploy’d in Vomiting, that they should not only serve to through up what is disagreeable, but strengthen the whole Oeconomy in that very Act. And here if it be allow’d, that the Irritation of the Ventricle does raise and strengthen so much, I can’t but think I may venture to propose it, as worthy the Consideration of the best Judges of these Matters, whether when we use Emeticks, we ought to rest our Expectations upon a few Momentary Efforts, when we see Nature will bear the carrying on of the same Measures so much longer; that is, whether it would not be more expedient in some Cases, to give our safe and gentle Emeticks in lesser quantities, than we do, _viz._ so as to make the Person Sick, but not to a degree sufficient to make him throw up the Contents of his Stomach, and when that quantity of the Medicine has pass’d off after that manner like an Alterative, to repeat the same Dose, and so continue on that Sickness for several hours, without raising it to that degree, as to force the Person to Vomit above once or twice in all the time. This, I say, I think is worth Consideration, and may be of singular Advantage in some Cases of a Consumption, and in Hysterick Cases, when we do not give Vomits to cleanse the Stomach only; for by this means we can Elevate Nature very much, and procure a just _Diaphoresis_, when perhaps by the best of Cordials we may only create a Colliquation; and after this manner the Springs will be wound up more gradually; when if the Emetick passes off with strong Efforts, and very quick, after the usual manner, we give Nature only a Wrench, the effects of which are soon over. I would not be here understood, as if I would put this in Practice, I do not pretend to Authority sufficient for such Innovations, I only presume to offer these things, by way of Problem; and one of my Stature may sometimes happen to start a hint, which those who are Taller in Wisdom and Understanding may cultivate and improve to Perfection. These are some of the Thoughts which the Severities of a most tedious Distemper have suggested to me, which if they can be of any