K. L., a gentleman of forty-five years of age, who had long indulged in the luxuries of the table, and sacrificed liberally to Bacchus, was attacked, about six months before I saw him, with severe symptoms of dyspepsia; loss of appetite, pain and distention after eating, depression of spirits, loss of strength, restless nights, and various other symptoms, which it is unnecessary to enumerate, were sufficient to mark the nature and intensity of his complaint. He had been under the care of different practitioners; but the treatment suggested for his relief had been unsucces-ful. When I first saw him, there was considerable tenderness in the epigastric region, his tongue was furred, his bowels extremely irregular, being sometimes relaxed, and at other times obstinately costive; he had occasionally passed stools loaded with mucous matter, and tinged with blood. His pulse was quick and small. He complained particularly of attacks of fever, which occasionally assailed him in the evening; they were preceded by nausea, and a slight shiver; he then became extremely hot, and his head throbbed: this feeling continued for three or four hours, and left him extremely languid and dejected.

He was unable to account for these paroxysms: sometimes he fancied that they might have been induced by exposure to cold, at other times he referred them to some indigestible food which he had taken. I frankly told him, that, unless he would strictly conform to the plan of diet and medicine that I should propose, I considered him in a hazardous situation. I directed him to be cupped on the epigastric region, and to take two grains of ipecacuan, with five grains of the extract of hyoscyamus, every night. I prescribed a laxative draught, composed of tartrate of soda, with a small quantity of manna, in a vehicle of mint-water, to be taken twice a day. His diet was directed to consist of the most digestible and least stimulant species of animal food, to be taken but once in the twenty-four hours, at about three o'clock. I advised him to take thin gruel with dry toast for his breakfast, and to use a tepid shower-bath on alternate mornings. I saw him again in the following week. There was less tenderness in the epigastrium, his bowels had been slightly relaxed, and he thought himself rather better, but there was no material improvement in his general health.

I impressed upon him the importance of persevering in the plan, and allowed him to take two glasses of claret, diluted with an equal bulk of water. I did not see him again until after the expiration of a fortnight. He was then evidently improved, and told me that he felt confident that the plan upon which he was proceeding was the right one. He had already experienced less uneasiness after his dinner, and slept better. I found his pulse fuller, and at the same time slower. I now prescribed for him doses of the vinum colchici, with magnesia, in mint-water, and desired that the pills of ipecacuan and hyoscyamus might be continued. At this time he went into the country, and I lost sight of him for two months; but he returned very much better: his tongue was now clean, his bowels regularly acting twice a day, but he had still no appetite; I therefore ventured to prescribe an infusion of calumba, adding to each five ounces, an ounce of the infusion of senna, and two drachms of tartrate of soda. He continued this medicine regularly twice a day, for three weeks, and is at this time so far recovered, as to be able to take two mutton chops for dinner, without experiencing any unpleasant feelings after the meal.

I consider this simple plan to have succeeded in correcting the alimentary secretions, and imparting tone to the digestive organs; and I have introduced the relation of the case, merely to show that the most aggravated case of dyspepsia may be cured by a strict adherence to a judicious diet, with scarcely any other medical remedies than such as are calculated to keep up a gently-increased action of the bowels.

I could adduce many similar cases; but my object is to avoid prolixity. I trust that, in the preceding pages, I have succeeded in demonstrating the great importance of a well-regulated diet, and in establishing the principles upon which the digestibility and indigesti-bility of various aliments depend.