Part 6

If the constitution be not yet entirely broke, weakness oppresses the stomach and the nerves, the learned are troubled with hysteric symptoms, often attended with a vertigo, fainting fits, suffocation, and anxiety. They are to be cured like women who are troubled with hysterics, occasioned by mobility and want of tone in the fibres; they are to be cured, I say, by bitters, ferulacious gums, myrrh, steel, and the cold bath. The frequent use of the latter preserves a good state of health, and repairs a broken constitution; for it is efficacious above all other remedies, except there be already an extraordinary degree of weakness, in strengthening the stomach, the nerves, and the whole body; it restores sleep, produces a chearfulness and serenity of mind, and supplies new strength to pursue new studies. This made the ancients set so high a value upon it, that, even amidst the avocations of their necessary business, they never failed to bathe every day: and I most earnestly recommend to the literati the frequent use of bathing. I am not ignorant that the ancients often used the warm bath, but they used it as a remedy after exercise or fatigue; and it generally agrees very well with the robust and active; but they restored their strength with cold baths. AUGUSTUS, who received no benefit from the warm bath, when affected with great weakness of body, was advised to have recourse to the cold bath by ANTONIUS MUSA. Cold baths are salutary to delicate constitutions, and the health of the learned is generally, though not always, as much hurt by bathing in warm water, as promoted by bathing in cold.

Friction in a great measure produces the same effects with bathing; for if the whole lower belly of a person, whilst he lies supine in bed in the morning, with bent knees and an empty stomach, be rubbed all over with a rough cloth, he will be greatly benefited by it: by this artifice the motion in the abdomen is increased, the stagnant juices are thrown out, the secretions are increased, the excrements are prevented from staying too long in the body, and innumerable diseases are cured, which, as you have been frequently told, are caused by a slow circulation. If the skin is rubbed all over, either with a cloth or a flesh-brush, the cuticular secretion is greatly promoted, the circulation of the blood is so quickened, that a violent fever may be caused by rubbing alone, the motion is increased in the smallest vessels, the strength is repaired, and the ills caused by want of exercise are partly remedied. The ancients were therefore right in setting a great value upon friction: it was afterwards unhappily neglected; but the English physicians revived it with great success; and there is no class of men to whom it may be of greater service than to the studious. I would, however, recommend to them not to use this kind of exercise till they have read what CELSUS and GALEN have written concerning it.

There is another sort of remedy, which is often of the highest service to men of learning, I mean chalybeate waters; but they should not send for them, they should go where they are to be drunk at the fountain head. I do not indeed despise those that are sent for; nay, I have known men of learning who, by my advice, drank Seltzer waters at home during the whole year, by which, and remitting somewhat of their application, they recovered their health. But it is still better to drink them at their source, for they are there in greater perfection; and the journey is of service, because, whilst it lasts, the sick are exempt from all domestick cares, are amused with a variety of objects, enjoy agreeable company, relax their minds, and recreate their bodies: and the journey alone is of so much service, that hypochondriac persons are often cured by visiting remote libraries.

It would be as useless as it is impossible to enumerate all the waters that may be of service in repairing broken constitutions; for what nature intended as a most salutary remedy, it has liberally bestowed upon most regions. There are many in Switzerland; those of Aquia in Savoy, in my neighbourhood, deserve high praises; our waters of Rotula are still more to be recommended on account of the agreeableness of the place than their salubrious qualities; we must not forget those of Lausanne, the virtues of which have been demonstrated to me both by analysis and frequent observation; but the Seltzer waters surpass them all, at least in their reputation, if not in their qualities; those of Schwalbach and Spaw are still more powerful; and the Pyrmont waters are inferior to none.

These are not all, but the principal remedies by which those disorders may be cured which men of learning bring upon themselves by over great application: but their disorders are not occasioned by study alone: as men they are subject to all the disorders of men; and then they should be treated according to the rules laid down by experience for curing each disorder. Physicians, however, should never forget, that the patient, whom they have under their care, is a man of learning, and cannot, of consequence, have the same strength with which most other men are endued: as they have relaxed fibres and thin blood, they are not so capable of bearing phlebotomy: but the intestines are often filled with a collection of filth, which must be purged off; so that, as the illustrious RAMAZZINI has long since observed, it is better to have recourse to other evacuations with them than to bleeding.

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?_

_Of what service are the muses without the aid of virtue?_

What else is knowledge but to be wise? Were not the learned in former ages wise? Knowledge alone is of no avail. I have no manner of esteem for those doctors, who inquire what is virtuous and becoming, entirely taken up with moral contemplations, and who, though they see good, follow evil courses. Woe be to them! they will suffer severely for their bad conduct. Consider the force of the passions: those which affect the mind agreeably, promote a good state of health; which those of a contrary nature destroy. But what affects the mind more agreeably than the remembrance of a life well spent?

_Omnem crede diem diluxisse supremum._

_Look upon every day that’s past as the last of your life._

Cruel remorse of conscience, on the other hand, destroys the powers both of mind and body; because the mind being a prey to grief, such is the will of the Author of nature, the fibres are relaxed, and both health and beauty vanish. I cannot without horror recollect the shocking inquietudes of some men, who, having abused the gifts of God, could not, without inexpressible terror, see death approach, which renders the Deity more awful. On the other hand, I cannot without joy revolve in my memory the happy deaths of some good men, who, as they had passed their whole lives in the practice of virtue, returned with joy to the Fountain of all good, having laid aside their terrestrial covering, and crowned a happy life with a joyful death. How properly does the learned doctor, lately professor of divinity in this academy, occur to me in this place, who, after having suffered the cruel torments of a dreadful disease, during the course of a twelvemonth, with wonderful resolution and patience, after a few friendly and pious conversations with his wife and children, whilst he testified his gratitude to me for my care, and expressed his good wishes, expired with religious composure. And why should I forget you, learned, dear, and now happy uncle and Mentor, who, having lived your whole life, whilst in health, as we promise to live when we are ill, enjoying, to an advanced age, a conscience void of offence, a genius replete with vigour, and faculties acute and penetrating; not only taught us how to live virtuously, but likewise have instructed us how to die well.

But it is time for me to put an end to my wandering discourse; for I am ashamed to detain you any longer, respectable auditors.

Farewell, therefore, most illustrious president, whose extraordinary humanity, gentle manners, and uncorrupt integrity, all are unanimous in praising. How agreeable to me was it to be chosen upon this occasion by you, whose friendship, having so often experienced, I am so happy as to experience again. But how can I address you, without at the same time thinking of that prince whom you represent amongst us with so much applause; and this remembrance fills me with emotion. For he is the prince to whom I am indebted for so many favours. It is he who recalled me, out of love to my country, when I was on the point of quitting it at the invitation of a great monarch; recalled me, I say; and, remembering my attachment to physic, founded this professorship, and bestowed it upon me, not without the most honourable tokens of his benevolence; and, by enrolling me in your illustrious assembly, learned professors, he enabled me to address you by the dear appellation of colleagues. Vouchsafe, therefore, favourably to receive him whom he has given you as a companion of your labours, and receive me, most honoured colleagues, in the same disposition of mind with which I come towards you; and shew as much benevolence, facility, and readiness to assist me, as I am ready to shew you veneration, obsequiousness, and docility.

Citizens and strangers, illustrious for your great virtues, your extraordinary intellectual endowments, and the high offices you fill, the friendship of many of whom I cultivate with pleasure, receive my thanks for the benevolence with which you have heard me. Finally, I address myself to you, you studious youth, hope of your country and of the church, and ornament of the academy; whatever learning or genius I am possessed of,

_Et quicquid in arte mea possum promittere curæ_,

_And whatever assistance I can promise by my art_;

which I am sensible is but small, and I am sorry for it; but, such as it is, I entirely dedicate and consecrate it to you. It will give me the highest satisfaction, if it can be of any service to you; but how would it grieve me, if, by misunderstanding my discourse, you should be hurt instead of being benefited by it. Take care therefore, virtuous youths; my design was to shew the dangers of an obstinate perseverance in study; but I was quite silent with regard to the use of polite learning, _which[51] nourishes youth, delights old age, adorns prosperity, affords consolation in adversity, delights at home, is no hindrance abroad, passes the night with us, travels with us, accompanies us into the country_. I have proved by examples, how dangerous it is to fatigue the minds of children with too great labour; but it was not my intention to banish all labour and study. “Nam certe quamlibet parum sit, quod contulerit ætas prior, majora tamen aliqua discet puer eo ipso anno, quo minora didicisset. Hoc per singulos annos prorogatum in summam proficit: & quantum in infantia præsumptum est temporis, adolescentiæ acquiritur[52].” “For though what is contributed by the first age of life is but inconsiderable, a boy will certainly learn some things of consequence in the very year that he learns trifles. This, increasing every year, will at last improve him, and what is learned in infancy is an acquisition to youth.” It is dangerous to break upon the rocks of too great learning; it is shameful to be wrecked upon the opposite shore. What path then must you tread? _Hac urget lupus, hac canis angit._ _On one side the wolf urges, on t’other the dog worries us._ You will be safe in the middle path, always remembering that sentence of your favourite HORACE:

_Est modus in rebus sunt certi denique fines,_ _Quos ultra citraque nequit consistere rectum._

_Some certain mean in all things may be found,_ _To mark our virtue, and our vices bound._

FRANCIS’S Horace, lib. I. sat. I.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Now let those come to themselves who with difficulty admit, that the aliments are capable of rendering some more temperate, others more dissolute, some incontinent, some frugal, confident, timorous, mild, modest, or quarrelsome; let them come to me and hear what it would be proper for them to eat, and what to drink. They will find from hence a great assistance in moral philosophy; they will likewise find from hence a great accession to their intellectual faculties; they will become more ingenious, have better memories, and be more studious and wise. For besides the proper sort of food and liquors, I will instruct them in the nature of air and climates, and point out to them what countries they should chuse to reside in, what they should avoid. The book which proves that manners are influenc’d by bodily constitutions, Cap. 9ᵒ. Charterius, t. 5. p. 457. Observations of the like nature are to be found in HIPPOCRATES, ARISTOTLE, and PLATO.

[2] Plato’s works, p. 648.

[3] ’Tis an admirable observation of MONTESQUIEU: All things fatigue us at last, and above all great pleasures; the fibres, that were the organs of it, stand in need of rest: we must employ others better adapted to serve us, and thus, as it were, divide our labour. _Essay upon taste._

[4] LORRY _upon melancholy and melancholy disorders_. Tom. I.

[5] VAN SWIETEN’S _Comment. in_ BOERHAVII _aphor._ Tom. III. p. 413.

[6] _Traité du bon chyle_, tom. II. p. 647.

[7] Th. BORDEUX, _prix de l’academie de chir._ tom. VI. p. 199.

[8] Conf. FLEMING _Neuropathia, præf._

[9] _De morbis nervorum_, p. 456.

[10] _Traité des vapeurs hysteriques_, p. 248.

[11] _Epistol. lib. 2. ep. 9._

[12] _Epistol. ad_ HIPPOCRATEM. _Hipp. Fæsii._ tom. II. p. 1288.

[13] _De locis affectis, lib. 5. cap. 6. Charter._ tom. VII. p. 492.

[14] _Medicin. ration. de epilepsia._ § 19.

[15] _Felic._ PLATERI _observat._ p. 28.

[16] VAN SWIETEN, tom. IV. p. 305.

[17] _Gazette de France, Fevr. 25, 1763._

[18] _Epistol. L. 2, ep. 40._ Neither write back to me in prose or in verse, lest you should bring your health, which is not yet confirm’d, into new danger; for the spirits will be easily warm’d by attention: hence blood, hence the habit of body.

[19] _De sedibus & causis morbonum. ep. 3._ § 13.

[20] _Prælect. ad instit._ t. 7. p. 145.

[21] _De sedib. & caus. ep._ 3. §. 17.

[22] HALLERI _Element. Physiologiæ_, t. 4. p. 317.

[23] _De locis affectis_, l. 3. c. 5.

[24] _Ad libellum_ HIPPOCRATIS _de humor_. p. 211.

[25] In studious men, who lead a sedentary life, whilst they grow pale with poring over books, an apoplexy often arises from such a cause; but it comes on slowly and gradually. For the first symptom is languor, and a love of indolence; then the understanding begins to grow dull, the memory to flag; they become sleepy, stupid, and often continue a long time in that state before their death. I have seen, and not without the greatest compassion, men of the most profound learning, and who had deserv’d highly of the republick of letters, who, as it were, surviv’d themselves above a twelvemonth in a state of total oblivion, and at last died of apoplexy. VAN SWIETEN, tom. III. p. 263.

[26] ADAM _vitæ medicorum_, p. 372.

[27] We meet in the medicinal diary with an account, very well worth reading, of a severe colick, attended with other bad symptoms, and occasion’d by intense study and nocturnal lucubrations. Tom. I. p. 352.

[28] VAN SWIETEN, tom. III. p. 87. ex COLUMBO.

[29] Experience shews us that men of learning, though naturally of a chearful disposition, become at last fix’d, silent, pale, emaciated, and strangely troubled with the hypochondriac disorder, which generally tyrannizes over sedentary people. _Ant._ FELICI _dissertazioni epistolari_, p. 203.

[30] BOERHAAV. _ad institut._ §. 896, tom. VII. p. 275.

[31] LANCISUS _de mortu subit._ l. 1. c. 22.

[32] MARKII _Oratio funebris in obitum_ TRIGLANDII. Leyden, 1705.

[33] The famous ROUSSEAU; but he has since quitted the British asylum, and returned to France.

[34] JOH. ALPH. ROSSET, theologiæ professor, & academiæ, hoc tempore, rector.

[35] The disorders of orators and singers are the same; but the bodies of these being open’d, have often shewn inflammations, suppurations, ulcers in the lungs; nay, the illustrious MORGAGNI saw a young man that had an excellent voice, whose wind-pipe and throat being affected, could swallow nothing, and, whilst he attempted to suck down the yolk of an egg, was suffocated and died. _De sedib. & caus._ tom. 1. p. 228.

[36] It often proves hurtful to men of learning themselves, when in an advanc’d age they pursue a new study; for this gives rise to a new order of ideas, which receives no assistance from all the traces before left upon the brain: new fibres must receive new motions, a laborious work to the organ already debilitated, and which often throws men of first-rate capacities into lingering disorders.

[37] SUETONIUS _in vita_ OCT. AUG. _cap._ 82.

[38] VALERIUS MAXIMUS, lib. 3. c. 6. p. 140.

[39] _De education. pueror._ cap. 12.

[40] _De motu opt. corpor. medicin._ § 9.

[41] _De methodo_, _No. 6_: There is likewise a remarkable passage in MOSES MAIMONIDES, one of the most ancient of the Arabian physicians. As life and health, says he, contribute greatly to the worship and knowledge of God; but a man in an ill state of health is unable to contemplate the works of God as he should do; a man ought to take particular care to avoid whatever is hurtful to his body, and should endeavour to procure whatever contributes to keep the body in health and strengthen it. _De sanit. tuend. init._

[42] It must be acknowledged, that a man of learning, indefatigable in his studies, if he observes an exact regimen, innocent and moderate, will find the disadvantages attending his way of life more supportable than another. FELICI _dissertazioni_, p. 203.

[43] _Prælect. in instit._ § 1036, tom. VII. p. 337.

[44] Many plants fit for use, and perhaps most such, and many others, by means of an easy art, give out a great quantity of excellent sugar, not much inferior to that of sugar-canes. Eight ounces of the fresh juice of the skirret yield an ounce of the best sugar. MARGRAFF _Mem. de l’Acad. de Berlin_.

[45] Many phænomena prove this plethora; and it is evinced by a simple observation, and one that occurs daily, _viz._ by those convulsions of the lower jaw-bone which cause a collision of the teeth in sleep, and that more strongly in boys when they have eat a hearty supper.

[46] It was justly observed by THEOPHRASTUS, that to eat much, and to live upon flesh, deprives men of the use of their reason, blunts the faculties of their minds, and renders them dull and stupid.

[47] BOERHAAVE _prælect._ tom. VII. p. 340.

[48] The goddess, says PLATO, chose a place which was to give birth to the wisest men. _Init. Timæi._ And do not forget this with regard to places, that they are of great consequence in giving birth to men of superior genius, or the reverse. _De leg._ lib. 5.

[49] By the excessive heat, which is not so much as allayed by an Etesian gale, I have entirely lost the power of philosophising, and am deterred from writing. LANCISI _ad_ COCCHI, p. 47.

[50] _Qui ita ut vestitus calceatusque erat, retectis pedibus, paulisper conquiescebat opposita ad oculos manu._ SUETONIUS _in vit. C. O. Aug._ cap. 82. I enlarged upon the ill consequences of sleeping after dinner, in an epistle which I inscribed a few years ago to the illustrious HALLER.

[51] _Adolescentiam alunt, senectutem oblectant, secundas res ornant, adversis solatium prebent, delectant domi, non impediunt foris, pernoctant nobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur._ CICERO _Oratione pro Archiâ_.

[52] QUINTILIANUS _de Instit. Orator, lib. i. cap. i._

FINIS.

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