Litchfield enquirer., 1858-01-28
R.aTE.vT .WEDICEYES.
!" "Gefief.al Debility

R4TE.V'T .WEDICEVES.
 ssGeiieral Debility.o
 A DISEASE concerning which the most errone- "A o,is ideas existing-a disease that is regard ed and talked about as being ot peculiar nature, where physical and mental vigor is depressed and the whole system in weakened, enervated exhaust ed and woIn- out ccnaitieaa disease which, to BUG cessuly combat recourse must necessarily be had to the so-cailed strengthening" or tonic pr.para- tions, such as bark, iron, bsmuth, alchoholic li- quois strengthening bitters." &c., &c.-a class of remedies that at least thirds of the females of America have most intimate acquaintance with, and te good portion of whom their effects nill prove the curse and kans of their existencc-a class ot remedies that have ruined and broken down more constitutions than other class uf remedies ill the ateria Mcdica, and have swept greater num- bers from the face of creation than either the pcsti lence or the sword-a class of remedies, very sell dom. ii ever. of the slightest utility and have lc gtimate right to the title of curative agents and never should have been allowed place among them "a class Of remedies in great favor with ''old wo- men. quacks, and medical prctenders, whose brains are perfectly huge with everything but '' ideas
 These are, am aware, bold assertions, hut they are frufs that will obtain footing in the opinion of every phssieian with we'll balanced head, if he will examine the subject in sober thought: <
 There is no such thing debility ;'' the haine or term means nothing. There is, I will admit, a state of system where the physical and mental pow CTS are depressed, and where weakness enersatibn; and exhaustioni are prominent symptoms, but this IS not debility there are symptoms of internal or external infammalory action, broken head or shins, disordered stomach inflammation of the bowels lungs, liver, or some other disease troduc ing the above mentioned condition of system. Debility" that state of system receiving that name, Is the result of intammatory action iii sonic one or more organs of the h,dy an action which olpresses the healthy functions of the rost of the body. There is no acute disease but that will pro- duce more or less of the symptoms of debility" In inflammation of the bowels, is there not physical and mental depression, weakness. enervation and total prostration of all the powers of the system and for this weakness. and this prostration, &c., shall we use iron bark &U 1? No; for we would ex- asperate the disease, and produce still greater de- blity than was present before. Iastead of these remedies we would make of positively ioarertng remedies such as hot lamentations. blood letting. &c., uhtler idlicious of which the debility" vanishss, Here is case of .,ehility' that is ex asperated Ly the use of '' toncs' and strength ening medicines. and positively cured by lowering and depicting remedies. In uleelaton of the sto. mach, is f9efe hot tile same physical and mental depression, and the whole train of symptoms eff debiiity'f Certainly and shall treat the case with the so-called tonic preparations? Yes, if we would kill the patient as dead as herring.
 There is no such disease as debility,'' and no earthly use for such remedies iror bark bism at tonic bitters," &c., Sc strengtl,eners for
 
 ninety nine cases out of a thousand, -instead of strengthening, they will debta by exasperatihg in-
 anmatory action, which is the cause, and the only easse ef that state of system termed ' debility:'
 :. Debility" signifies an iiiflafdmatoIy action in some one more parts of the body-it aJrays sign- fes this,-and the exhibition of tdnicS'' is the height of empyricism and charlatansm, and the physician who uses thein, not only preseribes for rame and not condition of body, but tampers with not only the health but the life of the patient placed under his care
 The particular object had in view in selecting the subject of debility for this weeks adv rtise ment, was to speak of that state condition of system among females, known and called-' general debility" There tens of thousands of these suffering females scattered throughout the United States and presume more or less of them talk ing regular daily doses of of the preparations of iron bark, tonic gitters,' or bismuth or some other of the tonic predaratons fattering themselves with the false, dslusivs hepe that ere long they will be restored to health But how truly will they betdisappointed, sor so long they tinue to take them they will not only experience no good, but positive injrry, they will sconer or later, discover, by the appearance of other dssased breathing, &c, &c, caused by the exhibition of stimulating remedies to organs already laborng un der oyer-excitad action.
 Tks disease called debility as have already stated, alrays signifies inflammatory action some where, and in ninety nine cases out of a hundred, that point Of inflammatory action is in the mucus membranB of the stomach or bowels, and the exh- btion of tonic" preparations, instead of benefit ting, always exaspcrates the disease Tho idea of treating infiammstofy action of the mucous mem biane of the stomach Or bowels with such prepara- tions as freq, bismuh, tonic bitters, &c-medcines that prod4ce by contaa with the coats of the sto- mach, kvsa in health, great deal of irritation is tnly mos riiiculoue.
 But stop, says medical friend you are not making fair exhibit of the state or condition of the system in which we exhibit these preparations of iron, bismath. Be- Yes, am making an exhibi-
 on of exactly the state and condition of the system In which you prescribe these preparations. Yon pre- scribe them far debility ;'' and what is "deb- tyr a condition of system implying olrays in- hammatory aetion in some one more organs of the body, and Tn very great majority of that in hammatory action is in the stomacl, bowels and you nor no orher live man point to of de- bihty, bat that it's origin can be traced to infam matory action somewhere as its cause Show me a case of debitty,' and I'll show you that inflam- n,atory action of either the stomach or bowels, both, are the most prominent symptoms. " But, says my friend, ' if there was infamnatory action ot the mucus membrane of the seonach pressure the stomach would produce pain." Pshaw the the stomach may be present, while at the same time not the smallest amount of animal sensation is pre- sent or can be ecited by pressure the stomach This fact IS worthy of note-that inflammation, and even nlecIatiof of the stomach may dxist, and with out the slightest animal sefsatipu being present, either by pfcssdre otherwise The idea that pain is always present. can be elicted by pessre over an ipfamcd stomach, is an erroneous one and the sooner s9eh ap ilsa is got i M the better 1t will be sof sasIftlRg FafaaniEs ,fIdw olteh lss the braip bsea si5Htd te bccone diseased secondariy through