Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-07-21
summer COmPIaints--Their Prsvsn-
Editors ElteRigeHeeT:

| ..... e. tiOn.
Editors IntslligeHeer: ..
/ have peuued a few thoughts upon the
above subject. If you think they will be o
any benefit to the numerous readers Ol
your paper, you are at liberty to publish
them.
Among the most unmanageable and fatal
Of all diseases, when fairly established in
the system, as we'll as the most easily pre-
vented, or even cured when taken in the
initiatory stage, we may safely rank those
arrangements of the alimentary canal that
are so frequently prevalent during this
season of the year.
Without the least shadow of doubt in
in the mind of the writer, the fruits and
the berries of the season, when fully ri
pened, and not even commencing TO decay,
are not only wholesome and agreeable, but
very desirable as articles of diet, and equal
lY with out doubt, this kind of diet, when
INDUCED in at improper times, in improp-
er quantities, and in improper states or
conditions, is prolific source of many of
the intestinal diseases both of children and
adults.
Fruits aud berries, when ripe, are easi-
ly digssted,. are cool and sufficiently nutri-
tive to supply in q good degree the waste
and wear of the body, aud when combined
with food composed of meal or hour, and
taken only at meal times, according 70 my
experience, can never be injurious TO
healthy individuals. In the saechArine or
sweet portion of fruits, and in the woody
fbres, all the carbon that is needed is to be
obtained in q much better state than from
the fat of the animal that has become dis
eased from overfeeding and close con6ne-
ment during the fattening process yet IN
many instances diarrhOas and dysenterys
are directly traeeable to the fruit or the
berries that have been eaten by the suf-
ferer.
The causes of those diseases are in many
instances two fold. The food was either
unripe, or it had already commenced to de-
cay before il was eaten; aud 1t was taken
in such quantity, or at such times that
the stomach was unable to digest it, and
it passed undigested into the intestines,
there to undergo a purifying process, as
well as to act as mechanical irritaut to
the sensitive mucus coating of the over
disteuded inte5tines. y
The gases generated by the fermentation
of the contents of the bowels, are highly
irritant to these organs, aud induce a state
OF Inflammation and tenderness Of their
several coats, that is increased and added
to, by the half digested contents, and both
together, as will be readily seen, must, as
long as they remain, increase and perpetu-
ate the disease.
As it is much more importsntto prevent
than to cure disease, will first speak Of
that branch of the subject. ... Old. .
OF course | cannot now enter into an
examination of those sources of disease
that are the result of locality, the decom-
position OF animal or vegetable matter &c,
but must coufine myself to only one cause
of intestinal disease.
II all, adults and children, would avoid
uuripe, decsying or improperly cooked
fruits aud vegetables, eating plain and
simple food, and in such quantities, and at
such times only, as, that the stomach could
fully digest all that it received,rs very
great proportion of our bowel difficulties
would never make their appearance, and
aside from the causes Of their production
alluded to above. / cannot conceive of any
reason why we should expect them to aP-
pear. ..
But as, unfortunately, the people are not
we'll informed in regard to the injurious
effects, these things produce upon their
health-oF, they prefer the risk, to yielding
up the qualification of their appetites, the
next business is the cure Of such as are suf-
fering from their imPrudeuce or ignorance
The means adopted must obviously be
1
detailed above-and usually the fret thing
to be done, when it is known that offend
ing matters have been taken iatO the stom-
ach, is to remove them by gentle purge,
This is to be followed by a quieting aud
soothing course of treatment, being very
cautious that nothing shall be taken into
the stomach that will readily undergo de-
composition, or that is difficult of digestion
with external application to relieve pain
aud local fever.
am fully convinced that great harm il
frequently done by a too ofieious course OI
nursing in these cRses-and il the stom'
ach and bowels were allowed perfect r'St,
until they had recovered, and were restored
to their natural tone, it would be far bet
ter than the constant dosing that too many
subject themselves to while suffering un-
der diseases or the alimentary canal.
DR. THOMAS J. RIsHER.
July 18th, 1864. a-E.e