Smyrna times., 1880-05-19
A General Complaint.
CAUSES THAT LEAD TO Loss OF APpErITE-pEv.
EDIES


EDIEs.
Loss of appetite is of common occur
renee at the onset of MANY fevers. bu
usually it is far more chronic COMPLAINT
Nothing is commoner than to hear peopI,
say That they "have no appetite" they I'd,
not care for anything" or that they Chat,
the sight of food" 1t is often enough as
soclated with condition of debility anc
general lnaptitude for work. 1t Is bv ne
means uncommon in those who are wor
rled and anxious find it difficult to make
ooth ends meet. People who devote toc
much attention to the brandy bottle gen
eraliy 1lnd meals rather trouble thar
o'ner"lse; breakfast, especially, is a diff
Guilty. These individuals are generally
very dainty and fanciful and when al
nome grumble at everything that is sci
before them. They are very fond of abus
ing the cook for what is in reality the
morbid condition of their own digestive
organs. Tobacco smokers, or, at all events
those who smoke in any quantity, are sell
dom great performers with the knife and
fork. Tobacco and opium and alcohol
seem all to have the power of deadeninp
the appetite. People who take little or ne
outdoor exercise generally complain that
they do not eat well, and no wonder. IF q
man wants good appetite, he must earn
1t some how or other. Some one NAV give
him his dinner, but if he is to enioy it he
will have to bring his own sauce in the
shape of an appetite
lrregularlty of meals is another common
cause OF loss of appetite. The stomach an.
preclates regularity, and likes to have its
wants attended to at the proper time. II
is curious how in well-regulated BODY the
desire Tor food is experienced day by day at
exactly the same hour. We all know how
dreadful bad-tempered many people get il
their diRnsr is only five minutes late. 1t
Is all very well to say that they are stupid
and should not be put out about triHes.
but 1t must be remembered that it is no
tritle to them, and that even a slight de.
lay may give rise to considerable amount
OF bodily discomfort The stomach has
been accustomed to receive supplies at
certain regular intervals, and if it fails to
receive them, it objects most emphatically.
Nothing is more likely to spoil the anne.
tite than eating or drinking between meals.
You hear man complaining that he can,
not eat his dinner, and you find on INQUIRY
that about an hour before he had three or
tour dozen oysters and some bread and
butter and pint of stout, '.just to pull
him together" 1t may be thought that
this is an exaggeratiOn, but it is not. We
have seen i, and we wish we had not. for
nothing can be more coRtemptible than a
man who makes deity of his stomach.
we should eat to live, and not live to eat.
For people who dine in the middle of the
day, lunch Is great mistake. Many people
seem to think that it would be a great
bopH ,it, 10 oO
to P. NJ. They make good break fast
directly they get up: ham and eggs and all
the etceteras; and then at l. A. NJ. they 90
IN for bread and cheese and beer Some.
body once said that "lunch is reflection
on your breakfast and an insult to your
dinner" and il is a pity that more people
do not bear this in mind. You can never
expect to have good appetite unless veu
| allow good five hours to elapse between
each Of the chief meals of the day.
What is to be done for loss of appetite ?
In the first place it is essential to avoid. as
far as possible, any of the circumstances
We have mentioned as causes of this com.
plant. Be regular in you habits; get up
early; do not stay out late at night: take
plenty of outdoor exercise; have your bow.
els well open every morning; do not drink
much tea; be quite sure that you are not
smoking too much, and not taking more
than you ought to in the way of stimulent.
1t is great thing if you can dine in cheer.
tul, pleasant society-the example of eat.
ing seems to be almost contagious. 1t is
astonishing what great deal bad cookery
has to answer for in the way of exciting a
distaste for food.
The practice of taking btters before
meals with the view of Increasing tho q ~
petite IS common one. 1t is undoubtedly
bad habit, but in certain functional de.
| rangements of the stomach an occasional
gin and bitters or sherry and bitters may
have its advantages.
Probably the drug most frequently EN-.
ployed with the view of stimulating the
Jaded appetite is quinine. Two tablespoon.
fu!s of the tonic quinine mixture should be
taken about half an hour before meals, or
two tablespoonfuls of quinine wine will do
equally well. The infusion of quassia NAV
also be used for this purpose, and its eff.
cacy is greatly enhanched by the addition
of three or four drops of tincture of nux
vemica. NuX vemica is one of the pleas.
antest bittsrs we know, and will often sue.
ceed admirably, even when given in plain
water. Other tinctures and infusions EN-.
| ployed for a similar purpose are those of
Of calumba, gentian, chirette, and cusparia.
The infusons should be given in tive table
spoonful doses, while the dose of tinctures
is teaspoonful in water. The tincture of
nux vomica, il will be remembered, is a
much more powerful drug, and the dose of
this should not exceed eight drops. The
different preparations of hops are useful,
but are, we think, best taken in the form
OF bitter beer. Absinthe, or wormwood, is
largely employed. With many people, es,
pecially those who are predisposed to con,
stipation, two or three tablespoonfuls of
compound decoction of aloes will succeed
better than anything. For elderly people,
pepsin taken in fve-grain doses half an
hour before meals is useful. We need hardly
say that for patients who are an@mic or
suffering from what is usually called "poor-
ness of blood," iron is the remedy.-Phila.
deIphia Times.