Mild and spare diet has a very considerable influence over this disease, in almost every period, and contributes greatly to retard its progress. It ought therefore rigidly to be conjoined with the bleeding and issues, in the commencement of the disease, and will tend to abate the action in the part, and promote its resolution. The diet ought to consist of stewed apples, or prunes, panada, and weak broths, with bread. It has even been proposed to prohibit almost entirely the use of solid food, and to allow the patient nothing but water for the course of several weeks. This was much recommended by M. Pouteau, who was led to make trial of it by the success attending the empirical practice of an ecclesiastic. It was afterwards enforced by Callison; and more lately abstinence has been favourably mentioned by Mr. Pearson, who relates some cases of cancer, or appearance of cancer, in the uterus, in which it produced very astonishing effects, abating the pain, diminishing the swelling, and re-establishing the general health. By means of these remedies, we may sometimes succeed in removing by degrees a schirrus, after it has evidently begun to inflame, and threatens to become cancerous. But if, notwithstanding these remedies, the disease evidently continues to increase, or if, in the course of a few weeks, they do not produce an evident effect, we cannot with propriety delay the operation, which is the most certain method of cure, and one which succeeds in a majority of instances, if early and properly performed; nor ought any other method of treatment to be proposed in opposition to it, unless in the very commencement of the inflammatory state; and it is in this period only that I propose the above treatment, unless the patient absolutely decline the operation; for when the skin becomes puckered, and the inflammation has continued clearly for a considerable time, without any measures being taken to remove it, the success of any local or general remedy is exceedingly precarious, and delay is not only useless, but frequently dangerous. It has, however, been doubted by some very ingenious surgeons, whether it was proper to advise the operation at any period, they believing, from the number of relapses, that it was almost useless; whilst others have been against the early performance of it, on the principle, that some parts already diseased might not have, at this period, become evidently affected; and, therefore, might inadvertently be allowed to remain.