By this, or by porridge made from wheaten meal, you may secure good
digestion when the gastric juice is scanty and poor; but we should not
like to be restricted to that. We want a stomach that will not fight
shy of any wholesome thing. We must treat it so that when suitable food
is offered it may be comfortably digested.
Now, there is an exceedingly simple means for putting the glands in
order when they are not so. About half-an-hour before taking any food,
take half a teacupful of water as hot as you can sip it comfortably.
This has a truly wonderful effect. Before food is taken, the mucous
membrane is pale and nearly dry, on account of the contracted state of
the arteries. In many cases the glands that secrete the gastric juice
are feeble; in others they seem cramped, and far from ready to act when
food is presented. The hot water has the same effect on them as it has
everywhere else on the body--that of stimulating the circulation and
bringing about natural action. It looks a very frail remedy; but when
we can, as it were, see these glands opening and filling with arterial
blood the instant they are bathed in this same water, and see how ready
they become to supply gastric juice for digestion, the remedy does not
look so insignificant.
We have, in scores of cases, seen its effects in the most delightful
way. Persons who have to our knowledge been ill and miserable with
their stomachs for years have become perfectly well from doing nothing
but taking half a teacupful of hot water regularly before taking any
food. It is true that great good is effected in cases of this kind by
giving the weakened organ light work to do for a time. Wonders are done
by feeding with wheaten-meal biscuits and water for some time,
beginning with a very small allowance, and seeing that every mouthful
is thoroughly chewed. Great things, too, are accomplished with such
wheaten-meal porridge as we have already mentioned. But we feel
disposed to regard the half-teacupful of hot water regularly before
eating as the chief means of cure. It is wonderfully cheap: it goes
hard with the druggist if his customers need nothing but a little hot
water. Still, from what we have seen, and from what some of the very
highest authorities have told us, we come more and more to look to this
simple remedy as about all that is required inwardly to cure the worst
cases of indigestion.
A little pepsin added to the hot water may be of use; also in cases of
acidity a few drops of white vinegar mixed with the water will be found
beneficial.
Soda, iron, lime, charcoal, even tar pills are used as remedies for
indigestion; but none of them do much good, and some are highly
injurious. If used at all, their use should be temporary, and under
good medical advice.
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