Every one is familiar with the fact, to which I have already alluded, that dyspepsia has a depressing influence upon the mind. And as the mental depression reacting upon the disease aggravates it, anything which tends to remove this depression assists materially in curing the disease. Diversion of the mind from its habitual gloomy ideas to cheerful thoughts and efforts, often exerts a great influence in such cases. I will mention a single case illustrative of this remark. A gentleman of high intellectual character, who was sadly afflicted with the dyspepsia, visited his friend Dr. Ives of New Haven, and placed himself under his care. The Doctor saw at once that medicines would do but little good in his case, so long as his mind remained in the same condition, and occupied with the same thoughts; and that a change there would go far to effect a corresponding one in his bodily condition. He determined to produce this change without the patient’s being aware of his intention, as it in this way would be more effectually accomplished. In one of his rides with him they alighted to pick some wild flowers. He adroitly excited his friend’s curiosity in regard to the structure and growth of the flowers, and leading his mind on step by step, he did not stop till he had fairly made him a student of botany without his knowing it. The result was that he engaged in the study with great enthusiasm, and followed it up for some time. He was changed at once from a gloomy self-tormentor into an ardent and cheerful seeker after knowledge in one of its richest and fairest fields, and this change made his recovery a rapid and easy one. But it is not only in those cases in which the mind is obviously affected, that the physician is to apply the principle of which we have just been speaking. He can make use of it with much profit in ordinary cases of disease, in his intercourse with his patients from day to day. The sick are prone to brood over their own complaints, and to watch their sensations, and they need to have the mind diverted to other subjects.