sarily, by circumstances or habits, engaged in business, is to be drawn from his attention to his own feelings by some amusement.

The various kinds of sport and hunting, as pursued with some ardour, and attended with exercise, if not too violent, are amongst the most useful.

All those amusements which are in the open air, joined with moderate exercise, and requiring some dexterity, are generally of use.

Within doors, company which engages attention, which is willingly yielded to, and is at the same time of a cheerful kind, will be always found of great service.

Play, in which some skill is required, and where the stake is not an object of much anxiety, if not too long protracted, may often be admitted.

In dyspeptics, however, gaming, liable to sudden and considerable emotions, is dangerous; and the long continuance of it, with night-watching, is violently debilitating. But, in melancholics, who commonly excel in skill, and are less susceptible of violent emotions, it is more admissible, and is often the only amusement that can engage them. Music, to a nice ear, is a hazardous amusement, as long attention to it is very fatiguing.

1248. It frequently happpens, that amusements of every kind are rejected by hypochondriacs; and, in that case, mechanical means of interrupting thought, are the remedies to be sought for.

Such is to be found in brisk exercise, which requires some attention in the conduct of it.

Walking is seldom of this kind; though as gratifying to the reslessness of hypochondriacs, it has sometimes been found useful.

The required interruption of thought is best obtained by riding on horseback, or in driving a carriage of any kind.

The exercise of sailing, except it be in an open boat, engaging some attention, does very little service.

Exercise in an easy carriage, in the direction of which the traveller takes no part, unless it be upon rough roads, or driven pretty quickly, and with long continuance, is of little advantage.

1249. Whatever exercise may be employed, it will be most effectual when employed in the pursuit of a journey; first, because it withdraws a person from many objects of uneasiness and care which might present themselves at home; secondly, as it engages in more constant exercise, and in a greater degree of it than is commonly taken in airings about home; and, lastly, as it is constantly presenting new objects which call forth a person's

attention.

1250. İn our system of Nosology we have, next to Hypochondriasis, placed the Chlorosis, because I once thought it might be considered as a genus,

comprehending, besides the Chlorosis of Amenorrhoea, some species of Cachexy: but, as I cannot find this to be well founded, and cannot distinctly point out any such disease, I now omit considering Chlorosis as a genus here; and, as a symptom of Amenorrhoea, I have endeavoured before to explain it under that title.

K 2

BOOK III.

OF SPASMODIC AFFECTIONS,

WITHOUT FEVER.

1251. UNDER this title I am to comprehend all the diseases which consist in motu abnormi; that is, in a preternatural state of the contraction and motion of the muscular or moving fibres in any part of the body.

1252. It will hence appear why, under this title, I have comprehended many more diseases than Sauvages and Sagar have comprehended under the title of Spasmi, or than Linnæus has done under the title of Motorii. But I expect it will be obvious, that, upon this occasion, it would not be proper to confine our view to the affections of voluntary motion only; and, if those Nosologists have introduced into the class of Spasmi, Palpitatio, and

Hysteria, it will be with equal propriety that Asthma, Colica, and many other diseases are admitted.

1253. It has hitherto been the method of our Nosologists to divide the Spasmi into the two orders of Tonici and Clonici, Spastici and Agitatorii; or, as many at present use the terms, into Spasms strictly so called, and Convulsions. I find however, that many, and indeed most of the diseases to be considered under our title of Spasmodic Affections, in respect of Tonic or Clonic contractions, are of a mixed kind: and, therefore, I cannot follow the usual general division; but have attempted another, by arranging, the several Spasmodic Diseases according as they affect the several functions, Animal, Vital, or Natural.

SECT. I.

OF THE SPASMODIC AFFECTIONS OF THE ANIMAL FUNCTIONS.

1254. AGREEABLE to the language of the ancients, the whole of the diseases to be treated of in this section might be termed Spasmi; and many of the moderns continue to apply the term in the same manner: but I think it convenient to distinguish the terms of Spasm and Convulsion, by applying the former, strictly to what has been called the Tonic, and the latter to what has been