Manual of British Rural Sports by Stonehenge 17th Edition

640 GENERAL TRAINING OF MAN. in the counting-house—ayoung man is confined for tenor twelve hours a day to the desk and ledger; he has no time for exercise, andhis nervous system is over-stimulated by incessant calcula­ tion, and also by the constant view of the white paper spread before his eyes ; he gets the" ledger fever," and many a young manis rendered by it utterly incompetent to continue this kind of drudgery. Some relieve this unnatural condition bj^ early rising and pedestrian or horse and rowing exercise. Of late this plan has becomemuch more feasible, in the metropolis especially, owing to the foundation ofnumerous athletic clubs, and, if carefullyentered upon,is of great service ;but it requires some caution at first, andis almost wholly useless if persevered in without those essentials which Ishall endeavour to point out. TREATMENT OF THE FREE-LIVEU OF ACTIVE HABITS.—I have already ob served that the " fast man "who has usually taken a due amount of exercise, has a comparatively easy task, if he only has the power to command him­ self, andto check those practices which he has beenindulging in. But let this be done with due caution ; many is the man who has been driveninto delirium tremens by suddenly leaving off all stimuli. The best planis to substitute ammonia in some shape for a part of the accustomed alcohol, and for this purpose to takethe following draught once or twice a- day, or oftener if that dreadful sinking sensation comes on which is so distressing to those who have indulged to excess in wine and tobacco :—Take of aromatic confec­ tion 10 grains, sal volatile 1 drachm, bicarbonate of soda 5 grains, tincture of gentian 1drachm, water 1 ounce— mix. The quantity of beer, wine, or spirits should be diminished one-half every twoor three days, until brought down to theallowance to be hereafter fixed for training purposes; tobacco shouldhe totally eschewed. I have in­ variably found that total abstinence from smoking is easier than temper­ ance. There is notthe same danger in leaving it offas is thecase with wine, spirits, or beer—in fact there is no dan­ ger whatever in so doing ; whilst in alcoholic drinks thereverse is the case. My advice, therefore, is, in all cases where the constitution has beenimpaired by smoking and drinking, to give up the former atonce and entirely, but to be very careful in graduallyleaving off the latter. With regard tothe kind of sti­ mulus which should be adopted, much must depend upon theprevious habits. In most cases, when the stomach is not much upset, malt liquor will suffice; and, if sound and unadul­ terated, it is the most wholesome bever­ age ; but in many cases it will not do to suddenly leaveoff wine and spirits, and adhere to malt alone. In such cases an occasional glass of brandy and water or claret must be allowed. The latter, where it agrees, is an excel­ lent wine for the purpose of gradually lowering thestimulus. No wine suits the nervous system better, and if mixed with soda-water, it may be drunk to a considerable extent by those who have accustomed themselves toa stronger stimulus. When the stomach is very much disordered, it may he mulled, and taken warm. Those who have been smoking and drinking to excess have stimulated their kidneys, and skin to secrete a greater quantity than is natural to those organs. This is an effort of nature to get rid of the poison which has been absorbed into the system, but the effect does not im­ mediately cease on the removal of the cause. Hence thethirst ccntinues, and some liquid must be given to quench it. It is for this purpose that I advise claret andsoda-water tothose who can afford it; or to others, porter or bitter beer mixed with soda-water in equal proportions. Great care must be taken in allthese casesin theadministrationof purgatives. No one who is a free-liver is able to bear strong aperientmedicines without some injury to the system, and although very commonly given, itis a practice which ought to be most cautiously adopted. If the liver is acting well (which maybe known by the yellow or brown colour of the fasces), a simple black draught maybe taken, consisting of half an ounce of sweet essence of senna, with a small teaspoonful of salts dissolved in anounce of warm water; or one or two compound-rhubarb pil's may be taken at night. If, on the con­ trary, the motions are of a clay colour, five grains of blue pill should be taken at night, followed by the above draught in the morning Should the bowels be relaxed, andinclined to act more than once a day, a wineglassful of decoction of bark, with a teaspoonful of the com-