The Code of Health and Longevity

120 APPENDIX. Puteoli, or what was reckoned ftill preferable, with a kind of dufl named haphe, which was imported from Egypt. When their exercifes were finilhed, they had reconrfe to their aTroSspaTria, or methods of refrefliment. They were immerfed in a tepid bath, where the perfpiration and fordes were carefully removed from the furface of the body by the ufe of the flrygil. The Ikin was then diligently rubbeddry, and again anointed with oil. If thirfty, they were permittedto drink a fmall quantity of warm water *. They thentook their principal repaft, after which they never ufed any exercife. They occa- fionally alfo went into the cold bath in the morning. They were permitted to fleep as many hours as they chofe ; and great increafe of vigour, as well as of bulk, was fuppofed to be derived from long-continued and found repofe. In order to empty the ftotnach previoufly to entering on this peculiar regimen, the ancients appear to have preferred the ufe of emetics to that of purgatives. Vo­ miting was produced by tickling thefauces with the fin­ ger, or by means of a feather, which was occalionally dipped in a folution of aloes. Stimulating glyflerswere occalionally adminiftered. And one of thefe modes of evacuating * Nothing can afford a ftronger proof of the attention paid by the an­ cients to the effedlsof exercife, than the prohibition of cold drink to perfons •who had been thns fatigued. When heated and exhaufted by violent muf- cular exertion, it is not only much more fafe, but even murerefreftiing, to take fame warm fluid, as tea, into the ftomach, than to drink any cold Iw quor. Immediate death has not feldom been the confequence of drinking a glafs of cold water or beer, after having been heated and fatigued by dancing, or any other violent exercife. To thofe who msy inadvertently be guilty of mch imprudence, it may be well to know,that to fwallow im­ mediately a glafs of brandy, or a tea-fpoonful of laudanum,, is the bell mea^s of countpradting its baneful confequence^