The Code of Health and Longevity

i^6 APPEND I X . without augmenting their exercife in the fame propdf* tion, undoubtedly they would foon become difeafed. Lord Bacon has left us the following excellent precept on this point:—" Beware," fays he, " of fudden change " in any great point of diet, and if neceffity enforce it, *' fit the reft to it. For it is a fecret both in nature and " ftate, that it is fafer to change many things than one." The cafe of Dr Taylor of Croydon, narrated by Dr Cheyne, is aninftance of the power of regimen in era­ dicating one of the moil terrible difeafes incident to hu­ man nature. That gentleman had for many years beeH alflifted with the Epilepfy to fuch a degree, as frequently to fall from his horfe in the comrfe of his bufinefs, and remain infenfible on the road till pickedup by the next paflenger. Having obferved that the lighter his food the lefe frequently didhis fits recur, he confined himfelf wholly tobread and milk. This diet occafioning flatu­ lence, he reflrided himfelf to milk alone, of which he took about two quarts per day. Under this regimen he completely recovered his healthand flrength, fo as to be able to play at cricket for many hours together, with hardly any perfpiration. During fourteen years he ex­ perienced no recurrence of his fits, and at length died of a pleurify, occafioned by cold caught from fleeping in a damp bed. I had once an opportunity of feeing this re­ gimen adopted in a deplorable cafe of the fame malady. The difeafe was not indeed cured, though much miti­ gated, and during the year it wasperfifted in, the patient confiderably recovered his health and ftrength. When it is confidered that perfons moft confpicuous for elegance of perfon, as well as for acutenefs of intel- le£t, are peculiarly liable to become the vidims of the fare though flow-moving dart of phthifis pulmonalis, it becomes a very defirable objed to poflefs fome means of oppofing