The Code of Health and Longevity

128 APPENDIX. probably be many more, were An appropriate regimeil adopted rather witb a view to prevent than to cure this difeafe. Hence the utility of noting eVery mark that can lead to the detedlion of a tendency to this difeafe, and the confequent adoption of a plan calculated to pre-, vent its earlieft attacks. Some experience has inducedme to be of opinion that more may be done to counteraft the predifpofition to this difeafe than has hitherto been efFe£led. The furface of the lungs and that of the fkin are both fecreting or­ gans, the funftions of which mutually compenfate each other *, a languid and inert condition of the Ikin is ne- ceffarily attended With a diminution of cutaneous per- fpiration, to make up for which a larger fllare endea­ vours to efcape by the lungs, and this increafed effort may well be fuppofed to lay the foundation for difeafe. This hypothefis is fupported by the well known fa£bs that failors, ploughmen, butchers, and all perfons whofe occupations are carried on in the open air, and whofe perfpiration is therefore free and copious, enjoy a re­ markable exemption from pulmonary complaints ; on the contrary, two-thirds of the working tailors of London, taking them asan example of thefedentary clafs of arti­ ficers, are believed to die of pulmonary confumption. iet us then endeavour to remove this inert condition of thelkin,not by internal fudorificmedicines, which Would only relax it more, nor by keeping the body conllantly bathed in an atmofphere of its own perfpiration by caf- ing it in flannel: Rather by daily expofure to the air- bath, during which the furface of the body fhould be rubbed with a hard flefh-brulh, either by the hands of the patient, or by thofe of an affiftant till th^whole fkin glows. From a fedulouS attention to this praftice, which when regularly perfifted in becomesvet-y gtatfeful, com-* bined