The First of the Distempers then, is the Consumption of the Lungs; I take this to fall under the Power of Exercise; for these two Reasons.

First, Because the Morbifick Particles, which are the immediate Cause of the Disease, seem to be of a looser Texture, to be less intimately combin’d in the Blood, than in most Chronical Cases, the Particles which occasion each Distemperature seem to be.

Secondly, Because this Case requires the carrying off the Acrimonious Particles, by equal Secretions, rather than by any one particular Emunctory of the Body.

The First Reason seems to appear manifest enough, from the habitual Heat and Disturbance, which are generally complain’d of, sometimes even upon the first Breaking out of the Cough, and from the continual Quickness of the Pulse; all which shew, that there is an imperfect struggle of Nature, frequent and partial Ebullitions, which don’t arise to a degree sufficient to clear Nature of that which oppresses her; but yet plainly indicate, that the hostile Particles do not unite, or accord with the Blood, so much as the Particles of each Disease do in other Cases; as for Instance, in Scrophulous and even in Cancerous Cases, tho’ the Blood is loaded with so pernicious and even corrosive a Humour, yet we find no Disorder in the Beat of the Artery, no irregular Heats, but for some Reasons or other, in the make of their Particles, they pass better with the Blood, and the Disease is longer protracted; now I think it seems to be a Natural Consequence, that where there is an Ebullition or Contention of Particles, there is no Union; and that a more general and natural Heat, superinduc’d by Exercise, by the Solids acting uniformly upon the Fluids, may produce a Ventilation of many of those Particles, which Nature contends so much with.

The Second Reason, viz. The Necessity of equal Secretion, is occasion’d by the Effects of this Hectical Disposition, which by bringing a Languor upon the Spirits, a Relaxation or Flaccidity of the Muscular Parts, and even of the Lungs it self, renders Nature unable to bear any particular Secretion without great Disturbance: Thus we see upon the use of the gentlest Purging Medicine, the Cough is encreas’d, and the whole Body for a Time, more than ordinarily disturb’d; the same happens upon the Use of Sudorificks, and indeed scarce any particular Secretion can be considerably enforc’d, without some Inconvenience following upon it; so that it must needs be the most proper Method, if we can attain to it, to enable Nature to do the Work her self, by gentle and even Despumation, of the acrimonious Particles, at all the Emunctories.

To procure this good Effect I propose the first of those Exercises, which I shall consider more amply in its proper Place, which is Moderate Riding. This Exercise is undoubtedly the most likely to cause an equal Exaltation of the Fluids, to restore the Tone, and Elasticity of the Ducts, so that the hot fretting Particles may be cast off; some of ’em by insensible Perspiration at the Skin, others by the Kidneys, others by the many Salival Glands, others by the Glands of the Intestines, where the very acrimonious Particles, forc’d out by that Exercise, which in a special manner acts upon those Parts, may be very much alter’d while they lye in the Intestine, undergo a sort of Cohobation, and in all likelyhood may some of ’em become inflammable, and so dispos’d, as to prove Nutritious, when suck’d up into the Blood, as some of the Contents of the Intestines always are. This is communicating, ab extra, a Power to Nature to act upon her self; which must needs be more agreeable than to put a Force upon her, when she is Languid, and not able to master both the Drug and the Distemper.

It would be of great Consequence, to People Afflicted with this Distemper, if they would be brought to consider seriously the Distinction of the Oeconomy into the Parts containing, and the Parts contain’d, that is the Solids and Fluids, and the happiness of being able to Exert the Strength of the Solids, and make the Muscular and Nervous Parts assist the Blood and Spirits. There are Distempers wherein a Man is so Unhappy, as to have one Part of himself only Passive; as in Fevers, the Intenseness of the Heat, affects the Spirits and Nerves to that Degree, that all Power of Standing or Going is taken away. In a Palsey, the Hopes lye all in the Fluids or Liquor Contain’d: In other Cases, the larger Glands are so much alter’d in themselves, that the Motion of the Body would be to no Purpose; but here in this Distemper, we are Treating of, the Case is quite otherwise, if the Sick Person will but Entertain a Resolution to help himself, will employ all the Springs and Fibres of his Body, and by that means take the Labouring Oar from lying always on the Blood alone, he will have no Reason to despair.

Thus I have consider’d how the Use of Moderate Riding will conduce to the conveying off the Subject matter of the Disease. The next Indication is the Strengthning the Tone of the Lungs and Muscular Parts, which in this Distemper grow Flaccid, I might add of the Stomach too, but that we can help that Bowel by many excellent Internal Remedies. Now I would fain know of any Man, how we can reach the Flaccidity of the Lungs, by Internal means, till the Distemperature of the Blood is remov’d, when it will go off in Course, but would be done much sooner, if we assisted both the Solids and Fluids at the same time; now that the very Lungs itself may appear, not to be out of the reach of a Habit of Exercise, let any one consider the strength of that Part, which Divers acquire by frequent Diving; or to come nearer to our Purpose, take any two Men equally, us’d to Hard Labour, of equal strength as near as we can guess whereof one has accustom’d himself to Running, the other never done so, all the World knows that the Practis’d Footman shall Run a great deal farther, and much faster than the other can do: Tho’ in the Common Sense of the Expression, this latter has a Clear Wind as we say, and is in perfect Health; which invincibly proves, that the Lungs tho’ a Bowel, are capable of a Habit, and that with a Proportional Allowance, the gentle, easie Exercise, of Riding, must introduce a New Habit, into the Lungs of a Consumptive Person, and so recover the Tone of that Bowel.

I know it will be reply’d here, that Balsamick and healing Medicines are suppos’d to strengthen the Parts they are directed to, that they are generous Medicines, of fine Parts, and consequently fitted to Communicate a firmness, a Spring to the Nervous and Membranous Parts of the Lungs; and if it could be prov’d that they did Heal so much as they have been pretended to do; I would readily allow they did Strengthen those Parts, but I have had some considerable Opportunity, to observe the Use of those Medicines, and I never could find that if Alteratives fail’d, Balsamicks would do any great good; that is, taken strictly as Balsamicks, upon a Healing Intention. I doubt not, but in the beginning of the Distemper, as Alteratives they may be of Service, especially the milder sort; by the pleasant sensation they Create, and the Consent of the Parts they will give present Abatement of the Cough, and when brought into the Blood, may by Promoting a Diurisis, or by precipitating some of the Acrimony, help to carry off the Cause of the Cough, after the Alterative way, but that when there is any Ulceration in the Lungs, and the Blood is loaded with Hot and fretting Particles, they should then heal so much, I cannot conceive. If we will but give our selves leave to examine a little closely how they act, when externally apply’d to a Sore, we shall not perhaps find, that they are all of ’em such immediate Healers; some of ’em are too fine and Stimulating to be us’d as Eupoloticks, but rather prove Digestives, and therefore must be more likely to cause a too great Agitation in the Blood of these People, than a healing of the Ulcer; I know it may be here reply’d; that they are very proper to cleanse the Ulcerated parts of the Lungs in order to their better healing; but I can’t imagine how it should come about, that there should be such great need of cleansing the Ulcuscula in a part of so Spongy and Membranous a Substance as the Lungs, where there can be no redundancy of Parenchymatous Juices to feed the Ulcers; besides it is to be consider’d, that the constant Motion of the Lungs, will help so deterge the Ulcerated part, just as if we should suppose a Man, that has an Ulcer in his Leg, should be squeezing the Lips of it together all day long, we can’t doubt but he would by that means work out the Pus, the Slough, and all the mispurities of the Sore, and in like manner, the Heaving and Subsiding of the Lungs will hinder any thing from Bedding or Lodging it self long in a part that is really Ulcerated. And alass! here is the grand difficulty in a way to a Cure, we can’t easily bring so arid a Substance, as that of the Lungs to unite, when lacerated, because of its continual Motion; so that there is all the reason in the World, for us to heap in only healing Medicines, strictly taken, without any thing that may prove in the least stimulating. Therefore, wherever Balsamicks have done any great good; I cannot think it has been any other way, than by deriving of the Acrimony from the Blood, and not by immediately healing the Part affected; so that tho’ these are Noble Medicines in Colicks and Simple Affects of the Stomach, where the State of the Blood is quite different, yet here they are too Generous. They are like the Sword of a Gyant, in the Hands of a Dwarf, that will not help but Oppress. And as for the Oily Medicines, which may be call’d a sort of milder and Artificial Balsamicks, we ought to consider, that the Blood is Replenish’d with a better Oyl than any we can immediately supply it with; I mean the Fat, which to the quantity of a Pint at least is continually passing, into, and out of the Blood: And yet in this Ill Habit of Body it wasts daily, and does not Unite with the other Fluids as in a state of Health. What then can we do by the Poor Addition of a few Drachms of Unctuous Stuff, which after it has pass’d the Stomach enters the Blood, to the quantify of a few Grains, and does not the least good, in Reparation for the unpleasantness in the Taking, and the Uneasiness it sometimes causes in the Stomach of the Sick Person?

I hope these Reflections will not be misinterpreted, as if I endeavour’d after some little Hypothetical Notion as a wedge to make way for any Design of mine; they will appear but too real to any that have been Conversant with this Distemper. I could wish it was all Hypothesis and Fiction, and that these Medicines would perform all that is expected from ’em, but then, to what must we attribute the Ravage this Disease makes, which is known to all, to be a Melancholy truth? Not to the want of Balsamicks certainly, for both Poor and Rich, can make a shift to procure enough of ’em. The Lozenge and Linctus are in every Bodies hand, but this must be attributed to their leading People, to take a wrong Aim, to level at the Symptom instead of the Disease, these specious Medicines induce ’em to be intent on the Cure of that, which is most Troublesome viz. the Cough, when they should lay the Ax to the Root of the Tree, be more intent on the Cure of the Habit of Body, and not let it be overrun with a Poisonous Acrimony. I am confident Legions of the Dead might have been above Ground, if they had but conceiv’d the Fallacy of these means, if they had but stuck close to the proper Quantities of any one good Alterative, they might have Plung’d out of their several Maladies; but by placing all their Hopes in things directed to the Cough, they have far’d like the Dog, which bites at the Stone that is thrown at him, instead of Biting him which threw it, not knowing that such diligent plying of these Medicines is a kind of Embalming a Man before his Death, and an Ill boding Presage that in a little time, he will be in a Condition to be Embalmed after it.

From what I have said it is plain, that I take the Negative way (if I may so Speak) of Curing this Disease, to be the most rely’d on, that is, the deriving the Acrimony, which causes the Cough and other Symptomes to the several Excretory Channels, and clearing the Blood of it; for the Blood when freed from such Acrid Particles will prove the best of Balsams it self. Therefore the milder Antiscorbuticks, the Bitters, Decoctions of Woods, and even the milder Balsams, do all contribute their Assistance upon this Intention, in the first State of this Disease, and do very often secure the Person that makes use of ’em, and when they have not prevail’d alone, if the Use of Exercise had been superadded to ’em, they would undoubtedly at that time have been render’d effectual. But yet I am not so bound up in an Opinion, but that I am convinc’d there is such a thing, as a positive relief in this Case, in the strict Sense of the Expression; that is, a Healing of the part fretted or Ulcerated, but then I believe, it must be done by things of a milder Nature, than our Common Balsamicks. The Waters of our Hot Bath, are able to do a great deal, by the Healing Ocres in which they abound, and there are other things which seem qualifi’d for this end; But that Qualification necessarily supposing they should be extreamly Mild and Temperate, and upon the account of that Temper, it being likewise possible they may sometimes miss taking Effect; it is these considerations, have induc’d me to apply the Assistance of Exercise to the Temperament of those Medicines, that by such means they may be render’d able, always to Answer expectation. But that both the Nature of the Medicine, and the Assistance of the Exercise may appear the clearer, it will not be amiss, to consider two or three of these Medicines.

The first of ’em is a vegetable which has always been accounted a Pectoral; but after the Rate we use it, I much question whether it may not be said to be wholly indifferent; this is Coltsfoot, a Plant seemingly dry, and little likely to effect what I have known it do.

I shall here venture to give a Relation of some of the strange Effects of it, which are so seemingly incredible, that if I had not full Assurance of the Fact I should not offer it, and tho’ it is not of a Cure of the same Distemper, which I am treating of, yet I hope it will not be thought a Digression, because the Obstinacy of the Humour, which is the cause of that Disease, which this Herb did remove, is so much greater than in the Case I am upon, that it may serve to give us Reason to expect great Relief from it, in the Cure of the Consumption likewise, to which it has always been apply’d, if us’d after the same manner, and in the same quantity, as it was in that Case, it was therefore a Scrophulous Subject that it reliev’d, but one so Deplorable, that the Hospitals can’t often shew the like. The Young Gentlewoman had above twelve Sores upon her, she had had the Regular help of Physicians, but was left off as incurable, when a Person who was no Physician, and did not pretend to any thing like dealing in Medicines, only he had reason to know the neglected Virtues of this Plant, came accidentally to the House, when the Gentlewoman’s Mother was Lamenting her Daughter’s Condition; after having given her Reason, to expect something from his Medicine, he promis’d to make it for her, but made her send 10 Miles, twice a Week to his house for the Decoction of the Herb, that he might conceal it from ’em, because he knew they would undoubtedly despise it, if they knew what it was: He therefore made very strong Decoctions of it, till the Liquor was Glutinous and Sweetish, of which she was to Drink as much as she could every day at what times she pleased, this she followed above four Months; in which time most of her Sores were dry’d up, and in a little time more, she was perfectly Cur’d. And of this I have reason to be certain, because I liv’d in the House where it was made, all the time, and the Person who made it, did not make a Secret of it for Gain, but only that it might not be slighted. This instance I have thus amply related, that it may serve as a hint that this Herb when it is us’d as a Pectoral, ought to be us’d after another manner than we generally do. And that when we do make use of Vegetables, in a manner suitable to their Nature; we may find Cause to come to a Temper, as to our Opinions concerning ’em, notwithstanding the great Plenty of generous Medicines, which Chymistry affords us. I have caus’d the Decoction of this Herb to be made after the same manner, and have given it where I did not expect a Cure, and thought that I had reason to believe, it did in some Measure prove Nutritive. And we find by Reusner in his Observations publish’d by Velschius, that it has been us’d as an Analeptick, he tells us that Hillerus, the Marquiss of Brandenburgh’s Physician, did restore Children out of Atrophy’s, by making ’em eat of this Herb fry’d after the manner of Clary.

The next thing I shall take Notice of, as peculiarly adapted to this Case is Liquorice. This Plant was ever reputed by the Ancients for the greatest quencher of Thirst in Nature, and therefore they call’d it Adipson, and upon that account, Galen tells us it was given to Dropsical people, Theophrastus calls it Scythica, and Pliny gives us the Reason of it, and tells us the Scythians where wont to Live 12 Days upon Liquorice, and a little Cheese made of Mare’s Milk; so that it was in Reputation, likewise for sustaining Nature, and enabling People to bear Hunger. Its effects on Pains in the Stomach, the Bladder and the like, are numerous; and some of ’em very well attested, and perhaps there is scarce any Alterative that the Ancients take more Notice of than this, except their admir’d Silphium; and we may gather from all, that it is one of the greatest Correcters of Acrimony in general, and that it is very temperate and safe, because the Juice of it has been drank in considerable quantities, and that fermented too; after this account of it, let us see how we use it; we boil about an Ounce or an Ounce and a half, in a Decoction of a Quart or two with other Ingredients; this is a wonderful Concession, but then in our Lozenges, there we do it to some purpose, about equal Parts of Juice of Liquorice and Sugar, make up a Stupendious Medicine indeed, not remembring at the same time a good Remark of Tragus’s, viz. that Sugar and Liquorice are directly contrary, he Glories, speaking of Liquorice, that we have found a Sweet, that will quench the Thirst, whereas most other Sweets will cause Thirst, and instances in Sugar, which if it be true, can any thing imply more of Contradiction than Our Practice? If we were to make Sweetmeats for Children only, it would be allowable to mix all the Sweets in the Universe together; but when the Blood of a Poor Consumptive Wretch, is heated and loaded with Acrimony, to spoil the most agreeable Drug in Nature, by mixing it with its contrary, only because the form of a Medicine requires it; this, with all Submission, is what I think cannot easily be excus’d; this is to Cheat People with the Bellaria of Physick, and Tickle Men into the Grave.

I know what will here be the Objection viz. that these things are design’d only for the Cough, and not expected to Cure the Habit of the Body, and that therefore they may be allow’d to be a good sort of Composition for that Palliative Service they are directed to; but this will not suffice, for there is not one in ten that makes use of these Medicines, but relies on ’em for the Cure of the whole Distemper; and therefore this is the broken Reed that has deceiv’d so many; especially of the Poorer Sort, and which leads ’em in such numbers into the Hospitals to end their Days there, after they have lost the Opportunities of Recovery by depending on these Trifles. And if any one must needs take offence at some of these Expressions, let him consult Ludovicus, an allow’d Judge of these matters, in his Pharmacia Moderno seculo applicanda, he will find what is his Opinion of these things in the 19th Page of his first Dissertation, speaking of the Confectiones communes & CandisatÆ ConservÆ recentiorum siccÆ (simplicis sui Pulvere plerumque debiliores) Martis Panes, Pandaleon, & antiquariÆ SaponeÆ ConfecturÆq; reliquÆ, he says, VÆ Hecticis tabidisq; quando tandem ad ejuscemodi Refectiva, sesamo atque papavere sparsa, pineis Pistaceis, &c. damnantur: Arentes hinc fauces (quamvis difficulter interdum) lenitas vidimus, curatum neminem, quin potius intensiores inde depascentes febres, dejectum magis appetitum, festinatosque Fluxus colliquativos. And speaking before, pag. 9. of Decoctions and Infusions, he says, Procertis interdum Circumstantiis in Pectoralibus & Vulneraris dilutiora hÆc contractioribus dosibus commodiora deprehenduntur; and, it seems, he thinks this Observation, relating to the Use of Pectorals, to be of such Moment, that he makes it one of the Heads of his Additionary Comment or Appendix, where, pag. 582. he has these Words; Natura interea nihilominus, prÆ Essentiis Extractisq; pectoralibus, prÆq; fauces in internis ibi ardoribus tantisper lenientibus Morsulis, Trochiscis atque mixturis antihecticis, antiphthisics, diffusius quidpiam & ad remotiora perveniens unÀ ut plurimum velle videtur.

These Citations plainly shew, that he thought those sugar’d Compositions no apposite Remedy for Persons in such Circumstances, but that whatever Remedy is made use of, it ought to be made to dilute as much as possible; which does agree with the Reason, which I shall shew anon, for the plentiful use of those mild Vegetables. I have made these Citations at large, that what I have said may not be thought to be any Figment of mine, but that I may appear, that I have Precedent as well as Reason on my Side. But to return to the Root I was upon—Besides the mixing of Sugar with Liquorice, to what purpose is the Aqueous part of its Juice exhal’d; what harm would that soft Lympha do to People, who have a continual Thirst upon ’em? To what purpose must the Juice be inspissated, in order to acquire an Acrimony by lying, not to speak of its Adulterations? These are things which I could not forbear animadverting upon, because they put us out of the right use of a Medicine, than which there is not perhaps a greater Analeptick to be found, if it were taken in the same quantity as other Juices are taken. A Medicine that is a kind of a Balsam in Ficri, and the most likely to be wrought up to Perfection in the Blood, and of which the Fresh Juice ought undoubtedly be taken to a Spoonful or two several times a day. But thus it is, we give a thing the Name of Physick, and then stand aghast at it, and take it with Guard and Circumspection, as if it were not possible that any thing should prove a Medicine, and yet be taken in an Alimentary way.

There is another Plant, the Cynogloss, which seems not unlikely to be of Use in this Case, because it seems to have something of a like Gleamy Substance in it; it has been deliver’d down to us under some mistaken Notions, as if it caused Sleep, which perhaps have been occasion’d by its Cooling and Styptick Quality; but a late Author of unquestion’d Judgment and Experience has us’d it pretty much in Decoctions with Turnips, and says, it has no such quality, but recommends it to People in this Distemper; to these may be added some of our Vulneraries, of which there is great Variety of all Rates, of all degrees of heat; and among ’em one of the Temperate sort, never enough to be valu’d, viz. the Comfreys, and which in Consumptions, upon spitting of Blood, may be expected to do great things; These Roots may be so manag’d by a good hand as to be eat as Food. The Female Retailers of Physick would perhaps take it Ill, if among these things I should forget their Preparations of Turnips and Snails, which may all have their time of being serviceable, either as Food or for Variety, and what is more, all these things are Compatible with a Milk Diet too; these things may be taken in small quantities at different times from the taking of the Milk; tho’ if taken with it, they could cause no Coagulation, and so a mild and Medicated Chyle may be continually passing into the Blood to the great Advantage of the Sick.

These Instances are sufficient to shew the Nature of those things, which I take to be the most adequate Remedy in this Case; viz. that they ought to be such as are of a Medium, between common Balsamicks and Acids, and that they are such, as seem most likely to prove Nutritive to People in so weak a Condition; the reason why I set such a value upon these moderate things, is taken from the state of the Blood of People in such Circumstances, which seems unable to manage stronger Medicines, the least tendency to a Diaphoresis being some disturbance to those Persons; so that what is to be done, must be by things which may suit with the Blood, and as it were grow upon it, that may be transubstantiated into its Crasis after an Alimentary way; there must be a continual Rill of these temperate Juices into the Blood, without the observing of Physical Hours, and then ’tis to be hop’d the Blood may renew by degrees, and the Acrimony may decrease for want of Fuel; and thus we may perhaps better obviate the Periodical Ebullitions of the Hectick, by substracting their Cause, than by stifling the Hectick by keeping in the Cause; I have not Scope here to explain my self, but I think the common Causes assign’d for those Fits, don’t seem sufficient; I can’t think the Ripening of a Tubercle able to do so much, that little quantity of Pus can’t contain a Putredo sufficient for such effects, not to say the same Hectick happens, where no Tubercle has broke; to be short, it seems to me most probable, that when the Blood is so much saturated with disagreeable Particles, as in Consumptive Persons it is, as these Particles encrease and grow upon those Particles which make up, the Proper, Genuine, Inseparable Essence of the Blood in its true, State; I say as the first gain ground, there is so great a Correspondence and Harmony in the Oeconomy, that these latter must contend and resist the other, tho’ in the Contention, Nature gains no great Advantage, but only fights and retires till she is quite overcome; this seems to me no unlikely Idea of the Hectick, and if it be true, the best way must be to substract the quantity of the Morbisick Particles, by using such a Food, as cannot possibly afford Matter for ’em.

Having, then consider’d these Medicines, I will suppose it granted me, that they are proper in this Case; I won’t say that they shall be Sufficient to Cure of themselves, (tho’ I don’t doubt but they may in some Constitutions do the Work themselves) but I will only suppose, that they do greatly dispose towards it, which Postulatum will, I conceive, be readily granted me; I will suppose likewise, that Riding (the Exercise I propose in this Case) does likewise dispose towards a Cure, which Postulatum will be granted too; I will suppose farther, that these two Courses are Compatible, and may be us’d together; as the Medicines help the Fluids, the Exercise helps both the Fluids and Solids; which Postulatum cannot be deny’d me neither; what then naturally Results from this, but that they be both us’d in Conjunction? And is it not more than probable, that these two Methods joyn’d, shall effect that which neither of ’em can singly? Do not we see enough of this every Day in Natural Occurrences, where one, two or three things, indifferent in themselves, shall, when blended together, produce a valuable Effect, which none of ’em could alone? And shall these things be observ’d in lesser Arts, and be slighted when a Man’s Health is at Stake? Seeing we abound so in Compound Medicines, why may we not for once take up with a Compound Method of Cure, (if I may so speak) that is, if we cannot obtain Health by one sort of means alone, why may we not expect it from a Complication?

Thus I have run up these Arguments to a Head; I have shewn that the Medicines appropriated to this Case, ought to be very Mild and Temperate, upon the account of that less prevalent quality, there may be Hazard, lest they should not always prove equally effectual; and therefore to supply any such Defect, I substitute a most easie Natural Gymnastick Course, as a common Aid to the weakness of the Medicines, and an assistance to that part of the Oeconomy, which those Medicines can’t reach. Whether this is not most suitable to, and consistent with the even Tenour of Nature, tho’ it may not relish so much of the Magnificence of Art, I must submit to those who are best Judges; to me it seems to promise enough, and carry more Healing with it, than some things that are dignifi’d with the great Titles of Gilead and Peru.

If after all there are any People who will think, I have taken too much upon me, in venturing to attack the Balsamick Method, if they cannot think slightly of Medicines, which will give such present mitigation of a Cough, and which are so Fragrant and Costly, let ’em enjoy their Opinion, and persist in the use of them; and if they find ’em at any time not so effectual as they could desire, let ’em but superadd the Power of Exercise, and they will doubtless find ’em much improv’d; and if they come by that Means to succeed, I shall not envy their good Effects.

Besides these two main Indications, there is something more to be consider’d in the Cure of the Consumption; and that is, how we may obviate the Moisture of the Air; which is a very troublesome Enemy to Consumptive People, of what Constitution soever, who dare not make use of Generous Liquors to fence against it; for that Practice would be prejudicial upon another Account: Now what can be more Natural in this Case, than the raising the Spirits to resist this Moisture, by a gentle Motion of the whole Body, which at the same time, causes a greater Degree of Heat, and that equally diffus’d all over the Body, which must needs rarify in some measure, the moist Air, and besides, make the hot and acrimonious Particles in the Blood, supply the place of warm Internal Medicines, which in another Person would have been proper to have been given, to oppose the Moisture of the Air? Now this is much the same, that the Change of Air can effect in the Body of a Sick Person, for ’tis the equal Influence, the universal moderate Rarefaction of a warm Air, that makes it so beneficial, and if we will cast in the benefit of the Tension, which is caus’d by moderate Riding, together with the Equality of the Heat, it will appear to be very little short of what is usually expected from a Journey into a Foreign Air, and I could here give an Instance of a Gentleman, who, when he was in the South of France, found but little Relief, any longer than when he was on Horse-back; and who after his return to England, found that Riding supported him as much, as the Change of Air; So that upon the Consideration of the equal promoting of the insensible Perspiration, and the Benefit, which at the same time accrues to the Solid Parts, this Exercise which I have so much insisted on, may be allow’d to be almost, if not altogether, an Equivalent to a Warmer Climate.

Lastly, I shall urge but this one more Reason for this Exercise, which is not taken from a Natural, but a Prudential Consideration, from the particular Humour of most People in this Distemper, who are strangely inclin’d to think themselves in no great Danger, even tho’ the Distemper is far advanc’d; they don’t love to be told the Truth, tho’ it is ever so necessary; but an honest Physician is to them, as Micaiah was to Ahab, he never has any thing good to say of ’em; they think they are strong enough in the Main; they’ll tell ye, they should be as well as ever, if their Scurvey Cough, or the weight on their Breast was but remov’d: Now the Genius of the Sick must be consider’d, and these People who have so good an Opinion of themselves, may in some Sense be indulg’d and wrought upon, to exert their Imaginary Strength in Gentle Riding, and then they may perhaps come to enjoy that which is real.

I might now proceed farther, to consider in what degree of this Distemper Riding will be beneficial, whether any thing is to be expected from it in the second and last State of it; but this would be to run out beyond my Design of Brevity; only I shall take Notice, that it is no rare thing to meet with Consumptions, without any Putrid Fever, or any Reason to believe an Ulcer in the Lungs, or perhaps so much as Tubercles, but a continual Hectick, and a precipitate Wast of Nature by the Direful Acrimony and ill Quality of the Serum, as Doctor Benet, in his Theatrum Tabidorum observes, Pag. 109. Tabidorum languor sine pulmonum aut visceris cujuslibet corruptel tacit vi obrepens Anglis infestissimus est, & nisi primis obediverit remediis (quod rarissimÈ evenit) funestus. In this Case I can’t but be of Opinion, that Riding well manag’d would be serviceable, tho’ undertook very late, if there is any tolerable Measure of Strength left to put it in Practice.

I must here again repeat, that when I here speak of Riding, I understand the Habit of Riding, the want of which Distinction, has made it ineffectual to many a Man; He that in this Distemper above all others rides for his Health, must be like a Tartar, in a manner always on Horse-back, and then from a weak Condition, he may come to the Strength of a Tartar. He that would have his Life for a Prey, must hunt after it, and when once he finds his Enemy give way, must not leave off, but follow his Blow, till he subdue him beyond the Possibility of a Return. He that carries this Resolution with him, will I doubt not experience the Happy Effects of the good old Direction, Recipe Caballum; he will find that the English Pad is the most noble Medium, to be made use of for a Recovery from a Distemper, which we in this Nation, have but too much reason by way of Eminence to stile English.