Fat and blood : an essay on the treatment of certain forms of neurasthenia and hysteria / by S. Weir Mitchell.

  • Mitchell, S. Weir (Silas Weir), 1829-1914.
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Fat and blood : an essay on the treatment of certain forms of neurasthenia and hysteria / by S. Weir Mitchell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    succeeds very well. But it does not always answer, because, as in Banting, loss of weight is apt to be accompanied with loss of strength, so that in some cases the results are disastrous, or at least alarming. I do not know that this is ever the case if the directions of Mr. Harvey^ are fol- lowed with care and the weight very deliber- ately lessened. But for this few people have the patience; and, even if they can be induced to fol- low out a strict diet, it is often useful to be able to cut off very rapidly a large amount of weight, and so shorten the period of strict regimen, or at least put over-fat persons in a condition to exercise with a freedom which had become diffi- cult, and thus to provide them with a healthful means of preventing an accumulation of adipose matter. This can be done rapidly and with safety by the following means. The person whose weight we decide to lessen is placed on skimmed milk alone, with the usual precautions; or at once we give skimmed milk with the usual food, and in a week put aside all other diet save milk and all other fluids. When we find what quantity of milk will sustain the weight, we diminish the ^ Harvey on Corpulence.