Extracts from Dr. Benjamin Rush's Inquiry into the effects of ardent spirits upon the human body and mind.

  • Rush, Benjamin, 1746-1813.
Date:
1816
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Extracts from Dr. Benjamin Rush's Inquiry into the effects of ardent spirits upon the human body and mind. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    3. Some people, from living in countries subject to intermitting fevers, endeavour to fortify themselves against them, by taking two or three wine-glasses of bitters, made with spirits, every day. There is great danger of contracting habits of intemperance from this practice. Besides, this mode of preventing in- termittents, is far from being a certain one. A much better security against them, is a tea-spoonful of the Jesuits bark, taken every morning, during a sickly season. If this safe and excellent medicine cannot be had, a gill or half a pint of a strong watery infu- sion of centaury, camomile, wormwood, or rue, mix- *d with a little of the calimus of our meadows, may be taken every morning with nearly the same ad- vantage as the Jesuits bark. Those persons who live in a sickly country, and cannot procure any of the preventives of autumnal fevers, which have been mentioned, should avoid the morning and evening air;—should kindle fires in their houses, on damp days, and in cool evenings, throughout the whole summer, and put on winter clothes, about the first week in September. The last part of these directions, applies only to the inhabitants of the middle states. 4. Men who follow professions, which require con- stant exercise of the faculties of their minds, are very apt to seek relief, by the use of ardent spirits, from the fatigue which succeeds great mental exer- tions. To such persons, it may be a discovery to know, that tea is a much better remedy for that purpose. By its grateful and gentle stimulus it re. moves fatigue, restores the excitement of the mind, and invigorates the whole system. I am no advo- cate for the excessive use of tea. When taken too strong, it is hurtful, especially to the female consti- tution; but when taken of a moderate degree of strength, and in moderate quantities, with sugar and cream, or milk, I believe it is in general innoxious, ami at all times to be preferred to ardent spirits, as B