Part 15

The practitioner should make it a special point to ascertain any adverse or depressed mental conditions of his patient and remove them, if possible, by encouragement, sympathetic counsel and optimistic views, all of which have a splendid psychological effect, and which, in nearly all cases of mental depression, are very important.

As the supersecretion of hydrochloric acid becomes less and less, fermentation will gradually disappear; the patient will at once begin to gain weight; the mental conditions will show an immediate improvement, and every part of the anatomy will share in the general upbuilding.

GAS DILATATION

So closely related are gas dilatation, fermentation and superacidity that it might be said they all come from common causes, such as excessive eating, over-consumption of sweets, acid fruits, starches, and the use of tobacco, stimulating beverages and drugs.

GAS DILATATION--THE SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of gas dilatation are practically the same as those given for fermentation, page 426. In addition thereto, however, there is often belching, loss of appetite, a weighty or draggy feeling, and vomiting sometimes an hour or two after meals, or late at night.

Scanty urine and constipation are frequently the results of gas dilatation. In severe cases the stomach drops down below its normal level, causing permanent stomach prolapsus.

To the trained eye, in severe cases, the stomach may be outlined, especially when it is much distended.

For remedy, see "Fermentation," page 428.

See also menus for Gastritis.

IN CASES OF OVEREATING, SUPERACIDITY, FERMENTATION AND GAS DILATATION

OMIT EAT

All acid fruits Bananas, very ripe All sweets except sweet fruits Green salads in limited quantities Liberal quantity of fresh Cane-sugar green vegetables Condiments Limited quantity of blood-less Coffee and tea meat, such as fish and white meat Cream of tender fowl Fatty foods Limited quantity of coarse cereals Gravies Limited quantity of eggs and Pastries milk--sweet and sour Stimulating and intoxicating Melons beverages Nuts Subacid fruits in extreme cases Potatoes Tobacco Sweet fruits--limited quantity White bread Wheat bran Whole wheat, thoroughly cooked Whole wheat bread--sparingly

IMPORTANCE OF WATER-DRINKING

The lack of body-moisture is one of the causes of supersecretion of acid, therefore water is of primary importance in removing the causes of the above disorders. It should be drunk freely immediately on rising, and just before retiring. From two to three glasses should also be drunk at each meal, especially in treating severe cases. Copious water-drinking also relieves irritation of the stomach, thus reducing abnormal appetite.

Patients afflicted with superacidity never have natural thirst.

CONSTIPATION

THE CAUSE

This disorder might be called "civilizatis," so universal has it become among civilized people.

Several conditions may conspire to cause constipation--

1 Premature stomach digestion

2 Neutralization of the bile by excessive acid

3 Eating too much starchy food

4 Flesh-eating

5 Sedentary habits or lack of proper exercise

6 A diet too refined--lacking in roughness, cellulose or "fodder"

7 The use of sedatives, stimulants, and narcotics, such as tea, coffee, liquor, tobacco, and drugs, especially of the alkaloid group

While most of these are direct causes, the primary cause, however, goes back to superacidity--premature stomach-digestion.