Pulse (food)

“ But on the contrary when the stomach has previously been rendered torpid by defect of stimulus, as by hunger, if food be too hastily supplied, not only great exertion of the stomach itself succeeds, but fever with strong pulse is induced in consequence; that is, the heart and arteries are excited into more energetic action by the excess of the power of association, which catenates their motions with those of the stomach. ”

“ If these lungs are, as they should be, full of pure air, each corpuscle is so charged with oxygen, that the last speck of impurity is burned up, and it goes dancing and bounding on its way. That is what health means: perfect food made into perfect blood, and giving that sense of strength and exhilaration that we none of us know half as much about as we should. We get it sometimes on mountain-tops in clear autumn days when the air is like wine ”

“ Now as when the stomach has its action much weakened by an over-dose of digitalis, the pulse is liable to intermit, this evinces a direct sympathy between these parts of the system, and as I have repeatedly observed, that when the pulse begins to intermit in elderly people, that an eructation from the stomach, voluntarily produced, will prevent the threatened stop of the heart ”

“ Winternitz, many years ago, demonstrated that hot water taken into the stomach acts as a cardiac stimulant, and the increased heart’s action is immediate, or at least before the water has time to absorb, which indicates that the water in the stomach acts reflexly as a cardiac stimulant. The water after absorption also increases the circulation by filling the blood-vessels, and increasing arterial pressure. The writer has frequently noticed a decided increase in the fullness, and rapidity of the pulse, after a patient has drunk a glassful of hot water. ”

“ Functional difficulties, as stated, chiefly result from digestive troubles, due to fermentation of food in the stomach and the consequent formation of gas, which frequently collects in large quantities, and by actual pressure impedes the heart's action. The chief symptoms are shortness of breath, palpitation, and great irregularity of the heart's action; sometimes the heart appears to miss a beat altogether. ”

“ While the alimentary solution is going on, a slight shivering is felt; the pulse becomes quicker and more contracted; the vital power seems to forsake the other organs, to concentrate itself on that which is the seat of the digestive process. As the stomach empties itself, the shivering is followed by a gentle warmth; the pulse increases in fullness and frequency; and the insensible perspiration is augmented. Digestion brings on, therefore, a general action, analogous to a febrile paroxysm. ”

“ When the fæces are all evacuated, he recommends some cold water to compose the stomach; and when the pulse sinks and becomes frequent, while at the [518] same time there are profuse sweats and deliquium, he approves of adding a small quantity of wine to the water. It is to be of a fragrant and astringent kind, so as to strengthen the powers of the system. When all the symptoms get worse, when spasms of the legs occur, and the pulse becomes insensible, he advises us to give more wine and water. ”

“ The curative treatment of functional derangement of the heart must have reference to the causes producing it. If it is in consequence of indigestion, the appetite and digestion should be improved by observing regularity in the time of taking the meals, and eating very easily-digested food. The use of strong tea, coffee, tobacco, and spirits, should be interdicted, and regular exercise, rest, and sleep should be enjoined. ”

“ If the atmosphere [Pg 99] were deprived of its oxygen, the blood would cease to acquire those stimulating properties which excite the action of the heart, and sustain the circulation; and if the daily food of men were deprived of certain necessary stimulating adjuncts, the digestive organs would no longer recruit the strength, and the wear and tear of the body. Nay, strange as it may appear, that common article in domestic cookery, salt, is a natural and universal stimulant to the digestive organs of all warm-blooded animals. ”

“ Whenever any living part is called into vivid action, an increased flow of blood and of nervous energy towards it immediately commences, to enable it to sustain the requisite degree of excitement, and continues till some time after the activity has ceased. In accordance with this law, whenever food is swallowed, the lining membrane of the stomach becomes suffused with blood, and, owing to the greater distention of its vessels, its colour changes from a pale pink to a deep red hue. ”

“ The quantity of milk taken in a day should not exceed a pint, and even less than that quantity when we wish to lessen the force of the pulse by the abstraction of nourishment. The vegetables which are eaten in this state of the disease, should contain as little stimulus as possible. ”

“ In health, we are unaware of the work of the nerves. The wheels of life move without noise. Few realize that the cavities of the heart (auricles and ventricles) are contracting steadily and alternately under the guidance of nerve cells. By this means the stream of blood, laden with nourishment, is sent to every part of the body.
Silently the stomach pours out, under nerve influence, its juices that dissolve and change parts of the food, that it may pass into the blood in condition to nourish. In a similar way, the pancreas pours out a fluid that digests the fats. ”

“ It seems to be ascertained that drinking considerable amounts of cold water reduces the temperature of the body, diminishes the frequency of the pulse, and increases the blood pressure temporarily. Water when introduced into the stomach, especially if it be empty, is quickly absorbed ”

“ In cases of Neurasthenia, or “Tired Nerves,” all vital organs are more or less affected, because the nerves do not properly direct digestion, absorption, assimilation or elimination and, for this reason, the diet should be light and of easily digested foods. A free, correct breathing of fresh air, day and night, is imperative. It is important also to thoroughly masticate all food and drink freely of water. ”

“ But, supposing even the smallest quantity of blood to be passed through the heart and the lungs with each pulsation, a vastly greater amount would still be thrown into the arteries and whole body than could by any possibility be supplied by the food consumed. ”

“ Another instance of this association between the motions of the stomach and heart is evinced by the exhibition of an over dose of foxglove, which induces an incessant vomiting, which is attended with very slow, and sometimes intermitting pulse.—Which continues in spite of the exhibition of wine and opium for two or three days. To the same association must be ascribed the weak pulse, which constantly attends the exhibition of emetics during their operation. ”

“ If he wakes up in the night he is hungry. To accomplish the digestion and absorption of this food material, the alimentary tract throughout, and particularly the stomach is greatly increased in size. To accomplish the distribution of the food (blood) the heart also is increased in size and strength. With increased bulk of muscle and increased quantity of food we have increased oxidation in the tissues. This requires increased respiration, which demand is satisfied by rapid development of the respiratory system. ”

“ The Reason of this probably is, that as they continually suck these Pills, they draw the pituitous Humours from the Brain, which being swallowed, moisten the Stomach, and allay its natural Heat, but are at last consumed by it for Want of other Aliments. Instances of a similar Nature may be observed in many Animals, which, during the whole Winter, confine themselves to their Holes without any Food; because the natural Heat of the Stomach is employed in digesting and consuming the Fat which they had gathered in the Winter. ”

“ The blood thus enriched by the food is by the same great organ endued with the nutritive properties summed up in the phrase ‘natural spirits.’ But blood thus endowed with natural spirits is still crude blood, unfitted for the higher purposes of the blood in the body. Carried from the liver by the vena cava to the right side of the heart, some of it passes from the right ventricle through innumerable invisible pores in the septum to the left ventricle. As the heart expands it draws from the lungs through the vein-like artery air into the left ventricle. ”

“ A person, who for many years had had a frequent intermission of his pulse, and occasional palpitation of his heart, was relieved from them both for a time by taking about four drops of a saturated solution of arsenic three or four times a day for three or four days. As this intermission of the pulse is occasioned by the direct association of the motions of the heart with those of the stomach, the indication of cure must be to strengthen the action of the stomach by the bark. ”

“ A second method of exciting the stomach into action, and of decreasing that of the capillaries in consequence, is by the stimulus of wine, opium, bark, metallic salts of antimony, steel, copper, arsenic, given in small repeated quantities; which so long as they render the pulse slower are certainly of service, and may be given warm or cold, as most agreeable to the patient. For it is possible, that the capillaries of the stomach may act too violently, and produce heat, at the same time that the large muscles of it may be in a torpid state ”

“ A strong heart, therefore, is if anything even more important than a strong stomach. But you must remember that the strength of the heart to a large extent depends upon the cooperation of a strong stomach, or at least upon the proper digestion of food. For the muscles and tissues of the heart, like those of all other organs of the body, are fed by the blood, which depends for its life-giving and life- sustaining qualities upon the food, which is first acted upon by the stomach and thus made available for use by the cell structures in all parts of the body. ”

“ The object of drink, besides quenching our thirst, or rather while it quenches it, is, not to be digested, like food, but to pass directly from the stomach into the blood-vessels, and dilute and temper the blood, rendering it more fit to answer the great purpose of sustaining life and health. ”

“ Though rest in general perhaps renders the healthy pulse slower, yet under certain circumstances the contrary is the truth. A full meal without wine or other strong liquor does not increase the frequency of my pulse, while I sit upright, and have my attention engaged. But if I take a recumbent posture after eating, my pulse becomes more frequent, especially if my mind be vacant, and I become drowsy; and, if I slumber, this increased frequency is more considerable with heat and flushing. ”

“ The first should be such as to supply the deficiency of warmth which the body feels by the act of digestion, without inflaming the blood, or too greatly increasing the pulse. The second, or cordial assistant, should rather increase the powers of the body than those of the heart; for the force of the heart may be increased to the detriment of health. ”

“ In the stomach the food is dissolved, and the nutritious portion is absorbed by the blood, and then is earned by blood-vessels to the lungs, where it receives oxygen from the air we breathe. This oxygen is as necessary to the nourishment of the body as the food for the stomach. In a full-grown man weighing one hundred and fifty-four pounds, one hundred and eleven pounds consists of oxygen, obtained chiefly from the air we breathe. Thus the lungs feed the body with oxygen, as really as the stomach supplies the other food required. ”

“ Thus in cold fits of agues, in hysteric palpitations of the heart, and when the body is much exhausted by hæmorrhages, or by fatigue, as well as in nervous fevers, the pulse becomes quick and small; and secondly, in all those cases if an increase of stimulus be added, by giving a little wine or opium; the quick small pulse becomes slower and larger, as any one may easily experience on himself, by counting his pulse after drinking one or two glasses of wine, when he is faint from hunger or fatigue. ”

“ If the patient is not so weak you may give a tablespoonful, but nothing more for half-an-hour. In that time the very small amount of gastric juice which the stomach provides has done its work with the very small amount of food given. Really good blood, though only very little, has been formed. ”

“ Thus the bronchial mucous surface is constantly in contact in cities, with a thousand excitements that are continually renewed, and with which the air is not charged in a natural state. Thus the alimentary substances, continually varying in their composition, temperature, &c. change the excitement of the gastric mucous surface, and are the source of many affections, from which most animals are exempt by the uniformity of their food. ”

“ Two or three pints of cold water at a temperature of forty to forty-five degrees drunk at intervals of half an hour will reduce the pulse from eight to thirty beats. The copious drinking of cold water will act as a diuretic, removing stagnated secretions, and will at the same time improve the quality of the pulse and the arterial tone. The drinking of warm water will increase the pulse from five to fifteen beats, and at the same time will relax the vessel walls and also increase the cutaneous secretions to a marked degree. ”

“ Food stimulates the whole body by means of the process of digestion which goes forward in the stomach. This animal function is carried on by a process, in which there is probably an extrication of [388] heat and air. Now both these, it has been remarked, exert a stimulus in promoting animal life.
Drinks, when they consist of fermented or distilled liquors, stimulate from their quality; but when they consist of water, either in its simple state, or impregnated with any sapid substance, they act principally by distention. ”