victory, ave neither weakened in their influence, nor diminished in their strength, by the mild ascendency of the halcyon days of peace. The needle is ever true to the pole; the patriot is ever true to the people; and he whose life, whose fortune, whose all, has been devoted to their cause, from the period of revolution to the present day, and whose services entitle him to the appellation of the second father of his country, will not be forgotten, nor neglected by those, in whose sovereignty dwells the dispensation of power and the reward of honor.

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That your life and health may be preserved, and your usefulness continued to your country, is the sincere and fervent wish

of

Your obedient and devoted servant,

James Ewell.

Washington, August 1827.

PREFACE.

ON the important subject of domestic medicine, many books have been written, which, though excellent in other respects, have greatly failed of usefulness to AMERICANS; because they treat of diseases which, existing in very foreign climates and constitutions, must widely differ from ours. The book now offered to the public has therefore, the great advantage of having been written by a native American, of long and successful practice in the southern states, and who, for years past, has turned much of his attention to the composition of it.

The professed object of this book is to treat in the most clear and concise manner, almost every disease to which the human body is subject, to give their common names and surest symptoms, to point out the causes whence they originate, and the most approved method of treatment—and, lastly, to prescribe the suitable regimen and means of prevention.

A publication like this cannot but be exceedingly useful to all, but especially to those who live in the country, or who go to sea, where regular and timely assistance cannot always be obtained.

Among the many and great services, to be rendered by such a book, we may fairly state its tendency to prevent that dangerous officiousness of ignorant persons, and, that equally pernicious neglect of the patient, at the onset of the disease, whereby so many lives are lost. These, with many other evils resulting from the want of such a work, constituted the motives which first led the author to offer this publication to his countrymen. It is not for him to determine, whether it be happily executed or not; but, whatever may be the general opinion as to its merit, he has the high satisfaction to know, that it not only flows from the purest motives, but also contains a faithful relation of facts, collected principally from his own experience, and, in part, selected from authors of the greatest celebrity.

He has not hesitated, occasionally, to use the language of his favourite authors, where he found it sufficiently clear and familiar for his purpose; and he hopes this acknowledgment will be received in place of frequent reference and quotation.

The reader will find, in the latter part of the work, a table of such medicines most commonly called for in families, with an adaption of the doses to the age of the patient, together with directions to prepare and administer them. And as it is impossible entirely to banish technical phrases when writing on medicine, the reader is presented with a Glossary, explaining the medical and scien*ific terms unavoidably employd in this work.

The Author, animated by the extraordinary success of the "MEDICAL COMPANION," has greatly improved and enlarged it, by a synopsis of the anatomy and physiology of the human body; essays on air, food, exercise, sleep, evacuations, and passions; and a Materia Medica.

Thus improved, the MEDICAL COMPANION not only treats of the art of preserving health, and curing disease, but also inculcates a familiar knowledge of the human system, in all its parts, and the laws that govern its economy. It is obvious, that by due attention to the non-naturals, by which is to be understood the means of preserving health, we may go far to protect this fabric from injury or disease. To inculcate this truth more universally and successively, the disquisitions contained in this work, are enlivened with appropriate illustrations, calculated to make impressions on the mind of the readér, as lasting as they are important.

Not the least valuable portion of this work is the MATERIA MEDICA, pointing out those precious simples wherewith God has graciously stored our meadows, fields, and woods, for the healing of our disease, and rendering us happily independent of foreign medicines, which, while they are sometimes hard to be obtained, are frequently adulterated, and always costly.

To conclude-The author having added much new and important matter to this seventh edition, it will, unquestionably, be found much more valuable than any of the former; because, he has laboured to correct in this, all the errors and imperfections that have hitherto ap peared, has enlarged upon the treatment of most diseases,

and has introduced several others, particularly that Scourge of the South and West, the malignant fever, sometimes denominated the Cold Plague, which were not previously noticed, though highly important to be well known and understood.

In the present state of the science of medicine, daily improving by experience, and adding rapidly to the number of valuable remedies, he felt it incumbent upon him to enlarge considerably on the treatment of the diseases generally, as well as to make other additions, which a work of this nature required, in order to its increased usefulness.

In a familiar style he has pointed out the modus operandi of the different remedics; has given the prognostics of diseases; has noticed more particularly the circumstances whence the disorders originate, for the purpose of guarding against occurrences; has distinguished those cases which yield readily to the employment of simple means, from those which require the regular attendance of a medical practitioner; and has detailed the means for checking or retarding the progress of such cases.

On the management and diseases of women, he has endeavoured, with the aid of the most distinguished authors on this subject, to give such a description of the complaints to which they are liable, with instructions for their treatment, plain enough, to be understood by the attendants or the patients themselves; and which he sincerely hopes will in a measure have the tendency to correct the errors and misconduct of unskilful midwives, and to prevent unnecessary interference in young practition