causes; so that in phlegmatic constitutions, where the bowels are of a dry and costive disposition, this complaint is most frequent and painful.
The general method of treating flatulency consists in administering hot aromatics, which, however, ought to be taken with great caution, as they often irritate rather than relieve the parts affected.—The poorer class, who are subject to flatulency, usually have recourse to drams, low wines, or punch—remedies which are extremely improper; and, though they afford a temporary relief, eventually impair the appetite and constitution.
The safest mode of treatment is, to keep the bowels gently open by means of clysters, prepared of half a pint of mutton-broth, in which half an ounce of caraway-seeds has been boiled, adding two spoonfuls of sweet-oil, and one of soft sugar; which should be repeated three or four times in twenty-four hours. During the intermediate days, gentle laxatives, consisting of single drams of vitriolated tartar, dissolved in one ounce of cinnamon water, may be taken every three hours, till they produce the desired effect, in order to attenuate the viscous matter in the bowels.—See also Colic, p. 32.
But if the paroxysms of flatulency be violent, and accompanied with vomiting and other distressing symptoms, so that neither absorbents nor carminatives relieve the patient, we are informed by Dr. Reich, that great and immediate benefit has been derived from his method of extracting the air from the bowels, by means of a common clystering syringe; or, still more effectually, by the machine of which we have given a short account in our first vol. p. 22.—This useful instrument, we understand, is manufacfured by George Göring, an ingenious turner of Fürth, a town in Franconia, who sells it at a price of from 10s. to 18s.
FLAX, or Linum, L. an indigenous plant, consisting of four species, of which the following are the principal:
1. The usitatissimum, or Common Flax, which grows in corn-fields, and sandy pastures, and flowers in the month of July.—This valuable plant thrives most luxuriantly on ground newly broken up; which it ameliorates, if it be sown only every sixth year. The best preparatory crops for flax are those of hemp and potatoes. In the fens of Lincolnshire, hemp is sown the first year, on a good free open loam, that has been well tilled, the soil being properly manured with pigeon's dung; the second year again hemp is cultivated without any manure; and, in the succeeding year followed by flax.
With respect to the quality of linseed, from which flax is propagated, that imported from Riga is generally supposed to be the best, and is sown broad-cast with clover, in the proportion of 2, or 212 bushels per acre. Experience, however, has evinced, that any other seed would be equally successful, if it were properly kept for six or seven years, before it is sown; for the merchants of Riga frequently import linseed from Germany and other countries, which, after several years, they again furnish with the same seed, but at an advanced price. It would farther be an useful practice, to exchange linseed among farmers living at some distance; as it has been observed
