[1] We frequently hear of people being _muscled_; and it is generally
supposed that the mischief is produced by some specifically poisonous
quality in the fish. I have seen many cases, but I could discover
nothing to confirm this popular opinion. In some instances, only one
of a family has been affected, while all partook of the same muscles.
I have known exactly the same symptoms produced by pork, lobsters, and
other shell-fish, and can attribute them to nothing more than an
aggravated state of indigestion.

A leading rule in diet, is never to overload the stomach; indeed,
restriction as to _quantity_ is far more important than any rule as to
_quality_. It is bad, at all times, to distend the stomach too much; for
it is a rule in the animal economy, that if any of the muscular cavities,
as the stomach, heart, bowels, or bladder, be too much distended, their
tone is weakened, and their powers considerably impaired.

The consideration of diet might be rendered very simple, if people would
but make it so; but from the volumes which have been recently written on
diet and digestion, we might gather the alarming information that nearly
every thing we eat is pernicious. Far be it from me to adopt such a
discouraging theory. My object is rather to point out what is good, than
to stigmatize what is bad--to afford the patient, if I can, the means of
comfort and enjoyment, and not to tell him of his sufferings, or of the
means of increasing them.

To "eat a little and often," is a rule frequently followed, because it is
in accordance with our feelings; but it is a very bad rule, and fraught
with infinite mischief. Before the food is half digested, the irritable
nerves of the upper part of the stomach will produce a sensation of
"craving;" but, it is sufficiently evident that, to satisfy this "craving,"