And, Sir, he is a valetudinarian, one of those who are always mending
themselves. I do not know a more disagreeable character than a
valetudinarian, who thinks he may do any thing that is for his ease, and
indulges himself in the grossest freedoms: Sir, he brings himself to the
state of a hog in a stye.'
Dr. Taylor's nose happening to bleed, he said, it was because he had
omitted to have himself blooded four days after a quarter of a year's
interval. Dr. Johnson, who was a great dabbler in physick, disapproved
much of periodical bleeding. 'For (said he,) you accustom yourself to
an evacuation which Nature cannot perform of herself, and therefore she
cannot help you, should you, from forgetfulness or any other cause,
omit it; so you may be suddenly suffocated. You may accustom yourself to
other periodical evacuations, because should you omit them, Nature can
supply the omission; but Nature cannot open a vein to blood you.'--'I
do not like to take an emetick, (said Taylor,) for fear of breaking some
small vessels.
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