have been founded largely on the observations of Dr Beaumont in the celebrated case of Alexis St Martin, are only valuable within certain limits when applied to the treatment of dyspepsia. It must be borne in mind that idiosyncrasy often plays an important part in digestion, some persons being unable to partake without injury of substances which are generally regarded as wholesome and digestible. Difficulty, too, is often experienced in dealing with dyspeptics from their aversion to, or want of appetite for, those forms of diet which appear most suitable for them. Experience has shown that in this complaint no particular kind of food is absolutely to be relied on, but that in general the best diet is one of a mixed animal and vegetable kind simply but well cooked. The partaking of many dishes, of highly seasoned or salted meats, raw vegetables, newly baked bread, pastry, and confectionery, are all well known common causes of dyspepsia, and should be avoided. When even the simple diet usually taken is found to disagree, it may be necessary to change it temporarily for a still lighter form, such a3 a milk diet, and that even in very moderate
quantity.General hygienic measures are highly important, since whatever improves the state of the health will have a favourable influence on digestion. Hence regular exercise in the open air, early rising, and the cold bath are to be strongly recommended.
The medicinal remedies for dyspepsia are exceedingly numerous, and a few only of them can be mentioned. Attacks brought on by errors in diet are generally relieved by small doses of rhubarb and bismuth, and by the use of small quantities of light and bland food. In chronic dyspepsia the treatment must depend on the cause of the disorder, so far as that can be ascertained. When the dyspepsia is of the atonic form without much irritability of stomach, bitter tonics such as nux vomica, calumba, gentian, or quassia, along with some of the mineral acids taken before, with, or immediately after a meal will be found highly serviceable ; while on the other hand, when there is gastric irritation with acid eructations, sickness, and pain, the medicinal hydrocyanic acid along with bismuth, and antacids taken after food will often afford relief, Pepsine is a remedy of undoubted value in many cases of dyspepsia, and appears to supply the place of that ingredi ent of the gastric juice when it is deficient in amount. It may be given along with a meal, alone, or in conjunction with diluted hydrochloric acid, which also is a remedy of great efficacy in indigestion. Strict attention must ever be paid to the regular action of the bowels, and where laxa tives are required an aloetic dinner pill, or, what is often better, one of the mineral bitter waters (such as that of Frederickshall) which are now so commonly used, should be had recourse to.
The employment of alcoholic stimulants to assist digestion is largely resorted to both with and without medical advice. While it seems probable that in certain cases of atonic dyspepsia, particularly in the feeble and aged, the moderate administration of alcohol has the effect of stimulating the secretion of gastric juice, and is an important adjuvant to other remedies, the advantages of its habitual use as an aid to digestion by the young and otherwise healthy is more than questionable, and it will generally be found that among them those are least troubled with indigestion who abstain from it. See Physiology and Dietetics.
DYVEKE, in German often Duveke, and in the Latin chronicles Columbella, the "Little Dove," the name by which the mistress of Christian II. of Denmark is invariably designated. Her father was a certain Sigbrit Villums, who had been obliged for political reasons to leave his native country of Holland. Settling at Bergen, he opened an inn, which soon became known for something more than the hospitality of the host or the excellence of his cheer : his daughter s beauty was bush enough for his weakest wine. Valkendorp, the chancellor, did not think it unbe coming of his priestly character to sound her praise in the ears of the young crown-prince ; and accordingly, when he visited Bergen in 1507, the prince made a point of seeing the "Little Dove " for himself. In matters of this sort there is unquestionably a royal road ; and so having danced with her at a ball or two, be had little difficulty in getting her to leave the inn for a house of her own at Oslo. She followed him to Copenhagen on his accession in 1513, and both her father and mother obtained unusual influence at court. In 1515 the young king, indeed, was constrained from reasons of state to marry Isabella, the sister of Charles V.; but in spite of the emperor s remonstrance, his relations with Dyveke and her parents underwent no real alteration till her sudden death in 1517. That she had been poisoned was the natural verdict of the popular feeling ; and the royal suspicion fell on Torben Oxa, warden of the castle of Copenhagen, who was known to have made love to the girl before she was carried off by the prince; and was it not true that two days before her death he had sent her a present of cherries 1 It mattered not that the culprit was declared innocent by the royal council : " though his neck were as thick as the neck of a bull it should not save his head," raged the king ; and he kept his word. Such is the story, not altogether authenticated, which has furnished a favourite theme to dramatist and novelist. Samsoe the Danish poet, published his well-known tragedy " Dyveke " in the close of the 18th century, and it was translated by Manthey into German in 1798. Munch treated the subject in a semi-historical manner in his Biograph -histor. Studien; Hermann Marggraff s tragedy of Das Taiib^ken von Amster dam appeared in 1839, Rickhoff s Duveke in 1842, Hauch s Wilhelm Zabern in 1834, Ida Frick s SylrecJd Willums in 1843, and Mosenthal s Duveke in 1860.
DZUNGARIA, Dsongaria, or Songaria, a former Mongolian kingdom of Central Asia, raised to its highest pitch by Kaldan or Bushtu Khan in the latter half of the 17th century, but completely destroyed by Chinese invasion about 1757–59. It derived its name from the Dsongars, or Songars, who were so called because they formed the left wing (dson,eft ; gar, hand) of the Mongolian army. Its widest limit included Kashgar, Yarkand, Khotan, the whole region of the Thian Shan Mountains, and in short the greater proportion of that part of Central Asia which extends from 35 to 50 N. lat. and from 72" to 97 E. long. The name, however, is more properly applied only to the present Chinese province of Thian-Shan-pe-lu and the country watered by the Hi. As a political or geographical term it has practically disappeared from the map ; but the range of mountains stretching north-east along the southern frontier of the Land of the Seven Streams as the district to the south-east of the Balkhash Lake is called preserves the name of the Dzungarian Range.
