In a craze similar to the Tamagotchi toys, Russians and visitors from abroad are coming to the site in their thousands to prescribe health care for the president.

Messages suggesting medicine and light exercise lead to an improvement in the president's vital signs, displayed on dynamic graphs constantly being updated showing blood pressure, pulse rate and temperature.

The twist is that opponents of the president can prescribe treatment to make his condition worse.

Rival suggestions include morphine, viagra, electric shock therapy, vodka, vodka and more vodka.

More imaginative suggestions are a course of laughing gas, a chat with President Clinton, a night with Monica Lewinsky or an injection of $20 billion in aid from the International Monetary Fund.

If Mr Yeltsin dissolves the Russian parliament, his health improves.

Struggling to get the Duma to accept a new prime minister can put him back in intensive care.

The site lists messages from visitors ranging from get well soon to wishing him dead.

It is based in Saint Petersburg but visitors come from all over Russia and abroad. E-mails have arrived from as far afield as Latvia, Japan and Italy.