INFLAMMATION OF THE THROAT.

173

swells. The patient is often obliged to keep himself in an erectposture, being in clanger of suffocation: there is a constant nausea,or inclination to vomit; and the drink, instead of passing into thestomach, is often returned by the nose. The patient is some-times starred at last, merely from an inability to swallow any kindof food.

When the breathing is laborious with straitness of the breast,and anxiety, the danger is great. Though the pain in swallowingbe very great, yet while the patient breathes easy, there is not somuch danger. An external swelling is no unfavourable symptom;but if it suddenly falls, and the disease affects the breast, the dan-ger is very great. When a quinsey is the consequence of someother disease which has already weakened the patient, his situa-tion is dangerous. A frothing at the mouth, with a swelled tongue,a pale ghastly countenance, and coldness of the extremities, arefatal symptoms.

REGIMEN.------The regimen in this disease is in all respects

the same as in the pleurisy, or peripneumony. The food must belight, and in small quantities, and the drink plentiful, weak, anddiluting, mixed with acids.

It is highly necessary that the patient be kept easy and quiet.Violent affections of the mind, or great efforts of the body, mayprove fatal. He should not even attempt to speak but in a lowvoice. Such a degree of warmth as to promote a constant, gentlesweat, is proper. When the patient is in bed, his head ought to beraised a little higher than usual.

It is peculiarly necessary that the neck be kept warm: for whichpurpose several folds of soft flannel may be wrapt round it. Thatalone will often remove a slight complaint of the throat, especiallyif applied in due time. We cannot here omit observing the pro-priety of a custom which prevails among the peasants in Scotland.When they feel any uneasiness of the throat, they wrap a stockingabout it all night. So effectual is this remedy, that in many placesit passes for a charm, and the stocking is applied with particularceremonies : the custom, however, is undoubtedly a good one, andshould never be neglected. When the throat has been thus wrappedup all night, it must not be exposed to the cold air through the day,but a handkerchief or a piece of flannel kept about it till the inflam-mation be removed.

The jelly of black currants is a medicine very much in esteem forcomplaints of the throat; and indeed it is of some use. It shouldbe almost constantly kept in the mouth, and swallowed down lei-surely. It may likewise be mixed in the patient's drink, or takenany other way. When it cannot be obtained, the jelly of red cur-rants, or of mulberries, may be used in its stead.

Gargles for the throat are very beneficial. They may be madeof sage-tea, with a little vinegar and honey, or by adding to halfan English pint of the pectoral decoction, two or three spoonfuls ofhoney, and the same quantity of currant jelly. This may be usedthree or four times a-day ; and if the patient be troubled witli tough

I

\