TOOTH-ACH.

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thing that may hart the enamel with which they are covered, doesgreat mischief, as the tooth is .sure to be spoiled whenever the airgets into it. Breeding women are very subject to the tooth-ach,especially during the first three or four months of pregnancy. Thetooth-ach often proceeds from scorbutic humours affecting thegums. In this case the teeth are sometimes wasted, and fall outwithout any considerable degree of pain. The more immediatecause of the tooth-ach is a rotten or carious tooth.

In order to relieve the tooth-ach, we must first endeavour to les-sen the flux of humours to the part affected. This may be doneby mild purgatives, scarifying the gums, or applying leeches tothem, and bathing the feet frequently with warm water. The per-spiration ought likewise to he promoted, by drinking freely ofweak wine-whey, or other diluting liquors, with small doses of ni-tre. Emedcs too have often an exceedingly good effect in thetooth-ach. It is seldom safe to administer opiates, or any kind ofheating medicines, or even to draw a tooth, till proper evacuationshave been premised ; and these alone will often effect the cure.

If this fail, and the pain and inflammation still increase, a sup-puration may be expected, to promote which a toasted fig shouldbe held between the gum and the cheek ; bags filled with boiledcamomile flowers, flowers of elder, or the like, may be appliednear the part affected, with as great a degree of warmth as thepatient can bear, and renewed as they grow cool : the patient maylikewise receive the steams of warm water into his mouth, throughan inverted funnel, or by holding his head over the mouth of aporringer filled with warm water. Gargles are likewise of use topromote a discharge. Rob of elder dissolved in small beer makesa very proper gargle, or an infusion of sage or mulberry leaves.

Such things as promote the discharge of saliva, or cause the pa-tient to spit, are generally of service. For this purpose, bitter,hot, or pungent vegetables may be chewed ; as gentian, calamusaromáticas, or pellitory of Spain. Allen recommends the root ofyellow water flower-de-luce in this case. This root may either berubbed upon the tooth, or a little of it chewed. Brookes says, hehardly ever knew it fail to cure the tooth-ach. It ought, however,to be used with caution.

Many other herbs, roots, and seeds, are recommended for cur-ing the tooth-ach ; as the leaves or roots of millefoil or yarrowchewed, tobacco smoked or chewed, stavesacre, or the seeds ofmustard chewed, &c. These bitter, hot, pungent things, by occa-sioning a greater flow of saliva, frequently give ease in the tooth-ach.

Opiates often relieve the tooth-ach. For this purpose, a littlecotton wet with laudanum may be held between the teeth ; or apiece of sticking-plaster, about the bigness of a shilling, with a bitof opium in the middle of it, of a size not to prevent the stickingof the other, may be laid on the temporal artery, where the pulsa-tion is most sensible. De la Motte affirms, that there are few caseswherein this will not give relief. If there be a hollow tooth, asmall pill made of equal parts of camphor and opium, or a smallpiece of assafœtida, put into the hollow, is often beneficial. When,this cannot be had, the hollow tooth may be filled with gum mas-tich, wax, lead, cork, or any substance that will keep in it, andkeep out the external air.

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