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QÜINSY.

application of sharp ointment, till the inflammation is gone ;otherwise, upon their drying up, the patient will be in dangerof a relapse.

When the patient has been treated as above, a suppurationseldom happens. This however is sometimes the case inspite of all our endeavors to prevent it. When the inflamma-tion and swelling continue, and it is evident that a suppura-tion will ensue, it ought to be promoted by drawing thesteam of warm water into the throat through a tunnel, or thelike. Soft poultices ought likewise to be applied outwardly,and the patient may keep a roasted fig constantly in hismouth.

It sometimes happens, before the tumor breaks, that theswelling 1 is so great as entirely to prevent any thing fromgetting down into the stomach. In this case the patient mustinevitably perish, unless he can be supported in some otherway. This can only be done by nourishing clysters of broth,or gruel with milk, &c. Patients have often been supportedby these for several days, till the tumor has broke ; and after-wards they have recovered.

Not only the swallowing, but the breathing, is often pre-vented by the tumor. In this case nothing can save the pa-tient's life but opening the trachea or windpipe. As that hasbeen often done with success, no person in such desperatecircumstances ought to hesitate a moment about the operation ;but as it can only be performed by a surgeon, it is not neces-sary here to give any directions about it.

When a difficulty of swallowing is not attended with anacute pain or inflammation, it is generally owing to an obstruc-tion of the glands about the throat, and only requires that thepart be kept warm, and the throat frequently gargled withsomething that may gently stimulate the glands, as a decoc-tion of figs with vinegar and honey, to which may be addeda little mustard or a small quantity of spirits. But this kindof gargle is never to be used where there are signs of an in-flammation. This species of angina has various namesamong the common people, as the pap of the throat, the fall-ing down of the almo?ids of the ears, &c. Accordingly, toremove it, they lift the patient up by the hair of the head,and thrust their fingers under his jaws, &c, all which practicesare at best useless, and often hurtful.

Those who are subject to inflammations of the throat, inorder to avoid that disease, ought to live temperate. Such as