SCROFULA.

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habit or vitiate the humors, as the small-pox, measles, &c.External injuries, as blows, bruises, and the like, sometime»produce scrofulous ulcers ; but we have reason to believe,when this happens, that there has been a predisposition in thehabit to this disease. In short, whatever tends to vitiate thehumors or relax the solids, paves the way to the scrofula ; asthe want of proper exercise, too much heat or cold, confinedair, unwholesome food, bad water, the long use of poor, weak,watery aliments, the neglect of cleanliness, &c. Nothingtends more to induce this disease in children than allowingthem to continue long wet.

Symptoms. — At first small knots appear under the chin orbehind the ears, which gradually increase in number and size,till they form one large hard tumor. This often continues fora long time without breaking, and when it does break it onlydischarges a thin sanies or watery humor. Other parts of thebody are likewise liable to attack, as the armpits, groins, feet,hands, eyes, breasts, &c. Nor are the internal parts exemptfrom it. It often affects the lungs, liver, or spleen, and I havefrequently seen the glands of the mesentery greatly enlargedby it.

These obstinate ulcers which break out upon the feet andhands with swelling, and little or no redness, are of the scro-fulous kind. They seldom discharge good matter, and areexceeding difficult to cure. The white swellings of the jointsseem likewise to be of this kind. They are with difficultybrought to a suppuration, and when opened they only dis-charge a thin ichor. There is not a more general symptomof the scrofula than a swelling of the upper lip and nose.

Regimen. — As this disease proceeds in a great measurefrom relaxation, the diet ought to be generous and nourishing,but at the same time light and easy of digestion ; as well-fer-mented bread, made of sound grain, the flesh and broth ofyoung animals, with now and then a glass of generous wineor good ale. The air ought to be open, dry, and not too cold,and the patient should take as much exercise as he can bear.This is of the utmost importance. Children who have enoughof exercise are seldom troubled with the scrofula.

Medicine. — The vulgar are remarkably credulous with re-gard to the cure of the scrofula, many of them believing inthe virtue of the royal touch, that of the seventh son, &c.The truth is, we know but little either of the nature or cureof this disease, and where reason or medicines fail supersti-

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