TEETHING.

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are in a great measure owing to the great delicacy and ex-quisite sensibility of the nervous system at this time of life,which is too often increased by an effeminate education.Hence it comes to pass that children who are delicately broughtup always suffer most in teething, and often fall by convulsivedisorders.

About the sixth or seventh month the teeth generally be-gin to make their appearance ; first the incisures or fore teeth,next the canini or dog teeth, and lastly the molares or grind-ers. About the seventh year there comes a new set, andabout the twentieth the two inner grinders, called dentés sapi-entice, the teeth of wisdom.

Children about the time of cutting their teeth slaver much,and have generally a looseness. When the teething is diffi-cult, especially when the dog teeth begin to make their waythrough the gums, the child has startings in his sleep, tumorsof the gums, inquietude, watchings, gripes, green stools, thethrush, fever, difficult breathing, and convulsions.

Difficult teething is in all respects to be treated as aninflammatory disease. If the belly be bound, it must beopened either by emollient clysters or gentle purgatives, asmanna, magnesia alba, rhubarb, senna, or the like. The foodshould be light and in small quantity ; the drink plentiful, butweak and diluting, as infusions of balm or of the lime-treeflowers, to which about a third or fourth part of milk may beadded.

If the fever be very high, bleeding will be necessary ; butthis, in very young children, ought always to be sparinglyperformed. It is an evacuation which they bear the worst ofany. Purging, vomiting, or sweating agree much better withthem, and are generally more beneficial. Harris howeverobserves, that, when an inflammation appears, the physicianwill labor in vain if the cure be not begun with applying aleech under each ear. If the child be seized with convulsionfits, a blistering plaster may be applied betwixt the shoulders,or one behind each ear.

Dr. Sydenham says that in fevers occasioned by teethinghe never found any remedy so effectual as two, three, or fourdrops of spirits of hartshorn, in a spoonful of simple water orother convenient vehicle, given every four hours. The num-ber of doses may be four, five, or six. I have often prescribedthis medicine with success, but always found a larger dose34