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OF THE tJUJNSEY, or

ought likewise to be applied outwardly, and the patient may keep a roasted fig- constantly in his mouth.

It sometimes happens, before the tumour breaks,that the swelling is so great, as entirely to prevent anything from getting down into the stomach. In thiscase, the patient must inevitably perish, unless he canbe supported in some other way. This can only bedone by nourishing clysters of broth, or gruel, withmilk, &c. Patients have often been supported bythese for several days, till the tumour has broke;and afterwards they have recovered.

Not only the swallowing, but the breathing, is oftenprevented by the tumour. In this case, nothing cansave the patient's life, but opening the trachoea orwind-pipe. As that has been often done with success,no person, in such desperate circumstances, ought tohesitate a moment about the operation; but as it canonly be performed by a surgeon, it is not necessaryheie to give any directions about it.

When a difficulty of swallowing-is not attended withan acute pain or inflammation, it is generally owingto an obstruction of the glands about the throat, andonly requires that the part be kept warm, and theiliroat frequently gargled with something that maygently stimulate the glands, as a decoction of figs withvinegar and honey; to which may be added a littlemustard, or a small quantity of spirits. But this gargleis never to be used where there are signs of an inflam-mation. This species of angina has various namesamong the common people, as the pap of the throat,the falling down of the almonds of the ears, &c. Ac-cordingly, to remove it, they lift up the patient bythe hair of the head, and thrust their fingers underhis jaws, &c. all which practices are at best useless,and often hurtful.

Those who are subject to inflammations of thethroat, in order to avoid that disease, ought to livetemperate. Such as do not choose to observe thisrule, must have frequent recourse to purging andother evacuations, to discharge the superfluous hu-mours. They ought, likewise, to beware of catching

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