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OF THE TOOTH-ACH.

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covered, does great mischief, as the tooth is sure tobe spoiled whenever the air gets to it. Breeding wo-men are very subject to the tooth-ach, especially dur-ing the first three or four months of pregnancy. Thetooth-ach often proceeds from scorbutic humouir.affecting the gums. In this case the teeth are some-times wasted, and fall out without any considerabledegree of pain. The more immediate cause of thetooth-ach is a rotten or carious tooth.

In order to relieve the tooth-ach, we must first en-deavour to lessen the flux of humours on the partaffected. This may be done by mild purgatives, scarify-ing the gums, or applying leeches to them, and bath-ing the feet frequently with warm water. The per-spiration ought likewise to be promoted by drinkingfreely of weak wine whey, or other diluting liquors,with small doses of nitre. Vomits too have often anexceeding good effect in the tooth-ach. It is seldomsafe to administer opiates, or any kind of heatingmedicines, or even to draw a tooth, till proper eva-cuations have been premised, and these alone willoften effect the cure.

If this fail, and the pain and inflammation still in-crease; a suppuration may be expected, to promotewhich a toasted fig should be held between the gumand the cheek; bags filled with mild camomile-flow-ers, flowers of elder, and the like, may be applied nearthe part, affected, with as great a degree of warmth asthe patient can bear, and renewed as they grow cold";the patient may likewise receive steams of warmwater into his mouth, through an inverted funnel, orby holding his head over the mouth of a porringerfilled with warm water. Gargles made of rob ofelder, infused in small beer, may be given to promotea discharge.

Such things as promote the discharge of saliva, orcause the patient to spit, are generally of service. Forthis purpose bitter, hot, or pungent, vegetables maybe chewed; as gentian, calamus aromaticus,or pellitoryof Spain. Allen recommends the root of yellow waterflower-de-luce in this case. This root may either be

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