ae 
poressiand drive back into the system the noxious particl 
ature endeavors to throw off, when the use of soap ar 
would prevent every inconvenience? Is it too much trouble to. 
wash the ears; to dip the face, with the eyes open, into a bason o 
clean water, four or five times in a morning, to rinse the mouth, and 
to keep the tongue clean, not by scraping it, but by attending to the 
state of the stomach, of which the tongue is the index ? some people 
seem to be as much afraid of water as if they had been bitten by a 
_mad dog; and if they remain obstinate in that antipathy, I can 
only say,they deserve a far worse end than that of such unfortunates, 
to be suffocated in their own filth, 4 
_ INFLAMMATIONS AND ABSCESSES, 
From whatever cause inflammation proceeds, it must 
either by dispersion, suppuration, or gangrene. Though 
possible to foretel with certainty in which of these ways any 
lar inflammation will terminate, yet a probable conjecture 
formed with regard to the event, from a knowledge of the path 
age and constitution. Inflammations happening in a slight d 
upon colds, and without any previous indisposition, will mo: 
bly be dispersed; those which follow close upon a 
to persons of a gross habit of body, will generally sup : 
those which attack very old people, or persons of a dropsical hal 
will have a strong tendency to gangrene. — 4 oe 
If the inflammation be slight, and the constitution sound, the dis- 
persion ought always to be attempted. This will be best 
by applying cooling, discutient, and anodyne washes and rT 
tions. A free application of the “ anodyne wash,” will generally be 
sufficient to disperse any common inflammation, when it isnotcaused , 
by a superabundance of impurities in the system; or, in place of the 
** anodyne wash,” salt and vinegar, may be used; or emollient fo- 
mentations may be applied to the part, ; . a 
- Bat if, notwithstanding these applications, the symptomatic fever 
increases, and the tumor becomes larger, with violent pain a 
_ gation, it will be proper to promote the suppuration. The t a 
- plications for this purpose, are soft, warm, poultices; as bread and — 
nilk, a mixture of soft soap, lard and rye flour, or similar drawing sub- 
stances; taking care to put them on as warm as the patientean bear, __ 
and change them two or three times aday. Ifthe suppuration pro- ~ _ 
ceeds but slowly, bruised raw onions may be spread upon the | 
poultice. Roasted sorrel is a powerful application to break a bile. 
When the.abscess is ripe or fit for opening, which may be easily 
known, from. the. thinness of the skin in the most prominent part of 
it, fluctuation. of matter, which may be felt under the finger, and 
generally speaking, an abatement of the pain, it should be ope 
with alancet. The last way in which an inflammation termi 
m a gangrene or mortification, the approach of which may 
the following symptoms :—The inflammat its: 
comes duskish or livid ; the tension of th 
