iiS On the Plica Polonica. 



circumftanceSj and which the patient ought to ufe every day, ifl 

 to be recommended. At other times, the body muft often be 

 rubbed with flannel, in order to maintain a determination of 

 the juices towards the fkin. Dihieat medicines, fuch as 

 the extra6l of bitters, foap, hemlock, and mercurius dulcis if 

 no fcorbutic diathcfisexiils, are to be adminiltered internally. 

 It has been cantiimed by repeated experiments, that ftrong 

 perfpiration, often continued, for feveral days, is the confe- 

 quence of this treatment. The matter perfpired is in general 

 exceedingly claniniy, and has a naufeous foetid fmell. In 

 confequence of this perfpiration the morbid afFeilions gra- 

 dually difappear, the patient feels himfelf lighter, and might 

 imagine himfelf quite well, were he not obliged to drag about 

 a heavy load of filthy matted hair, filled with a multitude of 

 fmall worms *. By cutting off the hair, the patient would be 

 expofed to the utmoft danger: the confequences are, blind- 

 nefs, incurable coi:ivulfions, and often death. There is an 

 inftance of a lady, who, after having been almoft cured, died 

 fuddenly on attempting to draw a comb, even with the utmoll 

 gentlenefs, through her hair. The beft method is, to bear 

 the inconvenience with patience for three or four years. At 

 the favourable period when the hair begins to be difengaged, 

 at which time the young hair is feen fpringing up, the follow- 

 ing rules are to be obferved : — A place is to be fought for in 

 the head where the matted hair is loofe and raifed up: into this 

 place the finger muft be thruft, and the operator muft endea- 

 vour, but without ufmg force, to loofen it every vihere around ; 

 and this procefs muft be daily repeated, fometimes in one place 

 and fometimes in another. The hair which has been com- 

 pletely difengaged is then to be cut with great caution. After 

 this operation, fliould the pain in the orbit of the eye return, 

 and if giddinefs, accompanied with convulfive movements in 

 the arms, ftiould take place, the operation of difengaging tlie 

 hair muft be fufpended, and bathing be refumed. By thefe 

 means the atl'ettions not only difappear, but the remaining 

 clotted hair often becomes loofened of itfelf. In this difeafe 



* The ufe of hair-powder, it is faid, was firft introduced for the 

 pofe of concealing the deformity occafioned by this difeafe. Edit, 



pur- 



the 



