208 VEGETABLE PAKASfTES. 



when an epidemic of thrush occurs, as has been done at the 

 Leipsic Lying-in Hospital, on the part of the director of that 

 institution. It is not the rude cleansing of the mouth on 

 washing the children, nor the irritation caused by it, or even the 

 exposure of the mucous membmne of the mouth, nor the irrita- 

 tion caused by sucking at a sucking- bottle, which are the causes 

 of the thrush, since we know from Berg's experiments that the 

 fungus thrives even when it is transferred to an intact mucous 

 membrane, and also that it sends its roots only into the epithe- 

 lium, and not below. Would it not be sufficient to employ 

 great care and cleanliness in using the various vessels, especially 

 the baths and their apparatus, when fungi have once declared 

 themselves in the hospital, applying the usual reproofs when 

 open neglect is discovered? Such a course, I think, would 

 be more adapted to an institution which perhaps was the first 

 in Germany where the vegetable nature of the Aphthse was 

 studied. 



Prognosis. There exists no prognosis of thrush, according to 

 Reubold, this disease being in general of little importance, and 

 only capable of producing independent symptoms which endanger 

 life in the exceptional cases already referred to, either by their 

 masses or by their seat. Berg is of opinion that they are quite 

 indifferent in healthy persons, disappearing spontaneously, or 

 being at least easily curable ; and he says that he never witnessed 

 a case where death ensued. The simple idiopathic, as well as 

 the discreet forms which attack healthy children, are the least 

 injurious, whilst the confluent, which occur in diseased conditions 

 of the system, generally demand the prognosis of the original 

 disease. In special cases, however, when the disease makes its 

 appearance during severe illnesses, or when the exhausted bodily 

 system would otherwise rapidly recover, they are certainly not to 

 be slightly treated. They retard the return of the appe- 

 tite by destroying the sense of taste, and render the appeas- 

 ing the appetite less agreeable by increasing the difficulties of 

 deglutition, and by thus rendering hunger endurable for a time 

 by dint of self-control, when it would be extremely desirable 

 that the exhausted body should recover rapidly by means of 

 good food. They also retard convalescence, and are capable of 

 reducing a weakened body to the uttermost. The colour is of 

 no prognostic value at all, unless we consider the dark brown or 

 black forms as more dangerous on. account of their indicating an 



