248 DB. CHASE'S RECIPES. 



aperients, if required, must be of a cordial nature ; but all this showd be left 

 to the medical practitioner; the disease too nearly affects the issues of life and 

 death to be tampered with, and a doctor must be called. 



1. THROAT, INFLAMMATION OP,— Quinsy and sore throat 

 are names of an acute disease, of which the seat is in the mucous mem- 

 brane of the upper part of the throat, and all the surrounding parts of 

 the muscles which move the jaws. The tonsils or almonds of the ears, 

 are especially affected, and tlie inflammation extends to the pendulous velum 

 of the palate and to the uvula. Commonly, shiverings and other symptoms of 

 approaching fever precede the affection of the throat, which is attended with 

 pain and difficulty of swallowing, the pain sometimes shooting to the ear; 

 there is also troublesome clamminess of the mouth and throat; a frequent but 

 difficult discharge of mucus; and at an early period of the disease the fever is 

 fully formed. The inflammation and swelling .are commonly most consider- 

 able at first in one tonsil; and afterwards, abating in that, they increase in the 

 other. The disease is not contagious. When the disease is actively treated at 

 Ml early period, it abates gradually, or is said to end in resolution; but very 

 often it goes on to suppuration, and the pus which is evacuated is of the most 

 fetid and nauseous kind. Very soon after the abscess breaks, great relief is 

 obtained, and the pain and difficulty of swallowing cease. 



Cause*. — The most frequent cause is cold, externally applied, particularly 

 about the neck. It is chiefly the young and sanguine who are affected; and 

 when a person has had sore throat once or more, he is very liable to frequent 

 repetitions of it, so that the slightest exposure to cold, or getting wet feet, will 

 bring on an attack of the disease. It occurs especially in spring and autumn, 

 when vicissitudes of heat and cold are frequent. 



Remarks. — The principal point in the diagnosis of this disease is to dis- 

 tinguish it from the sore throat which attends scarlet fever; in some varieties 

 of which the rash is inconsiderable, although the disease of the throat goes 

 rapidly on to gangrene, accompanied with a destructive fever of the typhoid 

 kind. The distinction between the two kinds of sore throat is of great import- 

 ance, as it most materially influences our practice. It is, in general, easily 

 made by proper attention. The smart fever, the difficulty of swallowing, and 

 the bright florid redness of the parts, mark out the inflammatory sore throat 

 with sufficient distinctness; and we are in many cases assisted by observing the 

 person affected to be often subject to the disease, which occurs soon after the 

 application of cold. The dangerous and malignant sore throat is known by 

 the dark and livid color about the fauces, by the appearance of specks on the 

 part, which rapidly spread and form sloughs; and by the circumstance of 

 scarlet fever being the prevailing epidemic. The treatment proper in inflam- 

 matory sore throat would be destructive here. And it is probably the knowl- 

 edge that some sore throats are so dangerous, that makes many people much 

 alanned when a quinsy seizes themselves or any of their family. 



Treatment. — When sore throat is threatened, it may in many cases be 

 prevented from coming forward, by using a strong afitrlngent gargle. Of these. 



