CYNANCHE TONSILLARIS. Ill 



alteratives, or with opium, and pushed so far as to affect the 

 mouth ; external irritants and derivatives ; deobstruent diuretics ; 

 diaphoretics, and warm or vapour baths, followed by oleaginous 

 frictions of the skin, in order to restore its perspiratory functions ; 

 and lastly, gentle tonics conjoined with purgatives, or with diuretics, 

 and assisted by warm iodine or medicated baths, will frequently 

 succeed in removing disorder, if early employed, and if a vital organ 

 have not experienced serious structural change. The syynp.nmalic 

 forms of ascites must be treated with strict reference to the original 

 lesion or malady, as far as that can be ascertained. Graduated 

 compression of the abdomen, by means of the belt recommended for 

 ascites by the first Munro, has been employed successfully by Pro- 

 fessor Speranza and M. Godelle, and, when it can be bcirne, may 

 prove serviceable in some asthenic and chronic states of the disease. 

 With respect to paracentesis abdominis^ it should be avoided as long 

 as possible, and, although it should not be proscribed from practice, 

 the cases are few that will be benefited, and still fewer that will be 

 cured by it. 



DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS AND 

 THEIR APPENDAGES. 



CYNANCHE TONSILLARIS. 



Causes. — The most frequent cause of common inflammation of 

 the tonsils is, exposure to cold damp air, — hence it prevails with 

 inflammation of the pharynx, at certain seasons of the year. 



Symptoms. — This disease is easily detected by the tumefaction, 

 pain, and redness of one or both tonsils, which are covered with 

 white spots, or an inflammatory crust. There are, moreover, pain 

 on deglutition, dryness and heat in the fauces, frequent desire to 

 swallow the saliva, and, when the inflammation is general and 

 severe, the respiration becomes extremely impeded by the mecha- 

 nical obstacle, and the symptomatic fever runs high. 



Treatment. — This is simple, but should be actively employed in 

 severe cases. Bleeding or leeches, purgatives, calomel, cooling 

 gargles of nitre, muriatic acid, &c., poultices to the throat, followed 

 by stimulating liniments or blisters, and the inhalation of steam, will 

 soon reduce the inflammatory tumefaction and give relief. The 

 nitrate of silver, or sulphate of copper, is also often of great use. 

 If, however, symptoms of suffocation be imminent, from considerable 

 swelling of both tonsils, the surgeon must immediately scarify the 

 glands. 



After the disease has been subdued, it sometimes happens that the 



