INFLAMMATIONS. 107 



considerable or permanent. The reasons of this I take to be, 

 that the disease does not consist in an affection of the blood- 

 vessels alone, as in the ordinary cases of rheumatism ; but in a 

 peculiar affection of the fibres both of the muscles and of the 

 vessels of the part induced by irritation. The inefficacy of to- 

 pical bleedings is with me a proof of the disease being of the 

 latter kind. 



CCCCXC. The remedies therefore necessary to give relief 

 in this disease, are those which take off the spasm of the vessels, 

 and especially of the muscles and membranes affected. Such 

 are blistering, brought as near to the part affected as can con- 

 veniently be done ; and such are also increased excretions ex- 

 cited in the neighbouring parts, as of the saliva and mucus of 

 the mouth by the use of acrid masticatories. It is often suf- 

 ficient to excite a strong sensation in the neighbouring parts ; 

 as by eau de luce, spirit of lavender, or Hungary water, snuffed 

 up the nostrils ; or by the vitriolic aether properly applied to 

 the cheek. It is upon the same footing that I suppose brandy 

 or other ardent spirit held in the mouth is often of service. 



CCCCXCI. There are cases of toothach in which it does 

 not appear that the disease arises from an acrid matter im- 

 mediately applied to the nerve of a tooth ; but from the ex- 

 ternal application of cold, or some other causes immediately ap- 

 plied to the muscles and membranes of the jaw ; and which 

 therefore seem to require some remedies different from those 

 above-mentioned. But in all such cases, it is to be suspected, 

 that the effects of cold, or of other such causes, are owing to a 

 diathesis produced by an acrid matter applied to the nerve of a 

 tooth, and continuing in some measure to act there ; and we 

 have accordingly often found, that the action of those external 

 causes was to be obviated only by the extraction of the tooth 

 from which the diathesis had arisen. 



