I N F A N T S. 



and this 1; acconpliflied merely bjrtUe prefTure of the enlarg- 

 ing tooth, which oceafions the ablbrption of thofe parts. In 

 favourable cafes, the prefTure of the teeth «n the gums occa- 

 fioni pain, and an increafed flow of the fluids fiu-niflied by 

 the mouth. Hence the infant is fretful, reftlefs during the 

 night, drivels coatinuallj-, and frequently thrufts his little 

 hands, or whatever he can get hold of, into his mouth, to 

 rub his gun-iS ; and he hasoccafionally ficknefs, gripes, and 

 loofencfs. At lall the corner of a tooth is perceived ; but 

 the uneafineU ftill continues for fome days, when a fecond 

 one is cut. During the interval between the cutting of the 

 lower and upper teeth, he recovers his ftrength and ufual 

 good health ; but is foon again fubjefted to the fame un- 

 eafinefs. 



Were thefe the only complaints which attend teething, 

 little danger might be apprehended ; but fometimes many 

 very formidable fymptoms occur. In robuft healthy con- 

 ■ftitutions, a violent fever frequently precedes the appearance 

 of every tooth ; the gums are fuelled and inflamed, the 

 eyes much aft'efted, the belly bound, the Ikin hot ; and there 

 is every now and then continued fcreanling, with inability 

 to fuck, and the fleep is (hort and dilturbed. Weakly in- 

 fants, where teething is painful and difficult, are opprefTed 

 \vith ficknefs, loath all kinds of food, lofe their colour, fret 

 perpetually, have a conftant loofenefs, and become much 

 emaciated. Some, befides thefe fymptoms, are fubjedl to 

 convuliions, which recur from time to time, till the tooth 

 or teeth are above the gum. In others, cough, various 

 eruptions on the Ikin, ulcerations in the gums, extending 

 fometimes over the palate, obltinate inflammation of the eyes, 

 afFedions of tlie urinary organs, and fometimes moft alarm.- 

 ing determination to the head, are occafionally the effects of 

 teething. All the fymptoms are much aggravated, if feveral 

 teeth be cut at once, or in immediate fucceffion. 



It is of great importance to be able to afcertain when any 

 of the diltrelhng fymptom?, thus enumerated, arife from 

 dentition. This is to be done by a careful examination of 

 the Hate of the gums. Previous to the protruiion of any 

 tooth, the i't^am, which may be diitinftly obferved on the 

 edge of each gum, like a doubling of the fkin, is done away, 

 and the upper furface of the gum i.s rendered flat and broad, 

 or is elevated in the form of a I mall fwelling. The gum of 

 the upper jaw is more apt to appear on the flretch than that 

 of the lower. It is not eafy to diflinguifh when tlie infant 

 fufFers pain from any part of the gum being prefled upon ; 

 etherwife that might affilt: in pomti-ig out the advance of 

 fome particular too'.h or teeth, becaufe fuch a degree of fret- 

 fulnels attends teething, that every attempt to feel the ilate 

 of the mouth never fails to irritate the child. 



An eftunate of the danger attending dentition is to be 

 fermed chieliy from the nature of the fymptoms. Expe- 

 rience proves that puny deheate infants often fuffer lefs than 

 the mofl healthy and robull. In this climate it has been 

 found that fummer is a more favourable feafon for teething 

 than winter. Some infants cut their fore-teeth without any 

 pain or difficulty, but are much diltrefled while cutting the 

 grinders or eye-teeth ; although, when the protrufion of the 

 tirft two pair of fore-teeth is accompanied or preceded by 

 great uneafmefs, there is reafon to fear that the individual 

 will fuller during the whole period of teething : yet the con- 

 verfe of tlte propofition does not hold good ; that is, where 

 little derangement of health attends the firft pair or two, it 

 is not to be concluded that all the other teeth are to advance 

 with the fame facility. It is well known, that during teetli- 

 Lig every acute difeafe is more than ufually dangerous ; and 

 it iii ulfo a well eilabiiflicd fad, that infants, in a crowded 



city, are more liable to pain and alarming fymptoms a'. . ■ 

 time of life than thofe reared in the country. 



The treatment of the ordinary complaints attcr.d; g 

 teething, Ihoidd confifl in moderating the pain, in regulating 

 the ftate of the bowels, and in the continued employment of 

 every means calculated to promote the general health of the 

 infant. With thefe views, fmall quantities of anodyne balUim 

 may be rubbed on the back-bone at bed-time, when the :;- 

 fant feems to be greatly pained. He ought to be fed wv.h 

 beef-tea twice a-day, if weakly, and if his bowels be Iouk- ; 

 and fliould be kept as much as polhble in the open air wli, n 

 the weather is favourable ; the cold bath ought not to l.e 

 laid alide in thefe cafes, unlefs other concurrent dilorders 

 fliould render it.neceflary, as nothing is more conducive to 

 promote general ftrength. Loofenefs, if cxceHive, mull be 

 moderated ; and if the belly be bound fliould be artificially 

 induced by gentle laxative medicines. When relllefs during 

 the night, the child fliould be taken out of bed, and carried 

 about in a cool airy room ; and if not relieved in a fhort time, 

 he ought to be put into a warm bath. Finally, he fliould 

 be allowed fomething to rub his gums with, which will 

 both gratify his wiflies, and tend to promote the abforption 

 of the parts inclofing the tooth. A piece-of wax-candle, or 

 of recent liquorice-root, is preferable to coral ; though th^ 

 latter fubltancc is in no other refpeCl injurious than that it 

 may be, by awkwardnefs, forced into the noftril or eye. 



The management, when alarming fymptoms take place, 

 muft be varied according to circumilances ; but in every 

 cafe the indications to be fulfilled are, to cut afunder the 

 parts which refifl the protrufion of the tooth or teeth, and 

 to palliate diflrefTing or troublefome complaints. Some of 

 thefe, which occur alfo under other circumilances, will be 

 noticed immediately. See alfo Dentition. Hamilton's 

 Hints, &c. p. 73, etfeg. 



Canker of the mouth, ioncrum oris, as it has been called, s- 

 mofl commonly connccled with dentition ; it is fopiet 

 troublefome to remove, but commonly a trivial com; : 

 It fometimes makes its appearance in the lirfl month, Dr. I 

 derwood fays ; at others, about the ti.me of teething ; and 

 frequently at tlie age of fix or feven year?, when children are 

 thedding their firfl teeth, and the fecond are making their 

 way through the gums. It confifls of little foul fores cover- 

 ing the gums, and extending fometimes to the infide of the 

 lips and cheeks. It is faid to occur during teething moll 

 frequently where the gums have not been landed. It is 

 generally ealily cured by keeping the body open, and by 

 the ufe of fome mild aflringent application to the mouth. 

 As much white vitriol, or rock alum, as will give a mode- 

 rate roughnefs to a little honey, is ufually fufScicnt for this 

 purpofe ; or if it fliould not etfett a cure w hen the complaint 

 makes its appearance at the time of teething, it will generally 

 go away as foon as the teeth are protruded. The worll | 

 fpecies of this complaint, w^itneffed by Dr. Underwood, has 

 occurred during the fecond period of dentition, when a child j 

 has been fliedding a number of teeth together, leaving the 1 

 decayed flumps behind, which have been negletled to be | 

 drawn out. The whole gums wil then fometimes be fpongy, 

 or diffolve into foul fpreading ulcers ; and fmall apertures I 

 will be formed, communicating from one part to another, 

 accompanied with an aozing ol a fetid and fometimes puru- 

 lent difcharge. If the flumps of the decayed teeth are 

 eafily acceffible, they ought to be extraded, and fome aflrin- 

 gent applications made to the parts, conlifting of myrrh, 

 Peruvian bark, alum, or cryllals of tartar, made into a pafte [ 

 with honey of rofes, or lotions made with the fame iagrc- | 

 dients, altringent tinftures, or mineral acids. ! 



§ 4. Bowel Comj>laiiUs. — Under Uiis head we Ihali include 

 5 the 



