jriivient eruption formed in a circle; it af- 
ects children, and is thought to be constituted 
ly small insects. These atiimalculae Dr. 
panvin supposes may be rather the effect 
han the cause of the eruption. 
[ Treatment. Metallic or vegetable astrin- 
gents in solution, such as nut-galls or white 
vitriol. The white precipitate ointment is 
perhaps equal, if not superior, in efficacy, both 
in this and the two following complaints ; the 
head to be covered during the cure with an 
Dil-skin cap. ' 
Tinea , scald head. This eruption com- 
monly breaks out about the roots of the hair; 
it appears in small ulcers, which at times 
spread over the whole head, and produce fri- 
able crusts. 
I The secretion of the contagious matter, 
upon' whichjthis disorder depends, is generally 
excited by poverty of diet, uncleanliness, and 
other mismanagement of infants. 
Treatment. Shave the head ; wash the sur- 
face first with warm water and soap ; white 
precipitate ointment; tar ointment; a solu- 
tion of corrosive sublimate ; generous diet, 
cleanliness ; small doses of calomel. 
N. B. A milder disease than tinea often 
breaks out on the face and head of very 
young children : this (crusta lactea) is not 
infectious. It is to be treated by keeping the 
child clean, cool, and much in the air ; and 
by sprinkling the eruption with calamine 
powder, if necessary, which is likewise the 
best application to those excoriations of the 
skin which are apt to break out about the 
genitals of infants. 
Psora, itch. “ Small pustules with wa- 
tery heads, appearing first on the wrists and 
between the fingers." “ 't here are two kinds 
of itch, that which appears between the fin- 
gers and the joints of the knees and elbows, 
and that which is seldom seen in these places, 
but all over the other parts of the body.- The 
latter is seldom thought to be the itch, as it 
floes not easily infect even a bedfellow, and 
resists the usual means of cure by brimstone.” 
Darwin. 
! Treatment. Sulphur ointment ; mercurial 
corrosive sublimate' in a very weak solution ; 
white precipitate ointment ; sulphur taken 
internally. 
Of indolent tumour. 
Tumours which are not necessarily or in 
itheir origin attended by inflammation, are 
called indolent ; these morbid enlargements 
Of parts are principally seated in the cellular 
membrane : they are differently named, ac- 
cording to the nature of their contents. 
TV hen the swelling is made up of a substance 
of the consistence of fat, it is denominated 
steatomatous ; if of a firmer consistence, a sar- 
comatous tumour. When it is filled with 
a substance about the consistence of honey, 
the enlargement has been called a melicera- 
tory tumour. The name artheromatous is 
applied to those swellings which are consti- 
tuted by a substance of a harder kind. Some- 
times the contents of tumours are formed of a 
coagulable fluid, when they are termed hy- 
datids. Ganglions are swellings in the bursa; 
mueoste of joints. 
i "These tumours may be removed by mak- 
ing an opening with a lancet, if their contents 
be of a fluid nature, evacuating such fluid, 
aod afterwards removing their sac. If the 
SURGERY. 
contents of the tumour are solid, they are to 
be extirpated by making a longitudinal inci- 
sion through the integuments, and removing 
the tumour by the point of the finger, or any 
convenient instrument that is blunt. 
Of need materni, corns, warts, arid polypi. 
When those marks on infants which are fan- 
cifully attributed to impressions made on the 
mind of the mother during pregnancy, do not 
rise above the level of the skin, they are not 
of course the subjects of surgical operation. 
Sometimes, however, these appear in the 
form of sarcomatous tumours, firm, promi- 
nent, and fleshy: in these cases the swelling 
may be cut out. If any considerable arte- 
ries run into it, these are to be taken up, and 
the skin that remains, brought over and united 
by adhesive plaister. If the tumour be con- 
nected with the sound parts by a narrow neck, 
it will generally be advisable to destroy it by 
making a ligature round its neck. 
- Corns are formed by a thickening and 
hardening of the external skin from pressure. 
They are to be treated by first bathing the 
feet in warm water, and then paring off as 
much of the swelling as can be done without 
giving pain. This operation is to be frequent- 
ly repeated ; some simple ointment may be 
laid over the corn, and all pressure avoided 
as much as possibly. 
/ Tarts are to be removed by applying to 
them frequently any mild escharotics, such 
as a solution of blue vitriol, of crude sal am- 
moniac, &c. Sometimes astringent sub- 
stances will make them subside, such as nut- 
galls: hence the common practice of apply- 
ing ink to these excrescences. 
Polypi are indolent tumours found in vari- 
ous parts of the body, as the nose, mouth, 
throat, vagina, uterus, and rectum. When, 
notwithstanding the use of astringent solu- 
tions, such as of alum, vinegar, &c. they con- 
tinue to grow, become painful and trouble- 
some, they are to be extirpated by the knife 
or scissars, when the roots of the tumour can 
be commanded, otherwise by tearing them 
up with forceps, fig. 3. ; or, which is much 
less painful, w hile it is more secure, by liga- 
ture, of wire, of catgut, of silk, &c. The li- 
gature is to be passed double over the tu- 
mour, and carried to its root by the fingers, 
split probes, fig. 4. or rings, fig. 5. The 
ends of the ligature are to be now intro- 
duced into a canula, fig. 6. which is to be 
pushed along the opposite side of the tumour, 
till its end reach the root of it, when the liga- 
ture is to be drawn with some tightness, and 
fastened to the canula, which is to remain in 
the passage ; the ligature is to be daily tight- 
ened till the polypus drop off. When the po- 
lypus is in the throat, the ligature should be 
applied through one of the nostrils. 
Diseases of the hones. 
Bones, like the soft parts, are subject to in- 
flammation, which often terminates in caries, 
or a kind of gangrene, forming the disease 
called spina ventosa, or gagrsena ossis. This 
seems to be a scrophulous affection. 
Symptoms of spina ventosa. Dull heavy 
pain following perhaps a blow on the part, or 
originating without any perceptible exciting 
cause ; lameness and sensation of weight in the 
affected limb: after the continuance of these 
ymptoms for some time, without any appear- 
ance externally to indicate disease, the inte- 
5 B 2 
gumenls, suddenly perhaps, will become pair- 
ed and swelled. This arises from the matter 
having made its way through from the interior 
of the bone to the periosteum. 
Treatment. After the abscess has been 
opened, let the parts be kept constantly clean 
and dry. In some cases it is necessary to 
apply the trephine, in order to remove the 
part of the bone that has become carious. 
Assiduously attend to the^restoration and pre- 
servation of the constitutional excitement and 
health. Bark, steel, very small doses of calo- 
mel, good air, nourishing diet, chiefly of anL 
m a! food. 
The friabilitas and mollif ies ossiam. The 
one disorder constituted by a -disposition in the 
bones to be broken or injured from the most 
trifling exertion ; the other, by a want of due 
firmness and hardness in the bone, are occa- 
sioned by disordered action in the secretory 
or absorbent vessels of these organs. They 
are alone to be remedied by internal strength- 
ening remedies, suited to the nature of the 
prevailing malady. 
The venereal node, as to its immediate, 
cause, is obscure ; the external swelling, with., 
which after a time it is characterized, appears 
to be occasioned by an extension of the peri- 
osteum. Sometimes the pain of these tu- 
mours is mitigated by dividing the perios- 
teum. 
Among the diseases of the bones is often, 
classed an affection which is very common, 
especially to young children, viz. a loss of 
power in the lower extremities, consequent 
upon a displacement of some part of the honey 
column of the spine. This, in fact, appears 
to be a disease of the ligaments. The fre- 
quency of this complaint in young children it 
is important to recollect, as the treatment, to 
be effectual, ought to commence early, and in 
its origin. Unless attended to with care, it 
is apt to be mistaken for a nervous or common 
infantile indisposition. 
Symptoms. An unusual backwardness ins 
walking, languor, listlessness, a tendency to 
hectic, and lastly, a feeling of protuberance 
or curvature in some of the spine. 
Treatment. A setoff in the back near t<* 
the disordered prominence, chalybeates, 
small doses of calomel, as in other scrophu- 
lous affections. Nourishing diet, cleanliness^ 
air. 
Of venesection and arteriotomy. 
Blood-letting from the arm is an operation so' 
simple and familiar as hardly to require no- 
tice. The ligature that is used for the pur- 
pose of stopping the venal circulation should 
consist of broad tape ; this is to be firmly 
bound round the arm about an inch or two 
above the joint of the elbow ; the intermedi- 
ate space between this and the bend of the 
joint is in general the most convenient for in- 
troducing the lancet. The surgeon is to make 
choice of that vein which rolls least un- 
der the skin. The median basilic, although 
not always the most prominent, is usu- 
ally chosen, both on account of its being 
less apt to slip from under the lancet, and be- 
cause there is less danger of injuring any cu- 
taneous nerves than when the cephalics are 
opened. The artery being felt to pulsate be- 
low is not to be regarded as an objection ; for 
transfixing the vein under any circumstance 
should be carefully guarded against ; and un- 
less the instrument be thus carried through th$ 
