almonds, a few drops of which are to be inftilled into the ear. The oil of eggs is

ufeful for the fame intention. Let the ears be thus kept clean, and the evil will be prevented, or removed, if only fuperficial. But if it has degenerated into an ulcer, inject, by the help of a proper fyringe, a decoction of barley, mixed with the oil of roses; or if you want a more deterfive liquor, let it confift of a decoction of worm-wood, mixed with the commander's balfam. If you want to render it ftill more powerful, add to the above decoction fome drops of the tincture of myrrh.

CHA P. X.

Of the vicious Conformation of the FROENUM LINGUÆ, or BRIDLE of the TONGUE.

AFTER the cutaneous disorders of

children, the next of their fuperficial indifpofitions, are those of the mouth; which may be reduced to four. 1. The imperfection of the Franum Linguæ, particularly its too great shortness. 2. The Ranula or

Batraction.

Batraction. 3. Aphtha, or Thrushes. 4. Dentition. We shall here speak of the first.

The tongue is naturally connected with the fund of the mouth, by the help principally of the muscles, called Geniohyoidei, which are inferted on the fore part, under the point of the tongue, where we meet a duplicature of the skin which covers the mouth, forming the frænum linguæ. This is fometimes fo advanced under the tongue,' that the point of this organ cannot be folded or turned back to perform it's neceflary functions. Hence this is a diforder of vicious conformations. The midwives pru dently anticipate the phyficians or furgeon's advice in this cafe; for immediately after the child is born, whilft the ligament is ftill very foft and tender, they break it's fuperfluous connection with the tongue by the help of their nail; which if it be not timely done, or if the bridle is too rigid and hard to yield to this method, the nurse foon feels the inconveniency thereof, by the infant's manner of fucking; or it becomes manifest at last when he begins to speak, at which time as the bridle is harder, the

operation or incifion fhould be performed by the help of the knife, or, which will do better, by the fciffars, putting the patient If in a proper and commodious fituation. the operator's fingers be too thick, fo as to intercept his fight, let him keep the infant's mouth open by the help of a forceps intended for this purpose: but let him always avoided opening the veins and arteries called ranula, which are in this part, nor should the incifion be too profound, for fear of hurting the tendons which are near the franum. After the operation is performed, the patient's mouth fhould be reinfed with pure red wine by itself, or mixed with water; or this may be done with a decoction of barley and honey of rofes, or with fimple honey. The cicatrice is soon after formed. But the furgeon is by all means to prevent the reunion of the parts, which were difunited by the operation.

CHA P. XI.

Of the RANUL A.

THE Ranula in Latin, Garpaio in Greek, both which fignify the fame thing, is a diforder very rare in fome coun

1

tries,

tries, but more frequent in others. It is a lymphatic infarction of the ranular glands which are fituated at each fide of the franum, and receive most of the lymph of the tongue. The tumour is a medium betwixt a phlegmon and oedema, or participates of both. It is difcovered by the touch; for it fometimes appears under the lower-jaw; tho' this is rare. It is generally manifest to inspection, and commonly fprings from fudden cold, to which the infant is expofed, or from indigeftions. It is alfo more frequent in fpring, than in other feafon.

any

CURE. To refolve thefe tumified glands, the child should be kept very warm, and his nurse should drink plentifully of a diluent diuretic ptifan of Dogs-grafs, and other fuch ingredients, in order to discharge the fuperfluous humours by urine, whilst they are to be exhaled from the obstructed parts by the help of the following topics, which are to be employed in the following order, as the state of the patient fhall require. 1. Apply warm afhes, put betwixt two folds of linen, to the patient's chin, and as foon as one grows cold, let another be ready for the fame purpose. 2. If the former is ineffect

ual, let fome parfly be fried with oil of o lives, or sweet almonds, and applied in form of a cataplafm to the fame part. 3. If more powerful remedies are wanting, employ the fumes of amber, or apply cotton impregnated with the fame to the patient's neck and chin; or the fumes of aromatic plants, as of thyme, or rosemary may ferve: some likewife recommend fuffumigations of bran. 4. Drench fome cotton in warm oil of chamo mile, or get some lana fuccida, which is the most greasy wool of sheep, particularly, that which is found on the necks, of fuch as are alive. This you warm and impregnate with warm oil of fweet almonds, then apply it as the preceding remedies. The two laft, particularly the lana fuccida is a powerful refolvent, becaufe of the fheeps tranfpiration. If the infant be ftrong or old enough,. and the evil ftill fubfifts, bleed him, and let him take fome gentle purgative clyfters. If the tumour, inftead of refolution, tends on the contrary to fuppuration, in fpight of your endeavours, accelerate the latter by a Cataplafm, made of the figgs of Marfeils. The tumour will foon burft by thefe means of it felf, and that commonly into the patient's mouth,