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Cleanliness of the Mouth. 161
Consumptive persons, those having a febrile state of the
system, and those whose digestive functions are deranged, or
whose bowels are habitually constipated, will often have an
offensive breath which does not depend upon the state of the
mouth.
Remedies.'—The only effectual remedy for this state of the
breath, is the complete removal of its causes ; if this can not
be done, it may be disguised by the frequent use of almost
any aromatic, or aromatic tinctures or washes : of these
last, the tincture of myrrh, largely diluted with water, can be
used with the greatest advdntage. The proper manner of
using the myrrh is to take a sufficient quantity of cold water
in a tumbler, then add enough of the tincture' to cloud it, or
to make it agreeably strong. Chlorine, from its well known
property of destroying animal or vegetable effluvia, has been
strongly recommended. " The chlorine tooth wash," has
been a fashionable remedy. We would advise those who are
disposed to use tooth washes of any kind, to try their effect on
the tooth of any animal, by immersing it in the fluid, for these
washes are apt to contain acids, put into them for the purpose
of " whitening the teeth." A chlorine tooth wash might be
made, that would be innoxious and useful : solutions of the
chlorides of potash, soda, or lime, rendered pleasant by some
of the aromatics, may be used with advantage.




CLEANLINESS OF THE MOUTH.]
The East Indians, though looked upon by civilized nations
as barbarians, are, nevertheless, worthy of imitation by them,
in one particular at least, and this is the attention to cleanli-
ness of the mouth. We have had frequent opportunities of
conversing on this subject, with persons who have resided in
India, and they agree in affirming, that the natives in
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