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OF THE CUltE. 245
children ; their pain does not appear to be so very consider-
able, and we are certain that the local inflammation is not
great ; that it is confined to the very parts which suffer, and
is not diffused over the face ; so that in children the symp-
toms of sympathy are often more violent than those of the
parts themselves. Though it is generally a fact, that the
symptoms of Dentition in adults are confined to the parts
immediately injured, it is not always or certainly so ; for
sometimes, as will appear from case the fourth, there will
be the strongest symptoms imaginable from sympathy
;
which seems to be owing to a peculiar aptitude in the con-
stitution to universal sympathy. These pains in the adult
are often periodical, having their regular and fixed periods
from which circumstance they are often supposed to be
aguish, and the bark is administered, but without effect.
Medicines for the rheumatism are likewise given, with as
little success ; when a Tooth will appear, and disclose the
cause of the complaint ; and by lancing the gums the cure
often is performed, but the disease will recur if the gum
happens to heal over the Tooth, which it will very readily
do, if the Tooth is pretty deep. As these Teeth are generally
slower in their growth than the others, and more especially
those which come very late, they become the cause of many
returns of the symptoms. How far children under this
circumstance are subject to paroxysms of the disease, is not
an easy thing to determine ; but from many of their sympa-
thetic symptoms going off and returning, it would appear
that they have also their exacerbation.
OF THE CURE.
The cure of diseases arising from Dentition, from their
nature, can only be temporary and local, even when it is
directed to the real seat of the disease ; and certainly every
method of cure which is not so directed, must prove ineffec-
tual, as it can only operate by destroying the effect. Opiates,
indeed, will in some degree take off the irritation, by destroy-