DENTITION, 
ACCORDING TO SOME OF 
THE BEST AND LATEST GERM AN AUTHORITIES. 
INTENDED FOR DOMESTIC USE. 
BY 
A. C. BECKER, M. D, 
NEW-YORK: 
WILLIAM RADDE, 322 BROADWAY, 
1848. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the'year 1847, by 
WILLIAM RADDE, 
In the Clerk's Office, of the District Court, for the Southern District 
of New York. 
H. Ludwig, Printer, 
70 Veeey et CONTENTS. 
Page 
General Remarks respecting the Teeth, . . 7 
Natural Course of Teething, . . . I 15 
Morbid Course of Teething, . . . Z 27 
Complaints attending Dentition, . . . '.36 
Constipation, . . . I ib. 
Diarrhoea, .... L 37 
Spasms, . . . . i 40 
Acute Hydrocephalus, . . 43 
Homoeopathic Treatment, 53 
Physical Education of Infants, . . . .64 
Outline of the Symptoms of the Four Principal Re- 
medies coming into requisition in the Homoeo- 
pathic Treatment of Morbid Dentition, . 73 b E N T I T IO N. 
GENERAL REMARKS RESPECTING THE TEETH. 
The teeth are by anatomists included 
amongst the bones, but they differ from all 
the other bones in their extreme hardness. 
Their main object is the biting and mastica- 
tion of food, but they are also indispensible 
to the perfect enunciation of the human lan- 
guage, which, after their loss, becomes indis- 
tinct ; and they materially contribute to the 
general health by preparing the food for di- 
gestion, thus greatly diminishing, and ren- 
dering simply natural, the labor imposed up- 
on the stomach. 
Every tooth is composed of a crown, which 
is the part apparent above the gum, a con- 
stricted portion around the base of the crown 
called the neck, and a root, which is contained 
within the socket in the jaw. The three 
parts are in intimate relationship, and thus 
form one single bone. The roots are, if the 8 
DENTITION. 
tooth be perfect, longer than the crown, but 
we find frequent disfiguring variations from 
this rule. The root is either single, as in the 
incisors and eyeteeth, or double and triple, as 
in the molars. 
The whole tooth then consists of a hard, 
dense, white, bony structure, far surpassing 
all other bones in hardness and firmness, 
without any cells or marrow, and having the 
appearance of steel when broken. The root 
of some teeth is covered with a horny struc- 
ture, which is yellow, and less hard. The 
crown is not covered, like other bones, with 
a periosteum, but with a brittle, bony compo- 
sition, called enamel, which forms a crust 
over the whole exposed surface of the crown, 
becoming gradually thinner as it approaches 
the neck. This enamel is firmer, and harder 
even, than the tooth itself,and is thus the hard- 
est structure in the whole human body. In 
a healthy condition its color is yellowish- 
white, and it can hardly be affected by an 
iron file. On its surface, when healthy, it is 
glossy and smooth; it has no vessels or 
nerves ; it is composed of lime and phospho- 
ric acid, with a little carbonic acid, and is 
virtually a mineral substance, covering the 
tooth to protect it, not only against the influ- 
ence of air, food, and beverage, but against 
breaking, when hard substances are bitten 
upon; in fact, supplying the teeth with the DENTITION. 
9 
strength required for their office. If, either 
by outward or inward causes, the enamel is 
injured in such a way as to expose the tooth 
itself, the latter is soon destroyed by caries, 
■which is rendered perceptible by the black 
color of the affected parts. 
• Everybody knows, that the teeth are sen- 
sitive, particularly when they come in con- 
tact with very hot, or very cold substances ; 
since nerves are the seat of every sensation, 
the teeth must therefore be supplied with 
nerves, and their presence has been proved 
by anatomy. Every tooth contains an ob- 
long cavity, which has neither cells nor mar- 
row, as other bones have, but which is cover- 
ed by a thin membrane. The opening into 
this cavity is a small aperture at the point of 
the root, and in the molar teeth each root has 
a separate aperture; the various channels 
however become united in the crown of the 
tooth. Through these channels, and in the 
lining membrane already mentioned, the 
nerves enter, and spread in the minutest 
ramifications through the substance of the 
tooth, imperceptible to the microscope, but 
evident from the fact, that every part of the 
tooth is endowed with sensation. 
The gums embrace the tooth at its neck ; 
so closely, that they cannot be separated 
without bleeding. If the gums become dis- 
eased, they spontaneously separate from he 10 
UENTiTlOItk 
tooth, and leave it exposed, which occurs 
most frequently with the incisors of the lower 
jaw. As the neck of the tooth is not covered 
by so thick a layer of enamel as the crown, 
diseases of the gums, when of long duration, 
always induce a destruction of the teeth; and 
vice versa, a decay of the teeth exercises an 
injurious influence on the gums. The latter 
are dense and firm, consisting of a rather 
hard, spongy, cellular structure, which is very 
vascular. Their sensitiveness is slight, and 
becomes deadened from infancy by the pres- 
sure exercised on them in masticating food. 
With old people, who have lost their teeth, 
(whereupon the sockets become closed by a 
bony structure, and covered by the gums), 
such a degree of hardness, and so great a loss 
of sensation occurs, that the gums may be 
used for the purposes of mastication. 
In childhood too, before the teeth have 
made their appearance, the gums cover the 
jaw bones. The newly-formed teeth must 
pierce the gums, and in another place we 
shall take occasion to caution parents against 
rendering this process more difficult, by un- 
unneccssarily hardening the gums, which is 
so frequently done by encouraging infants to 
bite on hard substances, under the erroneous 
impression, that it facilitates the cutting of the 
teeth. 
The shape of the teeth varies, and we di* DENTITION. 
11 
vide them into incisors, canine or eye-teeth, 
and molars. 
1. The incisors or front teeth, which oc- 
cupy the extreme front of the jaws, are dis- 
tinguishable from the other teeth by their 
breadth. These teeth are found in man, and 
herbiferous mammalia only ; in carniverous 
animals they are round and pointed. 
Each jaw has four incisors, thus there are 
eight of them altogether. Usually, the inci- 
sors of the upper jaw are larger than those 
of the lower, and the former project over the 
latter; occasionally they are of a striking 
and disgusting size. The two middle ones 
are larger than the others. The roots are 
simple and oblong, seemingly pinched toge- 
ther from both sides, and terminating in a 
blunt point. The shape of the crown is that 
of a chisel, convex in front, concave behind. 
Their use is to bite off the food ; on them also 
depends the accuracy and distinctness of ar- 
ticulation. 
2. The canine, or eye-teeth, are to be 
found on both sides of the incisors, two in 
each jaw, thus altogether four. They serve 
to bite, or tear, such food as is too firm for 
the incisors. Their roots are simple and ob- 
long, but longer than those of the incisors, 
and so large, as to be seen and felt under the 
gums. The two eye-teeth of the upper jaw 
are, on the whole, stouter and longer than 12 
DENTITION. 
those of the lower, and very much disposed, 
in many cases, to protrude from under the lips. 
3. The molar teeth are those, which 
chiefly come into play in eating, as they serve 
to masticate the food. Thjey also contribute 
towards the symmetry of the face, by filling 
up the cheeks. 
A full-grown person has 20 molar teeth; 
5 on each side of each jaw. The two first 
are smaller than the other three ; have small- 
er crowns, which are divided by a ridge in 
the middle, Their roots are sometimes sin- 
gle, at others double. The three back mo- 
lars are larger and flatter in the crown, which 
is divided cross-wise by two ridges. The 
last molar tooth on each side of each jaw- 
bone appears very late, rarely before the 
sixteenth year, sometimes after the thirtieth, 
and occasionally not at all. Owing to the 
late appearance of these teeth, they have been 
called wisdom teeth. 
Thus, an adult should have altogether 32 
teeth-8 incisors, 4 canine, and 20 molar. 
They are developed in a very different man- 
ner from other bones. Every tooth is form- 
ed in its socket, which, until the tooth has 
broken through, is on all sides closed by 
bone, and moreover, covered by the gums. 
In this socket, thus immured, we find at 
first a little membranous, vascular sac, sur- 
rounded by a soft cellular structure. Du- DENTITION. 
13 
ring the third and fourth month of pregnan- 
cy, the germ of the tooth is developed in 
each of these little sacs, consisting at first of 
a soft, gelatinous, transparent substance, in 
which, from the fifth month upwards, the 
bony matter is gradually evolved. Thus is 
created, at first the bony part of the crown, 
next, the bony substance of the root, the 
growth of which gradually pushes up the 
crown, and finally causes the tooth to pierce 
the gums. Much yet remains in the dark 
concerning the formation and development 
of the teeth, particularly with reference to 
the enamel. 
With regard to the natural process of 
teething, we. shall speak in the next division 
of our subject, and therefore confine ourselves 
in this place to stating the fact, that the cut- 
ting of the teeth is caused by the gradual 
growth of the roots. Thereby the crown is 
pressed against the edges of the socket, and 
the gums covering this, until these parts be- 
come gradually so thin, as finally to yield, 
and then the crown becomes visible under 
the skin. 
Before birth, and for some months after, 
the sockets of the teeth are closed. 
The teeth which appear during the first 
period of life are called milk-teeth, because 
they fall out in the seventh or eighth year, 
to be replaced by new and permanent ones. 14 
DENTITION. 
There are 20 of these milk-teeth, and the 
succession in which they appear, will be no- 
ticed in the next chapters. Usually, they 
are all present by, or soon after, the end of the 
second year: thus, the first teething is suc- 
ceeded by an interval of several years ; the 
second commences about the eighth year. 
The milk teeth then begin to loosen, and ge- 
nerally fall out in the same order in which 
they appeared. Their place is taken by the 
permanent teeth, which are larger and have 
longer roots. About the same time the jaws 
reach their full growth, and the back molar 
appear, which are not changed. 
The milk teeth are not pushed out by the 
permanent, but their roots disappear gradu- 
ally, until they become too short to hold the 
teeth in the socket, upon which they fall out. 
But there are many instances where the dis- 
appeared roots grow again, if the milk teeth 
are not removed in season. These become 
then once more firmly fastened, and the new 
permanent teeth are obliged to grow in an 
oblique direction. This can be obviated only 
by a seasonable extraction of the milk toothy 
which ought never to be omitted or delayed ; 
in the first place, because the face becomes 
disfigured, and in the second, because the 
early decay of the teeth is promoted by such 
deformity, the food sticking between, and de- 
composing them. DENTITION. 
15 
NATURAL COURSE OF TEETHING. 
Having in the previous chapter briefly- 
explained what the teeth are, and how they 
differ one from another, we now proceed to 
describe the natural, and healthy process of 
dentition, which must be first explained, be- 
fore that, which is morbid and unhealthy, can 
be understood. 
The first teething marks one of the most 
important eras in the child's life. Yet it is 
a mistake to look upon this dentition as the 
only, and chief symptom of this period of de- 
velopment, and to regard it as a mere vege- 
table growth in the jaw. The phenomena 
which become apparent about the time of 
dentition, belong to the whole infantile orga- 
nization, and that is precisely the reason why 
it is so frequently attended with fatal results. 
The most superficial observer cannot help 
noticing the external change in the organism 
of the child. The face, which hitherto had 
no expression, receives a distinctness of fea- 
tures ; the expression of the eye acquires a 
meaning; the mind seems from that time to 
speak through it, and that very important 
changes must be going forward in the brain 
about this period, is manifested by the altera- 16 
DENTITION. 
tion in the shape of the forehead, which so 
far had been very prominent, but now flat- 
tens and becomes broader. The appearance 
of the teeth separates the jaws further ; the 
face, which was round, becomes oval; and 
this, too, adds to the expression of the fea- 
tures. 
At the same time there is a change in the 
mode of living ; by furnishing the child with 
teeth, nature seems to hint that it should 
now receive more solid food. Agreeably to 
the dictates of nature, the child's nourish- 
ment has thus far been confined to the milk 
of the mother or wet-nurse ; but now the in- 
fant must be weaned, and receive nourishment 
which assimilates more to the diet of the 
adult. Keeping the infant at the breast 
after teeth have been cut, is a very per- 
nicious practice, injurious to mother and 
child. But the change from mother's milk 
to solid food should be gradual. If sudden, 
the feeble powers of digestion in the infant 
will fie destroyed, and scrofula with its kin- 
dred diseases, worms, etc., are engendered ; 
laying the foundation for a weak and sickly 
constitution. 
Dentition is so much dreaded by many, 
that they are apt to attribute all indisposition, 
and every death during the first months of 
life, to its effects. 
Others again go into an opposite extreme, DENTITION. 
17 
and maintain, that teething is a natural pro- 
cess, requiring no interference of art. Both 
are wrong. The process of teething in itself 
is certainly no disease, still less a dangerous 
one, but merely a natural period in the de- 
velopment of the child's organism. Yet the 
increased activity of animal life, and greater 
excitement in the vascular system, may, 
combined with the nervous irritation, which 
is always present during dentition, occasion 
violent and dangerous symptoms. 
The period, at which the first teeth appear, 
is not the same with all children; generally 
about the eighth month, sometimes the ele- 
venth or twelfth; seldom later. 
Too early, and too late teething are both 
critical. In the first case we must apprehend, 
that the constitution will not be strong enough 
to bear the revolutions in its organism, and 
in the second case we draw the conclusion, 
that there is a languid activity in the deve- 
lopment, and a morbid condition in the 
growth. In most cases a very late dentition 
may be regarded as a premonitory sign of 
scrofula, wherefore it is essential to bestow 
additional care on the treatment of children 
who begin to teeth late. 
Very rarely teeth appear soon after birth, 
and still more unusual is it to see children 
born with teeth. King Louis XIV. was 
born with a tooth. 18 
DENTITION. 
The order in which the teeth appear, is 
not the same with all children ; the most 
common order is as follows: first, the two 
middle incisors of the lower jaw, then the 
corresponding incisors of the upper jaw ; 
next, the two outside incisors of the lower 
jaw, and soon after those of the upper; after 
another interval, the first four molars, then 
the eye-teeth, then again four molars, and 
this concludes the first dentition, which 
usually lasts from the twenty-fourth, or 
twenty-eighth week of the child's life, till 
the end of the second year. 
In the cutting of a tooth, we notice two 
distinct stages: during the first, the tooth 
swells in its entire germ, expands, and presses 
hard on all the parts surrounding it : during 
the second stage, it is elongated, elevated, 
pressing against the gums, and finally break- 
ing through them. These two stages do not 
succeed each other rapidly, but there is fre- 
quently a long interval between them, during 
which the infant appears free from pain, 
even though the suffering had been very 
severe during the first stage. The breaking 
through the gum, or rather the close of the 
second stage, is not usually accompanied by 
suffering, or other morbid symptoms. As 
soon as the process of dentition commences, 
we notice general irritation in the mouth, 
but no particular redness of the gums, no DENTITION. 
19 
swelling, or elevated spot on them. The 
child begins to salivate profusely, becomes 
uneasy, frequently utters a sudden cry, after 
Which it is at once again easy, sometimes 
the eyes are reddened, especially in the inner 
angles, and the cheeks occasionally flushed. 
The sleep is interrupted by sudden, fright- 
ened startings, and the gums appear to itch, 
as the child shows a great desire to put every- 
thing into the mouth, and to chew on it, and 
likes to have the gums rubbed with a finger. 
However harmless it may appear to give 
way to the child's wishes, it is very neces- 
sary not to carry this indulgence too far, or 
to give it hard substances into the mouth. 
Biting on such, hardens the gums, and it is 
self-evident, that the cutting of the tooth 
through hardened gums must materially ag- 
gravate the infant's sufferings. It is, there- 
fore, very fallacious to give teething infants 
ivory and other hard rings to bite upon; 
those made of India-rubber are much to be 
preferred ; but a crust of bread is still better, 
after having been a little moistened in warm 
milk or water, and it may be fastened 
with a string about the child's neck, so that 
it cannot be swallowed. But the chewing 
of ^ven such soft things is to be allowed 
only whilst the gums are soft, and free from 
inflammation ; if they are dry, hot, and pain- 
ful, the chewing and rubbing will only in- 
crease the difficulty. 20 
DENTITION. 
Amongst the earliest symptoms which ac- 
company dentition, is a diarrhoea, which is 
to be regarded as a beneficial effort of nature. 
The whole process of evolution seems to be 
going on in the head ; the blood rushes thi- 
ther in greater abundance, and in children 
who carry the germ of a disease within them, 
symptoms of a very alarming nature may 
appear in consequence. Everything calcu- 
lated, at this time, to draw towards another 
point the excess of vitality in the head, is at 
the same time capable of preventing bad con- 
sequences. In this way does the diarrhoea 
act in dentition. Beware, then,- of stopping 
this diarrhoea by any imprudence ! Let it 
take its course, unless it be in excess, or if 
there are serious symptoms present, to indi- 
cate that the diarrhoea is owing to distur- 
bances in the digestive organs, from other 
causes than teething. We should come to* 
this last conclusion from emaciation of the 
child, a rumbling in the belly, inflammation 
on the anus, etc., and what is to be done 
then, will be found in a succeeding chapter. 
As a general thing, we need apprehend 
nothing from the diarrhoea of children during 
dentition, but leave it to itself in those infants, 
who have been brought up carefully, and 
sensibly; who have not been allowed cake 
and other objectionable food; who have, 
until dentition commenced, received nothing 
in the way of nourishment, but the mother's DENTITION. 
21 
milk; who have been kept clean ; neither 
too warmly clad, nor unnecessarily exposed 
to cold and damp ; who, in fact, have been 
brought up in such a ihanner, as to leave 
their digestive organs in a normal condi- 
tion. 
The first stage of dentition, described thus 
far, is sometimes long, at others short. It is 
followed by an intermission, during which 
the child is quiet. Next comes the second 
stage. The young tooth strives to pierce 
the gums, which become burning hot, and 
communicate the heat to the mouth, checks, 
and the entire head. The child dreads tak- 
ing anything into the mouth, utters a loud 
cry when biting on any substance, even the 
nipple. On the spot*where, the tooth is en- 
deavoring to break through, we notice either 
a white, or deep red point, which is very sen- 
sitive to the touch; the child changes color 
suddenly, is uneasy, shows a desire to leave 
the nurse's arms, and be laid down, which 
has hardly been done, when it wishes to be 
taken up again ; it is pleased with nothing, 
it wishes to drink, but draws itself back 
when put to the breast-in short, it is evi- 
dently tormented by painful sensations, 
which give it no peace or comfort, and are 
often accompanied by flashes of fever, and 
diarrhoea. 
The painful symptoms attending the cut- 22 
DENTITION. 
ting of the teeth are most violent at the time 
the first appear, because about this period the 
general development of the organism shows 
itself most intensely. When the last milk- 
teeth are cut, the violence of the period is 
generally over, the whole difficulty of the 
trouble is confined to the mere cutting of the 
teeth, and there is no longer any fear of 
danger. 
Many labor under the mistaken idea, 
and are confirmed in it by some physi- 
cians even, that the size and shape of the 
teeth has much influence as regards easy or 
difficult dentition. If this were true, the 
cutting of the eye-teeth would be the easi- 
est, and that of the molars the most difficult, 
whereas just the reverse is the fact. We 
maintain, therefore, that the alarming symp- 
toms, during dentition, are not to be ascribed 
to the piercing of the jaws and gums by 
the teeth, but to the general evolution of the 
body. Thus the suffering during dentition, 
depends on the greater, or less, excitability of 
the whole system, produced by the greater 
or less degree of constitutional derangement. 
We have described the course of dentition, 
as it. appears naturally and usually. There 
are a great many deviations from this 
course, and to such abnormal conditions we 
shall devote a special chapter. 
We have still, however, to notice the fact, DENTITION. 
23 
that in some children the teeth arc cut 
without even the knowledge of the parents, 
and without any symptoms indicative of the 
process. If it be true, that in healthy and 
strong children, the whole period of evolu- 
tion, teething of course included, generally 
passes favorably, this ought not to dispose 
us to pronounce as being healthy and strong, 
all those, whose dentition is unattended with 
any untoward symptoms. 
On the contrary, we shall find that such 
children are generally among the weakest, 
in whom nature is in so negative a condition, 
as to be incapable of any powerful demon- 
stration. There is reason for alarm, both in 
a totally painless, and in a very painful den- 
tition : the middle course is decidedly the 
best. 
In concluding this chapter, we must say 
something on the diet of teething chil- 
dren. It is, indeed, of the highest impor- 
tance, that the diet should be attended to 
from the time of birth ; but by going back 
thus far, we should exceed our limits, and di- 
verge into an essay on Dietetics, instead of 
one on Dentition. 
A judicious attention to diet, from the 
birth, most indubitably reaps its beneficial 
consequences during dentition, because it 
enables the infant to go through the dangers 
of teething without injury. In such cases 24 
DENTITION. 
there is hardly need for anything but care, to 
preserve the digestive powers in their normal 
state. 
The mother should take care to keep the 
bowels open by tepid injections, if there 
should be a disposition to costiveness. In 
dangerous cases only, recourse may be had 
to more powerful means, which will be indi- 
cated in the next chapter. We have already 
observed, that if diarrhoea be present, it 
should not be checked, unless arising from 
other causes than dentition. We strongly 
recommend plenty of fresh air, whenever the 
weather permits it. Nothing is more inju- 
rious than keeping the infant too warm, or 
too cold. Be cautious, too, during this period, 
that the child's feet be warm, which will 
have the effect of drawing the' blood from 
the head, and prevent mischief in the latter; 
keep the head cool, and never cover it with 
warm caps. If the child has plenty of hair, 
the head needs no other covering within 
doors ; if it has not, cover it as lightly as pos- 
sible. The bed should be Well aired, the 
bed-clothes light. Tepid baths are, by their 
cleansing properties, great auxiliaries in pre- 
serving the lives of children, and during den- 
tition an additional reason for their use is to 
be found in their soothing influence. 
Infants are generally quiet at the breast 
during dentition; at least they should be so. DENTITION. 
25 
The mother, or nurse, should contribute her 
share towards the child's relief, which she 
can do by confining herself to a cooling 
diet, and avoiding all heavy food, that the 
milk may not become too rich for the infant's 
digestive powers. If the child has been 
weaned, its diet should be regulated with 
extreme care, because during dentition there 
is additional liability to disorder in the diges- 
tive organs, often causing indisposition, 
which, combined with the dental irritation, is 
apt to occasion severe and dangerous dis- 
eases. 
Therefore, never wean a child during 
the cutting of the first teeth. It is best 
to nurse the child eight or nine months, 
and usually in the ninth month there 
will be that quiet interval, which sepa- 
rates the cutting of the incisors from the mo- 
lars. In those cases where dentition com- 
mences late, weaning should also be defer- 
red. As we have said, diet is of the greatest 
importance during dentition, and it can of 
course be better regulated at the breast, than 
if the child had already been accustomed to 
other nourishment. We cannot here enter 
upon the best method for weaning-(that will 
be found in works on dietetics)-and confine 
ourselves to laying down general rules:- 
the child should not be weaned until the 
violence in the evolutions has passed, and a 26 
DENTITION. 
time of perfect quiet and strength has arrived. 
After weaning also, the child should be ac- 
customed only to very light diet, because 
rich and heavy articles of food would be lia- 
ble at this period to lay the foundation for 
rickets and scrofula ; finally, the child must 
be as much as possible in the open air, if it 
is to live through the period of dentition. DENTITION. 
27 
MORBID COURSE OF TEETHING. 
We have already said, that the cutting of 
the teeth is the natural barrier between the 
first, and second period of a child's life, and 
that, consequently, dentition is to be looked 
upon as a necessary, and natural function of 
the organism. We have likewise observed, 
that dentition is not to be considered as a 
disease, and that nothing need be appre- 
hended from it alone in healthy children. 
A combination of unfavorable circumstances 
may change this natural process into a dis- 
eased state, and give origin to actual malady. 
We have also remarked already, that den- 
tition, as a process of evolution, is not attri- 
butable to a mere increase of vitality in the 
jaw, but that it belongs to the general acti- 
vity of life, the more so, as this change leaves 
traces in the whole organism. The cutting 
of the teeth is consequently only a limited, 
and single part of the whole evolution. The 
latter is manifested by the fact, that now the 
animal functions become more apparent and 
prominent. The child grows less dependent, 
resists external influences, and its general 
appearance, particularly about the head, un- 
dergoes a change. The gradual disappear- 28 
DENTITION. 
ance of the very striking prominence of the 
forehead gives to the face a more lively and 
intelligent appearance ; the expression of the 
eye is now more quick and speaking ; all the 
features become more distinct, and show 
some degree of character ; the entire frame 
gains strength and firmness; and now the 
fontanelles on the top of the head begin to 
close entirely. 
It is evident that, when all these changes 
are going on too rapidly, when the necessary 
current of blood to the brain, which is the 
main seat of the evolution, is too violent, the 
brain may be overloaded, and dangerous fe- 
brile movements, as also derangement of all 
functions, may be the consequence. This 
must be borne in mind in order to understand 
correctly the whole process. The general 
evolution of the organic system, and individ- 
ual organs, accounts for the increased activity 
of the circulation during this period, for con- 
gestion to the head, red, glowing cheeks, 
frequent inflammation of the eyes, eruptions 
of the skin on the head and face, tendency to 
inflammation of, and water on the brain, so 
very frequent during dentition. We account 
for the increased, and. altered secretion of sa- 
liva in teething children, by I he local irrita- 
tion ; and for the watery, mucous, and bilious 
diarrhoea, by the consensual influence of the 
brain, which is likewise affected, and by the DENTITION. 
29 
whole constitutional derangement. The idea 
that dentition is only a local affection, con- 
fined to the gums and the jaw, is, as we 
have shown, a very erroneous one. 
The question next to be considered is - 
What constitutes morbid or difficult dentition? 
Dentition is morbid, when accompanied 
by severe^ constitutional, general derange- 
ment. Violent fever, obstinate constipation, 
a comatose state, drowsiness, and convul- 
sions, are the wor§t symptoms of this period, 
and if not promptly arrested, they will either 
kill the child very soon by apoplexy, or pave 
the way for, or leave behind them, the germ 
for subsequent and dangerous diseases, such 
as hydrocephalus, epilepsy, and paralysis. 
As regards the diarrhoea during dentition, 
we have already pointed out its beneficial 
action; but if it should be in excess, espe- 
cially in children who have been suddenly 
weaned, it becomes very dangerous. Should 
convulsions supervene to the diarrhoea, the 
child's chances for life are very small. 
What we have to dread especially, is too 
great a rush of blood to the head, and over- 
loading of the brain producing congestion ; 
this is a condition attended with immediate 
danger, and requires energetic and most pow- 
erful treatment; therefore it is, that a gentle 
loss of humors is of such great service in 
dentition, and hence the diarrhoea is soothing. 30 
DENTITION. 
If teething children are costive, their bow- 
els should be kept open artificially, and the 
more so, if their constitutions be plethoric. 
Constipation is always attended with in- 
creased tendency of blood to the head, and 
thus there is with it always danger of cere- 
bral affections. 
The first means to be resorted to for keep- 
ing the bowels open, are tepid injections, 
which may be repeated three to four times 
during the day. The mother must adopt a 
very meagre diet, that the child may receive 
only very easily-digestible milk. If the infant 
be weaned already, it should live on liquid 
food, thin water gruel, barley water, honey 
and water, and whey. The latter should be 
made thus :-take one pint of milk, and the 
white of three eggs, beat the latter a little, 
then pour it into the milk, and let them boil 
together. The white of the eggs, and the 
solid parts of the milk unite, and form a se- 
diment. The clean whey should then be 
strained, and a little sugar added, when it 
will be ready for use. 
Usually, in these cases, the children have 
but little appetite, and they should not be 
urged to eat. Particularly objectionable is 
all rich and heating food. Toast-water, 
thin gruel, diluted milk, and boiled fruit, 
may be given. 
In more aggravated cases small doses of DENTITION. 
31 
Nux vomica tincture, are very valuable, and 
may be alternated with Sulphur. 
Local treatment of the gums, does little, 
if any, good. To lance the gums has no 
other advantage than the abstraction of 
blood, temporarily relieving the inflamma- 
tion. It is of no assistance to the coming 
tooth ; and the best modern physicians now 
never perform this operation, considering it 
as useless, and a wanton infliction of pain 
upon the infant. If abstraction of blood be 
desirable for relief, it is far more easily and 
surely to be obtained by a leech. 
Other local remedies are also of little use. 
To rub the gums, as many do, with various 
substances, is mere quackery. They have 
been recommended by ignorant people, who 
look upon dentition as a local affection. 
As long as the febrile symptoms remain 
slight, there is no necessity for medical in- 
terference. Strict diet will be sufficient, 
if assisted by careful attention to keeping 
the head cool and the feet warm. The suf- 
ferings are aggravated in the evening, and 
therefore additional care is necessary at that 
time, even in the lightest cases. Exposure 
to the evening air is very objectionable. 
If, on the other hand, the fever increases 
if the head, particularly the forehead, grows 
hotter; if the eyes appear dull; if the child 32 
DENTITION. 
seems to seek something with its hands, or 
squints; if the urine be scanty and dark- 
colored, the point of the tongue redder, 
and the nose obstructed ; and if the whole 
body of the child feels hot and dry, then the 
fever has reached a height which gives 
ground for alarm, and requires that a physi- 
cian be immediately called in. 
The choice of the physician, on which we 
have also something to say, is, however, a 
very difficult one. But few practitioners 
have the rare gift of being good physicians 
for children. This gift consists in a natural 
talent-not to be acquired-a love of chil- 
dren, and an understanding of the means of 
gaining their affection and confidence, so that 
they will readily allow themselves to be exa- 
mined and watched. It requires the practical 
eye, bestowed on few by nature, and which 
is so necessary for apprehension, concentra- 
tion, and separation of symptoms, because 
the child cannot explain, or show, where the 
seat of its suffering lies. It requires a cir- 
cumspect tranquillity, which does not allow 
a single point or circumstance, deserving ex- 
amination, to escape him ; and finally, that. 
knowledge and caution which correctly regu- 
lates the dose. 
To return. When the fever increases, it 
assumes an inflammatory character, and the DENTITION. 
33 
treatment should be regulated accordingly. 
The best remedy in such a case is the tinc- 
ture of Aconite. Put two drops of it into 
half a tumblerful of water, and give a tea- 
spoonful of the solution every hour, or half 
hour, or even fifteen minutes, according to 
the severity of the symptoms and the tem- 
perament, until the violence of the fever has 
been broken, which will become evident by 
the moisture of the skin. As long as the 
latter remains dry, the danger is not over, 
and the more profuse the perspiration, the 
better. 
This treatment will usually be sufficient, 
but in severe cases it will be advisable to al- 
ternate this remedy with Belladonna, mixed 
in the same way, but not given as frequently 
as the Aconite; and to add to this internal 
treatment, warm foot-baths in the evening, 
tepid injections, etc. 
But if in spite of all these remedies, the rush 
of blood to the head should increase, and 
the symptoms reach their height, we may 
reasonably fear the effusion of water on the 
brain, and the treatment under such circum- 
stances ought to be confided to the hands of 
a judicious physician. If early and careful 
precautions be taken, the violence of the cir- 
culation will soon be arrested, and with it the 
other symptoms will disappear. 34 
DENTITION. 
After recovery, dietetics should in all par- 
ticulars be closely attended to. It will be 
necessary to strengthen the child, taking 
care not to nourish it too much, because that 
might unduly increase the quantity of blood, 
and cause an inflammatory relapse. For 
the same reason, the child's head should be 
kept constantly cool, and a general principle 
in bringing up children be carried out, to 
wit:-the removal of all baneful influences 
on the senses, by keeping the child in a 
moderate temperature, exposing it freely to 
the open air, with due regard to clothing 
adapted to the season, by daily ablutions 
and baths, and a plain diet, free from all 
spice, and other exciting articles of food and 
drink. 
All complaints connected with dentition 
should be treated with particular care and 
caution, because owing to the increased 
nervous susceptibility during this period, the 
medicines act more powerfully than other- 
wise. 
A peculiar feebleness in teething children 
is always more or less striking: thus, those 
who could run alone previously, lose their 
power, or walk timidly, and are easily fa- 
tigued. The foundation for either long indis- 
positions, or firm and permanent health, may 
be laid during this period of a child's exist- DENTITION. 
35 
ence; because all the powers are violently- 
excited, and many a slumbering tendency is 
awakened; therefore most chronic diseases 
of children-scrofula, rickets, etc., have their 
origin in the evolution of this period, which, 
on the other hand, again, is the means of 
banishing from the system many previous 
dispositions to ill-health. 36 
DENTITION. 
COMPLAINTS ATTENDING DENTITION. 
Constipation.-We have observed already, 
that injections should first be fairly tried. 
They are the most harmless of all means, 
because they excite only the lower part of 
the bowels to motion, and clear the way for 
the accumulated and hardened faeces. The 
best injections are of gruel, oil and sugar, 
and suffice generally to give immediate re- 
lief. Purgatives, without exception, should 
be avoided as long as possible. 
The main point to be attended to, is to 
remove the disposition to costiveness; and 
doing this, we should start with the know- 
ledge that costiveness in infancy is attribu- 
table only to errors in diet. If the child be 
still at the breast, the mother should at once 
be restricted to light and cooling diet; but if 
already weaned, the child's diet should be 
very light, and consist almost exclusively of 
thin mutton broth and pearl-barley water. 
If children at the breast are costive, we 
may safely presume that the milk is too rich, 
and is therefore digested with difficulty. The DENTITION. 
37 
mother should not take very nourishing bev- 
erages, such as beer or milk, but live chiefly 
on vegetables and fruit. 
The treatment for constipation will be 
laid down in the succeeding chapter. It 
may be aided by injections, and externally 
olive oil, a little warmed, may be rubbed 
twice a day on the child's abdomen. In ex- 
treme cases, and such only, when all other 
means have failed, and the child is evidently 
suffering from a want of evacuation of the 
bowels, it will be well to administer a dose 
of castor oil or manna, taking care not un- 
necessarily to resort to these remedies. 
Diarrhcea.-We have already said, that 
the diarrhoea, so long as it remains within 
proper bounds, is not an alarming symptom, 
but is to be regarded as a natural effort to 
relieve the head. But a very impaired 
digestion may render it dangerous, and it 
frequently carries children off, baffling all 
treatment. The diarrhcea caused by den- 
tition is generally white, mucous, or green. 
If it be but moderate, leave it alone. It is 
the best means of relieving the head, and 
guards against dangerous symptoms, convul- 
sions, fever, etc. But if it become too vio- 38 
DENTITION. 
lent, all we can do, is to modify the irrita- 
bility and its effects, since we cannot remove 
the cause. 
The sovereign remedy in such a case is 
Chamomilla, which if taken in time, and 
administered rightly, and understandingly, 
will in most instances supersede the necessity 
of giving any other medicine. The dose 
should be two to three drops of the tincture 
in a tumblerful of water; a tea-spoonful at 
a time every two, three or four hours. And if 
this were to fail, we have other remedies to 
depend upon, which have been used suc- 
cessfully in these cases, over and over again. 
There is Mercurius, Arsenic, Ipecacuanha, 
Rhubarb, Sulphur, Calcarea, China, etc., 
which ought not however to be indiscrimi- 
nately selected, but with due reference to the 
totality of the symptoms. 
At the same time we would caution the 
parents against using these remedies in such 
a case in "high attenuations." We do so 
not simply upon our own authority, but 
upon that of some of the oldest, most expe- 
rienced and eminent physicians, feeling sure 
that they will bear us out in our advice, not 
to give, in such a case, any remedy in a 
higher attenuation, or trituration, than the 
third. 
On the other hand, we would caution them DENTITION. 
39 
against the popular remedies, such as " chalk- 
mixture," " paregoric," etc. They do not 
cure, because they are not homoeopathic to 
the case, but they merely palliate for the 
moment, frequently bringing on an alarming 
re-action; and if the child recovers, it is 
nature who has done the work, not they. 
But if the Diarrhoea becomes very violent, 
we may aid the internal treatment, which 
will be more fully treated of in the following 
chapter, by mucilaginous injections, such as 
starch, etc. Take a table-spoonful of starch, 
pour it into a small cup of water, and add 
one half of the yolk of an egg. The latter is 
peculiarly efficacious in these cases, and we 
know of several instances, in which diar- 
rhoea and dysentery in adults defied every 
other treatment, but were arrested by an in- 
jection of the yolk of an egg in water or 
milk. Some practitioners recommend crusts 
of bread soaked in wine, or a few sheets of 
blotting paper dipped in brandy, and placed 
between two cloths, to be put on the abdo- 
men in extreme cases. 
In several cases where all hope seemed to 
be gone, the milk of a fresh, and good wet- 
nurse, has saved the child. When this ap- 
pears necessary and practicable, it should 
not be omitted, or deferred too long. With 
those children whose mothers are healthy, 40 
DENTITION. 
the diarrhoea rarely assumes an alarming 
type. 
After recovery from dangerous diarrhoea, 
the little patient should be treated with very 
great care, particularly with regard to diet. 
Spasms.-These are a very bad symptom, 
and attributable to sanguineous congestion, 
or inflammatory affection of the brain, which 
is manifested by redness of the face, heat of 
the head and forehead, and a soporous state. 
The dangers to be apprehended from this 
state are apoplexy, and water on the brain. 
The longer they last, and the more frequent 
their occurrence, the greater the danger. 
The most dangerous are those, in which the 
infant keeps its eyes widely open. The 
most frequent form of spasms during denti- 
tion are: 
1. Spasmodic laughter. This appears very 
trifling to the inexperienced eye. A few 
muscles of the face are distorted, and a 
smile, otherwise foreign to the child, plays 
round its mouth. How many a mother 
overlooks this smile, little thinking to what 
great danger it points ! 
2. Lockjaw, in which the child is unable to 
separate the jaws. DENTITION. 
41 
3. Tetanus, or spasms with rigidity. A 
very dangerous condition, in which all the 
muscles of the body become stiffened, and 
the whole body is bent either forward or 
backward. 
4. The general spasms, called convulsions, 
being spasms of the muscles of the face and 
extremities, without being accompanied by 
painful sensations. 
5. The internal spasms, which are ushered 
in with symptoms plainly indicating that 
the whole nervous system is deeply affected. 
Distortion of the face, especially of the eyes, 
sudden startings of the body, uneasy throw- 
ing about of the head, gnashing of teeth, 
gasping anxiously for breath, moaning and 
frothing at the mouth, and loss of conscious- 
ness, are the symptoms of internal spasms, 
which may reach a fearful height, making 
the infant a piteous object. 
The causes for convulsions are various. 
The weaker and more excitable a child is, 
the more decided is the tendency to convul- 
sions. If to this be added any circumstance 
exercising a powerful influence on the nerv- 
ous system, convulsions soon follow. They 
may be produced by any error of diet, bad 
food, too much or too little nourishment, 
sudden changes of temperature, and inap- 
propriate clothing. 42 
DENTITION. 
Every violent and sudden emotion of the 
mother, whether of an agreeable or disa- 
greeable nature, may exert such an influence 
on the infant as to cause convulsions. 
Therefore the mother or nurse ought, after 
every mental excitement, to have her milk 
drawn off, and not until the mind is again 
calm, offer the breast to the infant. Above 
all, however, it should be remembered, that 
in every severe disease of childhood lies a 
disposition to convulsions. Every form of 
disease, in which the brain and nerves sym- 
pathize, and likewise every fever, may cause 
them. 
The prognosis in convulsions of infants is 
very difficult and critical. They constitute 
one of the most dangerous and important 
diseases, being liable to suddenly-fatal ter- 
minations. 
For the treatment of these convulsions 
during dentition, we refer to the next chap- 
ter. DENTITION. 
43 
Acute hydrocephalus.-A dangerous in- 
flammatory affection of the brain, very rapid 
in its course, and usually occurring between 
the second and sixth years, sometimes ear- 
lier, but very rarely later. 
The premonitory signs are: a change in the 
manner of the child, which becomes peevish 
and drowsy. Some have noticed also an 
unsteadiness in the gait, and an itching at 
the nose. Others, again, a fine dry eruption 
on the cheeks, arms, and sometimes on the 
lips. And some look upon the muddy, 
whey-like urine as a characteristic and in- 
fallible sign. 
The symptoms indicating uncontrollably- 
excited activity of the vascular system, 
and violent rush of blood to the head, are,- 
a high continued fever, quick and hard pulse, 
great heat of the body, burning heat of the 
head, rapid breathing, hot breath. 
At first the whole is an inflammatory 
fever, which has its seat in the brain; but if 
this pathological condition is not speedily 
arrested, effusion of water on the brain will 
soon follow. 
The anxiety and uneasiness of the child, 
the great intolerance of light and sound, soon 
succeeded by want of sleep, with loss of 
consciousness, the fright and startings of the 44 
DENTITION. 
child, are evidences that the nervous system 
is deeply affected in its centre. There is 
nausea present, but vomiting seldom takes 
place. Further symptoms are costiveness, 
rough and dry skin, scanty and red urine. 
The predisposing cause lies in the greater 
vitality of the brain, brought on by the 
period of evolution which is marked by den- 
tition. We find that the fluids of the body 
show great tendency at this period to rush 
to the brain, and the disproportion between 
the head and body are very striking to every 
one. The greater the vitality in the brain, 
the more decided is the tendency to this form 
of disease. This accounts for the fact, that 
very lively children, who show early intel- 
ligence and brightness, are most liable to be 
affected with this disease, whilst we never 
meet with it in adults. 
The immediate causes embrace every- 
thing which tends to increase the rush of 
blood to the head, or to excite within the 
brain an excess of morbid activity. Thus, a 
violent fever, in connection with the teething, 
may cause this disease, every external injury 
to the head, and everything that acts as an 
irritant to the brain, such as the use of 
emetics, narcotics, metastasis of exanthema- 
tous diseases, and suppression of chronic 
eruptions on the head. DENTITION. 
45 
The prognosis depends upon the violence 
of the disease, and on the rapidity of its 
course. 
This inflammatory affection of the brain 
is, of all the diseases of children, the most 
dangerous, because it endangers a tender 
and most important organ. It sometimes 
terminates on the fourth day, or leaves a 
chronic state behind. For this reason prompt 
and decided measures are necessary. When 
the first stage is passed, no hope of a cure 
remains. In the first stage no effusion is 
present, which accounts for the rapid and fa- 
vorable results of prompt and judicious 
treatment during this stage. When the dis- 
ease has reached its utmost height, apoplexy 
occurs, owing to the overloading of the 
brain, and the child dies suddenly with all 
the symptoms of paralysis, or the tender 
structure of the brain becomes disorganized, 
and internal spasms, or general convulsions 
bring on a fatal termination under the most 
awful distortions; enough to break the pa- 
rent's heart. 
The symptoms which indicate the pre- 
sence of the last and incurable state of ef- 
fusion, are: dilated pupil which does not 
contract under the influence of light, squint- 
ing, slight injection of the conjunctiva, 
sleeplessness with coma, low muttering de- 46 
DENTITION. 
lirium, small thread-like pulse, frequently 
remitting, hot skin, dry tongue, paralysis 
on one side of the body, difficult respiration, 
unconscious discharge of faeces and urine, 
to which ultimately are added convulsive 
movements in the extremities. These are 
followed by a long and most frightful 
spasm, which terminates in death. If the 
skin should become moist, and repeated dark 
green stools, with more abundant urine, 
should occur, there is a ray of hope left, and 
the disease may not reach the terrific height 
we have described. 
There are three stages in this disease : 1. 
the inflammatory stage, 2. the stage of exu- 
dation, and 3. the stage of collapse; and as 
we have already said, that if the disease is 
not broken up in the first stage, but allowed 
to run into the second, the child is lost. 
The first stage often makes its appearance 
very suddenly, and unexpectedly to the inex- 
perienced eye. The parents should there- 
fore ever be watchful, and have the needful 
remedies at hand. 
The first stage is subdivided into a. the 
stage of congestion, and b. the stage of in- 
flammation. Bearing this in mind, and no- 
ticing the symptoms of the first of these two 
stages, we become aware of the threatened 
danger; we regard it as the alarm bell, and DENTITION. 
47 
commence our treatment at once to prevent, 
if possible, the occurrence of inflammation. 
1. Symptoms of the stage of congestion. A 
striking change in the manner and dispo- 
sition of the child; it becomes peevish, fretful, 
naughty, leaves its playthings untouched, 
becomes indifferent to everything it was 
fond of before, cannot keep the head up, 
likes to lean it against something, and on 
noticing the child closer, it will be found fre- 
quently to be absorbed in thought, from 
which it starts suddenly. When trying to 
walk, the child stumbles, or even falls down, 
and the gait is unsteady. It drags the feet 
after it, and makes a motion as if on the 
point of going up steps. It complains of 
headache, and on a rapid motion of the 
head it becomes dizzy. The head is hot, the 
face red, frequently changing color, being 
very much flushed at one time, and pale at 
another. It is wakeful, drowsy without 
sleeping, or sleeps more than usual, fre- 
quently starts in its sleep, and is frightened 
by the slightest noise, groans, cries out in its 
sleep with a peculiar shrieking sound, and 
distorts its features. The eyes are injected, 
and sensitive to the light. The urine is 
muddy, whey-like, with a chalky-white sedi- 
ment, and spare in quantity. Disposition to 48 
DENTITION. 
vomit, or actual vomiting ; obstinate consti- 
pation. Dryness of the skin, want of appe- 
tite. 
This stage may last for many days. 
2. Symptoms of the stage of Inflammation. 
Aggravation of all the foregoing symptoms ; 
the outwardly-perceptible heat in the head 
increases, and the child dreads every touch 
and motion of the head, liking to burrow it 
in the pillow. The headache is piercing, 
boring, chiefly in the forehead, pressing on 
the eyes and into the temples. On elevating 
the child it is apt to vomit, the same on any 
motion, whereas emetics act very slowly. 
The vomiting is stopped by a horizontal po- 
sition, and a support to the head. When the 
child is older, delirium sets in, which puts a 
stop to the vomiting, and this does not 
return. The child is dozing all the time, 
but is very uneasy; already slight spasms 
appear at times ; pupils are contracted, there 
is aversion to light, general excessive sensi- 
bility, very acute hearing, rolling of the 
eyeballs upwards, squinting. The face 
becomes pallid, sunken, and the fea- 
tures change, nose and lips become dry. 
Chewing, smacking of the tongue, gnashing 
of the teeth. The belly sunken, most obsti- 
nate constipation, or the faeces are clay-co- DENTITION. 
49 
loied, brown, or green. The skin is dry, 
flabby, discolored; a small dry and fine 
eruption appears. The urine, after having 
been standing awhile, is full of bright, glim- 
mering particles. Uneasy, either slow or 
labored breathing, frequently accompanied 
with sighs. The hearing extraordinarily 
acute. Pulse 50-60 ; soft, and remains so 
for several days. In the congestive stage the 
actual fever is rare, and never in proportion 
to the intensity of the symptoms of the head. 
3. Symptoms of the stage of Exudation. 
Pulse slow and irregular ; if the child is 
roused from its slumber, either by headache 
or violent delirium, the rapidity of the pulse 
is augumented for a few minutes; indif- 
ference and unconsciousness increase, the 
features continue to alter, the child bores 
with its fingers in the nose and ears; blunt- 
ness of all senses with the exception of 
the sense of hearing, the whole body bent 
backwards, and the child burrows its head 
into the pillows; automatic motions of the 
hands, dilated insensible pupils, watery eyes, 
partial sweats, offensive breath, craving 
hunger. 
4. Symptoms of the stage of Collapse. This 
stage lasts from one to three days. Complete 50 
DENTITION. 
insensibility, or torpor. Profound sleep with 
eyes half open, deadness of all the senses, 
squinting, blindness, convulsive distortion of 
the eyeballs, general convulsions, or partial 
spasms, the body is rigidly bent backwards, 
paralysis of one side of the body, involuntary 
discharges of finces and urine, or retention of 
urine with greatly-distended bladder, rapid 
and short respiration, interrupted more and 
more frequently by long and deep sighs, 
difficult deglutition, pulse frequent and small, 
increased fever, burning hot skin. 
Soon after, death closes this sad scene, 
with or without convulsions. 
The foregoing description of this formi- 
dable, and so frequently fatal, disease-one 
which requires all the skill and experience 
of a good physician,-will impress every 
parent with the rashness of relying on domes- 
tic treatment for it, and the danger of delay. 
As soon as the symptoms of the conges- 
tive stage manifest themselves, a physician 
should be called in, and it will be a fortunate 
circumstance for the little sufferer, if his case 
be confided to the hands of a true physician, 
a conscientious practitioner, who is willing, 
and knows how, and when, to combine the 
curative means of the Homeopathic system, 
with the palliative and auxiliary measures 
of the Allopathic school. DENTITION. 
51 
If, meantime, alarming symptoms should 
appear, such as spasms, rigidity of the mus- 
cles, hot head, red face, distorted features, 
open, staring, and glassy eyes insensible to 
light, dilated pupils, foam at the mouth, in- 
sensibility, tossing about of the head,-lose 
no time in placing the child into a hot bath 
for five or ten minutes; then, if it be costive, 
administer a dose of castor oil; at the same 
time an injection ; mustard plasters to the 
calves of the legs, and cold applications to 
the head. 
Leeches should never be applied to chil- 
dren, except under the direction of a physi- 
cian. Children can bear very little loss of 
blood, and there are many cases on record 
of their having died from leech-bites. 
With regard to the best mode of making 
cold applications to the head a variety of 
opinion exists in the profession. 
Some recommend their being made with 
cloths, dipped in cold water, and wrung out; 
but even with the greatest care, it is difficult 
to prevent the running down of the water on 
the body, thus perhaps causing a cold, which 
would be a very untoward circumstance, and 
liable to lead to a serious aggravation of all 
the symptoms. 
Others prefer, for the sake of avoiding such 
consequences, that cold water or pounded 
ice be placed in a bladder, and thus laid on 
the head. Two bladders are generally em- 52 
DENTITION. 
ployed for this purpose, that one may be re- 
plenished whilst the other is doing its ser- 
vice. 
It is undeniable that cold applications have 
been productive of much good, but they are 
dangerous remedies which should be employ- 
ed with the greatest care. 
They have occasionally, also, done harm ; 
the cold repels the blood from the head, 
which is the object to be attained ; but should 
the applications be discontinued too early, a 
frightful reaction may follow, and the blood 
rush back with great force aggravating the 
inflammation. 
Fatal results are known to have occurred 
in cases of adults, suffering with inflamma- 
tion of the brain occasioned by the unskilful 
management of cold applications to the head. DENTITION. 
53 
HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT. 
The ailments occasioned by a strictly natural 
dentition require but little medicine-that 
little should, however, be carefully and judi- 
ciously chosen. 
The irritation which generally accompa- 
nies dentition, is most easily subdued by a 
few doses of Coffea. This remedy will, 
however, remain without any effect, if the 
mother has been in the habit of using coffee 
as a daily beverage. In such a case Aconite, 
and afterwards Chamomilla, would deserve 
the preference. A flow of saliva, loose 
stools, or slight diarrhoea, which generally 
accompany the cutting of teeth, do not re- 
quire any treatment; those symptoms disap- 
pear as soon as the cutting of the teeth, oc- 
casioning the discomfort, is accomplished. 
Children in whom the irritation, consequent 
upon dentition, continues for a long time, and 
who lose strength, or flesh, in consequence of 
it, are relieved by a few doses of Calc, carb., 
which ought to be given with four to six 
hours' intervals. 
Teething is sometimes accompanied with 
a febrile condition, appearing and disappear- 54 
DENTITION. 
ing at intervals. This febrile state deserves 
especial consideration, when it occurs in ple- 
thoric, fleshy children, in whom it inclines to 
become a local affection. The successful 
treatment of this fever requires the utmost 
regard to the irritability, etc., of the patient, 
which is uncommonly increased at that pe- 
riod of life. 
Aconite is the best remedy to subdue that 
irritation, and is altogether a medicine of 
great importance in the diseases of infancy, 
where the least vascular irritation is easily 
increased to an inflammatory fever, on ac- 
count of the greater activity prevailing in the 
vascular system previous to the development 
of the organs being accomplished. No re- 
medy is better adapted than Aeon, to allay 
that fever. 
The slighter degrees of increased irritabi- 
lity in the vascular or nervous system, indi- 
cated by an increase of temperature, thirst, 
sudden screams, and grasping at the mouth, 
startings during sleep, as if in affright, etc., 
are sometimes relieved with Coffea or Aeon., 
Cham, or Nux vomica; Coff. and Cham. 
are especially indicated when the symptoms 
of a morbidly-excited sensibility prevail; 
Aeon, is preferable when the principal irri- 
tation exists in the vascular system; Nux 
is the best remedy, when those symptoms are 
accompanied with a short, dry cough, and DENTITION. 
55 
costiveness. If the excessive irritability and 
sensibility of the nervous system is accompa- 
nied with great sensitiveness to the pains, 
occasioned by the piercing the gums, with 
thirst, heat, and redness of one cheek, and 
sweat about the head, especially with a ca- 
tarrhal cough, hoarseness, and rattling of 
mucus in the trachea, no remedy surpasses 
Cham., this is likewise the best remedy 
when the child has been brought up without 
the breast, and the fever is continuous, ac- 
companied with great agitation of the ner- 
vous system, as manifested by anxiety and 
restlessness, starting on hearing anything 
fall, or upon hearing the least noise, and 
convulsive twitchings of the limbs while fall- 
ing asleep. 
If Chamomilla should not be sufficient, if 
the patient be plethoric and fleshy, if the 
symptoms be worse in the afternoon or at 
night, if the child's limbs or head be very 
restless and in constant motion, if the sleep 
be interrupted by screams, moans, or jerks, 
and the patient suffer violent, burning heat, 
great thirst, if the skin be red, the limbs trem- 
ble, if there bo anxiety, short, quick, noisy 
respiration, visible oppression of the chest, 
and red eyes-Belladonna is the best remedy. 
A frequent accompaniment of dentition is 
costiveness, most frequently found in chil- 
dren brought up by the spoon, but in those 56 
DENTITION. 
also who have remained at the breast. The 
cause is always to be traced to some impro- 
priety in the diet, or habitual costiveness of 
the mother or, nurse. In both cases it is fre- 
quently sufficient to regulate the diet, upon 
which the functions of the bowels return to 
their normal state. But this does not always 
accomplish the desired end, and it is then ad- 
visable to resort to injections of luke-warm 
milk, or tepid water and sugar, or oatmeal 
gruel and oil, either olive or castor. If these 
injections should prove ineffectual, there is 
every reason to expect, that a tepid injection 
of milk and honey, or suppositories, will 
soon produce an action of the bowels. Dr. 
Hartmann has administered coffee, without 
milk or sugar, with very beneficial effect, 
keeping the bowels open for several days. 
Where all such means fail in overcoming 
the torpidity and sluggishness of the alimen- 
tary canal, and when this costiveness is 
threatening danger to the health of the child, 
.and, moreover, if there are other symptoms 
present, we must have recourse to internal 
remedies. Amongst these we strongly re- 
commend Nnx rom., particularly if we can 
attribute the difficulty to errors in the mo- 
ther's diet, or when owing to the richness 
of the mother's milk or other food. Next to 
this, Opium is a valuable remedy, when the 
peristaltic motion of the bowels is paralyzed, DENTITION. 
57 
and no desire whatever to go to stool is 
present ; also if there has been a gradual 
inflation of the abdomen. Besides these two 
remedies, Sulphur, Alumina, Plumb, met., 
Bryonia, and V eratrum, have frequently 
proved serviceable. Bry. acts very much 
like Nux, and frequently when one fails, the 
other will accomplish the object. Veratrum 
is indicated where the activity of the intesti- 
nal canal is unimpaired, but a torpidity of the 
rectum is evident. A still higher degree of 
costiveness calls for Sulphur and Lycopodium, 
and in case of torpidity of the rectum, for 
Alumina-which, by the way, is one of the 
very best remedies in costiveness of children. 
A good way is, to administer Alumina in 
the morning, Plumbum met. in the evening, 
and if they fail, or are exhausted, to give 
Sulph. in the morning, Nux com. in the even- 
ing. The dose should be two or three pellets 
put on the infant's tongue. 
Another, and a dangerous attendant in 
morbid dentition is excessive diarrhoea. A 
moderate degree of it is beneficial, but it is 
apt to become too profuse, and requires close 
watchfulness. So long as the evacuations 
retain a healthy color, and are not too fre- 
quent, they may be left alone, but when 
they become greenish, or watery, and set in 
with sudden prostration and pain, they re- 
quire prompt and skilful attention, and the 58 
DENTITION. 
administration of the lower dilutions, say the 
first and third. If taken in time, the treat- 
ment should be commenced with Chamo- 
milla, if the evacuations be bilious or mucous, 
of a white, yellow, or greenish color, like 
chopped eggs, or of undigested food, smelling 
putrid, and accompanied with pinching colic, 
also when there is loss of appetite, thirst, 
coated tongue, fulness at the pit of the sto- 
mach, hard, inflated abdomen, urgency to 
vomit, and bilious vomiting, cries, restless- 
ness, flinging about, and incessant desire to 
be carried. 
Arsenicum should be given if the evacua- 
tions be watery or mucous, white, green, or 
brownish, occurring during the night, or 
after partaking of any kind of food, great 
thirst, sleeplessness, paleness of the face, 
sunken cheeks, and blue circles round the 
eyes, enlargement of the abdomen, with ex- 
treme weakness, and excessive emaciation. 
Ipecacuanha against watery or mucous 
diarrhoea of a yellow, white, or green color, 
with nausea or vomiting, rending and cut- 
ting colic, with cries, restlessness, and fling- 
ing about, accumulation of saliva in the 
mouth, inflated abdomen, prostration, pale 
face, and irritable disposition. 
Mercurius, if the stools occur principally 
at night, and are watery, mucous, and frothy, 
also bilious or bloody, of a green, white, or DENTITION. 
59 
yellow color, resembling boiled egg, with 
frequent tenesmus, burning, itching, and ex- 
coriation of the anus, violent and cutting 
colics, creepings and chills, cold sweats, 
trembling, and great lassitude. 
Rheum, when there is flatulent distention of 
the abdomen, colic, crying, restlessness, te- 
nesmus before, and after the evacuations, 
which are either of the consistence of pap, or 
watery, and somewhat slimy, occasionally 
of a greyish, or of a brown color, and when 
a sour smell is emitted from the body of the 
infant. 
Sulphur is invaluable in protracted cases, 
or when there is great weakness, emaciation, 
and distention of the abdomen. 
The most dangerous symptom of all in 
morbid dentition, is that of convulsions in 
their various forms, and one requiring 
prompt action. It will always be best to 
send for a physician at once upon the slight- 
est appearance of convulsions, but as in 
the country the physicians often live at a 
great distance, it will be well to bear the 
following directions in mind : - 
The first thing to be done is to place the 
child in a warm bath, and at the same time 
that it is immersed in this up to the shoulders, 
cold applications should be made to the head. 
These means will generally subdue the vio- 
lence of the attack, and allow of the admi- 60 
DENTITION. 
nistration of the following remedies in very 
low dilutions. 
Belladonna is a sovereign remedy in 
this affection, at the accession of every 
convulsion, repeating it whenever it recurs. 
It is principally indicated for plethoric and 
corpulent children, and those of sanguineous 
temperaments. Characteristics of the parox- 
ysm are-the child starts suddenly while 
sleeping, seemingly under the impression 
of a frightful dream, stares about wildly, 
the pupils are much enlarged, the whole 
body or single limbs become stiffly convulsed, 
the forehead and hands are dry and burning, 
and occasionally there follows clenching of 
the hands and involuntary urination. On 
returning consciousness the attacks will some- 
times recur from the least touch. It is appli- 
cable also, when the spasms are preceded 
by smiles, or laughter. 
If the spasms be followed by coma or 
stupid sleep, with irregular respiration and 
coldness of the surface of the body, Opium 
should be administered in the same form as 
the Bell., until a favorable change be ef- 
fected. 
Mercurius is called for when the child is 
plethoric, the whole body convulsed, or all 
the muscles rigid, the head hot, face red, the 
features distorted, the eyes open, glassy and 
staring, insensible to light, pupils dilated, DENTITION. 
61 
foam at the mouth, insensibility, cold extre- 
mities, moaning, and gnashing of the teeth, 
tossing about of the head on the pillow, 
opisthotonos. 
Chamomilla is indicated for children of 
nervous, sanguineous temperaments, and en- 
dowed with extreme sensitiveness, peevish, 
fretful irritability. The characteristic symp- 
toms for this remedy are-when the child 
is fretful, restless, and disposed to drowsiness 
while awake, the eyes become half closed, 
one cheek is red, the other pale, moaning for 
drink, consciousness ceases, twitches of the 
eyelids and muscles of the face, with contor- 
tions of the eyeballs, jerks and convulsions 
of the extremities, with clenched thumbs, 
while the head is constantly rolling from side 
to side. 
The Bell, and Cham, harmonize in alter- 
nation. If Bell, is first indicated, and does 
not promptly suppress the convulsion, it will 
frequently modify the symptoms, so that the 
group of them will be successfully controlled 
by Cham., which, if it does not, will in its turn 
create a susceptibility, so that the repetition 
of the Bell, will remedy the case it primarily 
failed to reach, and vice versa. 
Ignatia applies to pale and delicate infants, 
of tame or peevish dispositions, and to hys- 
terical alternations of vivacity and sadness, 
such as laughing and crying at the same 62 
breath. Characteristic symptoms:-the child, 
while reposing in a moaning, light slumber, 
becomes suddenly and repeatedly flushed 
with burning heat, awakes and springs with 
a convulsive start; the most soothing atten- 
tions scarcely availing to quiet the excite- 
ment, a tremor seizes the entire body, attend- 
ed by violent crying, or agonizing shrieks, 
and the muscles of single limbs become con- 
vulsed. It is also indicated when the spas- 
modic paroxysms occur every day at a re- 
gular hour, followed by fever and perspira- 
tion, or when they occur every other day at 
variable hours, or when the Bell, and Cham. 
do not appear to be efficient. 
Arsenic, when the child is irritable, and 
restless, cries for some particular thing,which, 
when offered, it rejects, has an insatiable 
thirst, frequently throws off* even the little 
food which it may have eaten, has a diarrhoea 
often of undigested food, constantly points 
with a painful expression of countenance to 
the lower part of the abdomen, tosses about 
at night, and obtains short restless sleep to- 
wards morning only. Paroxysms recur fre- 
quently, the child cries as if from a perverse 
temper, stretches its feet out, and hands con- 
vulsively backward, then throws its hands 
about, and rolls over with violent shrieks, al- 
ternates its position, convulsively bending 
forward with clenched fingers, and extended 
DENTITION. DENTITION. 
63 
thumbs. All efforts to allay the spasmodic 
excitement by soothing expressions irritate 
the sufferer. 
Cuprum metallicum, when the whole head 
is bloated, face red and swollen, child shriek- 
ing, before the attack, nausea and vomiting, 
whilst it lies in a lethargic state, when con- 
sciousness returns, it tosses about, writhes 
and cries, the abdomen bloated and tense, 
involuntary discharge of thin faeces, convul- 
sive motions and distortions of the extremi- 
ties, followed by epileptic paroxysms, and 
total loss of consciousness. 64 
DENTITION. 
PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF INFANTS. 
And now, in conclusion, we would suggest a 
few general principles for the physical edu- 
cation of infants. 
This depends particularly on the removal 
of positively-injurious influences, which in- 
terfere with and impede the natural deve- 
lopment of the organism; partially, too, on the 
aid of those influences, which support and 
wisely direct the activity of nature. The 
great first principle, which cannot be too 
strongly impressed upon the mind, is always 
to follow the course marked out by nature, 
without violating any of her laws, or endea- 
voring to control her; and not to spoil by anx- 
ious, and officious, interference that which 
she teaches, and acts out in sublime simpli- 
city. 
The physical education commences with 
the beginning of life. During pregnancy 
already, it is the mother's duty to lay the 
foundation of a healthy constitution for her 
child, by a strict observance of dietetic laws. 
The first duty after its birth, is the care that 
the atmosphere of the room should not be in 
too great a contrast to the warmth of the DENTITION. 
65 
mother's womb. To attain this, the lying- 
in chamber should be comfortably heated, 
and warm clothing be ready at hand, not 
forgetting a warmed flannel shawl in which 
to wrap the new-born child, even before it can 
be dressed. The breathing will be very much 
facilitated by a horizontal position, because 
the chest becomes thereby elevated. The first 
air the child breathes must be pure and dry. A 
warm bath should follow the birth immedi- 
ately, both with a view to cleanliness, and 
for the sake of a gradual change of the tem- 
perature. Sponging is not only insufficient, 
but very liable to give the infant a cold ; it 
should be immersed in the water up to the 
neck. The head must be especially attended 
to, with reference to cleanliness. This is fre- 
quently neglected for fear of injury, and the 
consequence is not only an accumulation of 
filth, but a diseased vitality of the skin, 
which leads to eruptions, prevents the growth 
of the hair, and disfigures the infant, besides 
exercising an injurious influence on the gene- 
ral health, and frequently defying the most 
skilful treatment. 
Nature has in the hair provided the natu- 
ral covering for the child's head ; every arti- 
ficial covering within doors, such as a cap, 
for instance, is therefore objectionable, be- 
cause it heats the head, and promotes perspi- 
ration, which is at the same time, partially 66 
DENTITION. 
at least, prevented from escaping by the same 
cause. 
The dress should not arrest the free motion 
of the body or limbs ; it should exercise no 
undue pressure on any particular part, should 
not keep the body in an uncomfortable posi- 
tion, or warmer in one part than in another, 
but be uniform, and vary according to the 
season and temperature. 
Hardening of the child's body should con- 
sist merely in endeavoring to endue it with 
the power to preserve its health under the 
manifold influences to which it must be ex- 
posed. This certainly forms a very impor- 
tant item in physical education, but requires 
great caution and judgment, and should ne- 
ver be forced. The dangers which menace 
the body by the influence of outward circum- 
stances, are all the greater, the more sensitive 
the body is, and the less its power to with- 
stand such influences. Our object, then, in 
hardening the body, is to diminish the sus- 
ceptibility, and to increase the power to 
withstand. We arrive at it, by imparting the 
utmost firmness and strength to the indivi- 
dual organs of the body, and habituating the 
entire organism to bear exertion without in- 
jury, to be deprived of agreeable things, and 
to submit to the disagreeable without com- 
plaint. Looking upon this hardening in a 
proper light, it is evident that it cannot be DENTITION. 
67 
attempted during tender infancy, except in 
a preparatory way, but in the progressive 
development of the body only. The means 
for hardening consist in a frequent and ample 
exposure to the open air, application of cold, 
by frequent washing and bathing in cold wa- 
ter, taking care not to dress the child, or 
cover it at night, too warmly, much exercise 
in the open air, even during cold and rough 
weather. 
The best nourishment for a child in the first 
period of its life is the mother's or nurse's 
milk. During the first months that should 
constitute its only food, and subsequently 
nearly until dentition commences, it should 
be the child's main nourishment.* If it be 
*The mother's milk is, of course, the most natural, 
and those mothers who would deny their infants the 
breast, in order to follow the frivolities of fashionable 
life, commit a grievous wrong. They wantonly throw 
away one of the purest and holiest pleasures accorded 
by Providence, and can hardly hope to receive in after- 
life that love and devotion from their children, which 
the conscientious and self-sacrificing mother may 
reasonably look for, from those whose welfare had 
been her constant, and cherished, care from earliest in- 
fancy. She, who will heartlessly surrender her ma- 
ternal care to a hireling, can hardly expect maternal 
privileges. 
But there are cases, where a mother ought not to 
nurse her offspring. This is counter-indicated by 68 
DENTITION. 
necessary to bring up a child by the spoon, 
skimmed milk with water, thin broth, vege- 
table mucilage, etc., are the most appropriate 
articles of food. As they grow older, it is 
well to accustom children to more solid nou- 
rishment. Meat is not injurious in itself, and 
every abnormal condition of the mother. Those who 
are in consumption, or have a hereditary, or accidental, 
tendency that way, who have a scrofulous diathesis, 
are epileptic, scorbutic, have chronic eruptions, or 
chronic diseases of any kind, a disposition to can- 
cer, who are syphilitic, rheumatic, neuralgic, or hys- 
teric, should not nurse, if they value the health 
and happiness of their offspring. Women, too, who 
have been much exhausted by loss of blood, and other 
fluids, or by long sickness, or who possess great bodily 
and mental irritability, should not nurse. The ad- 
vanced age of the mother is another objection. Wo- 
men who have passed forty, ought never to have chil- 
dren, because these will be, even at their birth, impress- 
ed with the stamp of age, which may occur also if the 
mother be young, and the father an old man. To 
guard infants, born of old mothers, as much as possi- 
ble against the infirmities of premature age, it is the 
parent's duty to give it a fresh, youthful wet-nurse. 
This is particularly the case if such mothers have 
had no children previously, or none for a long time. 
The selection of a wet-nurse is generally far too 
lightly considered, whereas it is in fact an exceedingly 
difficult thing to find one, who can fill her place tho- 
roughly. She ought to be young and healthy, to have 
plenty of milk, well-formed breasts and nipples, a 
quiet temper, and no tendency to debauchery. The 
beau-ideal of a good wet-nurse is a fine white skin DENTITION. 
69 
it is one of the prejudices of olden times to 
believe that children will be guarded against 
disease, or be able to overcome it more easily, 
if they are brought up upon vegetable diet 
until the seventh year. 
Vegetables are never so nourishing as 
meat. Children, therefore, who are fed ex- 
clusively on vegetables acquire a weakly 
constitution, and become more predisposed 
to disease, and less able to overcome its rava- 
ges. Smoked, salted, or pickled meats, all 
things difficult of digestion, and loading the 
stomach without yielding proportionate nou- 
rishment, pungent or fat things, pastry, pud- 
dings, etc., are objectionable food for children. 
It will always be found, that those chil- 
dren thrive best who get meat-broths before 
or after weaning. Milk that is taken from 
cows which are kept in town, is slow poison 
to children. These cows, imprisoned, in dirty, 
close stables, and fed on distillery swills, and 
the like, may yield milk good enough to color 
with many veins and freckles, light brown hair, large 
blue eyes, sound teeth, a fresh breath, no offensive 
perspiration, and no morbid secretion from the vagina; 
she ought to have a whitish blue, rather thin, than 
rich milk, large, firm nipples, a clean body and a 
harmless disposition. It is very seldom that such a 
person can be found, but it is as well to bear the beau- 
ideal in mind, and to approach to it as nearly as pos- 
sible in making a choice. 70 
DENTITION. 
coffee, but not to become food for infants of 
children. Many a child " ailing," and suffer- 
ing without apparent cause, has become 
healthy and strong as soon as such milk was 
withdrawn, and broths of chicken and pigeon 
were substituted. As they grow older they 
must be accustomed to more variety in their 
diet. They should be fed frequently, and 
with little at a time. 
Weaning is one of the most important 
epochs of life, and on the management at 
that period frequently depends the constitu- 
tion, and the more or less of disease in after- 
life. 
With the view of laying the foundation 
for a good constitution, and guarding against 
disease, the transitions from the mother's 
milk to more solid food should be gradual, 
and no sudden change in the mode of the 
child's life should be made. Nature herself 
indicates by the cutting of the teeth, when it 
is best to begin gradually to accustom the 
child to more solid food. Before this period 
no child should be weaned, because the vari- 
ous complaints which may attend it, render 
the milder and more certain nourishment of 
the mother's breast requisite. Therefore never 
wean a child before the ninth month, and 
never after the twelfth. The weaning may be 
accomplished by a gradual diminution in the 
frequency of giving the breast, and a propor- DENTITION. 
71 
donate increase in feeding it by the spoon. 
A violation of this rule, a too sudden wean- 
ing, is sure to be productive of various dis- 
eases sooner or later, and amongst them that 
obstinate and fatal diarrhoea described in the 
foregoing pages. 
In conclusion, we must seriously warn 
against the use of anodynes to quiet the child. 
Even if not immediately attended by percept- 
ible injurious consequences, they are stire to 
render the child stupid for life, when perse- 
vered in for any length of time, as is too 
often, though secretly, the case with many 
nurses who consult their own comfort more 
than the child's welfare. OUTLINE OE THE SYMPTOMS 
OF THE FOUR PRINCIPAL REMEDIES COMING INTO RE-' 
QUISITION IN THE HOMIEOPATHIC TREATMENT OF 
MORBIDDENTITION. 
1. Aconitum napelhis. 
Head.-Dizziness, chiefly on sitting up ; 
feeling of fluctuation in the brain; headache 
with nausea and vomiting, stupifying pain 
in the head, weight and fulness in the fore- 
head and temples, with expansion as of 
bursting ; shooting and beating sensation in 
the head, congestion, pains in the head, ag- 
gravated by moving, speaking, etc. 
Eyes, etc.-Inflammation, lachrymation; 
aching; dilated pupils; inflamed eyelid, ex- 
cessive dread of light. Buzzing in the 
ears ; bleeding of the nose; face pufled, hot, 
acrid; red patches on the cheeks; sweat on 
the forehead; blue lips; dry mouth, trem- 
bling, stammering speech; burning and prick- 
ing in the throat; bitter or putrid taste, un- 
quenchable thirst; disgust for food. 74 
DENTITION. 
Stomach.-Bilious, greenish, or mucous 
and bloody vomiting, oppression about the 
stomach with difficult breathing. 
Abdomen.-Tightness and aching on both 
sides between the ribs and hips ; burning 
and aching in the region of the liver; jaun- 
dice ; drawing pains in the abdomen on 
stooping; burning about the navel, tender- 
ness of the abdomen to touch or motion. 
Stools.-Constipation, small, frequent, soft 
stools with straining; watery stools; white 
stools with dark-colored urine. 
Urine.-Scanty, burning, deep-red urine, 
with brick-like sediment. 
Throat.-Pain in the larynx; continual 
desire to cough ; short dry cough, chiefly at 
night; blood-spitting with cough. 
Chest.-Short breath, chiefly during sleep ; 
painful, anxious groaning, breathing; dis- 
tressing oppression of the chest. 
Skin.-Dry burning skin; yellow skin, 
incoherent talking, with closed eyes without 
sleep ; loss of sleep from anxiety, with con- 
tinual tossing; starts in sleep, inability to 
lie on the side. 
Fever.-Dry, burning heat, with extreme 
thirst, sometimes preceded by chills, with 
trembling ; heat, but chiefly in the head, with 
red cheeks and shivering throughout the 
body ; pulse hard, frequent and quick. 
Moral.-Great agitation, with anguish, DENTITION. 
75 
cries, tears, groans, etc., dread of death ; 
easily annoyed and frightened; alternate 
tears and laughter ; despair of recovery, in- 
clination to escape from the bed; delirium, 
chiefly at night. 
2. Belladonna. 
Head.-Fits of vertigo, with tottering, and 
swimming of the head; stupor and loss of 
consciousness; fulness, weight, and violent 
aching in the head, chiefly in front above the 
eyes, and sometimes as if the head would 
burst; feeling of expansion in the brain; 
shootings, dartings as if from knives ; violent 
beating; throbbing in the carotids; conges- 
tion, especially on stooping; feeling of cold 
or heat; feeling of fluctuation as if from 
water, and heavy balancing and shocks; 
headache, aggravated by motion, especially 
of the eyes, by shocks, touch, the open air, 
or a draught; bending of the head back- 
wards ; during sleep the head is buried in 
the pillow. 
Eyes.-Heat and burning ; aching in the 
eyes and sockets, rising into the head ; heavy 
lids, quivering of the lids; shootings in the 
eyes and corners, with itching; eyes red, 
brilliant and convulsed, or fixed, sparkling 
and prominent; look fixed, or furious and 76 
DENTITION. 
unsteady ; twitches in the eyes ; inflamma- 
tion ; yellow sclerotica; burning tears; im- 
movable pupils ; gluing of the lids at night; 
dread of light; confused weak sight; halo 
round the candle; objects seem double or 
reversed. 
Ears-Boring, ringing, roaring, and hum- 
ming in the ears; hardness of hearing; 
shooting in the parotid glands. 
Nose.-Bruised pain in the nose ; shoot- 
ings at night; redness and burning at the 
end of the nose ; ulcerations in the nostrils; 
bleeding; smell too acute ; putrid odor in 
the nose. 
Face.-Pale, sometimes suddenly alter- 
nating with red; hollow face, with restless 
distracted air; burning heat of the face; 
bright redness and bloating of the face ; deep 
scarlet or bluish redness of the face; hard 
swelling, and bluish redness of the face, 
chiefly one of the cheeks; pimples on the 
temples, corners of the mouth and chin; 
purulent and scabby pimples, chiefly on 
cheeks and nose; twitchings of the mouth : 
swelling of the lips; pimples, scabs and 
ulcers on the lips; trismus; shootings and 
tightness in the joints of the jaw, swelling of 
the salivary glands. 
Mouth.-Excessive dryness of the mouth; 
froth on the lips; much saliva; throat and 
mouth filled with whitish, clammy mucus; DENTITION. 
77 
violent haemorrhage from the mouth ; exco- 
riation of the inside of the mouth, tongue 
chapped, or covered with whitish mucus; 
red swelling of the papillae of the tongue; 
pain of tongue, trembling and paralytic 
weakness of the tongue ; weak voice. 
Throat.-Excoriation and shootings in 
the throat, chiefly on swallowing; great 
dryness and burning in the throat and 
tongue; inflammation of the tongue, sup- 
puration of the tonsils, painful swallowing, 
impossibility of swallowing a drop ; constant 
necessity of swallowing ; tightness and chok- 
ing in the throat; sensation of a foreign body 
in the throat. 
Appetite.-Loss of appetite, loss of taste ; 
putrid taste; burning thit^t, often with 
liorror of liquids. 
Stomach.-Bitter or putrid, or sour and 
burning belchings, nausea; retching with 
violent vomiting; retching with complete 
inability to vomit; hiccough; pressure, 
cramp-like pains, chiefly after eating. 
Abdomen.-Pain as from a stone in the 
abdomen ; bloating; cramp-like pains in the 
abdomen ; feeling as if seized with claws; 
soreness of the whole abdomen. 
Stool.-Constipation; mucous stools ; in- 
voluntary stools. 
Urine.-Copious urine ; sometimes with 
profuse sweating ; incontinence and involun- 78 
DENTITION". 
tary emission of urine; turbid or clear, or 
blood-red urine. 
Larynx.-Catarrh with cough, hoarseness 
and tenacious mucus in the chest; voice 
hoarse and weak; loss of voice; cough 
chiefly at night; short dry cough; hollow 
cough; the slightest movement at night in 
bed renews the cough; expectoration of 
thick puriform mucus. 
Chest.-Rattling in the bronchi; oppres- 
sion of the chest; difficulty of breathing; 
irregular breathing; breathing short, anxious 
and quick ; pressure in the chest; shootings 
in the chest; violent beatings of the heart; 
anguish at the heart. 
Trunk.-Painful swelling and stiffness of 
the neck and nape. 
Skin.-Hot, scarlet-red ; swollen, total or 
partial; erysipelas ; scarlet patches ; erup- 
tion like measles; red, hot, shining swell 
ing; boils; painful swelling of the glands. 
Sleep.-Continual desire of sleep; fits of 
somnolent coma; coma broken by momen- 
tary awaking, with furious looks; sleepless- 
ness at night on account of excessive an- 
guish ; frequent startings during sleep, with 
fright, groans, cries, anxious dreams. 
Fever.-Shiverings and partial shudder- 
ings ; the shiverings are chiefly in the even- 
ing; paroxysms of shiverings, alternating 
with heat, or shiverings followed by heat. DENTITION. 
79 
with exacerbation at night or in the evening; 
type quotidian ; dry burning heat, often with 
swelling of the veins, beating of the caro- 
tids, heat, redness and bloating of the face, 
and burning thirst; pulse strong and fre- 
quent, or full and slow, or small and slow, 
or small and frequent, or hard and tense. 
Extremities.-Drawing, aching, with feel- 
ing of torpor, and lively pain in the arms; 
swelling and scarlet-redness of arms and 
hands; in the shoulder, drawing aching, 
passing quickly from top to bottom of the 
arm; painful twitchings in arms and hands; 
weight and paralysis of legs and feet. 
Moral.-Melancholy; great agitation with 
continual tossing, chiefly at night; groans 
and tears, fear, distrust, and a wish to flee; 
maniacal laughter; delirium at night; deli- 
rium with murmurs; silliness, fury, biting 
and tearing ; madness ; illusions of sense and 
frightful visions ; complete loss of reason. 
3. Chamomilla. 
Skin.-Miliary eruption ; skin heals with 
difficulty. 
Sleep.-Coma; want of sleep at night, 
with fits of anguish ; in sleep, startings with 
fright, cries, tossing. 
Fever.-Continual alternation of partial 80 
DENTITION. 
chill, or shuddering with partial heat; uni- 
versal heat, especially in the evening or at 
night, in bed, with anxiety, thirst, redness 
of cheeks, hot sweat in the head; after or 
during heat, sour sweat with itching; burn- 
ing heat with redness of the cheeks, (often 
only one,) chiefly at night, with groanings, 
tossings. 
Moral.-Excessive anguish, as if the heart 
were about to burst, with complete prostra- 
tion, restlessness, groans and tears; disposi- 
tion to weep, and be troubled, quarrelsome 
humor and anger. 
Head.-Giddiness, with darkening of the 
eyes ; weight in the head. 
Eyes.-Inflamed; matter in the eyes, 
gluing together at night; twitchings of the 
lids; eyes convulsed; sparks before the eyes. 
Ears.-Drawing and tensive pains in the 
ears; dartings into the ears; humming in 
them; inflammatory swelling of the parotids. 
Nose.-Bleeding from the nose. 
Face.-Hot, red, burning, or redness and 
heat in one cheek, with cold and paleness in 
the other; swelling of the face, twitchings 
of the mouth and face. 
Teeth.-Violent aching in the teeth, gene- 
rally on one side, chiefly at night in bed, 
with red swollen cheeks; the pains are ordi- 
narily drawing, or throbbing and darting, 
after hot drinks, especially coffee. DENTITION. 
81 
Mouth.-Dryness of the mouth and tongue; 
putrid odor of the mouth; convulsive move- 
ment of the tongue; bitter taste in the 
mouth. 
Throat.-Sore throat, with swelling of the 
parotid glands. 
Stomach.-Excessive thirst for cold drinks, 
vomiting of food, sour matter and phlegm; 
bitter vomitings; aching pressure, especially 
painful in the preecordial region; pressive 
gastralgia, as if from a stone in the stomach, 
with impeded respiration, chiefly after eating, 
or at night. 
Abdomen.-Tightness, and anxious ful- 
ness in the hypochondrium, and in the epigas- 
trium, with a feeling as if all were carried 
up into the chest; flatulent colic, with bloat- 
ing of the abdomen; extremely-painful colic, 
drawing and cuttings in the abdomen ; darl- 
ings in the abdomen; pressure toward the 
inguinal ring; spasms in the abdomen. 
Stools.-Diarrhoea at night with spasmodic 
colic, and whitish mucous, or watery, or 
yellowish, or greenish stools; piles, with 
chaps and ulcers. 
Larynx.-Catarrh and hoarseness ; dry 
cough excited by continual tickling in the 
larynx; expectoration of bitter or putrid 
mucus. 
Chest.-Fits of flatulent asthma, with anx- 
iety and fulness in the prsecordial region; 82 
DENTITION. 
shootings in the chest chiefly on breathing; 
oppression of the chest. 
Extremities.-Nocturnal pains, with pa- 
ralytic weakness in the arms, paralytic and 
drawing pain in the hip, chiefly at night; 
cramp in the calves. 
4. Coffea. 
Excessively-sensitive painfulness of the 
parts affected. Excitability. Excessive irri- 
tation of the body and mind. Convulsions, 
with gnashing of teeth. Apoplexy. Sleep- 
lessness. Increased feverish warmth of the 
body. Screaming of children. Headache, 
as if the brain were torn in two. Congestion 
of blood to the head. Excessively-sensitive 
hearing. Toothache, with restlessness, anx- 
iety and inclination to weep. Sore throat, 
with great pain. Cramp in the stomach. 
Abdominal pains with a sensitiveness ap- 
proaching to despair. Diarrhoea, also when 
teething. Short, dry, hacking cough. Suf- 
focating catarrh. Cough with measles. KOMAKI BA©©®, 
BOOKSELLER &, PUBLISHER, 
No. 322 BROADWAY, 
NEW-YORK, 
Respectfully informs the Homoeopathic Physicians, and the 
friends of the System, that he is the sole Agent for the Leip- 
zig Central Homoeopathic Pharmacy, and that he has always 
on hand a good assortment of the best Homoeopathic Medi- 
cines, in complete sets or by single vials, in Tinctures, Dilu- 
tions and Triturations ; also Pocket Cases of Medicines ; Phy- 
sicians'' and Family Medicine Chests to Laurie's Domestic (60 
Remedies)-EPP'S (5-1 Remedies)-HERING'S (58 Reme- 
dies).-Small Pocket-cases at $3, with family guide and 27 
Remedies.-Cases containing 415 Vials with Tinctures and 
Triturations for Physicians.-Cases with 240 Vials of Tinc- 
tures and Triturations to Jahr's New Manual.-POCKET 
CASES with 60 Vials of Tinctures and Triturations.-Cases 
from 200 to 400 Vials with low and high dilutions of medicated 
pellets.- Cases from 50 to 80 Vials of low and high dilutions, 
etc., etc. Homoeopathic Chocolate. Refined Sugar of Milk, 
pure Globules, etc. Arnica Tincture, the best specific remedy 
for bruises, sprains, wounds, etc. Urtica urens for Burns, as 
well as Books, Pamphlets, and Standard Works on the Sys- 
tem, in the English, French, and German languages. 
Arnica Plaster for Corns, etc., etc. 
HOMEOPATHIC BOOKS, 
J ust Published. 
DENTITION, according to some of the best and latest 
German Medical Writers. Intended for Domestic Use. By 
A. C. Becker, M. D. 
CONSUMPTION TREATED HOMCEOPATHICALLY. 
From the German. By A. C. Becker, M. D. 
DISEASES OF THE EYE. Treated Homceopathically. 
From, the German. By A. C. Becker, M. D. 
DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS AND 
CONSTIPATION. Treated Homceopathically. By W. 
Broackes, M.D., and M. R. C. S. From the Second London 
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JAHR'S NEW MANUAL, originally published under the 
name of Symptomen-Codex. Digest of Symptoms. 
This work is intended to facilitate a comparison of the 
parallel symptoms of the various homoeopathic agents, there- 
by enabling the practitioner to discover the characteristic 
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Translated, with important and extensive additions from 
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This new Manual is distinguished from the old by many im- 
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The editors have, severally, made additions to the work ; 
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