9. Abscessus colli. An abscess of the .Neck. This part is affected with tumours of every kind, but generally the scrofulous and encysted occupy it. Abscesses here are apt to become fistulous; but by a proper compress and bandage this consequence is often prevented. An opening in this part is best made with a lancet; but if the jugular vein is near, some care is required not to wound it.

10. Abscessus diaphragmatis. An abscess of the Diaphragm. See Paraphrenitis.

11. Abscessus Digitorum Manuum, et pedum. Abscesses of the Fingers and Toes. See Paronychia.

12. Abscesscs dorsi et lumborum. An abscess (in the Back and Loins. For a particular account of this complaint, see Psoas, seu Lumborum Abscessus, et Arthropuosis.

13. Abscessus gingivarum. An abscess of the Gums, also called Parulis, a Gum Boil. These tumours are very painful, the inflammation is often more diffused than in other parts, and more or less attended with a swelling in the cheek, or perhaps the whole face.

The tooth-ache, the general causes of inflam carious tooth, etc. induce this complaint. Mr. John Hunter observes, that gum-boils seldom arise from any other cause than inflammation in the cavity of a tooth, the effect of which extends all over the face, but more particularly to the gums; that sometimes this complaint originates from a disease in the socket of the tooth; or in the jaw, without any connection with the tooth. Through bad management, or neglect, they are apt to degenerate into fistulous ulcers. During the inflammation, to assuage the pain, let the patient hold any warm fluid constantly in his mouth, spitting it out, and taking fresh quantities, as may he needful to keep up an equal degree of heat for a considerable time. If the suppuration cannot be avoided, let figs be split and held in the mouth upon the boil, and white bread poultices, wrapped in thin linen cloths, applied externally upon the cheek of the affected side; and as speedily as is convenient let the abscess be opened, for the contained matter soon corrodes the adjacent parts, and affects the bone. After the discharge, the poultice may be continued a little longer, and the mouth washed three or four times a day with warm wine and honey of roses. If a bad tooth is the cause, it must be extracted before any attempts are made by medicines, or, at least, as soon as the discharge of the abscess will permit. If the ulcer degenerates into a fistula, inject warm wine and honey of roses into it; and if it is suspected that the bone is carious, add to this injection a little of the tinct. myrrh. or of the vin. aloes. If these methods fail, proceed as for the exfoliation of a carious bone. On this subject, see Mr. John Hunter's Natural History of the Human Teeth, part ii. Bell's Surgery, iv. 203.

14. Abscessus Glandulae lachrymalis. Abscess in the Lachrymal Glands. The supposed causes of these abscesses seem not to have any such effect. To prevent their usual termination, an opening must be made into them, for the performance of which Mr. Sharpe hath given very ample instructions in his Treatise of the Operations of Surgery. See also Ware on the Fistula Lachrymalis, and Wallis's Nosologia Me-thodica Oculorum.

15. Abscessus hepatis. An abscess of the Liver. A suppuration is prognosticated if an inflammation continues in the liver several days; if the pain remits, and is followed by a pulsation in the same place, and if shiverings come on, with a countenance of a yellowish colour; soon after which a tumour and a sense of weight are perceived in the region of the liver: a hectic fever follows, with thirst, and an extreme feebleness. Aretaeus observes, that a pain generally extends to the throat, and to the extremity of the shoulder, and a dry, hut not very frequent, cough afflicts the patient. He further remarks, that this disorder is sometimes mistaken for a tumour of the peritonaeum; but that the latter is more irregular, and is not circumscribed by the limits of the hypochondrium.

The consequences of an abscess in this viscus are: 1st, The liver is corroded and consumed. In this case, after a tedious icterical wasting, a slow fever, great anxiety, a sanious and foetid diarrhoea, etc. the patient dies.

2dly, The abscess breaks inwardly, and discharges a sanious pus into the belly: thus the rest of the viscera C 2 are affected, a consumption of the whole body hastily advances, and an ascites, etc. usher in death.

3dly, The pus sometimes passes by the biliary ducts into the intestines, and, regurgitating into the stomach, causes dark, offensive vomitings; or passing downwards, produces a violent diarrhoea. Acid and acescent substances may palliate for a time, but the end is always fatal.

4thly, The tumour may adhere to the peritonaeum, and form an external abscess, evident both to the sight, and touch. Here alone is any hope to perfect a cure: a caustic may be applied and left to suppurate; or, if the pulsation be evident, an opening may be made with the knife. If the pus is well conditioned, and the symptoms soon subside, the patient will recover; but, otherwise, this case is also fatal in its end.

5thly, Aretaeus informs us, that if the tumour does not suppurate, the excrements have an offensive and putrid odour; the food passes crude and undigested, because of the weakness of the stomach and of the intestines; for the liver, so disordered, sends forth bile too defective to assist the digestion; whence some are afflicted with a sharp corroding heat, are daily worse, and death is soon their delivery. Some recover from both the dysentery and the abscess, but a dropsy terminates the scene. If, however, these symptoms remit, and the pus in the stools becomes white and of a good consistence, and the patient can again digest his food, we may still hope. As the best crisis, he notes that by urine, for thus the least offence is given. See Bell's Surgery, v. 387. Kirkland's Med. Surgery, ii. 185. London Med. Journal, vii. 22.