the gums is not desirable. The gums ought not to be lanced unless the teeth be near at hand, and unless the gums be red, hot, and swollen.
In the severe form a medical man should be consulted early, as more energetic remedies will be demanded; that is to say, the gums will require to be freely lanced, warm baths to be used, and medicines to be given, to ward off mischief from the head, from the chest, and from the stomach. If you are living in the town and your baby suffers much from teething, take him into the country. It is wonderful what change of air to the country will often do, in relieving a child who is painfully cutting his teeth. The number of deaths in London from teething is frightful; it is in the country comparatively trifling. 71. Should an infant be purged during teething, or indeed, during any other time, do you approve of either absorbent or astringent medicines to restrain it?
Certainly not. I should look upon the relaxation as an effort of nature to relieve itself. A child is never purged without a cause; that cause, in the generality of instances, is the presence of either some undigested food, or acidity, or depraved motions that want a vent.
The better plan is, in such a case, to give a dose of aperient medicine, such as either castor oil or magnesia and rhubarb, and thus work it off. If we lock up the bowels, we confine the enemy, and thus produce mischief. ["I should put this in capitals, it is so important and so often mistaken."—C. Locock.] If he be purged more than usual, attention should be paid to the diet—if it be absolutely necessary to give him artificial food while suckling—and care must be taken not to overload the stomach.
72. A child is subject to a slight cough during dentition—called by nurses "tooth-cough"—which a parent would not consider of sufficient importance to consult a doctor about; pray
