2.  Burnt alum applied directly to the part is good.

3.  Nitrate of silver pencil applied directly to the canker until it turns whitish, cures in a few applications.  Use twice a day.

4.  A wash of sage tea is good also, but it must be strong.

5.  The juice of a ripe tomato is good applied locally.  Sore mouth should be kept absolutely clean.  Thrush frequently comes from uncleanness.

Gangrenous stomatitis.—­This is a rapidly spreading gangrenous affection of the cheeks and forms a rare occurrence and ending fatally in most cases.  The trouble may extend to the jaws and lips.

Causes.—­It is more common in girls and boys and usually appears between the ages of two and five years.  It is worse in the low countries like Holland, but it is not contagious.  It is more likely to attack the sickly children suffering from the effects of overcrowding.  It may follow diseases like scarlet fever, typhoid fever, smallpox, etc.

Symptoms.—­It usually affects first the mucous membrane of one cheek, near the corner of the mouth, as a dark, ragged, sloughing ulcer and spreads for two or three days before the substance of the cheek is infected.  If you grasp the cheek between the thumb and finger you can then feel a hard and sensitive lump.  The cheek may be eaten through by the third day, though a week generally passes before this happens.  There is a burning watery discharge from the unhealthy wound.  The breath smells terribly and it is almost unbearable.  The gangrene may spread over one half of the face of the side affected.

Treatment.—­The death rate is eighty to ninety per cent.  This is a very dangerous disease and a doctor must be in attendance.  Cut, away all the dead tissue by using burning caustics, such as fuming nitric acid, solid zinc chloride, nitrate of silver, carbolic acid on the actual canker.  Sometimes mild applications like sub nitrate of bismuth, chloride of potash or the following do well:—­

Sulphate of copper        2 drams
Powdered cinchona       1/2 ounce
Water enough to make      4 ounces

Mix and apply.  Peroxide of hydrogen is good as a disinfectant or boric acid solution, etc., may be used.  Keep up the patient’s strength.

Fortunately this disease is rare.  I have never seen a case in practice.

Salivation.—­Stop the mercury, keep the bowels open and use the same antiseptic washes as directed for sore mouth.

[100 Mothers’ remedies]

Chlorate of Potash Solution, Soda Solutions, Boracic Acid Solutions.—­Brush the ulcers with nitrate of silver sticks.  Keep the mouth clean with hot water washes and some of the antiseptics put in the water as boric acid, soda, glycothymotine, listerine, etc.

Acute dyspepsia.—­(Acute Indigestion, Acute Gastritis).  “Gaster” is the Greek for stomach; “itis” means inflammation,—­thus acute inflammation of the stomach.  It may be acute or chronic.  When acute it may be called acute gastritis, acute gastric catarrh, acute dyspepsia or acute indigestion.  When chronic it may be called chronic gastritis, chronic catarrh of the stomach, chronic dyspepsia or chronic indigestion.