CHAP. VI. Of the swelling of the Glandules, or Almonds of the Throat.
* 1.1NAture at the Jaws near the roots of the Tongue, hath placed two Glandules opposite to one another; in figure and magnitude like to Almonds, whence also they have their name; their office is to receive the spittle falling down from the Brain, both lest that the too violent falling down of the humor should hinder the Tongue in speaking, as also, that the tongue might always have moisture, as it were, laid up in store, lest by continual speaking, it should grow dry and fail. For thus this spittle being consumed by feaverish heats, the Patients are scarse able to speak, unless they first moisten their tongue by much washing their mouth.
* 1.2These Glandules because they are seated in a hot and moist place, are very subject to inflam∣mations; for there flows into these oft-times together with the bloud, a great quantity of crude, phlegmatick and viscous humors, whence arises a tumor; which is not seldom occasioned by drink∣ing m ch, and that vaporous, Wine; by too much Gluttony, and staying abroad in the open air.
* 1.3Swallowing is painful and troublesome to the Patient, and commonly he hath a Feaver. Oft∣times the neighboring Muscles of the Throttle and Neck are so swoln together with these Glan∣dules, that (as it usually happens in the Squinzy) the passage of the breath and air is stopped, and the Patient strangled.
* 1.4We resist this imminent danger by purging and bloud-letting, by applying Cupping-Glasses to the Neck and Shoulders, by frictions and ligatures of the extream parts, and by washing and gar∣gling the mouth and throat with astringent Gargarisms. But if they come to suppuration, you must with your Incision-Knife make way for the evacuation of the Pus, or Matter; but, if on the contra∣ry,* 1.5 these things performed according to Art, defluxion be increased, and there is present danger of death by stopping and intercepting the breath, for the shunning so great and imminent danger, the top or upper part of the Aspera arteria, or Weazon must be opened, in that place where it uses to stand most out; and it may be done so much the safer, because the Jugular-veins, and Arteries are furthest distant from this place, and for that this place hath commonly little flesh upon it. And that the Incision may be the fitlier made,* 1.6 the Patient must be wished to bend his head back, that so the Artery may be the more easily come to, by the Instrument; then you shall make an Incision overthwart way with a crooked Knife between two Rings (not hurting nor touching the gristly substance) that is to say, the membrane which tyes together the gristly Rings, being only cut; you shall then judg that you have made the Incision large enough, when you shall perceive the breath to break out by the wound; the wound must be kept open so long, until the danger of suffocati∣on be past; and then it must be sowed up not touching the gristle: But if the lips of the wound shall be hard and callous; they must be lightly scarified, that so they may become bloudy for their easie agglutination and union, as we shall shew more at large in the cure of Hare-lips. I have had many in cure, who have recovered, that have had their Weazon together with the gristly rings thereof out with a great wound, as we shall note when we shall come to treat of the cure of the Wounds of that part