SILARIS and Tossuans, is an inflammatory affection of the substance of the tonsils (q.v.). The inflammation is, however, seldom limited to these glands, but extends to the uvula, the soft palate, the pharynx, and not unfrequently the salivary glands. The disease usually manifests itself by difficulty in swallowing,•and a sense of heat and discomfort in the throat, often amounting to considerable pain. On examination the throat at first exhib its unnatural redness, with enlargement of one or both tonsils. The uvula is enlarged and elongated; its end either dropping down into the pharynx, and by exciting the sensa tion of a foreign hotly, giving rise to much irritation, or else adhering to one of the tonsils. The tongue is usually furred, and the pulse rapid, and 'there are the ordinary symptoms of that form of constitutional disturbance known as inflammatory fever. The inflammation terminates either in resolution (if the attack is not severe, and yields readily to treatment) or in suppuration, which may be detected by the occurrence of slight rigors, and by the increased softness of the enlarged tonsil. The matter which is discharged has a very fetid smell, and the fetor is often the first indication of the rup ture. The pain almost entirely ceases with the discharge of matter, and recovery is then rapid. The disease is usually at its height in about a week after the manifestation of the first symptoms, and it almost invariably terminates favorably. The ordinary exciting cause of this disease is exposure to cold, especially when the body is warm and perspiring; and Certain persons (or even families) are so subject to it that slight exposure is almost sure to induce it.
The disease may sometimes be cut short if, at its very commencement, a sharp pur gative (as, for example, compound infusion of senna with Epsom salts) be administered, followed up almost immediately by an emetic of a scruple of ipecacuanha with a grain of tartar emetic. The patient should remain in the house (or in cold weather, even in bed), and should be kept oti low non-stimulating diet. A stimulating liniment, such as the compound camphor liniment, should be applied to the outside of throat, and the neck should be surrounded with a piece of flannel. In mild cases the above desoilied treatment is sufficient. In more severe cases the patient may gargle frequently with hot water, or milk and water, or, which is better, may inhale the vapor of boiling water. }'Blistering and will sometimes give relief, but if suppuration is once established, they do harm rather than good. If the tonsils are very much enlarged they should be pricked with a lancet made expressly for the purpose.
Dr. Trench, in his English Past and Present, gives quinsy (or quinsey, as he spells it) as an example of the gradual recasting of a foreign word into a new English mold. The Greek word cynanche was the origin of the French esquinancie, which entered the Eng lish language as squinancy, became squinzey in the time of Jeremy Taylor, and has now softened down to quinsy or quinsey.