—As a local application for leukoplakia, Rosenberg uses iodide of potassium in a 20-per-cent. solution painted on the affected points. With this treatment leukoplakia has disap peared in a few clays, after lasting for seven years and resisting all usual methods.
The following paste, applied with a swab, is recommended by Leistikow, in leukoplakia:— R Tune silicem, 24 grains. Resorcini, 48 grains.
Adipis, S grains.—M.
After eight to fourteen days a shrivel ing is noticed, when the slightly in flamed mucous membrane can be brought to a normal condition by balsam of Peru. According to Perrin, the only ment for leukoplakia is the complete ex tirpation of the spots by surgical means. It is the only way to avoid the final evo lution of this disease into true epi thelioma. Solid nitrate of silver should never be used.
The patient should be counseled to give up tobacco and alcoholic drinks, to avoid hot food, acids, and condiments. If a bad tooth seems to be the cause of the trouble, it should be extracted or its cavities filled and its edges rendered smooth. if an ill-fitting plate is worn, it should be discarded and a more nearly perfect article be procured. Antiseptic and alkaline mouth-washes are useful. An application consisting of per-cent. corrosive sublimate and 1-per-cent. chromic acid solution has been recom mended by Schwimmer. The writer has advocated the local use of papain, 1 part being dissolved in 10 parts each of dis tilled water and glycerin. In a case af
fecting, the upper lip and tongue, H. Nie meyer, by the application of this solution once every day, obtained complete heal ing of the tongue and decided improve ment of the lip in seventeen days. Sher well claims speedy improvement, after the application two or three times a day, of undiluted mercuric nitrate, protecting the adjacent parts with absorbent cot ton and neutralizing with sodium blear bonate and glycerin. J. V. Shoemaker (New York Med. Jour., Nov. 23, 1901).
Ulceration of the Tongue. — The tongue frequently becomes the seat of ulcers, benign and malignant, and the recognition of their true identity is fre quently of unusual importance. Lingual ulcers may be divided into four classes: simple ulcers, generally due to disorders of digestion; those occurring as a mani festation of syphilis; those due to tuber culosis or lupus; and finally those at tending cancer.
SinI'LE ULCER.—This usually occurs around the edge of the tongue, and its border may be tumefied and raised as is the case in epithelimna. In the neigh borhood, however, may often be found a carious tooth, or the lesion may be traced to some other form of traumatism. While there is swelling around the base, it is limited in extent and there is no induration such as characterizes cancer. Upon removal of the cause. or under simple remedial measures (see GLos sins), it soon disappears.