(From crooked, and the tongue). A contraction of the ligaments of the tonge: tongue-tied. Vogel defines it to be an adhesion of the tongue to the adjacent parts, so as to hinder sucking, swallowing, and speaking.

Some have this imperfection from their birth, others from some disease. In the first case, the membrane which supports the tongue is too short or too hard; in the latter, an ulcer under the tongue, healing and forming a cicatrix, will occasion it; these speak with some difficulty, and are called by the Greeks See

Mogilatia.

The ancyloglossi by nature are late before they speak, but when they begin they soon speak properly; these we call tongue-tied, and the membrane which confines the tongue may be cut with scissors, being careful not to extend the points of the scissors so far as the frenulum. When the child's tongue is tied, he does not suck freely, he loses the nipple very frequently, and whilst sucking he makes a chucking kind of a noise. The instances rarely occur which require any kind of assistance; for if the child can thrust the tip of its tongue to the outer edge of its lip, this disease does not exist; and if the tongue is not greatly restrained, the frenulum will stretch by the child's sucking and crying. Besides, without an absolute necessity, which scarcely ever exists, an operation should not be admitted; for without great circumspection, by cutting the frenulum, the nerves passing there may be also cut, and a loss of speech be the consequence.

Sometimes the tongue is bound down with a fleshy substance, which should never be cut through, because a dangerous hemorrhage might follow, without any attending advantage. It is advisable only to direct the nurse, now and then, to stretch it gently by a light pressure on it with her finger. When, in consequence of delivering a child by the feet, a swelling is observed under the tongue, nothing is required, for the tumour will soon subside.

See Hildanus in Cent. iii. Obs. 28, where he gives an accurate account of the nature, cure, and bad effects that may follow on improper methods being used for the cure of this disorder. He never cuts more of the fraenum than appears ligamentous, and then orders it to be gently rubbed two or three times a day with honey of roses. Bell's Surgery, vol. iv. p. 336. If the tongue is too loose, by the fraenum being too long, or not carried sufficiently near the apex, no remedy can be em-ployed. The only inconvenience arises from the child, in attempting to suck on waking, inverting the tongue, the point of which suffocates him. This must be cautiously guarded against, or the tongue bandage of Petit may be employed.