Mumps, or Cynanche parotit doea, a contagious disease, that chiefly affects the lower classes, and is often epidemic. - It is distinguished by an external moveable swelling, that arises on one side of the neck, but more commonly on both, and frequently attains a considerable size; while the fauces appear red, and the patient has a sensation of straitness. The powers of respiration and of deglutition are somewhat impeded, and the disease is mostly accompanied with a slight degree of inflammatory fever. The tumor increases for three or four days; when it begins to subside, and, in a few days, totally disappears, together with the- fever. Next, it is remarkable, that the contents of the scrotum in males, and the breasts of females, become affected with large hard, and often painful swellings, which generally subside in a few days. Sometimes, however, the tumor in the fauces is suddenly suppressed, and not attended with the last mentioned symptom 3 in which case the fever increases rapidly, is often succeeded by delirium, and has sometimes proved fatal.

The mumps being a disease which commonly terminates without danger, it is scarcely necessary to specify any remedies. The principal requisite is, to keep the head and face warm, to avoid taking cold, and to regulate the bowels by the mildest cooling laxatives.— But, should the tumor in the neck suddenly vanish, and the inflammatory fever increase, so as to induce an apprehension that the brain will be affected, it will be advisable to promote and reproduce the swelling by warm fomentations; and, to obviate the fatal consequences that may result from its sudden repression, by means of emetics, venesection, or blisters, according to the nature of the case.