Aëtius and Avicenna agree in describing it as an inflammation and swelling of the brain and its membranes, so as to occasion a hollow at the bregma, and as being attended with ardent fever. The account given by the others is very similar. All recommend cooling and astringent applications to the part. According to Alexander Aphrodisiensis, children are most subject to this affection, especially in the summer season; for which he attempts to assign the reason. He describes it as an inflammation of the membranes of the brain. The author of the ‘Euporista’ recommends the juices of various cooling herbs, as local applications. Pliny represents the heat of it as excessive. He says, “Siriasesque infantium spongia frigida crebro liumefectata, rana inversa adalligata efficacissime sanet, quam aridam inveniri affirmant.” (l. c.) Although somewhat out of place, we shall venture to introduce here some account of two diseases of infancy which are omitted by our author, but are briefly described by Aëtius and Rhases. For prolapsus ani, Aëtius recommends various applications in the form of powder and fomentation; but states, that what he himself constantly made use of was tepid brine or salt water. (iv, 19.) See Rhases (de Morb. Inf. c. 21.) Umbilical hernia, he says, may be occasioned by crying, a blow, or a fall. For this he recommends various astringent preparations from alum, galls, &c., applied on a linen compress to the navel. (iv, 20.) Rhases recommends similar applications, and also a compress with the gluten of hides to be bound over the navel. (De Morb. Infant. c. 22.) As far as we can recollect, Hippocrates and his commentators are the only ancient authorities that make mention of inflammation of the navel after the cord has dropped off. (Aphor. c. Comment. ed. Dietz, p. 374.) SECT. XIV.—THE REGIMEN OF INFANCY, AND OF THE SUCCEEDING AGES UNTIL MANHOOD.