should be immediately introduced; and if lodged at the entrance of the
gullet, the substance may be reached and extracted, possibly, with the
forefinger alone, or may be seized with a pair of pincers, if at hand,
or a curling tongs, or anything of the kind. This procedure may be
facilitated by directing the person to put the tongue well out, in
which position it may be retained by the individual himself, or a
bystander by grasping it, covered with a handkerchief or towel. Should
this fail, an effort should be made to excite retching or vomiting
by passing the finger to the root of the tongue, in hopes that the
offending substance may in this way be dislodged; or it may possibly
be effected by suddenly and unexpectedly dashing in the face a basin
of cold water, the shock suddenly relaxing the muscular spasm present,
and the involuntary gasp at the same time may move it up or down. If
this cannot be done, as each instant's delay is of vital importance to
a choking man, seize a fork, a spoon, a penholder, pencil, quill, or
anything suitable at hand, and endeavor to push the article down
the throat. If it be low down the gullet, and other means fail, its
dislodgment may sometimes be effected by dashing cold water on the
spine, or vomiting may be induced by an emetic of sulphate of zinc
(twenty grains in a couple of tablespoonfuls of warm water), or of
common salt and mustard in like manner, or it may be pushed into the
stomach by extemporizing a probang, by fastening a small sponge to the
end of a stiff strip of whalebone. If this cannot he done, a surgical
operation will be necessary. Fish bones or other sharp substances,
when they cannot be removed by the finger or forceps, may sometimes
be dislodged by swallowing some pulpy mass, as masticated bread,
etc. Irregularly shaped substances, a plate with artificial teeth for
instance, can ordinarily be removed only by surgical interference.

COLIC.--Use a hot fomentation over the abdomen, and a small quantity