Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Tumor

TUMOR, or Swelling, in animal economy, denotes an enlargement or preternatural tumefaction of any part of the body; and is either of an indolent nature, such as Cancer, Schirrus and Scrophula; or inflammatory, as occurs in the female breast, in chilblains, and various other local affections.—With respect to the latter, we refer to the article Inflammation; and, as most of the former are distinguished, either by the cause from which they arise, or by other circumstances, whence they have received particular denominations, we shall in this place only give a few directions, relative to the treatment of indolent tumors in general.

When swellings of this nature gradually appear on any part of the human body, and are not attended with either pain or inflammation, the mode ot discussing them entirely depends on their situation. Thus, when the glands are swoln, cold astringent fomentations, or saponaceous and mercurial plasters, conjoined with cold-bathing, especially in sea-water, will generally be attended with good effects. If the tumor be situated on muscular or fleshy parts, warm fomentations have often been found of service; on bony or tendinous parts, gentle friction, and afterwards moderate compression, are in most cases sufficient to remove the obstruction.