62 ON THE REMOVAL OF THE 



I now proceed to consider the objections which: 

 may be urged against this practice, and the dis- 

 advantages connected with it. 



(1.) Its apparent severity, and, in the eyes of 

 sensitive persons, even cruelty. 



(2.) Its apparent needlessness at the time of 

 operation. 



(3.) The slowness and self-operating character of 

 its results. 



(4.) Its occasional difficulty. 



(1 .) It must be admitted that the operation is, at 

 the time, a painful one; but the teeth once success- 

 fully removed, the after-results are trivial. In the 

 first case described in this paper, the child was 

 quite well next day. In a case I operated on about 

 ten days ago, the child went from the operating- 

 room to the Polytechnic, and he told me he enjoyed 

 himself very much. In this case I administered 

 chloroform sufficiently to remove all pain during 

 the operation. The worst account I ever heard of 

 the bad efiect of the operation was in the case 

 of a little girl who remained nervous for three 

 days after it. It is worthy of notice, however, that 

 of four sisters, this is the only one with a perfectly 

 regular set of teeth. 



(2.) To ensure perfect success in the result of the 

 operation, it is necessary to remove the first molars 

 before the upper and under bicuspides are fully 

 developed, or have articulated one with the other. 

 I admit in some cases a perfect result will foUow, 



