ITS SURGICAL AND MECHANICAL TREATMENT. 95 



its intended place. This, with the assistance of the 

 collars in the front, was found sufficient to hold the 

 plate firmly in its place. 



A natural conclusion to this paper is the inquiry, 

 Is either or both modes of treatment applicable to 

 all classes of cases ? if not, what cases are inappro- 

 priate for the one or the other mode, and what are 

 the respective advantages and disadvantages of the 

 two plans ? 



From what was said when speaking of the surgical 

 treatment of fissured palate, it appears that all 

 surgeons are agreed that cases of extensive fissure 

 of either the hard or soft palate, or of both, are 

 beyond their power. These then, without dispute, 

 fall to the care of the dentist. Of the remainder, it 

 may be said, all surgeons are now agreed that a 

 successful result may be anticipated in those cases 

 where the fissure affects only the soft palate, 

 provided certain conditions of the patient, to be 

 enumerated immediately, exist. 



In those cases where the fissure affects the 

 hard palate alone, or implicates both hard and soft, 

 surgical treatment has failed in a very large pro- 

 portion of cases, in the hands of most English 

 surgeons ; though some few have published several 

 cases in which with them the operation has 

 succeeded.* 



Among the conditions upon which success 



* Vide " Medico-Chirurgical Trans.," Vol. xxxix., and the Medical 

 Journals, especially of last year. 



