DESCRIPTION OP AN INVERTED TOOTH. 57 



swelling, rendered the nature of the disease very 

 obscure. Mr. Amott was kind enough to see 

 the case. He introduced a grooved needle : 

 several drachms of clear yellow fluid escaped, 

 and the swelling of the soft parts to a certain 

 extent subsided, leaving the outline of the en- 

 largement of the bone comparatively distinct to 

 the finger. The patient felt relieved by the 

 operation from the sense of tension and weight, 

 which had latterly become distressing. 



I saw her again on the 26th of January. The 

 swelHng she stated had gradually returned, and 

 with it a dull aching pain. The involved tooth 

 I found had in the interval become slightly loose, 

 and was turned a little inwards towards the tongue. 

 The swelling was again punctured with a needle, 

 and with results similar to those already described. 

 On the 5th of February the patient returned. 

 She stated that after the last operation she 

 suffered great pain, accompanied with constant 

 throbbing in the tumour, and that pus had sub- 

 sequently been discharged from the orifice made 

 by the needle. The amount of constitutional 

 disturbance which accompanied these symptoms 

 was sufficient to confine the patient to her room 

 for some days. Upon examination, I found that 

 the tooth had become much more displaced than 

 formerly, that it was quite loose, and that the 

 surrounding gums were greatly inflamed. Under 

 these circumstances I determined to remove the 



