DESCEIPTION OF AN INVERTED TOOTH. 55 



of a temporary tooth is not very uncommonly 

 preceded by the appearance of a vesicle upon the 

 surface of the gum, and that if a lancet be 

 employed, a small quantity of transparent fluid 

 escapes, and leaves the enamel of the coming 

 tooth uncovered. The surface of the enamel, 

 when the formation is completed, becomes de- 

 tached from the investing soft tissue, although 

 the contact of the surface is preserved. But 

 imder certain circumstances the two surfaces may 

 become separated by the interposition of fluid, 

 which, when collected to an appreciable amount, 

 produces that condition described as a vesicle. 

 In unhealthy children the fluid, instead of being 

 transparent, like serum, may become purulent; 

 and the vesicle, which in the one case is productive 

 of no inconvenience, may in the other pass into a 

 painful ulcer, and occasion great suffering to the 

 patient, as well as] injury to the subjacent teeth. 

 But in cases of the foregoing description the 

 collection of fluid, whether serous or purulent, 

 being situated near the surface of the gum, readily 

 escapes without involving the more deeply seated 

 parts of the jaw in disease. In the case I will 

 now relate, fluid collected, as I believe, under 

 similar circumstances, except as regards the posi- 

 tion of the tooth, around the crown of which the 

 disease arose. 



A girl, 16 years of age, the daughter of a 

 tradesman, was sent to me by Mr. Franklin, nnd 



