284 INFLAMNATION IN THE TISSUES OF 



treatment, in order that I might test to the very 

 utmost the value of iodine ; and the result which 

 I am about to give, was even beyond my expecta- 

 tion. About five months ago, I was consulted by 

 a man at St. Mary's Hospital, who complained 

 that he was never free from pain in his mouth and 

 teeth ; but that latterly it had greatly increased, 

 and at night became so distressing as often to rob 

 him of sleep. He said he suffered so much, and 

 felt so bad, that he could not keep to his work. 

 Upon examination, I found the teeth all loose, the 

 gums red and swollen, soft and spongy; and upon 

 pressing them with my fingers pus oozed out in 

 every direction. The teeth were much incrusted 

 with tartar. The man had every external appear- 

 ance of a scrofulous tendency ; such as long, weak, 

 light hair, a large head, bright eyes, a fair com- 

 plexion, &c. When I first saw him, there was a 

 good deal of anxious distress expressed in his 

 face. Wishing to test the power of iodine in such 

 a case, I employed no local treatment at first, 

 though the removal of the tartar was so evidently 

 desirable, but contented myself with prescribing 

 the iodide of sodium with the bicarbonate of soda, 

 in five-grain doses. I saw the man in two days ; 

 he said he was not the same man : his appearance 

 had certainly greatly improved. After the second 

 dose he felt himself better, and found he could 

 sleep at night. liittle improvement had, however, 

 tpken place in the gums and teeth, except that 



