274 INFLAMMATION IN THE TISSUES OF 



leads to this treatment, I suppose, is, that the pain 

 is the result of a cold, which gives rise to inflam- 

 mation of the periosteum, and that therefore anti- 

 phlogistic treatment is correct, and that failing, 

 extraction becomes the only alternative. Such 

 attacks of pain I have found to depend upon very 

 various causes and to need varied treatment, 

 which it will be my endeavour this evening to 

 point out 



Peeiostitis. 



Under this head I propose to describe the in- 

 flamatory process as it goes on in the membrane 

 which lines the root of the tooth, the peridental 

 membrane — and its reflection which lines the 

 socket in which the root is retained — the intra- 

 alveolar membrane. 



For practical purposes, it matters little whether 

 we can discriminate in which of these the attack 

 is. Inflammation of either of these membranes 

 may be the result of external causes ; or internal 

 or constitutional causes ; or of both external and 

 internal causes combined. Of external causes, a 

 blow on the mouth, the sudden and unexpected 

 biting upon some hard body, as a shot, or a splin- 

 ter of bone, or the application of some irritating 

 substance, are among the most common. Of 

 internal causes, syphilis, scrofula, rheumatism, 

 gout, and mercury, may be regarded as among the 

 most frequent. Periostitis may assail one tooth 



