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THE MOUTH, AND ITS TREATMENT. 281 



stitution Avas good. He was about tliirty-four 

 years of age." ♦ 



About the middle of December of last year I 

 was consulted by a gentleman, who complained of 

 great pain in his gums and teeth, which was much 

 increased when he clenched his teeth together, an 

 act he had a great desire to perform ; and, again, 

 the pain became aggravated when he became warm 

 in bed. I found the mouth and throat presenting 

 a most suspicious appearance, and upon inquiry 

 I learned that lie had recently been troubled with 

 secondary syphilis, from which, however, he was 

 now recovered. Such a case was pre-eminently 

 fitted for the iodide of potassium. I therefore 

 prescribed it, or rather the iodide of sodium, and 

 with the success I anticipated. In such cases, 

 the relief, though almost immediate, is not com- 

 pleted in so short a time as in other and more 

 tractable forms of periostitis. 



I have never seen any cases of scorbutic 

 periostitis. In strumous children, who often 

 suffer from the effects of irritation of this mem- 

 brane, small doses of the iodide of sodium, of one 

 or two grains, with cod-liver oil, will often prove 

 of great service. 



I now come to a class of cases extremely diffi- 

 cult to treat with anything hke uniform success. 

 The narration of one case will be sufficient for 

 my purpose on the present occasion. A woman 

 who had been up to her marriage, a domestic 



