6 PROCEEDINGS OP THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 67 



(f) There is no possibility that the left lower canine was congen- 

 itally absent, for the tissue now occupying the position of the nor- 

 mal alveolus is, in texture, different from the surrounding bone. 

 This scar seems to be slightly smaller than the alveolus of the right 

 canine, indicating that the left was lost some time during the youth 

 of the individual. Another indication that the tooth was not lost in 

 later life is that the healing of the alveolus would then hardly have 

 been as perfect. The surrounding bone is smooth and healthy, and 

 the prominence upon the chin formed by the root of the normal 

 canine is absent upon the left side. There is no indication of how 

 or why this tooth was lost. 



(g) Many of the alveoli are markedly pathologic. This condition 

 takes the form of excessive shrinkage, or lowering of the bony bor- 

 der, and is most marked in the septa between the tooth rows, espe- 

 cially between the second and third molars of both sides and the 

 first and second of the left side, of the lower series; and between the 

 second and third molars of both sides of the upper series. The 

 majority of the remaining molariform teeth of the upper series are 

 also affected, but in lesser degree. The bone involved is smooth, 

 however, showing no sign of scars or injury, and the abnormality 

 was not caused by suppuration. 



A study of the above situation and a consideration of all possible 

 solutions points with probability to an intensely interesting expla- 

 nation. At the age when this individual had just cut the front teeth 

 of the peimanent set, he suffered an injury, most likely followed by 

 inflammation of the muscles of the right side of the head and neck. 

 For an indeterminate interval thereafter the act of chewing food, 

 and very likely that of swallowing as well, was so painful that the 

 animal brought itself to the verge of starvation. From this cause, 

 a state of malnutrition followed, reaching its maximum severity at 

 a time during or immediately subsequent to the cutting of most of 

 the rear molars, which occurs some time after the appearance of the 

 anterior teeth of the permanent set. Any deficiency in the diet 

 having an osteological effect at the time that tooth change is occur- 

 ring would manifest itself at just this point, where the process of 

 absorption of old, and formation of new, bony tissue renders this 

 part most subject to any adverse influences. It is likely that the 

 permanent cheek teeth w^ere rather well formed when the condition 

 of malnutrition was most acute, however, else their emplacement 

 would show some abnormal irregularity, which is not the case. The 

 state of the posterior borders of the alveoli of the third molars or 

 "wisdom" teeth points to the conclusion that before the appearance 

 of the latter, the animal had ceased to suffer pain, had resumed a 

 normal diet, and had thus terminated the period of malnutrition. 



