110 PROF. DR. L. BOLK 



anatomical significance. And for the sake of convenience I 

 shall designate the two anomalies differently. A supernumerary 

 element at the end of the dental arch, situated back of the third 

 molar, I shall denominate a distomolar and such a one situated 

 on the outer side of the arch I shall distinguish as a paramolar. 

 There is a current opinion among anatomists that paramolars 

 and distomolars should be considered identical objects. I shall 

 demonstrate in the next pages that this opinion is a false one. 



In my collection there are thirteen cases of a distomolar, of 

 which five are on both sides, five on the right side only, and 

 three on the left side only. Of paramolars there are seven 

 instances, four on the left side, one on the right side, and two on 

 both halves of the jaw. Moreover there are two upper jaw^s 

 with a distomolar on the left side and a paramolar on the right, 

 also one case with a paramolar on the left side and distomolar 

 on the right, and finally there is a preparation, of the utmost 

 scientific value, with a para- and distomolar on the same (left) 

 side. All these specimens are natural preparations. Moreover 

 the odontological collection of the Anatomical Museum of the 

 University of Amsterdam contains a large number of models 

 exhibiting a paramolar and a distomolar also. 



As already indicated I have met with no cases of a disto- 

 molar in the mandible. Now it should be emphasized that 

 equal rarity of occurrence can be established, respecting the 

 paramolar, for all the above mentioned cases w^ere found in the 

 upper jaw. I do not possess a single specimen of a paramolar 

 in the lower jaw. It is needless to mention that the- number 

 of cases collected by me, do not give any indication of the actual 

 occurrence of these supernumerary teeth, for though I have 

 examined nearly 35,000 skulls, these included a large number 

 of aged individuals who had lost their teeth partially or entirely. 



Magitot, the renowned French odontologist, has remarked 

 that paramolars are always situated in the corner between the 

 second and third molar. I cannot concur with this statement. 

 In most cases, it is true, the paramolar is situated in the place 

 designated, but in a minority of cases this tooth stands in the 

 corner between the first and second molai". In figure () a repro- 



