166 THE PATHOLOGY OF "THE TEETH. 



Of the treatment of caries of the necks and crowns 

 of grinder teeth, the professor says : 



" As I am not aware of any treatment by which the 

 decaying process can be stopped, I would as an experi- 

 ment in suitable cases that is, in those in which the 

 diseased part may be got at plug the tooth with gutta- 

 percha, having first thoroughly cleaned the cavity. If 

 the plug can be retained in its place, some benefit may 

 be derived from its use. Believing, however, that the 

 decomposition of food impacted between the grinder 

 teeth is one of the exciting causes of their decay, I 

 would advise that it be now and then removed. It 

 would not only prevent decay, but in cases where decay 

 had already begun, would to some extent check its pro- 

 gress. Indeed, I think the health of the horse would 

 in many cases be improved by the adoption of such a 

 plan." 



While the professor recommends gutta-percha plugs 

 for the crowns of slightly decayed grinders, he says 

 that, compared with those of the necks, they are " less 

 likely to be of even a slight benefit, inasmuch as the 

 plug would be removed by attrition." Where the in- 

 terior of the grinder is destroyed by disease, and the 

 usual longitudinal fracture has occurred, he extracts 

 the tooth with the forceps. While, as a rule, the tooth 

 fractures longitudinally, the corners, he says, are some- 

 times broken off. 



In commenting on the diseases of the alveolar pro- 

 cesses, Prof. Varnell says: 



"The causes which give rise to this condition of the 

 maxillary bones are not easy to define. That a horse 

 so affected is from certain peculiarities predisposed to 



