CLASS I. 2, 4. 13. OF IRRITATION. 1 1 9 



belladonna are faid to have been fuccefsful. See Cephalsea idio. 

 pathica. 



13. Odontalgia. Tooth-ach. The pain has been erroneoufly 

 fuppoled, where there is no inflammation, to be owing to fome 

 acrid matter from a carious tootli ftimulating the membrane of 

 the alveolar procefs into violent action and confequent pain ; 

 but the effect Teems to have been miftaken for the caufe, and 

 the decay of the tooth to have been occafioned by the torpor 

 and confequent pain of the diieafed membrane. 



Firft, becaufe the pain precedes the decay of the tooth in re- 

 gard to time, and is liable to recur, frequently for years, without 

 certainly being fucceeded at laft by a carious tooth, as I have 

 repeatedly obferved. 



Secondly, becaufe any ftimulant drug, as pyrethrum, or oil of 

 cloves, applied to the tooth, or ether applied externally to the 

 cheek, is fo far from increasing the pain, as it would do if the 

 pained membrane already acted too ftrongly, that it frequently 

 gives immediate relief like a charm. 



And thirdly, becaufe the torpor, or deficient action of the 

 Kiembrane, which includes the difeafed tooth, occafions the mo- 

 tions" of the membranes moil connected with it, as thofe of the 

 cheek and temples, to act with lefs than their natural energy ; 

 and hence a coldnefs of the cheek is perceived eafily by the hand 

 of the patient, comparing it with the other cheek ; and the pain 

 of hemicrania is often produced in the temple of the affected fide. 

 This coldnefs of the cheek in common tooth-ach evinces, that 

 the pain is not then caufed by inflammation ; becaufe in all in- 

 ilimnuuions fo much heat is produced in the fecretions of new 

 Is and fluids, as to give heat to the parts in the vicinity. 

 And hence, as foon as the gum fwells and inflames along with 

 the cheek, heat ij produced, and the pain ceafes, owing to the 

 increafed exertions of the torpid membrane, excited by the ac- 

 tivity of the fenibrial power of fenfation ; which previoufly exift- 

 ed in its pafiive flute in the painful torpid membrane. See 

 Odontitis, Ciais II, 1.4. 7. and IV. 2. 2. 8. 



M. M. If the painful tooth be found, venefection. Then a 

 cathartic. Afterwards two grains of opium. Camphor and 

 opium, one grain of each held in the rnou:h ; or a drop or two 

 o. ; : oil of cloves put on the painful tooth. Ether. If the tooth 

 imall hole in it, this fhould be widened within by eu. inUru- 

 nient, and then (lopped with leaf-gold, or leaf-lead ; but the truth 

 ihould be extracted, if much decayed. It is probable that half a 

 drop of a ilrong folution of arfenic, put carefully into the 

 hollow of a decayed aching tooth, would deilvoy the nerve with- 

 out giving any additional pain : but this experiment requires 



great 



