PREFACE 



IN the following pages I have endeavoured to bring up to 

 date, as far as possible, our knowledge of the microscopic 

 anatomy or histology of the teeth. 



No doubt much remains obscure, and there are very 

 many points which are still matters of controversy, but 

 modern methods of research have done much to clear up 

 a great deal of this obscurity, which must, however, always 

 attend the study of such difficult tissues to investigate as 

 the dentine and enamel of the teeth. 



Sir Charles Tomes's Dental Anatomy is still the acknow- 

 ledged and authoritative text -book for the wide field which 

 it covers, and the present work is confined to dental histology, 

 in which there are many points which have not been fully 

 considered in recent English text-books on the subject. 



In presenting the results of my own investigations, which 

 have occupied me for many years, I hope I have adequately 

 acknowledged the work of others on the same subject. It 

 has been difficult during the last four strenuous years to 

 obtain papers and communications from abroad, and if 

 I have overlooked any important research I can only express 

 my regret for any such omission. 



It may perhaps be considered that I have hardly given 

 sufficient space to the historical aspect of histological 

 research, but I have avoided referring at great length to 

 obsolete views and those now not generally received, in 

 order that the student may obtain a clearer understanding 

 of the present state of knowledge and of the different theories 

 that chiefly hold their ground at the present day. 



To the pioneers in dental histology, and in England 

 especially to Sir John Tomes and Mr. James Salter, we owe 

 a great debt of gratitude. These early investigators obtained 



