CHAPTER VIII. 



THE PATHOLOGY OP THE TEETH. 



Importance of the Subject. — Caries caused by Inflamed Pulps, 

 Blows, Virus, and Morbid Diathesis — Supernumerary Teeth 

 and other Derangements. — Trephining the Sinuses. — Gutta 

 Perch a as a Filling. — Cleaning the Teeth. — A Diseased Fos- 

 sil Tooth. 



The importance of the study of the pathology of 

 the teeth is self-evident, for they not only bear impor- 

 tant relations to the general system, but, like all other 

 parts of it, are subject to disease and derangement. 

 The fact that disease of the teeth is involved in more 

 or less mystery, is an argument in favor of the study 

 of the subject, for, to use Surgeon Gamgee's words, 

 it is a "duty to study the laws of disease as well as 

 health," and "it is praiseworthy to dive into the mys- 

 teries of the origin of" diseases as well as monsters. It 

 is probably not too much to say that, to the successful 

 surgeon, knowledge of the diseases and derangements 

 of the teeth is indispensable. 



In order to facilitate the study of and cast light on 

 the subject, I have brought into juxtaposition, as it 

 were, a summary of the views of a few able men in 

 regard to the cause of caries, &c., wliich, better still, is 

 followed by the reports of well-known surgeons, who 

 give the results of their experiences in detail. 



