190 TKE DENTISTRY OF THE TEETH. 



twelve pounds of blood. The patient was very con- 

 siderably relieved. I then ordered all four legs to be 

 well rubbed \vith essential oil of turpentine. 



"There now appeared to me a connection between 

 these symptoms and the swallowing of the tooth. But 

 where was this tooth ? Entangled in the pyloric ori- 

 fice of the stomach ? I could not perceive any symp- 

 tom of gastric disease. Was it in the convolutions or 

 the caecal portions of the small intestines? How then 

 could I explain the distention of the large intestines 

 and the expulsive efforts, so violent and continued? 

 It w^as more likely that the tooth was lodged either in 

 the colon or the caecum, or in the irregularities of the 

 floating colon, and partially or entirely prevented the 

 passage of the faeces. It was hard to believe that in 

 the lapse of two days the tooth could have reached the 

 further part of the intestines. 



" Having determined on the nature of the disease, I 

 was somewhat embarrassed to ascertain its precise seat. 

 I attempted to introduce my hand into the rectum, 

 but the circumvolutions of the bowels were so much 

 distended with gas, and so completely filled the pelvis, 

 and the mere introduction of my finger caused such 

 violent efforts to expel the contents of the rectum, that 

 I was forced to desist. 



'* In the meantime the swelling rapidly increased, 

 and again threatened suffocation. I then determined 

 to use the only means in my power to prevent this, 

 namely, to puncture the csecum. This was effected 

 with the trocar used for hoove in sheep, and in an in- 

 stant the swelling subsided, and the symptoms of suf- 

 focation disappeared. I was then enabled to introduce 

 my hand into the rectum, but I could not discover the 

 situation of the tooth. While exploring the rectum, 



