O F I N F A N G Y. 389 



move the irritation : To procure ftill farther re- 

 lief, they are furniflied with a piece of ivory, 

 coral, or any other hard fmooth fuhftance. which 

 they rub againfl: the gums. This operation re- 

 laxes the parts, affords a momentary ceilation of 

 pain, renders the gums thinner, and faciHtates 

 their rupture. Bur, notwithftanding every pre-^ 

 caution, the rupture of the gums is always ac- 

 companied with pain and danger. When the 

 gums are uncommonly ftrong and rigid, they 

 refift the prefTure of the teeth for a confiderable 

 time, and occafion a violent inflammation, which 

 often proves fatal. The fimple operation of 

 cutting the gum removes the inflammation, and 

 gives a free padlige to the teeth. 



The canine or dog-teeth, which are four in 

 number, and fituated next to the cutting-teeth^ 

 generally appear in the ninth or tenth monthi 

 About the end of the firft, or during the courfe 

 of the fccond year, the fixteen molares or grin- 

 ders, four on each fide of the canine-teeth, cut 

 the gums. But thefe periods vary greatly in 

 different children. 



The cutting-teeth, the dog-teeth, and the firft 

 four grinders, are generally flied during the 

 fifth, fixth, or feventh year; and are commonly 

 replaced in the feventh year, though fometimes 

 not before tlic age of puberty. The Ihcdding of 

 thefe fixteen teeth is occafioned by the cxpanlion 

 cf the rudiments of a fccond fct, which are fi- 

 tuated at the bottom of the fockcts, and, by 



B b 3 their 



