OPERATIONS ON THE MOUTH, PHARYNX, ETC. I39 



molars at the back of the mouth. They were ground down to the proper 

 size and shape from the smallest human incisors made of Ash's porcelain 

 The cutting edges \\ere protected by thin platinum-foil, upon which gold 

 solder was fused, as this ga^e an efificient edge and considerably lessened 

 the risk of breakage of the porcelain. 



'1 he animal tore the meat off a mutton chop, and crunched the upper 

 portion of the bone, very shortly after they had been ]3Ut in, whereas 

 before this it had taken nothing but liquid or finel;-cut food. For the 

 first few days they caused discomfort, much in the same way as is 

 experienced by the human subject when commencing to wear a set of 

 false teeth, and the animal on numerous occasions successfully removed 

 them with his paws. They were therefore firmly wired in, but after a 

 week or ten days they settled down into position, and, after some sub- 

 seciuent slight alterations, were worn regularly for about eighteen months, 

 being removed each night, cleansed, and replaced the following day. 

 The dog improved in coat and cond tion, and got cjuite fat. Unluckily, 

 he was stolen, the teeth being in the mouth at the time, and lost sight of. 



The second patient was a very old collie from whose mouth all the 

 incisors had disappeared, the canines still being firm and good, and all 

 the molars, ^^ ith one exception, being present. Plates were made and 

 the missing teeth replaced, but owing to the length of the mouth and 

 some peculiarities of the molars it was difficult to make them fit in so 

 firmly that the dog could not get them out with his paw. The plate 

 therefore was abandoned, and American bridge work substituted, a 

 strong bar of gold being placed between the canines on each jaw to take 

 the place of the missing incisors. This was riveted in each case to the 

 canine, and thus held firmly in position. The result was an unqualified 

 success, and the patient improved wonderfully in condition afterwards. 

 Previous to the insertion of the ' bridge,' the gums had appeared \ery 

 sore, and on several occasions the dog was seen to gi\-e up the task of 

 trying to eat dry biscuit or bones. In fact, for some time previously his 

 owner had been administering only soft food on this account. With the 

 gold substitute covering the gums this difficulty did not e.\ist, and both 

 bones and dry biscuit were attacked with eagerness. 



Pus in the Antrum. 



For this the upper fourth premolar is e.vtracted (for details 

 see p. 97)- 



