GUMS. 
‘the abfcefs is {kinned over, or the aperture in the gum 
lofes, the difpofition to. clofe up. | This. will in a great 
‘meafure prevent any future formation of matter, or at leaf 
be expofed ; but, under fuch circumftances, it will not -be 
in a worfe fituation than when foaked in matter. 
r. Hunter next remarks, that. one method of doing this 
is- to open. the es by a crucial incifion, the full 
gum-bil 
width of the abfcefs, and fill it with lint, which’ fhould be ‘toe 
dipped in lime water, or a diluted folution of lunar cauttic, 
made by diffolving one drachm of the cauftic in two ounces 
-of dittilled 
quently, as it is with difficulty that the drefling: can be kept 
in. - If this.is not fufficient to kee iemonnt open, it may 
be touched with the lunar ¢auttic, fo.as to produce a flough’; © 
and’ the application may be repeated, if found neceflary. 
Some difficulty is experienced in keeping on the dreflings:; 
but conftant attention will make up for .the -incenvenience 
of fituation. . 
r. Hunter alfo {peaks in.favour of touching the fuurface 
of the abfcefs with the lapis fepticus, and. keeping the lip 
from core into contaét with the part for one minute, 
within which {pace.of time the-cauttic will penetrate to the 
tom, b- Dorwoskl aver a 
The furface of the bile thould be wiped as dry as poffible, 
re: i 
the tooth being 
When a gum-bile is formed on a back tooth, the treat- 
ment, oe to Mr. Hunter, need not be fo nice as 
are-lip... Hence this praétice is not advifa ; 
place of the cat would be much in view, as when the abfcefs 
is fituated upon any of the fore-teeth, In thefe cafes, when 
the granulations protrude from the fmall opening, a cure 
may be in the manner above-mentioned, or the 
granulations may be cut off with a knife or lancet. How. 
ever, in general, a permanent.cure cannot be thus effeGted, 
and the ulations rife up again.- It has been common in 
thefe cafes to flit the gum; but, fays Mr. Hunter, it is a 
bad method whenever the defeét is in fight~—Hunter on 
nd .moft convenient.  T 
operation, as hig 
fo much of a. cancerous: appearance 
from meddling with them; but Mr. Hunter believed, that, 
hen they arife at once from the: gum, and appear to 
wt, they. have. no. malignant difpofition. 
ith:very broa 
However, this great forgean had. feen:them with 
bafes when the whole could not: be ‘remo 
bad coniequenees. refulted: from 
yet no 
RY 
the partial . removal of 
‘actual cautery, in order.to {top the bleeding 
water ; and the-wound fhould be drefled'very fre- - 
them. In a few yeers they often rife again, by which means 
# great deal of trouble is occafioned. ale. 
‘After the, extirpation it is often neceffary to apply the 
; for, as Mr, ° 
unter’ obferves, arteries, going to increaféd parts, are 
themfelves increafed, and .alfo become difeafed, and have 
would not anfwer, : ; ) 
Treatment of the Gums in Dentition.—The firft fet of teeth, 
age, its fymptoms are more diffufed, more. general, and 
more uncertain than thofe of any diforder of full-grown peo- 
ple, and they put on the appearance of a iety of 
maladies ; but thefe fymptoms, fays Mr. Hunter, become 
lefs various and lefs hazardous as the child advances in years. 
Hence the double teeth of the child, and particularly the fe- 
cond fet of teeth, or thofe of the adult, are ufually cut with 
out eraeae 5 much difturbance. 2 
Thefe fymptoms are fo various in different children, and 
often in the fame child, that it is difficult to conceive them to 
be from the 
veltigation. 
Both lecal and conftitutional complaints are excited. 
the firft kind may be reckoned ch 
preffes when it is reftlefs ums, and puts. 
every thing into its mouth. ammation, Soe and {wel- 
ling of the gums, and an increafed flow of the faliva, alfo 
appen. tice ee 
The conttitutional complaints are, fever and uniyerfal 
convulfio 
fame origin, and the varieties feem to baffle in 
‘is 
