TEETH. FIRST OPERATION. HIPPOS 
55 
his crew an extra two leaves each, is sure to arrive an 
hour or two sooner than he otherwise would. 
4s 
4s 4s 
The teeth also give the natives much trouble. Many 
of my patients suffer from shrinking of the gums 
together with purulent discharges {pyonhcea) caused by 
accumulations of tartar. Then, in course of time, all 
the teeth get loose and fall out. Strange to say, these 
cases get well more quickly here than in Europe, where 
the complicated treatment often fails to attain its 
object. I have obtained successful results from 
regular painting with an alcoholic solution of thymol, 
only the patient has to be careful not to swallow any 
of the liquid, which is, of course, very poisonous. 
It seems to the natives almost incredible that I can 
extract teeth which are not yet loose, but they do not 
all trust the polished forceps ! A chief who was plagued 
with toothache would not submit to their use till he 
had gone home again to consult his wives. Presumably 
the family decision was unfavourable, as he did not 
present himself again. On the other hand, some 
request me to take all their teeth out and to get them 
new ones from Europe. A few old folk have, through 
the missionaries, actually got some double sets, “ made 
by the white people,” and they are now an object of 
much envy. 
Abdominal tumours are very common here with the 
women. 
My hope that I should not need to perform any major 
operation before the medical ward was ready for use 
was disappointed. On August 15th I had to operate 
on a case of strangulated hernia which had been brought 
