THE DISEASES OF THE JAWS. 115 
molar teeth. The evil becomes readily remedied, generally speak- 
ing, by the judicious use of the tooth-rasp. 
Fracture of the teeth, rarely — hardly ever, in their sound condi- 
tion — happens; but fracture of the jaw from injury, is a case 
which every now and then presents itself, and with it the teeth 
commonly become involved. 
What is most apt to affect the jaws, however, is caries of the 
teeth, or disease communicated from them to the lining membranes 
of the sinuses and cancellated cavities in their interiors. 
“Writers on dental surgery have not failed to point out the 
morbid effects of the diseases of the teeth or the osseous structure 
of the jaws; but they .have been content to grapple with these 
effects in one or two forms only. “ Abscess of the Antrum,” 
“ Parulis or Gumboil,” and “ Epulis,” — the simplest form of the 
sarcomatous tumour, are sometimes mentioned in systems of 
dental surgery ; but, uniformly as distinct and primary diseases, 
instead of symptomatic affections, all equally referrible to the 
same causes, namely, the “ idiopathic diseases of the teeth and 
sockets.”- “ A vesical calculus may give rise to various (symp- 
tomatic) affections of the neighbouring parts, and connected organs; 
but in an etiological point of view, the disease, whatever the symp- 
toms, is still calculus, and the sole correct treatment consists in 
the removal of the lithic deposit,” — together with, we would add, 
the lithic diathesis. “ Thus it is with the diseases of the jaws. 
In their etiology they are identic, and on this identity is founded 
their only successful curative treatment.” — Editor's Preface. 
That fundamental science in medicine must have for its prin- 
cipal object the study of primary causes will not be questioned by 
the man of reflection, no more than that the jaws and other vici- 
nous parts have been treated for pains and aches, and inflammations, 
and swellings, when the teeth were the parts that ought to 
have been looked to : this last, in fact, is a remnant of old surgery 
that has been pretty well exploded from modern practice, the folly 
and absurdity of which, it would appear from Dr. Mitchell’s preface, 
Mr. Koecker has been very instrumental in exposing. 
The observations the running over of the work before us have 
elicited, will shew how little of it can be made applicable to such 
animals as horses, dogs, &c. There is, however, one division of 
the “ Essay ” to which we may with advantage direct the atten- 
tion of the veterinarian ; and since this is but a short one, and our 
reader may feel desirous of judging for himself of the applicability 
of it to veterinary practice, we will transcribe it into our pages. 
The heading of it is — 
“Of Osseous, Fibro-cartilaginous, Sarcomatous, Fungous, and 
Osteo-Sarcomatous Tumours and Excrescences of the Jaws. 
