168 Of Animalcules in the Teeth . 
The third Sort are roundiih, and To mi¬ 
nute, that a Grain of coarfe Sand would 
equal a million of them in Bignefs : they 
move fo fwiftly, and in fuchMultitudes, that 
they feem like Swarms of Gnats or Flies, 
and the exadt Shape of them is not eafy to 
be diAinguifhed. 
Some or all of thefe three Kinds may be 
>r 
found pretty conftantly in the Matter taken 
from between the Teeth of Men, Women, 
or Children; efpecially from between the 
Grinders, even tho’ they wafh their Teeth 
continually, and clean them with the utmoft 
Care : but from the Teeth of People that are 
more carelefs, the faid Matter affords another 
Sort of Animalcules in the Shape of Eels or 
Worms, as pictured Numb. 4. Thefe move 
themfelves backwards or forwards, with 
great Bendings of the Body; and force their 
Way through the minuter Animalcules every 
where around them, with the fame Eafe as 
a large Butterfly would break through a 
Swarm of Gnats. There are likewife, in 
this Matter from the Teeth, other Sorts of 
Animalcules , whofe Motions are fo extremely 
languid, that without long Attention they 
cannot be diflinguifhed to be alive. 
Obfervation. They all die if Vinegar be 
applied to them ; whence it feems reafonable 
to conclude, that wafhing the Teeth and 
Gums with Vinegar may be a Means of pre~ 
ferving them from thefe mindte Creatures. 
a CHAP, 
