8 . W. L. WILLIAMS. 
be determined by alternately closing each nostril, or by ex¬ 
ploring the sinuses with a gimlet. In other cases, the contents 
may be thicker, of a gelatinoid consistency, and the color 
may vary from pale yellow to reddish-brown. If neglected, 
they may suppurate. 
Multilocular cysts, compound follicular cysts, radicular 
and composite odontomes are all prone to early suppuration. 
The first evidence of their existence in the pre-molars, 
and first and second molars, is usually more or less bulging 
of the facial bones over the affected part, but the position of 
the last molar is such that no external swelling can well 
occur. Then follows, in case of considerable cystic growth, 
dyspnoea, without marked dullness by percussion over the 
affected part. Suppuration usually supervenes early and in 
the anterior molars, whose fangs lie in contact with the ex¬ 
ternal bony wall, may find exit externally, leaving a perma¬ 
nent fistulous opening, through which the hard, rough 
tooth may readily be recognized with a silver probe. 
Frequently also, the pus finds exit alongside the affected 
tooth into the mouth. This separation between the tooth 
and gums can be readily felt by the fingers in many cases. 
At the same time there is a further natural tendency to 
recovery from the disease, by the splitting up, loosening, and 
dropping out, of the tooth, followed by a free exit of detached 
denticles, pus, debris, etc., which may, and doubtless is some¬ 
times followed by tardy and fairly complete recovery. 
More often however, this splitting up of the tooth only 
adds to the gravity of the case. In this splitting process it is 
quite likely that food, or detached pieces of tooth, will become 
so impacted as to force a part of the tooth out of its line, 
where, with its rough, jagged edges, it causes serious lacera¬ 
tion of the lips or tongue, or by the irritating presence of the 
detached pieces, may cause more or less extensive ulceration 
and destruction to the bony palate, thus establishing a per¬ 
manent oro-nasal communication, through which food will be 
pushed into the nasal cavities during mastication, as in Fig. 16. 
Another untoward result sometimes brought about 
through the longitudinal splitting of mal-developed teeth is 
