AMALGAMS FOR STOPPING TEEJ.H. 
263 
whole, I have been satisfied with my own compound. Not 
but that I think it may be improved upon; and, when lei- 
sure time will allow me, I shall endeavor to profit by the 
hints and communications of my professional brethren. 
It should be thoroughly understood, that whenever gold 
foil can be used, it ought to be; and, in the majority of cases 
it can bo. In my opinion, amalgams should be used only 
when the cavity of the tooth is so large as to endanger a 
fracture of the walls, by the pressure required to weld the 
gold foil, or when the tooth is too tender to allow pressure 
upon it from any cause. I may be permitted to observe, 
however, that frequently a tooth will be exquisitely sensi- 
tive when amalgam is applied ; yet, at the expiration of 
twelve months or more, the amalgam will appear to have 
had the effect of removing all tenderness, and a perfect gold 
foil plug can be introduced without the slightest pain to the 
formerly tender cavity. 
For some years in our early knowledge of amalgams, 
nothing but silver coin was amalgamated with mercury. 
This, from discoloring the teeth so much, gave rise to im- 
provements in that respect ; and, although it formed a very 
hard and useful compound, its tendency to oxidation was a 
great objection to its use, especially in the side-front of the 
mouth. Other amalgams were substituted, and among 
them pure silver amalgam, which does not discolor when 
both silver and mercury are perfectly pure (as in all amal- 
gams the metals must be, to ensure perfect results;) but it 
is too friable for long endurance, and is not so much used 
as formerly. Amalgams of platinum, and of gold and 
platinum, have been much used, and with pretty good re- 
sults, though, from some cause or other, I have found them 
variable in the preparation. 
A new compound has lately been introduced to us by 
Mr. Evans, of Paris, in the " Dental News Letter," for Jan- 
uary, 1850. He describes his compound, which is an 
amalgam of tin and cadmium; and although it has not 
