Page 259 - My FlipBook

SYSTEMIC CONDITIONS. 131
the microscope and micropolariscope, and is necessarily qualita-
tive rather than quantitative.
Recently the committee of the New York State Dental
Society on dental science has taken up the question of the influ-
ence of the presence of the sulphocyanids in the saliva as a
special piece of work, and is making numerous examinations
by clinical and laboratory methods. Its last annual report is
not yet at hand, but from the information derived from private
sources, it seems that this test alone is giving correct indications
as to the susceptibility to, or immunity from, caries, in about
ninety-sis to ninety-seven per cent of the individuals examined.
This is indicated by the absence of, or only very slight reactions,
indicating the presence of none or a very small quantity of the
sulphocyanids of potassium in susceptibility, as compared with
more decisive reactions indicating a large quantity of the sulpho-
cyanids in the saliva of immune persons. In the prosecution of
this work, another point has developed which may prove of much
significance upon further examination. In some cases which
were examined a number of times, the teeth, after being well
cleaned, were found again coated over with gummy material so
quickly as to attract special attention. This gave rise to the
suggestion of precipitation from the saliva of some material in
it that was not held in solution. Therefore, this saliva was com-
pared with the saliva of others, in whom there was an absence
of such material, as to its power of dissolving the residue of
saliva that had been dried. The result was that the saliva from
which such deposits occurred would not dissolve such residue at
all, while saliva from persons whose teeth remained free from
such deposits dissolved them readily. It will be of much interest
to know whether or not such deposits will form films that will
act as dialyzing membranes and so inclose colonies of micro-
organisms as to protect the acids formed from a too free dissi-
pation in the fluids of the mouth, and, in this way, become a
factor in the production of the beginnings of caries of the
enamel. This may lead to some important discoveries in the
near future.
Dr. Carl Rose, of Dresden, Germany, is doing an immense
amount of work on the saliva, especially with reference to its
amount under different conditions of living and the variations
in the salts it contains. In this work he is collecting an immense
amount of data with reference to the effects of the salts found
in the water used for drinking and cooking purposes. In this
work he is developing important facts regarding the relation of