Page 266 - My FlipBook

138 PATHOLOGY OF THE HARD TISSUES OF THE TEETH.
this interpretation was wrong, the appearances pointed out those
conditions in which little or no decay occurred, as distinguished
from conditions of marked susceptibility to decay. The observa-
tions as to the liability of the person to caries were correct, as
most of the older men can testify from long experience ; yet I
think that there will not be a very close agreement among men
if different persons undertake to put these signs into word forms.
The assemblage of differences in the things seen is difficult to
form into language. It is much like the remark an old and very
skillful physician made in speaking of the difficulties of young
men in medicine, ' ' The best asset is the ability to read the physi-
cal expression of disease, which is acquired only by much careful
observation." This, physical expression of the assemblage of
conditions in immunity is such as gives the impression of solidity
and firmness to the denture. There is a slight darkening of the
teeth without uncleanness. Especially there is more apt to be a
gathering of dark color here and there instead of lodgments of a
lighter shade. However, until some more apt expression of this
in words arises, which will appeal to many persons as having
weight, any considerable discussion of it will be of little value.
We can certainly recognize it^by the fact that new beginnings of
decay cease to appear. Gradually the assemblage of appearances
which foretell the coming of this will be recognized. These dif-
ferences are evidently due to changes in the constitution of the
saliva.
MlCEOOEGANISMS OF THE MoUTH.
It is not the intention to enter into any lengthy discussion
of the microorganisms of the mouth. That subject should be
studied in the bacteriological laboratory. It may be well, how-
ever, to mention here that the numbers of species of microorgan-
isms habitually growing in the saliva, as mouth organisms, seem
to have been greatly exaggerated. The fact is, the human saliva
becomes a harbor for any and all microorganisms floating in the
atmosphere, or introduced with food, and many of these will
grow for a little while in the saliva, or will grow in culture media
when removed from the saliva. These strangers are always
being caught up by persons who cultivate microorganisms from
the saliva. In the culture media used, many of them grow very
much better than the mouth organisms proper and form much
more attractive growths. A number of men have given large
numbers of species of microorganisms as found in the saliva,
but they seem not to have undertaken the work of determining