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period of life ; sometimes they appear in one jaw and not in
the other, and sometimes it has been observed that in ex-
treme old age they have not perforated the sockets. It is
certainly a curious fact, how very long some of the perma-
nent teeth remain within the jaws without appearing ; and
if there ever was a third set of teeth, it is sufficiently evi-
dent, that their rudiments must have been deposited, pre-
vious to the appearance of the second set through the gum.
In the preceding remarks of Dr. Blake I can readily
concur as to their general application. With respect to the
tardy appearance of the adult teeth it is an occurrence fre-
quently observed. We often notice the retention of the in-
fant teeth to the fifteenth, twentieth, twenty fifth and even
thirtieth year. A lady aged about twenty seven called upon
me last November, for the purpose of having some opera-
tions performed upon her teeth, and upon examining them I
found she had never shed the infant molares, and as the per-
manent molares appear behind the infant molar teeth, if she
had not have lost some of these last, her rows of teeth
would have presented the novelty of twenty instead, as usual,
of twelve molares. I am acquainted with a gentleman in
whom one of the infant lateral incisores is retained, and as
the permanent incisores have appeared and are perfect, he
has five instead of four incisores. Great aberrations from
what we have described as the usual order of nature are
occasionally noticed in regard to the appearance, numbers,
renewal of the teeth, &c.
Cases have been noticed when the teeth have been en-
tirely wanting. Mr. Murphy observes,* " A few instances
have occurred of persons who never had any teeth. One
case was communicated to me by a lady on whose veracity I

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