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consideration of the diseased tooth and its membrane, and
leave the consideration of odontalgia hereafter.
After caries has proceeded so far as to expose the lining-
membrane, before the surgeon dentist is required to operate
upon the tooth, we need not despair of curing the tooth, but
in most cases we shall most probably succeed, if proper
means are used.
We can always ascertain that the tooth is carious, and the
situation of the caries, by examination.

Of the Treatment of complicated caries, or the third stage in
the progress of caries.

Nothing can be more unsurgical in the treatment^ of de-
cayed teeth in this stage, than that proposed by Mr. Hunter,
who says, if pain comes on, the tooth, and especially the
grinders, may be extracted and boiled, and then returned to
the socket ; when, he says, it will sometimes grow and be
useful, being a more certain way of killing the tooth than to
burn the nerve.* Mr. Fox mentions no correct surgical
treatment of the tooth in this situation, save that, if the cav-
ity is merely irritable it may be washed with a solution of
lunar caustic, and then plugged ; this often, I think, will save
the tooth. Mr. Koeckerf recommends covering the nerve with
a plate of lead, and then filling the cavity with gold ; this may
answer in some cases, but in many, I believe, this plan too
will fail, especially in plugging the grinding teeth ; yet stiH it
will, no doubt, often succeed. A practice which, I believe, was
first proposed and practised by Mr. Harrington of this city, a
respectable operating Dentist, is, to fill the cavity with some

*See Hunter on the teeth, pages, 148, 149. tKoecker, page 437.