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whiter than any other part of the fang ; that it can only be
referred to diseased action, occasioning a deposit of bony
matter, as in other cases of exostosis.
Of this disease of the teeth, the most extraordinary case
on record occurred to a young lady, scarcely twenty years
of age. The following letter, from the surgeon who had at-
tended the lady, and by whom she was introduced to me,
presents a full narrative of the case.
Sir, Nov. 9th, 1809.
Miss , the young lady, who will deliver this
to you, has been under my care for near twelve months with
a very extraordinary complaint in her face, teeth, and gums.
It commenced with a deep-seated pain in the face, confined
principally to one side, returning most mornings at about
eleven o'clock, and continuing several hours. This had gone
on for near three months before she or her friends, thought it
sufficiently serious to call in any medical assistance. When
I first saw her, she had suffered great pain all that day, from
the teeth, gums and face ; on one side the gums were rather
swollen and inflamed ; and as one of the teeth was slightly
decayed, I thought it most advisable to extract it, which gave
relief till the next day, when the pain returned with still
greater violence, so much so, that she was desirous of having
the adjoining tooth taken out, which she fancied gave her
more pain than the rest. This had the same effect as the
other, only giving relief till the next day, when the pain re-
turned with equal violence. I then tried scarifying the gums,
cold lotions to the face, giving at the same time a brisk pur-
gative and afterwards an opiate. This was continued for a
short time without abating the pain, I then changed the plan
for the more soothing one of fomentation and poultice, ap-