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operations, an astringent lotion may be used, as the one from
the oak bark, until the gums become quite well. When we
find a carious state of the fangs or bodies of the teeth, as
sometimes will be the case, we must use the utmost care in
cleaning them, as they are often very tender, and great pain
is excited upon touching them. The carious teeth must be
removed or treated upon those surgical principles which will
be considered when we consider the several operations neces-
sary for the cure of diseased teeth. Scarifying the gums, I
have no doubt, in some cases, will be found of the utmost
utility in the treatment of this complaint. The section on
that subject will detail the manner of performing the opera-
tion of scarifying the gums.
In the intervals between the several operations we should
direct the patient to use a soft brush until his gums will bear
the impression of a hard one. A hard brush at first proves
too irritating. From the well known and valuable property
which the argentum nitratum (lunar caustic) has in allaying
the irritability of abraded and ulcerated surfaces, I very
early suggested to myself the propriety of using this remedy
in cases of diseased and ulcerated gums, especially when the
latter state is noticed around such teeth as we do not wish to
extract ; and after this, upon reading Mr. Fox's work, I had
the pleasure of finding that I had fallen into the same views
which had been entertained by that eminent dentist.* Mr.
Fox says that if the gums hang loosely about the necks of
the teeth, much good will be derived from the use of the
argentum nitratum in solution. If only a particular tooth, or
two or three are affected, we may use a pretty strong solu-
tion, applied with a camel's hair pencil to the edges of the

See Fox on the teeth. Part II, page 81.