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plary patience and composure of mind, she must have been
completely miserable.
Some time since a man became a patient in Guy's Hos-
pital, who had been so injudiciously treated
in a course of
mercury as to cause a complete ulceration of the gums and
the inner surface of the cheeks and lips. The consequence
of which was, that, as the process of healing advanced, so
much adhesion of those parts took place that the mouth could
scarcely be opened. The man could only be relieved from
this distressing situation by the dissection of the lips and part
of the cheeks from the gums, which was performed by Mr.
Cooper ; the parts were then preserved from re-uniting by
the interposition of lint, until they had perfectly healed.
During the use of mercury, when the mouth becomes af-
fected, it should be frequently washed with a mild astringent
lotion
: for this purpose I have usually recommended the in-
fusion of roses with a small quantity of alum ; and, if the
soreness of the mouth be very considerable, some tincture of
myrrh may be added. During the exhibition of mercury,
there is, usually, a considerable deposition of tartar about
the teeth ; to obviate the ill effects of which, it should always
be removed as soon as the medicine is discontinued ; the
gums will then soon recover their healthy state, and material
injury to the teeth be prevented.
In farther confirmation of this subject see case mentioned
by Mr. Koecker, in the section on diseases of the maxilla,
and another, which came under my own observation, upon
cleanliness of the teeth necessaiy during sickness, &c. &c.
I have mentioned the foregoing effects of mercury, not
under an impression that they often happen in the practice of
our enlightened physicians, but that they have, and may hap-
pen, if mercury is exhibited to excess and care is not taken
to obviate its dangerous effects upon the mouth, teeth, their
appendages, &c. &c.