Page 302 - My FlipBook
P. 302
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300
The diseases of the teeth, or their destructive effects upon
the system in general, are at present very little known to the
medical practitioners of this country, although * they have
occupied the pen of a Hunter to detail them, and the name
of Rush, has borne testimony to their injurious and dangerous
consequences. Need I ask for greater names, or higher au-
thonty to give evidence or consequence to this subject 1 No,
for none greater are wanted, or can be found. Their illustri-
ous names are identified with the science of disease, and
have descended to posterity as stars of the first magnitude in
the horizon of their day, and shine as beacons for the guidance
of distant generations. One of the first effects of diseased
teeth, is to contaminate the air that passes over them ; this
they do, more or less, proportionate to the extent and state
of their disease : in some cases very slightly, in others, the
affected tooth or teeth are in a complete state of putrefaction,
and the air which passes to the lungs, through the mouth and
back, is greatly contaminated and rendered exceedingly of-
fensive to every person near the individual, and oftentimes
to the sufferer himself. It is to the writer of this, at times,
a subject of astonishment to reflect upon the quantity of of-
fensive matter thrown off from one or more diseased teeth
although the air which passes over them is changed every
instant, still it is constantly affected, and rendered offensive,
and the air of a close room is soon contaminated by the
breath of such a person. We respire about 20,000 times in
twenty-four hours, and yet for months and years, this vast
quantity of air is rendered poisonous by one or more dis-
eased teeth. How little does it avail an individual, if by
every possible means the purity of the air is preserved, if no
impurities are suffered to remain in the streets, his tenements
kept clean, his apartments ventillated, or that he make dis-
300
The diseases of the teeth, or their destructive effects upon
the system in general, are at present very little known to the
medical practitioners of this country, although * they have
occupied the pen of a Hunter to detail them, and the name
of Rush, has borne testimony to their injurious and dangerous
consequences. Need I ask for greater names, or higher au-
thonty to give evidence or consequence to this subject 1 No,
for none greater are wanted, or can be found. Their illustri-
ous names are identified with the science of disease, and
have descended to posterity as stars of the first magnitude in
the horizon of their day, and shine as beacons for the guidance
of distant generations. One of the first effects of diseased
teeth, is to contaminate the air that passes over them ; this
they do, more or less, proportionate to the extent and state
of their disease : in some cases very slightly, in others, the
affected tooth or teeth are in a complete state of putrefaction,
and the air which passes to the lungs, through the mouth and
back, is greatly contaminated and rendered exceedingly of-
fensive to every person near the individual, and oftentimes
to the sufferer himself. It is to the writer of this, at times,
a subject of astonishment to reflect upon the quantity of of-
fensive matter thrown off from one or more diseased teeth
although the air which passes over them is changed every
instant, still it is constantly affected, and rendered offensive,
and the air of a close room is soon contaminated by the
breath of such a person. We respire about 20,000 times in
twenty-four hours, and yet for months and years, this vast
quantity of air is rendered poisonous by one or more dis-
eased teeth. How little does it avail an individual, if by
every possible means the purity of the air is preserved, if no
impurities are suffered to remain in the streets, his tenements
kept clean, his apartments ventillated, or that he make dis-
