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Dr. Darwin has made many useful and accurate observa-
tions upon the effects of diseased teeth upon different parts of
the system. Speaking of ear-ache, he says, " Ear-ache some-
times may continue many days, without apparent inflamma-
tion, and is then frequently removed by filling the ear with
laudanum, or with ether, or even with warm oil, or warm
water. This pain of the ear, like hemicrania, is frequently
the consequence of association with a diseased tooth ; in that
case, the ether shonld be applied to the cheek over the sus-
pected tooth, or a grain of opium and as much camphor
mixed together, and applied to the suspected tooth."*
Hemicrania sympathetic, sympathetic pain of one side of the
head, is often occasioned by a diseased state of the teeth. Dr.
Darwin, speaking of this subject, says, "This disease is attended
with a cold skin, and hence whatever may be the remote cause,
the immediate one seems to be, a want of stimulus, either of
heat or distension, or of some other unknown stimulus in the
painful part ; or in those with which it is associated. The
membranes in their natural state are only irritable by disten-
sion ; in their diseased state, they are sensible, like muscular
fibres. Hence a diseased tooth may render the neighbouring
membranes sensible, and is frequently the cause of this dis-
ease."!
I do not wish to be understood as entering into Dr. Dar-
win's theoretical views, but only introduce the subject so far
as to have the facts understood He continues, " Mrs.
,
is frequently liable to hemicrania, with sickness, which is prob-
ably owing to a diseased tooth ; the paroxysm occurs irreg-
ularly, but always after some previous fatigue, or other cause
of debility. When it (the sympathetic head-ach) affects a small

* See Zoonomia, Vol. II. Classes 1, 2, 4, 13.
t See Zoonomia, Class IV, 2, 2, 8.