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vitality, then the fang becomes dead^jf the internal mem-
brane is or had been destroyed. In operating upon stumps
of teeth, for the insertion of artificial ones, in cases when the
internal lining membrane had long been destroyed, I have wit-
nessed excessive inflammation to arise, in consequence of cut-
ting upon the sound part of the stump ; and this fact, a few times
noticed, led me to make these observations and conclusions
upon the fangs and stumps of the teeth. In my observations
upon the" extraction of adult teeth, I remarked, that the front
teeth should never be extracted, unless very loose and wholly
dead ; but if all our endeavours to arrest inflammation in
them fails, then we should cut off the crown and part of the
body of the tooth, destroy the internal nerve and membrane,
and thereby suffer the stump to remain, upon which we may
engraft a new tooth ; or, if the patient does not choose to have
new teeth engrafted on the stumps, they will still be very
useful by preserving the shape of the anterior part of the
jaws, and not suffer the lips to fall in, or allow the jaws to
lose their alveoli, and thereby allow the nose and chin to ap-
proximate, as they do in persons who have lost their front
teeth, &c. I have repeatedly adopted this mode when per-
sons wished me to extract their front teeth, and always to
their great pleasure and satisfaction. The stumps, treated as
I shall hereafter direct, if the individual does not choose to
have new teeth engrafted, will still be very useful, by preserv-
ing the shape of the mouth, and in the mastication of soft,
food.

Mode of Performing the Operation, Instruments, fyc.

The instruments required are a pair of sharp cutting forceps,
like extracting forceps, only attenuated to sharp edges, and well
tempered. These should be placed upon the tooth to be ex-