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524
SECTION IV.
OP STIMULANTS, ANODYNES, NARCOTICS, &C.
Stimulants are very often used in treating diseases of the
teeth, gums, &c. In some instances we find a peculiarly de-
bilitated state of the gums, when their vital powers appear
to be very weak, indicated by a want of colour, being much
lighter than usual, and a want of blood and active circulation
in them. In this state, stimulant applications, and the use of
a soft brush, so as to excite friction and gentle irritation of
them, will often relieve this state of things. *Mr. Fox men-
tions a case of this kind, when the gums had so far lost their
vitality as to appear white, without colour, and to allow of
being pared off with a scalpel without exciting any pain. We
also use stimulants to relieve tooth-ache, which they do by
soothing the nerve, exciting counter irritation, or by promot-
ing a flow of saliva, so as to induce a kind of evacuation
from the adjacent parts.
The class of stimulants is very numerous and extensive :
those chiefly used are nitrous and sulphuric ether, alcohol,
rum, brandy. Mr Atkinson mentions his using rum in a case
of tooth-ache, held in the mouth and changed eveiy few min-
utes for twenty-four hours, so as to use more than a quart in
that time, and with success.f Most of the essential oils have
at times, been used and applied to pained teeth and nerves,
as those of cloves, cinnamon, peppermint, horsemint, tanzy
also the cageput oil. Acrid aromatic substances are occa-
sionally used, by chewing them, so as to promote a flow of
*See Fox, Part IF, page 92. t See Duval, Note by Atkinson, page 126.
524
SECTION IV.
OP STIMULANTS, ANODYNES, NARCOTICS, &C.
Stimulants are very often used in treating diseases of the
teeth, gums, &c. In some instances we find a peculiarly de-
bilitated state of the gums, when their vital powers appear
to be very weak, indicated by a want of colour, being much
lighter than usual, and a want of blood and active circulation
in them. In this state, stimulant applications, and the use of
a soft brush, so as to excite friction and gentle irritation of
them, will often relieve this state of things. *Mr. Fox men-
tions a case of this kind, when the gums had so far lost their
vitality as to appear white, without colour, and to allow of
being pared off with a scalpel without exciting any pain. We
also use stimulants to relieve tooth-ache, which they do by
soothing the nerve, exciting counter irritation, or by promot-
ing a flow of saliva, so as to induce a kind of evacuation
from the adjacent parts.
The class of stimulants is very numerous and extensive :
those chiefly used are nitrous and sulphuric ether, alcohol,
rum, brandy. Mr Atkinson mentions his using rum in a case
of tooth-ache, held in the mouth and changed eveiy few min-
utes for twenty-four hours, so as to use more than a quart in
that time, and with success.f Most of the essential oils have
at times, been used and applied to pained teeth and nerves,
as those of cloves, cinnamon, peppermint, horsemint, tanzy
also the cageput oil. Acrid aromatic substances are occa-
sionally used, by chewing them, so as to promote a flow of
*See Fox, Part IF, page 92. t See Duval, Note by Atkinson, page 126.
