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SECTION II.

OP THE COMMENCEMENT AND FORMATION OF THE PERMA-
NENT TEETH.*

Having now fully traced the temporary teeth from their
origin to their perfect state, that I may be better understood,
I shall follow nearly a similar plan, with respect to the per-
manent. I think it unnecessary to dwell on the ingenious
hypotheses of Vesalius, Diemerbrock and others who suppo-
sed that the bodies of the permanent teeth were produced
from the old roots of the temporary. Diemerbrock adduces
in support of his doctrine an instance of the stag, who chang-
es his horns every year, or year and a half, when as he sup-
posed from their old roots, new horns arose ; but a full ac-
count and refutation of these opinions may be seen in the
works of the learned Albinus.f Fallopius supposed that a
certain latent seed in the jaws produced a new range of
teeth. J But Eustachius explained much more clearly what
takes place, than any of his predecessors, and indeed, comes
" On dissec-
very near the truth, in the following words. ||
ting a child immediately after birth, both jaws being laid
open, the incisores, canini, and three grinders appeared,
partly gelatinous, partly bony, of no small size, and com-
pletely surrounded by their sockets ; but having carefully
removed the incisores and canini, I observed a very thin in-
terstice, scarcely converted into bone, which being removed
with equal care, I discovered the like number of incisores,

* Blake, Essay on the Teeth in Man, page 26 to 27.
t Acad. Anat. lib. 11, page 3. t Observat. Anatom.
]| Opnscul. de Dentil, page 46.
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