Page 97 - My FlipBook
P. 97
;
95
tirely disappears, for no body could ever perceive it. But
could the action of the second tooth, gently rising, whilst it
moves the first out of its place, be so great as to reduce the
roots of them to powder ? Bourdet, celebrated for his skill
in this branch of surgery, asserts, that the first teeth before
they loosen, have roots nearly as strong and hard, as the
second are observed to have. And whilst he refutes the
opinion of Bunon, who supposed the roots of the first were
destroyed by the friction of the second teeth when rising,
he refers to those which are found in the jaws of fresh
subjects, at that period when the second teeth are forming,
and the first (called milk-teeth) are still in their sockets
whether they are still firm, or are more or less loose ; for it
seems that the second tooth whilst it rises, remains enclosed
in its proper membrane, until it is about to appear. There-
fore a membrane is interposed between the roots of the milk-
tooth and the second tooth. However the roots of the milk-
teeth are destroyed before the second tooth can touch them.
Besides a small space is observed between the first and
second teeth, from whence Bourdet concludes, that the
roots of the milk-teeth are destroyed by some other cause,
and not by the friction of the succeeding teeth. He there-
fore thought that some acrid humour was secreted from the
neighbouring parts, which might consume their roots. 1
confess it appears to me much more probable that the milk-
teeth are without roots. Nevertheless some observations
seem to show that the milk-teeth, if they are not shed, at
the proper period, or when loose are not taken out, are ca-
pable of protruding roots from their body, by means of
which they often remain fixed in the jaws through life."*
Comment. Vol. sir. page 743, kc
95
tirely disappears, for no body could ever perceive it. But
could the action of the second tooth, gently rising, whilst it
moves the first out of its place, be so great as to reduce the
roots of them to powder ? Bourdet, celebrated for his skill
in this branch of surgery, asserts, that the first teeth before
they loosen, have roots nearly as strong and hard, as the
second are observed to have. And whilst he refutes the
opinion of Bunon, who supposed the roots of the first were
destroyed by the friction of the second teeth when rising,
he refers to those which are found in the jaws of fresh
subjects, at that period when the second teeth are forming,
and the first (called milk-teeth) are still in their sockets
whether they are still firm, or are more or less loose ; for it
seems that the second tooth whilst it rises, remains enclosed
in its proper membrane, until it is about to appear. There-
fore a membrane is interposed between the roots of the milk-
tooth and the second tooth. However the roots of the milk-
teeth are destroyed before the second tooth can touch them.
Besides a small space is observed between the first and
second teeth, from whence Bourdet concludes, that the
roots of the milk-teeth are destroyed by some other cause,
and not by the friction of the succeeding teeth. He there-
fore thought that some acrid humour was secreted from the
neighbouring parts, which might consume their roots. 1
confess it appears to me much more probable that the milk-
teeth are without roots. Nevertheless some observations
seem to show that the milk-teeth, if they are not shed, at
the proper period, or when loose are not taken out, are ca-
pable of protruding roots from their body, by means of
which they often remain fixed in the jaws through life."*
Comment. Vol. sir. page 743, kc
