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77//- .}R.IB/.I.\S 127

after the cauterization rhe patient should keep his mouth, h)r an hour,
full of good butter. ilie shape of the cauter\ is as follows (Fig. 34):
Thou canst perform the cauterization with one or other of its two extrem-
ities, as is most con\enient."'
In regard to epulis, Abulcasis prescribes that after catching hold of
the little tumor with a hook or a vulsella its complete excision should
be performed. This done, one must wait awhile, until the hemorrhage
ceases, and then either a little " /egi" puKerized," or other dr\ing and
styptic powder, must be applied on the part. If the epulis recurs, which
very often happens, the excision must be repeated and this followed b\
cauterization, since after this latter the evil will not return.''
Abulcasis is the first author wlio has taken into serious consideration
dental tartar and who has recommended that a scrupulous cleansing of
the teeth should be performed. The chapter relating to this, "On the
Scraping of the Teeth," is ver\ interesting and is worthy of being here
reproduced.^
Fig. 34

Abulcasis' dental cauterv and tht- tube through which it was applied, in order to preserve
the neighboring parts from the action of the heat.

^ "Sometimes on the surface ot the teeth, both inside and outside, as well
as under the gums, are deposited rough scales, of ugh' appearance, and
black, green, or \ellow in color; thus corruption is communicated to the
gums, and so the teeth are in process of time denuded. It is necessarv
for thee to la\- the patient's head upon th\- lap and to scrape the teeth
and molars, on which are observed either true incrustations, or something
similar to sand, and this until nothing more remains of such substances,
and until also the dirt\- color of the teeth disappears, be it black, or green,
or \ellowish, or of an\ other color. If a first scraping is sufficient, so
much the better; if not, thou shalt repeat it on the following da\-, or even
on the third or fourth da\-, until the desired purpose is obtained. Thou
must know% however, that the teeth need scrapers ot various shapes and
figures, on account of the very nature of this operation. In fact, the
scalpel with which the teeth must be scraped on the inside is unlike

- Zegi was the name given by the Arabs to blue vitriol.
' Cap. xxi, p. 4g.
' Lib. ii, cap. xxviii, p. 181, * Lib. ii, cap. xxix, pp. 181 to 183.