Page 144 - My FlipBook

146 SECOND PERIOD—THE MIDDLE AGES

whether the matter producing the pain is hot, cold, or windy; and also,
in the second case, it is necessary to ascertain if the pain is of a warm,
cold, drv, or humid nature. As may be seen, the principles and subtle
distinctions of the pneumatic school were then in full vigor.
The treatment must vary according to all the aforesaid cases; but
the means of cure advised by Guy de Chauliac do not present any
special interest, as they are almost entirely taken from Galen and
from the Arabian authors, and especially from Rhazes, Ali Abbas, and
Avicenna.
On coming to speak of the looseness of teeth, ^ Guy says that this may
depend on various causes: that is, on a fall or a blow; on humidity,
which softens the nerve and ligament;- on dryness and lack of nourish-
ment of the teeth; and lastly, on corrosion of the gums.
The looseness of teeth, which depends on dryness or want of nutrition,
as in the old and in consumptive people, is incurable. In other kinds
of looseness, astringents are useful; but it is also well that the patient
should speak but little, that he should not touch or move the loose tooth,
nor use it in masticating. In cases of corrosion of the gums, this disease
must be cured.
If looseness of the teeth follows a blow, it is well, first of all, to let blood,
and then to use astringents and excitants. When all this is of no avail,
Guy advises that the loose teeth be tied to the healthy ones with a little
gold chain,'* after the manner of Abulcasis. And if, says he, the teeth fall
out, they may be replaced with teeth of another person, or with artificial
teeth of ox bone, fixing them in their place with a fine ligature; and,
he adds, that such teeth are serviceable for a long time. Here are the
precise words of the text: " Et si les dents tombent, qu'on y mette des
dents d'un autre, ou qu'on en forge d'os de vache, et soient lisez finement,
et on s'en sert long-temps."
This extremely concise manner of treating dental prosthesis, summing
all up in some thirty words, is in strong contrast with the usual fulness
of explanation and methodical accuracy of Guy de Chauliac, to whom,
very justly, could be given the title of founder of didactical surgery. Such
a strange contrast cannot be explained, unless by admitting that Guy
considered dental prosthesis as foreign to the general plan of his book,
that is, as something which did not directly concern surgeons, and for
which, therefore, a mere allusion ought to be sufficient. Without the

' l)( l:i (Uiii ( shranlcc et afFoiblie, Nicaise, ]x 50Q.
- "Oe I'luimiciire qui amollisr le nerf ct le ligament."
' Lvidently tlie author speaks of a "little gold chain," because, as he is not versed in the
practice of dentistry, he does not know that it was a simple gold wire which was used for
keeping loose teeth firm. A small chain as thin as a thread could not be possibly made,
and would even then be excessively weak.