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THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY L'll

had been artackcd In jnitretactioii, as the result ot the (.-xnactioii ol one
single tooth. This, adds the author, niav easily happen, because, when
the jaw is attacked by pus in one point, its yer\- anatomical constitiuion
favors the rapid spreading of the putref\ ing process to the other parts ot
the bone, as this latter, apart from its external lamina, is entireK com-
posed of a sponge-like substance.
The instruments which are used for the extraction of teeth, are, says
Fabricius, of nine kinds;' and the most important among them — gen-
erically called forceps—are indicated by special names, taken from their
resemblance to the mouth or beak of certain anmials. Thus, the forceps
with which it is usual to perform the extraction of molar teeth are called
"pelicans," and of these there are two kinds, according as the\' are used
for the right or the left side, for the upper molars or the lower ones.
A third kind of instrument goes under the name of "beak" (rostrum),
and serves for the extraction of the incisors.
A fourth kind is the "crow's beak," or "crow's bill," which is used
tor the extraction of roots.
Two other instruments are named in Itahan "cagnoli," for they imitate
the strong bite of the dog (in Italian cane) and are used in cases where
the pelican is not adapted.
A seventh instrument is called by the Latin term of terebra (drill or
auger). It is used instead of a lever to separate the teeth from one another
w^hen they are too close to each other, and so render their extraction
much easier.
The eighth instrument is a "tritid lever" (vectis trifidiis), so called
because it is furnished with three points.
The ninth and last kind of instruments are the dentiscalpia, slender,
sharp, and oblong tools, with which the gums are separated from the
teeth before extraction.
Fabricius also speaks of dental prosthesis, but very briefly. He says
that artificial teeth are made of ivor\- or of bone (for example, from the
tibia of the ox) and are fastened b\- gold w'ire. One has recourse to this
means especially to correct the bad appearance and the defects in speech
deriving from the loss of the front teeth.
This author also makes some allusion to palatal obturators,- but in
very general terms, limiting himself to saying that when a perforation
exists in the hard palate, it ma\- be corrected by a piece of sponge or
cotton, or with a plate of silver fixed in the palate, so as to close up the
aperture (corrigitiir spongia, vel gassypio, vel laniDui argentea, qutr palnto
appendatiir, lit foramen obstriiat).

' Cap. .\xxiv, p. 456; de instrumcntis extrahendis dentibus idonets.
Cap. XXXV, p. 457.