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324 THIRD PERIOD—MODERN TIMES

Benjamin Bell, the English surgeon, a contemporary of Hunter,
also devoted much attention to diseases of the teeth, and, if it may be
argued from the clear and precise manner in which he expresses his
opinions on various questions relating to dental pathology and therapy,
it would seem that he had much greater experience in this field than the
celebrated Hunter.
Fig. 97

Pelicans for extracting wisdom teeth (Cainpani).

With regard to incision of the gums, in cases of difiicult dentition, this
author contradicts certain assertions of the German surgeon Isenflamm
(17(82), who argued that when the tooth is already to be perceived through
the gum, the incisions are altogether useless, while if the tooth be still at
some depth, the gingival incision will soon close again, so that the cicatrix