Page 57 - My FlipBook
P. 57
'
THE GREEKS 57
the patient be saved, there will be suppuration and exfoliation of the
bone."
According to Hippocrates, " Molent pauis ui the lower ]a\v gi\e reason
to fear a necrosis ot the bone."-
" Gingival hemorrhage in cases of persistent diarrhea is an unfavor-
able symptom."^ In fact, the easy and frequent occurring of hemor-
rhage of the gums may, in many cases, be an indication of profound
alteration of the blood, a condition serious m itself, but stdl more so when
associated with obstinate diarrhea.
In different parts of the books of Hippocrates, the influence of atmos-
pheric conditions on the production of dental and gingival maladies is
alluded to.
"Much inconvenience w^as caused to various persons at that period of
time by swelling of the fauces, by inflammation of the tongue, by abscesses
of the gums."*
"After the snow, there were v^^est winds and light rains; colds in the
head, with or without fever, were very frequent; in one of the patients,
pains were produced in the teeth on the right side, and in the eye and
eyebrow."^
In more than one of his books Hippocrates speaks of special dental
or gingival symptoms, having their origin in different maladies, especiall)'
those of the spleen:
"In many who have enlargement of the spleen the gums become
affected and the mouth has a bad smell."''
In another place we read:
"Among those persons who have an enlargement of the spleen, the
bilious ones have a bad color, are subject to ulcerations of a bad nature,
their breath is fetid, and they themselves are thin."' Finally, in the
Book on Internal Diseases, Hippocrates describes different species of
splenic maladies, to one of which he assigns the following symptoms:
"The belly becomes swollen, the spleen enlarged and hard, the patient
suffers acute pain in it. The complexion of the individual is altered.
A bad smell emanates from the ears. The gums are detached from the
teeth and smell bad; the limbs wither, etc."**
The cases of splenic swellings spoken of by Hippocrates in the above
passages must have been owing, without doubt, to grave cachectic condi-
tions (among which, probably, scurvy); and we know that gingivitis,
with all its possible consequences (among which expulsive periodontitis),
^ Loc. cit., No. 239.
' Loc. cit., No. 237.
^ Loc. cit., No. 241, p. 157; No. 648, p. 222.
* De morbis vulgaribus, lib. iii, p. 1083. * Ibid., lib. iv, p. 1 121.
* Praedictorum, lib. ii, p. in. ^ De afFccrionibus, p. 521.
De internis afFectionibus, p. 549.
THE GREEKS 57
the patient be saved, there will be suppuration and exfoliation of the
bone."
According to Hippocrates, " Molent pauis ui the lower ]a\v gi\e reason
to fear a necrosis ot the bone."-
" Gingival hemorrhage in cases of persistent diarrhea is an unfavor-
able symptom."^ In fact, the easy and frequent occurring of hemor-
rhage of the gums may, in many cases, be an indication of profound
alteration of the blood, a condition serious m itself, but stdl more so when
associated with obstinate diarrhea.
In different parts of the books of Hippocrates, the influence of atmos-
pheric conditions on the production of dental and gingival maladies is
alluded to.
"Much inconvenience w^as caused to various persons at that period of
time by swelling of the fauces, by inflammation of the tongue, by abscesses
of the gums."*
"After the snow, there were v^^est winds and light rains; colds in the
head, with or without fever, were very frequent; in one of the patients,
pains were produced in the teeth on the right side, and in the eye and
eyebrow."^
In more than one of his books Hippocrates speaks of special dental
or gingival symptoms, having their origin in different maladies, especiall)'
those of the spleen:
"In many who have enlargement of the spleen the gums become
affected and the mouth has a bad smell."''
In another place we read:
"Among those persons who have an enlargement of the spleen, the
bilious ones have a bad color, are subject to ulcerations of a bad nature,
their breath is fetid, and they themselves are thin."' Finally, in the
Book on Internal Diseases, Hippocrates describes different species of
splenic maladies, to one of which he assigns the following symptoms:
"The belly becomes swollen, the spleen enlarged and hard, the patient
suffers acute pain in it. The complexion of the individual is altered.
A bad smell emanates from the ears. The gums are detached from the
teeth and smell bad; the limbs wither, etc."**
The cases of splenic swellings spoken of by Hippocrates in the above
passages must have been owing, without doubt, to grave cachectic condi-
tions (among which, probably, scurvy); and we know that gingivitis,
with all its possible consequences (among which expulsive periodontitis),
^ Loc. cit., No. 239.
' Loc. cit., No. 237.
^ Loc. cit., No. 241, p. 157; No. 648, p. 222.
* De morbis vulgaribus, lib. iii, p. 1083. * Ibid., lib. iv, p. 1 121.
* Praedictorum, lib. ii, p. in. ^ De afFccrionibus, p. 521.
De internis afFectionibus, p. 549.
