Page 974 - My FlipBook

984 DISEASES OF THE PERIDENTAL MEMBRANE. ;
advantage in its antiseptic quality, which in this disease is very import-
ant. In phagedenic inflammation, whether acute or chronic, the inflamed
tissue is usually very slow in the formation of granulations for the reat-
tachment of the peridental membrane and restoration of the lost parts.
The tissue seems to have lost tone; the character of the irritant or cause
seems to be such that the tissues are lowered in their vitality, and for
this reason they require a stimulating course of treatment in order to
induce them to form granulations. For this purpose there is perhaps
nothing yet discovered that acts better than the oil of cinnamon, but,
as the destruction of the micro-organisms found growing in the tissues
is an important desideratum, carbolic acid may be added, in the propor-
tion of 1 part of carbolic acid in crystals to 2 parts of oil of cinnamon,
or the mixture recommended for the treatment of alveolar abscesses may
be used.' This should be applied within the pockets regularly once in
four days.
The object of this treatment is twofold : first, the destruction of the
micro-organisms or the removal of the septic character of the disease
second, the stimulation of the tissues, whose vitality is low. In pursu-
ing this treatment it is especially important that the application be made
with regularity. I have pursued this plan of treatment, closely study-
ing the cases day after day by aid of the microscope, and have found
that the next day after the application of the remedy no micro-organ-
isms could be found in a mobile state, and all eflbrts in staining and
searching in this way for micro-organisms among the tissues have failed,
but on the fourth day they will usually be found. This plan of treat-
ment is very much like the weeding of a foul garden : Ave may go over
it to-day with a hoe and destroy all the growing weeds, but within a
few days young weeds will be found springing up again, and it is neces-
sary to repeat the operation. We may destroy the growing Aveeds Avith
the hoe, but aa^c cannot destroy the seeds that are in the ground ; there-
fore the hoeing must be re})eated time after time for success. The seeds
that are in the ground must sprout and the sprouts be destroyed. Just
so Avith our treatment in this disease : we can destroy the groAving
micro-organisms Avith our remedy, but Ave cannot destroy the spores
that are in the tissues ; therefore the treatment must be followed up
Aveek after AA^eek until the spores have been eradicated from the tissues.
Then Ave may expect the healing process to go on undisturbed and the
tissue to recover its normal tone. This is the theory of the treatment,
and is found to succeed. I mention the particular remedies that are
favorites in my hands, but it is not necessary that these special
ones be used. Any other remedies that may answer a similar pur-
pose—and of these our materia medica furnishes many—may be used
instead.
If the operator understands the principles upon Avhich the treatment
should be conducted, he should have but little difficulty in the selection
of suitable preparations. In addition to those Avhich I have mentioned,

1 1-2-3 Mixture.
Take of Oil of cinnamon, 1 part.
Carbolic acid (crystals), 2 parts.
Oil of gaultheria", 3 " Mix.