Page 182 - My FlipBook

180 DENTAL MEDICINE.

Treatment.—The treatment of infantile paralysis consists in the
application of mild galvanic stimulation by the uninterrupted
current conveyed through the affected cord out through the
nerves of the flabby muscles; the skin may also be stimulated
with salt and sulphur baths. In the early stage Dr. Althaus
advises the injection of ergotine ^ gr., for a child a year old, in
order to contract the arterioles of the part to deplete the blood
supply. He stimulates the muscles as they become affected with
injections of strychnine. Conium and chloral may be used to
calm nervous excitement. Dr. Sequin recommends counter-
irritation over the spine, bromides and arsenic, while others use
cupping, leeches, and iodide of potassium. Brown-Sequard
recommended belladonna to control the inflammatory process of
the spinal cord. If pain or fever are present, ether spray to the
spine, ice, gelsemium, aconite, antipyrine internally. Rubbing,
muscle-beating and massage have also been employed as adjuncts.
Chemical Bleaching of Teeth.—Prof. Truman's method consists
in liberating chlorine from calcium, hydrochlorite, or chloride of
lime, in the cavity of decay and pulp canal by a dilute acid. He
recommends a fifty per cent, solution of acetic acid, although
oxalic, citric or tartaric acid may be used, or indeed any dilute
acid to liberate the chlorine. The upper third of the pulp canal
should be filled with gutta percha, and the cavity in all cases
should be washed out with ammonia or borax, to remove the
fatty matter previous to the introduction of the bleaching agent.
Labarraque's solution of soda has also been used as a medium
from which to liberate the chlorine. Dr. A. W. Harlan uses
aluminum chloride in the cavity, from which he liberates the
chlorine by means of peroxide of hydrogen. Dr. Edw. C. Kirk's
method consists of liberating sulphurous acid, S02, from sodium
sulphite, Na2S03, by means of boracic acid. The two sub-
stances, in the proportion of 100 grains of sodium sulphite and
70 grains of boracic acid, are desiccated separately, and then in-
timately ground together in a warm dry mortar. In using this
powder, the tooth is carefully dried under the dam, and the
powder is packed into the pulp-cavity and cavity until both are
full; the reaction which liberates the sulphurous acid is then