Page 136 - My FlipBook

1 IG Curative Treatment of Caries.
small share of credit for thus frankly laying it before the
denial profession and the public.
We have proved that the vitality of the fangs of the teeth,
which is necessary to prevent them from acting as foreign bodies
in their sockets, does not depend upon the internal membrane or
nerve, (see page 57.) This fact is of greater importance than,
one would suppose at a first view, for thousands of aching teeth
which are daily being extracted, may be effectually preserved
by taking advantage of it. This is a matter of much moment
to those who have been so unfortunate as to lose many teeth.
So complete and satisfactory is the operation of arsenic in,
destroying the living fibre, that, instead of extracting teeth
whenever the nerve is badiy exposed, we destroy it, plug
the teeth, and thus preserve them. Teeth thus treated
will often last a great number of years, and prove highly
serviceable.
Arsenic will not only positive]}' destroy the nerves of the
teeth, but it possesses the great advantage, that it does this
without causing pain ! If it be applied to an aching tooth, it
slightly augments the pain, but when applied to a nerve, not
inflamed it does not cause any pain, worth minding ! Of late,
we have applied to aching teeth, a mixture, composed of
arsenic three parts, and acetate of morphine one part, the
morphine, (one of the aciive principles of opium,) being the
most powerful odontalgic remedy, (remedy for the tooth ache,)
that we know of. Thus the most violent tooth ache may be
effectually cured, without additional pain, a circumstance well
wonh considering. We cannot too strongly recommend this
treatment to the public, under the circumstances we arc treat-
ing of. No selfish views evidently actuate us in making these
declarations. They are not the puffs of pretenders. They
are not involved in mystery, but we explain the whole. " The
Royal mineral succedanium," involved in the mystery of
empiricism, a worthless thing, excited great curiosity in New
York last year. We doubt much if this truly valuable dis-