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Scurvy in the Qums. 139
Symptoms.—Scurvy in the gums is often very insidious in
its first attacks, and may continue and progress for a long time
without being discovered by the patient. The local inflamma-
tion, if it be not checked, goes on to suppuration, and purubent
matter constantly oozes out from the gum surrounding the necks
of the teeth, and mixing with the saliva, may be discharged for
a great length of time without detection. At length the gums
become turgid, spongy and painful, bleeding on the slightest
touch ; their color is generally very much depened, and of a
purple hue. If the disease be now neglected, all the symp-
toms gradually become agravated ; the hritation extends to the
periosteum and sockets, occasioning them to participate in the
disease, when they are gradually absorbed; the teeth grow
loose, and continue to become more so ; a deposition of bony
matter takes place at the bottom of the sockets, which pro-
trudes the teeth, till they fall out of the mouth, one after an-
other, often perfectly sound, until 1 the whole are lost.
Causes.—The causes of the simple species of the disease
are local, though certain conditions of the system may pre-
dispose to it: these are every kind of foreign matter collected
about the teeth, especially tartar, which insinuates itself deeply
between the gum and necks of the teeth, causing their separa-
tion. Dead teeth and stumps are equally productive of this
disease—improper operations upon the teeth—uncleanliness of
the mouth, especially during illness or a febrile state of the
system.
The above are the exciting causes of that species of the
disease, which we term simple : the exciting causes of the
second species or the complicated, are the same ; but the remote
or predisposing causes, are a particular state of the constitu-
tion, as scrofulous or scorbutic taints of the system ; that state
of the system, which is induced by the profuse administration
of mecurial medicines ; fevers, or diseases of the general sys-
tem ; a plathoric state of the system; a peculiar irritability of
the system, as is seen in those cases, where the disease attacks
children, and that state of the system, which is induced by