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Teething. 35
truding teeth, and the lance takes off their tension, and
often gives instant relief.] If the symptoms of oppres-
sion be severe or ineubent, as drowsiness, difficulty of breath-
ing, sterlor, or irregular motion of the jaws ; antimonial
emetics and leeches should be had recourse to, and occasionally
repeated ; after which blistering will be found useful behind
the ears or on the back ; and when the bowels have been
thoroughly evacuated, the use of anodynes may be allowed,
and generally prove highly useful, though they should be em-
ployed with great judgment, and never trusted to nurses."
"As far as my experience goes, says Mr. Hunter, to cut the
gum down to the teeth appears to be the only method of cure.
It acts either by taking off the tension upon the gum, arising
from the growth of the tooth, or by preventing the ulceration
which must otherwise take place.
"It often happens, particularly when the operation is per-,
formed early in the disease, that the gum will reunite over the
teeth ; in which case the same symptoms will be produced,
and they must be removed by the same method.
" I have performed the operation above ten times upon the
same teeth, where the disease, had recurred so often, and every
time with the absolute removal of the symptoms.
" A vulgar prejudice prevails against this practice, from an
objection, that if the gum is lanced so early as to admit of a
reunion, the cicatrized part will be harder than the original
gum, and therefore the teeth will find more difficulty in pas-
sing, and give more pain. But this is all contrary to facts;
for we find that all parts which have been the seat either
of wounds or sores, are always more ready to give way to
pressure, or any disease which attacks either the part itself
or the constitution. Therefore each operation tends to make
the parsing of the teeth easier." Hunter on the Teeth, p. 240,
Professor John Augustine Smith of this city in cases of diffi-
cult dentition, recommends in his lectures, that the gum. be
cut off at once from the teeth, which Will set them at liber-
ty, remove all the symptoms of irritation, and prevent the
Teething. 35
truding teeth, and the lance takes off their tension, and
often gives instant relief.] If the symptoms of oppres-
sion be severe or ineubent, as drowsiness, difficulty of breath-
ing, sterlor, or irregular motion of the jaws ; antimonial
emetics and leeches should be had recourse to, and occasionally
repeated ; after which blistering will be found useful behind
the ears or on the back ; and when the bowels have been
thoroughly evacuated, the use of anodynes may be allowed,
and generally prove highly useful, though they should be em-
ployed with great judgment, and never trusted to nurses."
"As far as my experience goes, says Mr. Hunter, to cut the
gum down to the teeth appears to be the only method of cure.
It acts either by taking off the tension upon the gum, arising
from the growth of the tooth, or by preventing the ulceration
which must otherwise take place.
"It often happens, particularly when the operation is per-,
formed early in the disease, that the gum will reunite over the
teeth ; in which case the same symptoms will be produced,
and they must be removed by the same method.
" I have performed the operation above ten times upon the
same teeth, where the disease, had recurred so often, and every
time with the absolute removal of the symptoms.
" A vulgar prejudice prevails against this practice, from an
objection, that if the gum is lanced so early as to admit of a
reunion, the cicatrized part will be harder than the original
gum, and therefore the teeth will find more difficulty in pas-
sing, and give more pain. But this is all contrary to facts;
for we find that all parts which have been the seat either
of wounds or sores, are always more ready to give way to
pressure, or any disease which attacks either the part itself
or the constitution. Therefore each operation tends to make
the parsing of the teeth easier." Hunter on the Teeth, p. 240,
Professor John Augustine Smith of this city in cases of diffi-
cult dentition, recommends in his lectures, that the gum. be
cut off at once from the teeth, which Will set them at liber-
ty, remove all the symptoms of irritation, and prevent the
