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52 — Inaugural DisBcTtatiotl.
Mons. deBlainville, a learned and popular French Zoologist,
terras the teeth, " la parik mort"
The facts and arguments, advanced by the advocates for the
non-vascular structure of the teeth, at a first view, appear con-
clusive ; but on deeper investigation, this subject appears in a
different light. It may be proper for us to observe, that most
dental authors are of opinion, that the bony structure of the
teeth is vascular. In order to place this subject in its true
light, it will be necessary to examine the arguments on both
sides of the question.
MR. HUNTER'S REASONS FOR DOUBTING THE VASCU-
LARITY OF THE TEETH.
"First," he says, "I never saw them injected in any pre x
paration, nor .could I ever succeed in any attempt to inject
them, either in young or old subjects; and therefore believe
there must have been some fallacy in the cases where they have
been said to have been injected. Secondly, we are not able
to trace any vessels going from the pulp into the substance of
the newly formed'teeth ; and whatever part of a tooth is form-
ed, it is always completely formed, which is not the case with
the other bones." Hunter. Page 37.
This inference is not just, though drawn by so accurate an
observer as Mr. Hunter. It is by no means conclusive, that a
body is not vascular, because it cannot be injected ; as the
serous part of the blood may be demonstrated to be circulating,
by means of optical glasses, through vessels not perceptible to
the naked eye •, the bones of young animals are easily made
red by injection, which is not the case wiih the bones of old
ones; and as the tendons, ligaments, cartilages and crystalline
lens cannot be injected, though believed to be vascular.
"But," continues Mr. Hunter, " what is a more convincing
proof, is reasoning from the analogy, between them and other
bones, where au animal has been fed with madder. The
parts of the teeth already formed, do not become tinged with
the dye, while those that are forming while the animal is being