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Inaugural Dissertation. 59
Hence it appears that the use of the internal membrane, is
designed for some other purpose, than that supposed by Mr.
Charles Bell; and as the Great Architect of the Universe has
made nothing without some purpose, it follows that the design
of the internal membrane must be to nourish the tooth as well
as preserve its vitality. If this were not the design, it is certain
that it would have been better, if the teeth had been desti-
tute of this membrane altogether, which is questioning
Omniscience. This being granted, how can it be effected,
unless arterious and nervous fibres, penetrate through the whole
bony structure of the teeth ?
The sensibility of the teeth, is also a sound argument in
favor of their vascularity : of the sensibility of the teeth, every
one must be convinced; many persons experience pain in
having the carious and dead portions of their teeth exfoliated,
far from the internal membrane, and the nearer we approach
this membrane, the more acute is the pain.
" It often happens that in consequence of the use of mercu-
ry, or from dyspeptic affections, the gum and the edge of the
alveolar process recede from the neck of the tooth, which thus

but he soon found his patients returning with inflammation in the sockets
of such teeth, which he supposed was owing to their having become
foreign and extraneous bodies, from the destruction of the internal mem-
brane. Bat it was rather owing to the disorganization of the periosteum
—the total destruction of vascular and vital connexion between the
periosteum and the fangs.
Had Mr. Fox destroyed the internal membrane, without injuring the
periosteum, and securely plugged these teeth, he would have preserved
most of them for many years.
One dentist pulls out his patient's front teeth or fangs, and substitutes-
artificial teeth on plates, and thus gives him much pain and inconven-
ience, and endangers the premature loss of the adjoining teeth. Another
cuts off the stumps of the same teeth even with the gum, and splices on
to them the crowns of other teeth, with little pain to his patient, which
are as convenient and nearly as useful as the original teeth ; and the
Btumps thus protected, will last far many years. Indeed, the former and
wretched practice is, at this time pursued by very respectable dentists in
this country. Again a person who has been so unfortunate as to lose
most of his teeth, goes to one dentist who pulls out his aching tooth,
while another would easily have destroyed the pulp, plugged it, and
thus preserved a highly useful tooth.