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212 HISTORY OF DEXTAL SURGERY

"In all nielhods of capping, the ultimate design is now to secure the
production of secondar}' dentine at the exposed point of tlie puljj. This ob-
ject is not apparent in tlie earlier operations, but was distinctly claimed as
the final aim by Dr. AV. W. Codman, of Boston, in an article published in the
'Boston Medical and Surgical Journal," in 1850: since which time tliis end has
been steadily held in view by those who have attempted the operation of
capping.
"In 1851 Dr. S. P. Ilullihen introduced an operation at once so delicate
and scientific that it was immediately incorporated in dental practice and has
ever since been known liy his name. This operation consisted in 'making a
hole through the gum, the outer edge of the alveolar process, and the root
of the tooth into the nerve-cavity, and then in opening the blood vessels of
the nerve." ^ Dr. HuUihen had first practiced tliis operation in 1815. Drill-
ing into pulp-cavities was not new; for this had been practiced l)y Hunter
and Fox. But they did it to allow the escape of pus; while Hullihen"s o]ier-
atioii was intended to deplete a congested pulp and allow its preservation.
The Ilullihen opei'ation was called rhizodontryphy."'

ROOT FILINGS.
In a discussion of this subject at a meeting of the Western Dental Society,
reported in the -'News Letter,"" (Vol. X, p. 4, 1856-5'r), Dr. J. S. Clark, of
Xew Orleans, said he had tilled the roots of teeth for nine or ten years. He said
the profession knew how far Koecker had carried his operations in this direc-
tion, and "ilaynard. Hardwood, Badger and Hudson practiced it years before
any of us."' Dr. Clark filled roots with gold. Dr. Kennicott, of C'hicago, in tlie
same discussion, said he frequently extracted the nerve by driving in a
piece of hickory wood, and sometimes used a Mell fitted hickory plug for a
permanent stopping for the canal.
The same volume of the "Xews Letter,"" pages 3.'?4-35, reports a discussion
of the questions, "What success has been obtained in fang filling?"" and "Wluit
is the best manner of filling the fangs of teeth ?" Several, among them Drs.
Bonsall and Branch, said they had little or no success. Dr. C. W. Spalding,
of St. I-ouis, said lie prided liimself on his fang fillings. He cleansed the
cavitv anil canal perfectly, wiped out the canal carefully, and filled itume-
—
diatelv with gold "if the fang be healthy the sooner the better.'"
Dr. .1. Taft and Dr. George Watt said tliey used the same method and had

'American Journal of Dental Science, 2n(l Series, Vol. Ill, p. 160.