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HISTOEY OF DENTAL SURGERY 215
could, and filled with ox}'chIoride of zinc, adding a drop of bichloride, one in
2,000 to the liquid, expecting that this combination would mummify any rem-
nants impossible of removal.
In the "Cosmos" (Vol. XXXVIl, p. 921, 1895), Dr. Theodore Soder-
berg, of Sydney, Australia, in an article on "Pulp Mummification," says that
some comments by Dr. W. E. Christensen on the Witzel and Herbst methods
of treating devitalized pulps, pointing out that the real etfect aimed at by them
was the mummification of the pulps left untouched in the root-canals, led
him to adopt the method, using the formula of Dr. Wetzel, somewhat modified.
Dr. W. D. Miller's paper at the World's Congress led him "to experiment with
different pastes to find one which would cause mummification of the pulp with-
out discoloration of the tooth." Several formulas are mentioned, the one
he finally adopted being as follows: Dried alum, 51; thymol, 51; zinc oxid,
13 ; glycerol, q. s. to make stiff paste.
Subsequently other formulas were proposed using formaldehyde as the
principal mummifying agent, in combination with thymol and zinc oxid;
and in the formula of Professor Boennccken, M. D., D. D. S., of Prague,
Bohemia, with the addition to these of cocain.
In discussions of this method in societies in this country it has been stren-
uously opposed on the ground that it tends to careless iind slovenly perform-
ance of operations which especially require thoroughness and skill, and also
on the ground that success for a time, even for several years, by no means
gives such assurance of life long success as may be reasonably expected when
pulp canals are well cleaned and solidly filled to the end. The proper field
of usefulness for pulp mummification appears to be in the cases where skill
and perseverance are unavailing to remove all of the pulp tissue.
An editorial in the "Cosmos," (Vol. XLI, pp. 508-11, 1899) well repre-
sents the opinions of the best men in this country at that time. A short quota-
tion will answer our purpose
"An important feature in relation to the general introduction of mummi-
fying methods of pulp-treatment should not be lost sight of,—viz., the tend-
ency to their careless and indiscriminate use and to encourage slovenly and
imperfect operations.
"It is far less difficult to seal a pellet of mummifying paste into a cavity,
complete the operation at a short single sitting, and collect the fee upon its
completion than it is to do a thorough canal operation, and the very ease
which this short cut through an essentially difficult operation to the fee for it
confers is a dangerous temptation to degrade the high standard of dental
HISTOEY OF DENTAL SURGERY 215
could, and filled with ox}'chIoride of zinc, adding a drop of bichloride, one in
2,000 to the liquid, expecting that this combination would mummify any rem-
nants impossible of removal.
In the "Cosmos" (Vol. XXXVIl, p. 921, 1895), Dr. Theodore Soder-
berg, of Sydney, Australia, in an article on "Pulp Mummification," says that
some comments by Dr. W. E. Christensen on the Witzel and Herbst methods
of treating devitalized pulps, pointing out that the real etfect aimed at by them
was the mummification of the pulps left untouched in the root-canals, led
him to adopt the method, using the formula of Dr. Wetzel, somewhat modified.
Dr. W. D. Miller's paper at the World's Congress led him "to experiment with
different pastes to find one which would cause mummification of the pulp with-
out discoloration of the tooth." Several formulas are mentioned, the one
he finally adopted being as follows: Dried alum, 51; thymol, 51; zinc oxid,
13 ; glycerol, q. s. to make stiff paste.
Subsequently other formulas were proposed using formaldehyde as the
principal mummifying agent, in combination with thymol and zinc oxid;
and in the formula of Professor Boennccken, M. D., D. D. S., of Prague,
Bohemia, with the addition to these of cocain.
In discussions of this method in societies in this country it has been stren-
uously opposed on the ground that it tends to careless iind slovenly perform-
ance of operations which especially require thoroughness and skill, and also
on the ground that success for a time, even for several years, by no means
gives such assurance of life long success as may be reasonably expected when
pulp canals are well cleaned and solidly filled to the end. The proper field
of usefulness for pulp mummification appears to be in the cases where skill
and perseverance are unavailing to remove all of the pulp tissue.
An editorial in the "Cosmos," (Vol. XLI, pp. 508-11, 1899) well repre-
sents the opinions of the best men in this country at that time. A short quota-
tion will answer our purpose
"An important feature in relation to the general introduction of mummi-
fying methods of pulp-treatment should not be lost sight of,—viz., the tend-
ency to their careless and indiscriminate use and to encourage slovenly and
imperfect operations.
"It is far less difficult to seal a pellet of mummifying paste into a cavity,
complete the operation at a short single sitting, and collect the fee upon its
completion than it is to do a thorough canal operation, and the very ease
which this short cut through an essentially difficult operation to the fee for it
confers is a dangerous temptation to degrade the high standard of dental
