Page 71 - My FlipBook

HISTORY OF DENTAL SUKGEEY 41

CUPPING THE EARS TO CURE TOOTHACHE.

"There are people who claim to be so skillful and artistic as to remove the
most deep seated dental diseases by cupping the ears or burning them with
a red hot iron, whicli operation they call barrer la veine, or tying the arteries.
I know very well that the renowned Valsalva describes very carefully and
particularly the place upon the ear where the hot iron is to be applied when
toothache is to be stilled by it. I would like to consider with all respect the
views of so distinguished a writer, and will believe that there may be cases
in which this measure may be well applied. Nevertheless I cannot persuade
myself to believe that the pains of the teeth which commonly befall them can
be cured in this way.
"In Nantes I knew a Turk, who was a clockmaker by profession, who
had achieved a great reputation for healing toothache in this manner, but I
know that without reference to such distinguished cures most of those who
had entrusted themselves to his care finally came to me for relief."
Fauchard (juotes from Monsieur de Brantome, who says, in speaking of
the Princess Elizabetli of France, wife of King Philip II of Spain, "I did
not get to her for two days on account of rheumatism of the teeth which I con-
tracted at sea. She, therefore, inquired of the maid where I was and if I was
indisposed. When she learned my condition she sent her apotliecary to me,
who brought to me a very singular herb, which was said to be excellent in my
difficulty, which I was to hold in tlie hollow of my hand and then the malady
would at once disappear, wliich actually occurred."

PATHOLOGY, MATKRIA MEDICA AND THERAPEUTICS.
Fauchard says "incipient caries" may be cured in three ways; the first is
the application of a mixture of essence of cinnamon and essence of cloves,
or either of them alone. The second is the actual cautery, and the third the
filling with lead.
"When caries proceeds so far as to cause pain," he says, "it must be re-
moved and in the carious cavity must be placed a little roll of cotton which has
been dipped in cinnamon or clove essence. This must be placed in with care so
as not to cause too nuich pressure when the cotton is placed and stuffed in.
Four or five days later more of the carious matter can be removed, but after
having proceeded with this method, and if the pain still continues, the actual
cautery must be resorted to, and sometime afterwards the tooth should be
filled with lead, if the caries permits this, as occasionally we meet cavities