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98 THE MICRO-ORGANISMS OF THE HUMAN MOUTH.

rom Pulp 13, moist, bacl-
smellino; 2050 colonies developed.
(( a
14, almost dry,
black .
4< u 15, suppurating 405
11, li
16, black, liqiieiied,
very bad-smelling
17 ... 512
a u ^
The fourth case is that in which the }tulp-chaml)er is Avidely
opened, so as to permit the entrance of new culture-material
from the mouth. Processes of putrefaction or fermentation here
continually take place. In the lower part of the canal, at least,
the same organisms are present which are found in the other
l)art of the oral cavity, with the exception of such whose growth
depends upon the presence of more or less inflamed gums.
The sul)ject of the bacteria of the diseased pulp is one which
has as yet but little occupied the attention of l)acteriologists,
consequently little definite is known about them ; nor has any
classification of them been made. A series of experiments which
I mvself began in this direction had to be lu'oken oft' on account
of want of time.
The general infections which are brought al)Out by inocula-
tion with the bacteria of diseased tooth-i)ulps will be treated of
in Chapter XL
It often happens that a tooth, wliich has occasioned no disturb-
ance for years, in spite of a necrotic pul}), will exhibit a severe
inflammation of the pericementum a few hours after the pulp-
ohamljer has been opened for the purpose of removing the
remains of the [ndp and filling the root-canals.
An attempt has been made to ascril)e this very unpleasant
result to an infection of the pulp occasioned by germs from the
air. When the pulp-chamber is opened, air is supposed to rush
in, carrying l)acteria along with it. These excite decomposition
of the contents of the root-canal, thereby gi^'ing origin to an
inflammation of the pericementum. This idea deserves to be
ranked among the many other wonderful theories of olden times.
Every practitioner in dentistry knows very Avell that air or