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292 THE MICRO-ORQANISMS OF THE HUMAN MOUTH.

The circumstances were such as to leave no room for doubt that
the tubercuhir infection of the lymphatic glands of the sub-
maxillary region, consequently the infection of the whole organ-
ism, stood in close relation to that observed around the decayed
tooth.
Von Bergmann '^^^ also regards lymphadenitis, the acute as
Avell as the chronic form, as a disease occasioned by infectious
germs which enter the lymph-passages from without, and are
thence carried into the glands.
Odenthal, prompted by these views and by the investigations
of Israel, discussed on page 341, undertook to determine whether
decayed teeth were actually often the cause of swellings of the
lymphatic glands of the neck. He examined in all 987 children,
and found decay of the teeth in 429; in 558 no decay w^as pres-
ent. Of the 558 children without decayed teeth, glandular swell-
ings were noticed in 275 cases, that is, in 49 per cent, of all. Of
the 429 children with decayed teeth, swellings were noticed in
424 cases, that is, in 99 per cent. Odenthal was also able to estab-
lish a constant relation between the extent of the glandular
swellings and that of the decay. In such cases where the pulp-
chamber was exposed, that is, where there was probably a gan-
grenous or highly-inflamed pulp, the swelling of the glands was
almost invariably more pronounced and extended. Further-
more, the presence of a number of decayed teeth was universally
accompanied by very marked glandular swellings. Where there
were decayed teeth on both sides of the jaw, there was a corre-
sponding glandular swelling on both sides.
The above by no means exhausts the number of cases reported
in the last few years, but what has been said may suffice to show
the importance of the subject under discussion, and the necessity
of thoroughly examining the oral cavity in all disturbances or
diseases the origin of which is not directly apparent. It also
shows that the custom of many physicians, to disregard dental
diseases altogether as a factor in pathology, is as unjust to their
patients as it is discreditable to their profession, and that no
physician can afford to be without a thorough knowledge of the
pathological processes occurring in the human mouth and their
relation to general diseases.