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146 HUNTER ON THE TEETH.
which is more transparent, and at the same time of a darker
colour, (occasioned, in some measure, by the dark cavity under
it) and is generally softer than the other. Any person may be
convinced of the truth of these observations, by taking two
Teeth of the same class, but of very different ages, one just
completely formed, the other worn down almost to its neck.
In the last he will observe the dark spot in the center ; and if
as much is cut off from the complete Tooth as hath been worn
off the old one, the cavity of the young Tooth will be found cut
through ; and on examining the other, its cavity will be found
filled up below that surface. Now this observation contradicts the
idea of the hole leading into the cavity of the Tooth being
closed up ; and what is still a further proof of it, I have been
able to inject vessels in the cavities of the Teeth in very old
people when the Alveolar Process has been gone, and the Teeth
very loose in the Gum.
Old people are often found to have very good sets of Teeth,
only pretty much worn down. The reason of this is, that
such people never had any disorder in their Teeth, or Alveolar
Processes, sufficient to occasion the falling of one Tooth. For
if by accident one Tooth is lost, the rest will necessarily fail
in some degree, even though they are sound, and likely to
remain so, had not this accident happened ; and this weakening
cause is greater, in proportion to the number that are lost.
From this observation, we see that the Teeth support one
another.

OF THE CONTINUAL GROWTH OF THE TEETH.
It has been asserted that the Teeth are continually growing,
and that the abrasion is sufficient to keep them always of the
same length ; but we find that they grow at once to their full
length, and that they gradually wear down afterwards; and
that there is not even the appearance of their continuing to
grow. The Teeth would probably project a little farther out