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190 HUNTER ON THE TEETH.
granulate, but have not the power of healing, on account of
an extraneous body being kept there.
The Tooth in the present case acts as an extraneous body,
and by the secretion of matter the abscess is prevented from
healing.
In the treatment of Gum Boils, the practice will be the
same, whether the abcess has arisen from a diseased Tooth,
or a disease in the socket.
The Teeth being under such circumstances in the animal
machine, that they cannot partake of all the benefits of a
cure in the same manner as other parts do ; on that account,
when an abcess forms itself about the root of a Tooth, the
Tooth by losing its connection with the other parts, loses
every power of union, as it is not endowed with the power
of granulating, and thereby it becomes an extraneous body,
or at least acts here as an extraneous body, and one of the
worst kind, such as it is not in the power of any operation of
the machine to get rid of. This is not the case with any
other part of the body, for when any other part becomes
dead, the machine has the power of separating it from the
living, called sloughing or exfoliation, and expelling it,
whence a cure is effected ; but in the case of Gum Boils, the
only cure of them is the extraction of the Tooth. As this is
the last resource, every thing is to be done to make the parts
as easy under the disease as possible, so that this operation
may be postponed.
When the abcess has opened through the Gum, I believe
the best method that can be tried with a view to prevent
future gatherings, is to prevent the closing up of the abcess
;
and this may be done, by enlarging the opening, and keeping
it enlarged, till the whole internal surface of the cavity of
the abcess is skinned over, or till the opening in the Gum
loses the disposition to close up, which will in a great mea-
sure prevent any future formation of matter ; or at least
whatever is formed will find an easy outlet, which will pre-