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238 INFECTIONS OF THE PERI-APICAL TISSUES

septicemia, it will be the part of wisdom to extract immedi-
ately under aseptic precautions, curetting and giving the
tissues subsequent antiseptic and stimulative treatment.

Focal Infections of Dental Origin

Special attention has been previously called in this work
to the close anatomic, physiologic and pathologic relationships

existing between the teeth and supporting structures and all
other parts of the body. Infection surrounding the roots of
the teeth may, and frequently does, extend by way of the
vascular and lymphatic systems, as well as by continuity of
tissue, to closely associated or far distant parts. As a result,

many very grave systemic disorders, either of a vague or
definitely manifested nature are produced.
Certain micro-organsims, located in a root canal or in the
periapical tissues may be of a harmless nature under the
conditions in which they are placed. However, according to
Hartzell and Rosenau, if they succeed in entering the blood

and lymph streams and are transmitted to other tissues,
they may, in their new environment, change their form and
characteristics (transmutation) and be productive of great
harm. A streptococcus from the tonsil or an alveolar abscess,
may, under suitable cultural conditions, change to a pneu-

mococcus, and, if it reach the lung, be productive of pneu-
monia; or if it reach some joint of the body, may cause
arthritis deformans (rheumatism) ; or in other cases, the same
micro-organism may locate in the valves of the heart, be
transformed under its new environment into the streptococcus

viridans and result in a heart lesion; under other conditions
it may travel to the inner coat of the stomach and produce
an ulcer of that organ Under similar conditions, bacilli
may'be changed to spirilli, and other forms of germs may take