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FOCAL INFECTIONS 239
unto themselves entirely different forms and activities.
Harmless bacteria are thus seen to be frequently capable of
producing great harm under changed environment, and the
opposite result may also occur, viz. harmful species may lose
:
their virulence under different cultural conditions. In septic
diseases occurring in the apical space, pus-forming micro-
organisms are usually present, which, traveling to distant
parts, may, under the changed conditions in which they are
placed either lose their virulence or be stimulated to increased
activities. The normal resistive power of the tissues involved,
in addition to other factors concerned, will undoubtedly have
a definite influence on the result produced.
According to Clarence Grieves, the following disturb-
J.
ances may result from focal infections located in or about the
teeth.
1. Affections of the muscles (myositis),
2. Affections of the joints (arthritis and synovitis),
3. Affections of the blood (septic anaemia, endocarditis,
and pleurisy),
4. Affections of the glands (lymphadenitis),
5. Affections of the nerves (toxic neuritis and degenera-
tions),
6. Affections of the excretory organs (skin rashes and
nephritis)
7. Affections of the intestinal tract (septic gastritis, en-
teritis, cholitis, cholecystitis and appendicitis).
In many instances systemic infections of this nature are
easily recognized, diagnosed by the physician and traced to
infections about the teeth as causative agents, but perhaps
just as frequently the constitutional disturbance is of a very
vague nature without markedly definite manifestations.
Some of the vague symptoms observable in these cases are
anaemia, pallid or pasty complexion, general malaise, loss of
FOCAL INFECTIONS 239
unto themselves entirely different forms and activities.
Harmless bacteria are thus seen to be frequently capable of
producing great harm under changed environment, and the
opposite result may also occur, viz. harmful species may lose
:
their virulence under different cultural conditions. In septic
diseases occurring in the apical space, pus-forming micro-
organisms are usually present, which, traveling to distant
parts, may, under the changed conditions in which they are
placed either lose their virulence or be stimulated to increased
activities. The normal resistive power of the tissues involved,
in addition to other factors concerned, will undoubtedly have
a definite influence on the result produced.
According to Clarence Grieves, the following disturb-
J.
ances may result from focal infections located in or about the
teeth.
1. Affections of the muscles (myositis),
2. Affections of the joints (arthritis and synovitis),
3. Affections of the blood (septic anaemia, endocarditis,
and pleurisy),
4. Affections of the glands (lymphadenitis),
5. Affections of the nerves (toxic neuritis and degenera-
tions),
6. Affections of the excretory organs (skin rashes and
nephritis)
7. Affections of the intestinal tract (septic gastritis, en-
teritis, cholitis, cholecystitis and appendicitis).
In many instances systemic infections of this nature are
easily recognized, diagnosed by the physician and traced to
infections about the teeth as causative agents, but perhaps
just as frequently the constitutional disturbance is of a very
vague nature without markedly definite manifestations.
Some of the vague symptoms observable in these cases are
anaemia, pallid or pasty complexion, general malaise, loss of
