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DENTAL PERIOSTITIS. 295

terial, and keeping them so ; and the removal of all

deposits that may be upon the teeth, and especially
those that may encroach upon the gum, or the alveolus
and periosteum at or beyond the neck of the tooth
and the removal of all injurious and useless teeth and
roots in the vicinity.
And, secondly, relieve the congestion of the affected
part, in some or all of the following ways : either by
systemic influence as already suggested, or by coun-
ter-irritation, producing determination to a neighbor-
ing part, and thus relieving the affected part, or by

depletion from the gum immediately opposite the seat
of the affection.
Counter-irritation may be effected by scarifying the
gum, or by the application of some irritating agent,
such as tincture of capsicum, tincture of iodine, and
cantharides. An excellent preparation of the latter,
denominated cantharidal collodion, has recently been
prepared, and introduced to the medical profession.
This preparation when applied to the gum acts
promptly and efficiently in almost every case of acute

dental periostitis ; it produces desquamation upon
the surface of the mucous membrane where it is
applied.
Depletion, with many, is a favorite method of treat-
ment, and often productive of very good effects. Two
or three methods of accomplishing this are employed.