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394 ACCIDENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF TEETH.

much caution. After this, the packing should re-
main in the socket from one to three days, and then
be removed very carefully, one piece at a time, lest
the ruptured vessels be opened and the hemorrhage
caused to recur.
The object in applying a compress is to bring it to
bear upon the aperture of the wounded vessel, and in
this way to prevent the escape of blood, till coagulum

is formed and the opening permanently closed. The
operator should ascertain the precise point from which
the blood flows, and form the compress so as to bear
full upon it. If the flow is from all the wounded
surface, then the compress must be made to conform
exactly to that throughout.
Another method of making the compression, is to
force softened wax into the socket, so as to fit it per-
fectly ; remove it and chill it in cold water; and then
introduce and make compression upon it in the man-

ner already described, following, throughout, the
general directions. Another, and probably better
method, is, to form cones of wax cloth, as near the
shape and size of the root removed from the socket
as possible. This material is prepared by dipping
thin linen into melted beeswax, withdrawing it and
letting it cool, and then cutting off strips of from a
fourth to a half an inch wide, and rolling them to the
proper size and shape. Having softened this material