The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-04-17

Some Ideas as to the Cause of the d6ficiion o.
Gen. Grant.

Some Ideas as TO the Cause or He hHt'cttoH OF
Gen. Grant.
DIR. Frank Abbott, of No. % West Fortieth
street, New York city, Gen. Grants dentist,
has prepared a paper on "The Case Of Gen.
Grant" DIR. Abbott has had the chair of
operative dentistry and dental therapeutics In
the New York college OF dentistry for seven
teen years.
'.For a good while Gen. Grant has worn a
plate with four teeth in 'front.' says DR.. Alb
bott. 'He can't wear it now, and his upper
lip drops in slightly. His mustache hides it.
He has teeth enough left to masticate. There
are a dozen remaining in the lower jaw and
eight upper teeth, chiefly on the left side.'
DIR. Abbott's paper is as follows:
There have appeared in the medical journals
and daily papers so many statements in refer
ence to the case of Gen. Grant, the condition
of his teeth, their removal, etc, that l am in
duced to give to the profession, through your
columns, the facts, as far as they have come
under my observation and Treatment.
November s, 1884, Gen. Grant consulted me
IN reference to the ACCESSIBILITY of having the
light upper first molar extracted, stating that
he had been suffering for a week or ten days
with great pain on that side OF the head and
face, and that his physician, DR.. Fordyce
Barker, who advised him to consult me, had
advised the removal of the tooth, as it was,
in his opinion, the cause Of great irritation and
pain.
Upon examination I. found The tooth dead
with an abcess at the apex OF the anterior
buccal root. The tooth was considerably pro-
jected from its original position. the roots
covered with tartar. | agreed with Or. Baker
that this was probably the cause of the neu-
ralgia, and advised him to have 1t removed at
once, which be did. TIE relief from localized
pain was prompt and highly satisfactory TO the
general as well as to myself.
! made no further examination of his teeth
at that time, as he expressed q desire to make
an appointment with ne in a few days to have
what further done would be found necessary
for the health and comfort of his mouth, and
for the reason that he wished time to recuper-
ate from the distressing pain, sleeplessness,
etc, from which he had been suffering.
The 18th of the same month | again saw
him, and carefully examined his remaining
teeth. The first to attract my attention were
the second and third molars, back OF the place
from which l had previously moved the first
namely, the right upper second and third mo-
lars, both of which were projected from q
quarter TO three-eighths of an inch down from
their original positions, the necks and roots
coated quite lhickly with a dark brown or
black tartar. The sockets, in consequence,
were almost entirely absorbed and the teeth so
loose that they might easily have been removed
with the ancient lead forceps. In addition to
this, the second molar was very badly decayed,
the side broken aud the pulp dead. The gum
around these teeth was highly infamed, which
inflammation extended to the roof OF the
mouth and back into the fauces.
Finding these teeth in so deplorable a con-
dition, and there being no antagonizing teeth,
adv sed their immediate removal, believing,
as l did then and do now, that they had more
or less to do in aggravatlng at least the dis
ease which then, and which had for five
months previously, existed in his throat anG
upon his tongue. He consented and l at once
removed the teeth. L then removed some of
the tartar from other teeth in his mouth and
dismissed him. 1 again saw him the 18th Of
the same month, at which time l thoroughly
cleansed the remaining teeth and put in some
filling, all that was necessary to do upon the
teeth remaining in his mouth.
have previously said that l believed the
teeth | removed have been more or less instru-
mental in aggravating the disease of his throat
ana tongue. How long the teeth had been in
the condition generally in which l found them
| am unable to say, but presume land / judge
from all the conditions described) that it had
been many years.
If we take into consideration the highly in
famed condition of that region of his mouth,
the rough surfaces of broken teeth, and the
tartar covering them against which that side
Of the tongue was almost constantly rubbing,
! would ask if / am not justified in concluding
that the disease from which the general IS
now suffering has not had sufficient cause for
its development in the constant ~irritants here
described, instead of attributing 1t to the habit
of smoking, which seems to be the prevailing
opinion, at least among the laity.
| hope that this case may be a solemn warn
ing 10 all those advancing in years against the
clearance of any Rough surfaces (such as are
tongue or cheek may be kept in a state of con-
slant irritation.