Evening star., 1896-03-14
CURE FOR TooTHAcHu.
Experiments With the Cathode Rayu,
but Diet II Important.

Experiments With the Cathode Ray.,
but Diet II Important.
From the New Yo1k Herald.
Dispatches refEived in ,1is city recently
brought the information that an American
dentist in Paris had discovered a cure for
toothache which was not temporary In its
effects, but which, cnce applied, would per-
manently prevent the recurrence of the ALL
ment. H.,
/ The assertionlicreated stir among the
dentists in NeWeYork. who have been re-
garded in advaace of their professional
brethren in otheEiparts of the world. They
discussed the announcement from many
points of view and were particularly inter-
ested in the additional statement that the
medium which was to be used by DR.
Leavitt was the x rays of which SO many
things have already been written and many
more promised.
The general impression seemed to be that
DR.. Leavitt spoke to the reporter of LIE Soir,
the Partisan newspaper which first gave
publicity to the discovery, in parallels. The
supposed influence Of the cathode rays Is to
dissipate certain accumulations, but whether
they will have any effect on congestion Of
the dental nerves required in the treatment
of toothache the dentists in this city are
inclined to doubt.
What He Probably Intended.
A number of dentists seen agreed that
what was intended by Dr. Leavftt in apply
ing the cathode rays to dental surgery Is
in producing much more effective method
of studying the phenomena attending the
development of local irritatiens of this sort
than is possible now. At present the in
terror OF a tooth may be Illuminated by
means of electric bulbs placed within the
mouth against the part of the jaw affected.
The result of this Illumination is to bring
out very cle-rly most Of the conditions OF
diseased tooth, though net all.
The y ray would be of immense adyan-
tage. dentists say, in discovering any ac-
cumulation of diseased matter along the
jawbone. This is too Opaque to permit the
necessarily limited illumination possible at
present to penetrate. There have been sew
eral weil-known dentists investigating this;
possibility in the use of the RoentSen ray.
and, though they say that they are not yet
ready to make their deductions public, they
speak of what they have found as OF much
interest, not alone to the profession, but
also to those unfortunates who have poor
teeth.
So far as permanent cure for toothache
Is concerned, the dentists say that it has
been already found, but it is not one of
those things which can be bought at the
corner drug store or at the nearest cleo
trfcian's. but ii is matter of gradual de-
velopmen: of the person who desires to be
without this torment The recent statisti-
cal Information CT the New York College of
Dentistry shows that unless persons are
very careful IN the course OF q number OF
successive generations the Caucasian race
will be without any teeth at all.
There is; general disinclination among
the more highly civilized peoples to avoid
foods which are bone makers. The general
dislike of fats and of foods which have
large proportions of lime in them is doing
it's work very rapidly, and comparatively
soon. it is said, there will be no toothache,
because there will be no teeth.
Teeth without Enamel.
1t has been found that among many chill
dren recently the second, or permanent,
teeth are appearing without the necessary
enamel to protect them. The result of the
formation of teeth Of this description is
that they not as lasting as the first
teeth, and once the nerve is reached the
suffering of the child is, of course. intense.
1t now the II aItice to begin the treat
ment of children for their teeth before they
are horn in instances where the mother is
marked fragility of the bones. Foods are
given her that bone producing, SO that
the child may Ieap the benefit of this form
of nutriment. nj
Where this has been begun too late the
child is put on a systematic diet of cod
liver Oil and phosphates of lime and soda,
with other natural foods which will go to
the formation of enamel on the teeth and
bone. Dentists declare that if such a sys
TEN is insisted upon by parents and car
ried out with antiseptic treatment OF the
early teeth there is really no reason why
men and women who have been subject to
Indeed, lose their teeth at all save by acci-
,larf