The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-05-30
PERMANENT CURE.
Experiments In Dentistry with the
Cathode Rays.

experiments IN OenElSGry with the
Cathode Rays.
Dispatches received in this city re
Gently brought the information that an
American dentist in Paris had discov-
cred a cure for toothache which was not
temporary in its effects, but which, once
applied, would permanently prevent the
recurrence of the ailment.
The assertion created a. stir among
the dentistsin New York, who have been
regarded in advance of their profes.
sional brethren in other parts of the
world. They discussed the announce
ment from many points Of view, and
were particularly interested in the ad-
ditional 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
many more promised.
The general impression seemed to be
that DR.. Leavitt spoke to the reporter
of the lie Soir, the Partisan newspaper
which first gave publicity to the dis
cevery, in parallels. The supposed in
fluence of the cathode rays is to dis
sipate certain accumulations, but
whether they will have any effect on
congestion of the dental nerves required
in the treatment of toothache the dem
lists in this city are inclined to doubt.
Anumber of dentists e agreed that
what was intended by DR.. Leavitt in APP
plying the cathode rays to dental sur
gerry is in producing a much more eff
fective method of studying the
phenomena attending the development
of local irritations of this sort than Is
possible now. At present the interior
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 illumina-
ton is to bring out very clearly most of
the conditions of a diseased tooth,
though not all.
The X rays would be of immense adj
vantage, dentists say, in discovering
any accumulation of diseased matter
along the jawbone. This is too opaque
to permit the necessary limited illu-
mination possible at present to pene-
trate. There have been several we'll
known dentists investigating this pos
sibility in the use Of the Roentgen
ray, and, though they say hat 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 unfor-
Inmates who have poor teeth.
So far as a permanent cure for tooth
ache is concerned, the dentists say it
has been already found; but it is not
one of those things which can be
bought at the nearest drug store or at
the nearest electricians, but it is a
matter of gradual Development of the
person who desires to be without this
torment. The recent statistical infor-
nation of the New York college of
dentistry shows that, unless persons
are very careful, in the course of
a number of successive generations
the Caucasian race will be without any
teeth at all.
There is a general inclination among
the more civilized people 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 its work very rapidly;
and comparatively soon, it is said, there
will be no toothache, because there will
be no teeth.
1t has been found that among many
children recently the second or perma-
nent teeth are appearing without the
necessary enamel to protect them. The
result of the formation of teeth of
this description is that they are not
as lasting as the first teeth, and once
the nerve is reached the suffering of the
child is of course intense. It is now
the practice to begin the treatment OF
children for their teeth before they are
born in instances where the mother
Is not strong, or where she has shown
any marked fragility Of the bones.
Foods r given her that are bone-pro-
ducing, so that the child may reap the
benefit of this kind of nutriment.
Where this has been begun too lats
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 oil
enamel on the teeth and bone. Dentists
declare that, If system is insisted upon
by parents, and carried out with anti
septic treatment of the early teeth,
there is really no a why men and
women who have been subject to this
early care should have toothache, or, In
deed. lose their teeth at all save by acct
dent.-N. Y. Herald.
"A sleep without dreams, after {
rough day of toll, is what we covet
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