Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1912-01-12

jacent parts Q. e., appendicitis. The
effects fall IN the second place upon
the glands tadenitis); on the blood
(septic anemia, purpura, fever, sep
tlcemia); on the joints (arthritis); on
the kidneys (nephritis); and on the
nervous system.
''The sepsis here bad in view is all
swallowed or absorbed, and that in-
fiction with staphylococcal and s.rep-
tococcal organisms carries with it
certain definite and deleterious effects
wherever it is found. These effects
vary, naturally, with the site of the
infection and the degree Of resistance
offered by tina tissues which are the
seat of the invasion.
SIN the case of the mouth, the mere
presence of staphy lococci on the sur
face OF the mucOsa, or on the tongue,
or in the mouth secr9tions. or in the
saprophytic flora which abounds in
the mouth, does not of itself cause
disease, any more thar their presence
on the uninjured skin. But the mat
ter is totally different when they be-
come seated in open wounds in the
edges of the gums adjacent to carious
teeth: or extend from this, their first
site, downwards along the periosteum
| (periodontal membrane) of the teeth
socket The infection is then no long
err superficial one-it is in connec-
ton with the soft tissues, periosteum.
and bone. The resistance of these
tissues, especially the gums, is for
tunately very great; hence a degree of
infection which anywhere else in the
BODY would certainly draw attenti on
to itself by its redness, swelling, heat
and pain. may indeed cause rcdness
ard swelling, but does not necessarily
cause any pain. This is the more tC
be regretted, for feature of the septic
infection in the gums, the teeth, or in
the sockets of the teeth is that it is in
fecticn IN contact with diseased bone
and its virulence is Intensely aggra
waited by this fact"
| The patient whose mouth is VERT
able mausoleum of gold work is likely
to present himself in a highly poison
Ell condition to his physician. Tn,
victim labors under the deiusion tina
his mouth is we'll cared for when, as
matter OF fact, the degree OF sepsi.
and necrosis covered and hidden b,
the gold is perfectly appalling. DR.
Hunter speaks from experience. HI
has had many such cases and he de
scribed them in the London Lancet a!
she most trying and pitiable case!
with which one has to DEAL" for the,
are produced by dentists. The wors
cases OF septic gastritis, enteritis ant
colitis, of i'll health, anemia, obscure
septic fever and other manifestation
of medical sepsis are, in DR.. Hunter
experience-so he avers--those il
which the greatest amount of "Amer
lean SKILL" in the shape of gold worI
has been bestowed upon the mouth.
There seems only too good reasor
to infer, moreover, that the profcs
sional education of dentists is oftel
of the most superficial sort. The pro
fession is recruited il some America
communities almost at haphazard
The training is frequently of the ma u
ual KIDD. Provided the student d 5
plays digital dexterity in manipd
lation he is not questioned too closel
sometimes regarding his scientj
knowledge. He goes about his We 9
in his densest ignorance of So
things as therapeutics and injection
He is no scholar and in no sense
man of scieuce.