Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-12-18
(Copyrisht. 1914. by A. S. Gray)
RIGGS DISEASE AND VITALITY

RIGGS DISEASE AND VITALITY.
Next in frequency to the most prev
alent human disease, carries, or tooth
decay, comes one very closely asso-
ciated with it, known in dental liter
ature as periodontitis, better known as
pyorrhoea alveolorais, or Riggs dls'
ease. This disease, characterized by
a more or less general infection OF
the membranes within the tooth SOCK
ct, is indicated by slight tenderness
during mastication. looseness OF the
teeth and pulp sensitiveness, or even
pain on the ingestion of hot or cold
drinks because of the exposure OF the
cementum, the external she'll OF the
root The gum is swollen and soft,
the tooth may be raised in its socket
and pressure brings relief. There Is
q discharge of pas from between the
tooth andsgum on pressure, the teeth
become loose. and, in course OF time
as the disease progresses and the al
veolar process 1.-THE tooth sockeO ID
destroyed, they fall out.
Efficient mastication is, of course,
impossible; hence not only Is 1000
bolted partly chewed and more or less
mixed with pus, but the tissues In
and around the teeth are deprived OF
exercise necessary to give them an
adequate blood supply and they are
thereby rendered less resistant to at
tack. Tooth after tooth is involved
and there is established another of
those numerous vicious cycles that
continually operate to drag US down.
Pyorrhoea is not q new disease; 1t
was recognized by the early investi-
gators, but it has become more prev
alent during the last so years and it is
the rule rather than the exception to
find patients with more or less perio-
dontitis. The disease is not confined
to man, but is also extremely preva-
lent among domestic animals.
A class of serious disorders has long
been known in which failure of nu-
triton could be named as the imme-
which 1t has vaguely been assumed
that the diet must be at fault. Prob
ably the most generally familiar of
these diseases is scurvy. Scurvy has
always been associated with a diet
containing an excess of sailed. smoked.
or canned foodstuff, monotonous diet
devoid of fresh vegetables such as cab
bage, onions, carrots. potatoes and
the like. AS the result of experience
these fresh vegetables have been cred
tied with some power to ward OF or al
last to mitigate the disease. and lines
and lemons are universally recognized
as anti-scorbutics (scurvy proven
tives).
| Victims of scurvy suffer from severe
| physical exhaustion, soreness Of the
gums and looseness of the teeth, and
of course. this opens the way to bacte
rial invasion and periodontitis. WheI
we note that, as all observers agree
improvement or intensification of thu
mouth diseases synchronizes with thu
rise and fall of general health in thu
individual, it is reasonable to suspec
that the disease is not a strictly loca
infection resulting from local irrita
ton or injury. 1t does not come from
injuries received in chewing grit an,
sand or from soft food accumulatinl
about the teeth; it comes as the re
suit of lowered vitality from the lacl
of those organic compounds other thai
the proteins which Casipir Funk an,
other investigators prove to be pres
emit In fresh vegetables and in linn
and other juices, small quantities O
which are absolutely essential to mol
NAL growth and continued health. Tn
name given these compounds by Fun
is we'll chosen in view of its roo
/. meaning: Vitamines. An anime" 1
a heterogeneous compound of a certai
type. and a vitamine is obviously sue
a heterogeneous compound absolutel
necessary to vitality.
The principles of evolution are un
versal and constantly at work. eve
In the minds of men, and we are SLOW
ly evolving out Of the old idea q
cause" and cure" The investig,
lions OF Soddy in the chemistry of tn
radio-elements, Of Twort, Penfolt
Nine. Henri and others in the NUT,
lions Of bacteria, make 1t quite clea
that II medicine ever takes a plac
among the sciences 1t can come onl
as the result of general habit q
mind such as is found In the advance
sciences. In astronomy and in physic
in general scientists have banished tn
term cause" and have ceased to loo
for specific causes, because there al
no such things. What scientific Law
do is to state the functional relation
between certain events at certai