The Washington times., 1917-02-06
POPULAR MEDICINE
BY DR.. HIRSHBERG
Intelligent Observation of Rules
of Hygiene Will De-
crease Illness.
BY DIR. LEONARD X. HIRsBERG.

BY DIR. LEONARD X. HIRSBERG.
mot all is gold that glitters," nor
are all pearly white teeth always
solid ivory or perfect molars and
grinders: It's a wise man who knows
his own teeth.
A mass of matter" or pus in the
pulp or heart OF a tooth may some
times exist unsuspected foE months
and even years. This is due to the
fact that the walls of the central
chamber of the teeth are incapable
OF always indicating on the outside
/ exactly what is wrong within. An
X-ray picture of your teeth reveals
the real source Of the trouble.
Poison Rest Of Body.
Disorders in the heart OF a tooth
may be a constant menace TO the
health. continuously pouring poison
into the rest of your anatomy. Gen
orally, this cause goes unrecognized
until an X-ray photograph tells the
tale.
Among human ailments and disor-
ders 10 be laid frequently at this
door, are loss Of flesh, insomnia, st.
Vitus dance, bone and joint pains,
misnamed rheumatism" indiges-
ton" and a whole host OF affections,
major and minor.
DR.. Sinclair Tonsey, of New York.
has emphasized that one of the com
mon sites of origin Of tuberculosis Is
an abscess or 'pus pocket" in the
roots OF a tooth.
Diagnosed As Neurasthenia.
A man Of apparently powerful
physique who weighed 220 pounds,
was referred to Dr. Tonsey. His
symptoms had been diagnosed as
those OF that ever-handy scapegoat'
"neurasthenia."
The patients complaints were
chiefly inability to stand as much
work and responsibilities as former
". He said that his teeth were sin
perfect condition." yet X-ray pictures
| showed one root of the first molar on
the lower right side to be full OF pus:
| Treatment OF the ''pus-pocket
cured this patient Of his "neuras-
thenia."
The signs of st. Vitus dance are
| muscular twitches, restlessness, drop
ping objects and fever. 1t is due to
| the absorption OF pus, matter and
germs from some focus such as the
| tonsiIs, teeth or other diseased area
| into the rest of the human fabric.
X-ray pictures have resulted in re-
movaI of such points OF infection and
relief at once OF this childhood
disease.
Arthritis or inflammation Of the
joints" falsely called by a single name.
| rheumatism owes its origin to
several different agencies, among
which "foci of invasion" a supposed.
Iy good tooth is not an uncommon
| source. Removal Of such a root
when brought to light by X-rays has
cured" many an alleged "rheu-
matte"
Cause of Many Ills.
Chronic bronchitis, asthma, parox.
ysms of coughing, fits of convulsions.
heart valve murmurs, enlarged
glands, "exophthalmic goitre," even
| ringing in the ears. when all possible
causes had been exhausted, have
been traced by X-rays to their
| strange dental lair.
One OF the most curious disorders
run to earth in this way are ulcers
of the stomach and the intestines.
Drs. Leonard, Henricht and Hartzell
have reported unmistakable ulcers
cured promptly when the guilty
teeth exposed by the X-rays, were re.
moved.
Ulcers of the stomach, you may re.
-calI, have been found eight times in
ten to be due to microbes and
their infective matter plus the weak.
ened blood, which results. The
abiding danger is the continuity OF
the output OF germs and their poi
sons and the hidden jungle from
| which they Issue
II a tooth, supposed to be sound,
is nevertheless the place from which
the irritants and the bacteria emerge
to be swallowed and absorbed with
4 the saliva, the discovery of its di.
seased conditions by the %-ray and
! immediate removal should be follow.
ed by healing OF the ulcers.
CCopy't 1917, by Newspaper Feature Service }