Milford chronicle., 1920-12-03
TEETH AND TONSILS

During the last few years it has
been the practice to remove the ton
sils, but to overlook their source of
infection, the teeth. Let us see how
tonsils become infected.
The substance of healthy tonsils is
composed of small nodules of lynn
phatic tissue arranged around a group
of twelve to fifteen crypts and con-
nective tissues, blood vessels and a
few nerve fibers. From the crypts
numerous follicles branch out into
the substance of the tOnsil by means
of irregular channels.
Surrounding each follicle is a plex-
us of Emphatic vessels, and the
whole is covered by mucous mem
brance.
The tonsils are located between the
muscles of the throat and protected
from mechanical injury and bacterial
attack by the tough mucous mem
brane.
While well protected from the out
side, yet, because of their peculiar
construction and because of the nu-
merous lymphatic plexuses and
crypts, they are ideal incubators for
any micro-organism that may once
succeed in penetrating the lymph
channels. The lymphatic vessels OF
/ the gums terminate in the submaxil-
I larry glands. The Emphatic vessels
/ leading fro mthe plexuses surround
ing the tonsilar crypts also pass to
the submaxillary glands.
1t is, therefore, readily seen that
bacteria may pass almost directly
from the gum margins to the tonsils.
Bacteria passing into the lymph chan
nels may easily pass onto the tonsils
and be enormously multiplied, both
in number and yiTulence, and be pass
ed thru the submaXilary glands to the
deep ceryical glands and finally onto
the other parts of the body without
the surface of the tonsil even being
touched. This is why the removal of
the tonsils, while Immediately helpful,
does not always remove the source
of the trouble. The same condition
still remains, and operation after op-
Grafton frequently succeed each other
as the lowered resistance of some 9TH
er point causes it to become infected.
The tonsils are Immensely import
ant organs. The fact that an individ-
ual can live without them is no rea-
may live without a stomach, arms,
legs, eyes, ears, etc. Much is to be
learned of the functions of most of
the glands of the body. We know that
lions and other animals that eat de-
composed meat depend upon the Sc
cretion of the tonsils to sterilize or !
the poisons.
Children put everything they pick /
up into their mouths and the secTe- 1
ton from the tonsils is no doubt /
their protection from serious infec-
tons. 1t is "convenietly considered"
that the tcnsils fail to exert this pro-
lection after the twelfth year.
OF course when the cyrpts are de-
stroyed and replaced with scar-tis-
sues from repeated attacks of infec-
ions, the pus pockets become so deep
seated that the removal is absolutely
Also, as previously point
ID out, the body of the tonsil may be-
,ome infected from the lymph chan
lels of the gums and not show on
he outside. In this case surgical in
erference is also indicated.
If the teeth are properly cared for
Irst and the cyrpts of the tonsils
arefully cleaned out with a suction
pparatus the tonsils may frequently
e saved. In any event the teeth
hould be the first consideration, for
4 treating diseases resulting from
ocak infection the original point of
lfection must be eradicated.