Milford chronicle., 1920-08-06
SEATS OF INFECTION.


The most frequent location for
the primary focus of infection is in
the cavities of the head. After 40
years of age the teeth are the most
/ frequent seat of the primary focus OF
infection. Sometimes when the pri-
mary focus of infection has been re-
moved, a secondary focus, such as the
1 lymph nodes, may become the pri-
mary focus and cause or continue
constitutional disease.
The best example of small focus
| of infection is an abscess at the end
1 of the root of a tooth occupying a
space so small that it is hardly seen
in an X-ray. These assesses may ex-
ist for years without being suspected.
When the focus of infection is acute,
when the gum is red, swollen and
painful, or where there is hstula
discharging pus the diagnosis is obv-
ions. The physician and dentist are
mostly concerned with the dormant
abscess causing systemic disease
where no local signs or symptoms are
present. There are usually about flf-
ty-two roots in the mouth of an adult,
any one of which may be focus OF
infection. It is, therefore, easy to un-
derstand why a primary focus of in
fection may be overlooked, especially
in view of the fact that after the
fortieth year of life the teeth and
gums are more frequently the seat OF
the primary focus of infection than
any other portion of the body.
The most common systemic mani
festation of focal infection is rheuma-
tism of the joints, usually the larger
Joints, but any joint may be affected,
preferably one that has previously
been injured or diseased.
DR.. Judson Daland mentions a case
where a patient with mild rheuma-
tism of the joints, dental in origin,
was apparently cured after drainage
of an infected rOO-canal. Eight months
later Inflammation of the colon oc-
Cured, and when the infected tooth |
was extracted it showed putrescent
nerve, and a culture from the end of
the root showed the organism to be
the streptOcoccus Yiridans. Eight |
months later facila paralysis occur |
red suddenly. Examination revealed a /
small remnant of tOnsil that still re-
mained after the tonsils had been re-
moved, the operation having been
performed ten years previously. Re-
moval of the remnant showed pus
and a little later the paralysis dis
appeared.
Amelioration of disappearance of
the local signs of systemic infection
without the cure of the primary focus
occurs more frequently than is gener-
A v,nffart with 1nIIfn l
of the joints was greatly
by the extraction OF three
teeth, roots of which were abscessed.
Marked improvement continued Tor
.hree months, followed by a relapse,
and re-examination showed an abs
cess that had been overlooked, the
removal of which was followed by
slow recovery. DR.. Daland says that
Turing the last winter he observed
.hree men with ulcerative endOcardi-
is affecting previously diseased
7alves of the heart, due to the teeth,
whose lives might have been saved ;
f the diagnosis had been made early
ind the focus of infection removed. !
The causes, diagnosis and treat !
nent of infections in the mouth is :
essentially a problem belonging TO
he dental profession. This problem
s being attacked and solved by them.
This added service to mankind will
make dentistry one of the most i'm !
,ortant specialties in medicine.
The American dentist is recognized
is the foremost in the world. Even +
he dandifed Kaiser insisted on an
American dentist.
The American dentist has shown
he greatest originality thru his in s
ention of mechanical devices and f
exterity. The same energy and in +
diligence directed toward the dag {
osis, prevention and cure of diseases I
f the mouth and yielding similar .
rilliant results.