falling together, like a field of grain under the wind. It was to this action that Shakspeare referred in the utterance of the Ghost in "Hamlet," in the lines:

"I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood;

Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres ;

Thy knotted and combined locks to part
And each particular hair to stand on end,
Like quills upon a fretful porcupine."

But these muscles have another action

which is very important, and that is the emptying of the sebaceous glands. These latter structures have no muscular coat of their own, and their secretion, which is constant, oozes out upon the surface. Now where there are large hairs, as upon the scalp and beard, these muscles more or less embrace the sebaceous glands, and by their contraction they empty them from time to time, and by this means prevent an accumulation or prevent the openings from becoming clogged.

On the face, back and chest, however, where we have acne development, and where these glands are apt to become plugged up with the black specks so often seen, these muscles are almost entirely absent, and the secretion, having no particular expulsive force, readily becomes impacted, and, if at all hard, fails entirely of gaining exit.-Manufacturer and

Builder.

PLASTER OF PARIS may be prepared in three ways to form a hard casting capable of taking a high polish. Mixed with a solution of borax, then rebaked, powdered, and mixed with a solution of alum, it forms Parian. Mixed with solution of alum, rebaked, powdered, and mixed with alum solution, it forms Keene's cement. Mixed with solution of sulphate of potash, rebaked, powdered, and mixed with alum solution, it forms Martin's

cement.

ADMINISTRATION OF ANESTHETICS IN VIENNA.-The Vienna correspondent of the Maryland Medical Journal says that the administration of anæsthetics is conducted there in a way that "would make the Philadelphia MEDICAL NEWS turn purple with indignation. In some clinics pure chloroform is used, in others a mixture of chloroform three parts, ether one part, alcohol one part. The anesthetic is poured upon a piece of flannel, which is stretched over a wire frame, which probably allows a sufficient admixture of atmospheric air, but no attention is paid to the position of the patient, the head and thorax being placed high or low according to the fancy of the operator, and it is no uncommon thing to see the administration being pushed with the patient in the upright position and vomiting. A few days ago I saw a boy suddenly become pale and pulseless, and it was only after the most vigorous artificial respiration, with galvanism, enveloping the legs with Esmarch's bandage, injections of ether, elevation of the lower limbs, forcible injection of cold water against the pericardium, and brisk flagellation that he was eventually restored to life."—Medical News.

A FATAL SPIDER BITE.-Chancellor Carroll, of South Carolina, died on August 24th, at Cæsar's Head, from erysipelas following the bite of a spider. About a week before, this eminent jurist was walking in the woods about the famous mountain peak, and his face came in contact with a spider web, which was suspended between two trees. The spider alighted on his chin, near the under lip, the Chancellor brushed it off with his hand, but was bitten by it in the meantime. He was attended in his illness by Dr, F. A. Miles, but after a week's suffering the distinguished jurist succumbed to the results of the spider bite.—Medical News.

CEREBRAL ORIGIN OF MENTAL DECAY.

Hard-working students force the growth of their intellectual capacity at the expense of their teeth. At all events that is the belief of Drs. Sitherwood and Hanlan, who have written on this matter in a recent number of the Journ. de Medec. et de Chir. Prat. It is said that the teeth undergo a rapid alteration in students who labor long, and that on the cessation of the hard work the dental disease dies away. We are quite prepared to admit that there may be some truth in these assertions. The teeth have been known to become loose and drop out apparently as a direct consequence of that protean disease, tabes dorsalis. But it is probable that even truthful Nature will be found to draw the line at the wholesale accusation of her nervous system. Why, we should have thought that the dental arches were as much without the pale of action of the much impeached mental organs as the

nails and the skin. We have not heard

or read whether the epithelial desquamation or the rate of growth of nails is more rapid or more perverted in beings of much cerebral action, as compared with those of

their fellows who work less with their quiet brains. Explanations of this alleged fact concerning the teeth have been mentioned by a recent writer in L' Union Medicale. when overworked, steals all the phosphates, and leaves none for the teeth, or else that a deterioration of the general health is brought about by the excessive study. Now, it is certainly a matter for consideration whether excessive mental work per se, is capable of inducing serious disease. Side by side with natural mental life there probably goes on more or less unhealthy action, which bears pretty much the same relation to the former as the latter does to the friction on a steam engine. What is friction in the engine is anxiety or worry in the man.

It is thought that the brain,

It is the friction which destroys the physical basis of the engine, and it is the anxiety that wears out the material structure of the man. So, then, all cerebral action is accompanied by the inevitable residue of anxiety or whatever else we choose to call it, but this residue may be lessened by various circumstances, and may be augmented by many conditions; and so it is that of two men of equal original health and equal original powers, but of dissimilar environment, the one succumbs because the heat of frictional anxiety has consumed him, the other lives longer because the obstacles to his vital acceptation of the first law of motion have been reduced to a minimum.-The Lancet.

SALICYLIC ACID IN CANNED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.-It being known that salicylic acid is used in foreign countries, to a considerable extent, as a preservative agent in articles of food, and that the quantity used frequently exceeds the amount allowed by law, Mr. J. D. Denny has recently examined twelve samples of different canned fruits, all of which were put up by American firms, in order to ascertain whether, and, if so, to what extent, that preservative is used in this country. After a thorough examination, he was unable to find any trace of salicylic acid.-Physician and Surgeon, August, 1883.

EVERY MAN HIS OWN DEntist.—A newsman at Jamaica tied a string around his aching tooth, and just before a train left the station he tied the other end of the string to the rear car. When the train started he ran along behind it until it had gathered headway, when he dropped on his knees. The train carried the tooth to Long Island City. An expression of pain on his face was followed by one of delight when he knew the cause of his trouble was gone.-N. Y. Sun.

SCIENCE AS A DETECTIVE.

But

Its acWhat

The microscopical examination of the scrapings from under Rose Ambler's finger nails has probably put the officers on the trail of her murderer. Prior to this suspicion pointed in other directions. this examination is believed to prove that a white man, with sun-browned hands, one of which was severely scratched, was her murderer. If this shall prove correct, as now seems likely, it illustrates the importance of science as a detective of crime. Indeed, hardly a case of concealed murder occurs where science is not called on to unravel some of its mysteries. curacy gives it public confidence. it does determine is clearly established. In cases of murder, the great necessity, in most instances, is to get the right clue; the gathering of testimony is not then seriously difficult. What has been revealed by the microscope has fastened suspicion on Lewis. At once many facts are brought out that before were only casually observed. He was noticed to have had a scratched hand, which, so far as possible, he kept concealed. A motive for the murder is unexpectedly discovered, and many circumstances which may ultimately fix the crime on him are brought to light. And all this is the outgrowth of science acting as a detective. Criminals have become very astute, but with science and the press as detectives they are generally caught.-Evening Call.

A DENTIST in Pittsburg has discovered that river water causes the teeth to decay and crumble. Many persons may be found who never drink river water, but their abstinence has never been ascribed to their knowledge of this fact. The general opinion has been that they preferred other beverages, when in reality it would appear that they were only following an instinctive impulse to preserve their teeth.

DENTAL FORMATION IN THE NASAL CAVITY.

A gentleman had for some time experienced a slight obstruction in one nostril. Examination revealed the presence of a hard, roundish, movable body, which was attached to the floor of the nostril about one inch from the anterior opening. It was removed by the snare, and was found to be a perfectly formed canine tooth, a little over an inch in length. The anterior portion was covered with enamel, and its little root presented a layer of cartilage. There was no bony alveole. The patient had all his teeth.— Deutsche Med. Wochenschrift.

ILLUSTRATING THE POPULAR IDEA. — Rev. Dr. Miner tells a good anecdote, illustrating the popular idea entertained about the three leading professions. He says an anxious father consulted a seer to find out, if possible, the destiny of his three boys. To his great dismay the man of knowledge declared: "One will be a murderer, another a falsifier, and the third a pauper living on the town." As the good father began to bewail his lot the seer answered: "Do not mourn; those are the common lots of men. Your first son will be a doctor, the second a lawyer, and the third a country clergyman."

Boston Globe.

THE second annual meeting of the Central Illinois Dental Society will be held in the City Hall, at El Paso, Ill., Tuesday, Oct. 9th, 1883. Numerous papers upon subjects of interest are promised by well known members of the profession. Accommodations can be had at the Campbell House for $1.50 per day. C. R. TAYLOR, Sec'y, Streator, Ill.

OLD age is the night of life, as night is the old age of the day. Still, night is full of magnificence, and for many, it is more brilliant than the day.

OCTOBER 15th, 1883.

VOL. I.- -No. IO.

Published by

GIDEON SIBLEY.

Edited by

A CROWN FOR THE ANTERIOR ROOTS OF EITHER DENTURE.

The practice of extracting so many good, sound roots, has become so general that it seems to me some plan must be brought to our aid whereby we can make these useful. Our patients have, Our patients have, for years past, been made to submit to wearing a few teeth, or, perhaps, only one tooth upon a plate, sometimes covering the roof of the mouth because the natural crown was lost, and we could not attach an artificial one upon the root successfully, and we advised them to have it extracted as

our only remedy in the case. How much more satisfactory to us and less painful to our patients would it have been to have attached a crown in the manner I shall describe hereafter, and have saved our patients so much inconvenience and avoided marring the features we ought to adorn. The only methods we could resort to to attach artificial crowns to roots, until recently, were either by wood or metal pivots. In my experience the most objectionable was the wood pivot, on account of breaking the pivot by mastication, and the rapid decay of the root around the pivot; but by no means the least objection was the disagreeable breath which must be an unavoidable concomitant of this practice. I always preferred using the metal pivots for attaching crowns in this manner, but even these could not be inserted and a crown placed thereon so

as not to be exposed to the action of the fluids of the mouth, and, consequently, the walls of the cavity were gradually softened and broken down, and, in a few years' time, larger pivots were required, until, finally, the root was rendered useless for attaching crowns by this method. The profession has given us many different plans for attaching crowns to roots within the last few years, to mention which would be a waste of time in this paper, as most dentists are familiar with them. But these have been more or less difficult, and attended with the same results as mentioned above. No method, to my knowledge, has proven so secure, more satisfactory to the patient and operator, less offensive and easier of manipulation than the one which I am about to describe. Many, perhaps, are attaching crowns in the same manner, therefore I do not claim anything new beyond my plan to enable us to have a crown for the roots of the incisors and canines, made so that the strength is not impaired from having the crown the shape of the natural

the incisors and canines. By having the whole palatal surface of the porcelain protected by the metal, gives it greater security. The pin-hole can be made larger than in the all-porcelain crowns, and still have more strength. No metallic dies are required in making them. The rubber dam need not be applied. The practice of driving up with a hammer is done away with, as used in forcing up crowns attached by pivots to their place. This practice, if carried to excess, is apt to cause inflammation and suppuration of the soft tissues about the apex of the root. Many more advantages, which this method has over others, could be mentioned, but it is not necessary.

To make the crown and fit it accurately, it is necessary to have an impression of the space between the teeth and the base of the root, also an articulation. After this is had a plate tooth, of good color, -preferably one with cross-pins, since the part above the pins can be hollowed out-should be ground to fit upon the model. A backing of gold should then be riveted and soldered to it, and a plate of gold-No. 23 in thickness-bent and shaped so as to correspond with the palatal surface of the adjoining teeth, at the same time forming the pin-hole. Both the backing of the tooth and the inside of the band should be ridged, to make a catch for the amalgam. This being done it should be carefully removed from the model, invested in sand and plaster, soldered, finished up, and the crown is ready to be placed upon the root. Care should be taken that the size of the neck of the crown should be exactly the size of the base of the root. The nerve of the tooth, if alive, should be destroyed, and undergo the necessary treatment, as a permanent and successful operation can not be performed if the pulp is living.

The preparation of the root previous to the attachment of the crown should be, first, to cut away the jagged remnant of

the crown, if there be any; then the exposed surface of the root should be ground smoothly down with a small corundum stone to about half a line below the margin of the gums, giving it a slight concave appearance, so as to accommodate the neck of the crown which is to rest against it. All decomposed dentine should be removed, the canal enlarged, the inner walls roughened so as to retain the filling material and prevent it from being withdrawn. The walls of the canal at the orifice of the root should be beviled outwards with a sharp bur, so that the amalgam may lap entirely over the edge and protect this important part of the root from the action of the secretions of the mouth. This plan will leave no joint on the natural root.

After the crown has been fitted to its

place on the root, the hemorrhage must be checked, the canal thoroughly dried with spunk, and the surrounding parts kept dry with a napkin, then force up to the apex a small pellet of gutta-percha, after which the length of the pin, made either of gold or platina, and jagged, can be had by placing the crown on the root and the pin bent to suit the position of the crown. Then fill up the root with amalgam, press up the pin tightly to position, and pack amalgam around the base of the root; the crown may now be pressed in position on the root, and the amalgam packed around the remaining part of the pin through the pin-hole in the crown. After it has become solid, gold-foil, if desired, may be packed over the surface of the amalgam, which, when completed, has the appearance of a contour filling, a perfect restoration of the missing organ, nothing repulsive to the sight, and absolutely clean.

E. SLEGEL.

No business can be sustained without promptness. Be careful how you make appointments, and then fulfil them.