Dropsy of the Antrum. [Volume: 2, Issue: 8, March, 1861, pp. 426-427]

426

THE DENTAL COSMOS.

posed pulp, between ten and eleven years before. It was in the labial
surface of an inferior bicuspid, and was still protecting the tooth.
SMALL LAMP.-It is often convenient to have a small spirit-lamp on
the instrument-case or table, for the purpose of warming water for the
syringe, annealing foil, etc.
BLOW-PIPES.-In using the ordinary blow-pipe much annoyance is
often occasioned by the accumulation of saliva in the pipe. This result
of the condensation of vapor may be in part avoided by passing the pipe
through the flame just before using.
SENSITIVE DENTINE.-A case in which exposure of dentine in an inferior molar, by mechanical abrasion, was followed by such extreme sensibility as to produce toothache, was relieved by the application of about
a twentieth of a grain of arsenious acid applied to the sensitive parts and
allowed to remain for three hours, protected by wax. It is sometimes
well to report our failures, that others may avoid the rocks on which we
split; the following is one of them: The dentine in a small cavity in a
central incisor was exceedingly sensitive; used chloride of zinc while
excavating, but it did not penetrate much on account of the unusual density of the dentine. After completing the excavation, as an experiment,
I applied the escharotic a few minutes previously to filling, hoping thus
to permanently obtund the sensibility of a thin lamina next to the gold.
The cavity was then syringed and a gold filling introduced. In a day or
two the sensibility returned, and was so greatly exalted that the pulp
was destroyed in consequence of irritation.
CHAMBERS.-Smooth and neat chambers may be made in vulcanite
plates by attaching pieces of tin plate, cut so as to give the requisite.
shape to the plaster-cast before packing.
WAX RIMS, such as are employed in getting the "bite," are better
when cut from a thin cake of pure wax, and so manipulated as to avoid
breaking up the crystalline structure. If warmed a very little and cut
with a hot knife, no difficulty will be experienced in doing this, and the
toughness and adhesiveness of the rims made in this way will repay the
trouble.
ADHESION of metal to the plate, in swedging, is prevented by interposing tough, thin paper.
DROPSY OF THE ANTRUM.
BY H. A. BEAMER.
IN November, 1859, Mr. H., aged forty years, of the thoracio-cephalic
temperament, called my attention to a slight enlargement of the left side of
the face, immediately over the antrum. Being engaged at the time I did
not examine the case; and I saw no more of Mr. H. until February, 1860,