A systeme of anatomy, treating of the body of man, beasts, birds, fish, insects, and plants illustrated with many schemes, consisting of variety of elegant figures, drawn from the life, and engraven in seventy four folio copper-plates. And after every part of man's body hath been anatomically described, its diseases, cases, and cures are concisely exhibited. The first volume containing the parts of the lowest apartiments of the body of man and other animals, etc. / by Samuel Collins ...

CHAP. IV. Of the Pains of the Teeth.

THe Pain of the Teeth, by some, is rather made an object of Laugh∣ter, then Compassion; but in truth, it much deserveth our pity and help, as it is often productive of great Agonies, giving a high Discomposure to the Delicate, and choice aeconomy, relating to the curious frame of our Body, by taking away its Quiet and Repose.

The Pain of the Teeth hath for its seat, * 1.1 the Nervous and Membranous Filaments, as they are the subjects of Sensation, to which the Bony part can lay no claim, as being wholly destitute of Sense.

The Antecedent Cause of pain relating to the Teeth, are ill Humours, con∣fined within the Vessels at some distance from the Teeth; whereupon the Pain is then only in Posse, and in Actu signato, before the depraved Vital and Nutricious Liquor arrive the parts affected, the Nerves and Membranes of the Teeth.

The Continent Cause of this Disease, proceedeth either from a gross∣ness, quantity, or quality of the Blood, or Succus Nutricius, affecting the Nerves or Membranes belonging to the Teeth.

The Blood being very thick, or transmitted in too large a proportion, by the External Carotide Arterial Branches into the Membranes (encir∣cling the outward Surface, * 1.2 and inward Cavity of the Teeth) doth obstruct the Interstices of the Membranous Filaments, and cause great pain, by ma∣king a Solution of the Unity of parts (integrating the Coats, both enwrap∣ping the middle and roots, and inside of the Teeth) by severing the ten∣der Filaments one from another, productive of painful disorder.

The Blood also is incumbred with Heterogeneous, Saline, * 1.3 and Acid Par∣ticles, whence ariseth a great Fermentation of the Vital Liquor, which being impelled by the Pulsation of the Heart, through the Carotide Arte∣ries, into the empty Spaces of the Membranes (enclosing the Ambient and inward parts of the Teeth) doth produce sad dolorous effects.

Another Continent Cause of this troublesome Disease, * 1.4 issueth from a sharp vaporous Mass of Blood (associated with Flatulency) which being con∣veyed by the Carotides to the narrow Spaces of the tender Coats, immu∣ring the Exterior and Interior parts of the Teeth, doth by its flatulent Ela∣stick Particles, produce shooting afflictive Pains, putting the Patient into an Agony.

A Continent Cause also of this high Discomposure, * 1.5 may arise from sharp and Acid Particles, disaffecting the Succus Nutricius; which being trans∣mitted from the Brain, by the mediation of Nerves into the Membranes, (appertaining to the Teeth) constituted of numerous Minute Fibres, which being of an acute Sense, are highly incensed by the angry Particles of an ill Nervous Liquor, speaking a great torture to the afflicted Patient.

Infants not come to Maturity, being endued with a most tender frame, * 1.6 and an impatient Temper, are highly discomposed with Pain in breeding their Teeth (in which they alarm their Nurses and Attendants with impor∣tunate Crying) whereupon many sad Diseases do accompany the pain of

Dentition. As the great Master of our Art, hath well observed in the Third Book of his Aphorisms, the 21. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Ad Dentitionem progressus gingivarum prurigines, Febres, Convul∣siones, alvi profluvia, idque praecipue cum caninos Dentes emittere caeperint, & iis qui maxime crassi sunt & alvos duras habent. * 1.7

The Prurient heat of the Gooms in Dentition, proceedeth from a quan∣tity of Blood, extravasated into the empty spaces of the Vessels, whence followeth the Inflammation of the Gooms, which is accompanied with a Symptomatick Fever, derived from violent Pain, raising an unkindly Ebulli∣tion of the Mass of Blood, and Convulsive Motions (which are frequent and fatal to Children, in the time of breeding their Teeth); Which, I humbly conceive, arise after this manner; When the Teeth approach their Maturity, as having their Mucous Matter turned into an Osseous substance, proceeding from a new access of Saline and Earthy Particles concreted; whence the Teeth receiving greater Dimensions, both in breadth and hight, are impatient of any longer Confinement within the narrow boundaries of the Gooms, whereupon they break their Walls, and by lifting themselves up, do bruise and lacerate the tender Capillary Arteries, and Nervous Fi∣brils, whence ensue an Inflammation (caused by Blood stagnated in the Interstices of the Vessels) and Convulsive Motions in the Muscles of the Body, and lower Mandible, and the Face drawn into Sympathy with the Nerves of the Gooms, * 1.8 which are highly irritated by Pungent Pains, fol∣lowing the Contusion, and Laceration of the most tender Nervous Fibrils (seated in the substance of the Gooms) and the Membranes immuring the surface of the Gooms; which being a fine Contexture composed of nume∣rous small Filaments of most accute Sense, must necessarily suffer in a high manner, in the great violation of their close union, following the Eruption of the Teeth, forcibly piercing the tender Compage of the Coat, encircling the Gooms.

A Gnashing, or Grating of the Teeth, may be derived from the unna∣tural Motions of the Musculi Pterigoeidei Externi, and Interni, hurrying the lower Mandible, and with it the Teeth, whence also may be deduced ma∣ny other great Convulsions; * 1.9 wherein the neighbouring Membranes of the Brain being first drawn into consent, do immediately affect the Fibrous Con∣texture of the Brain, and Spinal Marrow, and afterward the Nerves of the whole Body (propagated from them) whence ariseth an universal stiffness, imparted to the Trunk and Limbs; so that they will hardly admit any In∣curvation during the time of Convulsions, which being ceased, the Muscles grow relaxed, and the Body readily complieth with the Hand, as being easily bent forward.

Vomitings do accompany the breeding of Teeth in Children, * 1.10 acted with Convulsive Motions, proceeding from the irritated Fibres of the Stomach, flowing from the discomposed Membranes, and Fibrous Contexture of the Brain, influencing the Fibres of the Par Vagum, inserted into the Neck and Body of the Stomach.

Vomitings also may be the associates of Dentition, wherein some Parti∣cles of depraved Liquors, in an ill habit of Body, being enraged by vio∣lent pains of the Gooms, are discharged by the terminations of the Caeliack Capillary Arteries, into the Cavity of the Stomach, whence its Fibrous parts being highly importuned by Saline and Acid Particles, do produce un∣natural contractions of the Fleshy Fibres (related to the Stomach) to turn

out of Doors, those unquiet Guests, that hinder the repose of the Ventricle. * 1.11

And not only Vomiting, but Diarrhaea's, or Lasks also, do accompany Dentition, by reason the ill Humours (chiefly in a fat and foul Constitu∣tion of Infants) are put into Fermentation, by the fierce pains of the Gooms, making an Effervescence in the Mass of Blood; whereupon Nature being provoked by the severe contests of the Heterogeneous Particles, doth impell them (in order to her own ease) out of the Descendent Trunk of the Aorta, into the Mesenterick Arteries, inserted into the Intestines out of whose Cavities they are discharged, for the better composure of the Body.

So that in short, the full Bodies of Childrens breeding Teeth, labouring with great quantity of depraved Humours, acted with ill Ferments, are highly aggrieved by the Inflammation of the Blood (lodged in the Gooms in time of Dentition) imparted by the Jugular Veins to the Heart, and from thence into the Membranes, causing Convulsive Motions and Fevers, and some serous Particles of the ill Blood being transmitted by the Arteries, into the Cavities of the Bowels, do generate Lasks, and Griping of the Guts; which are Continent Causes of many Diseases incident to Children, in breeding of Teeth; which great Hypocrates hath well enumerated in his Aphorisms.

In order to their Cure Diseases taking their rise of Dentition, * 1.12 this Method of Physick may be advised: In great Inflammations of the Gooms, some Blood may be taken away in Plethorick Constitutions, by the application of Leeches behind the Ears, or in a great case by a Lancet; and some Hours before the Bleeding, a gentle Clyster may be injected, if the Child have not the benefit of Nature by Stool, and inwardly Medicines are to be pre∣scribed, that suppress the unquiet Vapours and Flatulency of the Blood, and Comfort and Corroborate the Fibrous parts of the Brain.

When Universals have been Celebrated, * 1.13 Topicks are proper in this Dis∣ease, as Blistering Plaisters applied to the Neck behind, and between the Shoulders, and below the Ears, and to the inside of the Arms: And if Teeth be near their Eruption, the Gooms may be safely opened by a Lan∣cet, or rubbed often by the Tooth of a Woolf, or by Coral, which is more used, which giveth great ease to pained and inflamed Gooms.

This and the like Course of Physick (proper for Fevers, Convulsions, and other Diseases in point of Dentition) hath proved very successful in ma∣ny of my young Patients.

A Child of a worthy Knight, a Person of Loyalty and Honour, related to the Excise Office, having his Gooms very hot and inflamed, and after∣ward was highly afflicted with a Fever, and Convulsive Motions, upon breeding of Teeth: Whereupon I advised gentle Clysters, Bleeding by Leeches applied under the Ears, Cephalick Julaps, and Vesicatories between the Shoulders, and under the Ears, which in a short space spake a period to the Symptomatick Fever, and Convulsive Motions, proceeding from the Teeth cutting the Gooms. * 1.14

If the pain of the Teeth be urgent in Persons of more mature Age, it denoteth Anodines, which prove not beneficial, except the Cause (the flux of ill Humors into the Membranes of the Teeth) be first removed; which is effected by Purging, Blood-letting, in the Veins of the Arms, Neck, and under the Tongue: And when Universals have been premised, Blistering Plaisters may be applied to the Neck, and between the Shoulders and Arms, and Astringent Plaisters to the Fore-Head and Temples, and also

proper Gargarisms are very useful in this Case. And if the pain of the Teeth be not Alleviated upon these and such like Applications, we must ad∣dress our selves to Narcoticks, as the last refuge.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The pain of the Teeth is seated in Ner∣vous and Mem∣branous parts.
• * 1.2

  The obstruct∣ed Interstices of Mebranous Filaments cause a pain in the Teeth.
• * 1.3

  Saline and Acid Particles of the Blood produce a pain in the Teeth.
• * 1.4

  Flatulency in the Blood is often a cause of pain in the Teeth.
• * 1.5

  Sharp and A∣cid Particles of the Ner∣vous Liquor do discompose the Nerves of the Teeth.
• * 1.6

  Infants much tortured in Dentition, whence pro∣ceed Fevers, Convulsions, Loosenesses.
• * 1.7

  Inflammation of the Gooms in Dentition, proceedeth from a quan∣tity of stagna∣ted Blood.
• * 1.8

  Convulsive motions do flow from the contusion and laceration of tender Fibres, in the erupti∣on of the Teeth.
• * 1.9

  The membranes of the Brain are drawn in∣to consent with the mem∣branes of the Teeth.
• * 1.10

  Vomitings in Dentition are derived from the Fibres of the Stomach, which are drawn into consent with those of the Brain.
• * 1.11

  Great pains in Dentition do make an Effer∣vescence in the Blood, and produce Diar∣rhaea's.
• * 1.12

  Blood-letting is proper in the Inflammation of the Gooms flowing from Dentition in Plethorick Bodies.
• * 1.13

  Blistering Plai∣sters may be applied in pains caused by Dentition, and the Gooms may be open∣ed by a Lancet in order to the easier E∣ruption of the Teeth.
• * 1.14

  Purgatives may be ordred in foul Bodi••s upon pains of the Teeth, and afterward Narcoticks may be taken.