CHAP. IV. Of the Epulis, or over-growing of the flesh of the Gums.
THE Epulis is a fleshy excrescence of the Gums between the Teeth,* 1.1 which is by little and little oft-times encreased to the bigness of an Egge, so that it both hinders the speech and eating; it casts forth salvious and stinking filth,* 1.2 and not seldom degenerates into a Can∣cer, which you may understand by the propriety of the colour, pain, and other accidents; for then you must by no means touch it with your hand. But that which doth not torment the Patient with pain, may be pluckt away; and let this be the manner thereof.
Let it be tyed with a double thred, which must be straiter twitched until such time as it fall off; when it shall fall away, the place must be burnt with a cautery, put through a trunk or pipe,* 1.3 or with Aqua fortis, or Oyl of Vitriol, but with great care that the sound parts adjoyning thereto be not hurt; for if so be that it be not burnt, it usually returns.
I have often by this means taken away such large tumors of this kind, that they hung out of the mouth in no small bigness, to the great disfiguring of the face, which when as no Chirurgeon durst touch, because the flesh looked livid, I ventured upon, because they were free from pain; and by taking them away and cauterizing the place, I perfectly healed them: not truly sodainly, and at once; for although I burnt the place after dissection; yet nevertheless they sprung up again, because a certain portion of the Bone and Sockets in which the Teeth stand fastned, were become rotten. I have often observed such like flesh by continuance of time to have turned into a grist∣ly and bony substance. Wherefore the cure must be begun as speedily as may be;* 1.4 for being but little, and having fastened no deep roots, it is more easily taken away, being then only filled with a viscid humor, which in success of time is hardened, and makes the taking away thereof more difficult.