CHAP. X. Of restoring the Jaw dislocated forwards but on one side.
* 1.1THe Patient must be placed on a low seat, so that he may be under the Surgeon; then your servant, standing at his back, shall hold his head firm and steddy, that it may not follow the Surgeon, drawing, extending, and doing other things necessary for restoring it. Then the Surgeon, putting his thumb between the grinders, shall press down the jaw, and gently draw∣ing it aside,* 1.2 force it into its cavity; in the mean while also the Patient, as much as in him lies, shall help forwards the Surgeons endeavour, in opening his mouth as little as he can, lest the muscles should be extended; and he shall only gape so wide as to admit the Surgeons thumb, for so the temporal muscles shall be restored to their place and favour the restitution. If he open his mouth as wide as he can, they will be extended after a convulsive manner; if on the contrary he shut his teeth too close, there will be no passage for the Surgeons thumb unto his grinding teeth. Some there be which affirm,* 1.3 that the jaw bone may sometimes be dislocated towards the hind part, and that then the mouth is so close shut, that the Patient cannot open it nor gape, and that the lower rank of teeth stands further in, and nearer the throat than the upper. Now for re∣storing it, the Patients head must be straitly holden behinde, whilest the Surgeon, the mean while putting both his thumbs into the Patients mouth, holding his other fingers without under the Patients chin, he shall by shaking it, draw it to him, or forwards, and so restore it to its place. For my own part, I confess I never saw this kind of Luxation, and I easily perswade my self that it can scarce ever happen, for the reason I gave in the former Chapter. But nevertheless, if it by any means chance to happen, yet can it not be a perfect luxation, but an imperfect one; the jaw be∣ing onely but a little thrust back to the throat to those mammillary additaments; And then it may easily be restored by listing or drawing forth the jaw, and suddenly forcing it from below upwards.