Lectures on the operations of surgery : and on diseases and accidents requiring operations . gradually increases in size, and perhaps in-volves the gums of the adjoining teeth. Some of these swellingsare as hard as the gum ; some are soft and pulpy, and bleed on aslight touch ; and some, again, though very seldom, assume a malig-nant character. These tumours are generally of a benign nature,they are firm in their consistence, and, if thoroughly extirpated, arenot reproduced, but if any portion is left, they return. If the socketof the tooth, in which the disease commenced, is not taken away,an
Lectures on the operations of surgery : and on diseases and accidents requiring operations . gradually increases in size, and perhaps in-volves the gums of the adjoining teeth. Some of these swellingsare as hard as the gum ; some are soft and pulpy, and bleed on aslight touch ; and some, again, though very seldom, assume a malig-nant character. These tumours are generally of a benign nature,they are firm in their consistence, and, if thoroughly extirpated, arenot reproduced, but if any portion is left, they return. If the socketof the tooth, in which the disease commenced, is not taken away,and indeed the whole gum, the disease is sure to come back in afew months, following the analogy of tumours in other parts. Ihave told you that, however benign in its nature a fibrous or fattytumour may be, if any portion of it be left, it will be reproduced;but take away the whole, and there is little chance of the patientbeing again troubled with it. These tumours sometimes are of a bad character; but even inthose of a contrary nature, where the operation is imperfectly per- 280 Fig. 112. formed, there is a return of the disease. The patient, much annoyedof course, again recurs to his surgeon ; caustic is perhaps applied from day to day ; becoming alarmed,he at last places himself under a per-son of more experience ; the wholeis then taken away, and there is nofurther trouble. Here are some draw-ings from preparations belonging toMr. Nasmyth, of Edinburgh, showingtumours of the gums. One representsa tumour occupying the posterior partof the upper jaw, with all the stumpsstuck in the middle of it. The teethare all in a bad state. Those per-sons who are foolish enough to allowuseless portions of the teeth to remainmay laytheir account to suffer from this disease. The pain has goneoff, the nerve is destroyed, and they think there is no occasion for interfering with the teeth, or hav-ing them taken out. They do notcare about the fetor of theirbreath ; they have, perhaps,
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