[49] I saw two patients who had each of them a troublesome caries, the
one on the tibia, the other on the external protuberance of the fibula;
their complaints, they told me, were of long standing, and that they
were cured by a travelling quack, the one in six weeks, the other in a
somewhat longer time. What I learned of the colour of the medicine, its
properties, and of its effects on the ailment, induced me to think it
was an acid spirit. This incident confirms what I was told by others,
and what Mr. Bilguer now remarks. TISSOT.
[50] I have seen several times, as well as Mr. Bilguer, the teeth
crumble away by degrees, after using the oil of cloves; I have seen the
same thing happen without the use either of it or of acids; I have, at
other times, employed it without any such effect, and although I am
convinced that it does hurt sometimes, it is only, I imagine, when the
caries is very considerable, and the tooth much wasted: This is not,
however, sufficient reason to give up, entirely, a medicine often very
serviceable in many cases of carious teeth. TISSOT.
[51] The indiscriminate use of viper broth is not proper at all times,
or in all cases of carious bones.