Observations on the importance and use of the human teeth; with a view to suggest the necessity of attending to the means of their preservation, and the removal of their diseases / by James Bladen Ruspini.

  • Ruspini, Bartholomew, 1728-1813.
Date:
1803
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the importance and use of the human teeth; with a view to suggest the necessity of attending to the means of their preservation, and the removal of their diseases / by James Bladen Ruspini. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    and their fubilances deftroycd ; &fomuch, that they are either totally incapable' of maftic^ing the food, or they \ perform their office very imperfeftly. Now, we cannot avoid fuppofing, that in thofe cafes where the food is pre- fcnted to the gaftric juice in an improper form, and unac- companied with the proper quantity of faliva, the digef- tive procefs muft be carried on in a very imperfeft man- ner j and hence a foundation is laid for tlje moft form?* dable difeafes. ‘ This is a point which, as far as I know, has hithert* * efcaped the notice of our ableft phyfiologifts and pathclo- gifts ; to me it appears to deferve particular ronfidera- tion.' May not fome difeafes originate from an imperfeft digeftion, caufed by the deficiency of faliva which I have juft' mentioned ? And'might not thefe difeafes be remo- ^ved by the fufferer employing a proper/wcreiaweww ? The nathre of the faliva is but little known, and its; ufe in the digeftive procefs ftill lefs : But perhaps, by a proper at^ tention to this point, a new field might be opened in patho- logy, andln the aninial phyfiology. It is an indifputable truth, that the Teeth contribute greatly to the beauty or deformity of the face ; and they are abfolutely neceffary to every individual for the pur- pofe of maftication : they alfo appear to be nearly as ufe- ful in affifting to' form the human voice. The lofs of a few* Teeth will deftroy the moft harmonious voice, and leave only the power.of uttering difeordant founds. But the prefervation, purity, and perftftion of thefe neceffary agents, are tndifpenlible to all public fpeakers or orators, whetiier in the fenale, at the bar, in the pulpit, or on the r 1 • • In another point of '^ew, the Teeth ate of equal im- pBrtance to the fyt fex that is,, as being conducive to beauty. Ate hot our feelings fhocked, when we obferve