rolled between the fingers and
saturated with one of the following substances, preferably the first:
oil of cloves, wood creosote or chloroform.

If wood creosote is used the cotton must be well squeezed to get rid
of the excess of fluid, as it is poisonous if swallowed, and will burn
the gum and mouth if allowed to overflow from the tooth.

=ALVEOLAR ABSCESS= (_improperly called "Ulcerated Tooth"_).--An
"ulcerated tooth" begins as an inflammation in the socket of a tooth,
and, if near its deepest part, causes great pain, owing to the fact
that the pus formed can neither escape nor expand the unyielding bony
wall of the socket.

This explains why an abscess near the tooth is so much more painful
than a similar one of soft parts. There may be no cavity in the tooth,
but the tooth is commonly dead, or its nerve is dying, and the tooth
is frequently darker in color. It often happens that threatened
abscess at the root of a tooth, which has been filled, can be averted
by a dentist's boring down into the root of the tooth, or removing the
filling. It is not always possible to locate the troublesome tooth,
from the pain, but by tapping on the various teeth in turn with a
knife, or other metal instrument, special soreness will be discovered
in the "ulcerated" tooth. The ulcerated tooth frequently projects
beyond its fellows, and so gives pain when the jaws are brought
together in biting.

=Treatment.=--The treatment for threatened abscess near a tooth
consists in painting tincture of iodine, with a camel's hair brush,
upon the gum at the root of the painful tooth, and applying, every
hour or so, over the same spot a toothache plaster (sold by all
druggists). The gum must be wiped dry before applying the moistened
toothache plaster. Water, as hot as can be borne, should be held in
the mouth, and the process repeated for as long a time as possible.
Then the patient should lie with the painful side of the face upon a
hot-water bag or bottle. The trouble may subside under this treatment,
owing to disappearance of the inflammation, or to the unnoticed escape
of a small amount of pus through a minute opening in the gum. If the
inflammation continues the pain becomes intense and throbbing; there
is often entire loss of sleep and rest, fever, and even chills, owing
to a certain degree of blood poisoning. The gum and face swell on the
painful side, and the patient often suffers more than with many more
serious diseases.

Afte