4-It passes through the air and other resistances by large surface at the terminals, even when the apparatus is not insulated. 5-When connected with the earth or walls of the room it can yet be drawn off from the conductor.

Any known form of electricity giving a spark like the spark of this force would respond to some of the physical tests of electricity; would produce readily perceptible physiological effects; and would in its phenomena suggest polarity, even if rapidly reversed.

The relation of this force to the other forces may be thus represented:

Light, Heat......New Force...... Electricity, Magnetism.

FRACTURE OF THE UNDER JAW.

(Read before the Iowa State Dental Society).

BY DR. A. J. WAID, NEWTON, IOWA.

Mr. James Scott, aged seventeen years, while riding a horse at a gallop in company with another young man, last Christmas, the horse stumbled, fell to his knees, and Scott was thrown against the rough, frozen ground. He was picked up in an insensible state, with the skull fractured near the left temple, and inferior maxilla fractured in two places, viz: between the left bicuspid teeth and between the first right canine and lateral incisor. There was a small external but deep wound on the left side. The fragments were much displaced, the anterior piece containing all the incisors, the left canine and first bicuspid, was the most difficult to put into its right position, and when placed right it could not be kept there one minute by the ordinary appliances of physicians. The inferior edge of this piece was drawn backward, the superior surface and teeth were depressed outward and down very much.

The bicuspid most out of sight. Cut No. 1 represents their position. except anterior part of right piece which was more depressed, which I pushed most up to place when I took the bites.

Two or three physicians were called. They raised the depress ed skull and set the lower jaw, applied wires to the teeth and a four-tailed bandage to the outside; but their appliances continued to fail to hold the fragments of the jaw. The left side they did not even get together; they said there was a tooth missing, at that fracture, but there was none missing, and I informed them of the fact.

January 4th, 1876, ten days after the fractures had occurred, I took the impressions preparatory to making an interdental splint as follows:

I used these two small tin impression cups for the posterior fragments, one for the left and the other for the right side: used soft wax first, then plaster to finish with; used plaster only and without any cup for the anterior piece; keeping watch of my plaster, then removing it as soon as it was set enough to hold together, I removed it without hurting the jaw much.

For the upper teeth I used a flat tin cup, which was only a little more than wide enough to cover his teeth, and did not cover the hard palate. With this I did not hurt the mouth much, which was so swollen and sore that he could not open it very wide, neither could he close it, and it was difficult for him to say a word to make his wants known. With very soft wax I took a separate bite of each fragment, assisted by pushing up on each fragment. After making the models I placed them in this "bite," then fastened the upper model to the upper part of the articula tor with plaster; the lower models I fastened temporarily with

wax, then removed the wax bite and marked the posterior, upper and lower molars as a guide for articulating; now warmed the wax that held these lower pieces; had a good deal of wax under these so I could move the pieces easily to antagonize them against the upper teeth; had to have the wax real warm, the pieces of model warm, and room warm, in order to get them in their right places. Well, it was setting the jaw in my office, the way it is to be in future. Next cut out all the wax on the lingual side, except a thin piece to cover the frame of articulator; now pour in plaster on the lingual side sufficient to hold these pieces.

I used No. 12 iron wire for the arms to this splint; at one-half or three-quarter inch from one end of each, bend at right angle, now flatten those ends by hammering; one-half inch from this bend, place this wax over the teeth; on top of this I placed the flattened end of wires over the double teeth, so that the wire between the bends will extend out between the lips, and from the outer bend extend back outside the cheek at least three inches in length. They extended out of the mouth from close to anterior side of canine cusp; now place warm wax over all the lower teeth and the flattened end of said wires, and while warm I pressed the model of upper teeth into this wax, not quite touching the wires; now trim to the shape you want the splint, extending down over the gums a short distance, also cover the wires with wax that is to be between the lips; this now is the model of the splint with the superior surface articulated to the upper teeth. These

wire arms extend out too far to place in an ordinary vulcanizer. I bend them in until they are over the double teeth, so that I can place it in an ordinary sized flask; then I removed the lower model of the jaw with its fixtures to the flask. I next duplicate the wax model in vulcanite. Then I bent the posterior part of the arms out, then drilled three holes through the splint on the lingual side near the superior surface, so as to syringe the food out. Cut No. 2 shows the splint and elastic bandage as applied.

On January 7, the thirteenth day after the accident, I applied this splint, which was easily done, and no pain to speak of at tended it. Introducing the left side over posterior piece first. then, with a crooked file carrier, I pushed the right side to where I could place the plate over that, then pushed the plate along back until I could introduce the anterior fragment and teeth. I next warmed some gutta-percha, applied it to the underside of the chin, then slipped this elastic band, which is seven inches long when double, and one-half inch wide, on to the arms of splint. extending it under the gutta-percha and chin, in a few days. When the inflammation subsided, I applied a second band. The patient looked very bad, face very red on right cheek and forehead, so we had fears of erysipelas would set in ; about a spoonful of thick pus exuded from the left side, and I had fears of ne crosis.

The nurses had, since the accident, and were now, keeping ice around the head and face, but in three hours time after applying this splint, the patient did not want so much ice as formerly.

As we were about five miles from my office, I remained over night to see that all went well; next morning, the 8th, I found the patient decidedly better; this day there was not so much pus, and none, I believe, after that.

January 13, saw patient to-day; he feels better; wounds healing, inflammation apparently all subsided; can talk better and sit up more, and has made rapid recovery.

January 14, they removed him to his home, perhaps one and a half miles distant.

January 21, they sent for me, saying that the patient's lip is I went, found him with his pants and coat on, and his

sore.

general health better, but they had allowed the gutta-percha and band to slip up in front, so that it pressed the lip against the wire arms, also that they had allowed so much moisture, spittle, etc., to remain on the cuticle of the chin, next to the gutta-percha, that the cuticle had commenced to be sore. They did not dare to remove and wipe it; but I removed it, had it washed and dried, and trimmed it so there would not be much on front side of chin, as I do not see any use of having any only on the under side where the elastic bands are; removed splint for the first time now, had that and his teeth cleansed, replaced it, and the lip was well in a short time. I should have removed it sooner but for his physicians objecting; they thought the fragments would be displaced, and the patient was so much afraid of it while the splint was out a few minutes, that he liked to have fainted away. After this, by my request, they removed it often and cleaned it.

Now we place a strip of cotton cloth one half inch wide around the elastic bands and gutta-percha under the chin, extend it around the neck and tie it. This holds it satisfactorily from slipping forward.

He learned to masticate food on the surface of this splint, and it allowed entire freedom of the mouth for the reception of food.

February 14, patient called at my office, reported that he had been doing without the splint for three days, that his health was good, and was satisfied with what I had done for him. This day

I took him to the picture rooms; we replaced the splint and bandage, and had his picture taken. Here is a picture of him; but I see his mouth is open too much for good looks.