Dissertation on the diseases of the maxillary sinus : read before the American Society of Dental Surgeons, at their third annual meeting, held in Boston, July 20, 1842 / by Chapin A. Harris.

  • Harris, Chapin A. (Chapin Aaron), 1806-1860.
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dissertation on the diseases of the maxillary sinus : read before the American Society of Dental Surgeons, at their third annual meeting, held in Boston, July 20, 1842 / by Chapin A. Harris. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    Causes.—The explanation of the causes of inflammation of the pituitary membrane of the maxillary sinus, as given by Deschamps, is far from satisfactory. After stating that it is produced by all those general causes which give rise to it in other parts of the body, he enumerates among, what he denominates, peculiar causes, a degeneration of the humour which it pours out, blows upon the cheek, fractures, wounds, and the extraction of teeth.* What he means by those general causes, I am at a loss to under- stand, except it be certain morbid dispositions of body, irregular exposures to cold, &c. &c. The influence which these exert upon the mucous membrane of this cavity, has been explained in another place : it will therefore be unnecessary to repeat what has already been said concerning them, except it be to state that they first exercise the same influence upon the membrane in other parts of the body, that they do here, and that this consists, not in actual disease, but only in an increase of excitability. The exciting cause of inflammation of this cavity, is local irritation, and, a dege- nerated condition of its secretions, blows upon the cheek, wounds and the extraction of teeth, may be enumerated among the agen- cies which are sometimes concerned in its production. Boyer says, This inflammation may be produced by a blow upon the cheek, by small-pox, measles, &c. but the most ordinary cause is caries and pain in the teeth.f The two last, although not mentioned by Deschamps, are very frequently concerned in the production of this affection. All morbid conditions of the teeth, in fact, and of the gums, that give rise to irritation in the alveolar *Traite des Maladies des Fosses Nazales et de leurs Sinus; Art. 2, page 236. tTraite des Maladies Chirurgicales, &c. &c. Art. iii. torn. 6, p. 138.