A gum lancet and two elevators, the second of which is destined to act from inside outward (Fauchard).] Cauterization of the teeth[454] continued to be much used in Fauchard’s time, and this is very easily explainable when one considers that there was not then any other means of destroying the dental pulp. In making use of the actual cautery, the immediate end in view was to cause the cessation of obstinate toothache. “When the teeth give great pain and no relief is to be derived from the use of other remedies, one ought to cauterize the caries after having removed the extraneous substances that may eventually be found in the carious cavity. After the cauterization one scrapes the cavity and fills it up with cotton-wool soaked in oil of cinnamon. Later on one stops the tooth.”[455] [Illustration: FIG. 84 An extracting instrument called by Fauchard lever or tirtoire, and the handle of a pelican without the hooks.] The chapter in which Fauchard treats of the correction of dental irregularities is of particular interest. In speaking of his observations, we have already seen that in this field also he knew how to obtain splendid and admirable results. He, nevertheless, made use of the most simple means—the file, pressure with the fingers, common threads or silk ones, little plates of silver or gold. At times, for straightening teeth, he made use of the pelican and the straight pincers, afterward tying the teeth in their normal position. He rarely had recourse to extraction as a means of carrying out dental corrections.[456] [Illustration: FIG. 85 Fauchard’s simple pelican (with one changeable hook).] [Illustration: FIG. 86 Fauchard’s double pelican.] To steady loose teeth,[457] Fauchard, as did the ancients, made use of gold threads. When the spaces separating a loose tooth from the neighboring ones were too large, he introduced small pieces of hippopotamus ivory into them of about the height of a line, and not exceeding the tooth itself in thickness; on each side of these was a vertical groove destined to serve as a support to the next tooth. Each of these pieces was furnished with two holes, through which were passed the gold threads which served to bind together the teeth and the piece of ivory itself. This latter was fixed close down to the gum. [Illustration: FIG. 87 Dental forceps (Fauchard).] Fauchard occupies himself in three different chapters (X, XI, XII) at great length with the extraction of teeth. He describes a pelican of his own invention, and speaks of the advantages it presents over other pelicans previously in use. Notwithstanding this, it cannot be said that the instruments used by Fauchard for extracting teeth and roots show a sensible improvement on those in use before his time. [Illustration: FIG. 88 Straight forceps and crane’s bill or crow’s bill forceps (Fauchard).]