_Syncope at the time of the operation_ sometimes occurs. Should it supervene during the extraction of the tooth the operator should immediately desist until recovery ensues. Fainting is best treated by bending the head down towards the knees, at the same time loosening anything tight about the neck and applying ordinary salts of ammonia to the nose. _In severe cases_ the patient should be removed from the chair and laid on the floor, and the chest should be exposed and flipped with a towel dipped in cold water. _In more severe cases_ it may be necessary to inject ether or some other stimulant, such as brandy. _Fatal syncope_ following tooth extraction has occurred, and a case which took place at Marseilles in 1881 is mentioned by Tomes.[24] The patient was a female, and an attempt was made to remove a tooth, but was desisted in owing to alarming syncope. A second attempt was made, or rather about to be made, when fatal syncope ensued. _Post-mortem_ examination showed nothing beyond a slight amount of cerebral congestion. (_c_) =Epilepsy.=--In those pre-disposed to epilepsy an attack often commences immediately after the extraction of a tooth. In the event of a fit occurring the patient should be removed from the chair and placed on the floor, the clothes being at the same time loosened, and a wedge of wood or some suitable material placed between the teeth to prevent injury to the tongue. (_d_) =Hysteria.=--Manifestations of this disorder at times follow tooth extraction, but do not call for any special treatment beyond that usually adopted for this disorder. (_e_) =Septic and infective sequelæ.=--Scattered through dental literature will be found a large number of records of septic and infective diseases which have followed the extraction of teeth. In many of these cases it would be difficult to say that the infection was always the result of the operation; in a number of them the actual cause was due to the neglected condition of the tooth which called for extraction. Infection can, however, at times undoubtedly be traced to the operation, and once again attention cannot be too strongly drawn to the fact that antiseptic precautions should be carried out as far as possible. Suppuration of the socket and its appropriate treatment has already been dwelt upon (page 82). Cases of syphilis having been acquired through the use of infected forceps are recorded, while septicæmia, sapræmia, cellulitis, osteitis, osteomyelitis, periostitis, pyæmia, tetanus, have all been known to follow the removal of a tooth, but the treatment of these conditions hardly lies within the scope of this book. INDEX. A PAGE Abnormality of upper molars, 26 ACCIDENTS UNDER ANÆSTHETICS:-- Forcing out a tooth with a prop or a Mason’s gag, 88 Passage of a foreign body through the isthmus of the fauces, 89 Tongue slipping back, 88 Alveoli of the teeth, disposition of the, 12 Alveolus, fracture of the, during extraction, 67