bit became seriously ill with endocarditis. With such a small amount of bacteria involved, the question arose as to whether something more than the bacteria could be the causative agent.

To answer this question,the same crushing and washing of extracted root filled teeth was undertaken, but the liquid was centri

We are all aware that organisms which produce disease vary greatly in the amount and severity of their virulence. Because teeth are relatively small, it is also generally believed that when a tooth has a properly treated root canal filling, it is impossible for an infection therefrom to overwhelm the patient. Furthermore, many express the opinion that the organisms which cause dental infections are low in virulence and occurrence of any systemic involvement is unlikely or, at best, of minor significance.

One of the first of numerous experiments by Dr. Price was to withdraw the moisture content of an extracted tooth in a drying chamber. Measuring the amount of dehydration showed that roughly five percent of the volume of every root filled tooth is a fluid which can quite readily become a culture medium that can become easily saturated with abundant bacteria.

In another experiment, a root filled tooth was taken from a patient suffering acute endocarditis. The tooth was crushed and the particles washed. The settled wash liquid was then injected into a rabbit. The weight of the organisms injected was determined by counting the number present in the dilution, the actual amount the rabbit received was only a millionth part of the gram. Still, the rabbit became seriously ill with endocarditis. With such a small amount of bacteria involved, the question arose as to whether something more than the bacteria could be the causative agent.

To answer this question,the same crushing and washing of extracted root filled teeth was undertaken, but the liquid was centri

ore, many express the opinion that the organisms which cause dental infections are low in virulence and occurrence of any systemic involvement is unlikely or, at best, of minor significance.

One of the first of numerous experiments by Dr. Price was to withdraw the moisture content of an extracted tooth in a drying chamber. Measuring the amount of dehydration showed that roughly five percent of the volume of every root filled tooth is a fluid which can quite readily become a culture medium that can become easily saturated with abundant bacteria.

In another experiment, a root filled tooth was taken from a patient suffering acute endocarditis. The tooth was crushed and the particles washed. The settled wash liquid was then injected into a rabbit. The weight of the organisms injected was determined by counting the number present in the dilution, the actual amount the rabbit received was only a millionth part of the gram. Still, the rabbit became seriously ill with endocarditis. With such a small amount of bacteria involved, the question arose as to whether something more than the bacteria could be the causative agent.

To answer this question,the same crushing and washing of extracted root filled teeth was undertaken, but the liquid was centri

ng chamber. Measuring the amount of dehydration showed that roughly five percent of the volume of every root filled tooth is a fluid which can quite readily become a culture medium that can become easily saturated with abundant bacteria.

In another experiment, a root filled tooth was taken from a patient suffering acute endocarditis. The tooth was crushed and the particles washed. The settled wash liquid was then injected into a rabbit. The weight of the organisms injected was determined by counting the number present in the dilution, the actual amount the rabbit received was only a millionth part of the gram. Still, the rabbit became seriously ill with endocarditis. With such a small amount of bacteria involved, the question arose as to whether something more than the bacteria could be the causative agent.

To answer this question,the same crushing and washing of extracted root filled teeth was undertaken, but the liquid was centri

ng acute endocarditis. The tooth was crushed and the particles washed. The settled wash liquid was then injected into a rabbit. The weight of the organisms injected was determined by counting the number present in the dilution, the actual amount the rabbit received was only a millionth part of the gram. Still, the rabbit became seriously ill with endocarditis. With such a small amount of bacteria involved, the question arose as to whether something more than the bacteria could be the causative agent.

To answer this question,the same crushing and washing of extracted root filled teeth was undertaken, but the liquid was centri

bit became seriously ill with endocarditis. With such a small amount of bacteria involved, the question arose as to whether something more than the bacteria could be the causative agent.

To answer this question,the same crushing and washing of extracted root filled teeth was undertaken, but the liquid was centrifuged, thereby removing the bacteria. Now the one cubic centimeter remaining of bacteria free water like appearing liquid was injected with bacteria cultures alone.

In summarizing this particular research data, Dr.Price clarified what transpired: When infected teeth produce disturbance in other parts of the body,it is not necessary that the quantity of infection be large, nor is it demonstrated that it is necessary that organisms pass throughout the body or to the special tissues involved, but the evidence at hand strongly suggests that soluble poisons may pass from the infected teeth to the lymph or blood circulation, or both, and produce systemic disturbance entirely out of proportion to the quantity of poison involved. The evidence indicates that toxic substance may under certain circumstances sensitize the body or special tissues so that very small quantities of the organisims, which produce that toxin, may produce very marked reactions and disturbances.

In a similar study,instead of testing the effects of root canal filled teeth, an investigation was made of teeth which had pulp or root end infections but had never had root canal treatments. Here again the concern was whether the infection material in teeth had any other contents that we