| Originally Dr. Price believed kidney infections only | | | | Most dentists would say that even though this |
| remotely related to dental focal infections. He | | | | patient had severe osteitis, her root canal fillings |
| eventually found, however, many 30 to 40 year | | | | appeared satisfactory and the root of the upper |
| olds were developing nephritis (kidney disease) | | | | left second bicuspid appeared relatively easy to |
| without the disease being suspected by the | | | | treat. However, a culture taken from other teeth |
| patient or the physician. Invariably, these patients | | | | and inoculated into a rabbit produced the ulcer you |
| were also found to have definite dental infections. | | | | see in the accompanying picture. |
| Kidney Trouble: | | | | Most who do endodontic treatments would have |
| Originally Dr. Price believed kidney infections only | | | | misjudged the extent of the infection present in |
| remotely related to dental focal infections. He | | | | these teeth and their relationship to the patient's |
| eventually found, however, many 30 to 40 year | | | | six years of ill health, which cleared on removal of |
| olds were developing nephritis (kidney disease) | | | | her upper teeth. |
| without the disease being suspected by the | | | | Ovarian Cysts: |
| patient or the physician. Invariably, these patients | | | | Lacking in the medical and dental literature of Dr. |
| were also found to have definite dental infections. | | | | Price's time was any teaching about acute and |
| The case report of a 41 year old married woman | | | | chronic infections of the sex organs, or any |
| who was suffering from rheumatism and heart | | | | mention of their relationship to focal infection. Dr. |
| trouble is of particular interest. A routine urine | | | | Price found that a large number of women with |
| analysis also disclosed kidney involvement. Her | | | | ovarian gland difficulties had infected teeth, or |
| extracted tooth was cultured and a rabbit | | | | teeth which contained root canal fillings. |
| inoculated in a vein with one cc of the 24-hour old | | | | Even though most women made excellent |
| culture. After 49 days, the rabbit died; autopsy | | | | recoveries when infected teeth were removed, |
| results are shown in the in the pictures on the | | | | Dr. Price stated he could not determine whether |
| following page. | | | | the bacteria had an ability to select a woman's |
| Stomach Ulcers: | | | | ovaries, tubes and uterus or whether their |
| Another case concerned a 43 year old woman | | | | presence aggravated already compromised |
| who had been an invalid for six years suffering | | | | tissues. Over a thousand rabbits were used to |
| from vervousness, neuritis, and nervous | | | | study the causes of these frequent female |
| indigestion. These symptoms were associated | | | | problems. |
| indigestion. These symptoms were associated | | | | A good example of the many cases investigated |
| with neuralgic pains that occurred at her waistline. | | | | concerns a 20 year old unmarried woman whose |
| Such cases were usually grouped together as a | | | | distress at the time of her menstrual period was |
| alimentary trac and associate organ lesions, as | | | | so severe she was bed-ridden for several days. |
| they involved the digestive tract, the gall bladder, | | | | In time it became obvious her physical and mental |
| stomach, intestinal indigestion, and the appendix. | | | | health was being seriously affected. |
| Because this patient had a severe amount of | | | | Review of the history of her difficulties showed |
| condensing osteitis (dense bone just below the | | | | that some five years previously she was hit by a |
| roots), and such cases usually showed little x-ray | | | | golf ball over her left ovary. She did not think the |
| evidence of infection, all of her upper teeth were | | | | event significant as there was no evidence of |
| removed. This brought a prompt improvement in | | | | local injury and only a short period of discomfort. |
| the patient's health which allowed her to return to | | | | At the time she did have some infected teeth |
| previous activities. | | | | which she carried during the intervening period. |