ON DISPLACEMENT OF THE INTER-ARTICULAR CARTILAGE OF THE LOWER JAW, AND ITS TREATMENT BY OPERATION.

THAT the proper movements of the temporo-maxillary joint may be interfered with by conditions inside the 1 articulation is a fact recognised by all surgical authorities.That a displacement of the in ter-articular cartilage-the" "sub- 'luxation" of Sir Astley Cooper-may be one of these con- ditions is also recognised.But most modern worlrs on 1 surgery describe this affection as being generally due either to relaxation of the ligaments of the joint allowing a too 1 free movement, or to inflammatory changes of a simple, .gouty,or rheumatic nature.Heathl writes upon the subject thus: "It is an affection occurring principally in delicate omen, and has been thought to depend upon relaxation of I the ligaments of the joint permitting a too free movement of the bone, and possibly (though this is conjecture) a slip-I ,ping of the inter-articular cartilage."Believing with Mr. Heath and other authors that inflammatory results may -cause interference with the movements of this joint, I feel further convinced that, as in the case of the semilunar