Frank billings, M.D., Dean of the Faculty, Professor and Head of Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, was the person who identified the first occurrence of focal infection arising from the mouth. He was eventually able to determine that 99 percent of focally infected diseases arouse in the mouth from the teeth and tonsils. He found the other one percent could come from any tissue, but most often involved the sinuses, lungs, intestines, toenails and tonsil tags or stumps.

It was Dr. Billings who named this process "focal infection." Even during his time, it was common for people suffering degenerative disease problems to have the gland or organ surgically removed. The paradox is that patients are willing to submit to severe surgical procedures, but, at the same time, are reluctant to remove an infected tooth. Obviously, tooth removal would be far simpler, less traumatic and less costly. Patients, for the most part, come to the decision to have surgery because their doctors do not present this alternative, nor do their dentists.

Paul S. Rhoads, M.D.; George F. Dick, M.D. These two physicians, in an article in the American Medical Association Journal in 1928, reported finding 73 percent of tonsillectomies, even those done by specialists, failed to remove all the tonsillar tissue. They found this resulted in infective conditions which were worse than those which existed before the tonsillectomy.

Many patients who had tonsils removed as a focal infection source failed to improve, but stringly did so after the tags or stumps were thoroughly excised.

As this study took place so long ago, it might be assumed tonsillectomies are better performed today. However, those who have had tonsils removed and are experiencing enlarged, tender or sore glands in their neck or inflamed stumps should consult a physcian who follows the specialized technique of removing these infected areas.

Melvin Page, D.D.S., a body-chemistry practitioner, found he could not balance a patient's chemistry if a tonsil tag remained. Some of his knowledge grew out of his contacts with Dr. Otto Meyer, of New York city,who, in an article appearing in the Eye, Nose and Throat Monthly, May 1946, pointed out how veins in tonsils can build up with bacteria and become a new focal infection source. His article covered specialized techniques which proved helpful in removing these inner throat wall infections.