New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-04-25
DENTISTRY,


tons that there were teeth doctors in Egypt dur
ing bis time, and from other ancient records We
are led to believe tt at the art WAS rudely prac
ticed at an early day, particularly in Rome at the
CONNIE ncement Of the Christian era although one
of its writers at that time hiss left sn evidence Of
the small extent of his Theoretical knowledge on
the subject, in stating that 'the cause Of the
"tooth ache is known only to God" From that
time to the snteehth century t does not appear
that any part of Dentistry WAS 'acticed except
the simple knack of tooth puliog, and that with
rude iDstrume nts. Prob ,by the Oldest Of these
DOW to be seen is that exhibited in Boston, said
to have been used by Dr.. 500 Sden, on board tbs
MAY Flower, in 1920. In the eighteenth cen
fury Dentistry was successfully revived 10 Paris
and it was thence introduced into the United
States at the period of the Revolutionary war,
by the surgeons accompanying our French allies,
and alec by its special practitioners. Toe manu-.
facture of sets Of srtifcialteeth shortly after
wards comm enced Among those for whom these
were made was Gen. Washington. who had one
set made by DR.. Greenwood, Of New York, aud
second set by one Of his contemporaries; but be
set. In 1910, there were not probably fifty
Dentitts 10 thu United States, bat there were so
many improvements in Dentistry before $780,
especially in preparing artificial teeth, that there
were then about three hundred. According to
a careful estimate in 1s42, there were at that
1909; and in 1850, the census reported 2, 1923.
In 1851, at the Worlds Fair, in London, Ameri-
can Dentistry was acknowledged to be the first
IN the world and since that time the profession has,
by greatly adding to its achievements, gained
position which it will probably long continue to
hold.
The celebrated Fauchard, Dental surgeon Of
Paris, wrote work entitled LIE Chirargien Dem
ti,te, published in l72S, in two volumes, l2mo.,
of 900 pages, which was the first attempt to sys-
temsthe the dental art as distinct branch Of
the medical science, and hence he has ever been
considered, aud justly styled the "Father OF
"DeRti.ts." During the mex. ensuing fifty years,
me half dozen valuable dental works were pub
lisbed on the Continent Tue first Eugii'h work
was issued in ITO, by Thomas Berdmore, whose
standing in his profession made him dentist
"in.ordinaIy" to George III. He wroe aud
published a Tres,ise Oh the Teeth, which, In
point of merit, s ssid to be justly entitled to
pre- mipence DR.. Huoter's two principal works
appeared in III aud l178; B!akes Treatise in
I798, AID Fox's in 1906
There have been not less than 6fty treatses on
Dentistry by American authors, and about half of
these are new in print, being standard works and
essential to the completeness of the pr.ctitiOn-
er's library. The first of these was published in
1901, the second in 1902, and the third ia 1919;
since which date there has scarcely been q year
without some valuable additions to the list of
dental works. The two most important aud
large,t works were prepared by DR.. ,rris Of B ST.
tiuore. Of these the Principles and Practice
of Dental Surgery" has, siace its first publica-
tiOn IN 1889, been revised four times, and doubled
in size, aid is now generally acknowledged to be
the best treatise on the subject in any language.
His " Dictionary" is also work of high reputs,
and has passed to a second edition Il may
be said Of the Dental profession In the United
States what cannot be ssid of any other) that
its Literature is superior to that of the same pro-
fe.sion in Europe.
The FIRST established and most important Peri
odcsl on Dentistry Is The american Journal Of
Dental Science, published quarterly at Bslt-
more, edited BY Dr. Harris aud commenced
by him June ], 1899. From the close Of its
fret year to August, 1850, it was owned BY
the American Association of Dental Surgeons,
and wss partly devoted to printing standard
works; then it was again transferred to Or. H.,
and its library department disc ,ntinued. The
~ T. Denial Recorder was commenced October,
ls46, and has just er tered on the ninth volume;
it 10 edited by c. w. Ballard. The Dental Ners-
Letter, commenced in 1647 at Philadelphia, is
an able qusrterly now in its eighth volume.
Tx. Dental Register Of the Vest, Issued quarterly
at Cincinnati, was commenced October, lSi|.
Tie Foreep is a new journal published ia this
City. There are some three or four other
smaller periodicals in the Uoited States. In all
Europe there 10 now but one dental periodical
The Dentist, published monthly st Berlin, Prussia
each number containing t@eats -four pages An
English journal was commenced in 1913, edited
by J. Robinson, but it was sAortlived.
Most Of the Dentists now in practice received
their education and training for the profession by
studying privately under the direction of some
regular practitioner; by observing his daily treat,
ment of patients by assisting him il the labora
tory. and, as increased experience would justify
taking an active part in bis practice; until, afteI
pSlsnt to set up for themselves. Many Of them ar