The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-12-06


And bold pre:cndrr> shcw co,i>rl.l1latc wit
l'v dupinr ofhr-> 10 abandon IT,
beware al t">e whom II. .ence never taught
he hard, bat useful druigcrv OF thought
''lt Is scarcely surprisin. that among the
host OF dentists who daiiv traverse every
country cross road. many should be found
who. II ignorance be bliss, must he IN a state
OF perfect t"a'nudr: IN short. whose whole
qualifications tor the profession consist IN
Sr't'n" ont. III >om- WAY or other natural
'oo'h and making and ai.itin.. alter somr-
what rude 'a>hlon. rcrn ar,iii,ial ones: who
Know nothing CT th: sr,rnrc or surge al
branches of tie art. perfect Acquaintance
with whirh. forms the dentist properly 50 rail
ed. and 10 use an Iri>hi>m. les, OF its phv,Si-
oioGv. These men generally commence prac.
tirc without having received, what, nv an
extension OF cour'r>v, can te considered A
professional education; their whole stock of
trade consisting Of a module of empvri,aI
knowlrhge. with a more than toerabt sb ar.
OF impnirnrr. And armed mith these and
AIDED by convent. nee. as a ,rdlrr TO timer
ate trcrn 10 l>r 10 house. they .umrrim., crawl
M" KIND "f 'ii>rrlutahr i,ra.ticr Even
this. however. the, could lao, rtirc.. did ,h.v
not trny "hrapnr>> 10 their aid. and offer 10
do tor >''iin.> that which a,~>prrtahI, ,rar.
'rio"rr r"ut nor. and would not do. under
dollars; aud rhI> with the tact staring Nh, m
~ the face ('or they can not b.. so romr,l.frIy
ignorant "t m" prices of the b,.>t material.
ti"n.h they never rtuIlov th"n). that cut,iny "
art site Sklsl and maniIula'IonS ont of t,.
G'''>'io:'. fhe rXp"n-e ri ,-o,"r materials
atone. would a,'uAli, cast M,m more than ,h.v
rh'r1e tor every hing inclusive, and that a
single tooth, or anv number Of teeth. can MOI,
b. made and properly finished but at = much
higher price than they charge: even were
they 20 give their valuable services and could
live on The honor OF operating. that there
would actually be a Crrarr outlay for mate
rial than the cheap dentists receive for their
time. labor, skill. &c. Thus they must either
cheat the puhhr with promises. or must have
the power. like the Irish huckster, TO buy and
sell and i've 10y the loss
But these gentlemen. again, not content
with supplying ARTIFICIAL grinders. al prize
which. TO USE their own words. "is moi suf
hr'cnt to Justify them in using good material,
otfrr their services TO stop teeth and perform
various Other operations. on equally literal
terms. Aud some OF these individuals, NOT
only offer to stop single tr-rh a. twrnt, five
cents each, but actually offer n do bn.;;,.ss
who:esale-to take the mouth and stop all
the teeth that may require it. from three to
tw" and thirty, at the very moderate charge
OF three doi'arS-whlie some more l;tp raj sill.
Offcr their wares and services at the SAM,
t"'e' ana sell the material for stopping. with
such directions As will enable anv man IN
plaster MS own grinders. at one dollar fif,y
cents, r'gM included. All this. Of cours,. Is
understood hy the profession. who know What
Tue material costs, and what Is and what is
not TAR remuneration for skill. and sufficient
to ensure competency and honesty: but with
the puo!lc The case Is very different. and
non professional individual, who is art 10
class all Dentists in the same ca,.corv ,,st
bc somewhat puzzled to / nov how one rrr>op
can venture to charge so much for services
and material, which another offer, IN sup,lv
Tor almost common laborer'S WAGES. and thai
accor"'hS 70 MS own words, in the best man
ner and OF the best materials. lie either
concludes That IN the one case lie is payino
Tor rtPWdft"n rather than talent. or Iik. an
ass between two panniers can no, tell which
side to turn, but famying one of them must
tie >wihdle, can not decide wbr,h.r !, ia
tnat tue cheap man can nc' perform The ser
vices III IN" manner or at the price he promises.
or that The dtarer one charges most exor.
ttantly, tor the commodity of IN. t.e,h ~,
the one hahd and tor his services in r,;uu,,,
the'h on the other aud as in the estimar ion
OF the ignorant, teeth, whether cut out of ,l,..
hoot "t horse or the horn OF a hiIpopotamus
whether manufactured ut the same. ,rf,.L..r.
as his cups aud saucers or rrnanatino from
the laboratory OF Stockton or an Al,o,k
are stall but teeth; al IN his estimation rho
metal, whether gilt copper. pinchbeck or
standard gold, still comes under his demon.
inat,on OF gold, and as he can scarcely FOL,
the difference, whether the work be Of the
highest dental finish or about equal n The
manufacture OF a cart wheel. the chances ar.
thai he gives verdict in favor OF imroits;or
aud adds another TO the guIs of cLeap den.
tiSUn.
lhat such would be the opinion of nine ont
III ten VII" are unfortunately thrown in con
tact with these cheap dental travellers. and
compare Their prices with those ~ tho mor,.
"o"or"''e and legitimate practitioner. | have
no doubt' nor Is II surprising that It shou,d
oe 20; the public, generally speaking. ar.
no' app To reason much on these n,attrr, and
IN most cases are not aware that one practit.
'oner IS more RESI- ectabe or honest than tho
other; they are both members of the san.
profession. both drntis,s-perhaps. t,o,b s,r-
geon dentists. Bu: let the non professional
really Try the difference practically, and he
will no longer feel surprised at the low
charges OF the one party or the more annie
ones of the other-unless he has preference
for the taste OF COPPER ore. especial delight in