The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-04-27

New York Correspondence of the Troy Daily
Times.
This is an art of great antiquity, and is
mentioned by Her odotus, who says that
the Egyptians confined the care of their
teeth TO q particular class. 1t has been
stated that mummies have been found
with teeth fillei with gold. Hippocrates
also refers to some of the diseases to which
the teeth are subject, and Recommend,
their removal when decayed, but mentions
no instrument for this purpose. The use
of artificial teeth made of bone or ivory
was known among the ancient Greeks,
but the first methodical direction for tooth
drawing was given by the Roman ph,si
clan CELSIUS. 1t must have been severe
operation, since he refers to the use OF
hot iron. Whatever may have been the
attachments of ancient dentists, they fell
into disuse during the dark ages; and il
1928, when Fauchard wrote OF. dentistry,
he refers to its being in the hands Of en-
pirics who had neither system nor prn-
ciples In England also the ait remained
in a low condition until the time of Sir
John Hunter (about century ago.. HIS
work on tie natural history of the tooth
was published in 1771, and this was soon
followed by another work on the disease of
the teeth. Hunter was an able and in
genius surgeon, and yet modern den.
lists have rejected some of his conclu
sions, even while they admit the cor
rectness of his general views. 1t is not
to be supposed that any man could be
perfect in both surgery and dentistry,
and yet the professions were not separa-
ted until later daY.
MODERN DENTISTRY.
Fifty years ago the profession was not
much III advance Of the Egyptian age
Medical colleges were silent upon the
subject of the teeth, and their care was
left to q class OF itinerants whose blum
ders and malpractice rendered the name
of dentist" a reproach. In 1889 the
first journal devoted to this subject was
published by Eleazer Parmly and Cha
pin A. Harris In 1910 the first dental
college in the worlds history was estab
lished in Baltimore, and its first gradua
ting class consisted of two. The same
year the first dental convention was held
in this city. To illustrate the progress
of the profession it may be said that
there are in this country now six dental
colleges, and four we'll conducted Jour
nails devoted to this specially.
ARTIFICIAL TEETH
Porcelain teeth have driven all pre-
vlous substitutes out of use, and in their
manufacture in America have really *
celled the French. This is due to the
versatile genius of Charles w. Peale. oil
Philadclphia He began as an appreu
tice to saddler,and became SUCCESSFULLY
a Sllversmth and matchmaker, a natural
ist, taxidermist, sportsman and an
eminent portrait painter He also made
violin and guitar for his own use and
invented several machines, 4inishing BY
founding the Philadelphia Museum
Peale lost several of his teeth carly in
life, and having heard of mineral teeth,
he obtained the receipt and made a set
for his own use, and also supplied several
of his friends. From the beginning the
manufacture of porcelain teeth has been
improving, and has become an impor
tant feature in Philadelphia arts.
MANNER OF FASTENING.
This has greatly improved within a.
few years Previous to the christian era.
sets Of teeth were held in the mouth by
being .astcned to the sound teeth. and
ligatures of wire and of silk were used.
This custom prevailed until within fifty
years-and when we compare it with the
present system, We may see how RAPIDLY
the dental art has improved. This adj
vance is aso due to q Philadelphia
practitioner named Gardette, who was IN
service torty-six years, and who, by con
tlnual experiments, wrought q series Of
Improvements which eliminated in the
IF
invention was the result of accident H
had made a set of teeth for a lady. and
expected to attach them to the back teeth
with spiral springs. The lady called for
them, and the springs were unfinished
The dentist told her 20 lake them home
and keep them in her mouth as much as
possible, inorder to:get used to them, ad
DING promise to bring the springs in a
short time. Some delay followed, and
when he came, expecting blame for his
negiecs' nc was agreeably surprised to
be told that she wore the teeth in sue.
cesslul manner without springs. The
DENTIST &C once saw the reason, and intro
0cced the method which is now almost
universal.
DENTnTRY IN NEW YORK CITY.
There are about four hundred practie.
ing dentists in this city, and one r,,ar.
ter OF that number in Brooklyn, ali 81
whom ind employment, while some are
driven by their engagements. The
Parmlys are the most noted family in this
profession, and consist of Eleazer Parm.
ly the Oldest, and four brothers. Elea.
ger Parmly (now retired) is the richest
dentist in America, and il worth a mil.