The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-12-18
VIRGINIA. DENT.L assOCrATToN.
) THTRp pAY.

isst5y 50 THIRD Day. Ssi i$ss,
The subject mechanical dentistry was
resumed yesterday, and was discussed by
Drs, shauks. Wayt, Thompson, Sprinkle,
Hunt, and Smith. t' sss's' -
DR.. Thompson thought ft very inportan.
That dentists should have clean hands, and
suggested the use Of bicarbonate OF soda and
soap when leaving the laboratory for the
Office.
Fifteen or twenty niSntss were consumed
Id a conversational discussion OF obtaining
this desirable result, ] s:t5I IA, y,s4.,3 ~.
DR. Steel said this conversation was not
only, Interesting and Instructive, but was,
though asmail matter, quite eag importaDt one.
Still We were frenehibg on the time which
should be devoted to the discussion of the
next subject In order-7siZ,: That OF, opera
tive dentistry Before leaving that or me-
lchanical dentistry, however, be wished to
utter a word Of warning. especially to the
younger members Of the profession. The
subject of artificial densure had heen 30 tho
roughly ventilated, and rep ported in the pa
pers SO minutely, that attention would
naturally be directed tS It, and
many inquiries rnads, about and
acquisitions for 1.-THE .newe:ji base,i and
we were in danger Of yielding too readily to
the demand often made By our patients to
extract slightly decayed natural teeth to be
substituted for q prettier and more regular"
artificial ones. The Fight, therefore, for the
preservation of the naturns teeth would hsve
to be renewed. He Bsd said thousand
times he wished nothing eheaperthan gold
had ever been known, and coud wish that
artificial teeth were more expensive, that
the tnnxfnoY,ronf n FcoariH0o No ok,,r,
teeth for artificial ones would be removed.
Beautiful and useful as artificial teeth are,
fulfilling as they do more Of purposes for
which they are designed than any other ar.
tificial organ, still be would not give one
good, sound, natural tooth for whole set Of
artificial ones He related several cases In
which he had by judieioas filing saved the
natural teeth after they had been con-
demned; had one case of seventeen years
standing, In which all but two or three of
thirty-odd filings remained good to this day,
he having but recently seen his patient,
who, when but child, was told by another
dentist her teeth could not be saved. His ad-
vice was therefore never to recommend the
extraction of tooth which could be saved,
but If 1t was q hopeless case, then give your
patient the benefit OF the highest skill in sup
plying its loss. glGJ fs'.2aa,iiH Hfas
On motion, the subject of Operative Den
tistry was taken UP and discussed.
DR.. Thackston stated that be would avail
himself OF the opportunity, while the SUBJ
ject Of oxychiorite filings over the pulps
was being discussed, to c0rrecta misappre.
hension OF bis views as expressed at former
meeting OF. the Association. lie did not on
that occasion say or intend TO convey the i'm
preston that the death and dry log or " mum
nujWng" of dental puips, sometimes OBJ
served after the application of Guilois's
cement" was either a uniform or even usual
result.
DR.. Mercer desired to ask his older bre-
thren their views as to filing the natural
teeth apart, and gave an account Of, what he
thought was NAL practice, in his own mouth.
=. DR.. Henkel would not have the members
think he favored plastic filings as now In
general use, BECAUSE they were imperfect,
and he never put them in with any assu-
rance that they would last more than five
days, though they often did last as many
years. s'' ''.'s-.' p ~.
DIR. Keesee gave an interesting account of
some >manipulations with oxychloride and
Guillois's cement, and then filing with
gold, but had been less successful with
approXimal cavities than with those on
the grinding surface, and asked If
the experience of others cciacided
with his. Or. Burton had. been more
successful ~ in I, these than in other
cavities. DR.. Wayrs, and DR.. Steel's
experience was the same. DR.. Thackston'S
was that if the filling gotwet 1t failed, If kept
dry sit would be successful. DR.. Burton
used wax to keep the cavity dry. DR..
Thompson used wax and heated It with a
burniSher. On motion, the further discus
sion was closed.
The following gentlemen We're elected
officers for the ensuing year:
President, DR.. W. w. Ell. Tbackston, Of
Farmvlle. Vice. Presidents: First, Dr.. j.
Hall Moore. Richmond |; second, DR.. George
B. Steel, Richmond; third, DR.. S. 81. Hen.
del, Staunton. Treasurer, DR.. james +.
Tbomr rson. Fredericksburg. Secretary, DR..
George f. Keesee, Richmond.