The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-12-17
VIRGINIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION
SECOND DAY-YspsEspAY.

taken up.
DR.. Burton recommended the application
of carbolic acid simply to the nerve before
icspping with the oxychloride.
Or. Mahony had found no cause to regret
bis former practice of filling Immediately tht
exposed nerve with the oxychloride, and ex
pressed surprise at the statement made by
some that such treatment had proved q fail
ure.
DR.. Henkel had found that carbolic acid
applied in the manner described, was escha
rotc in its effects, and SO the nerve was in 6
measure destroyed, and was afterwards like
ly to give trouble.
DR.. Hunt, Of Washington, expressed graf.
ification that the profession were giving more
attention to chemistry than formerly. We
should not only use chemical agents, but
should know their properties, and how and
why they produce certain results. All art is
based on science, and effects are the result oi
causes, and all subject to laws. We formerly
destroyed nerves, now we seek to keep them
alive, and these chemical agents are brought
iuto rcquisition. We know not always arha
certain results follow, but we are progress.
! ing, and should not be satisfied until we can
say we know; aud in order to attain this end
we should pursue diligently the study Of this
most important branch Of our profession.
The report on Dental Pathology and Sur.
gerry was next called for, but in the absence
of the committee the subject was passed, DR..
| Henkel stating that The chairman, DR.. John.
| son ,had prepared very elaborate report,
but objected TO sending it, as he could not be
present.
The subject of Dental Therapeutics was alse
| passed, on account Of the absence Of the
| chairman of the committee. The president
said, not in any spirit Of censure, but as q
suggestion, that it would be we'll for each
member of committee to prepare report,
! and not rely on the chairman, and hoped
! this would be done in future.
| DR.. Jeter, on behalf the Executive Com
mittee, rendered the use of the offices of city
members of the Association for clinical ex-
hibitions.
In reply to the query, What are the duties
of the Executive Committee? the secretary
read that portion of the constitution relating
to that subject. ..a.
DR.. Steel suggested that they should also
be madea committee on hospitaities, or that a
special committee should at the proper time
be appointed. 1t was desirable that there
should be at all these meetings full attend.
ance. Especially should inducements be
offered to those at distance.
| A communication was received from DR..
n. NJ. Burkholder, of Harrisonburg, Va.
On motion of DR.. Steel, the paper was re-
ferred to the president with the request
| that, if approved~by him. it should be read
under the head Of Voluntary Essays.
| DR.. Steel. chairman of the Committee on
Mechanical Dentistry, made report on that
subject. He reviewed in brief the qualities
of the several bases used for mounting arti-
! fetal teeth, was still Of the opinion that
| there is not, never has been, nor ever will
be, anything superior to gold for this object.
| but that the demand for something cheap
was so great that the profession had been
obliged to look around them for
some material less expensive than
| gold or platina. Rubber bad been aud still
was extensively used, but was Objectionable
| on many accounts. Celluloid was now oc-
cupying the attention Of the profession, and
promised better results. He had been sue
cessful in its use, especially under the new
| method Of preparing it by dry heat, and
was glad to state that DR.. Hunt, the inventor
of the dry-heat process of preparing celu
| loid, was present. and no doubt prepared to
give information on this subject.
DR.. Moore was pleased with the celluloid,
and believed it would eventually supercede
rubber.
DR.. Henkel, of Staunton, said that though
he lived near where they kept crazy people,
vet. as he was now among sane ones, be
wanted to talk q little. He had used ceilu-
| loid, first with olive oil, then with tallow,
but had. not tried the dry heat referred to III
the report; but from that and the subsequent
discussion believed it to be the best cheap
| base now in use, though he had found din :
Guilty in shaping it. Had known 1t also to
assume leathely consistency.
DR.. Hunt, the inventor of manipulating
| celluloid by the dry-heat process, stated
that celluloid could be codIed TO any
| desired shape, but could not be un-
duly forced. This forcing process doubtless
| caused the eathery consistency alluded to
by DR.. Henkel. Celuloid is new. article !;
is made of cotton converted into gun.cotton;
| then by the use of camphor into what is
called pyroxyline. Hemp was in some cases
substituted for cotton. DR.. Steel was cor
rect in saying that gold was the best and in
recommending celuloid. 1t was best as com.
pared with rubber, and it bad some qualities
superior to gold in that gold and silver felt
| hard in the mouth. In the natural teeth the
periosterem counteracted the pain that
| would otherwise be occasioned by the occlu-
sion of the teeth, SO the springing, yielding
properties of the celluloid served somew hat
the purposes Of nature in this respect. Gel.
luIoid is new; it is not yet four years
since it was first introduced. He did not
claim for it perfection, nor that it
would supercede gold directly, but
as rubber has TO large extent pushed gold
| out of the way, so be believed celluloid was
destined TO take the place OF rubber, as the de-
mand was for some cheap base. We know
| that rubber has been used under protest,
particularly on account Of its tendency to
cause Inflammation of the parts OF the
mouth with which it comes in contact.
More can be done with celluloid, while its
use is not Injurious to the mouth. liz ap-
prOaches nearer in Its nature and character
| the demands of the tissues. Celiu!oze, from
which celluloid is made, is composed OF car
| bon, hydrogen, and oxygen. He thought the
only Objectionable feature about celiulod
was its coloring matter, though that was
slight as compared with rubber, for while
rubber has thirty per cent. Of yermilIioD, cell
| luoid has only about one or one and half
| per cent. Water, oil, steam, glycerine, and
| the dry heat had been successiVely used in
manipulating the plate. He stated the ad-
| yantages and disadvantages Of each, and was
! satisfied that the new process of dry heat Is
the best. The campbor is latent solvent. is
volatile, and is eyaporated by the heat leaving
! the celluold seasoned. He exhibited O par
tial get warped by reason OF not being sea.
soned. or BY an unequal evaporation OF the
soiyents.> Deserted at length how these de-
fects might be remedied. Was now direct
Ing his atten. ion to the more thorough pre-
paration of plsster of paris for making the
nn,,Ids nr yp h, aI to shane the cellulOid