Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-06-24
DENTISTRY.
annual Convention OF the Tennessee
Association.
/" Thousands Of Teeth Pulled That
Night be Saved"


Reading and Discussion Of Papers on
Extraction OF Teeth" "Dentistry
in Tennessee and Treatment Of
Exposed PuIPs.''
The eighth annual convention of the
/ Tennessee Dental Association met in the
Federal Court chamber in this city yester-
day morning, at 10 o'clock. President DR..
E. S. CHISHOLM, CT Tuscaloosa, Ala, in The
chair. The meeting was opened with
prayer by DR.. Morgan, and the following
members answered to roll call: E. S. CHS
holm, w. H. Morgan, j. c. Ross, S. ].
Cobb, Il. r. Freeman, j. T. Crawford, E
A. Herman, J. Taft, T. j. Holden, w. l..
Dismukes, L. C. Chisholm, G. c. San
| dusky and l.. G. Noel.
In the ABSENCE of the Recording Secre-
tary, DR.. Freeman was appointed Secretary
pro tenn.
The greater portion of the morning was
consumed in the usual preliminary bust
ness, such as hearing reports from commit
tees and officers.
Drs. Cobb, Herman and Sandusky were
made committee on membership. H. W.
Morgan, NJ. D., was, by unanimous vote,
elected to membership.
The members present were now invited
to walk up and settle their annual dues
with the secretary.
DR.. Cobb read lengthy paper on "The
Extraction Of Teeth" by DR.. S. P. Catler,
of Memphis. The paper started out with
the query, "Under what circumstances
should the forceps be resorted TOP" He
stated that the introduction of anasthetics
had, by mitigating the pain of extraction,
brought about a wholesale destruction of
thousands of teeth that might, by filling
be made useful members. The men who,
in our large cities, devoted their whole
time to the extraction of teeth, under the
administration of vitrous oxide, were, as a
class, ignorant of the chemistry and
physiological action of the agents thus
employed and should not be trusted TO ad-
minister it. In order to increase their
nefarious business, they had done their ut
most TO educate the masses up to the idea
that fllingSteeth was, as far as their preser-
vatiOn is concerned, an expensive failure,
and to encourage the belief that when teeth
become diseased it is best to get rid of
them, and have them replaced by artificial
substitutes.
He put in a strong plea for the preserva-
tiOn of the sixth year molars, so often lost
by neglect and ignorance early in life, and
for the wisdom teeth, more Sinned against
than SHINING. The writer went infinitely
into detail as to the indications for ex-
tracing and the circumstances under which
an operator should consent to remove a
tooth.
The paper was discussed by DIS. Morgan,
Cobb, Chisholm, and others.
The hours for meeting and adjOurning
were fixed as follows: Clinics from $50
to 10 A. n morning session from 10 A. NJ.
TO 1890 P. NJ; afternoon session from 2:30
to P. NJ.
Adjourned until 2:30 p. N.
Afternoon Session.
The Society was called to order at $50
and the discussion of DR.. Cutters paper
resumed. The conservative spirit mani
tested throughout this discussion would
lead an outsider to the conclusion that ex-
tracing teeth is becoming a very small
part Of the business of modern dentists.
All were loud in their condemnation of
the wholesale destruction of teeth by those
who, in the larger cities, confne them
selves TO the extraction Of teeth under the
administration of aD8sthetics. Prof Taft,
Of Cincinnati, who was present and spoke
at some length, said: "1here is an estao-
lishment in Cincinnati whore gas is given
aud teeth extracted by the bushel. The
proprietor sometimes publishes a roll Of
two or three thousand names of persons
for whom he has extracted teeth. | have
often had occasion TO procure teeth here for
infrmary purposes, aud have been struck
with the fact that three-fourths Of them
were not so much affected as to be beyond
the reach of curative measures. 1 think
that have often passed month in active
practice, during which would not have
extracted a single TOOTH
This subject was now passed, and DR..
Morgan read paper on Dentristy in Ten
nessee, in which he gaze a detailed account
Of the rise and progress of the profession in
the State. Prominent in the galaxy of
illustriOus names which Tennessee had
enrolled upon the history of this noble
young profession, were those of Harris,
Vaucamp, Badger and Hamlin, who prac-
ticed in this city; Wheeler of Murfrees-
bOrO. DR.. John FOuche of Knoxville, Whea-
ton and Bryan Of Memphis, and DIR. Bean,
the inventor of the interdental splint, who
commenced his professional career in East
Tennessee, but afterwards removed TO
Georgia.
DR.. E. S. Chisholm read paper Cd the |
Treatment of Exposed Pulps."
This paper was discussed by DIS. Ross, |
L. G. Chisholm, Taft, Morgan and Cobb. |
Here again the conservative feature of |
modern dentistry cropped out; for all spoke
in strong condemnation Of the practice of /
destroying the pulps Of teeth when ex-
posed and aching, and various treatments
were detailed for their restoration to
health. The consideration of this subject
occupied the Association up to the hour of
The attendance was increased in the af-
ernoOn, by the addition Of DIS. Russell,
Of Columbia, A. p. White, Of
and II. III. AGREE, Of GAINESVILLE.
Adjourned to meet again at 9 o'clock this