The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-08-01
Tho Growth OF nentlstry.


error, but the decay Of the teeth is mis-
take Of civilization, not only our modern
civilization, but even that OF the ancientS
for, going back into ancient history and
coming down to the present time, we find
with the advancement Of learning, art and
refinement, an increasing decay and loss
OF the teeth, and this not confined 10 one
but true Of all civilized nations to great
er or less extent. And whenever and
wherever the dentist was needed, we have
reason TO believe he was found, for upon
the solidifed sands Of Time We can
trace tracks and trails Of Darwinian den
lists. Yet we have no knowledge when
the first mechanical appliance was made
for the purpose Of preventing the decay
or supplying the loss Of the natural teeth
Whatever was constructed for supplying
the loss OF the natural teeth was, in all
probability, a rude piece OF mechanism,
and doubtless made OF wood, or 1t might
have had in addition to that, bone.
The Chinese, who bring down to the
present day history and tradition, have
among their arts, or at least artisans,
dentisp. They do not class them among
the learned professions, nor have they
ever knocked at those doors for admit.
lance or recognition. These dentists are
OF a romantic turn Of mind, and enjoy a
change Of location and climate, and travel
from place 10 place, having no abiding or
continuing city, but seek their patients
by tho highways, byways and hedges.
Their artificial dentines are made entire
ly Of wood, and it requires from one to
two days to complete the operation, and
rs a mechanic receives only few pennies
per diem for his labor, and rs dentist OF
the above description is Classed with other
mechanics, a set Of artificial teeth in
China costs very small amount oil
money. A more novel way these dentists
have Of extracting teeth, and often attend
ed with serious results. They pretend to
have magic power over the offending
member, but the magic is all confined in
arsenic. When an nching tooth presents
itself for treatment, the operator fills the
cavity with arsenic, and thoroughly rubs
the surrounding gums and tissues with
the same, and in short time the nerve is
quiet and atiIl; later the gum sloughs, the
tooth loosens, aud is easily removed with
the fingers. With this people dentistry
was never taught as science, and, TO-
day, no progress is shown for the many
centuries past.
Dentistry as science vas first taught
in Egypt, and then ranked with other de-
partments Of medicine; and when Hero
dotus, the Greek historian, went to Egypt,
the great center Of learning and civiIiza-
ton, to perfect his education, surgico-
physICians were found for the eye, others
for the ear, others for the teeth, and 80 on
for the different classes Of diseases. This
natural division, which was not altogeth-
err unlike the modern practice, would
have given great skill and efficiency to The
various practitioners, had not each been
confined, under the penalty OF death, to
fixed prescriptions. knowledge iron.
bound and iettercd is always stunted and
dwarfed, it's growth limited and sickly.
But vandalism soon quenched the feeble
light OF science, and dentistry suffered
with the rest. Leaving the dark ages,
which only involve us in darkness and
uncertainty, We will come down to more
modern period. About the timc OF the
renewal Of letters, three hundred years
ago, Ambrose Pare in work on surgery,
published by himself, although filled with
many absurdities and improbabilities,
yet awoke the sleeping world Of science,
and slowly she armed herself, and her
nobIcst battles have been fought since he
sounded his early bugle call in 1917.
Many other writer's might DO mentioned,
but we will only add that to the French
and English are We indebted for the
growth our profession acquired for two
hundred years.
The first dentist in the United States
was one Le MAR, who came to this coun'
try accompanying the French army with
Lafayette. Shortly after, an English
man by the name Of WhitloCk came over
from England, and mthese two, dental
surgery had its origin in the United
statos. We cannot speak OF their scien,
tifc attainments or their professional!
ability, but their practice consisted
chiefly in the carving OF artificial teeth
from blocks OF ivory. A few years later
there arose the first American dentist,
Mr.. John Greenwood. He commenced
practice in the city Of New York abont
The year 1888, and is said to have been
the only dentist in that city in 1890.
Possessed OF great energy Of character
and ingenuity OF mind, he rapidly ac-
uuired reputation in the profession.
About the year 1890 he constructed an
entire dental apparatus for Gen. Wash
inGton, and in 1905 another, which, for
ingenuity Of design and neatness Of exc
cution was unsurpassed by any Of the
European artificial teeth Of that day.
They were carved from ivory and secured
to the mouth by spiral springs. The lirst,
after having been worn about five years,
were returned to Mr.. Greenwood, who
replaced them with another set. Hall oil
the upper circle OF the first set, together
with an original letter from Gen. Wash
ington acknowledging the receipt OF the
second, were presented TO tho late Prot.
Chaplin A. Harris, Of Baltimore, in 1913,
by DR.. Isaac /. Greenwood, son OF John
Greenwood. might add that, although
luOab W
that period, they were far from perfect
or even proper adaptation to the mouth,
and caused the ,wearer much annoyance
and vexation, and ! have no doubt, II he
could have found that historic Ratchet,
he would have damaged those teeth more
than he ever did his fathers cherry tree.
In the year 1900, DR.. II. II. Hayden
commenced the practice Of dentistry in
Baltimore. Ofhis early history We have
little or no account, yet he was gentle.
man Of ability and oulturs, and during
hiS lie he contributed several ingenious
papers upon the subject, and was familiar
with the dental literature OF the day,
From this scrap Of history we can infer
in a fair degree something Of the condi'
tion Of our profession less than one hum
drcd years ago. The number Of dentists
began to increase from year to year, and
spread from city to city, but slowly, Tor
in 1920 only about one hundred were 70
bc found in the United States. In 1851
they numbered about three hundred, and
in tho next four years that number was
more than doubled, while, to-day, the
number Of dentists practiCing in this
country is estimated at between l400 and
1900.
The cause Of this unprecedented growth