The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-19
FAIR LADY DENTISTS.
A New Sphere of Work and Profit for
the Gentle Sex.
From the Netu York Star.

the Gentle Sex.
From the Netu York Stor
The profession of dentistry is one which
offers to women an agreeable avenue of es-
cape from the circumscribed sphere of de-
pendence, or the ill paid labor of the needle
or the factory. AS yet they have not taken
advantage OF it to any great extent, for out
of the $1,000 dentists in the United States
not more than sixty are women, and in the
city of New York there are only about
half a Dozen and of these only two prac-
tice on their own account the others being
employed as assistants by men.
The pioneer woman-dentist of the coun-
try is probably Mrs. Philippine Dieffenbach
Truchsess, who has conducted office on
West Twenty-third street, between Sixth
and Seventh avenues, for the past fifteen
years. Her first husband, DR.. Dietfenbach,
had dental establishment on Canal street,
back in the sos, and while she was still in
her teens" she amused herself by putting
to use the mechanical talent with which ma
ture had endowed her by assisting him in
his laborat )ry IN the making of plates. In
1858 he secured patent for new kind of
plate, the invention of which was largely
due to his wife. In 1861 he went to Ger
many, ostensibiy to dispose of his patent
and never returned TO his home. Mrs.
Dieffenbach pluckily determined to contin-
ue the business, aud she has done so ever
since, with the aid of assistants, building
up a reputation as one of the most expert
mechanical dentists in the profession. She
has a womau's aversion to the sight of blood
and pain, and avoids drawing teeth, unless
it is absolutely necessary, although she is
very skillful in this braucl of the business
which is known as dental surgery. Her
speciality is artificial work. particularly the
delicate process of taking impressions of
the mouths of patients. Her assistant, who
takes care of the surgical branch, is DIR.
has acquired fame in the profession by the
invention of instruments for a new process
of putting a crown a tooth.
She is very proud OF a little card which
she has certifying that she is an honorary
member of the Students Society of the
New York College of Dentistry. She was
elected Dec. II, 1888, and is the first and
only woman who has been accorded that
distinction. When the law was passed in
this state prohibiting any person from
practcing dentistry who had not a proper
license, she was accorded license without
being required to pass examination, be-
cause of her well-known standing in the
profession. Her laboratory is also a work
shop for several young students of the New
York College of Dentistry, who board with
her, and in whose studies she takes a great
deal of interest. 81 like" she said, ito
work with them. 1t not only bel ps them,
but it keeps me from sticking in old ruts
and can keep pace with the progress of
tue art"
The New York Dental College does not
admit women as students. There is no
absolute law preventing their matriculation
but whenever, one applies, which is every
year or two she is told that her association
with male students will be very likely to be
unpleasant, and she is scared away. One
woman however, didn't scare Sac was the
Russian Countess H. V. S~iderska, the
daughter of wealthy physician of st.
Petersburg. Her noble spouse sqandered
all her dowry, and she left him with the de-
termination to earn living for herself and
child. She came to New York with strong
letters of recommendation, and succeeded
in getting her mans on the college roll At
the end of the course she failed to pass, but
she tried again aud succeeded. Then she
returned to st. Petersburg and opened an
office, and was soon in the enjoyment of
large revenue from her practice, being pat
roniZed by the nobility and royalty.
Another graduate fro an American col
lege Henrietta Hirschfield of Berlin, who
took her diploma from the Cincinuatti
College of Dentistry, returned to Berlin, in
1869, and was fortunate enough to at once
secure the royal patronage. Since then a
number of women have come to this coun-
try to study, and after graduation have re-
turned TO their European homes to practice.
Among them are Mrs Anna Van Daen-
ming of Vienna, who is the dentist OF the
Empress of Austria, and enjoys practice
worth $4,000 a year, and Mrs. DR.. Ruby
4. Clifford of London, who cares for the
teeth of Queen Victoria. There Is also
German baroness in London who enjoys the
reputation of being the most clever tooth
extractor In England.
Women are also admitted to the Phila-
| delphia Dental College and the Pennsylva-
MIA Dental College, which this year has
three women graduates, one or whom,
daughter of Dr. Carman of this city, stood
at the head of her class, and carried off
nearly all of the medals and honors. One
of the other two women took the second
| Mace in the class In the University of
Michigan DIR. Margaret Humphry wa for
several years assistant demonstrator to DIR.
Waiting, treasurer OF the dental depart
ment and one of the officers of the state
dental society When she resigned to place
herself in condition to give curtain lectures
she was succeeded by DIR. Elsie Hallock,
who also resigned to take husband. Women
ara gladly received at the Ann Arbor Den
tai College, and their male classmates treat
them with the greatest respect,
DIR. Cassus M. Richmond Of No. 70
West Thirty-Fifth street believes that
women are adapted to the profession OF
dentistry at has lately become fascinat-
Ing study among young ladies" he said re-
cently. land the time is coming when the
colleges will lave about as many OF them
as of Young men in the classes. Women
now are rapidly takiog the places Of men
and boys as assistants in the offices Of male
dentists ali over the world. They are more
agreeable to patients, particularly g lady
patients, for there is no smell OF stale tooac-
co and other Jnings about them, ana they
are always excellent mechanics. MISS
Genevieve Smith, who has been an assist
amt in the office Of DIR. Norman, w. Kings
lev for some years, IS not only an efficient
operator in regulating the teeth. bat IS
also most clever operator IN
..i,at .-o call neft-Dalate cases.