The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-06-15
ANNUAL ADDRESS.
OF PRESIDENT F. S. HARRIS,
Delivered Before the North Car
olina State Dental Society in
Raleigh, May 5th.
News and Observer. I

the following extracts from the ad-
mirable address of President F S.
Harris before the North Carolina State
Dental Society
Gentlemen ami FeIkozo MeWbeys Of
the North Carolina State Dental
.S0llfty::
1t is with feelings Of genuine pleas
ure that | greet you, here in the City
of Oaks, where we have been enter
tanned at six annual meetings since
our organization as a Society. "The
City Of Oaks the oak represent
ative of strength and stability and
beauty, and typical of her citizenship.
We are to congratulate ourselves on
falling among such people, conserv-
atlve yet progressive and most hosplt-
able friends and strangers, making one
anxious to come again to this Capital
City and this Capitol building where
more laws are made and fewer broken
-probably-than in any other Capt.
tai of our land. We assembled here
not for feats of forensic skill to which
these walls have usually been accus-
toned, but for the interchange of
thought and ideas, mingled with the
social intercourse, which is SO pleasant
and SO profitable to US all.
Time has passed by when, in the
labyrinthine depths of the laboratory,
the dentist bent over his crucible,
invoking mystic aid for his own pelf
and jealousy guarding against letting
out the secret to fellow craftsman
that humanity might be the gamer
through the unlocking of Natures
Secrets when, with more of the spirit
of generosity and brotherly kindness,
our profession had sooner merged from
its dark exclusiveness and the realm OF
the black arts and from the Crudeness
of empyricism and taken its stand
among the learned and liberal pro-
fessions. The association idea invoked
a brighter day for dentistry and now
who is so self-conCeited as to think for
moment that he is not largely a
gamer by meeting with his fellows and
/ intcrchanging views and methods with
which each is endeavoring to make
/ himself most proficient in his chosen
vocation? 1t is as the prOverb-"lron
sharpeneth iron,' and my idea here
may interlock with your idea there, an
intcrmarrage of ideas, as it were, and
with no cause to regret the union.
What may free and liberal association
not do to break down the walls OF
sellishness and broaden ones views?
And he must be very inatttentive or
dull or unappreciative who attends one
of our meetings and does not take
away something, some idea that he
can make available in the better
practice of his profession. And what
a boon it has been to the public, who
are beginning to discriminate between
the gim-crack dental peddler-the
peripatetic china artist, and the true
man, mindful of the claims of humanity
upon him, and whom the civil code,
the code of dental and professional
ethics, or the higher code proclaimed
from the mount-the golden rule SO
applicable to all questions, moral and
social the man, | say, when none of
these things can touch because as a
gentleman he intuitively obeys their
mandates Aside from the real and
practical knowledge that is gained
through association, it confers GER
tain prestige that is by no means to be
despsed, though no true member will
| trade on it, as we have seen done by
the Association hanger on-the dead
beat who, plying his vocation at some
out -of-the way cross roads district, lets
it get abroad that he has gone down
to the Association tor few days, and
then returns loaded with the inevi-
table hand-bill setting forth that hav-
ing been down to the meeting of the
Society, replenished his stock, taken
part in its sessions etc, ETC., he IS
better prepared than ever to excel all
others in his line-inviting all to see
his process of filling teeth by an
entirely new process, while he can give
the most teeth and the prettiest for the
least money of any dentist in the State.
Many of you are doubtless acquainted
with the gentleman, though l may not
have given him a very graceful intro
duction. And you have been annoyed
by his monumental cheek and gall
whereby he worms himself in md out,
monoplizing best position ioI observ-
ing clinics and handling the exhibits
with a freedom, a nonChalance, pc
culiarly his own.
The Lord knows we do not envy
him the knowledge he may pick up.
but the way he goes about it and the
use he makes of it render him very
contemplate in the eyes Of true
man.
regret to say there are some really
worthy men and very crednable prac-
titioners, having the confidence of a
good clientele, who do not lend us
their presence and aid.
In most cases it has been because
they have strangely not investigated
the matter or are not naturally socially
inclined and SO let it go by. 1t was
deemed proper in the beginning of our
society to send out circular setting
forth the importance of belonging to
the society, but do not think that Is
l advisable now. 1t is we'll known that
we have a State Dental Society, and
it is an honor to be sought after, and