The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-03-08
PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY.
Had Its Origin in this County, where
the First False Teeth were Made.

The Observer, of cambridge, contained
an article in late issue in which it
makes the claim that the science OF
dentistry originated in that place.
If the Observer is correct, then the old
claim that George Washington wore
false teeth must be mistake. The Oh.
server says that in 1928, doctor named
Harris located there and began to prac.
tice medicine. At that time what den
tistry there was was attended to by the
regular doctors, which, however, con.
sisted principally Of pulling teeth when
required. but no one had ever thought
of using false teeth. DR.. Harris, how.
ever, began to experiment and finally
adopted plan for supplying new teeth.
His mode was to cut off the diseased
molar, kill the nerve and drill hole in
it. He would then take the tooth of a
sheep about the right size and drill a
hole in this also and then fasten the
two together by means of hickory peg.
And this was the beginning of the com
plicated system of dentistry today. DR..
Harris afterwards went to Chillicothe
and joined his brother there, and, later
on, the two went to Baltimare, Md,
where they founded and established the
first dental college in the world, and is
today one of the foremost colleges in
this country.
Two students of DIR. Harris were Jos
eph and James Taylor, who afterwards
founded similar college in Cincinnati,
which is still in operation, and was the
second dental college in the country
and, it is believed, in the world.
Speaking of Joseph Taylor the Oh
server says:
After this latter was established Jos.
eph' Taylor travelled through the south
ern states and practiced dentistry. The
original invention of DR.. Harris was
still used in the main, although some
minor improvements had been made.
The hickory pivot was sill used, and
the artificial teeth furnished were sup
piled by sheep. DR.. Taylor made quite
a large sum of money practicing in the
south, but this did not wean him from
the town of his birth, He returned,
and with the money ne had accumulat
ed in furnishing the citizens OF Dixie
land with sheep teeth, he built the
house now owned by Aaron Ferneau.
But, misfortune overlook the pioneer
dentist. He put in several teeth for
Georgia lady. The operation was not
successful, and blood poisoning ensued.
The lady sued the dentist in the Ross
county court for $1,000, and he was
compelled to sell the home he had built
in order to get money to compromise
the case, which was done. Joseph G.
White bought the property of Taylor.
After this, Taylor located in Cincinnati,
and was for many years identified with
the Cincinnati Dental college,. He
raised large family of boys, but had
only one daughter. This daughter is
now Mrs. Thomas McDougal, whose
hut band is leading Republican poll
tician OF the state.
"Thus it will be seen that to Balm
bridge man the world is indebted for
the invention of what has since proven
the greatest boon to suffering humanity
ever known. Many papers have been
read at conventions of dentists all over
the world, and, in substance they all
agree with the brief history the o.
server gives its readers this week. Of
course, there is not much similarity be.
tween the mode of operation at the time
OF Drs. Harris and the Taylors and the
present day. Yet to them we are in.
debted for the wonderful art of den.