Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-10-22
NEED OF THE ARMY.
Reasons Why Dental Surgery
Should Be Given Soldiers.
An Urgent PIen Presented by Charles
S. stanley, ID. ID. s., for the Ern-
pIoyment of Dentlsts by the
Government.

In Lcslie's Weekly DR.. Charles S.
Stanley presents the suggestion that
dentists be employed in the army. He
says: Our government surrounds her
enlisted men with comfortable sani-
tary quarters, supplies them with
good, wholesome food and cnforccs
physical exercise for the proper main
lenancc of good health. During i'll
ness the hospital facilities are of the
best. and only skilled surgeons and
thoroughly trained assistants are EN-.
ployed. The latest improved surgical
instruments and the best medicinal
agents are used, regardless of cost.
All portions of the human organism
ure guarded with care, excepting one
of the most important, the dental or
eans. What part of the physique is of
more importance than the teeth? And
il they be extracted or diseased the
whole system suffers, and perhaps be-
yond remedy.
We have neglected the blessings of
dental science. Statistics show that
90 per cent. of the people of this coun-
try need dental attention, while only
20 per ccut. receive the same. DR.. Otto
Arnold forcibly remarked, while
speaking on that subject to the Ohio
State Dental society:
"In our army there is great sus-
ceptibility to the insidious process Of
dental carries, which is no respecter of
persons. and has no limit; for other
diseases may come and go, but dental
carries, when once begun, like the
brook, goes on forever"
In many instances persons suffering
with dental disturbances are totally
incompetent for the performance of
their regular duties. When dental
carries reaches a certain stage, and il
the skilled knowledge of the dentist is
not employed, the extraction of the
offending tooth is necessary, which re-
suits i'll impairing the utility of the
antagonizing tooth, causing the ad-
joining teeth to lean toward the space
from which the tooth was extracted,
due to the stress of mastication, injur-
ing articulation and making mastica-
tion more difficult. The loss of several
teeth viii so impair mastication that
COuSIiluliOllilt Will OllGll
result.
Proper dental attention would de-
crease the retired list, and many val
liable men would be retained in the
service who are now disqualified; dag
nosed as dyspeptics, because suffering
from indigestion traceable to lack of
proper masticating facilities. Assim-
ilation is imperfect unless there is
proper mastication of the foods, and
where there is malassimilation the
susceptibility to contagious diseases
-diarrhoea, dysentery, etc.-is eX-
ceedingly great, and the effects of
fatigue are more rapid and lasting.
The dental surgeon would be of in
valuable benefit to the general sur
seon in cases of gun shot wounds or
other injuries to the mouth or face.
The dental surgeon would be of valu-
able assistance on the examining
board in preventing the enlistment of
men with defective teeth. An almost
accurate means of Identification
would be available from the charts
kept by the dental surgeon. We have
in the army veterinary surgeons, but
is the care of the horse of more i'm
portance than the proper care of the
men, and do they have proper care If
dental surgery is lacking?