The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-10
WAR TO THE KNIFE.
Worcester Dentists Will
Fight international
Tooth Grown Co.

Interest increases in the legal battle
now going on between the International
Tooth Crown Company and the Dent
lists Protective Association, and sew
eral of the dental journals have com
mented editorially on the various as
poets of the fight.
1t is war to the knife. and neither fac
ton thinks of receding from its posi-
ton. Yesterday DIR. H. L. Wheeler,
one of the oldest local members of the
association, received another communi-
cation from headquarters, in Chicago,
that gives a concise summary of the
situation which is of interest to every
dentist Much of the matter contained
in this official announcement has al
ready been referred to in The Spy, but
there are several features that have
not been touched upon.
It seems that the prolonged litigation
which had been taken up by the Pro-
tective Association in behalf of the den
lists had exhausted the funds and that
in order to meet the drain upon the
treasury, not supplied by assessments,
it was found necessary to sell certain
securities, and when the liabilities were
cancelled, many dentists thought that
the work of the association was ended,
and that there was no further need of
it's existence. But the recent activity
of the Tooth Crown Company shows
that there is more need of it than
ever.
To quote from the official circular,
''The Crown Company has resumed OPP
erations because they thought that the
Protective Association was no longer
active, and they were led to this belief
by the apathy of the dentists, but more
especially by the recommendations of
these same enemies of the profession
who urged that the association be dis
banded
On July 81, 1899, Judge Townsend of
the United States circuit court gave a
decision reversing a former one, that
declared the patent of the Crown Com
pany to be invalid. In this last suit, ii
is said that the Protective Association
did not take any active part, where the
so-called '1ow bridge patent was sus-
tanned.
Now the Protective Association has
determined to come forward and put UP
fight to the death ON the validity of
these patents, and will carry the appeal
to the United States supreme court if
necessary. The time allowed to any
dentist to become a member of
the association is Dec. /, and any
dentist who gets his entrance fee in
before that date and signs the bylaws,
can have the satisfaction of knowing
that if he is sued in Worcester, the as
ISOLATION will stand back of him and
pay all the costs of litigation.
This circular sent to DIR. Wheeler is
signed by ]. N. Grouse, the chairman
of the Dental Protective Association.
A number of local dentists have come
into line. While others are trying to
save their $40 membership fee by wait
ing for something to turn up
In the October number of the Inter
national Dental Journal the editor won
ders why more dentists have not en-
rolled themselves in the Protective AS
ISOLATION, in view of the fact that so
many of them have spent hundreds of
dollars in license fees to the Tooth
Crown Company, or have incurred
great expense in defending themselves
individually in suits against them.
Considering the present activity of
the Tooth Crown Company and the re-
cent suits brought against Boston dem
lists. there seems to be no reason to
doubt that similar suits will be brought
here in Worcester, and many local den
lists are waiting anxiously for new
developments.