The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-01-23

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timid patients in this direction, is not
only unprofessionaI, but has in it all
the elements of the charlatan. Do
unto others as you would be done by,
use upon others any instrument or
appliance that you would be willing
under the same conditions to have used
upon yourselves is to me a good and
safe rule, and make no show about It.
1 used to battle with my preceptor
about his wholesale extraction of teeth,
but, ne was but following the peculiar
conditions of the times. Vulcanizable
rubber had then just been discovered.
Gold and silver plate with their diff
cult working and expense had up to
this time held back the unframed and
ignorant from entering the dental pro-
fession. There was no law regulating
the practice of dentistry. Anyone by
paying a hundred or two dollars could
go into a dental ofice-in a couple of
weeks learn to make a set of teeth on
rubber base. and the week after hang
out his sign as a dentist. The people,
then as now, expecting to get some
thing for nothing would flock to his
rooms. He knew nothing but to drag
out their teeth and put in their place
his miserable substitute for as miser-
able a pittance. and thus began the
great destruction OF the peoples teeth
and the beginning Of the sad condition
we see today in the mouths of their
children. For l think it is the testi-
r1lony of every observant dentist, that
he has never seen in the mouth of a
descendant, a normal condition of the
teeth. whose mother has before his
birth lost her full upper or lower set
or both.
When 1 first came to my practice
in Honolulu it was the custom for the
physicians to give instructions to the
dentist what to do. This 1 resented
with considerable spirit, for as said
to them, n have spent as many years
in preparing for my speciality as you
did for your general practice and I'M
der as severe discipline, and it is but
common sense that I should know more
about it that you do who did not prob
ably give it an hour of time in your
full course" I had so much of this to
contend with that I resolved to see for
myself the foundation upon which they
built their sense of such superior
knowledge. I at once put every spare
moment into study for a medical course
and, returning to Ohio matriculated
and graduated from one of the best
medical schools in that State. l have
to state that in the six months course
but a part of one hour lecture was
given to the special diseases Of the
teeth and mouth. Doubtless that
same school would now do much bet
ter by its graduates. 1t is needless
to say that when I returned with my
medical degree, I never heard further
from my medical confreres, but was
allowed to save teeth that I thought
best to preserve without their conten-
ton.
The whole subject of antiseptic
mouth-washes has grown up since my
graduation am not quite sure but to
the serious injury of the mouth and
teeth There is no question about the
great care which should be given to
cleansing the teeth as thoroughly as
possible with brush and silk, using II
necessary a carefully prepared tooth
powder once a day at night. But TO
be constantly washing the mouth al
all times of the day with strong, pun
gent aseptfc mouth washes seems TO
me TO wea ken and put TO sleep nature,
which, left TO herself, would prepare
her battalions, and with her guards
ever out would seek the most vulner-
able points of her enemies, and thus be
able TO fight them much more success
fully than would be done by foreign
help.
1 cannot close this reminiscent paper
without saying something about our
profession, and the inheritance with
which you younger men have entered.
After 1 had returned from service in
our Civil War, and had decided TO
study dentistry, several of my infiuen-
tial friends were greatly opposed TO IT,
and said You are too much of a man
10 go into that miserable charlatan
kind of work It is no place for you;
you can find a better calling" men
ton this simply to show the feeling
existing at that time against the pro-
fessfon. And can II be said TO have
quite disappeared at the present time
After my graduation ] went 10 visit
a dear old friend whose life was among
the upper classes. Her daughter tod
her I had graduated a doctor. They
did not dare tell her I was to be a
dentist. for it would greatly shock
her and cause her 10 commiserate me
instead Of congratulating me as she
did. To the day of her death she
thought of me as a physician, and was
happy in the thought The first in
stance was in Ohio. the second in Yer
mont. so YOU see the same feeling
prevailed east and west. Physicians
would not recognize our title of D D.