Holbrook argus., 1904-07-09
A "FORTY.NINER" DENTIST.
Outdoor Office, Big Prices and Nuggets
 for Filling.

towering walls of impregnable granite for walls, and the blue sky for roof were the unique conditions surround ing what was probably the first dental office in California. The dentist was Dr. s. M. Harris, then known as "Lit- tie Doc," to-day Mayor of Grass Val ley, Nevada County.
 This odd dental office was founded in the day when men rocked cradles with more cherished burdens than new born babies; when caravans of people focked into California in search of gold; when the founders of this great State took up their habitation in a wild and desolate country.
 When you arrived at Dr. Harris of- flee there was q noticeable absence of the plush covered chair and other &C., coutrements which usually mark the dentists office. There was no drill run by foot power, no bulb to wash out the cavity. For chair the smooth boulder on which Dr. Harris sat when rocking his cradle answered this requi- site. For drill, short pieces of wire were used, and when cavity was ready for filling and needed cleansing with water the patient was handed q tin dipper and the stream furnished the water.
 The charge for this work was rather in advance of present day fees, but there was never trouble over pay. ment, after an aching member was ex- tracted. One half ounce of gold-the equivalent of $S-was the fee for ex- traction, and for filling double that amount.
 When patient arrived there were a few formalities to go through, as in most cases neither knew the other. If the case was one of extraction, the dentist would go to his camp and get a pair of forceps-the only article be- longing to the dentists kit which he then owned and extract the tooth But, on the other hand, if filling was the requirement, the process was of a more slow and tedious nature. The patient having a cavity to fill would usually make an appointment for Sun day, as a good part of a day was nee essary for the operation.
 The doctor would go to his camp fire, which was situated about fifty feet from his cradle, and temper his instruments. Here small boulder an- swered very well for forge. When the tools were got into shape work was begun on the patient.
 Small pieces of wire from six to eight inches in length and fattened out constituted the excavators. Con- stant rubbing of smooth rock, just as q knife is sharpened on whet- stone, kept them sharp. Fillirgs were made from gold nuggets scraLed with a pocket knife into small shavings, then amalgamated with mercury. Sil- yer coin was also used at times, al- though silver was very scarce arti- cle in that day. A heavy piece of wire served as a plugger to insert the fill ing. When this filling crystallized 1t made a very lasting one.
 Every day while Dr. Ha iris worked his claim he had one or more patients. For the reason that he came to Cali fornia to hunt gold, and not to fill teeth, he did not encourage business. As the country settled around him the pioneer dentist turned his practice over to others who came in lAter, and when he left that section he did not leave them without dentist.-San Francis co Chronicle.
 The Boy on tte Farm.
 If a man has a boy he should give