Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-01-12
GOLD FILINGS COST MILLIONS.

Dentists Each Year Withdraw from the
Country's Supply $2,OOO,OOO.
OF the wealth Of this country there
Is a certain part that has never
entered into the reports Of the census
of fiscal departments of the govern
ment. There is. II the estimates Of
men who should know are to be taken
as authoritative. over $lO.OOO,OOO per-
sonal wealth, In the shape Of gold, of
which the government is entirely igno-
rant. or, IL not ignorant. has decided
not to mention in its financial reports.
Each year there is over 100000
worth of gold that disappears, that
is lost to the moneys Of the world,
and yet it is not lost
More than $2,0OO,OOO worth OF gold
is used annually in caring for the
mouths OF citizens Of the United States
who have been neglected in the mat
ter Of their teeth. This $2,OOO,O0O is
practically wealth that is lost After
the gold is once securely fixed in the
mouth of dentists patient it ceases
to exist as precious metal of impor-
lance in the world Of finance, and is
only plug to Il tooth, a base article.
lost forever as "A particle OF an article
for which men have fought and died
and murdered and perjured and sold
themselves since the world began.
The figures seem vast when the
small amount used in making n filling
is considered, but they are undoubted-
ly correct. The man in charge of the
gold department of the largest dental
supply house in the country arrived ut
these figures after extensive researches
and calculations, and his estimate Is
verified by other men in position
to know.
Two million dollars taken out of its
stock Of gold is the price that the
country pays annually for having its
teeth cared for in an up.to-date man
ner.
Ten years ago it Is estimated that
only 25 per cent Of the people Of this
country ever went to a dentist ex-
cept to have tooth pulled. Five years
ago the percentage was 33 10. Now.
it is declared, so per cent of the popu-
lation pay visits to the dentists chair
for some other reason than that o.
having an aching tooth extracted.
This increase in the number Of dental
patients in the country has resulted
in consequent increase in the amount
of gold used for this purpose. Prac-
tically all of the so per cent who are
numbered as the dentists patrons have
some gold in their teeth. Thus, ten
years ago there was only 100000
worth Of gold put into the mouths Of
the citizens as against the $2,OOO,O 900
OF to-day.
Using the rate Of increase each year
for the last ten years as a basis, the
average yearly consumption of the
precious metal in this manner has
been $1,5OO.OOO year. This would
make $15,OOO.OOO worth Of gold which
has been put into teeth since 1894. For
this amount could be built three Of
the best battle-ships in the world: the
presidents salary could be paid for
thirty years; every voter who has
gone to the polls this year could be
paid 81 for his trouble and still leave
a million for good measure.
Deaths, Of course, have cut the NUN.
Der Of people who have had gold filling
put in their teeth In these years coll
siderably. Five million dollars worth
of gold. it is estimated, has been
buried in the graveyards OF this coun-
try in the period covered by these fig
ures. II total could be arrived at,
reckoning from the time when gold
first was used in filings, it Ia certain
that the amount of gold lying unused
and dead in graves would Dc near to
S25. 100000.
Subtracting the $5OO0,OOO taken Off
the earth from the total Of $l5,OOO,OOO
used in the last decade, 1t will be seen
that there must be at least $4,000, COO
worth Of gold perambulating about the
country in the mouths Of the citizens.
Ten million dollars In the most con-
venient form in the world. in the pos
session of the people: $1O,O0O,OO0 walk
ing, sleeping and eating with them,
and vet not cent Of it that can be
spent, not a cent of it that may lie
reckoned in the wealth Of the in
dividual or the country at large.--Chi-
cago Chronicle.