Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-07

| One Of the bills that will come before
the next Congress. AMI That Is almost
certain to be passed with very little
discussion, will not only add group OF
new and useful officers to the American
navy, but will do, for the comfort and
health OF our naval forces, what has
already been very successfully done in
the case Of the United States Army.
The bill. provides for the appointment
OF regularly trained dental surgeons
and has already received the endorse
ment of Secretary Moody, and been
favorably reported By the Committee Of
Naval Affairs of the House of Repre-
sentatives. In its present fern it prac
tlcally duplicates for the Eavy the ar
rangement that for some years past
has provided the army with dental
surgeons and has proved to be of the
greatest importance to this branch of
the service.
The bill, as originally drawn, pro-
vided for Is dental surgeons, but the
| Navy Department. on examining into
the actual need for such service in the
| navy, has raised the number of dental
surgeons to be appointed 10 30 with the
rank and pay of acting assistant
surgeons-that is to say, during the
first five years, the sum CT $17O0 yearly
for sea duty, $14OO for shore duty, or
| $1,000 while on leave or waiting orders;
and after that period $500 in the first
case. $500 in the second, and $1,000 in
the third.
At the present time there is no pro-
vision Of law under which the Navy
1 nj lry
dental surgeons with the exception Of
a single one for service 1T the Naval
Academy-a provision which naturally
does not affect the rank and file of the
1000 or 5000 American young men who
have reached the training ships by way
of the various recruiting stations. The
practical experience Of naval officers
declares that surprising per cent of
these young men, who come from all
parts of the country, are in need of
trained dental treatment, not only 20
ameliorate present diseases but to
guard against future dangers arising
from neglect Of the teeth. According
to the statistics brought together by A
hospital steward in the naval service, to
show the typical condition of so boys
| recently in training at the Newport
| station, the need of scientific dental
service is startlingly apparent, large
proportion of the boys being in serious
need of immediate trea tment. And
this need is nowadays recognized in
medical circles as being far more than
the temporary pain and bother of dis
eased teeth. Even 20 years ago these
dangers would often have been disre-
| on r6pd fbrnI1oh iDDornpco. hut Y,,oIarp
dental science has shown so close d
connection between diseases of the
teeth and those of the rest of the body
opening a field Of research indeed.
that is as yet apparently only in its be-
ginning-that the matter becomes
much more far-reach:ng than might ut
first glance be imagined. Indigestion,
dyspepsia. in fact all complaints that
may be traced to an improper masti-
cation of food are thus connected with
proper dental treatment and to prevent
these troubles proper dentistry is an
ounce Of prevention that is worth many
pounds of medicine.
The bill has, therefore, two important
aspects; the provision for immediate re-
lief in those emergency cases where the
sailor has need of prompt and efficient
| assistance, and the provision for regu-
lar trained oversight and treatment as
a preventive Of future serious disturb
ances-disturbances, indeed, that may
| go go far as seriously to incapacitata
him for his prescribed duties, or even
end eventually in a reasonable dis
ability. Such oversight means not only
good teeth but constant authoritative
insistance on the wisdom of thorough
nastication of the sailorman's food.
All accidents Of the mouth and jaws
are also nowadays included in the prac-
tice of Gentistry-such accidents for
example. as the fractured jaws that
now form an important part of the
clinical work of the Harvard Dental
School in this city although not many
years ago similar cases were generally
held to belong to the medical rather
than the dental surgeon. In this one
dental school hundre Is of cases of frac-
tured jaws have been treated by stu
dents, who thus equip themselves for a
kind of service that future dentists
may be called upon to perform in the
heat of naval and land engagements.
So far the navy has had a few reg
| ularly trained dentists who have served
under the contract system. The ma
jority. however, of dental operations
have been performed by hospital stew
| ards-such dentistry, as was recently
said by Surgeon General Rixey, being
| obviously Limited to simple procedures
| and urgent cases." The arrangement
| has been Il makeshift that has never
been to the satisfaction of the Medical
| Bureau, and has Of late been consider
ed only permissible until legislation
should be obtained giving the enlisted
men of the navy the benefit of efficient
| scientific treatment
Something of the amount OF work
| that has fallen to the share of these
houspital stewards may be judged by
the fact that in a single year. on one
American receiving ship. 800 teeth were
restored by filling. browning. ETC.; 500
teeth were treated for various diseases
" extracted; 165 diseased nerves of
teeth were treated; and 40 dead teeth
filled and made serviceable On an
other vessel. the Yosemite. on which a
trained dentist was recently employed