The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-01-11

GOLD FilliMos COST aailLlossa.
Dentists Zach Year WithAsaw iron tAs
cssatry's eupply o4,oo0yOU0
OF the wealth OF this country there
II q certain part that has never
entered Into the reports Of the census
Of fiscal departments OF the govern
ment There 10. II the estimates Of
men who should know are to be taken
- authoritative. over $4,000, 900 per
sonal wealth, In the shape Of gold. Of
which the government 10 entirely igno-
rant, or. II not ignorant. has decided
not to mention In its financial reports.
Each year there IL over $1,000, GOD
worth Of gold that disappears. that
10 lost to the moneys of the world,
and yet It Ii not lost.
More than 100000 worth Of gold
10 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,OOO Is
practically wealth that il lost. After
the gold II once securely fixed in the
mouth Of q dentists patient It ceases
to exist AZ a precious metal Of impor.
lance In the world Of finance. and Is
only q plug to a tooth, base article.
lost forever 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 a filing
10 considered. but they are undoubted-
~ correct. The man In charge Of the
gold department Of the largest dental
supply house in the country arrived nj
these figures after extensive researches
and calculations. and his estimate IL
verified by other men in a 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 1t is estimated that
only rs 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 80 1-3. Now,
1t II declared. 80 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 q consequent increase In the amount
Of gold used for this purpose. Prnc-
tically all of the 80 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 VI
the citizens as against the 5000. 900
Of to-day.
Using the rate of Increase each year
for the last ten years as a basis, tho
average yearly consumption Of the
precious metal in this manner has
been $1,5OO.OOO 4 year. This would
make SD. 100000 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
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
q 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
slderably. Five million dollars worth
OF gold. 1t 10 estimated. has been
buried In the graveyards Of this coun-
try in the period covered ny these fig-
ures. II q total could be arrived at.
from the time when gold
nrst was used in flllngs, 1t II certain
that the amount Of gold lying unused
and dead in graves would DC near to
SIS ,0OO. 600.
subtracting the $5.OOO.Ooo taken of
the earth from the total Of $4,000, COO
used in the last decade. 1t will he seen
that there must be ut least $4,000 ,OO0
worth Of gold pera mbtlating about the
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: $4,000. 900 walk
Ing. sleeping and eating with them.
and yet not a cent Of 1t that can be
spent, not q cent of 1t that may lc
reckoued in the wealth Of the in
or the country at large.-Chi-
cago Chronicle.