White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-11


Profession and These Are So Leni.
ent That Almost Anyone Can Garry
on General Practice - Few Real
Americans There and Charges Are
High.
A shocking condition OF affairs has
been called to public attention in Eng
land by a report recently made by a
committee appointed a year ago TO in
yestigate the extent Of the evils Con
nected with the practice Of dentistry
by persons wholly unqualified to prae-
tice that profession.
1t will be hard for Americans, who,
for many years, have had wonderful
advantages in the care of the teeth,
to realize how dentistry Is practieed in
England. There are q few laws and
government acts controlling the prac-
tice, but they are so lenient that al
most anyone, from a boiler maker 10
a fugitive bartender. can go out into
the provinces and. with practically no
| training at all, perform surgical opera
lions on the teeth and jaws, admins
| tering anestheties and carrying on q
general practice. America has quack
dentists OF the advertising variety but,
as a RUE. they have had some college
training or, at least, some little merit
as practitioners. But In England the
advertising dentist may be by profess
sion q ~janitor or a plumber.
In the report ii was stated that the
dental profession is suffering from
the odium and dishonor east upon il
by the uneducated and unframed per-
sons who are wandering about the
country breaking teeth, and in some
eases causing deaths, through the inn
proper use of surgical instruments or
narcotics.
Quaeks Operate in Pairs.
Under the present condition Of af-
fairs the travelling dentists, who are
really nothing but quaeks. &c about
England in pairs. As a rule there is
one man who has some little knowl-
edge Of teeth, while his partner acts
as canvasser, working mostly among
the laboring classes soliciting trade for
his chief.
While the chief is extracting sound
teeth in one home, his canyasser is
working next door convincing others
that they need dental attention.
The result of the malpractice in his
profession has been widespread decay
in the teeth of the proletariat. The
working classes in England not only
have bad teeth, but they actually suf-
fer from the diseases caused by lack
of attention at the proper time. The
theory on which the travelling dentist
plies his trade Is that once a tooth In
aching and gets beyond the bearable
stage it should be pulled"
In hundreds OF cases patients suffer
ing from an ache in n tooth have
several pulled and a set of false teeth
put in to replace the sound teeth that
might possibly ache in the future. The
children of the working classes have
very little attention in the schools. and
as a result they grow up with decayed
and crooked teeth. There Is a system
of inspection which only goes to the
point of advising dental attention. but
makes no provision for such attention.
Reform 10 Urged in Report.
An Illuminating part of the report
Is contained in the following para
graphs:
''The state cannot afford 10 allow the
health OF the workers OF the nation to
be continually undermined by dental
neglect. Steps should be taken, with
out delay, to recognize dentistry as
Of general Importance for prevent
ing i'll health, and every possible means
should be employed for enlightening
the public as to the need for conser-
vative treatment of diseased teeth.
sThe dental profession should be re-
garded as n of the outposts of pre-
ventlye medicine. and as such encour-
aged and assisted by the state. Treat
ment should be rendered available for
all who need IT,. The present anoma-
lous position, in which an ~unedueated,
unframed person can practice as a len
fist, performing surgical operations, is
doing untold injury and casting unde-
served dishonor upon the profession"
Registered dentists have 0 lncreas-
ed in numbers in England during the
past 10 years. and no increase in the
registration is likely while the profes-
sion is debased by incompetent lndi-
viduals and companies.
The exorbitant charges for dental
work in England also have had a bad
effect on the general welfare. The
most prominent dentists in London are
those who have had training in Ameri.
can dental colleges, and they make
much capital ON their American train
ing.
There are & few real American den.
lists In London. but they are over
worked. and their prices are well njgb