Year: 1868

patch; but, sir, there is infinitely more
in this profession than is expressed by
the term "mechanical art


Who, sir. presumes thata man can be-
come a safe and competent dentist in all
of its branches, who knows nothing of
the anatomy of the face and jaws, or
who may have no idea of the structure
and composition of the teeth, or their
relation to the alveolar processes of their
respective jaws, and consequently the
relation of the jaws to each other


!. it not essential, that in orderto ad-
just properly-a set of false teeth, so that
they shall answer the purpose that ma
ture designed by the original, that the
operator should understand the anatomy
of the parts, the USE of the muscles of
the face and jaws, the location of i'm
portant glands, blood vessels and.
nerves2


In short, he should study nature so
far as it relates to his profession, and
then endeavor to initiate her so as to be
able to overcome the particular difficulty
in question, as completely as art can
supply defect of this character.


There are many diseases of the teeth
and gums that the dentist should be able
to prescribe for and treat, as they are
legitimate subjects for his investigation
and care, and yet it is common thing
for class of dental operators to conclude
that all that is essential for them to.
know about the character of diseased
tooth, is. to have the strength to twist it
out with an old fashioned "cant hook"
an operation that may not display very
much of mechanical genius or skill, or he
may fill it with some ingredient that will
cause the patient constant pain and dis
tress until removed.


am aware, sir, that the extraction of
tooth does not require so minute a
knowledge of anatomy, as does the am
putation of an arm at the shoulder joint,
yet a knowledge of anatomy is as essen
tial to the dentist who desires to become
a safe and successful practitioner, as it is
to the hesurgeon, and the man who attempts
to practice it upon the theory that
mechanical knowledgeis is all that is re-
quisite, is as culpable as the butcher
who attempts to amputate limb with
out knowledge of the parts and tissues
into which he is about to cut.


Again, a patient may be suffering
from diseased tooth, and the gum sur
rounding it, and the process into which
it is inserted, may both be affected to
that extent, that it would be extremely
dangerous to extract it, and vet, if this
business is to be left in the hands of any
person who merely has physical strength
enough to pull tooth upon mechanical
principles, lasting injury may result, or
the extraction of the tooth may be de-
layed beyond the proper time in conse-
quence of bad advice, and the patient
may never enjoy single day of health
from this period, all in consequence of
Ignorance and stupidity on the part of
the denta. advisor.


I now call to my remem brance three
cases where persons are suffering
from disease of the jaw induced by bad
dental practice, these invalids being con-
stantly harrassed by a discharge ofmat-
ter through the cheek, all the result of
gross and culpable ignorance on the part
of the operator, and these cases are by
no means rare.


Every physician, and every non-pro-
fessional gentleman of observation, have
long since learned that the great source
of dyspepsia, and the many diseases in
cident to a want of proper assimilation
of the food, result from the inability of
the patient to properly masticate it. 1t
is not possible to do this with mouth
full Of diseased teeth, or even with but
few in this condition. If this be true
with reference to the teeth that nature
has supplied, bow essential it is, then,
that the teeth furnished by the dentist
should be made upon such principles as
will meet with the requirements of ma
ture, and thus conduce to the health and
happiness of the human family. N
There is one other matter in this Con-
neetion, that l wish to call the attention
of the House to, and that is, tbe-us of
anesthetics nitrous oxide, sulphuric
ether, and chloroform, in dental surgery
There are many persons who. will not
submit to an operation that causes
any degree of pain, without first
inhaling some one of these potenl
drugs, until total insensibility is
induced, and do not know dentist
who does not use these articles when re-
qnested by their patients, and, sir. /
know men who travel through the country
with their "kit'' of dental tools, after
the style of clock tinker, and, in ad-
dition to other appliances, they invaria-
bly, carry with them bottle of chloro-
form, thus being able to enlarge their
sphere of usefulness among the confding
and unsuspecting.


If you will examine our hospital rec
ords, and the reports of physicians as
furnished through the medical journals,
you will find from the deaths resulting
from the use of these articles. that they
are dangerous weapons, even in the
hands of persons who have all the in
formation as to their use that experience
can give.


No man should use them who has not
complete anatomical and physiological
knowledge of the human system, and
who is not conversant with the action
of these agents on the animal economy
in health,a and especially should he un-
derstand the peculiarities of constitution
that most emphatically contraindicate
their use.


Do you presume, sir. that a man who
has spent but few short weeks in the
shop of one of these "mechanical'' dem
fists, and starts on his pilgrimagethrough
the country, never calling upon the same
family the second time, is competent to
determine all of these facts, and is safe
person to entrust the health and life of
your wife and children with?


Most assuredly sir, he is not. Then,
gentlemen of the. House, let us pass this