Year: 1873

TwENTY-NIN ANNUAL MEETING OF THE MIS-


sIssIPPI VALLEY DENTAL ASSOCIATION


ARTISTIC DENTISTRY DEGENERATING.


lPRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRBUNBt |


CNCINNATI, o., March THE Mississippi
Valley Dental Association to-day closed its 29th annual
meeting this city. This Association lays claim 10
being the Oldest Of its kind in the world Its member
ship ia gathered all the great cities in the Misss
sipp Valley north Of latitude 49, and its meetings have
for many years been interesting and smuatve TO the
profession. They ordinarily continue three days, two
thirds Of which time is usually devoted to the discussion
OF professional topics.


The present meeting was attended by about 90 mem
bers of the Association. Live questions for discussion
we're presented by the Executive Committee. One Of
them the praccability by legislation Of p1rging the
profession OF pretenders had peculiar interest Tor
passed an act which force Jan !. 1868, bar
ring from admission TO practice the profession all per
Sons who had not either degree from regularly con
sttuted dental college certificate OF proficiency
from the state Board OF Dental Examiners This law Is
reported az having enforced without resistance
But act provided that after jan j, lS73 nye
years from the date OF the operation OF the hrS part OF
the act, dentist should practice without the pre-
scribed degree or certhcate. On Jan. l. 1873 TINS
the dentists In the entire State This stirred up the outs
upon the State Legislature for the repeal OF the
law The Association divided In opinion as to the
wisdom Of the law in operating against persons In the
profession when it passed five years ago There W
no difference of opinion to ITS abstract wisdom The
question of its expediency regarded the only
debaable ground Many expressed doubts whether tne
people would sustain tnls ODJecuOndOlt Vi H.
Nevertheless remOnstraDce was unanimously sent the
Legislature against the repeal or alteration Of the law
At the same time members from other States where
legislation on this subject does not exist but Is contem
plated were advised to be their guard TO prevent
falling into this same mistake. notable act OF this
meeting was the adoption of resolution that each
member should refuse for himselfi and discourage in
others the use OF the title D0ctOr uht conferred Dy
competent authority.


The question OF separating artificial and mechanical
or artistic dentistry into speciatie5 warmly dis
oussed The universal testimony was that the divorce
Of these two branches was tnough IL nad no
been sought by the dentists. Fnere was a general
unanimy testimony that artistic dentistry had de-
poraby degenerated the last ten and that the
present lookout IL not encouraging This sad
state of matters attributed chiefly ~ the introduc
ton of rubber as material into this branch OF the prac
tice. Conservative treatment was spoken OF as the
watchwOrd OF the era IN the higher branch OF the
profession T. Cooperative dentistry Methods for pre-
serving pups In filling teeth was discussed. This was
spoken quite modern and the practice as attended
with great difhcuty and not always with satisfactory
results II was however In the line OF conservative
practice requiring faith patience, and experiment The
Convention adjourned TO hold its next annual meeting in
St Louis on the first Wednesday iu March, 1874