PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

By the request of the editor of this journal, I have been contributing from time to time a few articles on mechanical dentistry, showing the methods which I have found, in my own practice, to be the best for me. Thinking they may be as useful to others as myself, I give them to the dental profession for what they are worth. They have been hastily written at odd times, as I could snatch time from my business; not intended to be scientific, but practical articles explaining as minutely as possible-without the aid of engravings the various manipulations necessary in manufacturing dental substi

tutes.

I have been further induced to throw these articles together by entertaining the hope that, by their circulation through the country, they may reach the eyes of those who need them most; and, probably, thus incite a fresh interest in this the most neglected part of the dental art.

Those dentists who are old enough to remember the time, before the advent of rubber as a base, can bring to mind numbers of practitioners who made a specialty of mechanical dentistry, specimens of whose work were marvels of skill and beauty. The same can be done again. We have plenty of intelligent and skillful men in the profession, who, if they could be persuaded to apply their minds to the subject, would produce the same style of work, and, most undoubtedly, would be appreciated by the better educated and more wealthy class of their patients.

I think, to the general adoption of rubber as a base we may justly blame, primarily, the shocking condition of mechanical dentistry of the present day. I believe any dentist of fair practice will with me, agree that he sees the evidence of this nearly every day in the mouths of transient patients; pieces of improperly constructed, poorly fitting and roughly

made dentures, showing such a want of judgment, intelligent design and manipulative skill that is disgraceful to the profession.

From the above, I don't wish to be understood to mean that rubber ought not to be used; on the contrary, I believe it to be, in a good many special cases, the very best; but what I want to urge is, a more intelligent and skillful use of it as a base.

In some parts of the interiorand not far from our large cities, either— metallic bases for teeth are almost unknown; to them, plate work has become

a lost art.

The easy adaptability of rubber as a plate, doing away with the alloying, melting and rolling of gold, the casting of metallic dies, stamping of plates and their nice adjustment to the plaster cast, is the frequent cause of the preference for the plastic material. Its construction being so simple, leads to the employment of incompetent assistants, whose want of judgment and taste produces so many of those contrivances justly called store teeth.

The desire on the part of the majority of the profession to avoid laboratory work and relegate their duties to the hands of incompetent men and boys, together with the apparent acquiescence of the people with this inferior work, has produced a disgust in the minds of some of the profession, leading them to condemn the mechanical as not fit for association with the operative branch.

This is manifestly unjust, for there is a larger field for the exercise of the inven

tive and artistic faculties of the mind in this than in the operative department, and calls for a wider range of education. This can easily be proved by the enumeration of the qualities necessary for its complete accomplishment.

There ought to be a thorough and practical understanding of the laws of mechanics-e. g., the law of leverage ; this is frequently overlooked. How often

we see bicuspids and molars in an upper set, placed on the outside of the gum instead of directly on it, the teeth the lever-gum the fulcrum, and mastication causing the plate to bend, and ultimately to crack through the centre, or if thick and strong enough to resist this, becoming unwieldy by constantly tilting, and, finally, are unreliable and useless to the

owner.

Without a good mechanical knowledge how can the workman judge of the construction and qualities of his tools and instruments. Unless they are correct in every particular, he works at a great disadvantage. The forging, bending, filing, hardening, tempering and polishing ought to be well understood; in fact, he ought to be a good instrument maker.

The laws of chemistry are in continuai demand. A knowledge of the composition and qualities of the various materials that enter into the manufacture of a set of teeth, is absolutely necessary, that the selection may be the best adapted for the purpose used.

The artistic claims as much attention as any other. If a dentist knows little or nothing about colors, how can he select the proper shades to harmonize with the complexion and age of the patient? Very few dentists know anything about the primitive colors or their combinations, and, to all intents and purposes, might as well be color blind.

The artistic eye is again needed in the shapes of teeth. An artist would never select a long, slender tooth for a large jaw, just because the patient informs him that her own teeth were very small and white. The position of the front teeth has as much to do with the expression as the shape and color. If they incline to the centre too much, or not enough, too long or too short, it will spoil the harmony of the features.

To look at the rubber blocks made for sale, the artistic observer would think

that shape never entered into the head of the maker that outline, profile and individuality were not necessary; all that was wanted was a mass of bright yellow, blue or white for the teeth, pinkish enamel for the gums.

If time permitted, I could still farther enlarge the qualifications necessary for the mechanical dentist, but enough of them have been mentioned to convince the most thoughtless that the field to be occupied by the coming dentist is a very large one, and to be fully occupied would claim the close and unremitting study of three times the number of years generally given to it.

MEMORIAL.

W. R. HALL.

An invitation to a "Memorial Meeting," under the auspices of the dental societies of Philadelphia, in honor of, and in respect to, the memory of Prof. Thos. L. Buckingham, was tendered to the professional friends of the deceased in the city, and to many of the dentists of the United States, and the same was convened in the hall of the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, corner of 12th and Filbert streets, on the evening of October 30th, 1883.

A motion made by Dr. Wm. Breen, duly seconded; that Dr. Daniel Neall take the chair, and a motion from Dr. E. C. Kirk requesting Dr. Theodore Chupein to act as secretary, were unanimously adopted.

Dr. Neall opened the meeting with a few appropriate remarks, after which a motion was made, seconded and carried, that the chair appoint a committee to draft suitable resolutions. The chairman appointed the following gentlemen on this committee: W. H. Trueman, E. H. Neall, Ambler Tees, E. C. Kirk, Spencer Roberts, I. H. Githens, T. F. Chupein and H. M. Sheppard.

While the committee retired to attend

to the duty assigned them, several letters were read from among quite a large number, which had been received from dentists from different parts of the country, eulogizing the many virtues of the deceased and expressing their regret at being unable to attend the meeting.

On the return of the committee the following preamble and resolutions were read and offered by its chairman, Dr. W. H. Trueman :

1

WHEREAS, It has pleased Almighty God in His great omniscience to call from our midst our friend and brother, THOMAS L. BUCKINGHAM, and WHEREAS, By his removal the students under his charge, and especially the dental profession, have sustained a severe loss, all of whom acknowledge the privation to which they are subjected both in their professional and social intercourse with him, and

WHEREAS, The members of the Pennsylvania Association of Dental Surgeons, the Odontographic and the Odontological Societies of Philadelphia, having spontaneously met together to pay a tribute of respect to his memory, and to place on record the deep feelings of sorrow which his death has occasioned, as well as to exp:ess their humble submission to the Fiat of the Most High, which admits of no recall, therefore, be it Resolved, That in the death of Prof. Buckingham the dental profession loses one of its earnest and faithful workers; one who for many years has devoted his time, talent and means to advance its general interests. His labors in the laboratory, beginning almost with his first entrance into the profession and ending only with his death-endeavoring to solve the various questions that have from time to time occupied professional thought, his many carefully conducted series of experiments which have enabled us to work with more ease, certainty and intelligence, and his numerous contributions to dental literature are a legacy to the profession we accept with grateful appreciation.

Resolved, That his long service as a dental instructor, beginning with the first dental faculty organized in Philadelphia, and continuing without interruption for thirty-two years, is a recognition of his ability as a teacher that we emphatically endorse.

Resolved, That his liberal and tolerant spirit, his cordial greeting and his genial disposition, en

deared him alike to the students whom he taught and to all with whom he mingled.

Resolved, That the city of Philadelphia has lost a valuable and upright citizen, and each one of us. an acquaintance and friend whom the more we knew of him, and the riper the intimacy the more we recognized his sterling worth, his kindly disposition, his social qualifications, and all those endearing attributes which go to make up a good, true, and noble man.

Resolved, That to the young in our profession his loss will be especially severe, as his fund of knowledge and mature judgment, together with a willingness to impart information, encouraged the humblest and most timid to seek his counsel; that gaining information by his own hard labor, he felt it a pleasure to aid others in its acquisition; and in doing this, making the recipient feel as if he conferred rather than received the benefit.

Resolved, That we, fellow practitioners, together with the faculty and students connected with the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, mourn his loss with a regret no words can express.

Resolved, That we tender to his family 'our heartfelt sympathy, and that a copy of these resolutions be forwarded them as a token of our condolence.

Resolved, That these resolutions be published in the dental journals and in the Public Ledger.

The resolutions were warmly seconded with many touching and eloquent remarks by Drs. Edwin T. Darby, J. D. White, Thos. Stellwagen, J. L. Eisenbrey, M. Cryer, Spencer Roberts, Hayhurst, W. H. Trueman, David Roberts, W. F. Litch, C. N. Pierce, James W. White, James Trueman, S. H. Guilford, and Dr. Dwinell, of New York, the President and others.

The meeting was in every way harmonious and respectful, and an air of ineffable sadness seemed to pervade it.

On being put to the meeting the preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted.

A motion, duly seconded, was made. and passed that the resolutions be engrossed and sent to the family in this form, after which the meeting adjourned. THEODORE F. CHUPEIN,

Secretary.

The jour

Being thus encouraged, the publisher has determined to do even more for his patrons for the coming year. nal will be inclosed in a neat cover, and will contain at least eight pages more of reading matter, while the subscription price will remain as at present, 50 cents per year. This very low rate precludes the possibility of offering premiums, but we shall endeavor to make each issue a prize in itself. All new subscribers sending 50 cents before the first of January, 1884, will receive the November and December numbers free.

Fill out the inclosed blank and return with the subscription price to

GIDEON SIBLEY,

13th and Filbert Sts., Philadelphia, Pa.

WE can never go back, but there is not a point from which we may not go upward.

Since calling the attention of our readers to the above question one month ago, we have received many communications and comments upon the subject, which more fully convince us that the position assumed was the correct one.

From professors in dental colleges, from well known practitioners, and from students, have we received such expressions as assure us there is a strong current of popular favor already in motion and which shall take the initiative in this imready to surge toward any two institutions portant matter. So strongly does the idea of consolidating our dental schools seem to be approved, that we believe, if the question could be put to a vote before the dental profession throughout the coun

try, it would be decided in the affirmative "by a large majority."

:

We have received such expressions as these "A timely article; give us another;" "keep the ball in motion ;” "you could not have opened up a more important subject-don't drop it yet," etc., etc. We painfully feel our inability to handle the subject as its importance demands, but if some of those gentlemen who have privately expressed their approval of the ideas conveyed in the article referred to would publish their opinions, it might lead to such an awakening on the part of "those in authority" that the be recognized and acted upon. necessity for the suggested changes would

We prophesy that the first institution which shall be formed by the union of two schools, will thereafter be the dental college of the world. Which shall it be?

SOMETHING GOOD IN STORE FOR US.

About the first of January a fourth edition of Garretson's Oral Surgery is to be ready. Extensive additions are said to have been made both in the way of new chapters and supplements to the old.

Some sixty new illustrations, many of them original with the author, and expressive of his surgical performances, are to appear. The chapters are said to represent a condensation in the way of literary work, which leads the publishers to infer that the pages will be found unique in such direction.

Besides this condensation, over two hundred pages are added to the volume; this last, quite a book in itself. A chapter on inflammation and another on diagnosis are written out of the author's wide experience from a purely philosophical standpoint.

Prof. Garretson is an indefatigable and progressive worker, and we take pleasure in announcing to our readers that additional fruits of his labor are soon to be placed within their reach.

DIFFICULT DENTITION AND THE USE OF
DIFFIC
THE GUM LANCET.

BY J. MORGAN HOWE, M.D., M.D.S.

Primary dentition has long been regarded as a cause of many infantile ail

ments.

This view, based largely on clinical observation, has been that of some of the most eminent physiologists and practitioners, and has come to be so commonly accepted that it is quite probable that the origin of many disturbances has often been falsely attributed to teething, as it furnished a convenient scape-goat for indolence and ignorance. A just antagonism of the evil has perhaps been the pendulum rod on which some have swung over to the conclusion that it is all a mistake to suppose that so simple a process is capable of producing any serious disorders of nutrition, or of functional activity; and to fortify this position the fact that dentition is a physiological process is set forth, with apparent confidence that it should be sufficient to convince all disbelievers in this opinion. Although the use of this truth as basis for an argument

has had force or plausibility enough to have caused its repetition by several writers, it hardly seems to be conclusive, and we propose to offer some facts and suggestions as reasons for believing that the deductions of so many, reached by clinical experience, that dentition is a cause of nervous irritation and of numerous reflex disturbances, is not a mistaken one; and in doing so, we quote from two writers who, from their position and special dental knowledge, may be the more likely if their views are erroneous-tỏ mislead.

In an address on "Oral Surgery" before the American Medical Association, 1882, Dr. D. H. Goodwillie, in deprecating the fact that teething has often been given as the cause of death in mortuary certificates, says: "Alas! a normal physiological process the cause of death. If first Identition in the child is the cause of death, why not carry it through the process of second dentition, which lasts nearly to adult age? Perhaps it might be found that malaria, smallpox or some of the other diseases, lie buried in the jaws." And Dr. W. C. Barrett, in an editorial in the Independent Practitioner, March, 1883, says: "About the time when the molar teeth are in process of eruption, digestive ills of all sorts attack the child, and to the mere physiological process of cutting the teeth is attributed the flatulence, diarrhoea, convulsions and death, etc." ***"Digestion and assimilation being properly performed, there is nothing in the mere process of the eruption of the teeth which can cause any serious disturbance. Nature has provided for the absorption and disappearance of the tissues covering the growing teeth without any febrile symptoms, any diarrhoea or nervous convulsions ;" and again he says: "The gums and investing tissues have not such an exquisitely nervous organization, are not so thoroughly supplied with nerve fibers as to produce