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338 THIRD PERIOD—MODERN TIMES

deficient knowledge on our part, and I considered this extreme remedy
as one of the greatest evils to humanity."^ He therefore endeavored
to extend his own knowledge in every possible way, and as one means of
doing this he visited hospitals and schools; and, ardent champion as he
was of conservative dentistry and of prophylaxis, he succeeded in inter-
esting medical men and surgeons, midwives and schoolmasters, and parish
priests as well, in the question ot the preservation of the teeth. The teeth
he extracted he kept for the purpose of studying the conformation, the
lesions, the dental anomalies; sometimes he split them up to examine
the dental pulp. And he never neglected an opportunity of procuring
anatomical pieces that appeared interesting to him.
In 1728 Fauchard's book, Le Chiriirgien Dentiste, appeared. The
fame of this work reached Belgium, where Bunon then was, and he
immediately set about trying to get a copy of it. After searching in various
towns, he finally found one in Givet. He read it with the greatest interest,
and later, in one of his works, spoke of it in terms of highest praise. It
would seem, however, that he did not learn much that was new to him by
reading this book, which proves that he already possessed a vast odonto-
logical culture and was also profoundly versed in technical dentistry,
which forms the most important part of Fauchard's book. He was
somewhat astonished at finding in this celebrated author's work hardly
anything on the subjects that principally interested him, that is, the ero-
sion, the development of the teeth, and the prophylaxis of caries. This
circumstance very clearly reveals the different mental tendencies in these
two great men, the one, drawn toward the practical side of the profession
which principally interests him and forms the basis of his work, the other,
an impassioned searcher into causes, and student of prophylaxis.
After the perusal of Fauchard's book, Bunon, who had already con-
ceived the idea of publishing the results of his observations and of his
own particular studies, felt more than ever the propriety and necessity of
doing so; and to realize his idea, he established himself toward the year
1735 at Paris. Two years later, just when the manuscript of his work
was almost finished, Gerauldy's book appeared. Bunon relates that he
opened this book in fear and trembling; its title, TJie art of preserving
the teeth, gave him reason to fear that Gerauldy might have profited by
some of the ideas and observations he had communicated to various
persons, to write a book similar to the one that he himself had it in his
mind to publish.'' He was able, fortunately, to convince himself immedi-
ately that his fears of being forestalled and plagiarized were unfounded.
Notwithstanding, Bunon was determined not to publish his book until
the opportune moment and with all possible probability of success. With

13.
' Experiences et demonstrations, p. - Ibid., p. 60.