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94 HISTORY OF DENTAL SURGERY

During the war of 1812, Josiah Flagg again entered the service; this time
in the navy. He was captured and carried to England a prisoner of war
and paroled, and used the time of his captivity by accepting courtesies from
the great surgeons and scientific men of London, who gave him every oppor-
tunity to expand his knowledge. His reputation as a Boston dentist of noto
had preceded him to England before the war. His social standing brought
him in close relations with distinguished teachers, among these was Sir
Astley Cooper, whom he at times assisted in his operations in Guy's hos-
pital, and whose lectures he was permitted to attend. After the close of
the war he returned to Boston, prepared to give to his people the benefit
of his expanded knowledge and skill. Unfortunately his health soon be-
came impaired, and a change of climate liccoming necessary, he moved to
Charleston, S. C., where he died on September 30, 1816, at the age of fifty-
three.
JAMES G.\RDETTE.
James Gardette, who was born in France in 175G, studied medicine
two years in Paris, served in hospitals at Toulon and became a surgeon in the
French navy, is credited with having been the first medically educated den-
tist in the United States. He came to this country with the contingent sent
by France under Count de Rochambeau to aid the American Colonies and be-
gan the practice of dentistry in New York City, in 1783, whence he removed
to Philadelphia, in 1784, where he established a large practice and great
reputation. In 1829 he returned to France and died at Bordeaux, in 1831.

JOSEPH LE M.\IKE.
Joseph Le Maire came with the land forces of France as a young officer.
He had been a dentist of Paris, but dropped his civil pursuit in the interest
of liberty, like many other French men of rank and position of his day.
He first established himself in Philadelphia, in 1781, shortly before the ar-
rival of Gardette. According to '"Watson's Manual of Philadelphia" there
was a dentist by the name of Baker in that city prior to the arrival of these
Frenchmen, but when he came there, or commenced to jjractice, is not
recorded.
Dr. Hayden in the "American Journal of Dental Science," Volume 2,
first series, says of Le Maire:
"The first hints that were alt'orded or opportunities ofl'ered to any person
to obtain a knowledge of the profession were, we believe, through a French