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:
158 HISTOEY OF DENTAL SUEGEKY :
We sometimes hear, in after dinner speeches, or in welcoming addresses
at the opening of society meetings, by men who are not dentists, that dentistry
was formerly no more than a trade, practiced by barbers and blacksmiths for
the extraction of teeth, and the few who gave exclusive attention to it were
jewelers or other mechanics whose facility in tlie use of small tools led them
to undertake the practice of dentistry because it offered a more remunerative
opportunity for the exercise of their nicclianical skill and ingenuity, and it is
often asserted tliat it is out of such beginnings that the profession of dentistry
has been developed.
It is true that in the first half of the nineteenth century a large proportion
of tlie practitioners of dentistry were not very much better than is imjilied in
the above description, hut there were during the same period a considerable
number of notable and influential men of liberal education, some of whom
were physicians, whose aptitudes or preferences caused them to take up a
dental practice, and others wlio studied medicine because they realized the
need of medical knowledge in the dental practice. These practised dentistry as
a true medical specialty. Fox, Hunter, Bell, Koecker, Gardette, Hudson,
Hayden, ('hapin A. Harris and otliers belonged to this class. It was these
men and not tlie others who laid tlie foundations of the dental profession.
They founded the first dental college, the first dental society and the first
dental journal. The results of their work remain influential for good at the
present time and their names are remembered and lionored, while most of
the otlier class of practitioners are forgotten, and few of tliem left anything
beliind them of permanent value to tlie upbuilding of tlie profession.
It seems to the present writer wortli while to make somewhat extended
extracts from a work on dentistry piitilishcd in 1832, which will perhaps very
fairly represent the dental practice of the early part of the nineteenth century
in England. The Thiladelphia edition was evidently a republication from
the English work. Upon its title page appears the following
"A Practical Guide to Operations on the Teeth, with an Historical Sl-ctch of the Hise
and Progress of Dental Surgery, l>y James Snell, Dentist, Member of the Jloyal
Cnllriie of Surgeons. Lecturer on the Anatomy and Diseases of the Teeth, Author
of Observations on Obturateurs, Etc., Etc., Pub. Philadelphia, Gary # Lea, 1832."
EXTRACTS FROM PREFACE.
In the preface of this book the author says
"From tlie numberless treatises on dental surgery already existing it
nii"lit ajijicar to be a work of supererogation to olfer another to tlio notice of
158 HISTOEY OF DENTAL SUEGEKY :
We sometimes hear, in after dinner speeches, or in welcoming addresses
at the opening of society meetings, by men who are not dentists, that dentistry
was formerly no more than a trade, practiced by barbers and blacksmiths for
the extraction of teeth, and the few who gave exclusive attention to it were
jewelers or other mechanics whose facility in tlie use of small tools led them
to undertake the practice of dentistry because it offered a more remunerative
opportunity for the exercise of their nicclianical skill and ingenuity, and it is
often asserted tliat it is out of such beginnings that the profession of dentistry
has been developed.
It is true that in the first half of the nineteenth century a large proportion
of tlie practitioners of dentistry were not very much better than is imjilied in
the above description, hut there were during the same period a considerable
number of notable and influential men of liberal education, some of whom
were physicians, whose aptitudes or preferences caused them to take up a
dental practice, and others wlio studied medicine because they realized the
need of medical knowledge in the dental practice. These practised dentistry as
a true medical specialty. Fox, Hunter, Bell, Koecker, Gardette, Hudson,
Hayden, ('hapin A. Harris and otliers belonged to this class. It was these
men and not tlie others who laid tlie foundations of the dental profession.
They founded the first dental college, the first dental society and the first
dental journal. The results of their work remain influential for good at the
present time and their names are remembered and lionored, while most of
the otlier class of practitioners are forgotten, and few of tliem left anything
beliind them of permanent value to tlie upbuilding of tlie profession.
It seems to the present writer wortli while to make somewhat extended
extracts from a work on dentistry piitilishcd in 1832, which will perhaps very
fairly represent the dental practice of the early part of the nineteenth century
in England. The Thiladelphia edition was evidently a republication from
the English work. Upon its title page appears the following
"A Practical Guide to Operations on the Teeth, with an Historical Sl-ctch of the Hise
and Progress of Dental Surgery, l>y James Snell, Dentist, Member of the Jloyal
Cnllriie of Surgeons. Lecturer on the Anatomy and Diseases of the Teeth, Author
of Observations on Obturateurs, Etc., Etc., Pub. Philadelphia, Gary # Lea, 1832."
EXTRACTS FROM PREFACE.
In the preface of this book the author says
"From tlie numberless treatises on dental surgery already existing it
nii"lit ajijicar to be a work of supererogation to olfer another to tlio notice of
