Page 206 - My FlipBook

174 — HISTOEY OF DENTAL SUEGEEY :

The first plastic fillings nliich possessed in an_y degree the attribute of per-
manence were those sometimes called fusible metal. Two alloys may be
mentioned as the i^rincipal. D'Arcet's mineral cement was first in the field.
This is sim])]y Newton's alloy, of eight parts bismuth, five lead, and three
tin, with oicasionally the addition of one-tenth part mercury to hasten the
fusiag. Fox"^ sfieaks of this process as one 'which promises to be very suc-
cessful in all cases where tlie tooth is not tender and tlie caries is situated
in the center.' But all dentists were not thus lenient. Ivoecker ^ says of it
'The destructive efEects of this process are so evident, and consequently the
impossibility of any liencficial result so certain, that I should consider it un-
necessary to enumerate its pernicious consequences.' Tliis, however, did not
prevent the very extensive employment of the much anathematized material.
In France this process was, for a time, more used than any other, and was
also considerably practiced in this country, where it was introduced in 1820.3
"Wood's metal succeeded D'Arcet's, after an interval of disuse of the latter,
in 18(50.-* Like its predecessor, it enjoyed only an ephemeral popularity, and
soon fell into disuse. The first of these alloys became plastic at SI?" F. and
the last at about 140° F. D'Arcet's was generally melted and poured into the
cavity. AVood's had pieces phiced in the cavity cold, and then made plastic
with hot instruments.
"About the year 18"26, M. Taveau, of Paris, advocated the use of what he
called 'silver paste' for permanent fillings. Under this, as it were, shining title,
was iTshered into the world what was destined to be for years the Hydra of
dentistry anialgain. Its introduction into this country (the exact date is
undetermined) is believed to have been by 'the Craweours,' as have ever since
been contemptuously denominated two French empirics who came to New
York in 1833."

AMALGAM.
I am indebted to Dr. G. Y. Black for most of the material for the fol-
lowing account of amalgam, he having kindly allowed me to make copious
notes from the manuscript of his forthcoming book on operative dentistry. It
has been rewritten from the notes, therefore quotation marks have not been
used except in a few instances of direct quotations.
^ Natural Historj- and Diseases of the Teeth. 1S33.
= Loc. cit., p. 396. (1826.)
^ Natural History and Diseases of the Teeth. 1S33.
* Dental Cosmos, Vol. IV, p. 59.