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HISTORY OF DENTAL SURGERY 207

have come into general use, but little or nothing has been heard of it for a
number of years past.
After the introduction of Dr. Jenkins' low fusing porcelain, and similar
ones by a number of other nuikers soon afterward, there was for several
years an animated discussion or controversy as to the relative merits of the
high fusing and low fusing porcelains. This discussion has not resulted in
any very general agreement or the atjandonment of either of them. Each
continues to have enthusiastic advocates and a few of the best porcelain work-
ers use both according to circumstances, contending that each has merits
which make it superior to the other in certain applications. Most men, how-
ever, appear to confine themselves to one form or the other. Dr. N. S. Jen-
kins, of Dresden, was undoul)tedly the pioneer in perfecting and introducing
the low fusing porcelain. The high fusing bodies and enamels were preceded
by the "Close" body and enamel used for fifty years past for making Dr.
John Allen's continuous gum work for sets of artificial teeth. Dr. Land, of
Detroit, was one of the earlier ones to adapt and apply these materials to the
making of inlays. Dr. Land's attempt to control his materials and processes
by patents probably prevented the recognition and encouragement by the pro-
fession which he might otherwise have received.
This brief account of inlay work would not be complete without some
reference to a few of tlie men whose enthusiasm and patience have developed
it to the present state of comparative perfection and whose papers and discus-
sions in societies and journals have been instrumental in establishing the
various forms of inlay operations as standard and recognized practice, to be
expected of ordinarily well qualified and up to date practitioners.
Dr. Joseph Head, of Pliiladelpliia, was one of these who was early in the
field and presented tlie subject before many societies. Dr. Capon, of Toronto,
was another; Dr. Ottolengui, of New York, a little later perhaps, and in Chi-
cago Dr. W. T. Reeves was one of the earliest to make it a large feature of
his practice and has been an enthusiastic and rather extreme advocate of por-
celain inlays, using high fusing porcelain exclusively and applying them al-
most universally in all sorts of cavities in all parts of the mouth. Dr. E. M.
S. Fernandez has long been doing most beautiful work of this sort and Dr. J.
E. Nyman has often been heard in dental societies upon this topic. Dr.
W. V. B. Ames made gold inlays in the "80"s and Dr. W. H. Taggart has long
been well known as an unusually skillful operator in these lines. The latter
gentleman has during the past year presented before several societies a new
process for making metal inlays, preferably gold, by casting them under pres-