Page 40 - My FlipBook
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10 : HISTORY OF DENTAL SUEGERY
regularity and symmetry were the rule even in those early days. This is
significant, when we consider that the former owner of these teeth was evi-
dently a lady of distinction, judging from the ornaments and the contents of
the tomb.
"Still earlier than this Etruscan specimen, I am assured by competent
authorities, is the specimen of Phoenician dentistry, a sketch of which I send
you herewith."
This sketch is reproduced as Figure G. M. Ernest Renan describes it in
these words
"But that which was most interesting was the upper portion of a
woman's jaw showing the two superior cuspids and four incisors united by a
gold thread. Two of these incisors seemed to have belonged to another person
jind to have been placed here in order to replace the missing ones. This piece,
which was found in one of the most ancient vaults, proves that the art of
dentistry was pretty thoroughly advanced at Sidon, and also proves that the
larth scurvy (scorbiit de terre) so commonly seen in Sidon, existed already
in those ancient times."
YanMarter continues
"This piece of Phoenician dentistry nuiy lie seen in the Museum of the
Louvre at Paris. It will l)c ol)served tliat this example of dental handiwork
marks a still earlier period in the art of dentistry tlian the two other styles
wliich I have already described."
He reasons that tlie art of dentistry must have been extensively practiced
in tlie early liistory of the world and that gold must have been used largely
because law fifth of tlie "de Jure Sacrorum" reads as follows: "If any one's
leeth have been bound together Avith gold it shall not be unlawful to bury
Jiim with it" (the gold). These twelve tables of the law date from 477
B. C. and, as the Romans took their laws from those of Solon, the Greek, the
origin of the statute pioljalily dates to 6'i5 B. C
Rome for more than five hundred years after her foundation is said to
have lived in ignorance of surgeons. Arcathagus, a Greek, is named as the
first to make tlie attempt to practice in that city. Tliey called him "Vul-
nerarius," healer of wounds, but later, when tliey learned of his free use of
knife and cautery, they denominated him "Executioner," and he was banished
from Rome.
It was about 100 years B. C. that another practitioner of medicine,
Asclepiades, had the hardihood to settle in Rome. He began life as a
rhetorician, failed, and proved a great success in medicine. He relied on diet.
10 : HISTORY OF DENTAL SUEGERY
regularity and symmetry were the rule even in those early days. This is
significant, when we consider that the former owner of these teeth was evi-
dently a lady of distinction, judging from the ornaments and the contents of
the tomb.
"Still earlier than this Etruscan specimen, I am assured by competent
authorities, is the specimen of Phoenician dentistry, a sketch of which I send
you herewith."
This sketch is reproduced as Figure G. M. Ernest Renan describes it in
these words
"But that which was most interesting was the upper portion of a
woman's jaw showing the two superior cuspids and four incisors united by a
gold thread. Two of these incisors seemed to have belonged to another person
jind to have been placed here in order to replace the missing ones. This piece,
which was found in one of the most ancient vaults, proves that the art of
dentistry was pretty thoroughly advanced at Sidon, and also proves that the
larth scurvy (scorbiit de terre) so commonly seen in Sidon, existed already
in those ancient times."
YanMarter continues
"This piece of Phoenician dentistry nuiy lie seen in the Museum of the
Louvre at Paris. It will l)c ol)served tliat this example of dental handiwork
marks a still earlier period in the art of dentistry tlian the two other styles
wliich I have already described."
He reasons that tlie art of dentistry must have been extensively practiced
in tlie early liistory of the world and that gold must have been used largely
because law fifth of tlie "de Jure Sacrorum" reads as follows: "If any one's
leeth have been bound together Avith gold it shall not be unlawful to bury
Jiim with it" (the gold). These twelve tables of the law date from 477
B. C. and, as the Romans took their laws from those of Solon, the Greek, the
origin of the statute pioljalily dates to 6'i5 B. C
Rome for more than five hundred years after her foundation is said to
have lived in ignorance of surgeons. Arcathagus, a Greek, is named as the
first to make tlie attempt to practice in that city. Tliey called him "Vul-
nerarius," healer of wounds, but later, when tliey learned of his free use of
knife and cautery, they denominated him "Executioner," and he was banished
from Rome.
It was about 100 years B. C. that another practitioner of medicine,
Asclepiades, had the hardihood to settle in Rome. He began life as a
rhetorician, failed, and proved a great success in medicine. He relied on diet.
