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224 world's history and

after that of the United States, and, among other matters, sought
to be regulated, was the practice of the professions.
There was no medical faculty at that time, but a Board of
Health (Consejo de Higiene), composed of surgeons, physicians,
and apothecaries, was convened, and privileged to examine can-
didates for future practice in the country.
The law reads that:
i. Any person who desires to practice any branch of the
healing art must present his diploma, duly certified, and he will
be entitled to an examination by the Board of Health, when, if
he be found fit, the said diploma will be endorsed (revalidated)
and he will be permitted to practice freely throughout the
republic.

2. The Board of Health will be permitted to give licenses to
those who are not regular graduates (facultativos), but whom an
examination shall prove to be apt in the healing art. and they
may practice in any department throughout the republic, where
there is no regular graduate, and until a regular graduate shall
establish himself in that department; the licensee shall then no

longer be permitted to practice there, but shall be allowed to
remove to and practice in another department of the republic
where there is no regular graduate.
These examinations by the Board of Health were for the most
part merely theoretical, and very few candidates were rejected.
All sorts of diplomas were presented for endorsement, not
excepting the notorious " Buchanan."
About this time all the trades and professions were scheduled
and taxed. The physician was taxed $80 a year, payable every
six months, and he was placed in the category with lawyers and
other learned professions. The dentist was taxed $40 per year

and classed with barbers, cock-fighters, blacksmiths, etc. Such
was the state of affairs in Paraguay till about two years ago.
The close of the war, and settlement of the country, was
accompanied with the occupation of the capital by the victors,
many of whom brought their families to reside with them; and
the families in turn required services, such as they had been
accustomed to, for they did not like the primitive service of the
native Paraguayan. Thereby Paraguay got its first introduction
to North American dentistry.
The American dentists came mostly from the Argentine
(Buenos Ayres) and made only flying visits, but the gold-filling