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REVIEW OF DENTISTRY. 229

SURINAM (DUTCH GUIANA).

(dutch colony.)

Area, 46,060 square miles. Population, 57,365.
Capital, Paramaribo; Population, 27,752.
We had the pleasure to receive, in due time, this letter from
Dr. A. B. Bibaz, of Surinam:
"Dr. Herman Lennmalm, Rockford, 111.
"Dear Sir : I have the honor to bring to your notice, that your letter of
December 17, 1893, directed to the government of this colony, was sent to me
by said government, with the request to give you the necessary information
concerning dentistry in this country.
"There are two licensed dentists in this colony, viz.: Gabriel Benjamin
Jessurun and myself, Albert Bueno Bibaz.
" D. Arrias, M. D., was the first person to introduce dentistry in Surinam,
but it was not very often he filled a tooth or made a set of artificial teeth. This
was about fifty years ago.
"Twenty-five years ago dentistry became better known in Surinam.
"Although dentistry has been practiced here for such a period the great-
est part of the people have no idea of the profit of consulting a dentist,
because every physician extracts teeth.
"As a rule the people have pearl-white teeth. With the lower classes
their teeth, in general, remain good and without decay until they become
thirty years of age. They seldom consult a dentist or ask for any kind of fill-
ings, as they can have their teeth extracted at little or no expense at the Gov-
ernment hospital.
"There is, as yet, no law regulating the practice of dentistry in this colony,
but there has been introduced into the Congress (Koloniale Staaten) a bill for
regulating the practice of medicine.
"In that bill the following stipulations regarding the practice of dentistry
are found:
" Persons authorized to practice dentistry in the Netherlands shall also be
authorized to practice in Surinam; also such persons who pass an examination
in Surinam and receive diplomas as surgeon dentist.
" The applicant is required to submit to examination and to possess satis-
factory knowledge in the following branches: Dutch Language, Arithmetic,
Anatomy, Physiology, Therapeutics, Hygiene, Writing of Prescriptions, Opera-
tive and Prosthetic Dentistry.
" The candidate for examination shall pay a fee of $12 to the Secretary of
the Examination Committee.
"After he has passed a satisfactory examination the dentist shall take the
following oath (or promise): 'I swear (promise) that I shall practice the pro-
fession of dentistry according to my best knowledge and power, as per the
prescriptions of the law, and that I shall not discover to anybody what in my
practice is entrusted to me as a secret, or what comes to my cognizance, unless
compelled to do in virtue of law. So truly help me, God Almighty.' (So I
promise).