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300 world's history and

ITALY.

(kingdom.)
Area, 114,410 square miles. Population, 30,947,306.
Capital, Rome; population, 273,268.
The status of dentistry in Italy may be said to be decidedly
behind the times, and occupies about the same position that the
profession occupied in America twenty-five or thirty years ago.
Dentists, in their relations with each other, observe the same de-
gree of secrecy in regard to inventions and methods as existed at
that time, and many of them are not adverse to advertising some
special system, of which they are the inventors and only users.
So strong is the feeling of jealousy and dislike that a society
is an impossibility.
The first and only dental society of which Italy can boast was
organized about three years ago, but owing to differences among
the members was soon abandoned without the reading of a single
paper or the discussion of a subject relative to the art of dent-
istry.
The laws relating to the practice of dentistry have, until within
the past three years, caused dentistry to rank with pharmacy,
midwifery, etc. They show, better than any extended descrip-
tion could do, the position dentists were content to occupy in the
social fabric and the estimation in which they were held by the
public.
The first law regulating the practic of dentistry in Italy was
passed November 13, 1859, as follows:

LAW No. 3725.

On the Administration of Public Instruction.
Article CXL. The examinations passed, and the degrees
obtained without the kingdom, will not be recognized by the
State, except in cases of special legislation, viz.: Those having
obtained diplomas from any Italian university, or from any for-
eign university of fame, and can offer proof of having effectively
completed the studies and examinations, identical to those re-
quired by the State universities, will be relieved of the special
examinations and may enter at once for the general examina-
tions for the degree to which they aspire.
Those persons, who by work, discoveries, etc., or who have