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314 world's history and

it will not be superfluous to consider our laws regulating the
practice of dentistry.
" Until the year 1888 our law (or custom) required that every
person who professed the art of dentistry in our country should
be able to show either a foreign diploma or should pass the
Subsurgical ' examination. At this examination he was com-
1
pelled to show that he had become practically acquainted, by a
year's attendance in a hospital, with the following procedures
and appliances: Venesection, leeching, blistering, clysters, cata-
plasms (fontanellen offnen), vaccination, and the extraction of
teeth. The candidate, besides, was required to be able to. read
and write. (Laws of 188 1, collected by Dr. Zamfirescu, Medic.
Primar Niamt.)
" In places in which no dentists reside, the law grants permis-
sion to barbers ("subsurgeons ") to extract teeth; and even in
places where there are dentists, extraction of teeth is practiced
by the barbers without hindrance, for the reason that the number
of dentists possessed of a diploma is inadequate.
" According to law, dentists are empowered to practice man-
ipulations of surgical dentistry only. They are not permitted, un-
less they are also doctors of medicine, to give anaesthetics, except
with the assistance of a physician. The law makes no distinction
between dentists who possess a foreign diploma and such as have
passed the above mentioned examination of the country.
" On May 1, 1888, a new law regulating the practice of dent-
istry was promulgated; it is as follows:
" ' Article I. Besides doctors of surgery and of dental sur-
gery, dentists possessed of diplomas from foreign chirurgico-
dental schools, the same being attested by the Central Board of
Sanitation, and those who have obtained the right to practice
dentistry by a University examination, a class of dentists known
as dentists of the second class, are recognized.
" ' Art. II. To become a dentist of the second class, the can-
didate must serve an apprenticeship of at least three years with
a chirurgico-dentist who possesses a diploma (with academic
grade) recognized in the country.
" ' On completion of this apprenticeship, the candidate is ex-
amined by a special examination board, and receives a certificate
as dentist of the second class.
" 'Art. III. Pupils in the office of a surgeon-dentist are re-