Page 372 - My FlipBook

356 world's history and

in a fortnight. At the end of that time he presented himself
with the anterior teeth in a much better condition, and he is now
wearing a black porcelain tooth which I put in for him. In reply
to my inquiry he said that the operator had guaranteed the tooth
to be strong enough to use in chewing betel, but on trying it once
or twice both the teeth and wires were so badly strained that they
became quite loose. With a good deal of curiosity I visited this
Celestial of my profession, to see what stock he had in case mine
ran out. After searching calling, and wading around in filth for
some time, I finally risked my life on a pair of rickety back
stairs and, having mounted them, I found the gentleman just aris-
ing from his bed, beside which lay the inevitable opium pipe, a
significant intimation of the habits of the man. Besides the bed,
the only articles of furniture in the room were a few bamboo
stools placed around a table covered with teapots, cups and
dishes. With the aid of another Celestial who was busy cooking
their evening meal in the same room, I managed to make myself
understood in Siamese.
" Finally, from among the bundles of joss sticks on a side
shelf, this sleepy-headed dentist took down a small package and
handed it to me. It contained some porcelain teeth with frag-
ments of silver solder attached to them, which, I was informed,
was part of a spoiled silver-mounted bridge work. He told me
that he did no operating himself, nor did he keep any porcelain
teeth, but said that his brother was on his way down from
Shanghai, and that then he would be able to do any plate work
for me in either silver or gold. Having satisfied my curiosity I
was glad to get away and to feel that I was breathing compara-
tively clean street-air instead of the fetid atmosphere in that
dark office of my fellow practitioner.
"The next question you ask is in reference to laws regulating
the practice of dentistry here. This is easily answered in the one
comprehensive word, none. Neither are there any requirements
nor examinations. The nation has not come to feel the need of
making laws to protect itself against reckless practitioners. The

natives individually are, however, exceedingly cautious, and it is
only after careful consideration that they will consent to have
anything done in the way of dentistry. They much prefer to
bear the pain of alveolar abscesses for weeks, and to live on
nothing but the softest food until the teeth drop out of them-
selves, rather than have them pulled, so great is their fear of