time with regard to that publication-the 'British Journal of Dental Science '-which was doing all in its power to prevent the amalgamaton being consummated. Mr Underwood stated publicly that he had said to Mr Tomes, who was the editor of the Journal, "If you continue to write in that scurrilous manner, it is impossible that we can amalgamate." [Hear, hear.] He felt it, and I felt it; yet, when next we met to consider and discuss the amalgamation, the Journal was more scurrilous than ever. It is evident, from what had occurred, that they never had a desire to amalgamate, but that they wished to obtain a foundation on which to raise themselves by disseminating jealousy and creating an opposition in our ranks. Their conduct reminds one of a fable of Æsop's. When the lion wanted to get into the herd of oxen and to make them his prey, they were so staunch and acted so much in concert, that he was unable by force to carry out his project; so he had recourse to artifice, and by whispering in their ears something detrimental of their fellows, he induced them to become jealous and suspicious of one another. They then began to occupy different pastures, and they so, one by one, soon became an easy prey to their wily antagonist. This is the course which has been pursued with regard to our College; there have been whisperings, and jealousies, and suspicions, and the result has been that many valued members have left us, that others have flagged in their exertions, and that we have, indeed, suffered very materially. [Hear, hear.] I mention this to show you that the position which I have occupied as your President, during these troublous times, has not been altogether a bed of roses; because I need not tell you that a person cannot be regularly and systematically attacked in a monthly periodical, as I have been, without feeling it in some way. [Hear, hear.] fact, a man must be devoid of feeling if he did not. I was bound to hear these attacks, because I told you that I would serve you faithfully and fearlessly until the next election. I have done so, and that applause which you have given me, which is grateful to my heart, proves to me that I have done it to your satisfaction. [Cheers.] I retire, therefore, from this chair, with the proud consciousness that I have discharged my duty in a manner to meet with your approval, and that I have done nothing whilst I have been in this chair to derogate from the dignity of the office, or that can by possibility be detrimental to the interests of the College of which we are members. [Cheers.] I therefore beg warmly to thank you all, and to say, as I shall always say, that this College has been the means of bringing together many happy and congenial spirits; and until the day of my death I shall bear them all in kind remembrance. Until this institution was set on foot, no Dentist scarely knew his neighbour-there had been so much jealousy and splitting up into parties amongst the profession. Our great ambition was to unite all in one common bond. I don't mean, of course, to say, that we should associate with those who degrade a liberal In However, profession by villanous and vulgar advertisements, but our aim was to unite all the respectable members of the body, to infuse into them one spirit for the benefit of all, to communicate ideas, to disseminate information, and, in fact, to build up a temple, as it were, to the honour and glory of Dentists-to have an establishment of our own which should be a credit to the country and to ourselves. [Cheers.] But this can only be done by hearty, unselfish union and co-operation, for no great design like that which we contemplate can ever be carried to a successful issue whilst so many hold aloof from our proceedings. Those who wish to keep themselves quite select from every one else, may try to see what they can do, but I maintain that the very smallest portion of a building-if it be only half a brickis of use to that building in the position which it occupies, because there can be no firm building without a unity of parts, and good cement to produce cohesion amongst those parts. Again thanking you for your kind expressions towards myself, I conclude by hoping that better times may be in store for us, and that brighter days may yet dawn upon our College. [Loud cheers.] On the motion of Mr CHAPMAN, seconded by Mr SMALE, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr Rymer, Mr Hockley, and Mr Pur. land, the Honorary Secretaries, for the manner in which they had discharged the onerous duties of their respective offices. These gentlemen briefly acknowledged the compliment, and the proceedings terminated. STATEMENT OF THE NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEETINGS HELD ........... Average attendance of Members at each Meeting of Council January 30th, 1859. By Order, 29 12 MONTHLY MEETING, FEBRUARY 1ST. THE Fifth Ordinary Meeting of the Session was held on Tuesday, Feb. ruary 1st, Peter Matthews, Esq., in the chair. The first part of the evening was devoted to the exhibition of subjects of interest in Dental Surgery and Mechanics. The Chairman exhibited a portion of necrosed lower jaw from a patient of his, arising from a fall from a step-ladder, by which the angle of the jaw came in contact with the edge of a couch; the necrosed portion ultimately came away, and a perfect cure was effected. He also placed before the members a fractured portion of a lower jaw, including the two bicuspids and the anterior molar tooth, caused by the improper use of the key instrument. This was a Dispensary patient, the alveolar process including the teeth exfoliated and the patient is now doing well. Mr Humby exhibited an Articulating Bite Frame of novel construction, which by an ingenious arrangement can be adjusted to any position required. This apparatus, the invention of Mr Humby, was made by Mr Jack, surgical instrument maker. A Bite Frame by Mr Stent was also shown, a description of which appeared in the DENTAL REVIEW for February. Several Dental Instruments, consisting of Forceps, Elevator, &c., were next exhibited. The forceps for the lower molar teeth were of an improved form, and admirably adapted to the purposes required. A Key Instrument, with improvements by Mr Harley, was also much admired. The time allotted to these subjects having expired, The Chairman stated that Mr Smith, of Chatham, had promised to read a paper this evening, explanatory of the models of Gun-shot Wounds, which he had presented to the Museum of this College; as well as some other cases of interest to the Dentist, but that gentleman had just written to him, the Chairman, stating his inability to be present this evening, and jotting down a few notes of cases, which he had requested the Chairman to read to this meeting. He therefore should take much pleasure in sɔ doing, appealing to the members for any imperfection that might arise, as the locum tenens of Mr Smith. Mr Matthews then read the following paper, on DENTAL MECHANICS. Though part of the material which forms the subject of this paper has already appeared in print, I have been requested to make the models now on the table before you the subject of a short most of them are very different from those usually occurring in dental practice. paper, as Take the model representing a case of osseous tumour of the upper jaw. This patient was eighty-four years of age, partially childish, and on parting with the last of her upper canine teeth, her family noticed that she appeared very uncomfortable, evinced great difficulty in swallowing her food, and sought the advice of their medical man. He examined the mouth, and discovered the tumour, which had in all probability been growing there twenty or thirty years, and had never caused her trouble or perplexity until the loss of her teeth brought the jaws into very close proximity to each other, and rendered it necessary to seek some professional assistance. Her medical attendant advised her friends to consult a Dentist upon the propriety of having mechanical assistance, which would keep the mouth in its proper condition; and on applying to me, I succeeded in taking models, which was by no means so easy as might be supposed, and at the rather mature age of eighty-four the lady began the use of artificial teeth, by wearing nearly a whole set. She lived several years subsequently, and experienced no further difficulty upon the subject, which brought her to make her dentistry acquaintance. The model representing a duplex right upper central is rather singular. I took it from the mouth of a patient of sixteen. It will be perceived that it is not osseous union of central and lateral, such as does sometimes occur, as the lateral is present as a distinct tooth. The canine does not appear in the model; however, it was then visible, though rather high in the gum. The two models, upper and under, representing a case of incomplete second dentition, will, I dare say, be considered interesting, for though there are, of course, many similar recorded cases, they occur but seldom. I first saw it about five years ago. She then came to be relieved of some stumps, she said, that caused her some little irritation. They were mere spiculæ of bone, not easily recognisable as being connected with teeth, but were doubtless partially absorbed fangs of temThere were but two or three of them. porary teeth. She positively affirmed she had had no teeth extracted for many years; had lost most of the first set early, and only had them partially replaced by the second set. She was a tall, well-formed woman, spare, but healthy. The width of the lower jaw is somewhat remarkable. Certainly it was not from deficient room that the permanent teeth were undeveloped. Her age, I should have stated, was about twenty-eight when I first saw her. The model (upper, with the very large aperture on the right side) represents a case in which extraction had been performed with very much more zeal than discretion. In an attempt to extract a bi-cuspid the maxilla was fractured, and doubtless the floor of the antrum injured. I did not see the case until the parts were healed, nor in fact did I know anything about it, though it occurred in my own immediate neighbourhood, until he was sent to me for consultation by his surgeon. Though it will interest you to see the model, I do not think that I need take up your time by any further details respecting it. The method that I chose for replacing the parts was metal plate, with clasps lined and padded with gutta percha. In allusion to the latter article, I may as well state that I have found it of immense service in treating these and similar cases. When properly prepared it wears very well, and admits of readiness of adaptation, alteration, or renewal; of the utmost importance to the Dentist when treating newly-healed surfaces. 6 The gun-shot wounds illustrated by the models on the table have already been presented to your notice through the pages of the Quarterly Journal of Dental Science.' There are, however, two cases there to which you are strangers; they will, I hope, be recognised by description. One upper gun-shot wound, carrying away incisors, bi-cuspids, and one molar. One lower gun-shot wound from a nine-pound shot, entirely carrying away the left section of the jaw, and of course causing frightful mutilation and contraction of the muscles on that side of the face. The model illustrating its restoration is likewise before you, but the very limited time that I have at my disposal prevents my pursuing the subject further, and compels me to submit to the perplexed eyes of your president a very hastily and ill-written manuscript, one which, if it affords you any satisfaction, will necessitate the bestowal of far more thanks to him for having read it, than to myself for having written it. JOHN COX SMITH, Dentist to the Dispensary, Chatham. The models of the above and other interesting cases were then examined, and the discussion on their merits having terminated, The Chairman, in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr Smith, said : "Gentlemen,―The models that have been laid before you this evening, the work of Mr Smith, are extremely interesting, showing that the elements of war are exceedingly destructive; yet, notwithstanding shattered bones and muscles torn asunder, the human frame is enabled by Divine Providence to bear the shock, and immediately the reparative process sets in, and wonderful cures are performed without our aid. In one instance, however, you perceive a remarkable improvement, by mechanical assistance, where Mr Smith, before permanent union of two fractured surfaces had taken place, expanded the parts, and so had been enabled to increase, not only the surface, but the rotundity of the jaw, and had supplied the space with artificial teeth. We are greatly indebted to Mr Smith for his unique and valuable gift to the museum, as well as for the stimulus he has given to Dentists, when we despair of benefiting a fellow creature ultimately, though the work of destruction be great, and impossibilities apparently, appear in the distance." A unanimous vote of thanks was duly accorded to Mr Smith, in the terms expressed by their Chairman. |