Journal AMERICAN COLLEGE of DENTISTS
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Volume 11 JUNE, 1944 Number 2 Journal AMERICAN COLLEGE OF DENTISTS In This Issue: Life and Letters of Horace Wells (Discoverer of Anesthesia) W. Harry Archer A Reading from the De Humani Corporis Fabrica of Andreas Vesalius J. B. DeC. M. Saunders and C. D. O'Malley American College of Dentists: Socio-Economics George W. Wilson Published Quarterly for General Circulation by THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF DENTISTS $2.00 a Year 75 Cents a Copy Journal AMERICAN COLLEGE OF DENTISTS Presents the proceedings of the American College of Dentists and such additional papers and comment from responsible sources as may be useful for the promotion of oral health- service and the advancement of the dental profession. The Journal disclaims responsibility, however, for opinions expressed by authors. Published Four Times a Year — March, June, September, December. Entered as Second Class Matter July 13, 1940, at the Post Office at San Francisco under the Act of March 3, 1879 Copyright, 1944, by the American College of Dentists—Mods in United States of America THE RECORDER PRESS, SAN FRANCISCO, U. S. A. Address of the Editor: JOHN E. GURLEY, D.D.S., 350 Post Street, San Francisco, 8, California Assistant Editor: E. G. MEISEL, D.D.S., 32! University Place, Pittsburgh, 13, Pa. Journal Committee: Willard C. Fleming, E. G. Meisel, W. N. Hodgkin, chairman AMERICAN COLLEGE OF DENTISTS Objects: The American College of Dentists "was established to promote the ideals of the dental profession; to advance the standards and efficiency of dentistry; to stimulate graduate study and effort by dentists; to confer Fellowship in recognition of meritorious achievement, especially in dental science, art, education and literature; and to improve public understanding and appreciation of oral health-service." — Constitution, Article I. Announcements Next Meeting, Board of Regents: Omaha, Neb., Oct. 12-13, 1944. Next Convocation, Omaha, Neb., Oct. 12, 1944. Fellowships and awards in dental research. The American College of Dentists, at its annual meeting in 1937 [J. Am. Col. Den., 4, 100; Sep. and 256, Dec., 1937] in- augurated plans to promote research in dentistry. These plans include grants of funds (The William John Gies Fellowships) to applicants, in support of projected investigations; and also the formal recognition, through annual awards (The William John Gies Awards), of distinguished achievement in dental research. A standing committee of the International Association for Dental Research will actively cooperate with the College in the furtherance of these plans. Applications for grants in aid of projected researches, and requests for infor- mation, may be sent to the Chairman of the Committee on Dental Research of the American College of Dentists, Dr. Albert L. Midgley, 1108 Union Trust Bldg., Providence, R. I. [See "The Gies Dental Research Fellowships and Awards for Achievement in Research," J. Am. Col. Den., 5, 115; 1938, Sep.] Journal AMERICAN COLLEGE OF DENTISTS AMERICAN COLLEGE OF DENTISTS OFFICERS OF THE COLLEGE 1943-1944 President: H. CLINE Fixorr, Portland President-elect: ROBERT P. THOMAS, Louisville Vice-President: C. WILLARD CAMALIER, Washington (D.C.) Treasurer: HAROLD S. SMITH, Chicago Secretary: OTTO W. BRANDHORST, St. Louis Regents WILLARD C. FLEMING (48), San Francisco WALTER H. WRIGHT (47), Pittsburgh W. H. SCHERER (46), Houston W. N. HODGKIN (45), Warrenton Wm. F. LASBY (44), Minneapolis JOHN E. GURLEY (Editor), ex-officio E. G. MEISEL (Asst. Editor), ex-officio Board of Editors Officers and Regents of the College, ex-officio JOHN E. GURLEY, San Francisco, Editor E. G. MEISEL, Pittsburgh, Assistant Editor Contributing Editors H. H. HORNER (48), Chicago A. L. WALSH (48), Montreal (Canada) ALBERT L. MIDGLEY (47), Providence W. HARRY ARCHER, JR. (47), Pittsburgh WALTER J. PRYOR (46), Cleveland JAMES NUCKOLLS (46), San Francisco WILLIAM J. GIES (45), New York L. E. BLAUCH (45), Washington (D.C.) WENDELL D. POSTLE (44), Columbus CHARLES F. HARPER (44), New Jersey Standing Committees( 1943'1944) Ad-Interim—The President, President- N ominatin g—H. E. Friesell, chairman; elect, and Secretary. A. W. Bryan, G. M. Damon, J. H. Fergu- Certification of Specialists—E. W. Swine- son, R. C. Willett. hart, chairman; Max Ernst, W. E. Oral Surgery—L. M. FitzGerald, chairman; Flesher, H. E. Kelsey, D. F. Lynch, S. H. Brock, H. L. Cartee, Wm. Mac- J. 0. McCall. farlane, S. M. Moose, N. L. Zimmerman. Education—W. C. Fleming, chairman; Preventive Service—M. M. Bettman, chair- C. W. Freeman, Harry Lyons, J. T. man; L. A. Cadarette, C. S. Foster, C. A. O'Rourke, G. D. Timmons. Sweet, W. S. Thompson. Endowment—Arthur H. Merritt, chair- Prosthetic Service—Walter H. Wright, man; H. J. Burkhart, 0. J. Chase, W. J. chairman; Louis Brach, C. A. Nelson, Gies, J. E. Psayla, C. Ray Sturm. C. G. Porter, Jack Werner. History—W. N. Hodgkin, chairman; H. L. Relations—G. A. Ellsperman, chairman; Banzhaf, E. E. Haverstick, A. W. Luf- L. E. Kurth, S. B. Scott, Edw. Taylor, kin, J. Ben Robinson. J. R. Walsh. Hospital Dental Service—W. H. Archer, Research—A. L. Midgley, chairman; L. E. Jr., chairman; J. W. Kemper, S. P. Mal- Blauch, P. J. Brekhus, J. E. Gurley, P. J. lett, L. H. M eisburger, Howard C. Hanzlik, P. C. Kitchin, A. B. Luckhardt, Miller. L. R. Main, L. M. S. Miner, L. W. Mor- Journalism—J. Cannon Black, chairman; rey, Irvine McQuarrie, Fr. A. M. Wm. R. Davis, J. M. Donovan, Walter Schwitalla. Hyde, B. E. Lischer. Socio-Economics—Geo. W. Wilson, chair- Necrology—J. V. Conzett, chairman; A. L. man; F. E. Grant, W. H. Mork, K. C. Martin, P. V. McParland, R. H. Volland, Pruden, M. W. Prince, C. E. Rudolph, M. L. Ward. E. G. Sloman, E. W. Swanson. Volume 11 JUNE, 1944 Number 2 Journal AMERICAN COLLEGE OF DENTISTS Contents Portrait of Dr. Horace Wells 81 Life and Letters of Horace Wells (Discoverer of Anesthesia), With an Appendix. W. Harry Archer, D.D.S. 83 Begins the study of dentistry 85 Announcement of beginning practice 89 Brief treatise on dentistry 94-96 Announcement of partnership with Morton 103 Dissolution of partnership with Morton 106 Public demonstration of nitrous oxide attended by Wells 107 Wells, the naturalist 111 Other inventions by Wells 119 Proof of claim as discoverer of anesthesia 119 Wells goes to Paris 122 Further proof of validity of Wells' claim 130 Wells, one of seven "immortals in dentistry"—name inscribed on Mace of American College of Dentists 147 Appendix: Wells' birthplace 148 Other pictures, family photos, photos of friends 149-190 Other patents by Wells 192-197 Testimonials to Wells 198 Monument to Wells 200 Actions of various organizations 201-210 A Reading From the De Humani Corporis Fabrica of Andreas Vesalius. J. B. DeC. M. Saunders, M.B., Ch. B., F.R.C.S. (Ed.), and Charles Donald O'Malley, M.A. 211 American College of Dentists: Socio-Economics. George W. Wilson, B.S., D.D.S. 219 Editorial: Anniversaries 238 Life and Liberty 239 Book Reviews 240 American College of Dentists BERNARD said: "Literary and artistic productions never grow old, in this sense, that they are expressions of feel- ing, changeless as human nature. We may add that philosophical ideas stand for aspirations of the human spirit which are also of all time. But science, which stands for what man has learned, is essentially mobile in expression; it varies and perfects itself in proportion to the increase of acquired knowledge. Present day science is therefore necessarily higher than the science of the past; and there is no sort of reason for going in search of any addition to modern science through knowledge of the ancients. Their theories, necessarily false be- cause they do not include facts discovered since then, can be of no real advantage to contemporary sci- ence. No experimental science, then, can make progress except by advancing and pursuing its work in the future. It would be absurd to believe that we should go in search of it in the study of books bequeathed to us by the past. We can find there only the history of the human mind, which is quite CLAUDE BERNARD another matter." DR. HORACE WELLS The copy of the life-sized portrait of Dr. Wells on the preceding page, painted by Charles Noel Flagg, hangs in the lobby of the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Conn. In the Hartford Daily Courant for Novem- ber 25, 1899, is the following news item: "In presenting his portrait of Dr. Horace Wells, the. discoverer of anes- thesia, Mr. Flagg wrote as follows: "'THE REV. FRANCIS GOODWIN, "'President of the Wadsworth Atheneum. "'Dear Sir—I take pleasure in presenting to the Wadsworth Atheneum, through you and your associate trustees, a portrait of the late Dr. Horace Wells, painted by me and actuated from the first stroke of the brush by the hope that in the place for which I have destined it, it might make friends for one of the most unfortunate and one of the greatest men who ever lived. The head was painted from a daguerreotype which Dr. Wells took of him- self when experimenting with the process, shortly after its invention by Daguerre. The pose was suggested by a silhouette by Dr. Wells, now in the possession of his son, Mr. Charles Wells. In the cut and color of the cos- tume I have been guided by my father's description of what he and Dr. Wells wore at the time when they were contemporary and intimate friends. I am prompted to give this picture to the Atheneum by a profound regard for the man who was able through his genius to prove his life for mankind by the greatest gift ever bestowed by a human being upon his fellows.